Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

Alberto’sembracesitsbillingasRestaurantHubert’sItaliancousin

withgusto:samesoft-litcharm,smoothservice,plushcarpetandwood

panelling,butalittlemorebustle,alittlemorejostlingforspace,and

(justmaybe)alittlemorefun.It’sareturntonew-waveItaloformfor

chefDanielPepperell,too,whokeepsoneeyeontraditionandtheother

onhowtoadvanceit.TheAmatricianaisproofoftheformer:house-made

bucatiniinasauceofguancialeanditsrenderedfatwithpecorino,chilli

andtomatothat’sbothrichandslippery,inagoodway.Forthelatter,

takethetrippaallaRomana,meltingintothesaucethewayitmightin

atrattoriainTestaccio,butspuninthedirectionofbutterchickenwith

deftdeploymentofcreamandspice.SommelierAndyTyson’swineo‚er

ismorenaturalthanatHubert,butexcitementisthethrough-line,be

itfromoneofmanybottlesunder$100orback-vintageBarolofrom

asectionlabelled“IlRossoDivino”.Acrispcannoloisacrackingfinish,

butdailychanginggelati–mangoandstickyrice,perhaps–capture

Alberto’sinasinglescoop:technicallyastuteandbristlingwithadventure.

17-19AlbertaSt,

Sydney,NSW

albertoslounge.com

+ Fri-Satnoon-midnight,

Sunnoon-10pm;dinner

Mon-Thu5pm-midnight

+ Bookingsrecommended

+ Licensed

+ E$16-$26M$26-$39

D$8-$16

+ CardsAEMCVEFT

+ Wheelchairfriendly

+ ChefDanielPepperell

45 Alberto’sLounge V ITALIAN

Itcouldbeoneofthedarkestdiningroomsintown,buteightyearsin,the

ideasontheplateandintheglassatMonopolearebrighterandsharper

thanever.Thisisaplaygroundfordiscerningpalates,wherecashed-up

couplescanoodleonsoftleatherbanquettesoverChampagneandoysters

whilesolodinersonspartanbarstoolsporeoverNickHildebrandt’s

rivetingwinelist.Evenifthegameplaninvolvesnothingmorethanaglass

ofduskysangioveseandsomehouse-madecharcuterie,snackinghere

feelsjustthatlittlebitsmarter.Forthebolder,andthehungrier,Brent

Savage’sintricate,idiosyncraticshareplatesholdtheanswers.Just-seared

stripsofkangarooloincollidewithtoastedhazelnutsandpickledlillypilly

inaprovocativeri‚oncarpaccio.WoodySichuanspiceslenddepthof

flavourtoaflawlesslyroasted,dry-agedduckbreastdressedwithcherry

woodoil.Evenpotatoesgettheluxurytreatment,salt-bakedandcrushed

intoadiscusdrenchedinslushyseaweedbutterofeye-openingintensity.

Thefinelinebetweenwinebarandrestaurantisnoeasypathtotread,

yetMonopolefollowsitrighttotheend,elegantlyande‚ortlessly.

71aMacleaySt,

PottsPoint,NSW

(02) 93604410

monopolesydney.com.au

+ Sat-Sunnoon-10pm;

dinnerMon-Fri5pm-10pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed,bar

+ E$14-$28M$38-$42

D$18;setmenu$75

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+ ChefsBrentSavage

&TobyStansfield

46 Monopole V AUSTRALIAN

“HowaboutEmbla?”Ifadiningcompanionasksyouthisquestion,you

knowhowit’sgoingtoroll.You’llsayyes,thenfindyourselfhopeful

andhungryandinsidethedoor.Anappetisingwaftofwoodfireispart

ofthewarmwelcome.Next,mostlikely,await(drinksatthebararea

smallhardship)beforeyou’reseated,onstoolsatsharedbenches,tables

huggingthewall,or–bestofall–atthecounteroverlookingthekitchen,

allfire-litglowandcrispchoreography.Afocusonlow-interventionwine

carriesintothefood:ingredientsaretreatedwithreverence,cleverly

caressedintodishesthatletthemshine.Whippedfetaisdustedwithdill

powderandstuddedwithjuicysouredcucumber.Excellentsourdough

ispartneredwithwhite-soycream.Acharcuterieboardincludesneat

spinslikewhipped’nduja,turningtheCalabrianspreadablesalamiinto

aspicydip.Butterycreamedcornisscatteredwithburntonioncrumb

andcitruspowder.Flavoursarebigbutshrewdlyjudged,andserviceis

poisedandgenial.Aslightlymoreformalexperiencewithelegantand

composeddishescanbefoundupstairsatsisterrestaurantLesa,but

thesamegenerous,jauntyspiritrunsthroughboth.

122 RussellSt,

Melbourne,Vic

(03) 96545923

embla.com.au

+ LunchMon-Fri

noon-3pm;dinner

Mon-Sat5pm-10pm

+Bookingsatlunchonly

+Licensed,bar

+ E$9-$18M$16-$36

D$13-$15

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefDaveVerheul

47 Embla V AUSTRALIAN

GOURMET TRAVELLER 83

PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER ALBERTO’S LOUNGE
, KRISTOFFER PAULSEN EMBLA
, KARA ROSENLUND GERALD’S BISTRO
& NIKKI TO SUPERNORMAL
.

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