Having read a plethora of reviews by bloggers and mainstream food critics, I had definite expectations about Jamie’s Italian. If you aren’t aware Jamie’s Italian is Jamie Oliver’s Sydney restaurant. The mission is to provide Sydneysiders fantastic rustic dishes using Italian recipes that have been tried, tested and loved.
You can’t make a booking for Jamie’s Italian unless you are a group of six, even then you need to do this well in advance (found that out earlier this year when planning a birthday get together). I am not fond of the not being able to book situation, at all. So I decided that a visit for a late Saturday lunch may be the best time to go.
I knew that I would be given a buzzer and told there would be a wait for a table. We were advised there would be 45 minute wait for a table for two. Unlike as stated on their website, we didn’t find that ’queuing for Jamie’s is quite a treat’ and served antipasti whilst waiting. Instead we were told there was a 300M range on the buzzer and basically told to come back, we weren’t even offered a seat at the vacant bar to wait. So we went to the pub for a beer and cider to kill time. Our wait ended up being 35 minutes. Once seated I was quite surprised that they were still telling diners there was a 45 minute wait, there were plenty of vacant tables?
I knew chances were high that I would have to ask for the complimentary bread offered to all diners. It is a complimentary item on the menu, but unless you know about it, read that it is complimentary, don’t expect to be offered. Yes I had to ask and our bread was promptly brought to our table.
Clever use of branded half tea towels as serviettes
Skipping ahead, what I didn’t know was that when the bill arrived at the end of our meal there would be an automatic merchant charge on it. As we were paying cash I questioned why it was on the bill. I wasn’t going to pay it. It was an amusing performance as we watched two waitresses try to work out how much change we were owed once they took the merchant fee off the bill. The first few minutes they tried to do this as a combined effort in their heads. After this they decided to pull out a piece of paper to do the math. I eventually got my change. I suggest if you are dining there to watch out for this very crafty automatic addition to the bill if you are paying by cash. Due to the skill they showed in mathematics, I assume not many people pick up on this automatic addition.
Chipped tin camping bowls to eat you shared dishes from
That was how the meal started and finished, let me fill you in on the in-betweens. The look of the restaurant is dark and industrial. Think wood, metal, trash cans, concrete floors, graffiti walls and mirrors that look like they need a good clean. I actually like the look and feel of the restaurant, but a bit more lighting please, reading the menu was quite difficult.
Complimentary bread, which you need to ask for
Mac went for a walk to the loo before we ordered. On his return he flatly told me that if I was contemplating ordering pasta that I should go for a walk and look at the sloppy messes in the bowls at our fellow diners’ tables. Mac has travelled to Italy on numerous occasions. Actually when Josh was four we lived there for a while. Let’s just say we are particular about our pasta. Living in Bologna will do that to you. I looked at Mac and said not to be so harsh, what did he expect? His answer, Jamie Oliver’s name is on the restaurant door followed by the word Italian, I expect decent Italian food.
Trash can next to our table
We ordered a selection of three dishes from the nibbles and antipasti menus to start.
Sweet mini chilli peppers $9
Mini sweet chilli peppers stuffed whipped ricotta, mint and lemon. The only element of this dish I enjoyed was the slight heat of the chillies. The ricotta filling is a sloppy flavourless liquid mess. I like the concept of the dish, presentation is pretty, but flavour wise it does not deliver and is a mushy mess when eaten.
Crispy Squid $12
Thinly sliced fried squid served with ‘really’ garlicky mayo. Yes the mayo was really garlicky, I liked it, I liked it a lot, Mac not so much. The squid, as it was so thinly sliced, ended being on the tough side.
Italian nachos $7
This dish grabbed my attention from the beginning, crispy fried four cheese ravioli with ‘angry’ arrabiatta sauce. The ravioli seemed a little hollow, but the menu did say there was a filling in there, somewhere. Why the arrabiatta sauce is ‘angry’ I am really not sure, just tasted like a tomato sauce. Forgetting there should be filling in the ravioli and the sauce should be angry, it was an enjoyable nibble.
Burger Italiano $19.50
Wagga Wagga beef with fontina cheese, salami, soft lettuce, tomato salsa, dill pickles, chilli and fried onions, served on a brioche bun. Mac makes me laugh sometimes, the stand alone burger came out on a wooden board, to which he replied it would of been nice to have had a plate. Mac had spied the burger on his earlier walk, but it was on a plate with chips, so he was disappointed. The meat patty itself was tough to cut through, but when eaten is was quite tender, I pinched a bit. As it was a tall burger it basically fell apart when you began eating it, not a fan of the mile high burger. Not the best burger in town.
Veal saltimbocca $22.50
It was a tossup for me between risotto or the dish I ended up ordering, veal saltimbocca. Wafer thin veal with sage and prosciutto, flash grilled with a spicy tomato, basil and chilli salsa. The veal tasted of char grill, it was the most prominent flavour in the dish, overpowering the delicate sage and prosciutto. Those elements were there, I could see the sage and prosciutto, but not taste them. My dish tasted like char grilled steak with tomatoes. I couldn’t find any basil in the salsa, but it was dark.
Best humble green salad $6
I ordered a the best humble green salad to go with my main. Lettuce, with mint and lemon buttermilk dressing and grated parmesan. Lots of parmesan, that was definitely not lacking from the salad (a tad too much to be honest) and the dressing had a nice tartness to it.
Jamie’s Italian has now been ticked off my list of ‘want to try’ Sydney restaurants. I have read people say that the food is good value, to be honest I think you get what you pay for. $19.50 for a burger (Rockpool’s Wagyu burger is $24), $22.50 for a couple of wafer thin slices of veal topped with a few tomatoes, nope I don’t think it is great value.
Have you been to Jamie’s Italian? What did you think? Are you planning on visiting?
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Sara xxx
The more I read about Jamie’s, the less likely it is I’ll visit. There are some cheap options on the menu, and some of the food looks nice, but from what you’re saying, it seems like they might be making you wait just for the hell of it.
Food was tasty when I visited but it didn’t wowed me in any way . I think Im just happy to go eat at my favourite Italian restaurant in haberfield with better food and lower prices (and bigger servings!)
Julie recently posted..Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry mousse
Another overpriced Sydney restaurant with bad customer service which is usually reliant on hype to sell. Haven’t visited but dont think i want to. Haven’t heard anything good about it!
Wow… I must admit, I dined here twice and thoroughly enjoyed both times. First time was in the opening week when not too many people knew about it and then second was a couple weeks later (had to wait 1 hour for my table). There were some pretty decent dishes when I went but from hearing of the latest reviews and others experiences, maybe the hype got to people?
That’s sneaky of them about the complimentary bread and merchant fee.
Phuoc’n Delicious recently posted..Heart-shaped red velvet cupcakes
sitting next to a trash can is not good. i probably would have wanted to move. they should have those sort of things so close to diners. OMG i can’t believe i’ve never noticed that rusty metal J above the doorway. i’ll have to look out for it next time. i’ve enjoyed the food twice now and wouldn’t mind going back but i think it all depends what you order as well. i seem to have been lucky so far and definitely would recommend a group of 6 so you can book so there’s less waiting. i think they should always ask the table if they want the complimentary bread. something tells me i think they might be regretting having it on the menu if it’s not automatically being served to the diners without asking for it.
Simon Food Favourites recently posted..Making a kids Garden Octopus and Isabelle’s first Easter Bunny (3 Mar 2012)
oops. was supposed to say ‘shouldn’t’ have those sort of things so close to diners ie trash can.
Simon Food Favourites recently posted..Making a kids Garden Octopus and Isabelle’s first Easter Bunny (3 Mar 2012)
mixes reviews. at some point, I will visit Jamie.
penny aka jeroxie recently posted..Oatmeal with dried pears, nuts and All-Bran Toppers
It sounds like you had a similar experience to us – although for us the most annoying thing was the long wait of about 1.5 hours. And I still don’t know why you have to ask for the bread, they should really just bring it or perhaps the wait staff could ask if you would like it? Interesting about the merchant charge too!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..3D Hot Air Balloon Cupcakes!
As much as I love J. Oliver’s recipes, I think he has a very sloppy way of cooking, quite exaggerated for my liking, (e.g. tossing a salad full of olive oil with his hands, then going straight to the fridge to open its door without even cleaning his hand on a towel), so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the sloppiness in the restaurant decoration as well, like the trash can near the table, but never thought the food would be so disappointing. Anyway, there is no J.O. restaurant near me , so at least I know I’m not missing a great deal.
I have never noticed that ‘J’ sign outside the restaurant! I pass it daily, but I guess I don’t look upwards. I think some of the pasta dishes offer good value, although mains at low $20s is pretty rare in the city anyway. But, you do get what you pay for
Tina@foodboozeshoes recently posted..Seeing The Forresters for the trees
doesnt sound like you enjoyed the food. the mini chilli peppers sounds terrible and so does the veal
sugarpuffi.com recently posted..Home Thai
Sitting next to a trash can to dine seems rather off-putting. The whole experience seems to have been rather disappointing.
Yeah, I have read enough now to know that I won’t be going. Its too bad because I was really excited when I heard it was first opening. My friend said that you can get a better meal at the local pub and for half the price… I really apreciate your honest account.
Anna@ The Littlest Anchovy recently posted..Carrot and Maple Caramel Cupcakes
As much as I liked the one in Covent Garden, except for my pasty squid ink pasta, I’m in no rush to get to Sydney’s outlet.
john@heneedsfood recently posted..Hamantashen
This is the first properly negative review I’ve read, whereas the others have said it was just so-so. While I like mr Oliver’s recipes, I will not be visiting his establishment,
Lucas @ coverversions.tv recently posted..Episode 13 – Barley Wine Steak with Herb Stirfry & Cured Cucumbers
Hi Lau, It was an interesting experience
Hi Julie, I agree with you, many local places far superior
Hi Daphne, I too have read good and bad
Hi Phuoc, from what I have read and experience, I think it may be a case of hit or miss
Hi Simon, tried to do the booking for 6, but they couldn’t fit us in, wait really wasn’t that bad except we could see tables vacant.
Hi Penny, yes, you should try it, there are so many mixed reviews out there
Hi Lorraine, so glad I didn’t have to wait as long as you did
Hi Renata, yes you are safe
Hi Tina, yeah I think it is instagram that has me looking at all angles there days
Hi Sugarpuffi, the veal was fine, just wasn’t saltimbocca
Hi Rosemarie, just way too hyped for what it is
Hi Anna, I still think you should go, there are so many mixed reviews, good and bad, best to try it for yourself
Hi John, I too wasn’t in a rush, but now glad I have tried it for myself
Hi Lucas, I didn’t mean to come down too hard, there were a few positives
Sara recently posted..Caffe Sicilia
Hmm…I was looking forward to going here. But, hey, I also like to complain (I think Coles have added me to a ‘complainer blacklist’), so if I dislike it (when I visit next week), it gives me a chance to complain hehe. But I hope it is a good experience:)
Miss Kimbers @ Fruit Salad and Mixed Veg recently posted..Thanh Thanh, Adelaide