EUROPEAN CAFÉ
215 The Parade
Norwood South Australia 5067
W not available
E mailto:europeancafe@hotmail.com
T+61 8 8431 2145
F+61 8 8332 1770
OPEN Dinner 7 days from 5.00 pm till late

FOOD It’s a Monday night and the European Café is enviably packed with people, some leaving some arriving. It’s further comforting to note that the staff appear to know everyone. We know at least 50% of the people who seem to habitually eat at the same restaurants as us. Perhaps we have been missing out on something good? Glancing through to the kitchen, the chef has the Versace look, smooth skinned, tanned and toned and wearing very expensive jewelry, her hair shoved under a very modish cap, her apron pulled tightly against her body to show off every curve in real Donatella style. She looks more like a model than she does a chef. One of our number is a regular and orders Antipasto ($13.90 per 2) and a dish of Fried polenta with spinach and blue vein sauce ($12.50). Neither would have been my choice since I am utterly fed up with fridge-cold (and way too old) antipasto and polenta so hard you could build a house with it easier than enjoy eating it. Wrong! Completely wrong! The antipasto was generous and very good. The ritual usually abysmal frittata came hot and fresh, the cheese stuffed calzone was great and the fennel was crunchy and warm. It wasn’t tortured into submission and it wasn’t princess plated trying to conceal bland and boring – it was great, but best of all was the polenta. Firm enough to be cut, it had been fried in clean oil and had ample sauce rich with blue cheese perfectly foiled with just the right amount of spinach. Striking honesty since one could suspect that were a DNA test done on dishes that list Gorgonzola at an impossibly cheap price 90% of those restaurants would be red faced. The risotto from the specials board broke a personal tradition of not ordering risotto in a restaurant. Having completely misread the board it was not the simple Venetian Treviso risotto. Yes, the only person to blame for the disappointment was myself. A huge portion it had just the right amount of pork sausage and tasted great but the rice was slightly overcooked and the dish lacked the ooze of perfect risotto. But then, the perfect risotto rarely comes from a restaurant kitchen and it was only $17.90, so what’s to complain about. Penne Al Pollo ($16.90) was fresh and tasty and not swimming in sauce, and the Calamari Fritti ($20.90) came served on a bed of fried potatoes with a simple and appropriate salad. Everything was well seasoned and delicious.
Taking teenagers out to eat can be a nightmare as most of them can eat two main courses and still complain of being hungry. This family–run restaurant applies the principle of any local restaurant in Italy with generous portions and the sole intention of feeding customers good seasonal fresh food and the absolute determination that no one should leave hungry (even teenagers). The food at the European café is very good value for money and very affordable. The cool chic chef just happened to be part owner Gabriela Cavuoto who has been cooking there since she and husband and business partner Giorgio opened in 1979. The mother of two adult sons and a 12 year old Gabriel’s enthusiasm after 27 years of cooking shames most chefs. Ricardo, a qualified chef is Gabriela’s right hand at the European Café and Gianni, also working last Monday night (his night off) owns, Tempo in Hindley Street, Adelaide. Gabriela is still working 3 – 4 nights a week and clearly loving it. Miraclo! How does she do it and look so young; how do they do it a family working together without any animosity? How lucky for Gabriela and Giorgio to have two adult sons committed to the industry must have helped their longevity.
The European Café should be blessed for its lack of pretension and Italian big–heartedness. It is meant to be (and is) a locals local serving up generous inexpensive freshly cooked seasonal food. This is old style Italian food and the blend of southern and northern Italian dishes is not surprising given that Gabriela a misto, with a parent from the south and the north and Giorgio is from the south. AO

WINE the wine list at the European is chosen in the same manner as most local Italian restaurants and is a mix of their personal favourites, the wines of their customers, friends and supporters. There are ample good choices and modest mark ups add to keeping the bill low and/or enjoying that second bottle.

OWNERS — Gabriela and Giorgio Cavuoto
CHEFS — Gabriela and son Ricardo Cavuoto
RESTAURANT MANAGERS — Gabriela and Giorgio Cavuoto