It was a peaceful early evening’s drive from Freshwater to Newport. The sun had set and there’s almost an instant sense of calm from driving along the coastline and having the beach on the right. There was Mr NQN’s brother Manu in the back seat and next to him was Tuulikki his mother. We parked and got out of the car and walked towards Pizzeria e Cucina, where we had a booking.
“Oh no!!” Tuulikki said panicking.
One needs to be prepared for anything really, but the crises are usually vegetarian food related.
“I forgot, I am supposed to babysit (her granddaughter) Aura later tonight!” she said pressing all sorts of buttons on her phone. “Will we be finished in time?” she said alarmed.
So the leisurely dinner was changed for one where we had to be mindful of the time and get Tuulikki home in time for her babysitting duties. We looked at the two menus – there is a pizza and dessert menu along with a two page mains and pasta menu and we decide quickly going from recommendations from our waitress who is knowledgeable and friendly. Inside, the room is painted in white and soothing tones and there is a beach-house vibe. There is an open kitchen dispensing pasta and pizzas and other patrons are mixed of different ages.
Artichoke pizza $11
The starter was a pizza bread with artichoke paste, gorgonzola and drizzled with honey. It mostly tasted of honey though with the occasional bite with gorgonzola and the artichoke paste didn’t get much of a look in with the amount of honey on top.
Vesuvius $22
Our main pizza came out and we were warned that this was a spicy pizza when we ordered it. It has tomato ricotta, sopressa hot salami, caramelised onions, fresh green chilli, red chilli sauce and it was fiery indeed. Usually we find that when they tell us that something is spicy, it isn’t really spicy at all (unless you’re at a Thai restaurant) but this was very, very hot. So much so that I was quickly gulping water and taking some deep breaths. It was a tad too spicy and Mr NQN commented that it was a shame that this was the only spicy pizza on the menu.
Zucca $21
“Which one is our pizza?” Tuulikki asks the waitress twice looking at both in confusion and light panic. I would have thought that the pumpkin pizza was obvious but you never know 
This was Manu and Tuulikki’s vegetarian pizza choice with ricotta, mozzarella roast pumpkin, caramelised onion, baby spinach, pine nuts and grana padano. It was a little on the sweet side, especially with the two sweet elements of roast pumpkin and caramelised onion but they both enjoyed it and it was a nice respite from the spicy Vesuvius.
Gnocchi ‘al gorgonzola e fontina $22
The house made potato gnocchi dumplings came with a divine blue cheese and fontina sauce topped with a generous sprinkling of roast walnuts. The gnocchi themselves were fantastic-so light and with the potato flavour coming through and the sauce was rich with a good balance of gorgonzola, fontina and cream.
Nero $30
We both also liked the nero or the black squid ink linguine with salmon, mussels, calamari, prawns, snowpeas, cherry tomatoes and a creamy, garlicky sauce. The seafood was cooked perfectly as was the pasta and I eagerly slurped up the shiny black linguine.
Canneloni alla Napolitana $23
The cannelloni was Tuulikki and Manu’s choice and was spinach and ricotta filled pasta tubes on a bed of Napolitana sauce with parmesan cheese added at the end. The main size had three tubes and the pasta was fresh and full of flavour.
Tim Tam Gelato $4
The gelatos aren’t made in house but we were all so full from the pizza and pasta that we had to bypass the house made desserts. Also we had to get Tuulikki back home so we ordered a Tim Tam gelato. It was sweet with little shards of chocolate and the occasional bit of biscuit throughout it although I wouldn’t have picked it as a Tim Tam flavoured gelato. And off we rush!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like blue cheeses like gorgonzola? And how spicy do you like your food? Mild, medium or hot?
Pizzeria e Cucina
315 Barrenjoey Road Newport NSW 2106
Tel: +61 (02) 9986 0577
Open 7 evenings a week from 5pm. (except public holidays and during Winter, closed Mondays)
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33 Comments | Add your own
The zucca pizza and gnocchi look to die for!
I have to say all dishes were amazing. If I had to judge by looks only, I would give it a 10.
I don’t really enjoy blue cheese unless it’s just a hint of it. It overwhelms any dish, I think. But I do love my food hot and spicy.
Oh, god. And Tim Tam gelato? Really? Yum…. [My mom’s side of the family lives in Australia, so I was introduced to Tim Tams early in life. We can’t get them here, but whenever I go abroad and find a place who sells them, I buy 10/15 packs at a time.
All that food looks incredibly tasty…I’m homesick for my boyfriend’s Nonna’s cooking now! She makes dynamite gnocchi
My boyfriend is such a big blue cheese fan but for years I was turned off by the smell and the look (most of the time we try and avoid eating mold so I was always confused about just why I would want it in my cheese). But one day I relented to his pestering me to try some and I have never looked back, I think it is so flavourful. And I love it on a pizza, delicious.
OH DEAR LORD. Artichoke, gorgonzola, and honey! If I hadn’t just eaten pumpkin chocolate, carob pie, and pumpkin frozen yoghurt all in the past hour, I’d be envious beyond belief.
This makes me hungry for pizza–and those beautiful gnocchi.
I love blue cheese, especially gorgonzola. I just love cheese in general!
This is so funny. I was there last night! We walked into the restaurant next door called Braza at 5.50pm and the waitress was rude and said the whole place was booked out. It was completely empty. We then thought of going to e Cucina but bumped into a local and he told us the place as gone off since it’s been sold. We almost went there but headed into Avalon instead. xx
I like blue cheeses that aren’t too sharp. I am a wuss – I like my food mild!
I’m a blatant coward when it comes to chilli, so a little goes a looong way with me.
This place has been bookmarked it looks incredible! I have serious cravings now…
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I like my food very slightly spiced. Please note that I do indeed like tasty.
I just roll my eyes that many people just assume that everyone eats chilli.
Although most of the younger generation eat chilli, my sons included I know many of my vintage who don’t. I”m mid 50s in age.
Yes I like a bit of blue cheese too !
I love blue cheeses, but not the one that is made from pasteurized milk. I do love some food spicy, but not all. I happen to like spicy breakfasts lately…:)
About to go and cook a light lunch: Oh, I do wish I could reach into the screen and have the gnocchi first and then make a Sunday piggy of myself with just some of the nero
! Yup, love ALL the good blue cheeses. Spiced dishes: medium > hot, except in Thailand, where I have found it pays to err on the medium side in a non-tourist eating place 
!
LOVE Blue Cheese (St Agur spread too:) )) and the hotter the spicier, JUST like my personality!
LOVE authentic Thai dishes, colorfully exciting as can be!
My face turns redder than a neon sign, quite humorous to see!
I don’t eat anything painful and that pizza sounded painfully hot. I like spicy but too much spice for me is like a bad joke from the cook.
I do love blue cheeses and really any cheese.
Nothing like a good pizza-fest
I do like gorgonzola. Blue cheese is definitely growing on me! Love spicy food! BUt not always 
Heidi xo
mm the gnocchi looks so soft and good! saucy too
Have to say that I prefer spicy food……the Vesuvius looks amazing actually….. a fitting name!
I would dive right into the Nero… yum yum!
Love spicy food, however chilli that actually burns your mouth is not pleasant to me! Lorraine, I made your beautiful slow cooked lamb recipe with accompanying polenta and creamy blue cheese. It was devoured and enjoyed by all and the creamy blue cheese went so well with the polenta. Would not have even thought to put the two together myself. Many thanks!
My mouth is watering at the sight of that gnocchi! I only really like strong cheeses like blue in sauces or on pizza where they’re well balanced by other flavours. On their own I can’t stomach them at all. And spice – I like some heat but unfortunately can’t handle much.
Blue cheeses, yes please. Was first introduced to Gorgonzola as a youngster back in early 60′s. Mum would buy me the tiniest slice as a very special treat! How I savoured the flavour.
Adore spicy food, quite hot, but rest of family like it ultra hot, daughter eats chillis whole and I even grew ‘Inferno’ chillis for her to use in her cooking!
the zucca pizza looks heavenly. no. wait. so does the gnocchi
Love any type of Blue cheese and especially love Gorgonzola, have you tried it with mustard fruits Lorraine?
I tend to go for medium hot because you never really know just how Hot the Hot will be in some restaurants! My mother-in-law made a curry once, it was so hot my eardrums were burning!!
That seems like a lot of food for four people, but then again there are two young guys and they can eat quite a bit. It annoys my when a pizza doesn’t have enough toppings, particularly when the price is premium and you think you’re paying for them.
We’re back from our two-plus weeks in Europe and it was great. Although its always nice to sleep in one’s own bed. I’ll be posting about our lovely vaycay soon.
yay pizza and then too so many great toppings. Artichoke pizza would be my first choice and then I ll eat all the other. =D there is looots of place in my tummy for pizza!
That gnocchi looks like perfect bed of yummy goodness! I could sleep in it…but I’d rather eat it! Everything looks lovely. Even the uber-spicy dish
Oh damn you had to rush off
But the food looks so delicious and even though I’m not a big mussel fan i really like the black ink linguine hehe ~
I’ve had that issue before with ‘flavoured’ ice-cream where I can’t really tell that they are that flavour, like I just thought it was normal vanilla ice-cream with chocolate chips
I definitely like my food HOT the hotter the BETTER hahaha
My best friend lives quite close to Newport, I’m intrigued to try this place out now (sans the chilli pizza haha), esp the fresh pasta mmm
Oh yes and especially on a pizza! I’m trying to get better at my spice tolerance but I’m still at mild-medium.
That’s a lot of great food for quick dinner. I love the spicy pizza….I am dying for one. Nero and Gnocchi ‘al gorgonzola e fontina are mouthwatering.
Even though I don’t see artichokes but the first pizza looks sooo appetizing. I love Gorgonzola and with honey? I wish to try that thin crust pizza… simple and sounds delicious! Regarding spice level… gosh I so wish I can enjoy spicy food, but in reality, my tummy cannot handle it. I wonder if I’m allergic to it. Even though Japanese food doesn’t really have spice, there are a lot of people who can eat spicy food… but not me! >_< Boo…
I adore blue cheese sauce, so delicious indeed! And I would have probably ordered the spicy pizza too
Medium hot is my comfort zone, but I’m working on getting to hot hot in the near future!
Were you surprised there was a drama with your MIL on board?
Lol @ the pumpkin pizza
the gnocchi looks amazing!
I really enjoy this place.
It is a shame the pizzas were clumsy (I think too much honey and too hot chilli are silly mistakes which can be easily fixed), but I really enjoy them, more so than the mains (which were nice) when I have eaten there.
It is a long way from Haberfield, but when I go up this way, I usually stop by.
I recommend it!
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