DetailsAlberto’s
Lounge
17-19 Alberta St, Sydney,
albertoslounge.com
Licensed
CardsAE MC V EFT
OpenMon-Thu 5pm-late,
Fri-Sat noon-late,
Sun noon-10pm
PricesEntrées $18-$28,
pasta $26, main courses
$36-$38, desserts $8-$14
VegetarianOne
entrée, one pasta
NoiseStill loud, but
not as loud as Berta
Wheelchair accessYe s
MinusOverenthusiastic
work on the grill
PlusDaniel Pepperell
returns to ItalyIf it was fish sauce in the Bolognese at
10 William Street and XO with the
escargots at Hubert, here it’s nubs of
deep-fried tripe that lend texture to that
bowl of trippa, the cream that lightens it,
the spices that hold back the funk. It’s
binding the sauce coating fat pieces of
gnocchi with cream and butter in a more
creamy, more buttery take on cacio e pepe.
The wine list continues in the same
vein as the food, with a strong but not
total allegiance to Italy. Sommelier
Andy Tyson wrote the
broad, beautiful list at
Hubert, and he moves on
the floor here like a man
who had fun putting this
one together. Ask for his
help and he might choose
a bottle of 2016 Botonero
Nebbiolo grown on the
slopes of Valtellina in
Lombardy from a section
labelled “Il Rosso Divino”
that’s populated with back
vintages, then choose the
dishes to go with it. There’s
every opportunity to order
a 1958 Fontanafredda if
you want to push the boat
out, but there’s also plenty
under $100 if you don’t.
Service, meanwhile, is as
smooth and charming as at
Hubert, and the presence of
Benjamin Brown (ex-Sepia)
only strengthens things.It’s not all plain sailing. The sight
of the robata grill flaring up under a
$95 bistecca makes it seem an expensive
gamble, and the swordfish can land on
the dry side. But these are exceptions.
The cotoletta – pork neck fried in a herb
crumb – is crisp and juicy. And the scarlet
prawns, brushed with colatura d’alici, the
anchovy essence, grilled, then salted, are
a masterstroke. Tear off the head, dip the
body in the spilt juices, lick fingers, repeat.
Desserts are restrained. There’s a single
cannolo filled with ricotta shot
through with pistachio and
candied orange peel that makes
you wish they could all be like
this. Order two. Or two scoops
of the gelato or sorbetto they’re
churning. The selection changes
frequently, but it could be
young coconut and chocolate
or (a nod, perhaps, to the
proximity of Thai Town)
mango and sticky rice. It’s a
clean finish.
For those who hold the
tenets of Italian cuisine close or
those who want a little pizzazz,
they’ll find both here. What’s
more, it feels like Pepperell is
right back where he belongs.
At once traditional, progressive,
timeless and contemporary,
Alberto is a place that, like
Hubert, makes fun a priority,
which suggests it might be here
for a long time yet.●IF YOU BUILD IT
Start with the bread, a big blistered piece
of dough straight out of the wood-fired
oven, then build. ’Nduja, prosciutto,
burrata – the list goes on. It may be
cleaner than Mr Liquor’s Dirty Italian
Disco, but Mike Eggert’s new digs,Totti’s
(above), is just as much fun. Khan Danis
(ex-Rockpool) is in the kitchen with him,
so there’s good protein off the grill to
follow prawn casarecce and pappardelle
with lamb ragù, while litre Negronis and
rosé on tap keep the good times going.
283 Bondi Rd, Bondi, (02) 9114 7371BANG THE DRUM
Xi’an Biang Bianghas opened another
branch on Broadway, meaning those
seeking the signature chew of the
Shaanxi belt noodles with chilli, garlic
and oil have another place to get their
fix. The liang pi, vegetarian cold noodles
tossed with chilli, sesame oil and chunks
of gluten, are good when it’s hot out,
and the bun on the rou jia mo, basically
a Chinese pork burger, has flakiness
for days.197 Broadway, UltimoA YARD OF THEIR OWN
It’s only been a year since Naomi Hart
and Gregory Llewelyn rejiggedHartsyard
to make it lighter and brighter. Now
they’ve handed the keys to head chef
Jarrod Walsh and partner Dot Lee, who,
with version 3.0, move further still from
the fried chicken roots of the original
with a (re)opening menu that goes even
harder on seafood and plants, including
tiny gem lettuce topped with avocado
mousse and furikake. Think evolution,
rather than revolution.33 Enmore
Road, Newtown, (02) 8068 1473AND ALSO...
Sydney review
PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI TO (TOTTI’S).52 GOURMET TRAVELLER