the restaurant pendolino

we have the entrees to start proceedings. one of my dining companions opts for the burrata con pomodori di varieta primaria. it’s the heirloom tomato salad with burrata mozzarella, sweet basil, baby parsley, red onion and crisp fresh breadcrumbs. looks very light and appetising, certainly a quality selection. i opt for the agnolotti di carne alle erbette to start. it’s the hand made pasture fed beef agnolotti with mediterranean herb butter, beef and thyme sauce. this place has its own pasta kitchen, so as one would expect, the pasta is flawless. the agnolotti (a type of pasta from piedmont region) is filled with beautiful succulent beef, while the herb butter and thyme sauce provides a lovely pungent savoury overlay. the beef (and thyme) sauce also releases the wonderful juices of the beef, while the cheese seasoning provides a sharp creamy edge to the dish. one the my dining companions opts for the carpaccio di manzo all’abese. it’s an alba style free-range raw beef carpaccio with tru

wish i went back to cafe sydney. lord knows why i chose this restaurant to have a date but one of the wait staff (the only one without an accent, large and grey haired ) whose obviously going places in his 40s, was simply the most unprofessional individual i've ever had the displeasure of being serviced by. i have worked in the hospitality industry for years, and never do you make sarcastic and derogatory comments to a diner. unbelievable.

elegance plus plus. pendolino speaks volumes, with its fantastic wine selection and impressive italian food. there is no wonder the food dazzles. i often talk about food coma and this is one of those times where an establishment takes you to that place. pendolino brings elegance, glamour and flavours that explode into special moments. buon apetito a tutti.

in the middle of winter in this dark, richly warm environment with superb food and excellent european service you could hardly ask for better. the pumpkin lasagna was probably the best entree i have every tasted - glorious! only down side is a wine list that is far too high end.

dated and claustrophobic room, decent food. i am never totally comfortable in a dark windowless room like this, and although there were table lights supplied to help us read the menu, the lights were taken away when we had ordered.

our carpaccio of beef with truffle oil and various bits and pieces was lovely. our main courses, leatherjacket with salt cod and ocean trout with fennel, were oversalted and not very interesting.

our main waiter was charming and efficient, but we were irritated by the constant topping up of bottled water, which we hadn't ordered and did not want. i didn't see the final bill but i assume there were several,bottles of unwanted water included.

i would not return.

took my family there, luckily it wasnt a date with girlfriend otherwise it would be even more horrifying. absolutely terrible service. booked my table at the last minute at night when we were deciding on a place in the city to dine in. told me that table would be ready and can accommodate us when we get there. but instead, waited for 30 mins at the door. when i was asking questions about the menu he simply said to me 'read the menu' and seemed to be in a rush and unpatient with ordering. only ordinary italian food, nothing fancy and the restaurant itself is way too loud. seems like a children's playground instead of a restaurant suitable for dating. the waiters however seem very attentive at whos paying the bill but it took an unbelievable 10 minutes for my card to come back. horrible and disgusting service for such a classy restaurant. i have had better italian for similar price. if you're cool with the above personal opinions, by all means go but don't expect too much.

having visited melbourne regularly and enjoyed the abundance of good quality and italian fare i can honestly say that pendolino is up there with the top restaurants. the food is wonderful- and in particular their burnt butter sage ravioli never disappoints. the decor is rich and warm and ever inviting. so much so that you will probably want to stay well into the night and after the last drop has been poured into your glass.

amazing!! absolutely my favourite restaurant in sydney. great ambience and food (especially ravioli!) to die for. if only i could afford to dine here everyday.

wow! food was exceptional, sommelier spot on, service excellent and management flawless! every dish (7 of us) was a delight and presented to perfection. can i say more? yes! our overseas guests beat us to the bill, happily signing off on $350 worth of wine from another table...waiting for the receipt it was management who brought this to our guests attention, apologising profusely for their error (in this era of unbridled debauchery), reversing the charges immediately and sending us on our merry way.

met all expectations! the service we received from the staff was exceptional...

go for the ravioli. we ordered the following dishes:

ravioli di magro con burro fuso
traditional hand made ravioli with spinach, parmigiano reggiano, gruyere,
buffalo mozzarella, burnt butter and sage

spaghetti chitarra con pesce d’acqua dolce
freshly made chitarra spaghetti with barramundi, wild prawns, chilli, capers, garlic and pinot grigio white wine


the verdict...
the ravioli here is to die for! however, a person cannot "fill up" on this one dish alone, do order sides.

although the pasta was freshly made, the spaghetti dish we ordered was not a la dente and tasted rather average.

friends who have been here separately have thought the dishes were on the salty side. i love salty food, so this didn't come to my mind.


a gliche...
we asked for water for the table and was served still italian bottled water, rather pricey and unnecessary. do specify tap water if you rather spend money on food.


location...
great location above the strand arcarde in the city.

superb dining experience! highly recommended if you're out shopping in the city & want to take time out for a quality lunch

pen doling. wonderful lunch, always fullfis expectations. gets better every visit

a must return place. had an epiphany when eating pasta here: this is what al dente really is!! the bread, the olive oil, the food - all top quality. must return.

beautiful meal. love this place - so beautifully done