Zeffirelli

By Franz Scheurer

Hidden in one of Pyrmont’s many side streets, this modern, hard-surfaced, funky restaurant, manages to walk the fine line between traditionalism and modernism. It’s much more spectacular at night, with its red, iridescent wall surfaces and many candles outlining the windowsills. A semi-open kitchen allows glimpses of some of the organized ballet behind the scenes and the wait staff is friendly and approachable. I enjoyed watching the guy at the pass directing the wait staff from the kitchen, all-seeing, all-knowing, anticipating every diner’s next request.

While we were perusing the menu we nibbled on excellent onion foccacia, moist, oily and moreish. A glass each of Verdicchio and Pinot Grigio kept our thirst in check and we ordered the ‘Malfatti di Castagna al Sugo di Cinghiale’, hand cut pasta made from chestnut flour served with wild boar ragout, and the ‘Fettine di Bresaola al Reggiano’, 400 day wagyu cured beef, thinly sliced, served with 24 month aged Parmesan. Both dishes were good. I loved the slippery, uneven pasta. Chestnut flour is such an underused ingredient and it has a marvellous texture and a very definite taste. The wagyu was obviously of a low marble score (a high fat contents would not have been as appealing in a cold dish). The small wholemeal rolls served with the entrées were terrific (and we decided that the scorching on the bottom of some was an indicator that they were baked on the premises) but I do not understand the balsamic splash ruining the good olive oil.

For mains we ordered the ‘Gnocchi di Patate al Forno Croccanti al Burro e Salvia’, home made crispy potato gnocchi oven baked with sage butter, and the ‘Porchetta al Forno’, free range Bandawarra pork belly, slowly oven baked with crackling and apple sauce served with some very greasy rosemary potatoes (skin on) and a spoonful of what tasted like pumpkin mash. Both dishes were seriously lacking salt. The gnocchi had a curious sweetness (almost as if the cook mistook the sugar for the salt) and some were rather ‘over caramelised’. Both dishes lacked flavour and failed to live up to their potential.

We tried to finish on a happy note with the flambéed strawberries with ice cream, alas I found them to be dominated by a thick, gluggy syrup that reminded me of a cheese fondue (though my companion enjoyed them more).

The wine list is good, with a few Italian wines by the glass. Prices are reasonable and on an earlier visit the food was much better, but lack of consistency worries me.

Score: 6/10

For more information or bookings:

Zeffirelli

14 Bunn Street

Pyrmont NSW 2009

Tel.: 02 9552 1509