Vio's Ristorante Italiano in Paddington, QLD

VIO'S has filled a vacant space in Paddington's Iceworks building with the warmth and panache you expect from a good Italian restaurant.

taste vios

VIO'S has filled a vacant space in Paddington's Iceworks building with the warmth and panache you expect from a good Italian restaurant.

Two visits in the first few weeks of its opening saw it already looking and feeling settled and confident.

Chef and owner Vio Nedianu has a masterful touch in the kitchen, producing traditional Italian food whose beauty lies in its wonderfully fresh ingredients and non- fussy composition.

The food is well matched to the smart decor with its clean, modern lines crowned by a fabulous recessed, pressed metal ceiling.

Chefs are at work in an intriguing timber box that passers-by can spy from the footpath, or diners from a sunken outdoor terrace.

The menu starts with La Pizza. A list of 11 flavours embraces the traditional combinations; all thankfully limited to three main ingredients, as they should be, and garnished with fresh herbs.

We try the sinfonia, a great mix of gorgonzola, mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano and ham, sporting the important cheese theme that threads its way through each of these pizzas.

The most complicated are the pescatora (with prawns, calamari and fish added to the cheeses and tomato sauce) and the verduretta (with red and green peppers, eggplant and zucchini as cheese enhancers).

The Inglese is an aberration and perhaps aimed at children, with its chicken breast, pineapple, bacon and barbecue sauce combo.

Antipasti include a beef carpaccio, and a platter of cold meats served with marinated vegetables. Zucchini flowers come in a light-as-air batter stuffed with goat curd and served with roasted baby beetroot. It's a good balance of creamy and crisp textures, and salty and sweet flavours.

The burrata, a buffalo mozzarella, is a sensuously bulging little money-bag tied up with a topknot flourish and filled with rich cream.

Served with endive and tomatoes, and sporting the green, red and white of Italy's flag, it should warm the heart of any Italian patriot. A special scampi dish is left unadulterated, served with lemon, butter and parsley.

But the cause of my return visit is really to have a bowl of Fidellini all to myself. My friend, who ordered it last time, was not generous in her tasting portion for me. I can see why.

The angel hair pasta is served with prawns, bug, crab, cherry tomatoes, chilli, white wine and fresh parsley. So simple, but so nicely balanced and boasting a briney freshness with a nice aftermath of heat.

Despite there also being another marinara dish with more varied offerings from the sea, this will be my staple here.

The house-made gnocchi with guanciale (small slivers of cured pig's cheek bacon) cream, sage and pecorino is rich, creamy and artery-hardeningly good.

A knowledgeable manager is at hand to advise on the wines. The short list includes some good Australian and New Zealand drops, without any huge sense of adventure or intrigue, but plenty of heart and strength in the red department to complement the food. Prices are reasonable.

Mains cover the range of meats from chicken to veal, lamb, beef and fish.

Each is conceived simply - the lamb shanks with polenta and capers, the chicken breast wrapped in pancetta and served with a marsala reduction.

Veal is traditional parmigiana, and aged sirloin comes with mash and jus.

Desserts also align with the minimal-fuss principle.

A trio of gelati are beautifully textured, and the lemon tart comes courtesy of Vio's wife. The generous panna cotta is rich and creamy with a brown sugar crumble alongside for good measure. Tiramisu will have to wait until next time.

HOW IT RATED: Vio's Ristorante Italiano (157 Given Tce, Paddington; ph 3367 1886)

Food: 15/20
Staff: 7/10
Drink: 3/5
X-factor: 3/5
Value: 8/10

THE SCORE OUT OF 50: 36