Cavallino
By Franz Scheurer
Cavallino occupies the site Il Piemonte used to operate from, and it is
in a Glenn Murcutt designed building. When Giovanni Pilu and Lido Russo
convinced their wives, bank and the owner of the building to open a restaurant,
the building had stood empty for a while and had to be renovated to suit the
time, style of restaurant and place. Without an architect the finished product
shows an amazing vision and the whole place looks like a country manor,
successfully mirroring the location.
There is a grand entrance leading to the front desk, with a lounge and
bar on the left and the dining rooms on the right. A salume bar occupies the
immediate space if you turn right and a huge, modern pizza oven follows on. The
dining rooms are basically two separate rooms plus an ‘alcove’ room, all
comfortably fitted out with substantial tables, reasonable sound level and a
definite ‘country’ feel. The alcove room’s ceiling opens totally to let the
sunshine in, too. The chairs are not made for big-bottomed reviewers but seem
to be ok for the more dainty folk. The menu is a good read (although I am
hoping for more dishes made in the pizza oven that are not pizza) and the wine
list is superb. It’s a challenging list and a very good read. I like the easygoing
atmosphere and there is always plenty of parking. In typically Italian fashion
you are welcomed like a long lost son or daughter and even though the service
is not 100% as yet, you instantly feel at home. I love the bar with its cozy
chairs and settees and it’s a great place to have an aperitif or one of the
many digestive or maybe even a warming dram after your meal.
The salume or cold cuts are sensational. Not only do they have a knack
to buy in from the best, the old-fashioned, hand-operated slicer in the corner
ensures that the prosciutto is not burnt as it is cut. The whole selection of
antipasti is inspired and the quality and presentation is exceptional. Their ‘Burrata, pancetta croccante e
pomodori’ is the best in town. You might want to order ‘Pizza al rosmarino’,
basically a pizza bianca with your antipasti.
We tried the pizzas on four occasions. The pizzas started out being
quite soft and doughy and difficult to eat, using hands but teething problems
have now been sorted out and the oven is ‘burnt in’ and the pizze are nicely
charred and full of wood-oven flavours. The pizza chefs’ dough tossing is both
impressive and entertaining and I do think they will get even better as the
chefs learn the oven’s quirks and characteristics.
The pasta, made on the premises, is very good and my favourite at the
moment has to be the ‘Pappardelle al sugo di coniglio e funghi’, large ribbons
of egg pasta with Tuscan style rabbit and mushroom ragu. The potato gnocchi are
excellent although I don’t care for the duck ragu much and the ricotta gnocchi
are sensational, served with tomato sauce and fresh basil. There are a couple
of substantial meat dishes on the menu and always a fish of the day. I love the
‘Panzanella salad’. It’s sublime and not bastardized as the majority of
Panzanella salads are. This is a bread salad with truss tomatoes, cucumber,
Spanish onion, basil and olive oil, not a green salad with some bread tossed
in, which in reality is a Lebanese fatoush.
Desserts are led by tiramisu. It’s easily the most mobile dessert I have
ever seen. It seems to literally be ‘attached’ to Giovanni Pilu, who walks
around the room with this huge dish again and again. Truth be told I think he’s
trying to escape with it so he can eat it all by himself. It’s good! Just chase
him down and ‘steal’ some!
Summary: for a place that has only just opened, had major hassles with
the reservation phone line and brings some quality Italian to Terrey Hills and
neighbouring suburbs, it’s simply great. I have no doubt that this is the
restaurant to watch over the next few months and I am sure it will get better
and better.
Score: 7.5/10
For more information:
Cavallino Ristorante Pizzeria
1 Yulong Ave (Cnr McCarr’s Creek Road)
Terrey Hills NSW 2084
Tel.: 02 9450 1777