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Esposito At Toofey's
Ph: (03) 9347 9838; 162 Elgin St, CARLTON 3053
Italian, $$ +
Open Lunch Mon-Fri Dinner Mon-Sat; Licensed; AE DC MC V
Chef Maurice Esposito (16-10-07) Owner Maurice Esposito (7-11-07)
Other published opinions
Herald Sun 17-06-08 Score: **** "The bar set years ago by seafood guru Michael Bacash remains at the highest level here, with the place now in the hands of Italian chef Maurice Esposito"
The Age John Lethlean, 19-11-2007 Score: 15.5/20 "Esposito is a marvellous modern cook with an Italian outlook and an open mind. We've eaten his food at numerous restaurants, numerous times. Here, in deference to the Toofey's heritage, it is food with a seafood bias. Where the temptation might have been to deformalise, Esposito has gone the other way. Which is not to suggest a stiffness, but refinement. The service, led by a particularly savvy maitre d' from Sydney, Michelle Louis, is exceptional. The linen is perfect, the cutlery classic, the crockery contemporary but restrained, and the dining room spotless without being fusty. The bread is right, so are the oil and salt. A class act."
Herald Sun Dining Out, StephenDownes, 16-10-07 Score: 15/20 "I got the feeling that refinement counts in all aspects of Esposito at Toofey's operation. The wine list is expensive, of medium length, and includes lots of Italian drops. Five table whites and five reds are sold by the glass."
Herald Sun Eat, Bob Hart, 25-08-07 "THE more things change in Carlton, the more they stay pretty much the same. Except for those occasions when they move up a notch. Take the restaurant formerly known as Toofey's, now Esposito at Toofey's, and none the worse for the name change. ... And now, there is a new name, a new owner who is also the new chef and ... it is still terrific. It remains the best seafood restaurant in town. The emphasis has swung from modem Australian to dazzling Italian. Despite which, some of the songs remain the same."
Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 14.5/20 "The crisp white modern decor that has barely changed in years; the corner location with stark views of inner-city bustle; and a menu created largely around what's just been scooped from the ocean"
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