Spigolo
Image: One glance at the menu and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Pino Nocera just delivers ordinary Italian classics. After you cut into your huge, puffy Calzone Pulcinella ($22.90) revealing creamy white contents wrapped in tasty, chewy dough topped by fresh tomato and shaved Parmesan, you’ll be a convert.
One glance at the menu and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Pino Nocera just delivers ordinary Italian classics. After you cut into your huge, puffy Calzone Pulcinella ($22.90) revealing creamy white contents wrapped in tasty, chewy dough topped by fresh tomato and shaved Parmesan, you’ll be a convert. A neighbouring lady diner seemed daunted by hers but recovered to pose open-mouthed before it, quipping to her male companion: “I’m that good!” Ah sex in the città! She can be excused – al fresco tables under the faux grape vines are romantic, and the handsome, muscular wait staff ooze Italian charm and speak the mother tongue. So do many of the patrons. Pino’s son Luigi stands out on the floor with five-star experience, coaxing us into a (regular) special of Fettuccini Lobster ($31.90) with a good bisque-like sauce that evenly coats every al dente strand. The popular Eye Fillet ($31.90) is almost eclipsed by the accompanying pepper sauce, so good it turns all items on my plate into vehicles for delivering more! There’s a lot of time in the detailed explanations on the Italian wine list. We opted for an inexpensive Fazio Montélimo Nero D’Avola Merlot ($26.90) – a fruity, easy companion to our food and the hot night.
Spigolo
60 Riley Street, Darlinghurst
Ph: (02) 9356 3288 www.spigolo.com.au
Italian $$-$$$
