A
h,therules– theendlessrules– ofItalian
food.Nomilkycoffeeafterbreakfast;
noparmesanwithseafoodpasta;al dente,
always;andkeepyourhandsoffthebread
untilthefoodarrives,youimbecille. Andletus
notforgetalltheproduce-drivenpieties.The
pastamakersintheirdustywhiteshroudsoftipo“00”flour.
TheAssociazioneVeracePizzaNapoletana(AVPN),theOpus
Deiofpizza,flexingitsmightallthewaytotheNewWorld.
SaywhatyoulikeaboutItalianfood’scountlessorthodoxies,
they’vegonea longwaytokeepit safefromthecreative
effortsofchefseagertomaketheirmark.Yethereweare,
staringdowna giddyyearthathasturnedtheveritiesof
Italianfoodintoa gameoffreeassociation.Featuringstar
playerssuchasanIndian-spicedtrippaallaRomanaand
a ChineseBolognesepizza,allbetsareoffasthethirdwave
ofItalianfoodcrestswithoutthreateningtobreak.
FromAlberto’sLoungeinSydney(homeofthattripe)to
Leonardo’sPizzaPalaceinMelbourne(homeofthatpizza),
themostexcitingopeningsofthepast 12 monthsareItalian,
withvaryingdegreesof-ish.Menushaveveeredfromclassic
tooutréandallportsinbetweenat Sydney’sDonPeppino’s,
BellaBrutta,Bistecca,Mary’sPizzeriaandMatteoDowntown,
andinMelbourneat DiStasioCittà,PentolinaandCapitano.
EvenMelbournevegantempleSmith&Daughtershasgone
Italian,withchefShannonMartinezdishingthefauxonfritto
misto,melonandprosciuttopanzanella,andcacioe pepe.
YouprettymuchknowItalianfoodis havinga momentwhen
Sydney’sSwillhouseGroup(theblokesresponsibleforRestaurant
Hubert,TheBaxterInnandFrankie’sPizza)getbehindit.Daniel
PepperellmayhavewonkudosforhisItalian-inflectedmenuat
10 William St, but he’s the very mark of a modern chef who➤Indian-spicedtrippaallaRomana,yuzu
risotto,vegancacioe pepe.Thelatestwave
ofrestaurantopeningsisItalian,butnotas
you know it, writesLARISSA DUBECKI.
PHOTOGRAPHY DOMINIC LONERAGAN (BISTECCA) & GETTY IMAGES (PASTA).
GOURMET TRAVELLER 61