Who,
after 30 years of unbiased dining, can dismiss the itching thought that
Italian food is the
absolute best in the world?
Our
tummies, that we hold so dear, just want great food, just like mama
used to make ...
Our
wallets, for the most part, want food that is affordable. If it's also
tasty, generous in
proportion and memorable on the palate, all the better.
So
it is that we recently stumbled into Restaurant
Giardinetto, located in Sydney's original
"Little Italy", Stanley Street.
It's
traded under this name for 25 years, which is always an encouraging
sign. In a city where anything that
happened a month ago is considered historic, it's enjoyable to step
back in time - and judging by the decor,
it's immediately apparent you're stepping across continents too.
Cherubs
and classical Italian lamps set a cosy and intimate atmosphere - and
yet this is not the sort of
cosiness where you'll spend the night wondering if the table next to
you will be hearing your sweet
nothings. There's a deceptively safe distance between every table so
that you'll feel intimate
but only with the person - or people - at your own table.
We
arrived early and so were privy to the sudden cascade of diners - as
by 7.45pm the place was full
where it had appeared almost empty just 15 minutes prior.
The
menu soon had us tantalised and it took quite a while to make decisions
- in the end we went with the
waiter's recommendations, our group having the Osso Bucco, the Risotto
Pescatore, the Filet Mignon and
the Smoked Salmon Linguine. Next time it will have to be the Duck A
La Orange and the Duck Risotto,
the "A La" Orange not quite holding up in the Italiano equation,
but let's face it, Italy is part of the
European Union, and arguably is the best country in the EU ... and what
the hell, I'm as sure you can
eat Duck A La Orange in Italy as you can eat
Thai food in Penrith ...
The
Osso Bucco just melted off the bone and in the mouth - what a perfect
winter dish. The luxurious
Risotto Pescatore was generous and a great combination of tender fish
pieces, prawns, scallops and
octopus in Napoli sauce - will be hard to go back for the duck but not
get swayed by this seductive dish.
The Smoked Salmon Linguine was creamy and impossible not to devour every
morsel of it - and the
Filet Mignon, immaculately seared medium-rare, was so delicious that
any steakhouse fanatic would
have felt totally at home.
Keeping
with the occasion, to accompany our meals we enjoyed a very fine 2005
Dogajolo Toscano
which was a delightfully robust drop, soft and sweet at first but then
coming across like a quality Cab Sauv
as it flowed with the food. Definitely perfect with the steak, but all
were muttering fondly about it
as we polished it off.
Waste
no time dear friends - if you're looking for a romantic setting, populated
by couples and intimate groups
of three or four, if you want comfily unobtrusive yet nimble service,
and if you want food that satisfies and a
choice of classy Italian wines that suit the cuisine to a tee, all at
very affordable prices without hint of
pretention, then try Giardinetto out for yourself.
Life
is short - let it be wonderful ...
www.restaurantgiardinetto.com.au
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