2020-04-01 delicious

THENOSTALGIC
meat-and-three-vegethos
ofyesteryearoftencame
withcarnivorouscaveats
thatridiculedvegansand
vegetariansfortheirfleshlessfeasting
habits.Butnow,choosinga meat-freediet
is ascommonasantsat a picnic.There is
aflourishingchoiceofveganand
vegetarianoptionsfillingentiremenus,
andchefslikeBrentSavageand
ShannonMartinezareleadingthecharge.
WhenWaterloo’sbelovedvegan
degustationdenPaperbarkclosed,
disappointmentsoonturnedtojoyupon
theannouncementit wouldbecome
Peppe’sOsteria– a largerversionof
BondibeautyPeppe’s,wherediners
queuedowntheroadfora taste of chef
JoelBennetts’gnocchi.
Thespaceis relativelyunchanged:a bar,
spotsforgroups,androwsofblonde-
timbertablesalonga greybanquette.
It hasa casual,pop-upfeel,andalthough
thestaffseema bitgreen,theymeanwell.
Itis essentiallya pastaparadise.The
menuis structuredaroundthemain‘primi’

• variationsofgnocchianda fewpastas–
  withantipastiandcontornithesupport,
  anddolcitheencore.Althougheverything
  isvegan,youwouldn’tknowit. It’s
  wonderful, balanced cooking that proves

qualityingredients can produce quite a

pleasingmeal.

Startwithgoldenaranciniburstingwith

lemonzestanda lovelyvegancapsicum

aioli,orgreen,yellowandredtomatoes,

warmedandtossedwithrawgarlicand

parsley,servedbruschetta-style.The

portionis incrediblygenerous,butwatch

outfortheoddwholegarlicclove.

Traditionalandtoothsomespaghettialgio

e oliois dominatedbysautéedgarlicand

akickofpeperoncino(chilli),while

wonderfullydelicateandfluffygnocchi

comelatheredin a mushroomragu,

garnishedwithbreadcrumbs.It’sheady,

almostdirtyandearthy, thanks to a heavy

handofporcini.

Thesignaturedish,at leastin popularity,

is thelasagne– thinlayersseparatedby

a richtomatoragu.It’shomely and the size

ofa brick,butlovely.

Tiramisu,a dishnormallyimpossibleto

nail‘vegan’,is likebananabreadondrugs.

It’sactuallyquitenice,thoughthecashew

creamthatreplacesmascarponeleadsit

awayfromtastinglikea standardtiramisu.

Butforthosewhohaveneverhaddairy or

eggs,it’sprobablyexhilarating.

Peppe’sOsteriais evidencethatvegan

foodcandeliverrestaurantexperiences

thatcouldsatenotonlyanyherbivore

beast, but the carnivores, too.

Ameat-freeItalianfeast?Yes,Peppe’scan, saysAnthonyHuckstep,

whosamplesitsstargnocchiandotherclassicswhen he visits the

vegan favourite’s sleek new outpost in Sydney.

PEPPE’S PERFECTION

REVIEWEDONLINETHIS MONTH

Gogyo,Fitzroy,Vic

ChacoBar,PottsPoint,NSW

CoogeePavilion,NSW

Le Plonc, Armadale, Vic

PEPPE’S OSTERIA

CUISINE

VeganItalian

CHEF

JoelBennetts

VISIT

8/18DanksSt,Waterloo

(enterthroughPhillipSt)

OPENINGHOURS

MondaytoSunday,5.00pm– 9.30pm

BOOKINGS

peppelovesgnocchi.com.au

PRICE

$$$$

BYO

No

delicious.com.au

BOOKA

TABLENOWAT

Peppe’spasta

offerings.

RIGHT:the

osteria’scool

diningroom;

and(below)

tiramisu.

@huckstergram @anthuckstep

For more of our critics’ dining picks.

30 delicious.com.au