Stella Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria
1073 Pittwater Rd,
Collaroy Beach, Sydney
On a lovely Friday night we hit the beachside suburb of Collaroy to check out this popular Italian eatery. Parking was plentiful right outside the restaurant. On approach you can hear the sound of cheerful customers and there’s a great buzz about the place. Inside, the décor is warm and inviting with subtle lighting, a splash of greenery here and there and a wood fire oven at the rear. Very nice.
There’s a lot on the menu and it's all very tempting. We started with Antipasto Misto, a lovely selection of cured meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables, olives and focaccina to load it all on to. There’s a lot on the plate so this is a great share dish.
Dame M is fond of zucchini flowers so we were keen to try Stella’s version. They were filled with ricotta, pecorino, walnuts and basil with a sparkling water batter. The filling was full of delicate but distinctive flavours which all went well together. They were fresh-tasting and delicious.
The wine list is impressive, with Australian and Italian choices at reasonable prices. A couple of glasses of Salvalai Pinot Grigio was the perfect complement to our entrees.
From a lovely choice of mains, Dame V decided on the Gnocchi di Zucca e Ricotta. This was an indulgent dish of gnocchi with pumpkin, ricotta, peas, zucchini, baby spinach and pine nuts in a pesto sauce, all topped with parmigiano reggiano. Great presentation and a generous serving. The gnocchi was amazingly tender and fluffy and the dish was a real treat. Yum!
Our host, owner Norm, made us feel very welcome with a friendly chat and some helpful suggestions. A very nice Di Re Montepulciano red wine was recommended for Dame M, and a Fattoria Di Bagnolo Chianti for Dame V.
Being a bit of a carnivore, Dame M chose the Carne for a main. A superbly cooked porcini dusted beef eye fillet served with Jerusalem artichokes, truss tomatoes, baby spinach and black garlic sauce. It was a tender, juicy piece of beast and she was a very happy customer indeed!
A salad seemed like a good idea, so we chose the Insalata di Radicchio. This leaf variety is quite bitter but the aged balsamic and honey dressing was a good balance for that. The green olives, fennel and salted baked ricotta were tasty additions.
There was hardly a space left for dessert but we had to do it! So we shared the chef’s suggestion, Pistachio Baked Cheesecake. Wow! It was so creamy and delicious we couldn’t stop until every crumb was gone.
Stella Italian Kitchen is a place both Dames would certainly revisit. Apart from the great food, it really has a friendly atmosphere. Norm spreads his warmth around the room as he chats and laughs his way around the tables. It seemed that a lot of the diners already knew him and obviously come here to eat on a regular basis. That tells you something. Norm’s inspiration was to make the place feel like a welcoming Italian home, and he’s nailed that, with both the food and the vibe. Stella is open every day of the week from 5.30 to 9pm.
Those Dames, who review for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of Stella Italian Kitchen and Pizzeria and owners Mary and Norm Amato. Special thanks to Chrissy Symeonakis of Creative Little Soul for arranging our visit.