MICHAEL'S GOOD FOOD GUIDE REVIEWS
2006 - 13/20
Located in a simple, unpretentious room at the eating end of Crown Street, Michael's has long been a mainstay of Wollongong, earning a reputation for being the place to take those you'd like to quietly impress.
The formal white tablecloths topped with functional sheets of paper are a good metaphor for the mix of people who eat here. The sign says 'classic cucina' but the traditionalists might struggle to find it on occasion. Duck leg salad - sweet meat, bitter walnut & balsamic apple - isn't exactly from mamma's kitchen, but we don't mind. Seared scallops are meltingly fresh & delicate, topped with old-style sauce vierge.
If you're seeking a classic, the veal scaloppine is cooked tenderly in white wine & lifted by the tangy addition of taleggio cheese. Service is excellent, efficient, attentive & friendly without being over-familar or intrusive. Leave room for the pannacotta - although richly flavoured with vanilla, it is a wondrously light & flavoursome finish.
2007 - 13/20
In an area that abounds with mediocre food, Michael's stands out for maintaining high standards over a sustained period. The unpretentious decor & informal welcome suit anyone who wants to be well fed in a relaxed atmosphere. The menu & blackboard specials avoid trattoria cliches; entrees include a perfectly balanced sweet-and-sour of marinated sardines topped with generously soused red onions, toasted pine nuts & currants. Prawns with spliced frest asparagus & a double dressing of gazpacho & aioli zing with freshness & colour. Beek cheeks with soft polenta are tender & meltingly gelatinous, although the horseradish gremolata needed more heat & less parsley to be effective.
Among desserts, the pannacotta is deservedly worshipped for its delicacy, while the bitter-chocolate tart is just the opposite - robust & unapologetically rich. Reliable rather than radical, Michael's is a place you can count on just where it's most needed.
2008 - 13/20
Unlike most of us, Michael's Trattoria seems immune to the passage of time; the waiters are as friendly, the service as assured, and the food as high quality as ever. The casual interior - one large room, with a wine rack running down one side - downplays the food, which can be very good indeed. Cured duck breast with beetroot, peach & mustard fruit relish is moist & lean, with beautifully balanced flavours. Roasted prawns with galic, oregano, risotto saltato & chilli cream pack a briny, herby wallop. Yellowfin tuna is very good wrapped in pancetta, while crips-skinned barramundi fillet is moist & juicy, matched with a light & lovely baby spinach, mint & pea salad. As well as seafood, there's a man-sized rib-eye with robust garlic & herb mash, and tender de-boned chicken filled with melting triple-cream brie & quince jus.
Restaurants come, restaurants go, but Michael's appears immortal.
2009 - 13/20
Michael's serves a solid balance between traditional & modern Italian, in the heart of Wollongong's restaurant district. The service is fresh & friendly, and the loud & happy room of contemporary white walls, white-clothed tables & lively red ceiling lamps is nearly always full.
Start with bruschetta topped with tomato & basil or marinated mushroom & olive paste. Follow with a wonderfully subtle chilled tomato bisque with local Lake Illawarra prawns & avocado salad. Deliciously light & fluffy pumpkin risotto hosts small pieces of roasted deboned quail & deep-fried cavalo nero. Classy mains include a series of whiteboard specials plus Michael's signature dish - nicely pan-roasted spatchcock with hints of rosemary, garlic & chilli. The popular minute steak with chips and rocket salad keeps everyone happy, as do creamy-crumbly tiramisu & vanilla bean panna cotta with lychee & strawberry salad.