Since 2007, husband and wife team Dan and Christine Kibble have nailed their culinary colours to their Maitland restaurant's mast by demonstrating an innate awareness for quality and a knack for consistency.
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When it comes to providing an enjoyable, and often memorable, dining experience, no other place in Maitland does it quite like Fratelli Roma.
But it's taken a lot of hard work and some suffering to get here.
"Christine and I first opened 305 Restaurant and Café in Maitland in 2007, which had a modern Australian fine dining focus," chef Dan Kibble says.
"We were very successful for the first four years, and we built a strong name and following for quality fine dining in the Hunter Valley."
In 2011, the Kibbles attempted to venture beyond their heritage address at 305 High Street, Maitland, by extending their business and opening a more casual eatery, Brasserie Le Fleuve, and expanding their 305 concept into historic Mansfield House. Both projects soon ran out of steam, which left Dan and Christine in "deep trouble" .
"It was a difficult venture at a difficult time, especially as fine dining was in sharp decline, and it put a tremendous amount of pressure on both of us," Dan says. "We had two restaurants which were both running in the red ... It was a terrible time."
Leigh McPherson was a regular customer at 305, and, over time, had become a friend to Dan and Christine. McPherson offered to help.
"Leigh was a customer that I had gotten to know over the years from him coming in to dine at 305. We made a plan together to consolidate back to only one restaurant, refresh the venue, relax the cuisine and start focusing on what I know best; Italian food," Kibble says.
For seven years and counting, Fratelli Roma has set the standard for Maitland's dining scene. This wouldn't have been possible without the tough times, Kibble says.
"It was a desperate time, which taught me discipline and a stronger work ethic and, most importantly, the notion of what it takes to build up a successful business over many years," he says.
Fratelli Roma has become famous for its fresh pasta - made by Dan - and its seasonally expressive menu. Nonetheless, firm favourites and signature dishes, like Gamberi all'aglio (garlic prawns, $26), the Scaloppine alla panna (veal scallopini, $36.5), and pillow-soft gnocchi have each made themselves a permanent feature of Kibbles' menu.
Moreover, Fratelli Roma's extensive wine list reflects the Hunter wine region as much as it does its vinous inspirations from Italy.
The olive green and off-white walls, soft lights and stained timber floors continue to welcome diners who are seated by friendly staff at tables set with silver cutlery and polished glassware. In seven short years, Leigh, Dan and Christine, along with Dan's brother Nathan, who manages the restaurant, have given diners many reasons to become regulars at their High Street restaurant.
"My love for food is never ending," says Kibble.
"I love cooking food for people. It gives me great pleasure to this day, and my loving wife, Christine, and brother Nathan both feel exactly the same way about service, wine and welcoming all our customers. If we didn't, we'd have given up a long time ago."
Thank Edesia, the Roman Goddess of food, that neither Dan or Christine did. For Maitland's dining scene would surely be the poorer for it.
QUICK BITE
- What: Fratelli Roma
- Where: 305 High St, Maitland
- Contact: fratelliroma.com.au
- Owners: Daniel and Christine Kibble, with Leigh McPherson
- Drinks: Great Italian oriented wine list, beers, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks etc.
- Hours: Lunch, Wed-Sat; 12pm-3pm / Dinner, Tues-Sun; 5:30pm-Late
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Bottom Line: $70 for two, not incl. drinks.
- Do Try: Gamberi all'aglio (garlic prawns in white wine)