Monelli, Burns Beach

Iluka and Burns Beach residents have it made – in a culinary sense. Not only do they have The Iluka, Bar Ole and Sista’s Café on their doorstep but a new high end dining restaurant has recently opened in Burns Beach.

Monelli is a family run business. Owners Cinzio and Ezio Patrizi together with daughter Eleanora bring their hospitality background to Monelli making coastal dining, Italian style, a memorable experience.

Previously executive chef at Print Hall in Perth, chef Luca Minetti shares the Patrizi’s passion for creative, upmarket Italian food, which is amply reflected in Monelli’s menu.

The restaurant caters for busy Perthites who love their breakfast and early risers who can’t get started without a hit of morning coffee. Long lines at the takeout window are not unusual and the restaurant gets plenty of attention and custom from walkers and joggers on the adjacent coastal path. A well-equipped children’s playground in front of Monelli and a park behind the restaurant also ensures a steady stream of young families.

As well as it’s a la carte dining, Monelli also offer a degustation experience – a four course mystery meal for $110 per person. Add wine pairing for $50.

Having an early dinner at 6:30pm on with my husband and a friend, I was surprised to see how busy the restaurant was on a Thursday evening. And on a day when Perth’s autumn temperatures hit 32 c, several patrons decided to sit in the alfresco area.

Relaxing in our comfortable chairs, we opted to skip a starter and concentrate on mains and dessert. Our friend chose the Pappardelle Al Fungi ($34). This dish’s main ingredient is roasted garlic mushrooms, drenched in porcini jus with mascarpone cheese and Parmesan.

My husband went for the Cavatelli ($38). Shark Bay crab comes with lime and roasted peppers. And I had the Tortelli cacio e pepe – pecorini cheese filled tortelli with guanciale (tiny pieces of pork cheek) in a fabulous sauce. ($37)

We all agreed that our meals were excellent – so good in fact, that it will be difficult to try something new on the menu next time we go!

Next up was dessert. We chose a baked gelato – a take on baked Alaska ($18), a riso al latte ($18) and an Affogato al caffe ($13). My friend raved about her gelato (lemon sorbet and strawberry compote), which she said was delicious, cold and tart topped by a very tasty Italian meringue.

My husband always enjoys an Affogato and Monelli’s version got his seal of approval. I wasn’t as happy with my Riso al latte, a coconut milk rice pudding with salted butter caramel and apple sorbet. The sorbet was excellent but the rice pudding itself needed more time for the rice to be properly cooked. Nevertheless I devoured the sorbet and scraped the salted butter caramel off the top!

Staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and not obtrusive in any way. Décor is minimalist apart from the material wafting from the ceilings covering lights and air conditioners. Very stylish.