Spago

The Beverly Hills quarter of South Sydney is developing into quite a hub for dining in the further reaches of the city, and Spago flying the flag for innovative cuisine that can comfortably shoulder the tag ‘modern Australian’ while proudly showcasing the profound influence of Italian cookery on the magic taking place in the kitchen. Of particular note is Spago’s specialty, pasta fresca, demonstrating just what top chefs are on about when they talk about pasta al dente! The pasta at Spago is made fresh daily, on site at the restaurant’s King Georges Road premises, and when combined with classic sauces like arrabiata or amatriciana, or more lavish toppings like blue swimmer crab on squid ink spaghetti, the results simply superb.

Spago’s menu is classic Italian in many regards, though the restaurant has conceded to modern Australian culinary tradition to open its doors to the Beverly Hills public on the weekend from 11:30am until a generous 3pm for a fantastic brunch selection – a classic big breakfast, BLATs, and salmon frittata. Lunch is also aless structured affair than you might expect from other Italian-oriented restaurants in Sydney, sitting confit chicken salad, salt and pepper squid, and gourmet chips with truffle aioli next to a lunchtime array of antipasto platters for two and the house’s special pasta and risotto dishes. The truffle risotto is particularly recommended for a pungent kick of forest mushrooms, cream, Parmesan, and the ‘holy grail’ of oils.

From 5:30pm until late, Spago’s King Georges Road restaurant reorganises to present a powerhouse menu of Australian and Italian gastronomy. The structure of the menu switches to a more traditional Italian mode, with entrees followed by the unmissable pasta and risotto dishes that have won Spago so much praise, followed by main courses and desserts that change daily on the whim of the expert chefs busy at work in the kitchen throughout the week. However, this is no run-of-the-mill Italian restaurant. Beverly HIlls is lucky to have a restaurant like Spago that can find continuity between gourmet Australian fare and peerless, luxuriant Italianate dishes like the lobster bisque risotto. Bookings are essential.