Newtown's new grown-up candlelit Italian restaurant just scored a hat
Pastry chef Lauren Eldridge's cassata is in all caps, too. Spoon into the decorative Sicilian cake and a shell of pistachio marzipan and candied fruits gives way to herbal, Liquore Strega-soaked sponge and chocolate-flecked ricotta, all finished with fondant lacework worthy of North Carolina's annual National Gingerbread House Competition. One for the ages.
Meanwhile, the room is a pleasure to be in. The quarters are close, candles flicker. Behind the bar, staff can stir down a Martinez as well as section waiters can speak to a wine list that goes all-in on Italy, with a reserve section dedicated to terroir-driven makers including Arianna Occhipinti and Elisabetta Foradori. It's slim pickings under $90 but you can't accuse the list of lacking a point of view.
And that's what makes this strip so compelling. Each venue is its own thing, uncompromising and fully realised. Coupled with boutique rooms upstairs, the Continental hub is primed to capitalise on Newtown's transformation from student haunt to a suburb where hatted restaurants are as common as the crystal shops and Thai takeaways. Somewhere, you might just take your mum for pig's-head charcuterie.
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Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Where to get Perth's best pies
Leederville One minute you're going about your business not aware there is something fundamental missing in your life, and then a new pie shop opens in Leederville and you think: 'Finally, the missing puzzle piece of my existence on this mortal plane has been discovered.' At least, that's the experience of almost everyone who has stumbled upon this bougie pie shop, that claims to be a homage to the classic country pie shop but with a lot of millennial green. With flavours like chicken cordon bleu and tofu kimchi-jjigae, these guys are not scared to try new things, and we are big fans. Applecross, Cockburn, Claremont These guys boldly claim to have the best pies in Perth. They have some stiff competition but also, they may just have legitimate claim to the title. While they might have a more limited selection than some other spots on this list — they only offer eight flavours — they do what they do very well, and as a butcher, their meats are topnotch. They also boast excellent sausage rolls. Wangara, Westminster, Bullsbrook JD Pies and Tacos. Seafood Boil Pie. Credit: Instagram This is a bit of a hidden gem, but those in the know will attest to this spot in the Wanneroo Markets (with stores in Westminster and Bullsbrook) being among the best in Perth. These guys are not afraid to experiment, and their pies often have an American flavour profile. A recent special was a seafood boil pie in a cajun butter sauce. They also do mashups like chunky beef with macaroni cheese and even a few sweet pies for dessert. Mmmm dessert pies. Lathlain, Shenton Park These guys bake pies fresh daily with elite level flakey pasty to munch your way through. Also, being a bakery there are plenty of sweet treats on offer to really round out your cheeky lunch. East Fremantle Georgee Pies Credit: Instagram Can't decide if you want a classic Aussie pie or a nasi goreng? At this George Street gem you can get the former inside the latter. It really is the best of both worlds. They do other unconventional flavours — think red Thai curry or butter mango chicken — but they also do a solid line in the classics. The queues down the street attest to the popularity of these pies. Get in early before they sell-out.
Courier-Mail
5 days ago
- Courier-Mail
I've dined at restaurants everywhere, I always choose a counter seat
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Even with the roar of the lunch crowd at Cañete in Barcelona, with diners packed in like Ortiz sardines, the lyric was unmistakable: 'Hit me baby one more time'. It came from one of the silver-haired waiters behind the bar as he expertly delivered cod fritters, chorizo sandwiches and glasses of peachy gazpacho to those of us with counter seats. The waiter, a sort of Catalan Steve Buscemi, was given to singing, joking and madcap miming. A little Britney Spears to accompany a plate of grilled asparagus spears seemed fitting. I've seldom enjoyed a meal as much as this one. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY In hospitality it seems as though we've gone from fine dining to fun dining to flatlining. So many restaurants, here and abroad, appear afflicted by a sense of ennui, with energy levels as flat as a proverbial pancake. Cañete was different. It's a lively bar, a boisterous bistro and an expression of culinary levity that I've found sorely lacking lately. Perhaps it's my own fault. After years of shunning the bar, the counter and the chef's table, I'm feeling the gravitational pull of the front row. Nowadays, particularly when I travel abroad, I want dinner and a showstopper. It could be that I need a reprieve from blank-eyed waitstaff offering to explain 'how the menu works'. It's not a manual on quantum physics. Dining at the bar at Barcelona restaurant Cañete. At the bar or counter, there's none of that fussiness, awkwardness or faux camaraderie. Instead, it's replaced by a refreshing immediacy and disarming candour. In the catbird seat, you can enjoy pithy banter with waiters, marvel at displays of cheffy dexterity, and view the reaction of guests to their dishes. At Cañete, the couple on my right ordered prawn fritters, presented as golden discs of crisp camarones. Naturally, I requested them, too. My jolly waiter also recommended spicy meatballs, godello – a luscious Spanish white I'd never tried – and an earth-shaking chocolate lava cake. Above the bar was a sign: 'Fuck your diet'. Dining here was like joining a merry band of kitchen pirates. The spicy meatball at Cañete. Picture: George Epaminondas My nascent desire to be in the middle of the action, cheek by jowl, has led to some outstanding meals. At Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, a serene new hotel in the Thai capital, I had two rarefied experiences. At Sesui, an omakase restaurant, I watched enraptured as sushi maestro Satoshi Tsuru deftly sliced ruby-hued prawns, wrapped tuna in seaweed and explained his approach with the solemnity of a Buddhist monk. On another night, I took a seat at the counter of Hiori, a teppanyaki restaurant where chef Yoji Kitayama shared wagyu spring rolls and glasses of rare sake. I left feeling elated, enlightened and delighted. Chef Satoshi Tsuru prepares sushi at Sesui restaurant at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok Hotel. Interaction with a chef can be rewarding, especially if that chef is an easygoing extrovert. At Trivet, the restaurant at JW Marriott Auckland, I had a meal prepared by executive chef Wallace Mua. Everything from the trevally sashimi to the popcorn semifreddo was sensational, but what really left an impression was Mua's beaming demeanour and winning personality. 'We chefs are usually stuck in the back,' he told me. 'We don't get to tell our story.' This was his moment to shine and he nailed it. Mua, who not long ago toured with the All Blacks as a dietary adviser, shared riotous tales – including the first time he met the team and nervously blurted 'I look forward to orally pleasing you!' He also used our dinner as an opportunity to road-test new dishes, including a fragrant prawn omelette enhanced with a lick of crab consommé, that had not yet made it to Trivet's menu. That insider access felt rewarding. Wallace Mua, executive chef of Trivet, the restaurant at JW Marriott Auckland. Cruise ships, too, are getting in on the counter act. In-the-know diners on Scenic Eclipse II make a beeline for Night Market @ Koko's. With space for just eight guests, the vibrant venue serves zhuzhed-up versions of street food from Asia, India and the Middle East, all while you're flitting around the Med. 'Guests love it – it combines travel, cuisine and theatre,' said Tom Götter, head of Oceans Hotel Operations for Scenic Group. And Silversea has its S.A.L.T. Chef's Table, on Silver Nova and Silver Ray, where culinistas can savour an intimate dining service. Diners at S.A.L.T. Chef's Table on Silver Nova get front-row seats for both ocean and kitchen views. Do you like to watch? When it comes to the drama of open kitchens, many of us are clearly fascinated. Much of the appeal of The Bear, the TV series that boils over with rage, is seeing the chaos of a professional kitchen. In real life, I prefer harmony, hilarity and tidy work stations. Watching line cooks meticulously prepare dishes is the food equivalent of a corps de ballet, a highly choreographed performance. And the exchange goes both ways. 'I can see if someone is enjoying a dish,' Mua said. 'Whether they finish it or not. It's helpful.' Supernormal restaurant in Melbourne features an open kitchen. Closer to home, I've pulled up a bar stool at Sydney's Firepop (smoke-kissed, cumin-flavoured lamb skewers were electrifying), and at Supernormal in Melbourne (I can never go past the chicken and prawn dumplings). Both visits were accompanied by exceptional service, amusing chit-chat and genuine warmth – and not just from the flames. One of the most notable countertop experiences remains Woodcut at Crown Sydney, from avid restaurateurs Sunny and Ross Lusted, whose four open kitchens are dedicated to varying cooking methods – from ash grilling to steam kettling. Their interactive style still feels fresh almost five years after opening. Forget farm to table. I'd rather have charm to table. Counter dining is where it's at. Originally published as I've dined at restaurants everywhere, I'll always choose a counter seat
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
One of Melbourne's most iconic Italian restaurants has been slinging wood-fired pizzas for nearly two decades
Previous SlideNext Slide Italian$$$$ Some of Melbourne's best pizza can be found in this heritage Victorian corner shopfront housing DOC's flagship venue, open since 2007. It's nice to begin with its other speciality – silken-centred buffalo mozzarella – maybe teamed with shaved San Daniele prosciutto and sliced focaccia laden with extra virgin olive oil. Then it's on to the main game – thin, perfectly chewy-crunchy pizzas, perhaps topped with white truffle-oil-drizzled porcini and field mushrooms and pecorino cheese; roasted peppers and hot salami; or heady gorgonzola and smoked scamorza with pear, walnuts and smoked speck prosciutto. Wash it down with an Italian micro-brewed beer or cocktail. Say 'ciao' with desserts like Belgian white chocolate pizza with icecream; mini Sicilian cannoli stuffed with sweet ricotta; or DOC's signature tiramisu. To round out a classic Melbourne date night, dine before or after catching a film across the road at Cinema Nova.
