“Sicilian food?” I muse out loud when Mr NQN asks me what other Sicilian restaurants Sydney possesses. I think and think but can’t recall many at all. So when I wanted to show Alex (who was visiting from interstate) a nice Sydney vista, I thought Gusto in scenic Watson’s Bay would be a good choice.
I love the car ride to Watsons Bay, past the lighthouse and water and before long I arrive at the glass fronted restaurant. Inside Paolo the chef and owner is talking to Alex and explaining about Sicilian food and how it differs from Italian cuisine. He tells us that it has sharper flavours and usually has a sweet and sour combination and tends to be spicier. They use vinegars and to balance this they use sweetness. Ricotta is the most frequently used cheese.
Antipasto plate
We start with an antipasto platter with pecorino cheese, grilled sweet potato, zucchini and ricotta filled grilled eggplant. I love the ricotta filled eggplant as it’s divinely soft with a smooth ricotta filling.
Bread with three olive oils
The crusty Italian bread comes with a traffic light of olive oil (or an Italian flag, not the Sicilian flag which we’re later shown) with three olive oils: an extra virgin, pesto oil and a chilli oil. They’re gorgeous and we find the chilli oil very spicy indeed. Paolo tell us of how he was trained in Sicily where for 6 years he went back and forth between Australia and Sicily for 6 years chasing each Summer but was told on doctor’s orders to stop doing that as his immunity has suffered as he hadn’t experienced any Winters. Damn! There goes my plan to follow Summer climates around the world 
Gnocchi al Pomodoro e Basilico $22.90
As Alex is a vegetarian, Paolo brings out some vegetarian pastas so that we can share and he makes them in smaller sizes so that we can try more. He pairs them with with a 2007 Corvo Bianco Insolia from Sicily which is an indigenous grape which is similar to a Sauvignon Blanc. The potato gnocchi comes in light, small pockets with a sweet cherry tomato sauce and lovely melted mozzarella with fresh basil leaves and olive oil. The herbs are from the small garden on the terrace and during the meal we see him going out and picking various herbs.
Herb garden
Penne alla Siciliana $15.90
This was a good choice for me as I loved the soft eggplant and ricotta on the antipasto plate and this dish is similar to that with the softest slow baked crumbled ricotta, eggplant and a tomato sauce and al dente penne although out of the two I prefer the gnocchi for simplicity of flavour and that lovely gooey cheese. Paolo is clearly proud of his Sicilian heritage and shows us a teatowel of all of the regions in Sicily and points out a few including Filicudi in the Lipari Islands where there is a 400 year old restaurant that specialises in Cannelloni with crab.
Paola and his Sicily teatowel!
Pesce Spada alla Messinese $33.90
Our mains come out and I have the specialty of the house, the grilled Swordfish steak topped with warm marinade of capers, tomato, Ligurian olives and oregano. The swordfish is moist and not dry at all (as swordfish can sometimes be) and it’s quite buttery. As I bite into it the salty capers and black Ligurian olives contrast nicely with the sweet cherry tomatoes. The wine that it is matched with is a 2008 Etna Bianco from Sicily using Carricante and Catarratto grapes which is said to go well with sauces. The grapes are grown 1000 metres above sea level on a strip of land that surrounds the famous Mount Etna.
Fungo alle Erbette Mediterranee e Tartufo $22.00
Alex’s jumbo field mushroom stuffed with aromatic herbs is finished with black truffle salsa and Parmiggiano wafers. He had taken the pancetta out as she is a vegetarian and I think it does need it for flavour as I find it either needs a disporportionate amount of reggiano wafer otherwise.
Insalata di Polipo alla Siciliana $16
The side octopus salad with green olives, potato and lemon dressing is delicious and the octopus is tender with a flavoursome dressing.
Insalata di Pomodoro $14.90
The truss tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad is topped with extra virgin olive oil, capers and herbs. It’s almost too pretty to eat but of course we do. It has clean, simple flavours of truss tomatoes and mild, spongey buffalo mozarella coming through with the saltiness of the capers and perfume of the herbs.
Sicilian Cannoli $9
We finish off with what else but cannoli. He pairs it with a glass of the 2008 Passito di Pantelleria Miceli Yanir from Sicily which is sweet but refreshingly slightly tart. The cannoli are delicious, crisp and crunchy on the outside and filled with that same smooth fresh ricotta with a hint of orange zest. It’s a lovely way to end a lovely meal.
2008 Passito di Pantelleria Miceli Yanir from Sicily
So tell me Dear Reader, which cuisine intrigues you the most?
On weekends the original 1954 Italian Ice cream cart from Sala Parut gets wheeled out and gelato is sold to eager patrons!
NQN and Alex dined as a guest of Gusto Bar & Kitchen
Gusto Bar & Kitchen
27 Military Road, Watsons Bay, NSW
Tel: +61 (02)9388 8827
Giant Nutella jar!
If you enjoyed this post, why not share it with your friends?
What is NQN up to now? 
NQN on Facebook
RSS
39 Comments | Add your own
That ice-cream stall is the cutest thing EVARRR! I might move to Aussie just to be near it ;P
Beautiful location, a good looking restaurant, well presented dishes on a gorgeous Sydney day. Can life get much better? This place looks great. I’m a little disappointed you didn’t get a lot of desserts, I would have loved to see what was on the menu.
What would that doctor say about my having had only one summer in the past three years because of travelling then?!?! (Probably, he’d say “that’s why you need to have surgery on your toe again less than six months after the first go.)
I had a gnocchi just like that here in Florence – it was divine! Now I just need to track down Florence’s version of cannoli!
Cuisine? I really want to try Ethiopian, mostly to try injera bread!
Sicilian food is scarce in Sydney. I’m so glad you posted about one. What a beautiful view of watsons bay. These are the kind of places I love driving too.
Wow Lorraine – they are some gorgeous photos! haha I had to laugh when I saw the nutella jar!
that’s the most delightful way i’ve ever seen cannoli presented for a dessert. nice looking herb garden they have
I can never get enough of Italian cuisine being of Italian heritage I love the simplicity of flavours as well as the multitude of wonderful dishes that define each region. I also love that the focus is using fruit and veg that is in season.
Great to see a review of Gusto! I am a huge fan of this restaurant and its fresh Sicilian food…its a bit of a hidden gem as I find its never very busy for how good it actually is.
I need to stop reading these before I have breakfast! Weet-bix just doesn’t seem that appetizing anymore lol
hehe that giant nutella jar looks so out of place
Japanese food is my favourite I think. The details and perfection is so cool!
I probably love Mediterranean food just as much!
I’ve never tried Gnocchi though. The chance hasn’t come across my path yet. But that gnocchi looks mouth watering!
I love that Italian flag of olive oils! I’ve been dying for gnocchi, Lorraine! Seeing that gorgeous dish and hearing your fantastic description was like torture!
The antipasto and cannoli attract me – yum! I am interested in Swedish cuisine – Anne from Anne’s Food has a great Swedish blog, and Browners from Around Britain with a Paunch has just gone to live there and has already mentioned some interesting dining experiences.
Maz and Tomato are so simple, but so lovely… you GO OUT a lot, to eat, that is. As soon as we catch up from building the house… I’m SO ready to start dining out again.
Ooh that ice cream cart is the cutest! I have to go their one weekend just to check it out! Hehe.
We went to Prague a few years ago and as it was Xmas a lot of places had shut down – we survived on Offal (thats all the open restaurants were serving), Pickled Eggs (from a dodgy bar) and Pizza with anchovies, pineapple and egg. Revolting – I have heard people rave about the food there -so I am INTRUIGED as to what good food they have? lol.
Sicilian cuisine is certainly wonderful and it has some very interesting history behind it as well!
The location of the restaurant is in such a beautiful spot, but I’ve never seen a restaurant thrive there. Within twelve months they always close down.
I am hoping that Paolo changes that. It looks like a hit, and I can’t wait to try it.
And that icecream cart… too cute! x
That antipasto looked nice, a little different!
I’ve never been to a Sicilian restaurant. My dad’s family is from central Italy so that tends to be all we eat. I think a lot of central/eastern European food is really interesting and I want to make more of it.
Wow. Only a true foodie could fit all that in. Yummo!
Amazing looking meal. I want that bowl the insalata is sitting in! Very well priced too..particularly in consideration of the gorgeous setting.. I have to pledge my first born child for anything like that in Perth! Jealousy ensues…
This is definitely the kind of place I love. Pasta: gnocchi! And fresh cheese! And the ingredients sound so simple and fresh!
I thought hard about it and I think you are right – I can’t think of another really good Sicilian restaurant in Sydney. Pilu is Sardinian… I really love Middle Eastern Food and North African – Mr Kitty and I had or first date at Alhambra in Manly, a restaurant that I still love going to. I also love French food and am obsessed with pate, whereas Mr Kitty loves Terrine. I have a real soft spot for Asian cuisines too, in particular Japanese food. I’m actually struggling to think of a cuisine I DON’T like!
Love the look of the mega mushroom and can’t say no to the refreshing flavours of Sicilian cuisine. And how can anyone say no to cannoli!
Southern Italian food is great…being part-Calabrese (across the water from Sicily!), looking at the photos and reading about your visit to Gusto felt like the kind of food my family loves.
I have to admit, I’m not super Italian, food-wise…salty things (olives, sundried tomatoes..etc) give me migraines, so I stay away from them. And I’m not a fan of a lot of seafood.
But those gnocchi looked yum! I haven’t had a good bowl of gnocchi for a while!!
And the cannoli…oh man…yum!!
There’s a restaurant in Parramatta called Sicilian..i don’t know how Sicilian the food is, but it looks ok from the outside!
I’d like to go there one day.
Wow this write up transports me instantly to sicily where I have eaten some of the best food I have had in Italy. Delicious.
Hey there lovely! I’ve left you a little award on my bloggy. 10 things that make you happy.
Carly
http://carlyfindlay.blogspot.com/2010/03/10-things-that-make-me-happy.html
what colorful and attractive dishes! if it’s made to be light and not such that it immediately sinks to the bottom of your gut, gnocchi is one of my favorite italian foods. i could eat heaps of it. heaps, i tell you.
A whole new kind of Italian, love it! Hope it does well and it should in such a lovely location. That gnocchi looks stunning!
Sicily is one of my all-time favourite places to visit when I holiday in Italy. This little island has a rich abundance of fresh, locally grown produce and the freshest seafood ( the best swordfish I’ve ever eaten to date was in Messina ) making it a food-lover’s paradise. The Sicilians take their cooking and eating very seriously and their sweets and gelati take it all to a higher level, the pasticcerie ( cake shops) are to die for!
As for trying a different cuisine, Moroccan or North African because the flavours are so exotic.
The view is enough for me
Love the sword fish plate…
I like the kitchen who grew their own herb garden. The icecream cart is great….
Hi Lorraine ,
We all have in ourselves an italian part and right now this part says ‘I am hungry!!)
Pierre de Paris
Gosh that food looks good. Simple, honest, strong flavours….yum! I must add this place to my list of restaurants to try. Thanks.
mmmh, the Insalata di Pomodoro is making me crave decent tomatoes! The season should start here soon but we’ve just had another dumping of snow, so maybe it’ll be a while longer (boo!).
the swordfish does look completely lovely, that’s a good topping for it, too.
I love the look of that insalata pomodoro mmm mmm.
The cuisine that is intrigues me at the moment is African. There’s a small shop in Marrickville I would like to try, but my husband is not the ‘adventerous’ type when it comes to food, so I need to wait till he’s in the right mood or a I can get a group of friends together that way we can all get different dishes and share
Hi Sasa-Isn’t it adorable? I wanted to push it around myself
Hi Mark-I agree! Life is good when you lunch at places like this
Oh well there’s only so much room one can have!
Hi Hannah-Ahhh well perhaps that might mean your immunity is good? Maybe? BUt then again I’m not a doctor
Oh yes cannoli! 
Injera bread? Now that sounds interesting!
Hi Katherine-Yes it is isn’t it
Thanks very much! Absolutely, it’s lovely when a destination has a view 
Hi Lisa-Thankyou!
Hehe isn’t it funny? Why can’t the supermarket sell them that size? 
Hi Simon-Yes and we saw him go out and snip some for our lunch!
Hi sandra-Absolutely, and doesn’t that make perfect sense?
Hi Cici-Oh fantastic!
Yes I think the location can mean that people don’t know that it is there!
Hi ljb-Hehe sorry!
Hi Betty-Hehe I must disagree!
Hi April-Oh my well gnocchi is divine, one of my favourite Italian dishes. I am addicted!
Hi Faith-Isn’t it pretty! Aww sorry Faith!
Hi Cakelaw-Swedish food is great! Have you tried a sandwich cake? I have one early on in my blog. It’s crazy fantastic!
Hi Girl Japan-I sure do!
Absoutely, it’s something that’s so hard to give up!
Hi Betty-All homes should have one don’t you think?
Hi Joy-Wow, that is quite a diet there! I’ve had Czech food once, it was quite rich but quite nice
Hi Amanda-Yes I’d love to learn more about it!
Hi fat mum slim-Oh no, not a retail black hole!
Isn’t it just! x
Hi Fiona-Oh yes and that eggplant with ricotta-yum!
Hi Deanna-Yes they’re quite hard to find aren’t they! I wonder why! Hmm yes we have some central/Eastern European food but not a lot of it too!
Hi Amy-Hehe why thankyou!
Hi Lori-Aww but you could perhaps try it on a visit here?
Hi sophia-Yes all of that lovely cheese!
Hi Sian-Yes it’s strange isn’t it! Oh yes Alhambra is good! Hehe I don’t think I’ve ever met a cuisine I didn’t like either
Hi mlle délicieuse-I know, it’s impossible isn’t it!
Hi Liv-Oh fantastic!
Yes a good bowl of gnocchi is a wonderful thing isn’t it! 
Ahh ok so that must be Sicilian given the name! 
Hi Gourmet Chick-Aww thankyou so much! I’m so glad!
HI Carly-Thankyou so much Carly!
Hi grace-Yes I do love a lovely, light gnocchi
Hehe me too I admit! 
Hi Moya-I hope it does too!
It’s such a picturesque location!
Hi Matilda-Ahh well I’m a seafood monster so I think I’d love it too! And then you mentioned the cakes…oh dear! Sounds like I’ve met my match
Hi Arlette-Isn’t it cute all around!
Hi pierre-Haha! I hope your Italian part got fed
Hi spice and more-It was great!
You’re more than welcome!
Hi wenchie-Oh no! Maybe a bit longer to wait? But I bet it’s worth it!
Hi Toni-Ahh sounds like you’ve got a good plan there!
I will have to get out of the kitchen one weekend and venture northwards to eat!
Ahhhh..this place has closed during one of the online deals. I assume they took on the deal knowing they were closing…it seems a few businesses are doing this now. I’m still trying to get my money back from the deal site
Post a Comment