Marciano's Chatswood

Picture a booked work lunch for a large group, and we were one of two tables. Service began well with drinks and entrees. Mains were an hour after entrees, again you could be lenient in expectations given we were 18, but the booking was not sudden. No one checked the quality of the food before it was served or how our meals were progressing. Three of us had steak - they were burnt - as were the potatoes accompanying them - one colleague didn't touch hers, another left half. I was so hungry I ate mine. To be told at the end we would receive no discount "off" because we didn't complain during the meal, is disappointing. We won't return and we will talk about it. Very foolish service: it should be noted that other foods ordered were either too salty or salad over dressed. The wood fired pizza and calzone was liked by some but all in all very disappointing and not recommended.

FOOD TYPE  Italian FOOD QUALITY Four of us dined on a hot Sun night in Feb. We kicked things off with a few drinks to cool down. Peroni for me and a Pina Colada ($15) for the wife. The twins stayed non-alcoholic with lychee mocktails ($8). Instead of entrees, we decided to share a single Italiana salad ($15). That was fresh and nutritious with a nice tangy dressing. For my main course, I choose the Tagliolini Marciano ($26) which is the linguine-style pasta with veal, tomato, onion and chilli and my wife ordered a Napoletana pizza ($21) which has tomato, anchovies, mozzarella, olives and oregano. The twins choose the traditional lasagna ($24) and the spag marinara ($29). And that was pretty much it. My tagliolini tasted like standard spag bol but that was fine with me, as spag bol is my fav dish anyway, and had it been on the menu, I would have ordered it. The linguini pasta was soft and slightly al dente and the meat was flavoursome and tasty. My wife’s pizza had a soft but chewy base, topped with lashings of ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and olives, though it was a touch black at the edges. Twin No 2 had to send her lasagna back because it was too burned, but the replacement dish was fine, while Twin No 1, being a bit fussy, wasn’t overly impressed with her spag marinara, finding it rather ordinary. Serving sizes were generous which meant that we had no room for dessert. ATMOSPHERE I love the atmosphere here. Marciano's Chatwood, like it’s sister restaurant in Lindfield is a large and cavernous place with seating for probably about 150 people. But unlike Marciano's Lindfield, which we found a tad dark and gloomy, this place is light, bright and airy. The colourful green tables are well spaced out with plenty of room between you and your neighbour. The decor is warehouse style, with high ceilings, brick walls, wooden furniture and huge windows looking out onto the streetscape outside. That all adds up to a relaxed, laid back and comfortable ambience with a sense of space and openness.The night we dined, it was probably about 60% full, but given its size, I guess this could be regarded as a respectable turnout for a Sunday night. The location is just perfect in the new and revitalised area above Chatswood station, now known simply as “The District” which has many restaurants, shops and cafes. What a huge improvement it is on the dreary and depressing place this once was. The atmosphere in The District hums with energy and activity, and it’s a great choice for an evening out. SERVICE  Unlike Marciano's Lindfield, with it’s all-male waitering complement, over here it’s an all-female cast, and what a delight these pretty Italian ladies are, in their smart black outfits. They’re helpful, polite and efficient. The moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome by the friendly maitre d’. Our booked table was ready for us but not in quite the best place, so she relocated us to a better table with a view. Orders were promptly taken and the food came out quickly. When we had to send back the lasagne, our waitress handled that smartly and with tact. She was apologetic and polite and offered us a serving of garlic bread, while we waited for the replacement. In any event, the replacement dish didn’t take long to arrive, so the extra bread was not needed. COMFORT Chairs are firm and comfortable and the table was big enough to fit all the dishes. I’m assuming though, that with the tiled floors, lack of carpets and high ceilings, it could be a tad chilly in winter unless they get they get some serious heating going, but in summer it’s perfecto! MENU  Menu is simply laid out and easy to follow on two large sheets side-by-side in plastic laminate to keep it clean and hygienic. There’s a separate specials menu on a loose sheet attached to a clipboard. The small drinks menu is enclosed in a sturdy cardboard binder. TOILETS The toilets are large, clean and well provisioned. The prominent signage is visible from just about anywhere in the restaurant. It’s a slight trek down a long corridor but at least that ensures that they’re well away from the kitchen, storage and waste areas. Only problem are the aging 1980s-style hand dryers that take 20 mins to dry your hands, Hand towels would be a welcome addition. ACOUSTICS Marciano'; has been cleverly designed to minimise the noise factor, with tables well spaced out, high ceilings and plenty of room so even though there are no carpets, we had no trouble conversing. COST With our 25% Ent Book discount (up to a generous max of $35) we paid a reasonable $105 for four, and no-one left feeling hungry. We had three drinks (inc a Pina Colada), a shared salad and four mains and that was sufficient. BOOKING As mentioned, this is a large place with plenty of room, so I wouldn’t think that booking is essential unless of course, like us, you want to accumulate your Dimmi points. PARKING/ACCESS Being Chatwood, you have two large shopping centre car parks to choose from. There’s the nearby Westfield, and slightly further away is the Chatswood Chase. Both offer three hours free parking. The Chase is about a 15 minute walk up a slight incline, so Westfield is the better choice. There’s also street parking anywhere off Archer St, where most restrictions end at 6.00pm. SUMMARY  We had a pleasant evening here and it was the perfect choice for a hot and sticky summer’s night. Everything went smoothly with no hiccups! The food is fresh and tasty, the ambience is laid back and relaxed and service is perfect.

FOOD TYPE  Italian FOOD QUALITY Four of us dined on a hot Sun night in Feb. We kicked things off with a few drinks to cool down. Peroni for me and a Pina Colada ($15) for the wife. The twins stayed non-alcoholic with lychee mocktails ($8). Instead of entrees, we decided to share a single Italiana salad ($15). That was fresh and nutritious with a nice tangy dressing. For my main course, I choose the Tagliolini Marciano ($26) which is the linguine-style pasta with veal, tomato, onion and chilli and my wife ordered a Napoletana pizza ($21) which has tomato, anchovies, mozzarella, olives and oregano. The twins choose the traditional lasagna ($24) and the spag marinara ($29). And that was pretty much it. My tagliolini tasted like standard spag bol but that was fine with me, as spag bol is my fav dish anyway, and had it been on the menu, I would have ordered it. The linguini pasta was soft and slightly al dente and the meat was flavoursome and tasty. My wife’s... read more

The metre long pizza is good value. Love the thin crust. Service can be challenging during busy times. Pasta is ok. Fried calamari is salty

Amazing location in corner of the Lvl 3 food court above Chatswood station. Floor to ceiling glass over looking the trains through to the Channel 9 tower. Hand made Pizza of true Italiano standard, a truly authentic offering for a casual lunch or Dinner.