Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

Fred’shasthemagicformulafiguredout.Afterthreeyears,afiresideperch

aroundthedreamyhearth-centredkitchenisstillacovetedbooking,in

nosmallpartbecauseofchefDanielleAlvarez’sintelligent,provenance-

firstcooking.She’stransplantedherChezPanissesensibilitiestoSydney’s

EasternSuburbs,suchthatbright,seasonalproduceshineswithvitality

ontheplatesintheelegantFrenchfarmhouseroom.Alighttouchwith

precisetechniquesupports,ratherthanoutshines,theingredients:grapes,

vibrantlysweetfromroasting,tamethemeltyrichnessofacrusted,

playbook-perfectcharcoal-grilledrackoflamb;whilebittercastelfranco

leaveschimewiththenuttinessofthinlyshavedslicesofrawJerusalem

artichoke,withsweetbalancefromaMeyerlemondressing.Avisitto

Fred’swouldbeincompletewithoutexperiencingtherusticfinesseof

thehouse-rolledpastaandpastry,beittheagnolotti–umamibombs

filledwithwhiteBolognese–orthemisochocolatetart,withabuttery

crustthatshattersintoajust-setcustard,itsdeepcocoaflavouroˆset

withburnthoney.Lettheconsummatestaˆguideyoutothegemson

thewinelistandhappily,willinglyfallunderFred’sspell.

380 OxfordSt,

Paddington,NSW

(02) 91147331

merivale.com/venues/freds

+ BreakfastSat8am-11am;

Fri-Sunnoon-10pm,

Tue-Sun5pm-10pm

+Bookingsessential

+Licensed,bar

+ E$20-$58M$40-$49

D$18;dégustation$120

+CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefDanielleAlvarez

20 Fred’s V AUSTRALIAN

Smallandperfectlyformed,Fleetmanagestofeelbothworldlyand

intimatelyconnectedtoitssettingallatonce.There’sfaithplacedin

thegoodworkoflocalproducers,beitthesweet-sourjoltofBrazilian

cherrymuddledwithginandsakeinanopeningcocktail,oroysters

growninBrunswickHeadsbyNoelBaggaleyandfinishedinTweed

River.AndJoshLewisbringsaneducatedpalatetobearonthespoils,

complementingthecreaminessofsaidoysterswiththesharpnessof

sheepmilk’syoghurtandshavingsofmacadamia,say.Thisiscooking

that’sbothpersonalandpresent,themenutweakedtosuityourwhims

anddisheslandingmeremomentsafterbeingplated:thesignature

sweetbreadschnitzelonsoftwhitebreadspreadwithatonofanchovy

mayonnaiseisbothcrispandhot,acongeeofmilletandmudcrabis

dressedwithasingleeggyolkwarmedbytheheatofthegrains.The

cosy14-seatspace,anexceptionalwinelistbuiltwithcareandaˆection,

andserviceaboutaswarmandpresentasservicegetsonlyenhancethe

senseofimmediacy.Thisisdestinationdiningatitsbest.Don’tmissit.

2/16TheTerrace

(enterviaFingalSt),

BrunswickHeads,NSW

(02) 66851363

fleet-restaurant.com.au

+LunchThu-Sat3pm-6pm,

Sunnoon-6pm;dinner

Thu-Sat6.30pm-11pm

+Bookingsessential

+Licensed

+E$12-$30M$35D$15

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+Outdoordining

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefJoshLewis

21 Fleet V AUSTRALIAN

RinaldoDiStasio’scityrestaurantstakesanimmediateclaimasoneof

thecountry’smostbeautiful.Aminimalisttempleofcontemporaryart

(videoworkbyRekoRennieandShaunGladwellonloop)andtraditional

craftsmanship(handcraftedterrazzofloors,Muranochandeliers),Città

alsooˆersvisceralbustleandalengthymenucentredonold-school

deliciousness.FansoftheStKildaoriginalwillbethrilledatthepresence

offavouritessuchasthefoil-wrappedcrumbedvealandwhitebread

“after-schoolsandwich”,themaltagliatiwithcalamariandradicchio,

piecesofthrice-cookedduck,andtheaddictivewhitechocolateand

mascarponetart.Therearealsonewthrills:saltyanchovyandsagesnacks,

bagnacàudawithacolourfulplatterofvegetables,pastacookedalchiodo

tossedwitharichragùofbeefandpork,andperfectlychilledMartinis

servedonasilvertraytoknockbackwhilecontemplatingtheItalian-heavy

winelist.Città’stheatricality–includingmeticulouslykitted-outfloorand

barstaˆ–doesn’tcomecheap,butneitherdoesarestaurantexperience

thateˆortlesslychannelsMilan,VeniceandMelbourne.DiStasiohas

alwayshadagiftfortransportingyouawayfromtheeveryday,and

Cittàcontinuesthethemeunashamedlyandwholeheartedly.

45 SpringSt,

Melbourne,Vic

(03) 90701177

distasio.com.au

+Daily11.30am-10.30pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed,bar

+ E$12-$32M$28-$58

D$9-$20

+CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+Outdoordining

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefRinaldoDiStasio

22 DiStasioCittà W V ITALIAN

GOURMET TRAVELLER 93

PHOTOGRAPHY PETER BENNETTS DI STASIO CITTÀ), TOM FERGUSON ICEBERGS DINING ROOM & BAR, BEN HANSEN FRED’S & NIKKI TO AUTOMATA.

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