Rosso PoModor - one of the best authentic Italian pizza places in Balmain, a hip metro Sydney suburbia

It is going to be very difficult to keep this a secret. Rosso PoModor was bursting its seams with crowds. Bookings were back to back and long takeaway orders especially weekends and holidays, so much so that many diners had to be turned away, while those with reservations must finish their meal in less than 2 hours.

Strange house rules but no complaints. NO : ham and pineapple, half half pizzas and corkage charge. Because this is no mass production and bastarised pizza factory joint. Most ingredients are true to the core of being Italian.

The antipasto for two is on the expensive side but look, it is sufficient for three or four to share if you order other side dishes and salad. So no worries. The cheeses and cured meat were not salty. The olives, pickled onions and artichokes brings out the exquisite taste and freshness of Italiano, quite different from the overpowering soaking liquids that permeate most south European antipasto pickings.

As you notice, even the drinks are imported from Italy - mineral water and soft drinks only. Alcohol can be bought from the liquor shop down the street. The business is so good that they don't need to charge you for opening the bottles.

Since everyone has been raving about the pizzas and we looked around and saw few people having pasta, the option was obvious.

The pizzas are cooked with a few ingredients, but fresh and very balanced. The dough is thin and crispy but not hard.

Above : Vegetariana with tomato pizza base. Light, tasty (not salty), balanced, and not excessively covered with ingredients.

A contrast in flavour - the spicy Della Casa with Italian mozzarella, Italian sausages, hot salame, baby spinach, shaved parmesan.

Time to defuse the fire. Three scoops of gelato - strawberry, fig and caramel (the staff's favourite) and hazelnut. Tastes like it has more gum and sugar than most gelato.

The other favourite is the homemade pana cotta. Very smooth and creamy but not too sweet.

If you hadn't noticed, everything is "red" in colour - from the walls, counters, floor paintings of tomatoes and chillies, to the cups.

Nice way to end the meal with strong coffee; hopefully, it won't keep you away all night.

If you're interested to find out more, check out the menu on the restaurant's website : http://www.rossopomodoro.com.au/assets/pdf/menu.pdf

- c.g.