Bistro Moore, Moore Park Rd, Paddington

Bistro Moore, Moore Park Rd, Paddington
Thursday 1 June, 2006

I had visited Bistro Moore last October for a friend's birthday and remember it being a great experience - the food was brilliant. Tonight I was meeting an old school buddy for dinner and we had lots of catching up to do.

Bistro Moore chef, Giovanni Spinazzola, was awarded one chef's hat in the SMH Good Food Awards for 2006 and serves modern Italian food in a bistro setting attached to the Olympic Hotel. It offers a private dining room near the front entrance, lounges directly opposite the bar and seating on a raised platform at the rear. It also has a separate entrance from the Olympic Hotel entrance. The interior is intimate with dark painted walls, wooden floorboards and fabulous framed prints.

We arrived for a 7.15pm reservation and were shown to our table along the side. One long leather seat runs the length of the wall with tables set up for two. When our waiter offered us menus she accidentally bumped a glass on the next table and it went crashing to the ground. She was apologetic and immediately left our table for the kitchen. We assumed she was going to obtain something to sweep up the broken glass, but no. She returned to another table with their main meals and made several trips to do this.

We waited and discussed how so many restaurants/ cafes squeeze in too many tables so that you are nervous you will bump a glass or plate as you suck in everything and attempt to pass. Finally, she returned to sweep up the glass. I found this staggering as there were only three tables occupied in the dining room, so what was she doing?

The menu is a good read - you really need to study and digest every menu item as they are all described in great detail. There was a lot I didn't understand, not that it means anything. I ordered the galleto alla diavola - chilli and lemon marinated roast de boned spatchcock with grilled polenta and a pepperonata salad with king cous cous and olives and my school buddy ordered the calamari fritti - lightly fried baby calamari with rocket.

Our main meals arrived and looked fantastic. I attempted to slice into my de-boned spatchcock and it was riddled with bones. It was challenge to eat but was very good. When I mentioned this to a staff member she indicated she would take it up with the kitchen but never returned. The calamari was also very good.

We debated whether to order dessert and agreed to look at the menu. Wow! It didn't take us long to decide, I ordered the pannacotta - coconut and vanilla bean pannacotta served with chocolate sauce toasted coconut flakes and biscotti and my dinner buddy ordered the semifreddo crocante - Italian nougatine and caramel parfait with butterscotch sauce and crushed pistachio nuts.

We were both in awe of the desserts - they were absolutely delicious and the perfect way to end the evening. It's a shame the service let us down.

Bistro Moore - 308 Moore Park Rd, Paddington - (02) 9361 6315

http://www.olympichotel.com.au/pages/