Osteria Coogee — Restaurant in Sydney

We have now been twice to Osteria Coogee - once when we got back from Italy and feeling very judgey about Italian food, and the restaurant was very new - and then again last Friday. It is arguably our favourite Italian restaurant in the Eastern suburbs (and I say that with the greatest of respect to Osteria Riva, which is also very good).

The food is a cut above almost every other Italian restaurant. On our most recent trip I had the bistecca and it was juicy, very tender and riddled with flavour (as suggested in our pic where it's covered with herbs) - different to what you'd get at any steakhouse - and in a good way. If you like Florentine steaks but mourn that they're too big for two person outings, this is a great replacement.

We also enjoyed the crab pasta (a little light on the crab but the pasta was great, and uncommon as you'll see from other people's photos). The eggplant was so good I completely forgot that I'd been craving potato carbs - it was one of those dishes that pleases even diehard carnivores like me. The greens - brussel sprouts, broccoli etc - were like no other greens we'd had. They were cooked with balsamic vinegar in a way that made me left for dead the usual generic rocket-and-balsamic side that you find (and I ignore) in most restaurants.

Generally the menu has great variety and we're looking forward to coming back for a crack at some of the others.

Finally, the service was exceptional. Our waitress on our first visit was Italian and very friendly; the waiter for our second visit was (probably?) Aussie but clearly was passionate about Italian food and we had a great conversation with both.

As for the venue itself, its main drawback is that it is a little out of the way - there's no sprawling ocean vistas and they wouldn't get much walk-by traffic as they're off the main strip - but maybe that's a plus to ensure a non-commodified Italian product. The ambience and setup is both welcoming but also slick at the same time, which is an impressive combo...

Full disclosure: I’m co-owner of another (amazing) Italian restaurant in Sydney.

First impressions are of a classy but not over the top decor with areas for groups, families, romantics, and a bit of outdoors on clearer beach nights. The gorgeous square bar in the middle sits next to blonde wood furniture and moss green fabric benches.

I had the Mangiamo tasting menu, which is great value considering the volume, variety, and quality of food that comes out.

Crostini topped with delightful tiny whipped ricotta peaks with desiccated fish roe bottarga is a great start, along with a sip of Prosecco, swiftly followed by the kingfish carpaccio featuring dollops of black garlic and toasted garlic crumbs in a pool of lemony parsley oil.

A bottle of Chianti Classico is opened.

A generous ball of burrata on a Sicilian pesto is a creamy interlude, leading into a mind-blowing bowl of gnocchi swimming in a shallow but rich pool of truffle paste and fresh, house marinated porcini.

The bistecca is a tender flank of wagyu - decedent and delicious (my second favourite Bistecca in town haha). The gorgonzola-whipped mascarpone is rich and only occasional tiny slivers are needed to alter the beauty of a chargrilled steak. The sweet, buttery roasted chats draped in fresh rosemary sprigs would bring an Irishperson to tears with their homage to the humble earth apple. The warm salad of kale, sprouts, and cabbage with delicate fresh chillies and rich, drinkable (I did) broth helps cut through the richness elsewhere on the table.

At this point, I’m very, very full. Dessert stomach is called to action, with a shot of limoncello to help dissect the almond biscuit dominated tiramisu. The sponge fingers are lightly coated in coffee with a light cream punctuated with crunchy biscuit crumbs. Not traditional, but a satisfying completion to an epic meal.

I’ll be back, and will bring my daughter along for the...

I wouldn’t have written this, but received an email asking for my feedback from the restaurant so:

First time visiting and had heard good things! Food was delicious but have to say was let down by the service. Whilst the staff were all very pleasant, from the moment we arrived the waitress was extremely pushy and within 5 mins of being sat down we were being told they needed the table back by 8. It’s fine, I get it - but don’t take a 6:15 reservation, so as to give us 1 hour 45 mins to have a good meal, should at least be allowing 2 hours. Honestly it’s such a shame as the food was really good but the menu wasn’t really properly explained to us, we were barely given a chance to even say hello to each other before the waitress was asking for our order, it was actually really awkward and she seemed to have no shame! they really made us feel like they wanted us in and out. To the point we weren’t even offered dessert and it was reluctantly shown to us when we asked and then coupled with “I’ll need the table back in 5 mins” - by this point there were several tables free around us lol. It’s a shame as the chefs obviously take great pride in their food but the FOH staff more worried about churning through tables. won’t be rushing back because of this and probably wouldn’t recommend highly either. Food is good, but can get better service and just as good food at other Italians in the area, and enjoy a...