NOTE WORTHY
Meet the 16-year-old protege singing for our supper at Ashmore, writes
THE first thing you’ll notice when arriving at Bambino restaurant is a getaway car bursting through the second-level facade.
Not an expertly painted two-dimensional picture, but an actual Bambino Fiat hanging precariously above the footpath.
This animated decor sets the tone for the rest of Benowa’s newest venue — expect an entertaining, playful dining experience with live music and classic Italian fare.
Holding its grand opening last Wednesday, Bambino is the work of husband and wife team David and Tarscha De Vito, of Southport’s De Vito Waterfront.
In its short few years of opening, De Vito Waterfront has become famous for its live music performances while you eat, including soprano vocals from none other than its singing head chef David. Bambino will run on the same concept, with 16-year-old protege Jack Watson to take on the role of singing chef and venue promoter.
The De Vitos hope Bambino will become a platform for up-and-coming local talent.
“(De Vito Waterfont has) become quite a large home for music on the Gold Coast,” Tarscha says.
“We have live music six nights a week. My other half is an amazing performer — he’s definitely David De Vito through and through, so we decided to have a bambino of our own.
“In the last couple of years we’ve had Jack Watson, he’s been our apprentice singing chef.
“He’s an amazing young person who’s been able to turn his hand to anything, and he loves the hospitality industry.”
If De Vito Waterfront is the parent with a white-collar job, Bambino’s is the gregarious son — still polished in appearance, but perhaps a little more casual and warm.
“The whole concept of this restaurant is me passing on my knowledge as a chef, and a singer, to the new generation,” chef David De Vito says.
“Jack will adopt the same concept. He’ll be in the kitchen cooking and, when there’s a break in the orders, he’ll head out and sing some tunes, then head back in the kitchen.”
Diners can expect a menu full of family recipes and traditional southern Italian food, with pizza as the main event.
“It’ll be classic Italian with a De Vito twist,” David says. “With a cannelloni, instead of using the usual suspects, beef and spinach, I’m doing a buffalo ricotta, sweet potato and pine nut one.
“And instead of baking in the oven with sauce and mozzarella, we’re going to be doing a forest mushroom topping.
“My family is just out of Naples — I’m teaching him (Jack) how to do pizzas the traditional Neapolitan way.
“Very thin crust, simple ingredients. The food in Italy is extremely simple and honest.
“It’ll be classic homestyle Italian, something an Italian grandmother would cook. Really old school, brick oven pizza, really traditional menu.”
If you’re wondering how the getaway car fits in, the theme is old-school Italian gangster — all things mobster, Al Capone and Godfather, set in the early 20th Century New York.
“The front facade of the restaurant will have this Fiat Bambino, it’s going to be the plaque on the wall,” David says.
“It’s busting through the wall as part of a crime scene. There’s a big street mural as well. It’s huge, it’s 27sq m. It’s like a New York alley.”
Live music, indulgent Italian dishes and it’s BYO — now that’s an offer you can’t refuse.
Bambino, Shop 3, 117 Ashmore Road, Benowa is open Tuesday to Sunday from 4pm until late