Monday, October 08, 2012

Maldini (Hobart) 09/2010


One of a row of bars and restaurants on Salamanca place, named after an Italian soccer player this simply furnished split level room reverberates with noise reflected off every surface. It has wood floors, stone walls, bare wood tables and nothing to absorb sound. In case you forget where you are the restaurant name appears above the bar in large letters and is also stenciled out on a divider between two sections of the restaurant.            
It is quieter outside but even with their gas heaters it would have been to cold for us. Lighting is from crystal chandeliers which seem out of place here.
 
Some small lights directed at playful cut outs placed on top of each other to display both an abstract pattern and a series of animals.
 
At least two of the wait staff were students or under employed graduates the service they provided was exceptionally friendly and pleasing. A couple of black boards hang above the tables with daily specials and a wine of the day.
 
As in other Tasmanian restaurants if you want bread you have to pay for it unless it comes as an integral part of a dish.
A mixed cured Italian meat dish, affetato misto, was served with a couple of slices of bread and a few green leaves. A couple of slices of prosciutto, a pepper prosciutto and a small dish of very spicy cacciatore was all quite agreeable but it was pretty skimpy for the $16.50 price tag.  
Similarly expensive was an entrée of spaghetti marinara ($25.5) in a garlic butter sauce although this was reasonable at $29.5 as a main course. This was a particularly good marinara, far superior to the marinara we tried the previous night at The Drunken Admiral.  
Veal saltimbocca on a bed of sweet potato $36.5 was a pleasant tender and appealing main, especially if you like sweet potato.
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A salt and sweet semi freddo with chocolate sauce was exceptional. A great blend of flavours and an unusually good semi freddo it was elegant, not too rich and ticked all the right boxes.
Still smiling. 
Score:13.75/20

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