Despite the number of restaurants I’ve accounted for on this blog, it seems like I hardly ever venture out to my side of town in Sydney’s west. It’s not that the food here isn’t good, but it’s just that my usual favourites of Japanese and Korean cuisine are nowhere to be found! Anyway for an early birthday dinner with my family we went for Italian, and I was quite impressed. Although it was a bit pricey and I almost never go fine dining, I’d definitely visit again! It’s also not too far from where I live, which is always a plus.
Fettuccine with Tasmanian smoked salmon, roasted capsicum, baby spinach, garlic and dill in a creamy white wine sauce; Pappardelle with a ragu of Osso; Gnocchi tossed with lobster, prawns, garlic and chives in a fragrant cream sauce
Don’t be fooled by the seemingly small portions, because those plates were huge and so were the servings on them! Everyone went for pasta, because it seemed like the obvious thing to do at an Italian restaurant. Nevertheless you can also pick from mains like steak, fish, and duck if you’re so inclined. I chose the gnocchi with lobster sauce, which seemed to be a resounding favourite across the board. I’ve never had gnocchi before but it was light, fluffy and everything it’s racked up to be! Like biting into a soft pillowy cloud of potato-ey goodness, for lack of a better word. The creamy sauce also had a slight kick and was surprisingly nice with the lobster and prawn pieces throughout it.
I’m a fiend for crème brûlée, so ordering this was a no-brainer! It came with biscotti and had a crispy exterior, unlike the rock-hard shells I’ve experienced at so many other places. The crepe parcel was great too – the ricotta and mascarpone cream was the definition of decadent, and had a strong flavour from the vanilla beans mixed throughout it. It was a bit tough to eat elegantly, but totally worth it!
Overall? I’d definitely come back to this place for round two. The staff were really nice and seemed to make a point of getting to know regulars, plus the place had a really quiet, chill atmosphere. A lot of the pizza and other dishes sounded really appealing too, so those will be going on my checklist!
