Monday, March 14, 2011

I spy with my little eye....


Look what I found on Pitt Street the other day! It's just around the corner from Hunter Street, in the site where Industrie South Of France was for years until it closed before Christmas.

Looks like Sydney's fair streets will be invaded by Jamie-itis shortly. We ate at Jamie's Italian twice when we were in the UK last year - once at Westfield in London and the other time in Bath where we struggled to find somewhere to eat.. Both times the food was okay - not sensational or particularly wow. They have a tendency to under cook their pasta quite drastically - on both occasions the pasta was the inedible side of al dente. Probably done in an effort to turn the tables over faster I guess. Other than that the flavours were lovely. I have high hopes that at the Australian version the food will be cooked better.

I really like Jamie - I think he has a fundamentally good heart and really loves food. What he does trying to get kids to eat better at school and getting people to change the way they think and feel about food really is a one man revolution. His commitment to teaching underprivileged and wayward kids how to cook and giving them wonderful opportunities is fabulous.

But if the food's no good then it doesn't matter how nice a person he is or how much he does for the world. Fingers crossed the food is fab.

Kitty

9 comments:

Sydney Shop Girl said...

Kitttyyy!!!

Welcome home.

We should do it.

Even if the pasta isn't up to scratch (but it probably will, very fierce competition in the Sydney CBD), we can always have double dessert and trade war stories.

SSG xxx

Sydney Shop Girl blog

Miss Kitty-Cat said...

Darling - I think you are definitely right. The pasta in Sydney is so good they'd be crazy for it not to be up to scratch. I think they'll get it under control fairly smartish.

The bad news is they aren't due to open until July. The question is - can we wait until then??

Not Quite Nigella said...

Hehe yay about time we got some Jamie love! :P

Kate B said...

Oh Miss KC thisn is excellent news. I have eaten at Jamie's Italian at the Westfied SC in Shepherd's Bush London and it was fab. Very funky and the food was great and inexpensive. No bookings which is a pain but it was a huge space and it wasn't really a lingering place so we only waited 35 minutes with drinks and olives on a Saturday night.
I'm excited for it!!!!
Kate Bx

Miss Kitty-Cat said...

NQN - I'm hoping it will be fab. I haven't been to the (former) Fifteen in Melbourne but it's about time we got a Jamie of our own.

Kate - We were very impressed when there was a huge queue out the front of the Bath restaurant and they brought trays of antipasto out for everyone. They really know how to PR a queue.

Heavenly Ingredients said...

Looking forward to Jamie...

Linda Back in Canberra said...

Dear Miss Kitty-Cat, Funnily enough I went to bed with a Jamie cookbook last night! I also admire what he has done re educating people about food and his fifteen foundation but it must be exhausting being a corporation. I am a bit oldschool too and don't want my pasta too al dente but I would think that they would get it right in Sydney. Glad you're home. Lindaxxx

Anonymous said...

I didn't notice this last time I walked past there. This must've been very recent.

Can't wait to go and try there! Thanks for sharing this.

Unknown said...

Oh wow I love Jamie Oliver. His passion is so inspiring. I'm excited!