Pizza Cafe at The Grand (Mildura) 04/2017

This busy cafe/restaurant is split between three areas - a simple cafe style area, 

an outdoor dining area and a slightly more upmarket room featuring cloth covered tables. Except for the dot painting above virtually all the decor featured the symbolic pizza man. 

Some of the walls feature large boards with their wines, of which there was quite a good selection by the glass, at very reasonable prices.

Apart from their wood fired pizza's they also feature a range of pasta dishes and a few salads and I felt like having pasta.
One of their specials was fettucini with bacon, spinach and leek.

 I would have liked the fettucini to be thinner. It's not made in house so I guess they might consider some other brand. Although I didn't notice any leek the cream sauce was delicious, the taste improved by the parmigiana.
Comments: A good place for a quick meal, eat in or take away.
Score:13.5 /20

Caffe Storico (77th and Central Park West, Manhattan) 01/20172017

Caffe Storico makes a lot of sense as the name of a restaurant attached to a history museum, as this one is at the New York History Museum.

It occupies a gorgeous room, with a clean light appearance,

enhanced by lovely chandeliers. 

Tables are good size and pleasantly set.

Walls are lined with crockery, on loan, representing porcelain factories around the world.

Service was well informed and prompt.

The menu is basically Italian and they make their pasta in house. It is not part of NYC Food Week, which actually runs for 17 days and offers opportunities to enjoy many very fine restaurants at very reasonable prices - $29 for a three course lunch and $49 for a three course dinner with a wide range of choices. Special dishes like lobster might add a supplement of $15 and of course all beverages are extra plus tax plus gratuities. Prices here are a little above average without being excessive.

We tried a number of appetizers including muscles.

there’s that word again delicious, Scallops

perfectly prepared, sweet and tender. According to Sandra “the best I’ve ever eaten”.

Paparedelles, with a creamy sauce and duck ragu

was to die for and their pasta in a garlic cream sauce 

was even better the pasta being exceptionally fine.

My half a grilled rabbit was a dish big enough for two.

It was seasoned very much to my taste with a crisp thin covering that kept the rabbit tender and not too dry. Full marks again.
Sandra's sauteed bronzino again ticked all the boxes, nicely presented, cooked as requested, a delicate and pleasing meal.

As usual we could not decide on dessert and settled for a sorbet,

and a pear and almond crostata.

No complaints.
After some discussion about what we wanted in a wine, without mention of cost, our waiter made a very good and not very expensive choice ($72), which we enjoyed througout our meal

This "Caffe" is getting close to Michelin star rating for it's fabulous house made pasta. If history should repeat itself we would be very happy to visit here again.

Score 17/20