Biagio's, Niddrie, Melbourne

The place has an amazing vibe, atmosphere and old-European bar-cafe style that attracts patrons like bees to honey. The service is really friendly and accommodating, however, service is extremely slow even when the place is not even half-full and the food was average. I had a burger menu and the burger was burnt, the fries were dreadful and the burger was not really well assembled. I haven't returned since, and the good looks will never satisfy my belly.

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Rococo (Hawthorn, Vic)

This is a family-friendly, all-rounder Italian restaurant that does well everything. They have a large menu with things you don't usually find in average Italian restaurants. Their food is tasty and their portions big -- size does matter to me. Even if you order just one dish, you won't leave hungry. My duck risotto was stupendous regarding flavour and the rice was perfectly cooked, not too chewy not too soft. Very friendly, attentive staff. Service can be on the slow side on weekends. A bit pricey.

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Colori D'Italia Pizza - Pasta - Cucina (Melbourne CBD)

GOOD
A bit of everything sort of cafeteria.
Generous portions.
Good priced.
Fast service.
Clean spacious premises.
Lovely staff.
Great location.

NOT SO GOOD
The food., bland, unseasoned, lacking flavour. I visited for an early lunch, when the pre-prepared pasta dishes had been just cooked, and the pasta was already a bit on the soft side, not on the al-dente side. I think it would have been overcooked if I had visited 10 minutes later. 

MIND
During the day, which is when I visited, this is more a cafeteria (a la hospital) which offers a bit of everything, mostly pre-prepared food, than a cafe or restaurant. They have a selection of rolls, sandwiches and prepared Italian dishes (fresh pasta dishes, meatballs) for you to choose from.  Except for the breakfast and pizzas, which are cooked on order, the food they were serving was all pre-cooked. On the other hand, for those prices, you cannot expect real Italian either.

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La Porchetta (Highpoint Shopping Centre, Maribyrnong Vic)

If you are hungry and craving carbs in the Highpoint shopping mall this is your place. They have a mix of pasta and pizza dishes, with different sizes on offer. I had one of their small pizzas (the sausage, broccoli and ricotta) and it was very tasty. Not bad, but not good either. The small size is more than enough for lunch. Friendly caring staff. Outdated premises. I found the prices on the high side for what they serve, but this is Highpoint.

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Il Circolo (North Perth, Perth WA) (Closed)

22 Angove St
North Perth Western Australia 6006
(08) 9328 7667
Hours:
Mo-Sun - 6.30am to 6pm


I love the layout and decoration of the place. Really woody and vintage, cozy and trendy, and the natural lighting that the place has most of the time. This looks like a real old style Italian cafe or coffee club. The ambience is familiar and quiet, without the hype you fine in the other cafes on Angove St, despite their food being way better and more original. You can seat and relax without having the pressure of a mob of  people trying to get in, even during weekends. Still, there is a reason, why this is not happening.

Il Circolo offers authentic Italian dishes, sweets and coffee. Their menu is not large, but original and different from what you find elsewhere in Perth.

Most of the egg breakfasts they offer and I have tried are OK, not bad, but not inspired either. Sometimes, they have special omelettes, which are very satisfying, but they are uninspired, overpriced, and on the small side. So I would go there for their toast breakfasts, which are definitely more Italian.

My Eggs Fiorentina with asparagus and sprinkled cheese felt abandoned in my plate without the company of any side, and they were not especially tasty; besides, the eggs were over-poached. The missing sides are unforgivable, taking into account the price of the dish. Jeez, use seasonal veggies, roast them and put them in the plate. If the cafés around are doing so without a problem, why is this an issue for Il Circolo? Their omelettes are way better, way bigger and use seasonal produce, and are very nice.

Their lunches are very good, with dishes that are very Italian and well cooked. The Parmesan Eggplant was delicious, moist, flavoursome, silky delicate and yummy. I could have eaten two of those on my own, so how can a man survive with one of those portions? The Involtini had a wonderful aroma, the dish was yummy and one of those that you expect an Italian nonna to prepare. 

The sausage and broccoli pasta I tried was not very pleasing to the eye, but it was al dente (Alellouya!), and extremely tasty.

I have been there for dinner, just once, and =======

Their sweets are, like most Mediterranean sweets, very rich and filling. They are too rich and thick for my taste, an example being the Baked Ricotta. However, their Blueberry and Custard Tartina was delicious, very soft, fresh, light, flavoursome and with the right amount of sugar.  

  

The coffee was very good, but perhaps not the linking of Perthites, who like their coffee very light and smooth and with little coffee in it. ll Circolo’s coffee uses Moka J-Enna beans, a brand that I've never heard of. It's strong flavoursome coffee, with a slightly bitter after-taste some days. Yet, it is very Italian.

Most of the staff are nice and friendly. However, despite their friendliness, the service is lacking sometimes as the guys behind the counter being more interested in conversing with their young cool colleagues than attending customers properly.

I like Il Circolo's decoration, quietness, lack of hype, and good food, but their food is a bit undersized and overpriced, and if you want to have a big yummy breakfast other places do a a better job.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

* They need to be more generous with their portion sizes, especially for breakfast. Most of the dishes I tried are made with cheap ingredients, so I don't see why the servings are so small. If the other cafés on Angove St are able to provide big multi-layered multi-product egg breakfasts at the same price, Il Circolo can do so too.  

* They should put in the bin the ton of expired magazines they have, which is most of what they have, and invest on at least two new magazines a month. It won't bankrupt the business and it makes a huge difference to solo and not-much-talking couples, which are a great part of their customers.

* They should improve their welcoming skills and being more serviceable, smiley and polite. If somebody approaches the counter and you are having a chat with your pal about personal stuff, interrupt it and attend to the customer first and then continue your chat. Is that so difficult?  If you don't do so, you are sending an implicit message that you do not give a damn about customers or that they are not your priority.

* The toilet needs to be revamped, refurbished, reorganised, and re-cleaned. The current toilet reminds me of those you find in road houses in the countryside. The fact that the space is small does not mean that you cannot maximise the space. Ikea + Bunnings have everything you need if you're on a budget. 

 

* Their cutlery is good quality, those that you find in fine-dining restaurant. Then, the napkin is of paper. Well, there is an awkwardness, but extremely heavy. No problem with that it wasn't because the napkins are vulgar paper. I mean, good cutlery goes with good napkins, and mediocre cutlery with paper napkins. Match them accordingly. 

 

***

Il Circolo is chilled classy restaurant that serves authentic Italian dishes, well prepared, on charming Angove St. You go there to avoid the hype and have a good eat, to have a chat with your pals or partners, because at Il Circolo you can actually communicate without having the music too loud, or hundred people yelling around.


Location: 8/10
Layout: 8/10
Ambience 8/10
Food: 8/10
Coffee: 7/10
Service: 6/10
Pricing: 6.5/10

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Ecco! Woodfired Pizza (North Perth, Perth WA)

Beside North Perth Plaza
391 Fitzgerald St
North Perth Western Australia 6006
(08) 9227 8020
Website
Hours:
    Mon-Thu 11:00 - 20:00



Located on the left side of the main entrance to the North Perth Plaza, Ecco! is a very small unpretentious restaurant with a lovely alfresco area that is very popular and sought after when the weather is good.

Ecco! is one of those underrated unpretentious real Italian restaurants that specialises in wood-fired pizzas (oil and tomato sauce based) and classics of the Italian Cuisine like tomato-based gnocchi, pasta, lasagna, cannelloni, arancini, and meat dishes, and a few antipasti prepared in the house. This is not a sophisticated new-vogue Italian cuisine, there is no fancy stuff here, just traditional Italian recipes. As the old man told me, "I have no studies, I am no chef, but I can cook Italian food as in the old days". That is a big thumbs up for me. The place is quiet during the day, but it is a regular spot for first and second generation Italians, a fact that always shows that the food served there is authentic.

The Pasta alle Vongole is the best dish I have eaten there, and one the best PALV that I have eaten in Perth in the last years. Pasta al dente, flavoursome, with the right amount of everything. Perfect. And the serving was huge.


On the contrary, the Pappardelle al Ragu were average, not al dente, and lacked a bit in flavour. Very much the so-so thing I prepare at home myself.

Their pizzas I have tried here are very nice and flavoursome, with a thin crisp base, and traditional simple ingredients, and no added sauces. Wood-fired ovens really give the pizza an unique flavour and texture that makes of any pizza a good pizza.
They serve breakfast from Friday to Sunday, and they have a mix of traditional Australian favourites with more Italianized bites. 

The servings of most dishes are really generous, man-sized, and you won't leave hungry. You will probably leave with a doggy bag.  Pizzas are on the medium size, not too big, not to small.

The staff are friendly and attentive. It seems to be a family operated business, with some extra hands at the kitchen. 
 
The place has three main downsides, which, in a way explains why they don't have a larger clientele. The first one is that the place it is a bit Spartan and lacks a bit in character; people love old traditional trattorie, just because of their charm, so they could just give their place the feeling of one of those. Just saying. The second one is that the place is just a BYO. The third one is that the price of some of the pasta dishes is a bit expensive taking into account that the ingredients used in some recipes don't cost much.

Ecco! is not a fancy place, but it is perfect for quiet munchers looking for simple traditional Italian recipes and pizza. 

MIND - They do take-away - Hurrah.

FIX IT - Their website is very minimal and needs a bit of update. There is not reference whatsoever to opening hours. Also, the takeaway menu link corresponds to the fixed menu link, and vice versa. 

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Jamie's Italian (Perth WA)

140 William St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9363 8600
Website
Facebook
Hours:
    Mon-Sun 11:00 - 22:30

 



THE LOCATION
Finally there is a business thriving in 140 William St, a place that seems to be jinxed except for a few public places. 

The designers of Jamie's Italian deserve a huge praise for creating a space that is very modern but with lots of traditional and rustic elements. Jamie's restaurant is large place with different seating spaces, bar and restaurant combined but conveniently separated, and a few corners reserved for the waiters and pasta-making. The layout and decoration are an harmonious eclectic mixture of street art (a warm diptych by Creepy is covering part of the bottom end wall), wild west saloon, rustic trattoria, trendy osteria, and refurbished industrial space. Ambitious, and even pretentious in a way, but the whole ensemble works well and has aesthetic harmony.

OH, SO HANDY
Jamie's Italian does a great job at making things that are a hassle elsewhere very easy - from ordering, to paying, to keeping you happy while you wait for your food.  
- They have good quality cutlery and fabric napkins. That always makes me happy because too many restaurants in Perth, even those that call themselves posh, use paper napkins and/or average cutlery.
- They provide a complimentary basket of Italian breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar while you wait. The selection is excellent, really great, and almost an entree per se. Some of the guys ask you if you want, some others do not, so if you want it and aren't offered, use your pretty lips to request it.
- They make their pasta fresh in the premises daily. 
- They have different sizes for the pasta dishes, as entree or as a main, which comes very handy depending on the time of the day, or if you want a dessert or not. 
- They have specials of the day (savoury), which are great if you are a regular.
- They seem to use Italian Parmesan, which they offer grated to you with some of the pastas. Others have it already on.
- They have mobile EFPTOS machines, so they come to your table and you pay without having to cue or move anything that are not your precious fingers. 
- Easy no-fuss online booking system. Go online, provide your email and mobile, select a time slot, add you preferences regarding anything, push the button, and you are done. You will receive an email confirming your booking and a SMS two days before your visit, asking you to re-confirm. You can also cancel by using return email or sms.

THE FOOD
Jamies Italian, despite the name is not all Italian. There is a mix of Italian dishes (both savoury and sweet) mixed with tapas style antipasti and planks, and very colourful fresh fruity salads. Jamie's is, above all, a place of modern fusion food inspired by Italian cuisine. The menu is quite extensive thanks to the combination of a well-round selection of antipasti, pasta, dish and meat dishes, salads, desserts, Italian wines and coffee.

The antipasti are very good, the arancini being the ones that I liked the least. The planks are great, with a mix of textures, colours and flavours that are very pleasant and a great degustation experience. The side salads are very good, very fresh, good sized, and good looking; the stand out, to me, is the Apple Slaw Salad, which is is truly fantastic, while the Winter Salad is just blah.

The pasta dishes, supposedly the star of the restaurant, have been a great disappointment. The Sausage Pappardelle were hard, not al dente. If they had been al dente, it would have been possible rolling them around the fork to eat them the Italian way. Al dente, for Italians means firm, slightly underdone, not underdone. Never hard. It is soft outside with a bit hardness inside when your teeth go through it. The taste was OK. Something I could cook at home easily with my poor culinary skills. 

The Honeycomb cannelloni were overcooked, not al dente, and the whole thing a tiny service of a mashy undistinguishable thing that did not  charm me at all. 

On the contrary, I found the Wild Mushrooms Ravioli very good in flavour, perfectly cooked, still, not many ravioli under the sauce and nothing really wow.

 

DESSERTS 
Jamie's Desserts are great. They truly are more British than Italian, or a mix of both, but they are always terrific and decently sized. Unlike most places in Perth, Jamie's sweets are not overly sugary, so you can enjoy the flavours much more.
 
The Tiramisu was moist, good sized, with the right amount of everything. Perfect.

The Seasonal Poached Fruit with ice-cream and mint were delicious despite being cold. For whatever reason, I expected the dish to be warm or warmed a bit. Still, it as a fantastic mix of textures and seasonal fruit, very light, very healthy and flavoursome.  

The Sour Cherry Bakewell is lovely - a moist flavoursome cake with a very light but delectable orange sour cream and mint on top. Not much cherry in it, but the ensemble was filling and has great clean distinct flavours.  

The Chocolate & Vinsanto Pot was fantastic if you are a dark chocolate nerd. The mix of the sweet ice-cream and cream topping a  rich dark chocolate mouse, and the freshly crunchy biscotti is great. Very filling, despite the size.

The one I enjoyed the least were the selection of ice-creams. They were just OK.

COFFEE
Jamie's Italian use Fiori beans for their coffee, which are among my favourite beans. They produce a flat white with the strength I like it, and that is always a big tick on my list of important ticks, while the long macchiato is a bit too strong even for me. This means that the coffee could be a bit too strong for you if you are into smooth coffees. The coffee lacks in creaminess and is not aesthetically finished at times, but it is perfectly prepared others.

THE SERVICE
The staff have always been wonderful. Very friendly, chatty and accommodating about everything, and very attentive to you and your personal needs. They do their best to get you a good place, to comment on anything that might bother you, to ask you if everything is OK. They run non stop any time you visit, and they well deserve the salary they earn. Having said this, the service can be lacking at times due to the lack of enough staff to attend customers or the inability of the cooks to provide the many meals requested at once. My criticism to the service is based on the fact that the restaurant doesn't have enough staff - to me.  

PRICING
We are so used to be ripped off on a daily basis everywhere we go in Perth, that Jamie's Italian, in comparison, is really cheap. You can have three dishes and a coffee for about 35 bucks. A dream in most restaurants in Perth. Prices are good, but, hey, they could be cheaper especially when non imported ingredients are used. Most things prepared are seasonal, so seasonal means very cheap produce at the market.

 

NOT SO GOOD
- Jamie's pasta are average, mostly not al dente, and their pappardelle aren't what Italians call standard pappardelle. Moreover, many of these dishes have too much sauce and little meat in them. 
- The eating space is tiny. Eating at the solo-eaters counter can be quite uncomfortable and it doesn't allow you much movement with your hands especially if more than a plate is brought at the same time. In the same way, some of the tables for two are tiny-winy, with barely room for anything than a kiss :D.  
- Jamie's is a very noisy place, even during the quietest times of the day. If you are looking for a cosy quiet place, this is not your place. Sometimes you have to speak loud to the waiter/tress because it is difficult to hear anything. However, it varies from one place to another in the restaurant. The only solution I come with is to turn down the mainhein in your head, and find a zen space between your two ears, or just listen to the conversation of the table beside...  
- Their online booking system is limited regarding hours available. Some time- slots are not displayed or available for booking online, and you cannot book, say, two weeks in advance. Moreover, the guys at the restaurant do not deal with bookings at all. So they are making things difficult unnecessarily.
- Sometimes, you have to wait about 10 minutes for the guy to come and take your order, despite the guy knowing that you are there and wanting to come earlier. Sometimes you have to wait 25 minutes to get what you ordered, even if you are alone and just ordered the antipasti.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT 
 > It would be great if Jamie's thought a bit more about the efficiency of their service system and less about cashing in with the least effort, especially during peak hours, which, at the moment, are all opening hours due to the hype surrounding the place. Hiring more people would be an act of kindness towards both the current staff and customers who would get a prompter more relaxed and faster service. 
> More individual tables could be easily scattered around the place.
> Cook pasta al dente as Italians do. Otherwise is not... pasta al dente!
> Improve the presentation of the Tiramisu; if you put something brown on a brown plate is never going to be appealing to the eye. The Vinsanto Pot would need of a cup with a broader circumference on top.
> The staff should ask customers if they want sugar, sweetener or nothing with their coffee.

***

Despite the hype, Jamie's Italian is more a posh fast food place or eatery than a proper restaurant. However, it is a a lovely place to drop by on weekdays to have decent simple meals, good portions at good prices. There is nothing to rave about the food because, despite being lovely, it is never remarkable or wow. Still, Jamie's is one of those places that invites you to return for the right reasons, and one would like the hype to wane to have a more relaxed ambience and being able to walk through their doors without reservation or cues. Jamie's is always a vibrant place to visit, but also very hectic and extremely noisy.

Don't cue for Jamie's, book online or by phone. Cueing for a restaurant that is not uber-posh and uber-delicious is not only a waste of time, but also a bit parochial.  I would recommend going to Jamie's for some of their salads, planks, desserts and Italian wines, or for simple dishes if you work in the city and want something better than the food options available at Carillon or Rayne's foodhalls.

Location: 8.5/10
Layout: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Staff: 9/10
Service: 7.5/10
Food: 6.5-8 (varies)/10
Sweets: 7.5/10
Coffee: 6.5-8 (varies)/10
Pricing: 8/10

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