Made In Italy Trattoria55 Miller St
Pyrmont, Sydney
Made In Italy is a growing venture - with five restaurants across Sydney - quite an achievement since 2001 when their Pyrmont restaurant opened. The focus is on quality ingredients to create good food, atmosphere and service.
We were taken with the warmth and friendliness of the place. Everyone seemed happy and enjoying themselves - customers and staff. The place had a real buzz to it. It's hard to miss the little Fiat inside the doorway - yes inside. Everyone new there stops to take a look - probably at first to see if it's real!
The place is popular so even though it's a decent size you do still need to book on busy nights like Fridays and Saturdays.
So - what to start with. Yes they do have the usual things you'd want to see on the menu for an Italian restaurant. You won't be disappointed.
We grabbed a few glasses to start with - Mlady had a fruity Lambrusco and Sir had a Nero D'avola - a nice medium bodied red from Sicily.
We then went for starters - beginning with a special of zucchini flowers stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, ricotta and anchovies - a tasty combo with the salty anchovies a great idea.
Next it was arancini with pumpkin and blue cheese - cheap at only $8 for five and again a quirky combination that went so well. These apparently sell out fast when available so order them quickly - even if you're deciding what else to get.
We decided on pizza and Mlady liked the look of the vegetarian option - which probably wouldn't have been Sir's first choice. He conceded reluctantly that it was very tasty and he actually enjoyed it. The base was lovely and thin with nice tangy tomato paste and toppings. It was served high on a stand which always looks good on a table.
We were going to have a pasta next but were persuaded to try the barramundi. What an amazing dish. The fish arrived at the table cooked and whole. Then our waiter delicately dismantled it right in front of us and served the boneless flesh with the accompanying potatoes, vegetables and sweet cherry tomatoes.
It was impressive to watch - like dinner and a show. It also had lovely flavours that made this a great recommendation and a must have!
Don't forget to save at least some room for dessert - we never do! There's a display cabinet with so many things there - wander over and take a look before ordering your sweet finale. We were lucky to get a platter with a cross-section of them - profiteroles, cheesecake, cream, ice cream, tiramisu and a few others.
We also had a couple of shots of their mandarincello - another must have!
Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Made In Italy. Special thanks to Giorgio and Roberto for looking after us so well and to Claudia Checchi for arranging our visit.
