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Kaprica

Nina Rousseau

Capriciosa pizza from Kaprica pizzeria in Carlton.
Capriciosa pizza from Kaprica pizzeria in Carlton.Eddie Jim

Italian

PIETRO BARBAGALLO. INDUSTRY types have strong opinions on this pizza and pasta wunderkind.

Matt Preston, the former custodian of these column inches, was a big fan, along with umpteen pizza diehards, who keep track of chefs' career hops the way others keep track of AFL footy cards.

I Carusi was where Barbagallo made his name as an artisan pizza pioneer, blazing the trail in Brunswick East. I Carusi II (St Kilda) came next, then L'uccellino (Yarraville) and the ambitious Barbagallo Trattoria e Cucina (city), which shut unceremoniously in March last year.

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Now, in a quiet offshoot near Lincoln Square, Barbagallo is back in the kitchen of his family's pizzeria. "Cooking is what I love to do," he says. "I guess I don't know how to do anything else."

Barbagallo has gone back to how it all began with Kaprica and this modest neighbourhood place feels right. There's the right amount of rusticity: stripped-back concrete (because he buggered up the paint job, he will laughingly tell you), whitewashed walls, exposed bricks and beams, deco lights and dark wooden tables - classic and simple.

At 52 seats, it's small enough for Barbagallo to run himself, with a kitchen in the heart of the dining room, the bench loaded up with grill-striped eggplant, artichokes, broccolini and Italian cheeses stowed in the fridges below.

His style is more Sicilian than Neapolitan. His oven is electric and he reckons "the wood-fired thing is a bit of myth", unless you're cooking with olive wood, "but then you're going to be naturally romanced because then you're in Naples anyway".

Whatevs, as the young folk say - the pizza is very good, the base fluffy and crispy all at once; thin but sturdy enough to hold the traditional toppings.

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The broccoli pizza is a winner, with a hefty scattering of broccolini, melted mozzarella, chilli flakes, shavings of parmesan and a spritz of lemon.

Capricciosa will please its fans, with leg ham, artichokes, black olives, mushroom and mozzarella. There are breakfast pizzas, too - egg and spinach; pancetta and mushroom.

Potato gnocchi is borderline soft but overwhelmingly yummy with a cholesterol killer of rich gorgonzola, cream and parmesan.

Belgian chocolate - dark, milk, white - oozes from a hot, crisp calzoncino shell, dusted with icing sugar.

I'm rapt Barbagallo's cooking is back on the radar. Now bring on summer and pizza in the park across the road.

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nrousseau@theage.com.au

Kaprica
Address:
19 Lincoln Square, Carlton (no phone), cash only, licensed
Open:
Tues-Sun, 8am-10pm; Mon, 8am-4pm
Cuisine
Pizzeria/southern Italian/cafe
Do …
Ask about wine from the cellar
Don't … Try to call; no phone yet
Dish … All good; I love the broccoli, and the capriciosa
Vibe … Low-key but not for long
Prices … Pizzas, $10-$17 ($9.50 at breakfast); pastas, $12-$18; desserts, $5-$9 (cash only)

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