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One of the things that stood out to me on my trip to Italy this year was the diversity of the food throughout different regions. I travelled through Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata, Tuscany and Lazio, and each stop was like arriving in a new country. In Calabria’s Scilla, it was all about swordfish and bergamot. In Catania, eggplant pasta (pasta alla norma) was a fixture on every menu. Dining at Enmore’s Vineria Luisa took me right back to my Euro summer; far from the standard pastas and pizzas, the menu is an authentic tasting tour of Italy's regional diversity, showcasing everything from the prawn salad ‘alla Catalana’, to the wild greens and whipped goat’s cheese pie (erbazzone) from Reggio-Emilia. Thanks to the expert work of Alessandro Pavoni – of Ormeggio, A’Mare and Cibaria fame – together with head chef Gianmarco Pardini, I’m back in Mediterranean heaven.
The vibe
Vineria Luisa is in the beautiful old 1950’s Marie-Louise Salon site (which used to be home to Bar Louise). Anyone who’s been to Enmore Road would recognise the retro pink and purple frontage, which has been maintained throughout the space’s various lives. The vineria in the name implies a focus on wine, but this place is also a superb gintoneria with a focus on gin cocktails. The bar is chic yet homely – the earthy-pink rendered walls are covered in framed pictures of Italian record covers. The pendant lights that hang from the ceiling have billowing, cloud-like shades made from organza so they cast a warm light through the room. It’s giving Nonna’s place, if Nonna was molto elegante. Upstairs, the dining room has its own distinct yet complementary style; there are classic white tablecloths, but otherwise there is texture and colour (greens and yellows) all around – from big, bold flowers on the seating upholstery, and more of those ruffled pendant lamps.
Every table is full, with people enjoying goblets of gin and tonic, and delicious Italian food. Gianluca Esposto (Maestro Hospitality's Executive General Manager) glides around with a smile, managing the floor with professional warmth and attentiveness.
The food
The restaurant’s signature dish is the ‘best ever lasagna alla Bolognese’ (AKA, “seven layers of happiness”).
It’s Gianmarco’s nonna’s recipe – pork, beef and veal ragù slow-cooked for 12 hours between seven layers of pasta and bechamel.
The lasagne is gently dried in the oven, then left to rest before being portioned. At service, they top it with more bolognese and shavings of 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano. So although there’s plenty of bechamel, it’s not like the creamy, sludgy, untextured mouthful you often get with lasagne – this is a dish of distinct layers that heroes the rich, flavoursome meat.
My other dishes of the night: a starter of anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea, curled around pickled green peppers, topped with microherbs and served on an oil-drenched crostini; and the poached prawn salad alla Catalana. At first glance this is the type of colourful salad you’d be served at an Aussie family Christmas, but there’s a lot going on in this sophisticated dish – it’s juicy prawns mixed with multi-coloured grape tomatoes, finely chopped celery and cucumber, slices of pickled onion, with dried Italian herbs and fresh basil – on a bed of the most moreish green-oil mayonnaise. I place spoonfuls of the fresh, flavour-packed mix in the cos leaves and devour it like a crisp yet creamy Italian-style san choy bow.
The drinks
As a ginoteria, the menu features more than 50 different gins, as well as an extensive list of tonics and, of course, gin cocktails. We start with a Negroni and Gin Martini, both of which are made to perfection.
When it comes to their gin list, unless you’re an aficionado, you’re probably best off taking the team’s knowledgeable recommendations – or, do as we do, and order one of the crowd-pleasing mixes from the drinks’ menu’s first page. My husband says the Luisa di Ginepro London Dry Gin and Long Rays Australian Tonic is “the best G&T” he’s ever had. (Note: it doesn’t come cheap – at $30 – but the gin is served over ice in a giant goblet, with a bottle of tonic on the side so it’s not gone in a couple of sips.)
As mentioned, this place is also a vineria, so they have a long and lovely list of wines and tend to operate on a “What do we have open tonight?” approach. We pair our mains with a glass of 2023 Casa Gheller Extra Dry – a crisp Veneto sparkling that’s perfect for this balmy evening.
Time Out tip
Go to the bar at aperitivo hour (5.30-6.30pm Monday to Thursday) for $10 glasses of wine or beer, and $15 Martinis or Negronis. Try to nab a spot on the pavement on a nice evening so you can watch the bustling action of one of Sydney’s coolest streets – Enmore Road – unfold around you.
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