Simone Presta, the former winner of My Kitchen Rules, is bringing a unique dining experience to Bulimba with his new restaurant, Romeo. Presta's vision is to offer an 'elevated casual' vibe, a departure from the traditional pizza restaurant or trattoria-style venues. This is his fifth venture in Brisbane, and he's not holding back with a generous list of small plates, designed to be shared or ordered as two or three per diner. The menu features Italian small plates such as crumbed burrata, savoury cannoli, charred beef lasagne skewers, braised duck legs risotto, and crispy potato tartan with seared scallop and hollandaise sauce. Presta's approach is to give people what they're familiar with, but in a different way, and he's confident that people have embraced his concept. The drinks are anchored by a 100-bottle wine list that favours Italian drops, with the balance split between Australian and French producers. The restaurant's fitout remains largely unchanged from its previous incarnation as Mede, but a liberal application of green paint inside has helped tie the whole space together. Presta chose Bulimba for its suburban vibe and family-friendly atmosphere, and he's excited to explore this new location. Romeo is open Tue-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 7am-9.30pm, and located at 161 Oxford Street, Bulimba. In my opinion, Presta's approach to Italian cuisine is refreshing and innovative, and I'm eager to see how his restaurant evolves over time. I think Romeo has the potential to become a popular destination for foodies in Brisbane, and I'm curious to see how it will continue to differentiate itself from other Italian restaurants in the area.
