Restaurant review: Pranzo
Pranzo is the spot to be and be seen for lunch in Adelaide’s CBD.
At any given time, Adelaide’s business elite, political and media identities can be spotted enjoying breakfast or lunch at the Exchange Place eatery.
While not quite showing off, those who go to Pranzo aren’t there for a discreet lunch. The restaurant faces a busy pedestrian thoroughfare and hides no-one and nothing from public view.
Its clientele either know each other, or think they know each other, creating an interesting atmosphere for observers.
Offering a modern Italian menu and varied international wine list, Pranzo is comfortably efficient.
Service is professional and carries an air of confidence with staff always willing to lead your dining experience. The waiters rarely forget a face and I hear they’ve garnered quite a following among the regular female diners and coffee drinkers.
The simple setting features windows that open to the narrow alfresco area. It is bustling but comfortable.
Pranzo starts with breakfast which is so good that it is a pity it isn’t available on weekends.
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A crispy-based breakfast pizza is laden with bacon, mushrooms and roasted tomatoes, brought together by gooey-yolked eggs. It can easily be shared with a friend and is the perfect start to the day.
The traditional eggs poached in napoletana sauce is served generously with bacon and bread – a hearty mid-week hangover cure.
The lunch menu is modern Italian with a hint of Mediterranean influence.
The selection of pizzas, pastas and meat is small but what they do they do extremely well.
Specials are presented by rote, and can often be the best choice.
Pranzo also offers a great takeaway option of a selection of pastas and risottos served with a bitter leaf salad and olive bread.
To start, the charcuterie plate of sopressa, prosciutto and salamis is complemented with a sweet relish and house-made pickled vegetables.
The taglierini al granchio is probably the best in Adelaide: soft egg pasta, a thick creamy rose sauce and large chunks of crab meat are highlighted with the perfect hint of chilli.
A special rigatoni of pork and veal meatballs is topped with a dollop of béchamel and grilled cheese – an open lasagne of epic proportions.
The pizzas are simple, but use the best of ingredients and are an excellent summer-time meal – the crispy pork and mushroom with a decent smack of chilli is a particular favourite.
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Pranzo’s wine list is extensive with a heavy French and South American influence. The scale of the list may be a bit daunting for some, but the waiting staff will guide you expertly to a vintage to match your meal.
I have rarely had the time, or the room, to try the decent selection of desserts on offer, although the cheese plate on one occasion featured three French cheeses, a blue, a washed rind and a cheddar served with toasted bread, which called for another bottle of wine to match.
The chefs manage to dish up food at a good rate, never pushing diners and always pleasing.
Serving sizes are perfect; prices are reasonable. Breakfast meals are priced around $15; for lunch, starters are around $17 and mains about $30.
The balance of providing a quick and reliable but never rushed experience is something manager Abdulla and his staff have mastered.
The beauty of lunch at Pranzo is that it offers a place for a quick bite, a glass of wine and back to work. It can also be a great place to settle in for a few too many on a Friday afternoon.
Pranzo has for a long time set the benchmark for lunch dining in the CBD and, while there may be a few competitors, it is still the place to be.
Four out of five.
Pranzo
46 Exchange Place, Adelaide
(08) 8231 0661
Open Mon – Fri 7am -5pm
Cuisine: Modern Italian
