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| - The place was unexpectedly slammed which definitely had an effect on the decent but kind of absent/vacant service.
Excellent Italian food. I worked in the restaurant business for decades and, while not a trained chef or a veritable supertaster, I maintain an analytical stance during every restaurant experience... F'Amelia offers a tantalizing menu that utilizes an interesting variety of ingredients. For instance, many of the offerings (including the special of the eve, a wild mushroom risotto) included rarely featured exotic fungi. My entree, tagliatelli with a venison and hen-of-the-woods ragout, was excellent. The fresh-made pasta was a fine ribbon of delectability which stood up to it's rather sparse but delicious savoury accompaniment (while my American palate might have preferred a meatier/mushroomier dish, I absolutely appreciated the faultless pasta as the star of the dish...).
Some of the things I appreciated most were the supporting details of the meal. The balsamic reduction on my arugula salad was divine as was the grated parm (which had an earthy romano or pecorrino flavour mixed in). The bread was baked in house (in the same wood-fired ovens they use for their pizzas) served individually and consisted of a cube of a dense lemon scented concoction with an almost cakey crumb alongside a few squares of bubbly oven-seared flatbread and, of course, some lovely olive oil on the plate.
There were a number of exciting dessert options (including a bruleed lemon tart with rhubarb compote, fig and olive oil cake with caramel sauce, gelato+truffle selections etc.) but to test the mettle I had to order tiramisu (I know it's old hat but I love a good tiramisu) which was absolutely first class...
Then I picked up the bowl to scrape up the last bits of delicious dessert and inhaled the sharp nauseating tang of mouldy un-changed hobart water radiating off the plate. FAIL.
The smell was so strong the friend seated next to me took note of it and it permeated my tastebuds. Disgusting.
Many restaurants and bars neglect their dishwashing machines in the heat of service and it can really ruin a dining experience.
Even so, I would've given this place five stars if they'd had a conscientious dishwasher.
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