Italians usually opt for strong coffee and a croissant for breakfast, but there’s more on the menu at Agostinis. Photo: Supplied.
Agostinis Italian Restaurant in East Hotel has long been a favourite for reliably excellent pasta and pizza. When Muse closed last year, the team at Agostinis stepped in to offer breakfast options for hotel guests. But they’ve proved so popular that they’re throwing open the doors to one and all to indulge in their new colazione (breakfast) menu with a few cheeky Italian twists!
Breakfast in Italy often consists of a small but very strong espresso and a bite of something sweet, like a pastry or biscuits. So, to create a menu that caters to the Australian preference for a big, hearty brunch, the team at Agostinis has tweaked a few classics with Italian flavours.
One such dish is carbonara eggs. Now, there is a lot of contention about what makes a carbonara ‘authentic’ (I’m on team ‘no cream’, for the record), and this fusion dish might make your Nonna throw her hands in the air in disbelief, but gosh, it’s good. Soft, pillowy scrambled eggs with lashings of pecorino cheese, properly thick bacon and, of course, plenty of cracked pepper.
Now, a cynic might say that this is just eggs on toast with bacon and cheese, but to those folks, I say, let a little whimsy in your heart! Also, shush: I’m eating, and your negativity is distracting.
The Carbonara eggs are delightfully cheesy. Photo: Adam McGrath/Instagram.
Tuscan-style white cannellini beans in a tomato and basil sauce becomes a warming baked egg dish, and instead of a classic omelette, the menu offers Silvia’s Frittata with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, goat’s cheese and herbs.
For those who have perhaps had a few too many Proseccos, Peronis or Pinots last night, you might like to check out what I think could be the holy grail of hangover meals: lasagna for breakfast. Pork neck lasagna made onsite with fresh pasta and a cheeky chilli kick, pan fried for a crispy bottom and a guaranteed good time. Sounds perfect for a lazy Sunday to me!
Of course, if you’d like to kick on or perhaps get the party started, you can also order a Bellini, Garibaldi or Mimosa to elevate your brunch to boozy status! Freshly squeezed juices, excellent coffee (I should know, I had two), and a selection of teas are also available for a low-key brunch experience.
Executive Chef Francesco Frankie Balestrieri and the team make all the pasta fresh in-house. Photo: Agostinis.
While eating brunch, I also snuck a look at the new menu available for lunch and dinner at Agostinis: one look at the fichi pizza (Canberra figs, taleggio cheese, prosciutto and caramelised balsamic) had me practically counting down the minutes until my next meal.
Agostinis is now renovating the space where Muse used to be and is planning to open a new venue mid-year. They’re keeping close-lipped for now, but Region has been told it definitely won’t be Italian. Executive Chef Francesco did let slip that he was off to a French wine tasting, so there may be a clue there.
Agostinis is located on the ground floor of East Hotel, 69 Canberra Ave, Kingston. They are open seven days a week. Breakfast is available Monday to Friday from 6:30 am to 11 am and from 7 am to 11 am on weekends. Lunch and dinner are available seven days from 12 to 9.30 pm. Follow Agostinis on Facebook or Instagram.
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