Simon Food Favourites: Osso Buco

19 September 2010

Signorelli Gastronomia: Eat-Drink-Shop-Cook Italian, Pyrmont (13 Aug 2010)

Darling Island Wharf (Opposite Star City)
Ground Floor / Accenture Building / Trouton Place
48 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont NSW 2009
http://www.signorelli.com.au

Food heaven starts here

I first heard about Sigornelli Gastronomia when visiting the Primo Italiano Festival where I picked up one of their flyers. Thankfully after a few months some of my friends organised a dinner catchup there so I was looking forward to checking it out. At night it's a little hard to find for the first time but once you enter it's like an Italian lovers heaven. Large displays of delicious looking products line the shelves and fridges including a 5 kg jar of Nutella as big as my head. Sitting down to dinner we notice the cheese and wine rooms lit up like shrines of devoted love — this place is definitely serious about their food and wine. After ordering our meals we're treated to a delicious appetiser of chaux pastry with fetta and pesto — more please! For entree the Whitebait fritters, salsa di l'ovo, chilli oil ($16.50) is a nice starter I'd happily have again and the Signorelli Gastronomia Antipasto ($22) comes with a selection of 4 different salumi which are all tasty and good quality matched with olives and some cheese. Tonight's special of freshly shaven truffle is available at $4.10 per gram. We try it on the Risotto di fungi, fontina, nettles, Ferron risotto ($16 entree size) which adds $16.40 for 4 grams. The waitress shaves the truffle quite quickly so be ready to say 'when' to stop them. The risotto has a nice mushroom taste but for me the truffle is too subtle and I'd probably have without — I've still yet to appreciate what all the fuss is about with fresh truffle.

My Osso Bucco Milanese ($30) had fall-of-the-bone meat as hoped and nice rich flavours although a good dollop of refreshing gremolata would have been much appreciated. The Roasted Cootamundra lamb rump, stufato di fagioli, gnocchetti ($28) was perfectly cooked and gave me dish envy with its great flavours. Port Lincoln mulloway saltimbocca, cavolo nero, beurre noisette ($34) was served with a decent crisp skin although perhaps could have done with some sauce. Gnocchi, quattro formaggi, sage ($25 main size) was full of rich flavour as expected and a crowd pleaser. The freshly cooked pizza called Umberto's masterpiece ($22) came with pancetta, potato, mozzarella and truffle oil — wonderful flavours that worked so well together. You could easily share this between 2 or as a starter for 4 because it was quite rich. Signorelli Gastronomia Tiramisu ($9.50) was nicely presented with balanced flavours although a bolder use of coffee and liquor would have made it even better for me. Service was helpful and friendly and really made us feel quite welcomed — like an Italian family sitting down at a communal table.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Friendly and professional service, Nice decor and atmosphere, Quality dishes of substantial size, Reasonably priced

CONS: A bit out of the way to get to from the city, Not the easiest place to find free street parking, Wish it was closer to the city or my home

MUST TRY: Everything on the menu especially the Antipasto, Tiramisu and Pizza

—

Appetiser chaux pastry with fetta and pesto

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Bread and olive oil

Whitebait fritters, salsa di l'ovo, chilli oil ($16.50)

Signorelli Gastronomia Antipasto - Selection of salumi, olives, parmigana, parmesan ($22)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Risotto di fungi, fontina, nettles, Ferron risotto ($16 entree size)

Fresh truffle shaved $4 per gram with Risotto di fungi, fontina, nettles, Ferron risotto ($16 entree size)

Osso Bucco Milanese ($30)

Roasted Cootamundra lamb rump, stufato di fagioli, gnocchetti ($28)

Port Lincoln mulloway saltimbocca, cavolo nero, beurre noisette ($34)

Gnocchi, quattro formaggi, sage ($25 main size)

Umberto's masterpiece - Pancetta, potato, mozzarella, truffle oil ($22)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Signorelli Gastronomia Tiramisu ($9.50)

2008 Signorelli Rosso Pizzini Shiraz Cabernet Sangiovese King Valley Vic ($26), 2007 Keith Tulloch Merlot Hunter Valley ($45)

Bill $350.40 for 7 people

5 kg nutella jar and Me

Cheese room

Sparkling wine room

Red wine room

Plasma screens above the kitchen show some of the cooking preparation

Inside and outside office foyer seating

Deli and products galore

Industrial sized kitchen

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06 September 2009

Cafe Sopra: Italian Eatery at Fratelli Fresh, Waterloo (22 August 2009)

7 Danks Street, Waterloo NSW 2017
http://www.fratellifresh.com.au

Best Café: TimeOut Sydney 2009

I've known of this place for ages above Fratelli Fresh but have never made the time to visit — now that I have I wish I had made more of an effort. I always presumed it was quite expensive which might have been one of the reasons why I didn't bother checking it out but the prices are quite reasonable for the amazing food quality and taste. You can't book and they won't seat you until all your friends have arrived which is a bummer if some people arrive late. After trying the delicious food I can now see why it's so popular and why it was voted Best Café for 2009 by TimeOut Sydney.

I ordered the Osso Buco which was great — meat was tender and the dish was very tasty. It's more of a winter warmer meal but I wanted to see how this Italian eatery cooked this Italian classic so I can compare it to any others I might have in the future. My food loving friends who organised the meet up today said the Affogato was a must have and they were right — a great way to finish off a very yummy lunch. We all enjoyed our dishes and I look forward to trying more of the dishes — I don't think you can go wrong with whatever you order.

Other visits to Cafe Sopra:

• 12 Sept 2009 - Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato, Arancini, Affogato, Banoffie Pie.

• 22 Aug 2009 - Osso Buco, Frittata, Roast Pork Panini, Vitello Tonnato, Witof Salad, Hot Chips, Affogato, Coffee.