Pilloni Restaurant 166 Hardgrave Road, West End, Queensland 4101

"Pilloni West End, a Sardinian restaurant, offers an impressive culinary experience that will captivate your taste buds. From the sensational charred corn chickpea tart, king fish crudo chickpea tart to the delectable scallop crudo, each dish is a delightful journey of flavors. The polipo, a charred octopus dish, was an absolute standout, leaving a lasting impression with its sensational taste. The spaghetti alle vongole, served with fresh vongole, was a satisfying plate of pasta that showcased the essence of Sardinian cuisine. The dessert menu at Pilloni is equally enticing. The menjar Blanc, an olive cake with white chocolate namelaka, milk ice cream, and plum, was a heavenly delight that left us craving for more. While the suckling pork was not as remarkable as the other dishes, the overall dining experience at Pilloni West End was exceptional, offering a taste of Sardinia in every bite. Note: This review reflects my personal experience and opinion of Pilloni West End, based on a single visit. Taste preferences may vary, and it is recommended to explore a variety of dishes to fully appreciate the restaurant’s offerings."

"Fabulous experience. I went to dinner with my favourite group of health conscious friends. The open kitchen, music, beautiful decor of the venue gave us a good vibe. Menu is simple yet provides options for everyone - wine and drink list is pretty extensive. The drinks were great that it actually tastes liquor. We shared everything. The stand outs are octopus, lamb, complimentary flatbread with ricotta dip, and chocolate rum drink. I couldn’t believe how tender the octopus was. I was able to divide them with spoon! The surprise was the chocolate rum drink. It was not too sweet and hits you with a hint of rum at the end. Next time, I want to try the preorder dish - pig or lobster dish. I thank for the friendly yet professional service!"

"I celebrated my birthday dinner here and left feeling slightly disappointed after hearing great things about this restaurant, particularly how great the service is. Sadly, our server was not very welcoming and their service was very cold, therefore it felt like our evening started off on a sour note. At one point during our dinner I could over hear the server and a kitchen staff arguing over something which is not very professional especially when guests are sitting near the kitchen area and could see everything. The server was clearly annoying and made things very awkward. The venue itself is gorgeous and our table had a view of the kitchen and its spectacular open fire cooking space. Food came out rather quick but most dishes were ok, mostly bland and under seasoned, nothing memorable. The oysters left a fishy after taste, not very pleasant. The bread for the Tartars was way too hard making it a struggle to bite and enjoy the dish, it would be better if the slices were a little thinner. The only dish worth noting is the Spaghetti Alle Vongole, the clams were fresh and sweet whilst the pasta had great texture. Given the above we decided to skip dessert."

"Ambiance and Venue - warm, elegant but not intimidating. There were big tables for families and groups which made the venue welcoming. Amazing wine list. If we didn’t drive, we will get a bottle of that greek red wine! Food was impeccable! Cannot fault it! From appetizers , sides, to main ! Service was great- attentive servers and food came out in a reasonable time. Will go back again!"

"NEW RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE- REVIEW Pilloni Fine Dining Restaurant provided me with a wine list upon my arrival and I was given a warm welcome by the staff. During the tasting process, they allowed me to sample the wine and asked me which type I preferred. Due to this, the evening began in a sweet and comfortable manner. In spite of the staff’s sweet and attentive nature, the food was rather bland and did not stand out. As my first course, I ordered the Oysters Natural ($5 AUD), which were not cold enough according to the staff and I was concerned about their freshness. Besides the lamb neck slow roasted with fregolone and parsnips ($72 AUD), which the staff highly recommended, I also tried the lamb leg slow roasted with fregolone and parsnips ($72 AUD). In spite of this, the dish tasted bland and the meat was served cold rather than warm, which diminished the overall experience. In spite of its simplicity and delicacy, the side dish of Shisito peppers, smoked ricotta, burn almond cream ($16 AUD) did not complement the lamb in any way. Dessert, an Alghero-style caramel flan with marsala cream and figs ($16 AUD), was the highlight of the evening. It was not overly sweet, which was perfect for the end of a meal. The portions of the food were generally large enough to accommodate two people. Though the staff at Pilloni Fine Dining Restaurant was attentive and sweet, and the ambiance was pleasant, the food’s cost did not correspond to its quality. As a result of the blandness of the lamb neck dish and the disappointing oysters, the overall experience was less than satisfactory. The attentive service and the standout dessert were particularly appreciated. Rating: 4/10"