At first glance, Modo Mio at Crown Casino in Perth is elegant, warm and inviting. We were greeted nearly immediately and seated. The seating is well spaced and comfortable, plenty of room between tables and when seated at the table.

Upon presentation of the menu I was a little surprised that the menu was paper, just a small point, however it did not seem to suit the elegance of the decor and setting. Having said that, there were many mouth watering selections. Our table of 4 had the following mains:

- Linguini ai gamberi, brandy, asparagi, pomodoro fresco, aglio e peperoncino Linguini with prawns, brandy, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic and chilli. This pasta dish was a very good sized serve with a generous amount of prawns. Prawns were cooked beautifully, as was the pasta.

- Gnocchi di patate con tartufo nero e porcini alla Norcina. Potato gnocchi with porcini mushroom, black truffle,
leek, bacon and cream sauce. Melt in your mouth gnocchi in a beautiully silky creamy sauce. Very filling and satisfying.

- Variazione di agnello costolette con polenta croccante e
spallotto brasato. Amelia Park lamb chop with crispy polenta, slow cooked lamb shoulder and seasonal vegetables. This was by far the most visually pleasing dish on our table. Whilst the dish was modern, the flavour of the lamb shoulder seemed deliciously traditional. The well sized frenched chops were cooked exactly to order and were thoroughly enjoyed. The polenta was amazing, the thin crisp outer combined with the soft polenta was heaven to eat and the fresh herbs throughout made it totally divine. This was an amazing dish. The lamb and polenta so flavoursome and delicious you want to savour every mouthful!

- Scaloppine di vitello alla Bolognese, spinaci e parmigiano. Pan-fried veal scaloppini with Bolognese sauce, baby
spinach and parmesan cheese. To be honest, this was not what I had expected. I had expected a couple of small medallions of veal, however I was presented with 3 pieces of veal on top of fresh spinach. Just the right amount of bolognaise sauce ensured it did not overpower the flavour of the melt in your mouth veal. By melt in your mouth, I mean you did not need a knife to cut it, it was incredibly tender. A beautifully sticky sauce was scattered on the plate and with fresh parmesan and cracked pepper offered at the table. This main meal was a substantial serving and was a complete delight to eat.

Desserts:

Tiramisu - Looked delicious and was a pleasure to eat. Tiramisu was presented in a good sized oval glass bowl. Also on the plate was a raspberry sauce that was to die for. Slightly bitter which was perfect. The fresh strawberry sitting in the raspberry sauce looked delightful on the plate.

Panna cotta alla vaniglia, zuppetta di ‘amarene fabbri'
e rabarbaro e croccante al caramello. This was the only dish I didnt sample, however it was presented beautifully and was enjoyed by the diner. Decent sized serve.

Gelato. Trio of homemade ice cream: amarena cherry marble, vanilla and Nutella. I am not a huge gelato or icecream fan, however I had been told that the Nutella gelato was really good so ordered this for dessert. Yes, the nutella gelato was certainly delicious, so creamy and smooth. However, the star on the dessert plate for me was the Amarena cherry gelato. You must like cherry to enjoy this gelato as the flavour is strong (without being sickly strong). It was superb. The three flavours of vanilla, nutella and cherry are meant to be on the plate, just as they were - no more, no less. Such an enjoyable end to the evening.

The service at the table was outstanding. We were well looked after without staff being intrusive and 'hovering'. Drinks were cold and water topped up as needed. All meals were presented at the same time and table was cleared and set between courses promptly.

When the booking was made we originally had a diner that required gluten free food. This was exceptionally well catered for and the staff had excellent knowledge of the menu and were quick to point out suitable dishes. Staff were extremely concious of requirements from a quick mention at time of booking.

Really enjoyed my dining experience here, as did the people I was with. Will definately return as there are more dishes on the menu I would like to try.

Overall, lovely menu and produce and knowledgable, polite, well presented staff. A very enjoyable experience.

Approximate cost: $33 - $48

Gelato or Ice cream can be really personal, and after trying out close to 10 different types, I decide to stick to my pino pinguino with a blend of chocolate and hazelnut flavours.

No ice cream trip is complete without trying the freshly baked waffles or crepes.

While the waffle was not buttery and crisp enough for my liking, the crepe with unforgettable kaya-looking like pistachio sauce sealed the deal. Delizioso!

Had a three course meal of - beef capaccio, crumbed, and stuffed chicken breast, ending with a lovely pannacotta. It was absolutely divine. The capaccio was fresh, flavours were superb and i usually dislike raw meat, but finished every single bit of this dish. The breast was cooked perfectly, still moist but was only warm. The dessert was slightly too sweet but texture was spot on. Lovely place for fine dining italian cuisine.

Approximate cost: $30-50