PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIAPazzo is Italian for crazy. What a crazy thing to do; calling your restaurant crazy. But restaurateur, Raffaele Faro isn’t crazy at all; in fact he’s charmingly calm and runs a tight ship. The restaurant itself is about as loopy as its owner being smart and with enough room in between tables to keep dinner an intimate affair. Here, however, is one outlandish little fact that will knock your socks off. BYO is only $3 per bottle. Having been pegged as Restaurant and Catering Australia’s best BYO restaurant in both the Metropolitan and National categories in 2007, it’s easy to conclude that maybe it’s the rest of Sydney’s restaurants that are cuckoo.
Foodwise, the antipasto plates for two have always been a favourite place to start a meal. Piccata al limone (veal slices pan fried with lemon, capers and parsley with sauteed silverbeet) is a top choice among the frequent visitors if they’re opting out of a pasta dish. Raffaele’s mamma and zia (aunty) must be praised for making the homemade pasta which is as popular as gelato on a sunny day. Speaking of which, the team at Pazzo have realised that deciding upon their dessert menu can be like choosing between your children so they have a dolce antipazzo tasting plate for two which features all of the Italian inspired sweeties. To keep the regulars and newies educated and enthused about Italian food, the restaurant puts on a special regional dinner event every couple of months which explores the unique culinary aspects of one particular area of Italy.
Annabel Wise
FUNCTIONSPazzo is available for lunch and dinner functions, from 15 - 50 people. The courtyard seats up to 20 people, the upstairs up to 35, and the main dining room has a 50 seat capacity. Banquet menus can be altered to suit personal requirements.