La Capannina

I felt like I was dining in someone’s living room and had the warmest service from the staff. The food was overall very delicious, my favorite was the flavorful vegetarian ravioli. Some of the dishes were underwhelming like the scallop and one of the salads I can’t remember (not a good sign). But for the most part, a very satisfying dinner indeed. I would say that dinner is on the pricier side so it’s not for everyday dining.

At the site of the now-​extinct Kiribilli Bowling Club, nestled on that narrow perch at the south end of Bradfield Park, is this swish new Italian gaff. It’s a strange spot because it requires a significant investment to get anywhere near the front door; i.e., a hike up a concrete flight of stairs. Perhaps that explains why it was so crowded when we visited. Once you’re up there for a squizz at the menu, it’s far too awkward to turn around.
Not that the atmosphere is awful — it was pleasant inside when busy, and it looked a lot nicer than it’s prior incarnation (a crappy Indian restaurant). But the eery suspicion remained that it was some kind of trap. When we caught sight of the neon-​green desserts and meagre, two dimensional pasta dishes, flat even under the lips of the shallow bowls they were served in, I began to understand why.
The food’s not great. The lowlight was an expensive plate of antipasto for two, which more accurately could be described as assorted cold-​cuts. And I’m not talking about aged Parma ham, here, but watery roast beef, mild salami and Mortadella, complete with that classic ‘Woolies Devon’ flavour. Making up the price of admission were slices of cold, rubbery omelette and something deep fried that my partner described as ‘like a Pizza pocket.’ The mains were a little better, but a duck special which ended up being served with a token orange syrup smacked of desperation and the garnish of coffee beans didn’t help.
While it wasn’t extravagantly expensive it wasn’t cheap, and for the quality of the fare it was too much. While it’s nice to have options other than Thai in the area, there’s no reason not to stroll on over to McMahons Point for Italian — Piato has a better vibe and much better food. There’s no doubt that this one’s a trap, designed exclusively for people impressed by a bridge view (even at its neck-​straining angle) and those who are allergic to coriander.