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Amorosa - Review
(Italian - WILLIAMSTOWN)

Review Summary
Amorosa
70 Ferguson Street
WILLIAMSTOWN VIC 3016

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Reviewed by KatieM on 28 September 2008

Atmosphere Food Service Total
8 / 10 9 / 10 8 / 10 25/30
1-10 Could be better | 11-20 Average | 21-30 You must go!!

(8/10)Atmosphere

This is not your traditional Italian local – no Chianti bottles, no checked table clothes and definitely no bunches of garlic hanging from the rafters. Instead, the place has the look of a converted warehouse – think concrete floors, exposed beams and stainless-steel surfaces. Even the walls carry on the industrial theme, with a sprawling ‘That’s Amore-‘ inspired mural that is reminiscent of railway-siding graffiti.

Despite this industrial image, Amorosa has a pleasant, welcoming vibe, suitable for families and hip young things alike. At breakfast time, strangers relax over lattes and swap newspapers at the communal table, while on warm days, diners can grab a seat at the front and watch the passers-by through the open bi-fold windows. At night time, Amorosa can get quite busy, so it’s best to book if there’s more than two of you. Otherwise, wander in and take your chances – turnover seems to be quite quick, especially at the communal table.

(9/10)Food

The surroundings may be all modern industrial, but Amorosa’s food is authentic Italian. The restaurant specialises in pizzas from different regions – go Tuscan with a topping of potato, rosemary and porcini, or venture to Liguria with prawns, olives and fennel seeds. For something really different, try the Abruzzo – the rustic combination of caramelised onion, rabbit, pancetta and herbs will have you channelling your inner nonna in no time.

For those who prefer their capricciosa without any fancy additions, Amorosa also does traditional pizzas, as well as a small selection of pastas and mains. Antipasti are particularly good, with choices including polpette (meatballs), grilled eggplant with balsamic and Italian sausage with mushrooms. All food is beautifully presented, with an obvious emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. It’s also remarkably light - none of your stodgy, cheese-smothered Italian fare here.

On the down-side, sweet-tooths may be disappointed by the limited dessert menu – custard filled cannoli, chocolate mousse and dessert of the day were the only options available when we visited.

Amorosa is licensed and the wine list offers a good selection of Australian and Italian varieties, with many available by the glass. There’s also a choice of Australian and Italian beers.

In terms of price, antipasti cost between $7.00 and $9.00, pizzas range from $7.00 to $21.50, while mains will set you back between $13.00 and $22.50.

For the budget conscious, Amorosa has $10 pizza and pasta nights every Tuesday and Wednesday (bookings highly recommended), while for those who prefer to dine à la couch, the restaurant’s takeaway service extends to the wine list.

(8/10)Service

It was a busy Friday night when we last visited Amorosa, and despite not having a booking, we were ushered to a table and provided with menus straight away. We were also offered the chance to order some antipasti, giving us something to nibble on while we decided on our mains. A carafe of water was provided without us asking.

Amorosa’s staff really know their stuff and were more than happy to answer questions about the menu. They were also able to recommend appropriate wines to go with our orders.

Despite the number of other patrons, and the constant stream of locals picking up their takeaway orders, the service was fantastic. The staff were efficient, topping up water glasses as required and delivering food quickly, always with a smile. There was a slight delay in receiving our second round of drinks, but it was a particularly busy night and our waitress was full of apologies when she did make it to our table.

Amorosa is definitely worth repeated visits, if only to work your way through the impressive list of pizzas and antipasti. The staff are always welcoming without being too over the top and the food is of a consistently high quality. As far as local Italian place’s go, Williamstown couldn’t ask for much better.


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