“Pronto is quickly being embraced by Weston Creek locals. We booked in advance but couldn’t secure a seat indoors (smart, urban cool fitout), which points to Pronto’s popularity,” writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
Weston Creek’s food scene has ramped up with the arrival of Pronto at Cooleman Court and its comforting Italian food.
If trying to book a recent Saturday lunch was an indicator, Pronto is quickly being embraced by locals.
We booked in advance but couldn’t secure a seat indoors (smart, urban cool fitout), which points to Pronto’s popularity. Instead, we sat outdoors along the front of the restaurant (more on this in a tick).
Pizzas are traditional Neapolitan style, with the base hand-kneaded and stretched to form a thin, slightly puffy crust with a soft interior (easy to digest and not heavy on the tummy).
They sounded inviting but it was pasta for all, except one who opted for his fave, veal scallopini.
We ordered Pronto’s puffy focaccia, having heard that it was amazing ($12). However, it didn’t come before our mains and may not have arrived at all had we not flagged its absence.
Vongole fans will applaud Pronto’s version, made with spaghetti, tasty clams (and a fair few of them), with that magic Italian combo of cherry tomato, garlic, lemon, chilli and herbs ($30).
Equally cohesive was the Casarecce gamberi, the tastiest dish of the day and loaded with plump, juicy prawns ($32). The salty salami added kick, and the creamy tomato sauce was a gorgeous balance (sometimes cream sauces can be over the top). It was an amazingly generous serve but not piping hot on arrival. Still, I had major food envy.
Veal scallopini, when done well, is beautiful and Pronto Weston’s take was soul-satisfying ($36). It was tender and presented in a shallow pool of lemon and caper sauce and seasonal veggies cooked just right.
My dish had a big question mark over its head. The linguine gamberi ($30) promised the same base flavours as the vongole but fell short. I honestly couldn’t taste any chilli and wondered where the garlic was. The prawns were delish, but overall this pasta lacked punch.
We shared a delightful and fresh rocket and pear salad, enjoying the lovely bite of the parmesan and a well-made balsamic reduction ($14).
For wine, we enjoyed an El Desperado Rose from Adelaide Hills. As with all wines at Pronto Weston, this was very reasonably priced at $10 a glass and $50 a bottle.
If dining outside you’re right on the sidewalk, dealing with a steady stream of walk-by traffic, shoppers noisily pushing trolleys along, and cars idling close to the restaurant’s tables. It is what it is – and we get that –but next time we’ll definitely book inside.
Pronto Weston was relatively new on our visit and service was sensible overall. As one of our party summed up the experience: “Great potential, needs a bit of work.”
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