Australian Gourmet Traveller - (01)January 2020 (1)

founder– is pouringfroma list
that’saspleasurabletoreadasit
is todrinkfrom.Thelistopens
withYulli’sbrews,cocktails,
sparklingsandwild-fermented
beers,plussomedetours.“Apples
BetterThanGrapes?”it asksabove
a rovingciderselection.“What

AboutRice”it saysabovevibrant
FujiichiShuzoKanazawasake.
Yes,whataboutrice.
Wineshomeinonsmall
FrenchandItaliangrowers,
andwaiterswilltalkthrougha
catarrattomadefromgrapesgrown
inthevolcanicsoilofWestern
Sicilyasconfidentlyasthey’ll
digintotheamarisection.Paci
is clearlystaffedbypeoplewho’ve

drunkthedrinks,eatenthefood,
andwanttotellyouaboutit.
Letthem.They’llsteeryouto
cavatelliwiththetangofsourdough
starterthat’ssweetfromgratedpear
andsharpfrompecorino.They’ll
recommenda flounder,roastedtill
it’sbrownedontheoutsideandjust
cookedinthecentre,andserved
witha glossysauceFlorentine.

Petänen’sfoodis simple,
yetcerebral.Hetakesthekinda
rice-and-vegetablecasseroleyou
mightfindinHelsinkiandturns
it intoa cauliflowersteaktopped
withgarlic,chilliandbuttery
breadcrumbswitha cheesesauce
basedonovercookedwhiterice.
Clever, even if hacking through

thecauliflowerstalkwiththe

spoon-forkset-upcanfeela bit

127 Hours. Hecooksdownsmoked

troutintoa sweet,gutturalXO

andtossesit throughsuperb

gnocchiinanItalian-Cantonese-

Australianpostcardtohome.

Forsweets,a fudgycardamom

chocolatemousse-cakeis cutely

concealedwithchocolatecrisps

studdedwithsprinkles,butthe

lushsweet-saltyclassicfrom

thePacipop-upofcarrotsorbet

onliquoricecakeunderan

airyyoghurtmoussestillholds

court.Don’tmissit.

I’dsaydon’tmissCafePaci,

butthistimeit’sstaying.What’s

more,it’sbecomemorethingsto

morepeople,fuelledbyPetänen’s

clearmindandsteadyhandbut

ina waythat’slesstricked-up

andmoredelicious.Potatoes

andeggstheremaybe,butas

longasPetänen’scooking them,

we’re in for a ride.●

Right:chocolatewith

maltandcardamom.

Below:flounderwith

sauce Florentine.

CafePaci

131 KingSt,

Newtown,

(02) 9550 6196,

cafepaci.com.au

Licensed

OpenMon-Fri

5.30pm-10pm;

Satnoon-10pm

PricesEntrées

$8-$22,main

courses$26-$38,

desserts$15

VegetarianFour

entrées,two

maincourses

NoiseLoud-ish

Wheelchair

accessYe s

MinusThemusic

couldbebetter

PlusIt’s

permanent,

andit’sa hell

of a package

BACKINBLOOM

Merivaleis pushinga retrofeel

atLotus2.0(above),a revivalof

the2000sbar-bistrothatmadeDan

Hong’sname.Therearenoflares

andnoperms,buttheLotusburger

is backwithcold-smokedbrisketin

thepatty,andthesundaeis assaucy

asever.Inthemixarehandmade

noodleswithscarletprawnsanda

morcilla-calamarinumberthatrecalls

Hong’stimewithBrentSavage.

FranckMoreau’swinelistis typically

astute,whilethebaris itsown

destination. 22 ChallisAve,Potts

Point,(02) 9114 7340,merivale.com

A BIGGERSPLASH

AtBathers’Pavilion, chefSerge

DansereaupartnerswithIanPagent

(MGGarage)tofuture-proofanold

classic.They’venailedthebrief,and

youcouldeasilyspenda wholeday

atthePavilion.Startwithomelettes

andBloodyMarysinthebistro,take

intheBalmoralbreezewitha Spritz

ontheterrace,andsettleatthe

restaurantforjust-setbugtailwith

smokedbutterandnori.Rinseand

repeat.4 TheEsplanade,Mosman,(02)

9969 5050,batherspavilion.com.au

WHOAMAMA

A restaurantbasedonanEsterstaff

meal?EnterShwarmama, a hole

inthewallwithroomfor 10 anda

queue.MatLindsay’smenuis short,

withanassemblylineturningout

chicken(orlamb)shawarmaloaded

withtoumandsmokyharissa,

anda halal-snack-packtribute.At

breakfast,eggplantandeggsabich

makesfriendswithParamount

coffee;Wildflowerbeeranda

coupleofwinessupporttherest.

Shop2,106-112CommonwealthSt,

Surry Hills, shwarmama.com.au

Details

AND ALSO...

GOURMET TRAVELLER 33

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