1. Ingeniería

Hartsyard: peanut butter and banana sundae
with pretzel ice-cream, salted chocolate fudge
and banana stuffed doughnuts; fried chicken with
buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy (opposite)
Taste
Food, wine and the hot
gourmet destinations.
✈ 118 RESTAURANTS / TABLE FOR TWO
✈ 127 WINE / THE ALCOHOL STORY
N E W S OU T H WA L E S
Hartsyard
33 Enmore Road, Newtown.
(02) 8068 1473. hartsyard.com.au
Andy Bowdy is a soft-serve celebrity. Just ask
the 10,000 people who follow him breathlessly on
Instagram, poised to love-heart his latest creations.
Why all the fuss? Because the man’s an artist. His
recent weekly specials have included a mango
cheesecake number that featured baked cheesecake
chunks, macadamia-coconut praline, mango gel and
lime syrup; and a tribute to the famed watermelon
rose cake from Newtown patisserie Black Star. Yes, all
in cones. Following on from big-flavoured offerings
such as fondue with chorizo and flatbread, or fried
chicken with buttermilk biscuit and gravy
from owner-chef Greg Llewellyn, it’s a
mighty couple-friendly sweet finish.
Open: dinner Wed-Sun. Licensed. Mains $26-$55.
A LITTLE MORE
CONVERSATION
REVIEWS BY ✜ PAT NOURSE (NSW) ✜ SUE DYSON & ROGER McSHANE (TAS) ✜ MICHAEL HARDEN (VIC) ✜ JOHN
BIRMINGHAM (QLD) ✜ NIGEL HOPKINS (SA)✜ MAX VEENHUYZEN (WA) ✜ SAM McCUE (NT) ✜ GARETH MEYER (ACT)
PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT HAWKINS
Whether it’s business or romance that’s in the air, at these dining
establishments, fine food and atmosphere definitely value-add to dinner à deux.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Monopole
Pendolino
Rockpool
71a Macleay Street, Potts Point.
(02) 9360 4410. monopolesydney.com.au
Bentley, they say, is where you dine with
your husband, but Monopole is where you
take your boyfriend. True or not, there’s a
frisson to this wine bar-eatery that gives
even the most above-board assignations
an illicit thrill. It’s dark and sultry, the
crowd is lively and a just little louche,
and there’s something about the layout
that seems to encourage the brushing
of shoulders and the meeting of eyes. Or
maybe that’s just the booze talking. There’s
certainly plenty of it. Pair charcuterie and
snacks with sherry and cocktails, or pony
up for white burgundy to savour with the
likes of “Fat Bastard” asparagus with
mussels, and juicy snapper framed with
pickled celery, grapes and broad beans.
Open: dinner daily, lunch Sat-Sun.
Licensed. Mains $28-$30.
Shop 100, Level 2, The Strand Arcade,
412-414 George Street, Sydney.
(02) 9231 6117. pendolino.com.au
Is this the sauciest restaurant in town?
Perhaps it’s the cheek of the waiters.
Maybe it’s the way the blinds are
permanently drawn. It could even be
the adjoining olive oil store. In any case,
there’s something distinctly grown-up
about the pleasures of dining here, atop
the splendour of the Strand Arcade. That
adult quality extends to the menu, too. It
might trip from a tartare of tuna dressed
with cucumber, red onion and garum
(Rome’s answer to fish sauce), to housemade bucatini with Spencer Gulf prawns
in a sauce of tomato and cuttlefish ink,
and then close with the memorable likes
of blood-orange and olive oil fritters.
Open: lunch & dinner Mon-Sat. Licensed.
Mains $39-$45.
❯
11 Bridge Road, Sydney.
(02) 9252 1888. rockpool.com
Though it’s all business by day, after
dark, romance swells in Rockpool’s
bosom. The new dining room is a sea
of glimmering darkness punctuated by
islands of light and the flit of black-clad
waiters. It’s said that the sight of lovers
feedeth those in love. Then again, those
in love also tend to feedeth very well here
on morsels of chicken-dripping kombu
butter. And whatever its aphrodisiac
power, caviar is sure to win the day
when it’s paired with poached egg and
a lacework of crisp potato. Romancing
on a budget? Stake out seats at the bar
for caviar sandwiches instead.
Open: lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat.
Licensed. Nine courses $145,
10 courses $165.
F E BRUA RY 201 5 Q A N TA S 1 1 9
Monopole (from far left): snapper, pickled celery, grapes
and borlotti beans; grilled lamb rump, green garlic, spring
peas and broad beans; interior; Il Bàcaro (above)
Frank
1 Franklin Wharf, Hobart.
(03) 6231 5005. frankrestaurant.com.au
At its entrance Frank, a bold new eatery on Hobart’s waterfront,
doesn’t look the candidate for an intimate dinner. But beyond its
lively bar and open kitchen are a few tables colloquially known as
the “love nest”. Tables for two are well-spaced and a banquette is
strewn with cushions. If love is in the air, oysters are always a good
starter and here, fire-roasted oysters with a touch of spicy chorizo
are particularly good. Lesser-known cuts of beef such as flat iron
and entraňa (inside skirt or hanger steak), which are cooked over
charcoal, and given a South American touch with chimichurri
and salsa picante, are ideal to share, maybe with a side of creamed
zucchini or black-eye pea salad. Or a whole baby chicken cooked
on the chappa (a flat grill) is definitely a dish for two. And Frank’s
take on nemesis cake, with whisky ice-cream and a Brazil nut and
smoky paprika praline, is as pretty as it is delicious.
Open: lunch & dinner daily. Mains $25-$40.
VICTORIA
Kappo
Ground Floor, 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
(03) 9639 9500. kappo.com.au
There’s a lovely, hushed intimacy at Kappo. With only
24 seats, flattering lighting, central timber bar and hanging
rice-paper details, it’s as if the cosy, carpeted space has been
directly transplanted from Tokyo. And just as in the kappo-style
restaurants of Japan, chef Kentaro Usami creates a series of
intricate omakase menus from behind the bar, so diners are also
spectators. The menus (five, seven or nine courses) are created
1 20 Q A N TA S F E BRUA RY 201 5
dominated by a central marble and timber bar, is all wood
panelling and timber blinds, closely packed tables dressed in
white linen, and wait staff as charming as they are efficient. It’s
the sort of room that’s sexy without ever straining for effect, and
is often filled with couples of all ages eyeing each other under
subdued, flattering lighting. The appeal also comes from a menu
of solidly cooked Italian food that’s not afraid of big flavours and
the occasional modern touch. There’s a not-to-be-missed Moreton
Bay bug pasta tossed with chilli, garlic and anchovies; wagyu
carpaccio; and suckling pig fragrant with fennel. The wine list
has always been one of Il Bàcaro’s strong points.
Open: lunch & dinner Mon-Sat. Licensed. Mains $37-$45.
from a list of seasonal ingredients, mostly vegetables and fish,
with slight variations between each table. There might be fresh
and pickled vegetables with walnut miso, marinated tuna belly
with chilli daikon, air-cured salmon wrapped around cucumber
and accompanied by a creamy egg-yolk miso, or deep-fried quail
in a panko crumb. Add brilliant service and an inspired wine and
sake list, and Kappo delivers a truly special experience for two.
Open: lunch Fri, dinner Mon-Sat. Licensed. Omakase $80-$140.
Kirk’s Wine Bar
46-52 Hardware Lane, Melbourne.
(03) 9600 4550. kirkswinebar.com
The partnership of Con Christopoulos, Josh Brisbane and chef
Ian Curley has already delivered some of Melbourne’s most-loved
businesses (The European, City Wine Shop, Siglo), and is now
kicking goals with this sophisticated wine bar. Like its siblings,
Kirk’s is an unashamed Europhile, combining an all-day bar/cafe/
bistro that’s as comfortable dishing up freshly shucked oysters
(perhaps with bottarga and horseradish) to accompany excellent
champagne as it is serving eggs with cold-pressed juices, a
beautifully cooked steak with celeriac remoulade, pork cotoletta
with pickled apple, or cherries with a house-made yoghurt gelati.
The compact dimensions of the room (including the small gem of
a timber bar), plus the European feel, make it a perfect fit for two.
Open: breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Licensed. Mains $22-$24.
Il Bàcaro
168-170 Little Collins Street, Melbourne.
(03) 9654 6778. ilbacaro.com.au
This dark and handsome Italian restaurant has been around
for two decades and is ageing beautifully. The narrow room,
MONOPOLE PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT HAWKINS; IL BÀCARO: CHRISTINE FRANCIS
TASMANIA
Vue de Monde
Level 55, Rialto, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne.
(03) 9691 3888. vuedemonde.com.au
The innate romance of glittering city lights has been well
documented and is on full turbocharged display from the floorto-ceiling windows 55 floors above the city at Vue de Monde.
Add a dark hued, sensuous dining room that combines kangaroo
hide-covered tables (beautiful to touch), chairs draped in
kangaroo fur, tables strewn with river pebbles doubling as cutlery
holders and butter dishes, and you have an experience that’s
as much about theatre as it is about dinner. Shannon Bennett’s
multi-course menus have a lovely sense of whimsical fun that
sits well with all the serious and often complicated technique on
display. Kangaroo might be roasted over charcoal at the table.
Liquid nitrogen freezes leaves and petals that diners crush
with a mortar and pestle and then eat with a cucumber sorbet.
Marshmallows taste like truffles. Smoked eel is teamed with
white chocolate and caviar. There’s an enormous wine list and
even a tea sommelier. It’s impressive, it’s expensive, it’s playful
and, with those lights as backdrop, it can be swooningly romantic.
Open: lunch Thu-Sun, dinner Mon-Sun. Licensed. Four courses
$150, degustations $200-$250.
QUEENSLAND
Sorellina
31 Logan Road, Woolloongabba.
(07) 3391 8459. sorellinapizzeria.com
How often do relationships trace back their happiness to simple
meals? Sorellina pizza and vino bar is another small gem from the
diamond mine that is Enoteca, just across the street. The antique,
colonial space has been stripped back to basics and the kitchen
has concentrated on refining a simple formula into something
distinctive. Sorellina is fun and friendly. Bases are crisp and light,
the toppings fresh and well-matched: Tuscan kale, anchovies and
chilli; pork sausage and caramelised onion. There are a few playful
moments tucked away in the entree and dessert menus. The
mozzarella sticks and nonna’s meatballs can be a dangerous
distraction from the business of pizza scoffing. Leave room for
the peanut-butter and chic-chip cookie with a glass of milk.
Open: lunch & dinner Wed-Sun. Licensed. Mains $18-$23.
Aria
Eagle Street Pier, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane.
(07) 3233 2555. ariarestaurant.com
Matt Moran was one of the first of the southern super chefs to set
sail for the deep north. Brisbane’s Aria has adapted to local tastes
and produce without compromising its progenitor’s commitment
to quality. The graceful space enjoys magical river views, and the
staff are exemplars of charm and hospitality. A juicy slab of
❯
F E BRUA RY 201 5 Q A N TA S 1 21
TASTE RESTAURANTS
for a pre-dinner drink, and the shiny
Vespa scooter at the front door signals
you’ve come to the right place.
Open: lunch Tue-Fri, dinner Tue-Sat.
Licensed. Mains $32-$42.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Subiaco Hotel
Aria: scallops seared
and served with crisp
chicken, seaweed,
apple and radish
roasted, crisp-skinned barramundi is a
heady pleasure, or a gently steamed fillet
of kingfish with asparagus, mustard and
shallots a delicate contrast. Excellent
grain-fed Angus is beautifully crusted on
the outside and indecently pink within. A
delicate raspberry souffle is such an airy
wisp that you can indulge without being
weighed down. But the carrot cake with
pumpkin ice-cream is waiting patiently
to turn your head and send you off with
a full belly and a contented smile.
Open: lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily.
Licensed. Mains $48-$58.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANSON SMART
Windy Point Restaurant
Belair Road, Belair.
(08) 8278 8255. windypoint.com.au
It used to be called the Starlight Room,
and for good reason. The dining room has
a retractable roof to let the stars shine in as
well as spectacular wall-to-wall views over
Adelaide. Once the sort of place Liberace
would have played while he waited for
fame, these days it’s big-night-out territory
where couples can canoodle in comfort –
apparently marriage proposals aren’t
unusual, probably just as the decadent
chocolate mélange for two arrives. Chef
Justin Miles’ menu, like the wine list and
the place itself, has matured beyond being
just respectable – to seriously good.
Conservative tastes will welcome
excellent versions of dishes such as
a classic chateaubriand, while there
are more contemporary dishes such as
Korean pork belly with pineapple chutney
and daikon salad, or waygu rump with
saffron yoghurt and quinoa tabbouleh.
Ask for a table for two beside the window
and you’ll be lost in a world of your own.
Open: dinner Tue-Sat. Licensed.
Mains $33-$50.
Auge Ristorante
22 Grote Street, Adelaide.
(08) 8410 9332. auge.com.au
First, there’s the simple elegance of
Auge’s dining room, a peaceful place for
the enjoyment of good food, wine and
company. Then there’s the super-slick
service, making Auge the sort of place
where nothing should ever go wrong. And,
of course, there’s the food, some of the best
Italian cooking in Adelaide with many
classic dishes perfectly executed. Start
with venison carpaccio or a fritto misto
that includes local calamari and prawns,
before moving on to pappardelle with
slow-braised pork shoulder, a very fine
rendition of linguine with blue swimmer
crab and chilli, or roasted pork belly. The
adjoining Spuntini Bar is the perfect place
465 Hay Street, Subiaco.
(08) 9381 3069. subiacohotel.com.au
Smart enough for occasion dining yet
accessible enough for just-because, the
Subiaco Hotel admirably fits the bill for a
versatile date restaurant. For some, dining
here is all about superior renditions of
comfort classics – luxe bangers and mash,
say, or elegant, featherweight fish and
chips. Others return time after time to
road-test imaginative constructs such as
a savoury Thai-influenced crab and pork
custard, or deeply satisfying crumbed
corned beef. However you play it, count
on bold, punchy cooking and relaxed,
well-pitched service. After dinner, the
hotel offers various nightcap options: hit
the new rooftop lounge for an al fresco
digestif or enjoy a classic cocktail at
the rebooted main bar.
Open: lunch & dinner daily. Licensed.
Mains $20-$38.
Balthazar
6 The Esplanade, Perth.
(08) 9421 1206. balthazar.com.au
The clubby, art deco room. Slick, sociable
wait staff. Not having to share plates, or
share a table with other guests. Balthazar
continues to deliver a polished, classic
dining experience at odds with today’s
predilection for the rowdy and casual. It’s
the perfect setting for a tête-à-tête – as long
as daring mod-Oz constructs such as juicy
duck breast crunched up with walnuts, or
pork fillet and croquette with pureed egg
yolk, don’t derail the conversation. Then
again, few things are as conducive to
quality dialogue as fine wine, and the
Balthazar cellar is well equipped to field
any request. The sweet stuff is just as
reliable; who could possibly say no to
a brilliantly molten chocolate fondant?
Open: lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat.
Licensed. Mains $30-$48.
❯
F E BRUA RY 201 5 Q A N TA S 1 2 3
RESTAURANTS TASTE
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Pavonia Place
2 Pavonia Place, Nightcliff.
(08) 8948 1515. pavoniaplace.com.au
Any kind of couple could have a fine night at Pavonia
Place. Want to linger? Go the whole hog with grilled pork
loin, perhaps preceded by perfectly cooked scallops on
parsnip puree and followed by rose-petal and strawberry
Eton mess. Odd couple? There are lots of vegetarian and
gluten-free dishes, as well as meaty goodness in the form
of native pepper steak tartare, slow-braised wallaby
shanks, lamb cutlets and eye fillet. And the drinks
list provides plenty of options. Despite its tucked-away
suburban location, Pavonia Place is busy most nights,
yet the tables still feel private.
Open: dinner Tue-Sat. Licensed Mains $26-$39.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Water’s Edge
40 Parkes Place, Parkes.
(02) 6273 5066. watersedgecanberra.com.au
A minimalist, sleek space, soft furnishings and wall-toceiling windows offering a sweeping view of Lake Burley
Griffin make for a special occasion at Water’s Edge. Owner/
chef James Mussillon has maintained high standards in
the kitchen despite recent changes in personnel. Expect
mod-Euro combinations, a touch of kitchen wizardry and
high art on the plate. A four-course dinner menu progresses
from the delicate flavours of goat’s cheese millefeuille with
beetroot and radish salad, to the richness of confit salmon
with buerre blanc. Desserts are a highlight, including a
stunning Valrhona chocolate tart with caramel ice-cream.
A hefty wine list supports a proposal or anniversary.
Open: lunch & dinner Tue-Sun. Licensed. Four courses $80.
Mezzalira Ristorante
London Circuit & West Row, Canberra City.
(02) 6230 0025. mezzalira.com.au
The charming and historic Melbourne Building
provides the perfect ambience for a special heart-to-heart
and a recent interior makeover has given Mezzalira a new
lease on life. Clean lines, neutral tones and plenty of
fine-grained timber surfaces contribute to a polished but
now less-formal dining experience. There’s some
refinement on the plate as well. House-made tortellini is a
standout – the sweetness of pumpkin, buffalo mozzarella
and leek complemented by nutty and savoury flavours of
burnt-butter and sage. Meat dishes such as suckling pig
with fennel take advantage of the wood-fired oven. An
early-bird dinner option (6-7pm) of two courses and a glass
of wine is excellent value at $39.50.
Open: lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat. Licensed.
Mains $32-$38.
A