Vicolo, Merimbula

Now that I’ve finished exams I can finally get onto writing about this wonderful Italian restaurant Z and I discovered in the Sapphire Coast town of Merimbula. After having a bit of trouble finding a good quality restaurant for my early birthday dinner in the town we were staying in (Eden), we decided to venture to Merimbula for Italian, and of course Seafood – seeing as we were in prized-seafood territory!

Tucked just off the main road of Merimbula is this divine little Italian gem – something you definitely would not pick to be on the Sapphire Coast. On a Saturday night the place was packed so I would definitely recommend making a booking.

The décor is very rustic-trattoria and was perfect for a romantic dinner. The menu is comprised of rustic Italian appetisers and mains, mainly being pizzas and pastas. They also have an extensive cocktail and wine menu which we were quick to scour!

I opted for the Sailor’s Sweetheart ($16) – partly because of the name, and then of course its delicious ingredients: Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum, rum & vanilla vodka, muddled with lychees, pineapple and passionfruit. Now who could say no to that? Although they were quite slow to come out (coming the same time as our food) the cocktails were absolutely delicious and worth the wait!

Z opted for the Vicolo Iced Tea ($16) with a blend of white spirits, peach schnapps, peppermint tea and apple juice with mint, lemon and lime. This was equally delicious, but a lot easier to drink as you couldn’t taste the alcohol at all. Dangerous!

As we had just stuffed ourselves on fresh bread and locally-made cheeses before getting to the restaurant, we went straight for the mains. I ordered the Seafood Spaghetti ($33) – Pan-friend prawns, octopus, squid and salmon spaghetti with garlic, chill, white wine and lemon olive oil. This dish was divine and tasted so fresh. It came out about 15 minutes after we ordered which is very quick for my standards! The lemon olive oil added the perfect citrusy taste to the pasta and made it feel light (almost like it was healthy…I wish). Being in the Sapphire Coast, this is exactly what I wanted – good quality fresh seafood. It was just even better with the pasta!

And of course, there was always going to be room for dessert! We went straight for the Tiramisu ($12), one of my favourite desserts of all time. And this was no different. The denseness of the dessert was just perfect, with a strong coffee flavour which I love. We decided to share this one as we were so full and the size was just perfect!

I seriously cannot recommend this restaurant enough to anyone heading down to the Sapphire Coast and wanting something different to the fish and chip shop. The service was incredible, the atmosphere was cosy and welcoming and the food was absolute perfection. Can’t wait to get back just for Vicolo! X

Vicolo
Shop 6/11 Merimbula Drive
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30pm
Price: $$-$$$