Il Centro Restaurant And Bar

Il Centro is a brisbane stalwart, a restaurant which has been around for years. The service level is high - they know what they are doing. You will be looked after, definitely, and I want to make it clear that any rating is not related to service. But the food! It is - well, it’s ordinary. It has a feel like it could be made by a good home chef. The octopus in particular is worth noting - it was rubbery, and the blood sausage was dry. I liked the lasagna, but for a signature dish it needs more “wow”. Unfortunately, my dish was drowned in sauce, and though I could see the sand crab, it was hard to taste it. A real shame.

I had ordered the fresh crab and avocado salad for my appetiser and the garganelli pasta with pork a fennel sausage. The tomato gazpacho helped balance out sweetness from the crab and avocado. Was generally fine with it. However I don't think I will ever order the Garganelli again. It's not that it was bad. It just lacked flavour. Especially after you have had a taste of their sand crab lasagna which was so delish. Some of the dishes at IL CENTRO come in two sizes. It was suggested by the waitress that because I was having the fresh crab and avocado salad it may be best that I order the smaller size. Just because the salad itself is quite heavy. I'm glad I listened to her and order the smaller size but this is because I didn't want to struggle finishing my meal. I still recommend people ordering the larger size if they want a decent main size meal. Lastly, do order their raspberry souffle. Would I come back? Yes but only for the sand crab lasagne and souffle

The meals were very delicious. The restaurant is located nicely between Eagle street and the river. My meal was mistakenly served earlier, but the waiter gave us a bread with olive oil and balsamic while waiting. Since the meal was a cold swordfish carpaccio it was doable to wait. Otherwise, it would have been more awkward to wait for the remaining meals to have dinner together.

One of the best Italian restaurants in Brissy. It has it all: great food, good service and last but not least, the ambience, being right by the river. And they have a dish you will not find anywhere else in the world: lasagna. Hold on; lasagna you say? This is no ordinary lasagna, it's a sandcrab lasagna...with the most succulent sauce. I've even had a friend fly halfway across the world, across the Pacific, from NYC to try this signature dish of theirs! And this was the first fine dining place in town I took my missus to when she visited from interstate. Did I mention, they do a delectable tiramisu...