snack2degustation

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  7     

Yes - it can be a tad expensive but this place has fresh and great tasting Italian (and other classic dishes). Have been here 40+ times and the only loss is the two 'older' waiters, one who is on days now and the other who retired at 85. The pesto pasta is outrageously fresh, the veal bolognese is to die for and the portions huge. We have had many of their dishes including lovely and huge hand cut (at the table) steak tartare and a very nice steak diane. The pasta with prawns is also very nice (gamberi).

I have taken many friends to this restaurant and they enjoy it just as much as I do. It's big and not your local pasta place but if you love great pasta then do visit. Also really fresh starters, salads etc. Huge and made to share.

Aug 24, 2011

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  10     

A recent stay in Potts Point meant dined here many times and different times of the day. A great experience every time, from breakfast eggs (simple and tasty) to steak Fiorentina with a simple olive oil sauce, great potatoes (we see then prepping these during the day in the pizza ovens) etc. Good wine by the glass or bottle. Tables can be scarce and service a bit random at times but they always get there with a smile and great food.

Also great to see them making much of the food each day (including the squid ink pasta) by hand in front of people. Note - closed Sunday nights. This place is like a bit of Italy, Spain, NY, San Fran and Sydney came together. Brings back fond memories of Flower and Water in San Fran food and staff wise.

Aug 24, 2011

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  2     

This experience was terrible (on 13 August). We had read positive things but from the moment we walked in it was disappointing. Table not ready for time we booked despite a 1/3rd empty restaurant. Cocktails took 25+ min and arrived after entrees, after multiple staff going to check where they were. We had 3 entrees, the liquid gnocchi to share (average, luke warm and impossible to eat from it's odd shapedbowl) and then 1 of the 2 next courses failed to appear.

Finally, came much much later after asked for, they had forgotten it. The stand-out was the scallop tapas (the one they 'forgot'). We both had the well known fish main (with scales), well cooked but the scales are not a pleasant eating experience nor add to the flavour. We had to continually serve ourselves wine that was kept on a central table.

Bread, dirty plates etc left on the table throughout the meal. Ordered dessert, to have someone else's delivered to our table. Finally got ours and the pavlova was average. In the end were served by 6 people and had the floor manager begging forgiveness and telling us his staff woes. We had a quick chat with the senior staff on the way out (he was at the bar) and he clearly did not care in the least what our experience had been. Maybe he should have stayed as someone else'skitchen staff or better learn about business fast.

We were compt dessert and the scallop dish but a bad experience overall. Finally, they could not print out the bill, broken printer, so got a $ total on a scrap of paper.

Aug 24, 2011

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  7     

Yes - it can be a tad expensive but this place has fresh and great tasting Italian (and other classic dishes). Have been here 40+ times and the only loss is the two 'older' waiters, one who is on days now and the other who retired at 85. The pesto pasta is outrageously fresh, the veal bolognese is to die for and the portions huge. We have had many of their dishes including lovely and huge hand cut (at the table) steak tartare and a very nice steak diane. The pasta with prawns is also very nice (gamberi).

I have taken many friends to this restaurant and they enjoy it just as much as I do. It's big and not your local pasta place but if you love great pasta then do visit. Also really fresh starters, salads etc. Huge and made to share.

Aug 24, 2011

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  10     

A recent stay in Potts Point meant dined here many times and different times of the day. A great experience every time, from breakfast eggs (simple and tasty) to steak Fiorentina with a simple olive oil sauce, great potatoes (we see then prepping these during the day in the pizza ovens) etc. Good wine by the glass or bottle. Tables can be scarce and service a bit random at times but they always get there with a smile and great food.

Also great to see them making much of the food each day (including the squid ink pasta) by hand in front of people. Note - closed Sunday nights. This place is like a bit of Italy, Spain, NY, San Fran and Sydney came together. Brings back fond memories of Flower and Water in San Fran food and staff wise.

Aug 24, 2011

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  2     

This experience was terrible (on 13 August). We had read positive things but from the moment we walked in it was disappointing. Table not ready for time we booked despite a 1/3rd empty restaurant. Cocktails took 25+ min and arrived after entrees, after multiple staff going to check where they were. We had 3 entrees, the liquid gnocchi to share (average, luke warm and impossible to eat from it's odd shapedbowl) and then 1 of the 2 next courses failed to appear.

Finally, came much much later after asked for, they had forgotten it. The stand-out was the scallop tapas (the one they 'forgot'). We both had the well known fish main (with scales), well cooked but the scales are not a pleasant eating experience nor add to the flavour. We had to continually serve ourselves wine that was kept on a central table.

Bread, dirty plates etc left on the table throughout the meal. Ordered dessert, to have someone else's delivered to our table. Finally got ours and the pavlova was average. In the end were served by 6 people and had the floor manager begging forgiveness and telling us his staff woes. We had a quick chat with the senior staff on the way out (he was at the bar) and he clearly did not care in the least what our experience had been. Maybe he should have stayed as someone else'skitchen staff or better learn about business fast.

We were compt dessert and the scallop dish but a bad experience overall. Finally, they could not print out the bill, broken printer, so got a $ total on a scrap of paper.

Aug 24, 2011