Back to +39

362 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone 03 9642 0440

Another Friday night, another cheese tasting.  This is starting to become a bit of a habit!

Truth be told, I was actually craving pizza (and lots of vino) come 6pm.  I yearned for a crust that was bubbled with air, licked with olive oil and sea salt, and layered with good quality toppings, which can often be hard to find in the CBD.  Trunk does a pretty good job, but I thought we’d give the newest kid on the block, +39 a try.

The space itself is modern – almost concrete bunker-like, which is not a bad thing – just makes it a little noisier when the place gets going.  The modern-ness is offset and warmed by some funky traditional elements, such as the gorgeous timber tables with wrought iron bases, a sexy-looking Adonis coffee machine by Victoria Arduino, and the fire-engine red Berkel slicer that shaves paper thin slivers of prosciutto.

As mentioned in my previous post, during the day +39 runs as a cafe. At night though, the pizza oven and the glass food case is where it’s all at.  It showcases a mouth watering display of cheeses, salumi, olives and assaggini, small tastes portioned in small terracotta dishes, known as cazuelas.  The degustazione changes on a daily basis, which keeps it all very interesting.

Anyway, I digress.  As mentioned earlier, I was keen for some pizza action before I arrived, but on seeing the wonderful array of Italian cheeses on offer, I just had to order the aged degustazione ($24), a generous wooden board of seven different cheeses.  I must confess I have a rather soft spot for lipase-y cheeses that give a good kick to the tastebuds.

To start with (at the bottom right of the first photo, working towards the left) was an Asiago from the Veneto region. It was at that perfect medio eating stage; a bit firmer than a cheddar, but with a clean, nutty and slightly hot finish.  It paired well with the sweet yellow fig marmalata.

Next up were two cousins from Tuscany, pecorino crudo (fresh), and pecorino al tartufo (with truffle).  Pecorino is made from sheep’s milk (pecora = sheep), and is noted for its sharpness.  This was my Nonno’s favourite cheese (who, incidently, hailed from Isola d’Elba in the Tuscan Region), so I am quite used to the bite. The crudo has the consistency of gouda and is a milder, perhaps more palatable version for the unintiated.  The tarfufo on the other hand had that familiar tang/bite, and the infusion of truffle was spectacular, especially when partnered with the accompanying pear jam.

At the base of the Alps to the north of Italy you will find the region of Piedmonte, a highly fertile part of the country responsible for grapes (wine), cows (milking and beef) and cereal crops.  It’s the first two which combine to make this next cheese, my absolute favourite of the night.  The Testun al Barolo is a semi-firm cheese made from the sweet, grassy milk from cows that graze the lower Alps.  It is aged around 4-6 months in oak barrels filled with the skins of nebbiola grapes; the grapes that make Barolo wine.  The flavour of the wine seeps into the crumbly bitey cheese, and, my god…what an amazing cheese!

To the left of the photo was a Montasio – a hard, almost parmigiano-like cheese made from cow’s milk.  The outside of the cheese is normally characterised by a brownish hue – but none was apparent on our serving, they must have cut it off!

Okay…almost there.  Next up were two cheeses from Lombardia, and perhaps two of the more pungent varieties.  Taleggio is a stinky washed rind, which, despite its funky aroma, is delicious mild and fruity on the palate. It is squidgyly delectable when eaten with a small cube of quince paste.  The last cheese was a classic blue Gorgonzola, which has been produced in Italy since the Middle Ages.  It is salty, buttery and bitey, and the pungent flavour and aroma comes care of the lactobacillus bulgaricus, streptococcus thermophilus and spores of the mold penicillium glaucum. What I love about blue cheese is the umami-ness, that just leaves you wanting more.

To accompany the cheese we shared a plain foccaccia (pizze), brushed with olive oil, rosemary and sea salt flakes, and also dried biscuit-like foccaccia (not pictured).  There is also a nice list of Italian wines (I unfortunately forgot the name of the one we drank), by the bottle or glass.

After the cheese plate, we moved onto pizza. This is the Tirolesa ($20) – mascarpone, caramalised leek and speck.  Oh yeah…this fulfilled my pizza craving admirably.  I’d even go so far to rate it as the best pizza I’ve had the pleasure of eating so far this year.

We also shared a pear, radicchio, walnut, pecorino and truffle honey salad ($9).  The leaves were perky and bitter, and a good companion to the richness of the pizza.

For dessert (unfortunately not pictured as things got kind of dark by this stage), we shared a beaut dessert – served in a glass – of  mascarpone, dark chocolate and vincotto soaked miniature apples.  Apparently it is the Chef’s signature – and I must go back and have one all to myself.  It was delicious!

Anyway, looking forward to seeing +39 develop.  So far it’s proving to be rather interesting!