Australian Gourmet Traveller - (05)May 2019 (1)

GOURMET TRAVELLER 47

PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA.

Melbourne review

indulgence.Youcomeheretoparticipate

as muchas toeat,toforgetworktomorrow

andagreetoanotherglassofTerlaner

ClassicoorPioCesareBarolo.Tosay

yestoanextraserveofclassicNeapolitan

zeppolediSanGiuseppe,theslightly

chewypastryfilledandcappedwith

Marsala-tingedcustardandcrowned

witha brandy-soakedcherry.Youdon’t

comeheretocountpennies,drinksor

calories.Hedonismis thecreed.

Themenu,whichis large,pricey

and,forregularsat StKilda’sCaféDi

StasioandBarDiStasio,familiarbut

notrepetitive,encouragestheapproach.

It’salsoavailablealldayuntilclose,

sothethrice-cookedduck,availablein

portionsoftwo,threeorfour,with

a discreetorangebackbeatanda salty,

reducedduck-stocksauce,canbean

afternoonpick-me-uporpost-theatre

biteas easilyas partoflunchordinner.

There’salsonothingonthemenu

toscarethehorses.Cittàis aboutItalian

classics,solidlycookedwith carefully

sourced ingredients.➤

Thefoodanddrinkaresimilarlyready

fortheirclose-up.OneofMelbourne’s

bestMartinisarrivesperfectlychilledon

a silvertrayaccompaniedbya coupefilled

withcrushedicecradlingextraolivesand

a sidedishforthepits.Anchovysnacks

• a tiny,pizza-like“tartina”toppedwitha
  smearoftomatopurée,a singleanchovy
  anda tinybasilleaf,ora crispnumber
  withthefilletrolledina sageleaf,then
  flouredandfried– areservedonvintage
  silverstandslikesacramentalofferings.
  Theysuitthequasi-religioustone
  at RinaldoDiStasio’snewcityventure.
  It’snotjustthehighceilingsandaustere
  polishedplasterwallssplashedwithart
  thatcreatea temple-likespace,butalso
  how fully committed the place is to

FlamboyantlyFellini-esque,DiStasioCittàmakesdining

a theatrical event, writesMICHAEL HARDEN.

Art of hospitality

I

t’sFridaynightandDiStasioCittàis

heavinglikea partysceneina Fellini

movie.Everyredleatherdiningchair

andloftyblackleatherbarstoolis

occupied,exceptforwhentheoccupant

is doingtheroundsoftheroom,greeting

friendsat othertables.Peoplewaveat

andtoasteachothertoa soundtrackof

Italianpopandfolkmusic.Floorstaff

• thewomenininky-bluecassockdresses
  drapedinscarletbeads,themenwhite-
  jacketedorbesuited– areinconstant
  motion,asarethevideoinstallations
  byRekoRennieandShaunGladwell
  onloopbehindthebarandhighontwo
  walls,theirimagesreflectingoffmarble
  andterrazzo.Muranochandeliershover
  like giant jellyfish above the bathrooms.

Cocktailcanapésselezione,

includingcrostinidiParma,

mozzabomba,rotolinicon

prosciutto,ricottaalforno

anderbazzone.Left:Di

Stasio Città’s entrance.