The Thousands

There comes a time during a strong drinking session when dinner no longer seems like cheating and instead hits the holy nexus of sensible and desirable. We were at precisely this point when we remembered celebrity bloke Jamie Oliver had opened one of his signature Italian joints on Pitt Street. Italian is a food that can fill a belly. Sorted.

We arrived to a queue out the door. They don’t take bookings for parties of fewer than six (this won’t change, due to the business model), so turn up and get your beeper, like a pub bistro. Then go anywhere within 250m (we chose Rockpool) and wait for it to pop off – rather than be one of the idiots who stood in the doorway bemoaning the wait.

A big open kitchen and upstairs antipasti bar have been stuck in the old Industrie site. Full with diners, it creates a serious hum. We were seated in the buzz by a man with a gold tooth and swish charm, who walked us through the menu. Here are some lazy adjectives that describe much of said menu: hearty and rustic. It’s pretty firmly peasant Italian, though there are spots of zesty exception. A salumi board comes with pickled peppers; amongst the meaty pastas is a light buffalo ricotta ravioli with lemon. The baked mushrooms are a must. Hand made pastas are filling and risottos (crab, truffle) are generously proportioned. The menu is seasonal so it will change.

Food-friendly Italian varietals make up the short wine list, which is clearly designed to compliment the meals rather than provide wine types with ammo for an essay.

Sydney copped the full force of international gastronomy with David Chang opening Momofuku Seiobo last week, but Jamie’s Italian is the other side of celebrity chefdom: practiced and affordable classics.