The Kingston Foreshore precinct has been around for a number of years and from its humble beginnings has exponentially expanded to cater for the ever growing community in the area.
It’s an ideal location, with restaurants on the water replicating the atmosphere found on the walking paths of the Yarra River in Melbourne, and the Circular Quay area in Sydney. So, if Melbourne and Sydney have restaurants on the water, why not Canberra?
Enter ‘Molto’, an Italian restaurant that personifies the Italian words ‘molto benne’– a straight translation of ‘very good’, and an Italian meaning of ‘a bit of everything and a lot of passion in food and history’ tells us owner Carlo Tosolini.
Carlo is no stranger to the food and restaurant industry. He started in the cafe industry in his early twenties, with his cafe ‘Corner Coffee Shop’ at Bailey’s Corner arcade in Civic. The natural progression was to open a restaurant, and in 1991, he and his brother redeveloped and re-branded the coffee shop and opened Tosolini’s. After 29 years running they closed their doors and pondered on their next move.
Opening a restaurant on the foreshore made sense to him, and with his new venture Molto, he feels that now he is bringing a part of Italy to Canberra.
The kitchen is open, there is no splash-back, or Perspex – it’s fully open. You can see his team of Italian chefs (a point that Carlo was proud of) busily preparing dishes for the diners.
Carlo tells us that when he created Molto, he wanted it to be appealing; ‘restaurants are a dish for your eyes – they should have a bit of everything – soft tones, hard and soft surfaces’. Indeed, the restaurant with its wooden tables and tiled surfaces are a delight to eat in.
Molto’s dining concept is to celebrate the Italian feast. Dishes are prepared to be shared, and are of Italian origin; Carlo wants a sense of authenticity to arrive at your table when the dish is presented.
What I find most appealing, besides the food, is the flow between the waiters and the diners. Carlo tells us that ‘some of the dishes created are to be made and served at the table. (This) brings the wait staff closer to the diners because the ‘kitchen’ is close enough that you can see what is going on.’
Carlo wants to continually learn and thus Molto has an evolving menu. It includes a specific ‘Secondi’ daily special as well as blackboard specials, and this is a great way to engage with diners as the wait staff explain the menu. The Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe is a popular dish – a large wheel of pecorino is brought to your table, within it cooked pasta, that the waiter stirs through, serving your cheesy spaghetti directly into your bow from the wheel. For dessert it is really hard to go past Nonna Tosolini’s Tiramisu, elegantly served in a cocktail glass.
Italian food is all about good produce, family and passion. Molto ticked off each of the requirements on our visits*.
What you need to know:
- Molto Italian is located at 43 Eastlake Parade, Kingston Foreshore
- Reservations are recommended for dinner sessions
- The full menu and opening hours can be found at Molto Italian
On social:
Instagram: @molto_italian
Facebook: moltoitalian
Hashtag: #moltoitalian
*The So Frank team was invited by Molto Italian to sample their menu items and has returned since of their own accord.