18 Nov Pizza Farro, Thornbury

Glutard-friendly Italian restaurants aren’t easily come by, so Pizza Farro really stands out with its offer of low gluten and gluten-free Italian fare. 100% Australian organic spelt flour is used in all their pizza, bread and pasta, and although spelt is low gluten rather than non-gluten, Pizza Farro also provides gluten free pizza bases, with prior notice. The pizza menu features flavour combinations that are quite different from the norm, though those exist too. Bases are made on-site daily before being adorned with toppings and cooked in their wood-fired oven.

Arancini – Porcini Mushrooms & Truffle Oil Infused Rice Balls, Served on a Mint, Coriander & Yoghurt Sauce $6.50

We had porcini and truffle oil arancini to start. Served with a mint, coriander and yoghurt sauce, the arancini were a bit disappointing. They did have a lovely crust, but the flavours did not stand out, and the truffle was barely recognisable.

Anatra – Buffalo Mozzarella, Slow Roasted Duck Leg, Braised Radicchio, Spring Onions & a Sweet Pomegranate Vincotto Vinegar $25.30

Much better were the mains. Our choice of pizza was the Anatra, with buffalo mozzarella, slow-roasted duck leg, braised radicchio, spring onions and pomegranate vincotto vinegar. The award-winning spelt pizza base was crispy and tasted less strongly of spelt than other spelt pizzas I’ve tried previously. The tang of radicchio and vincotto vinegar combined with juicy roasted duck made for an absolutely delicious pizza.

Squid Ink Spaghetti Di Mare – Clams, Tiger Prawns & Mussels Cooked with White Wine, Garlic, Fresh Chilli and a Touch Of Napoli Sauce ($24.80)

As we perused the menu, we were both drawn in by the squid ink spaghetti di mare, with clams, tiger prawns and mussels with a white wine, garlic, fresh chilli and napoli sauce. The organic spelt pasta didn’t have the same smooth texture of regular durum wheat pasta and was also a cooked little firmer than al dente, but the fresh seafood and robust and honest flavours of the dish were most delightful.

Though a little pricey, we both left satisfied with a good meal. It’s easy to do bad or boring Italian, but Pizza Farro stepped up to the mark.

Disclaimer: This meal was partly subsidised by Zomato, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own and not influenced by them in any way.

Pizza Farro
608 High Street
Thornbury, VIC, 3071
(03) 9484 2040
pizzafarro.com.au/