Amatrice Rooftop restaurant review 2024

Dripping in an almost translucent blond goop, all flaccid with seven wrinkly layers. Never judge a book by its cover at Cremorne’s new rooftop Italian restaurant.

Dripping in an almost translucent blond goop, all flaccid with seven wrinkly layers, is this bite-size snack the new poster child for ugly delicious?

Well, I hope so. You don’t get any clues from the menu.

The vagueness of “Zia’s Calabrian Square” tells me nothing about what this could be. Instagram gave me a hunch it was a lasagne bite.

I have a complex with ordering lasagne out (my problem, not yours and a story for another time) but, when crammed into one plush-tongued smoosh, it compounds the joy of layered bechamel, sweet red sauce, supple pasta and aniseedy pork.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

It’s good, damn good.

Get giddy, pasta lovers, as there’s plenty more where that came from at Melbourne’s new Italian rooftop restaurant, Amatrice.

There’s enough prosciutto, parmigiana and Campari to feed the whole familia, plus nifty nooks to get drunk on those killer CBD views from Melbourne’s answer to Silicon Valley.

Named after the Italian coastal town, the 80-seater is perched on the tallest tree of Cremorne’s concrete jungle, inside the NQR (not quite Richmond) grid home to tech start-ups and new- age media.

It’s run by Dave Parker (San Telmo Group, Sebastian) and Kelly and Alex Brawn (Sebastian), with the aim of filling the suburb’s proper hungry-thirsty void with an abundance of red sauce and garlic.

Take a trip to Italy via Cremorne.

From those lasagne bites ($6 each) alone, it’s clear head chef Vincenzo Di Giovanniello (Bar Carolina, Osteria Illaria) knows his campanelle from his capellini. And, while Amatrice has a few puzzling moments (more on that soon), trust the pasta game.

Every three or so months, the chef imports two dry styles hailing from its teeny commune motherland: a spaghetti and mezze maniche “strampelli” (think stubby rigatoni).

Like a posh La Porchetta, you choose your base and one of three sauces: all’amatriciana (red with guanciale), two carbonaras (one with, one without egg-yolk) and cacio e pepe (parmesan and pepper).

Not all bites of the squid ink and prawn fettuccine have been created equal.

It’s hard to pass on the carbonara using traditional non-egg yolk pasta ($35): the firm tubed chew, lusciously yellow sauce with perfectly rendered crisp guanciale (pig’s cheek) and punchy peppercorns.

If you’re craving an authentic Italian carbonara, this is it.

Team with a glass of Piemonte chardonnay ($22) that’s zippy enough to cut through the richness.

This isn’t the place for digging in the cellars or nerding out, but somewhere to sink a few classic or adventurous cocktails (Hello, EVOO martini), a glass with your food, maybe share a bottle.

The wine list is short, sharp and sensibly Italian inspired.

Come for the food, stay for the views.

From gnocchi, risotto to ragu, as well as a squid ink prawn fettuccine ($44) flapping with deep sea umami funk.

It’s a dish that only works well when you get the right forkful of just-cooked prawn meat, sorrel and stracciatella to offset the pungent jet-black ink. Sadly, not all mouthfuls are created equal.

Those barbecued octopus coils ($26) were slightly overcooked, but the peppy ’nduja sauce measured up nicely.

The runaway hit was the Murray cod ($54), a sustainably caught, feather-light fillet that’s oh-so supple. Bravo.

Amatrice has many wins, some misses, and incredible marvels, especially with its pasta.