28 August 2010

il baretto: Italian, Surry Hills (4 March 2010)

496 Bourke Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010


Popular Italian at a price

Either come early or late to grab a seat at il baretto because it always seems very busy during peak dinner time and it wouldn't be uncommon to wait for an hour. Thankfully the cheap Carrington Hotel directly opposite accommodates those waiting for a table which also becomes their default nearest bottle shop. Alternatively there's the nicer fico down the road but it's not as cheap. Signature dishes by popularity seem to be the filling Pappardelle with duck ragu ($26) with pull apart meat and the tasty Spaghetti alle Vongole ($26) although prices seem to have gone up since my last visit. The Polenta with spicy sausage ($17) was rather heavy — possibly due to lots of butter in the polenta — and the basic Spaghetti Arrabbiata ($14) was decently tasty but nothing particularly special. Fresh Mixed leaf salad ($9.50) came with olives and tomato and helped break up the carb heavy meals. The Tiramisu ($9) had a nice coffee taste but I still prefer the one from Lucio Pizzeria. The Panna Cotta ($9) had a nice wobble factor and noticeable vanilla bean present — seems to be there signature dessert. Service can be a bit rushed due to being so busy and sometimes hard to grab their attention.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Quite large portions, Handy cheap bottle shop across the road
CONS: Very popular so hard to grab a table, Prepare to wait, No cards, No bookings, Service can be brisk and unfriendly
MUST TRY: Pappardelle with duck ragu, Spaghetti alle Vongole

Pappardelle with duck ragu ($26)

Spaghetti alle Vongole ($26)

Spaghetti Arrabbiata ($14)

Polenta with spicy sausage ($17)

Mixed leaf salad ($9.50)

Tiramisu ($9)

Panna Cotta ($9)


Menus

Busy at 8.30 pm

Carrington Hotel bottle shop

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