Etto

Etto, I really, really, really want to like to. Like a lot. But I find you hit and miss. You have your good days, where you hair is just right, and then those days, where you need to wear a beanie, as hell has broken loose.
Like this good hair day analogy, I find your pastas and service like this. Some of them are grand and some that I’d be sure you’d get right, I find so disappointing.
Example — I’d sure you’d get a basic spag bol sauce right, but really I disliked it. However the sausage pasta I thought would be ordinary I really enjoyed.
I guess the lesson out of this is don’t always go for the classics and try something new.
Service wise, they get super busy. I never find they are on time when I order takeaway (e.g. I’m still waiting 20 minutes after I was told 20 minutes). I’ve had to ask before for a new garlic bread because the one that was baked for me had been sitting on the over the entire time I was there. There seems to be little synchronization. Given the right team leadership that could change.
Look Etto, I really do want to like you. I think you could be A’OK or even YAY. I’m lazy and I can’t be bothered making a spaghetti and cooking garlic bread. You have the potential to be in my speed dial, but I think I’m going to try a few others first and see how your hair looks in a few months time.

Lovely fresh pasta and good friendly service. It’s a pasta bar, so you basically get to mix and match what pasta and what sauce you want, and there’s a pretty good range. You order at the bar, and your food gets brought out to you.
The garlic bread is a bit pricey, but you get an adorable (and extremely garlicky) loaf on a little board, although it had so many slices in it that it’s definitely a side to share. The regular size pastas are still relatively generous portions, and although I finished all of mine I felt pretty stuffed at the end. I had the Italian sausage sauce, and it wasn’t heavy at all, and there were lots of spicy chunks of sausage.
The space is clean and bright, although it does get quite noisy, especially since this is a relatively easy way to feed families, so early dinners will be interrupted by the noise of kids shouting and running around.
There’s only one unisex bathroom, which seems a little inadequate for the size of the place. (Especially when you have scads of kids lining up to use it…)
Parking’s also pretty tough in the area, but you could park behind the Coles two blocks down and walk up if you can’t nab something on the street.

Etto is brand new in Malvern. They pulled a big crowd by offering free spaghetti opening night. It’s light and bright and is probably best for a family date night than a romantic date night. The kids downed the spag bol and we enjoyed our pizza and garlic bread.
We shall see how they fair but it is convenient and good. Take your kids.