Fratelli FRESH!!!

I have always wanted to go to Fratelli Fresh at Walsh Bay (aka Cafe Sopra), but whenever Chris and I turned up on the weekend it was always when they weren't serving food (they only open from 12 weekends, and finish lunch at 3!). But this Sunday we managed to get a table for lunch.... but after a bit of a sketchy start. You see Fratelli Fresh is one of those places where you turn up and then don't really know what to do to get a table, do you just find a free table and sit down, should you wait to be seated, is there a waiting list??!? It turned out this Sunday there was a 20 minute wait for lunch, but Chris and I decided to wait it out. We thought we would wait at the bar and get a drink but spotted some free bar stools and quickly took them to make the wait a little more enjoyable. But wrong thing to do, supposedly even the bar spots are reserved so we were quickly ushered to this cute little bay window lounge thing (feeling a tad embarrassed). But by that time, there was only five more minutes before our table was ready!! As soon as we had our table I had forgotten about the pre-lunch shenanigans and was excited about our meal again. There is something about the ambiance of Fratelli Fresh that makes it seem so cool, sort of an old school Italian/ warehouse feel to it. We got a table right next to a wall of European wines that probably added to the ambiance.

Fratelli Fresh has no menus (other than a very yummy drinks menu) and you order the food from a giant wall chalk board where the restaurant staff cross items off in front of you as they sell out. It was really my type of menu, nothing TOO fancy, but fancy enough to feel like you were somewhere nice. There was also lots of pasta on the menu mmm, I LOVE PASTA!! so after polishing off an antipasti plate (minus the artichoke) Chris and I both ordered delicious bowls of pasta. Chris the ragu bolognese, and me the spaghetti with lemon and pangratto (which is a fancy word for breadcrumbs I learnt). Other than the fact that the breadcrumbs got a bit too oily by the end of the dish, I loved it, but i have to say Chris's was the best. It is true, you cant go past a good bolognese! We opted to pass on dessert cause we really did eat too much and Chris got himself a coffee (note, they dont do take-aways!). Then as we were feeling food inspired, we listened to our inner masterchef and persused the little grocer/deli section. A bit expensive for every day grocery shopping, but lots of little treats like home made pastas and stir through sauces, for special occasions. I got told they even do cooking classes so that is definitely go on my to do list!

Will  I go back, definately, now I know what to do when I get there...