“Are you embarrassed of me?” I asked Mr NQN on the phone.
He looked at me nervously. “No…why would I be?”
I considered my answer. Of course I knew the reasons; the Morticia Addams appearance, love of Halloween, out of tune singing in public, the happy dances and the OCD behaviour.
I cleared my throat and said brightly “No reason! So why don’t I ever get to meet any of your colleagues?” I asked him.
I heard a loud, long sigh and then silence. “Okay fine, come and meet us tonight” he said resignedly.
So that’s how I came to be chatting to Mr NQN’s work colleagues one evening. One of them, Dave is about as obsessed as your average food blogger and he mentioned his local restaurant in Five Dock which he visits anywhere from three times a week to once a month. And given that we’re getting a bit peckish this one evening it seemed like a good time to visit his local.
Filicudi, which is actually an Island near Sicily in Italy is on a nondescript part of Ramsay Road in Five Dock and there’s not much there in that small stretch of road apart from a Thai takeaway. The first thing that strikes us as we go in in the chianti bottles on display-just look up and the ceiling is full of them. A picture of Pavarotti sits behind the large landscapes of Filicudi that cover both walls entirely. The restaurant has been around for 35 years under different guises and 20 or so years under the name Filicudi. Dave tells us that they have real Italiana nonnas in the kitchen cooking up classic, traditional dishes.
Service is charming. It could be because we’re with a frequent diner but we suspect that you can’t turn the charm on and off. It’s gently teasing and warm and before long we’ve arrived at a range of dishes to try. The restaurant is full but as the dishes come out many families leave and the full carpark around the corner quickly empties once it comes to 9pm. And everyone that leaves has the door pulled open for them as a farewell greeting from one of the staff.
Polpi al Sugo $17.50
This is Mr NQN’s favourite as he loves spice. The polpi al sugo is soft braised octopus in a tomato based sauce. And the bread that we’re given is perfect to mop up the spicy juices. The octopus is so, so tender it just melts in the mouth.
Funghi della casa $23.50 for 3 mushrooms (usually 2 per serve at $17.90)
We all adored the portobello mushroom topped with garlic prawns. It’s a retro dish, to be sure but let’s not dismiss this as a suburban slightly retro gem. The mushrooms are meaty and garlicky as are the prawns. Served on peppery watercress we mop up all of the garlicky, lemon juices with our bread.
Penne Granchi $24.50 (large serve)
The penne granchi aka penne with blue swimmer crab is Dave’s must have order and is served either with the shell or outside of the shell. Because we are sharing we have it without shell. The crab which is actually quite plentiful is served in a tomato cream sauce and is quite good although Mr NQN finds the penne too firm for him whereas I like quite al dente in texture. Dave also points out that there is a bit more tomato than usual and that it is usually creamier and better.
Pollo Pavarotti $26.50
I’m all about sauces and I appreciate a sauce more than most. This doesn’t look like much on a plate but as it is called Pollo Pavarotti aka chicken Pavarotti after the great tenor whose picture graces the wall we figure it must be good. The flattened chicken is incredibly tender and the sauce is wonderfully moreish. It comprises sun dried tomatoes, capsicum, pine nuts and cream. It is one of those sauces you definitely want to dip the potatoes and bread into and just lick off the plate.
Penne Siciliano $22
It is another penne dish I know but we all love meatballs. The sauce here too is excellent, a very thick and rich tomato sauce that has been cooked down and down so that it is intense with sweet and savoury tomato flavour. The meaty meatballs are a touch on the overcooked side as they are quite dry and there could be a bit more eggplant as that was wonderfully soft and creamy but they are the only things we would change of this dish.
Veal Sorentina $28.50
The veal, pounded thin until very tender is covered with a blanket of thick, rich tomato sauce (oh my, how I’m loving these sauces) and three thin slices of mozzarella that melt into it and a sprig of basil. It’s a filling dish and generously portioned with a lovely rich sauce.
Vegetables
All meals come “with roughage to you know” says the waiter gesturing ambiguously. Special mention must be made of the roasted potatoes which are creamy and waxy and very moreish. The broccoli and carrots are steamed.
Mascarpone $9.50
The mascarpone on the menu is a tiramisu and comes in an old fashioned traditional glass. Despite the fact that we feel like we’ve been eating for Italy, Mr NQN and I finish this off quickly. It has the right balance of coffee saviordi biscuits and lashings of mascarpone cream as well as a blanket of sugared chocolate powder.
Our bill comes and before we open it Dave suggests a game which we plays with friends. Whoever can guess the bill to the closest amount doesn’t have to pay their share. We play pretend and Dave answers $132, Mr NQN answers $145 and I answer $160.
I shouldn’t have played pretend! 
So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever play games with your friends with the bill? And when you eat out do you usually split the bill evenly?
Filicudi
11 Ramsay Rd, Five Dock NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9713 8733
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41 Comments | Add your own
Thanks for this review, Lorraine! We used to eat at Filicudi regularly about fifteen years ago, haven’t been for quite a while, so it’s good to know it’s still going strong! It really has been there for the longest time, so they must be doing something right!
Yeah we’ve played that guessing game a few times too. As to the bill, it depends. If we’re with friends that we’re very close with, we might pay the bill this time, then they’ll pick it up next time and so on. It’s a nice excuse to meet again as well, “we owe you a meal”.
But a lot of times we just split it evenly just like you guys!
I love Filicudi – warm and homely atmosphere, friendly and welcoming service, and hearty food! Glad you reviewed it!
If this place was closer I think I would be a regular as well. Looks lovely, lovely…and Tiramisu? Always!
Looks like the place one would enjoy quite informally with friends after a busy day. Come away with tummies full and content with the world.
! The sauces do look plentiful and tasty, but all seem to be based on tomatoes? To me, the main courses seem a few dollars too dear – living in the country one forgets s’thing called ‘inflation’ tho’! I’m used to both sharing a bill evenly or saying ‘Got this – your turn next time’. Don’t like if people start counting every dollar they spent at the table, except when say lobster or similar has been ordered by one! 
!
The food looks great. Friendly staff makes such a difference. When were in Spain recently we noticed that restaurant staff were very welcoming to get you in, but then the charm was turned off. We always say thank you and good night when leaving a restaurant, but most times in Spain staff turned their backs on us when we were leaving. We won’t be going back anyway, but I think that is rude.
Looks delicious! You’re a good guesser, Lorraine!
If we eat out with my brother, he will want to figure his share out to the penny!Once we went out with a large group of about two dozen people and my brother got a separate check and went to the register to pay as soon as he was done, but while he was doing that a fellow in our group picked up the bill for everyone:)
We play guess how much the dish is on the menu – particularly fun with Thai takeaway menus as prices can vary quite a bit.
Never knew of this restaurant but being in Drummoyne will definitely give it a try – thanks for the review, looks good especially the octopus and the mushrooms
I showed this post to Jason and he almost died! He loves Italian food and I think we may be planning a trip over at the end of the year *hehe*
I would love to play bill sharing games but, with poor students as friends, we usually just end up splitting the bill. Also why I like going out with my parents =)
I’ve dined at Filucudi a little over a year ago and after reading your post think it’s time I visited again. I too am a sucker for a good sauce and I love the sound of that octopus
I’ve lived in Five Dock my whole life,hubby and I use to dine there when we dated, Tony the previous owner is a gentleman and Elio the current owner is an absolute darling. Filicudi is a Five Dock icon – been around forever and always a favourite of mine.They’re Steak Diane is a favourite of mine.
This looks like great winter fare, especially the Pavarotti sauce – yum! And isn’t that always the way that you rave about a dish to friends then it doesn’t live up to it!
Generally we split bills evenly with friends but we have been caught out a couple of times & stuck paying more!
I knew someone who would dine out with friends and their game would be to gather all of their credit cards in one hand and let the waiter choose a card to pay the bill. Ouch, that is very expensive credit card roulette!
The food all looks fantastic – and I am so hungry right now … We usually split the bill evenly.
Funny how the regular to the restaurant was furthest from the total. Just sayin…
Ahhhh… The memories of a life long passed … Filicudi was one of our very favourite restuarants to visit, especially on the way home from the office, nice and comfy and one can easily relax and enjoy the whole hearted goodness of Italian cuisine in a friendly environment. Recommend it to all.
It is sad we now live on the Gold Coast, Qld.
A good sauce is the work of a true artiste, it can make or break a dish. My vote goes to the fantastic sounding octopus, yumm…
When it comes to bill splitting- I always let my husband pay my share!
I love restaurants like this where it’s all about the food. The chianti bottles cracked me up.
I think I would have put my head under the table and licked the sauce off the plates.
Hi Lorraine, we usually split the bill evenly. However if we have had a few drinks and our friends have not we pay the alcohol then split food as I don’t think it’s fair for them to pay for our drinks as it can add quite a bit to the bill. Octopus looks delicious !!
What great winter comfort food! I’m all about the carb loading (and red wine, and cheese plates, and cream-laden desserts) at the moment!
Usually split the bill evenly, but occasionally play various forms of credit card roulette – my favourite is the one where everyone tries to throw their card into a glass – those who succeed eat and drink for free!
Most of my friends are on budgets, as am I, so we tend to pay for what we have, and throw in a bit extra for a tip, if we think the service was goodd. Or we’ll take it in turns to treat each other – if I pay this time, my friend might take the bill the next time.
Great review Lorraine, I definitely will put this on my ‘eats’ list.
I prefer to split the bill evenly, it’s make it too awkward when the dinner party gets the calculator out! It usually evens out in the end.
We usually split the bill evenly, unless someone is heavy on the drinks
no games though 
oooh the penne Siciliano looks especially delicious!
Heidi xo
Oh hahahaha… As I read this post I too looked over at the Boy and said, “Are u embarassed of me?!” I’ve never met any of his colleagues! Gah!
In terms of dinner, depends, sometimes we take turns shouting and other times even split
MMmmm looks delicious…You’ve gotta love food made by the Nonnas!
so many great italian places in FiveDock/Habberfield!
Will have to give this place a try one day
Wow! That looks fantastic! Haha, I would love to play that game with my friends, but we don’t really share, we pay for the dish we picked but we spear morsels off each other’s dishes
Sounds delish and I am absolutely all for comfort homestyle Italian food, esp in such cold wintry nights in Sydney. Thanks for the review, I think I NEED to have pasta now
See, I love the sound of the retro dishes, ’cause I wasn’t around for them the first time
OMG! We used to eat here regularly, the penne Granci is my absolute favourite! Miss it so much wish i could reproduce it as we now live on the far north coast. Everything about the restaurant is great, there is nothing like it up here,thanks for reminding me about it!
I love hearty Italian restaurants like this. The food looks wonderful.
Great game, will try it out next time
You make me want to visit Australia even more than I did before!
I like those ceiling decorations, whatever they are. Bottles perhaps?
The mushroom look beautiful! Love good mushrooms, one of my favourite ingredients.
I don’t usually play games with the bill and yes we normally split it in some form – evenly if we all shared, pay for each person’s dish if we ate separately or sometimes do a combination of both.
This is a great restaurant, great food (with daily specials) and service and they can always accommodate regulars, even though it can be bursting with families early evening. It’s true about the nonnas in the kitchen you can see them handing out the plates next to the pizza oven at the back. I notice it’s great for a business lunch and the Pollies like to eat here alla Machiavelli
I love the chianti bottles. It actually looks like really huge gumnuts and reminded me of those old childrens books they use to read us at school – lol random!
This restaurant looks like a great find for traditional, hearty food!
Some of my friends are on budgets so calculators are often brought out (can be awkward yes) but then it is fairer to split it more accurately between 8+ of us when a couple of them don’t drink – so that they don’t have to pay for our wine bill
That looks like my sort of restaurant. The tomato sauce looked amazing!
I’m normally happy to split the bill but I always put in a bit more if mine was expensive or I ate more (yes it happens). I hate when someone orders the most expensive meal then expects the bill to be divided evenly.
Teehee… You Miss are totally all over it. Love that you guessed spot on the amount.
Gawd… the Mushies and Prawns look good. Great little restaurant. You know where all the gems are. 
Lorraine, I am so loving this place! The food looks wonderful, the decor is really neat and the whole place looks so warm and cozy! This is probably my most favorite feature from yours!
Loving the decor, sure has a lot of character. Such a homely feel. Another lover of sauces here.
We tend to split the bill and yes sometimes can’t help but guess the magic number.
Ah Lorraine – I’ve been out of the country and received an SMS telling me that you’d reviewed Filicudi’s. Everyone knows that it’s my absolute favourite local Italian. Been eating there regularly for years and it’s always reliable, and often fabulous. Their veal is export quality and I reckon the best served in any small local restaurant in the whole of Oz. My wife reckons their gnocchi is amongst the best in the country too.
That sounds like a great game, and a very good guess, but I am always a wimp when it comes to gambling. All that pasta is making me hungry!
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