La Baia is a fitting name for this Italian restaurant, given its views of the South Melbourne Foreshore and the bay beyond.

The theme of the menu is authentic Italian, and it includes some regional dishes. Our favourite of the night is the Melenzane Ripiene. Slivers of eggplant are rolled around fresh ricotta and finished with Grana Padano, rocket and balsamic glaze. There’s plenty of flavour in each bite, and it’s certain to please vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Their Yabbies are caught fresh daily and prepared simply, so there’s nowhere to hide if the quality is not up to scratch. Thankfully the freshness is notable, and there’s a slight smokey flavour running through. The lemon vinaigrette is a great accompaniment for them.

On the pasta menu at La Baia you’ll find a few dishes different from the norm. The Penne alla Barbaricina is a Sardinian dish, coming with pork and fennel mince, wild mushrooms, herb saffron broth, and pecorino cheese. It’s not as rich as it might sound, and the pecorino is needed to lift the flavours a bit. The Pollo e Barbabietole is a free range chicken Kiev with seared scallops, beetroot purée and avocado mousse. It’s quite salty on this occasion, but the combination of ingredients is good and we’re surprised by how well the scallops go with the poultry.

We finish with a classic: a Tiramisu, which unfortunately is a little bitter and soggy at the bottom. The Souffle much fares better. It’s light and airy, and comes with hazelnut nice cream on the side.

Disclaimer: I was invited to La Baia Bar & Cucina as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are based on my experience at the time

La Baia Bar Cucina
16/123 Beaconsfield Parade
Albert Park, VIC, 3206
(03) 9042 2251
http://labaiabarcucina.com/