Farina 00 Pasta & Wine Bar is an authentic Italian restaurant located on the picturesque and pedestrian friendly King William Road. Farina 00 has an interior that evokes memories of Italy, with walls covered in wine racks, dark ceilings and candles on every table. We were invited to an Italian wine dinner at Farina 00 in collaboration with the fabulous Lou Miranda Estate.

Our first dish of the night was Tuna Crudo with Capers and Citrus. I’m a big tuna fan and the thin, carefully cut sheets of tuna were perfectly matched with the tang of citrus and the bit of capers. It was a beautiful starter that opened up our appetite.

Following this we enjoyed a piece of Chargrilled Octopus with Roasted Pepper Sauce. When I first took a bite the texture was so much like chicken, it was such a beautifully meaty piece! It was wonderfully tasty and the sauce was flavourful. The tip of the tentacle may have been a bit over-charred for some, but it was a fantastic entree.

Our pasta dish of the night was Orecchiette with Pork and Fennel Sausage and Chilli. I was glad to see this on the menu as fresh made orecchiette is not that common. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the fennel was balanced and not too overpowering. The kick of chilli sure warmed us up too!

Our final main dish was Pan-Fried Lamb Cutlets on Potato Purée. It was crumbed with pecorino and rosemary and tasted like a schnitzel! The flavours were stunning, and the red wine jus poured over the dish was a great touch.

Our dessert of the night was a Chocolate Budino. I had never had one before, but it was a steaming hot gooey pudding. Rich and oh so chocolatey, it wasn’t the usual Italian dessert I was expecting, but a nice surprise for sure.

Farina 00 is open for lunch Friday and Sunday from 12:30pm-3pm, and is open for dinner 7 nights a week from 6pm-late.

Words by Heidi Ioannou from The Hungry Heidi

WHERE: 128 King William Rd, Goodwood