Parlamento in Adelaide, SA
IN the heart of the city, Parlamento is is all about quick, good, tasty food and location, location, location.
IN the heart of the city, Parlamento is is all about quick, good, tasty food and location, location, location.
YOU hear a lot about chefs working for the passion because "there's no money in food". When you look at the hours worked in many kitchens, often for meagre reward, there's certainly some truth to it.
On the flip-side, extraordinary maitre d's about town, Raffaele Simeone and Danny Rattenni, of Parlamento fame, apply a win-win business-like formula: good, quick, generous plates of tasty food at reasonable prices, and, location, location, location.
For them, turnover is high. For us, there's lots to love when you need good sustenance, and you need it fast.
The pair opened Parlamento in the North Tce nightlife hub in 1988. Twenty years later, their successful restaurant closed when developers moved in to demolish the prime site.
Since then, the casino, theatre, nightclub and hotel district has struggled to provide a casual dining equivalent.
The two maitre d's popped up in several city eateries, "helping out" and honing their strengths front-of-house.
Now, Raffaele and Danny are back, serving their own customers at Parlamento (take two). The savvy pair had made a deal with the developer to retain their spot once the new building was complete.
Building delays turned an 18-month hiatus into three years, but the pair re-opened six weeks ago, with another partner, Gabriele Bibbo, a Parlamento chef for13 years.
It's early days, but on a busy Friday night it looks as if this restaurant simply is picking up where it left off. It's cafe central, loaded with frenetic continental atmosphere. Slick decor touches such as a glossy red wall are new, but the menu remains comforting Italian.
Generous meals are good value and generally packed with flavour, although, understandably, some fine tuning may be happening.
We begin with a dozen oysters, six natural and six with a delicious crispy parmesan crumbed outer, dense enough to shield the meat only gently touched by heat. You can taste quality in the naturals, but they're a little too clean, lacking the salty ocean zing.
Baked ricotta is nicely tinged with leeks, chives and nutmeg and wrapped in prosciutto. Generosity extends to the wrapping, but the prosciutto, sliced bacon-thick, and rolled twice to encase the soft cheese makes it too salty.
Two slabs of tomato on the side are described as oven dried. They need more time to fit that description, but the hot tomato is a foil to the salty rolls.
Well-tuned is the wine list of mainly local drops, and a few uncommon appearances. We choose a Penna Lane riesling, Tomich Hill savvy and Bent Creek The Black Dog from a good variety by the glass.
From the specials we pick a gently stewed falling-off-the-bone rabbit with olives, saffron, beans and potato. It's delicious, too much in the deep plate, but we can't leave it alone.
Also for a big appetite is two meaty lamb shanks, perfectly cooked, but in a sauce that aches for seasoning. They sit on polenta, not quite smooth, but rich with mascarpone in the mix, masking some flavour.
Pastas are Parlamento's strength. While readymade for commercial expediency, it's evident that quality Italian pasta is used.
Ravioli and tortellini are freshly made.
A signature penne al basilico has soft chicken strips with a tomato and capsicum salsa softened by basil and cream.
Fettuccine coloured with chorizo and mushroom is all about restraint with plenty of the sausage, but it's mild, and even the mushroom is not dominant. This is a satisfying bowl with clean flavours.
The chef's zabaglione, parfait style, is sheer, smooth, sweet excellence.
It's topped with a vanilla double cream and drizzled with an outstanding marsala sauce. It looks finished, but we rub the back of our spoons across the plate to collect the last sheen of the gorgeous sauce now blended with melting creams.
Good food, good prices and the boys' brand of service. Yep. Parlamento is back in business.
FOOD: 13/20
DRINK: 8/10
STAFF: 3/5
X-FACTOR: 2/5
VALUE: 8/10
THE TOTAL OUT OF 50: 34