Alt Pasta was our first meal in Melbourne in 2025 (LINK). This is an Asian-European restaurant in the CBD that specialises in pasta.
We started with their staple fresh warm bread and truffle butter, with a complimentary Welcome Prosecco.
This delectable bite was a braised ox tail croquette with creme fraiche, kohlrabi and shisho for $13 each. It was warm, crunchy, savoury and gooey, with the right touch of sweetness.
We got citrus kingfish with avocado, orange and verjuice for $27. This was a nice twist on the standard kingfish ceviche, with the avocado mellowing out the acidity, although they went a bit hard with the verjuice.
The wagyu beef tartare with charcoal and anchovy mayo, cured egg and chickpea crisp for $30 had really nice contrasting textures but there was just too much mayo that it drowned out the flavour. Also the anchovy in the mayo gave it a slight bitter aftertaste.
We were lucky to get the end of the truffle season. This was one of their specials: a truffle and Korean black garlic spaghetti, with pickled celery and tangerine for ~$40. This was such a light and aromatic bite for a heavy creamy and carb-y dish. We couldn’t stop eating this one.
We got their signature mafaldine with moreton bay bug, nduja and basil pesto for $54 again.
It was just as we remembered: sweet and savoury sauce hidden in the soft pockets of the mafaldine, with a perfectly cooked tender bug.
This was another special, a pickled walnut and truffle lasagna. I don’t remember the price (probably around $40), but it was good on first contact, and then it became too rich and heavy to finish. It needed a bit more acidity or sweetness to balance everything.
Service
The staff was great. They were very hospitable, as we arrived 45 minutes before they closed and we were finishing up around 30 minutes after they had starting to shut down for their afternoon break.
Review
Our friend really enjoyed the food and the cosy vibes. We found this visit with more missed dishes than the first one, but it won’t stop us from returning for our annual meal.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating.
