FORWARD PLANNING
THE LATEST FROM CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS AROUND AUSTRALIA
New restaurant openings to look forward to, retro cakes, a specialty knife shop and no-waste shopping.
BRISBANE
Hospitality partners in life and work Lauren Smith and Andrea Gatti (ex-Hellenika manager and sommelier respectively) had plans to relocate to Europe last year, but given this dream was put on hold the pair are channelling a little slice of Sicily in Fortitude Valley with the opening of their restaurant and wine bar Rosmarino. Located within the revamped heritage-listed Stewart and Hemmant hub, the modern Italian 60-seater sees head chef Dario Manca draw on his Sardinian heritage. The dining room and sunny courtyard is primed for navigating a menu of cheese, salumi and fresh pasta (including hand-folded culurgiones); joined by an 800-strong wine list, focused on organic and biodynamic wines particularly from Sicily’s Mount Etna region.
James Street has welcomed a two-pronged Italian restaurant and bar by chefs and twins, James and Alec Carney. Gemelli Italian and the adjacent
Bar Tano will celebrate wood-fired pizza and aperitivo hour. The menu at Gemelli Italian will be similar to its original Broadbeach location and will draw upon recipes passed down from the brothers’ grandparents, including gnocchi zucca and polpo alla griglia.
Southbanks’ Emporium Hotel will welcome Takashiya, a flash 12-seat omakase restaurant, alongside a casual whisky and sake den. Headed by chef Takashi Nami – who hails from Hokkaido Japan, and started his cooking career at just 15 – the dégustation menu will feature tuna and wagyu shipped from Japan, alongside Tasmanian wasabi, and truffles from Western Australia.
Essa, the long-awaited sequel to Brisbane’s Gauge, is set to debut in September and will focus on adventurous yet approachable fine dining. “It will be understated luxury, share plates in style and fine dining in foundation but with understated presentation,” says Essa head chef
Phil Marchant. The menu is still being finalised but dishes could include chickpea beignets with spanner crab and spatchcocked quail with capers, lemon, brown butter and salt bush; or kohlrabi, burnt and peeled then lightly pickled in chardonnay vinegar and sliced charcuterie-style over fresh house curd with pistachio oil.
SYDNEY
Bondi’s Hall Street has a lively, new neighbourhood bar inspired by South American botecos (small bars). The team behind Copo hails from South America, and hopes to bring a slice of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires to the beachside suburb. Snack on hand-folded empanadas; prawn and cassava croquettes; slow-cooked ox tongue; tapioca cheese bread; and crusty baguettes with chorizo and chimichurri, all while sipping on a cocktail, many of which are centred around cachaça, a Brazilian liquor made from fermented sugarcane juice.
Nearby, after the success of Fish Shop, a dedicated takeaway-only seafood spot will open up next door. The aptly named FSH MKT will be overseen by Fish Shop’s Joel Bennetts.
In Surry Hills, another takeaway offshoot, Lode Pies and Pastries, is set to open. The bakery by LuMi Dining’s Federico Zanellato, plus business partners Lorenzo Librino and Michela Boncagni, will serve elevated sausage rolls, a brisket and mushroom Pithivier (inspired by a much-loved course at LuMi), vegetarian quiche and galette des rois (puff-pastry cake). In Chippendale, Toby Wilson’s
Ricos Tacos has morphed from food truck into a takeaway window, with hopes to evolve into a restaurant by the end of the year. For now, the corner shop is offering al pastor take-home packs and breakfast tacos topped with a soft-boiled egg, chorizo and potato; zucchini-flower quesadillas; and chipotle-salted hash browns.
MELBOURNE
Richmond has welcomed Waygood – a relaxed cave à manger from Martin Pirc (Punch Lane and Juliet Melbourne). Housed in the former Saint Urban space, executive chef Nuno Gabriel is dishing out cauliflower schnitzel with jalapeño kraut and mayo; and pan-fried ricotta and sage gnocchi with mushroom and silverbeet. Wine-wise, guests can grab a bottle to-go from the wall of 80 ever-changing tipples or can drink it in-house for $25 corkage per bottle. To foster a community feel, the venue has a wine club in the works and locals specials, plus an outdoor, dog-friendly dining strip on Swan Street. Alongside food and wine, diners will also find a disposable camera on the menu encouraging a phone-free meal.
In Glen Iris, Deeds Taproom and
Kitchen is the first public venue from the aforenamed local brewery. The kitchen showcases culinary uses for beer – including hop-cured salmon with crème fraîche, fennel and Geraldton wax; wagyu blade fillet with green chilli harissa, kale and ale glaze; and a stout-spiked chocolate brownie – while the 20-metre-long bar is home to 22 unique beers.