Fiorenzoni

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Delicious true Italian. Already looking forward to our next dinner there as I want to try more!

Oct 16, 2011 

4 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  5     

Clearly service is not their strong point. Despite being described as having wheelchair access, there is a very non-wheelchair friendly step up to the door. When we asked the waiter to let us in through the side door which is level with the footpath he refused, telling us they hadn't opened the door in months and the lock was probably rusty. Fortunately we found a nearby restaurant which was accessible.

Aug 16, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

It’s so difficult to find an Italian restaurant which prepares its breads, pastas and gelato on their premises. Finally, I have found an Italian restaurant on the North Shore which does not cheat its clientele!

The food here is fresh and it melts in your mouth. Full marks to the chefs.
The restaurant is contemporary in its appearance. I liked the nostalgic black and white photographed wall pictures and open kitchen design. Our waiters were European and charming.

For our entrees we selected (and subsequently shared) an octopus carpaccio with a finely precision cut potato salad (such cute tiny cubes) and a melt in your mouth beef prosciutto with beetroot. Both were spectacular.

Next I had oxtail and gnocchi and my partner selected fettuccine with cured pork cheeks. The oxtail was so rich and the gnocchi was served flat. Perhaps, this is the Roman way? I had a taste of my partner’s fettuccine and pork cheeks and it was equally lovely.

Next we had dessert. My soufflé dessert featured a balsamic jelly which was pretty amazing and my partner had a pumpkin crème brulee which tasted yummy. I could not fault any dish. We were so pleasantly surprised that Fiorenzoni was the most palatable and interesting food we’ve had for some time.

The Italian wines were served nicely chilled. The restaurant provides freshly baked bread and oil. Overall its not cheap (we used our Entertainment Card) but who cares with this quality level and choice of interesting ingredients. Highly Recommended.

Jul 31, 2011 

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  8     

Just discovered Fiorenzoni courtesy entertainment card. We love Italian food and Mario (hope I got his name right) delivers. We loved his pasta (almost as good as Italian celebrity chef Papa Francesco in Milan). I had the hand rolled pasta with mushroom sauce and squid and it was a refreshing new taste to me. His apple strudel pastry was so delicate. yum.

We had a great Degus at Ormeggio recently and we enjoyed the meal at Fiorenzoni almost as much. It is a small establishment and decor is simple. Suspect Mario has staff problems. We did not encountered either old or young male of last review but had pleasant young French lady but obviously green and new to the job and her strong accent made communication difficult.

Jul 01, 2011 

6.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  8     

We just moved from Melbourne to Sydney and after a few friends recommended the restaurant we went there for Saturday dinner. As I work in the restaurant business since 25 years i have to say that this is really a great little Italian restaurant.

We had a terrific "Antipasto di Mare" (mixed seafood appetizer) and then a
lamb rump and a Fish of the day which was cooked to perfection. I really loved the dumplings on the lamb dish.

The only negative thing of the evening was the service. There were to guys on the floor, one older and one younger. Unfortunately we were served by the older waiter. He was unattentive, seemed districated and even a little bit annoyed. Not very professional at all. But the food is absolutely worth to forget about that and come back.

Mar 23, 2011 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

We've been dining at Fiorenzoni since it opened several years ago. This is a terrific local Italian alternative for Chatswood. The menu is limited, so you can be assured of a high quality meal.

Mar 03, 2011 

3.8 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  2     

The food was good, better than most in Chatswood, but the service was terrible. Unattentive, distracted and even a little cold - perhaps they should have at least 2 staff on the floor on a Saturday night? Service ruined an otherwise good wise meal.

Dec 12, 2010 

5.8 Average

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  6     

I ordered the antipasto di mare which I thought was superb, and my main of veal with prosciutto and crispy potatoes was good, but nothing spectacular.

Service was interesting, waiter spoke to us in Italian, trying to give a feel of authenticity but came off as rude and pretentious. Italian is not too different from English, but with his thick accent it became a guessing game as to what he was asking or telling us. The booking I made was for 8.30 and when we arrived a touch late, were told that we were lucky since the kitchen closed at 9. They didn't warn me of this when I made the booking.

Also, the place was fairly quiet for a Friday night, and the waiter sometimes a bit too eager to please, constantly coming to pour our water for us, when we had the bottle on the table. A final complaint about service was when I ordered the affogato (I love affogatos), he told me that for $1 more I could get a great dessert, and tried to convince me away from my choice.

I declined, and upon receiving my affogato regretted my decision. It was served in a low tumbler, the same type of glass used for serving us water. The glass was too wide, so that when I tried to scoop some ice cream it kept moving around the bottom. I'm sure they could have served it in a latte glass instead.

Oct 08, 2010 

6.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  3      Service  8      Value  7     

Food and service were good but the setting, a smallish room with no character might be ok for a business lunch but not a pleasant evening meal. Some dishes were great, the fish special cooked to perfection and the desserts all interesting. A quality Italian and doesn't the North Shore need one? Worth re-visiting.

Oct 07, 2010 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Excellent authentic Italian food, not cheap but great for a special occasion.

Aug 30, 2010