Bianca: When I catch up with my girl Suze it’s always over delicious foods!!! We were long overdue and thus, descended upon the new food arm of Freda’s bar, Cheesy Grin. Imma be honest, prior to our rendezvous I had never heard of the current semi perm pop-up, with a singular focus on pancakes diverting my attention, most restaurants have been neglected!
But here we are, this’ll be short and sweet. The menu is geared towards snacks, toasties and a pasta dish, quintessential drinking food. Of which we imbibed, a pretty snappy bitter Negroni $16 was most welcome.
Kinda looking like a semi-frightening cheesy grin, the European Pretzel -w/ sopressa salami, whipped ricotta, parsley & cured egg yolk. Served with pickles & crisps $12. We both loved the flavour of the sweet(ish) pretzel, similar to a brioche. Salty, creamy ricotta and a prominent savoury nuttiness from the cured egg yolk shavings. I typically shy away from any heat being applied to cold cut deli meats, mortadella being my arch nemesis… and I’m Italian, go figure! The seaweed powder on the potato crisps was an interesting touch.
I ADORED the Cacio e Pepe – Three cheese & pepper on semi sourdough -w/ pickles and crisps $10. This was my fave! Cheesy, creamy, gooey! Glorious melted cheese strands connecting each half, as we checked for the tell-tale sign of a good toastie melt! Even for two sensitive stomach ladies, I could have eaten 2 and died happily on a toilet somewhere!
I was a little less impressed by the Arrabiata Tagliatelle -w/ parsley, parmesan & garlic gremoloto $18. Nonno’s homemade tomato passata has practically ruined most restaurant pasta dishes for me! He’s an Italian wizard, Hagrid actually… Pasta was cooked well but the sauce fell a little flat, lacking that bold, tomato flavour. I really loved the crunchy garlic gremoloto!
I’d go back if I was in the area and looking for good bar food.
Bianca
hahaha stomach sensitive but willing to sacrifice