Bar Carolina

My recent visit to Bar Carolina in South Yarra was a journey of mixed emotions. Nestled in the vibrant heart of the area, this Italian eatery boasts a sophisticated atmosphere and a promise of culinary delights. The experience, however, was a blend of exceptional service overshadowed by some culinary inconsistencies. Starting with the positives, the service was impeccable. The staff were attentive, friendly, and truly made us feel welcome. Their professionalism and warmth added a special touch to our evening. However, the culinary experience did not entirely match the high standards set by the service. The Sydney Rock Oysters opened our meal on a high note, fresh and bursting with flavor. We then moved on to the Spaghettini alle Cicale, which, while aromatic with its prawn essence and cooked al dente, was unfortunately served lukewarm. This detracted significantly from what could have been a delightful dish. Additionally, the portion size felt small compared to the price, an aspect that was consistent across our other selections. The Tagliata di Manzo showcased well-prepared beef and an enticing sauce. Yet, similar to the pasta, the portion was on the smaller side for its cost. We concluded our meal with a Panna Cotta priced at $24, which, although delicious, felt overpriced. In summary, my experience at Bar Carolina is a tale of two halves. On one hand, the service was outstanding, making our visit pleasant. On the other hand, the dishes, while flavorful, were marred by issues like lukewarm serving temperatures and small portion sizes that did not align with the pricing. Overall, I would rate Bar Carolina 3.5/5 stars. The potential for an extraordinary dining experience is certainly there, but attention to detail in food preparation and portion sizing is needed.

Food was amazing but was too fast, not as professional as expected, food came straight out so we didn’t get to enjoy the whole experience and table was so tiny. Needed some music and better suggestion on the wine which wasn’t so great but the scampi, the Moreton bay big pasta and rabbit parpadelle was sooo tasty as were the deserts.

ORDERED: 🍞 Focaccia: House baked focaccia ($12.00) 🧀 Burrata 'Nduja': Fresh burrata, spicy spreadable salami, basil oil, toasted sourdough ($33.00) 🍝 Spaghettini al granchio: Spaghettini, spanner crab, zucchini trifolati, mint ($48.00) 🍝 Orecchiette con salsiccia: Saffron orecchiette, pork & fennel sausage, cavolo nero, herb pangrattato ($38.00) 🍝 Tortelloni al gamberi: Prawn & fennel tortelloni, new season asparagus, shellfish & caviar sauce ($46.00) I paid $59.00 for my portion, between three! REVIEW: ❤ My favourite at Bar Carolina was the focaccia and the tortelloni! Although not in the typical focaccia shape with fingerprints in the dough, Bar Carolina's rendition of it was delicious. It has flavour and a soft moist texture with a crispy exterior. It was perfection and the best focaccia I've ever had. 💓🍞 💝 My favourite pasta was the Tortelloni. Prawn and fennel go well together. The pasta had a little bit of a bite to them, an al dente that was much appreciated. The caviar and shellfish sauce was a great partner to the prawn and fennel, keeping the overall dish refreshing. 🎐 ❌ Least favourite for me would be the orecchiette con salsiccia. The handmade orecchiette was a bit too thick for my liking, heading too far into the chewy territory. Although my jaw got a workout, the herb pangrattato was crunchy, unique and interesting. Pork and fennel is a flavour combination that has yet to give me good tingles so I'll stay seated for this dish. 🪑 🌷 Service was friendly, and we didn't feel rushed! They were considerate in asking if needed anything else, asked for our thoughts on the initial dishes, and were proactive in offering chilli oil. The explanation on the pasta dishes were also appreciated! ☀

We were highly recommended Bar Carolina by an ‘Influencer’ friend, and we were not disappointed. As we walked across the road from a neighbouring bar, the waiting staff saw us coming, unaware of whether we were walk-ins or had a reservation. We were greeted by a very professional, well dressed and well spoken Italian gentleman. Great first impression. We sat and ordered a bottle of wine to peruse the very varied, yet very simple and not overwhelming menu. We wanted to order everything from the menu. As a table, we started with the Calamari Fritti, Vitello Tonnato and Burrsta ‘Nduja’. These were crazy good. I loved the Vitello Tonnato, and the Nduja was nice and spicy. From here we started ordering cocktails, and these were great. Not the ‘alcohol’ taste you get with most cocktails. For mains Spaghettini Alle Cicale, Pappardelle Al Coniglio and Petto D’Anatra. We all tasted each others and they were also so unique but so tasty. The duck was so well cooked, seafood pasta just the perfect combination of taste and spice and the rabbit pasta was so creamy yet not heavy and so full of taste. The cocktails kept coming while we decided on dessert. By this stage we were past our finishing time, by our waiter made adjustments so we didn’t have to rush out without dessert or even rush our dessert. Such a great waiter. Unfortunately, we only tasted one dessert… the Bomba Carolina as every person at the table ordered the same dish. The presentation and they way it was served was a site. It was so good, not too rich and so tasty, perfectly balanced. We’re spewing we didn’t try any other dessert. If you want a fantastic night out, we would highly recommend this place; great food, great service and great service and food again!

Had a Sunday lunch with a group of 10 here and we all had a lovely time. We were booked in from 12pm and had a long lunch till about 3.30pm without feeling pressure to leave. We had a set menu ($85pp) which had lots of yummy options and the cocktail/drinks menu was also phenomenal. Great location as well for further festivities. Little bit pricey but worth it for special occasions.