Branch of Olive at Da Guido La Pasta
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s iconic Lygon Street, Da Guido La Pasta recently hosted “A Branch of Olive,” an intimate evening of superb dining that felt like a heartfelt celebration of the best of produce. Marking the restaurant’s tenth year in Australia, the sold-out event celebrated the liquid gold of the Mediterranean - Ranieri extra virgin olive oil - alongside the silken flours of Molino Pasini, woven through five unforgettable courses by chef Mirco Cossavella and guided with grace by sommelier Emanuele Luzi.
The night began the way every proper Italian evening should: with bread and oil. Guests were welcomed with a tasting of Ranieri MIRA, a 100 per cent Italian extra virgin whose fragrant, peppery finish danced across warm house-made focaccia, grissini, and rustic wholemeal loaves - all risen from Molino Pasini flours. Beside it, a Dirty Martini offered a playful, briny contrast that instantly set the tone: tradition with a wink.
What followed was pure theatre on a plate. A pocket of feather-light gnocco fritto arrived puffed and golden, split to reveal a surprising filling of raw kangaroo tartare - an audacious Australian-Italian marriage that somehow tasted as natural as the hills of Emilia-Romagna. Then came the burratina, its creamy heart spilling over caramelised peaches and thin ribbons of torcetto prosciutto from Carpegna, the sweetness tempered by a bright peach-and-Ranieri-oil vinaigrette. Paired with the mineral 2021 Pinot Grigio from Monsupello, it was summer captured in a single bite.
The pasta course was the soul of the evening: hand-rolled linguine allo scoglio, made from Molino Pasini flour, tangled with mussels and clams in a delicate broth, finished with gremolada and a snowfall of bottarga. The 2022 Friulano from Sturm cut through the richness like a sea breeze. Next, perfectly cooked red gurnard rested atop a cloud of lemongrass-infused potato foam, partnered with crisped guanciale, confit carrots, and a grapefruit-soy fish jus brightened by another generous drizzle of Ranieri oil. The 2023 Pinot Nero “Junior” from Monsupello brought cherry brightness and gentle structure to the dish, proving once again Emanuele’s gift for harmony.
Dessert was nothing short of genius. Chef Mirco presented a dessert that walked the ancient road between Rome and Naples: a maritozzo shell soaked like a baba, filled with orange-and-rum syrup, layered with chantilly, crème anglaise, and crowned with Italian meringue. The 2020 Gewürztraminer from Nicolodi Alfio, aromatic with lychee and rose, was its perfect companion - sweetness answering sweetness, yet never cloying.
Throughout the evening, crisp white tablecloths glowed under soft light, silverware chimed gently, and stories flowed as freely as the wine. Every plate carried the unmistakable signature of Da Guido: respect for ingredient, reverence for technique, and an infectious joy in sharing both. In a city spoiled for Italian restaurants, this little room on Lygon Street remains a quiet titan - flying just beneath the radar while serving food that belongs on the world stage.
As the night drew to a close, one fortunate guest walked away clutching a double magnum of Ranieri MIRA, the room’s applause echoing long after the last drop of Gewürztraminer was poured.
Ten years in Melbourne, and Da Guido La Pasta has never felt more vital, more authentically Italian, more essential. For those yet to cross its threshold, consider this an open invitation: book the table, bring good company, and prepare to fall in love with Italian cooking all over again. On Lygon Street, beneath the fairy lights and the murmur of a thousand past dinners, a branch of olive is forever in bloom.