During my recent trips down south, I've discovered that the majority of restaurants here are always at full capacity! I've isolated this discovery down to two facts:
1) Wollongong is full of visiting tourists who don't like to cook
2) Locals at Wollongong don't have anything else better to do than to dine out & drink up
So, to suceed in Wollongong (if you happen to be thinking about launching a restaurant there), you must:
1) Not open a Japanese restaurant (the local sushi train looked deserted at all times)
2) Open another Thai or Vietnamese eatery with BYO
Piato Grand sits within a shiney new apartment block and has only been operating for a couple of months. It's sister restaurant, which i've heard operates under the same name (Piato coffee & fine foods) at the mall, has been running for over 3 years. This uber contemporary restaurant has all the ingredients that make it a place you would visit time after time. The specials menu was definately popular, as the rosemary quail with baba ganoush and the seafood risotto was sold out early in the night.
I ended up ordering the herb crusted veal with fetta mash and rocket salad. The veal was so flavoursome and was piping hot beneath the crumbled surface. The rocket salad had a generous splash of balsamic and the semi-dried tomatoes were really light and sweet.
Zen ordered the crunchy squid and the both of us were surprised when it turned up tossed in a salad! Nonetheless, it was spiced with cumin and was deliciously crunchy.
The best thing about the Gong is the close proximity of everything. It's so small and cosy... we walked up a block... back home with a full tummy.
Piato Grand
47/22 Market St, Wollongong NSW 2500
Phone: 02 4225 0442
Fax: 02 4225 0446
Email: info@piatogrand.com.au
Web: www.piatogrand.com.au
These photos are a bit dark.
Hi there,
I am pleased about your wonderful response to our restaurant.I would just like to please ask if you could change the information about piato coffee & fine food as we have no affiliation with them. Also if possible to remove the photo which shows the resturant and customers. the two ladies in the picture have come to see us about this. Other than that keep up the good work!
Hi all well after visiting wollongong a few weeks ago I came across this site after I googling where I could eat. I read the above about Piato grand and thought I would give it a try. This little place set just out of everything is fantastic great food I tried the Chicken breast with Risotto and my wife had the Herb Crumbed veal I really can't say a bad thing about this place and what made it even better was the staff fantastic fantastic fantastic way to go whom ever opened this place great work and fantastic food and staff... will see you again when we visit Wollongong..