85 Market Street, Fremantle
Phone: (08) 9430 6126
New rosy location
Authentic Italian dining returns to Fremantle with the re-opening of Portorosa just a few metres from its original location.
Its signature pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas and Mediterranean flavours continue to attract diners to the iconic brand founded in Fremantle and Cockburn.
Portorosa’s first day of trading in its new home caters to a handful of Italian food lovers. We’re overlooking the Cappuccino Strip while seated among the white walls decorated with images of owner Joe Napoli’s Sicilian hometown, mint-green scooter and several of his favourite dishes.
Joe personally welcomes every guest to settle in and prepare in anticipation for the culinary journey they’re about to enjoy.
Families will love the welcoming atmosphere and the kids’ menus featuring Spaghetti Bolognese, Pizza Tropicana, Chicken Tenderloin and Chicken Nuggets.
Introducing Chef Vittorio Franchina, Joe leaves us in capable hands as he turns his attention to the other guests and the busy kitchen.
Vittorio’s first dish is platedto perfectionandthe seafood-stuffed tortelloni is toppedwith perfectly cooked prawns covered in white wine, crab meat, saffron cream and herbs. Hidden inside the folds of soft pasta, a combination of squid, crab and snapper add a salty zing to what is expected to be a popular Portorosa dish.
The second dish is filettoai mirtilli, a blueberry fillet popular in many parts of Italy, not unlike lamb and cranberry sauce dishes.
The chargrilled eye fillet was cooked medium and the sweet wine-marinated berries enhanced every sip of the 2015 Riello delleBalzeChianti (Tuscany, Italy). Matched with the creamy mashed potatoes dressed in the berry jus; this was the highlightof the meal.
Vittorio’s third dish, smoked salmon rolls stuffed with cream cheese and served with lemon wedges, spinach and cherry tomatoes is a pre-main dish of choice. A dry white is recommended.
Our last dish is a puffy pizza bianca, seasoned well, soft, a great warmer for the hungry palate. Served with
the 2017 Corte Giara’s Pinot Grigio (Allegrini, Italy), this light wine, straw yellow in colour, with hints of apple, pear and peach isgreat with pastaand pizza.
Still high on the blueberry fillet, Portorosa is just warming up. With a new Italian oven, Vittorio says the pizzas are still hotproperty, particularly for takeaway orders.
Their most popular pizza, the T&J Special is topped with Italian sausage, ham, mushrooms, garlic prawns and mozzarella cheese. Portorosa’s favourites remain; including Spaghetti Portorosa, seafood platters and the gnocchi, which Vittorio is still deciding whether to use ricotta instead of potato.
A few more surprises are in store for Italian food lovers visiting the Market Street icon, including a new bar-sized area which will be popular in the warmer months.
With fresh new premises, a creative chef and friendly service, Portorosa diners can look forward to a traditional Italian experience with a modern edge for many years to come.
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