Page 40 - Tropic Magazine Issue 28

TROPIC • EATS

All about

that arancini

LOCAL EATS
Soh Bae taste-tested her way around town to VITALIA'S
give us a run-down on the best arancini Vitalia’s in The Pier dishes out three styles of
arancini: truffle, curry, and traditional with
in Cairns. beef ragu, peas, Napoli sauce, and provolone
Words and images: Soh Bae cheese. They’re served as singular, palm-
sized arancino – perfect for splitting open
Arancini is a traditional Italian dish from Sicily and is usually and seeing the happiness ooze out – except
eaten on the feast day of St Lucia, December 13. the truffle arancini, which comes in three
They are deep fried golden balls of rice with a crunchy delectable delights. I wish I could bring these
breadcrumb coating and a centre of minced beef and arancini home with me to eat every day.
mozzarella cheese oozing from the centre. GO THERE The Pier, Cairns City
There are lots of filling variations such as mushroom, porcini,
diced ham, or vegetarian.
The size and colour of arancini gives it the Italian name
arancia or arancini, meaning small orange.

HOPSCOTCH
Spoil yourself at Hopscotch with a serving of four
porcini mushroom and walnut arancini. I found a big
difference when eating the arancini with the rocket
and aioli garnish, instead of on its own. The taste of the
arancini is much richer with the sauce.
GO THERE 532 Mulgrave Rd, Earlville

COCO MOJO
Another truffle arancini, but who’s
complaining? Try out the tomato,
mozzarella and truffle-loaded arancini
from Coco Mojo’s in Clifton Beach.
The smell of truffle excited me before I
even took a bite of this decadent dish.
GO THERE 14 Clifton Rd, Clifton Beach

40 • Tropic • Issue 28