The Empire Hotel - Spaghettini's new menu

The Empire Hotel has done it again. Not to be complacent and rest on their laurels, Spaghettini and new Chef Thomas Walter has launched a new menu made up of sumptous, carb laden Italian dishes with a range of traditional antipasti, zuppa , insalata, primi and dolce.

Traditional Italian carpaccios, risottos, pizzas and pastas feature alongside creamy desserts like the cream filled cannoli, melt in your mouth tiramisu and to die for panna cotta. This is what was happily digested in my tummy earlier this week.

Pepata di Cozze
New Zealand mussels cooked in garlic-herb and butter broth - so rich and buttery I wolfed them down and refused to share.

Insalata Caprese
Tomato & mozarella with balsamic dressing - leaves a nice tangy aftertaste.

Penne Pasta with sundried tomatoes, artichokes, olives, raisins, rocket and roasted pine seeds.
Beautifully light flavour with none of the heaviness of a cream sauce.

Risotto with mushrooms & duck - creamy comfort food.

Cannoli Siciliana.
Flaky pastry shell filled with sweetened ricotta cheese & chocolate chips, served with raspberry sauce - the pastry was a little heavy and sat in my tummy for a little longer than comfortable but that could just be because of the copious amounts of food consumed.

Panna Cotta.
Jellied cream with strawberry compote - nice and light tasting. The perfect hot day dessert.

More pictures here, here, here, here and here.