MadeInItaly Italian Restaurant | Free pickup & drop-off service — Restaurant in East Nusa Tenggara

Let’s start from the service, by the time we arrive service was just normal. We were kinda expecting a proper dinner cuz we were intrigued by the photos they uploaded on their social media. After we ordered several dishes we started to ask just a ‘normal questions’ such as what kind of cheese they were using or which one is which type of the cheese they plated on the platter. Because it was our right to know the ingredients that we were going to digest or simply it was also our right to pay for the price they put in their menu right ?

But oh boy we were wrong, the waitress was so slow, seems like they avoided to answer us ? Not to mention they rolled their eyes sometimes. We asked what was on the cheese platter but they went back and forth to ask to their team. I’m kinda wondering if they really went into a proper training though. I mean it is an obligation for a waitress to know their menu as if you sell the products but not knowing the details of the product. Weird isn’t it ?

Second, the food. Had to give the credit if the welcome bread was quite good although cheese platter was just ‘MEH’. Pear has oxidized and texture was disgusting and flimsy. Margarita Pizza was okay but overly dusted by flour. I’m starting to wonder, did I just order a sack of flour cuz all I tasted mainly was just flour. Isn’t pizza a simple dish and supposedly hard to mess up with ? Even small pizza shop in Milan that was way cheaper served better than what you guys had.

Not to mention, my mood went downhill soon after we tried the squid ink pasta with asparagus. Never in my entire life I’ve seen a lifeless asparagus. Even canned asparagus is better in every aspect. That’s how overcooked the asparagus was. (took the photo from the internet, but same one as the one we got that night)

After we ‘enjoyed’ our dinner, we asked the waitress to let the mighty dessert out. Cuz everyone will always have room for dessert right ? The cherry on top has bursted as they landed their dessert on our table. For a prestigious Italian restaurant that claimed to be an authentic one, it was a horrible experience. Short crust was underbaked, salted caramel was salty (did they just poured a kilo of salt to their caramel?), hazelnut tasted like you bought over 10 years ago. Don’t even bother about the presentation, it looked horrible that I would think it was a 2 years old baby playing with their sensory skill.

It’s better to not spare your tummy space for another dessert, but we were still curious about our second dessert. Soon we regretted for another chance of trying the tiramisu. By looking their inedible petals I already had no desire to try. The inedible petals was just useless, and the texture of the cream was like vomit. Slightly taste of mascarpone and coffee, cream was so runny and I could tell that the cacao powder is very cheap. I swear, it was just a horrible experience.

Third, the ambiance. Can’t fail to mention the bugs and mosquitos are everywhere. Do you guys have monthly schedule to do pest control ? If the simple pest control has failed, how about the HACCP ? Oh, is that why your cutlery has spots ? For the price we’ve spent that night, it was not worth at all. Need to improve on many aspects and hope you listen to the customers for your own...

Disgraceful Attitude Especially For A Fine Dining Restaurant I wrote this review on 2 Oct 2019 in Trip Advisor. After reading the reviews of late in Google Maps, I decided to post my review here. It seems that nothing has changed. This chef/owner doesn't like criticisms and he's never ever wrong. Just read his caustic replies to every criticism. I go to Labuan Bajo at least once, usually twice a year bringing groups of divers to dive the amazing waters around Komodo Island. And every time I go, I will start or end the trip with a big meal at MadeInItaly for the group. I will sing praises to my groups about how authentic and good the food is here...but boy, was I in for a rude awakening this time! On 17 September 2019, I took my group for dinner at MadeInItaly. One of the more senior waitress who recognised me, served us. We ordered more than necessary in order to try as much of the menu as we can. Service was good until our mains came. As it happens, 2 of us ordered the tortellino. I did not know at the time but both of us found it extremely salty. And here's when you discover whether you're in a good restaurant or a bad one. When my guest ask why I did not continue to eat after the 2nd tortellino, I told him I found it very salty. He agreed. So we asked our waitress whether the chef can remake our order. Coming back from the kitchen, she embarrassedly told us the chef said NO. So we asked if we can speak to the chef. Again NO. I asked her to take the plate to let the chef taste, she came back with the plate and said the chef said NO. Being a customer, I was taken aback by this attitude. I asked the waitress if she has seen me before. She said Yes, a few times. So I explained to her (in Indonesian) that having come here so many times, this is the first time I have ever complained. She said that is correct. So please tell the chef that I have patronise this place many times before. She did. The chef refused to replace the meal and also refused to see us. How embarrassed I felt. How humiliated that after bringing so many patrons, the chef didn't have the decency to offer even a smidgen of an apology. I changed tactics and asked to see the owner (whom I know is the chef). He refused to see us. But told the waitress to tell us that the tortellino is made in batches and so far no one has complained. I found this very patronising. Did he just accused us of lying? Are we not paying customers? Just because other people did not complain, does this mean our complaint is irrelevant? Isn't this suppose to be a fine dining restaurant? Aren't you suppose to listen to your customers? Or at least, try the food to see if the complain is justified? Even if I was eating in a local warung or a small restaurant, any complain will be met with concern. But obviously MadeInItaly have grown in reputation over the years and alongside it, a bad attitude. Even Michelin starred restaurants can make mistakes. It is how you deal with it that makes a good or a bad restaurant. I remember walking into the restaurant when the owner and staff stood at the door and welcome you personally with a big smile. That was 2015 and in a smaller, more humble restaurant. Now it's a bigger, fancier restaurant with bigger ego and...

My partner and I recently visited Made in Italy in Labuan Bajo, and our experience was a bit of a mixed bag. Our journey to the restaurant actually started a few days earlier when we had a fantastic time at their bakery, Bertini Artisan. We were blown away by the delicious focaccia with mortadella and the crudo, and the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly.

We decided to go back to the bakery a few days later to sample some more items, but found it was closed with only the restaurant open. The staff at the restaurant initially said we could enjoy the bakery's food there, but after we were seated, they apologized and said it was only available for takeaway. Despite the confusion, we decided to stay and try the restaurant menu. The complimentary amuse-bouche was a lovely touch and quite tasty.

For starters, we ordered two Mediterranean salads. While they were presented nicely, we found them to be lacking in flavor and depth. The lettuce wasn't as crisp as we'd hoped, and the salad was missing the sharp crunch of onion. For our main course, we ordered the striploin steaks but were told they weren't available. We opted for the scotch fillet, which was a more expensive cut. We asked for 300g portions but were served 330g cuts, which further increased the price to roughly $90 each. When my wife asked for her steak to be cooked medium-well, the waitress directed us to speak with the chef. The conversation that followed was a bit uncomfortable. While the chef explained that the meat was grass-fed and could be tough, we felt his tone was a bit dismissive. Being from Australia, we are familiar with different cuts and qualities of meat and have a clear preference for how we like our steaks cooked.

The steaks were served sliced and drenched in olive oil. We also found the accompanying grilled vegetables to be completely covered in raw garlic, which was overpowering and made them difficult to eat. It seemed like there were no other options for accompaniments like mustard, horseradish, or butter, which felt limiting and chefs preference only. When the chef came to our table, my wife politely mentioned her feedback about the steak being served already sliced. The chef's response suggested that he preferred this presentation, as he felt it looked better. This left us feeling that his approach was more focused on aesthetics than on the diner's experience and preferences.

On a positive note, the rest of the staff were very friendly, accommodating, and empathetic throughout the evening. They did their best to make us feel welcome.

Ultimately, while we appreciated the friendly service from the waitstaff, we felt that the overall dining experience, particularly the main course, didn't match the high price point (our bill was nearly $400 AUD for two people). Based on our experience, we would recommend trying some of the other fantastic Italian restaurants in...