Bar Italia, Leichhardt

I've only lately discovered Sydney has its own little Italy in the town of Leichhardt (noob) and it presents so many exciting opportunities to explore every nook and cranny that the town has to offer. You walk down the strip of Norton street and nearly every restaurant, besides a Greek and 2 or 3 Japanese ones, is Italian. It appears neo-Italian bars dominate the area but it's the more traditional charming eateries that catch my eye. I was taken to Bar Italia by an old friend under recommendation that it was one of her favourite places to eat at. Not going to argue to with a self proclaimed Italian 'expert'.

Decor in the inside can be a little outdated and lacking although the many memorabilia on the wall and plastic tables give quite a nostalgic feel. The alfresco side towards the back is also quietly serene where the prized table away from the harsh summer sun under the beautiful shade of fern trees bound to induce a pleasant ahhhh from anyone. 

Spinach Arancini 6

Aranchini ball is an impressive giant ball of warm, gooey, cheesy goodness. A spot underneath, intentional or unintentional regardless, is inconsistently thick resulting in a resounding crunch more than anything and is actually quite special.

Gnocchi Bolognese 15

Home made gnocchi here, whilst not the best (the honor still belonging, in my opinion, to Alex Herbet's insanely decadent prawn gnocchi in butter sauce), are angelically light in stark contrast to the heavy ragu of rich sauce and meat.

Spaghetti Cabonara 15

We also choose their simple heart warming carbonara; thick and rich and just beautiful to eat. Being a little pedantic but the ham pieces are all too reminiscent of the pre-made sauce in bottles whereas a quickly fried pancetta perhaps could have provided a little more depth.

Tiramisu 6

Not exactly the most elaborate thing, the tiramisu nevertheless hits the spot. Thick mascarpone envelopes a deeply fragrant coffee soaked sponge but the amount of mascarpone can be  lessened lest I receive a heart attack mid bite. In all seriousness, it is too much.

Ricotta Cheesecake

Their ricotta cheesecake is also a specialty here; dense and sweet and spiked with raisins. 

The restaurant is silently efficient and our mains came out 5 minutes after ordering them. The sizes aren't quite as E puts it "an entire packet of pasta per serving" but are evidently generous to say the least. I'm looking around and the house churned gelato and aromatic coffee there is incredibly popular which implores at least an empty belly on our next arrival.


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Posted in: cabonarra, Gnocchi, Leichhardt, tiramisu