Jamie's Italian

Happy Birthday to me!!! The month long birthday celebrations can officially begin! As my friend Claire puts it, "Dirty30". I've finally joined the club. My hubby tells me I'm catching up. I better get some tonight so this birthday lives up to its name. It's in the bag.

I feel like a wiser, heavier, better travelled, ridiculously better looking, more cashed up and overall better balanced version of my 21 year old self. WOW nine years since my last milestone birthday. It feels like I batted my eye lids and several lifetimes flashed past in fast forward. Thank you universe for the life you've gifted me!

Enough of the deep stuff, it wasn't really going anywhere. Let's get down to business.

Today the lunching lady was unleashed again, this time with good reason to celebrate, at Jamie's Italian.

This is definitely one of the places to be seen in Sydney at the moment. Bookings are only permitted for groups of six people and over, so get in early to secure your seat.

We got in approx. 11:45am. Yes early lunch but I was starving and there was no way I was missing out on my birthday. The place was quite empty.

Within 20 mins, the restaurant was full, both downstairs and up. It seats about 200 people.

I loved the "Jaime's" napkins and the well designed easy to ready menu. Really, it's the small details that make me happy.

Also the complimentary Italian bread selection. It's my Greek heritage, I love a freebie!!

Bruschetta topped with oven-dried tomatoes cooked with basil, garlic & creamy ricotta at $12. Tasty but now that I think about it, steep at $6 a slice!


While we waited for our main, I entertained myself by looking in the mirror and taking photos of the wary diners sitting next to us.


Burger Italiano at $19.50 with Wagga Wagga beef with fontina cheese, salami, soft lettuce, tomato salsa, dill pickles, chilli & fried onions.

 Get it in ya! The crispy thin slices of salami added a lovely saltiness to the beef.

I had the slow roasted suckling pig, one of the specials of the day. I forgot to look at the receipt, I think it was approx. $40. I splashed out. Living the dream.

Shhh don't tell anyone, but I've had way better pork in the backstreets of Messinia (South of Greece). Now that shit is finger licking good and a quarter of the price for like a quarter of a pig (as opposed to two small pieces)!

Don't mind the burger bit in the background on the side of my plate. I was greedy and wanted to try all the dishes we ordered.

BTW the crackling was crunchy, but soft enough to not break my teeth, so I was disappointed. I gotta be able to stab the f*ck out of the crackling with my knife otherwise its a no go.

 

Dessert was macchiato at $4.45 each, typical power lunching coffee prices for Sydney CBD. As well as an Italian Bakewell Tart to share at $9. Meh, nothing crazy to write home about. I knew we should have ordered the Tiramisu or Choc Brownie.

The Italian bread and goodie stand as we were exiting.

Overall verdict? Good but not exceptional. I don't think it was ever meant to be exceptional. I get what Jamie's trying to do: nice food/dining made accessible to the masses. The reality is, not many people from the hood (I'm talking Bankstown, Cabramatta, Punchbowl or Campbelltown) i.e. the masses, will venture out to such an establishment.

This is still a place to see and be seen. Even so, I can't help it, I love the geezer. So I guess due to the name behind it, you have to go once.

Jamie's Italian
107 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Phone number: +61 (0) 2 8240 9000