LOCATIONIn the dining hub of Unley Road, just five minutes from the city.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAPinocchio conjures up images of a cheeky little boy up for games and adventure. Enter Marco and Edoardo; two equally passionate Italian lads who share a fondness for good food and good times. They named their labour of love Pinocchio Ristorante to bring people together with a sense of playfulness and mostly for a wonderful meal. Both hail from Italy, arriving in Australia only a few years ago. Unknown to each other, fate and food brought them together while working at Gusto on The Parade, then again at Terranova in Torrensville. Coming from families of chefs and a hospitality lifestyle, they yearned for the uniqueness of their central Italian cuisine. Now they would like to present it to you at their own, elegant restaurant in Unley.
Marco will greet you with his infectious smile and energy. You will be seated at a linen-clad table on glossy polished floorboards. A lounge area up the front welcomes relaxation and coffee. Its toy basket welcomes children. The room extends to a courtyard in the making, with talk of a wood-fired pizza oven – Marco’s speciality. In the meantime there is Eduardo’s menu. It offers his interpretations of traditional Italian dishes made to extract the best from local ingredients. Now this chef, who trained at the Hospitality School of Spoleto, Umbria, is cooking with kangaroo, crocodile and Adelaide Hills olive oil. You will taste the latter dressing a carpaccio of fish with orange, black pepper and pistachio. Eduardo jokes his roo ravioli is where Australia meets Italy. Aussie lamb cutlets are rosemary-scented and sided with baked spuds and crisped pancetta. Black and white Belgian chocolate budino – infused with Grand Marnier – sounds as enjoyable as the charming Pinocchio pictures, storybooks and memorabilia that surround you.
Roz Taylor