Buon Ricordo, Paddington

Kings Cross. Not exactly the most ideal place to be at 11pm but I'm slowly discovering the Cross to be a hub of gastronomic delights. Often called the fore-father of Australian Italian cuisine, owner Armando Pecuoco brings to Sydney our little version of the exuberant Italy. I've been planning this visit for a year and a half already, although my friend E remains adamant it was a last minute thing. Please.

Whilst taking pictures, without a warning the door opens with a waiter at the helm, a sign of the magic that is to come. 

Intent on ordering the 6 course Menu Degustazione but unsure with what to order, the waiter was helpful in guiding us through it. Their signature truffle fettuccine was a must  although perusing the rest of the menu revealed many unfamiliar dishes. Don't expect your normal bacon cabonara or alfreddo here.

Sonoma Sourdough started us off, deliciously crunchy and even better with a little oil and a sprinkling of salt. I finished off 2 and a half baskets myself alone.

Bruschetta

A bruschetta on the house was next, the simplicity highlights the impeccable quality of the tomatoes and oil, punctuated with the essential spikings of basil. 

Salmonato crudo con sassizella
Thinly sliced Ocean trout marinated in extra virgin olive oil with cured, air dried tuna, lemon, garlic and tarragon

A very successful plate of cured trout was next, the clean flavours of lemon and sweet, slightly aniseedy tarragon highlighted the freshness of the fish.

Calamaretti
Grilled baby bottle squid with lemon and Armando's chilli oil

The grilling was lost with me but the baby squid has a somewhat creamy texture and was delicious with the incredible zing of the lemon oil. I think my chilli receptors have been burnt off from the sheer amount of chilli I eat as I couldn't even detect the faintest trace of chilli.

Fettuccine al tartufovo
Fettuccine with cream and parmesan, topped with a fried truffle egg.

And then came the long awaited dish of the day: the famous truffle pasta I hear so much about. And I could smell the waft of unmistakeable truffle straight away. And it was mesmerising. It comes unmixed, the waiter cracks pepper over it, grates over parmesan and then proceeds to toss it in front of us and then serve it. Simplicity was the theme of the day; all it is is cream, fettucine, fried truffled egg and parmesan unadorned. They say you'll stop only at one serving because of the rich creaminess but I just kept wanting more. The unfamiliar chewiness of the pasta contrasts well with the soft egg and creamy sauce and each bite was perfumed with the earthy fungi. This was decadence at its finest, plain and simple and the hype is definitely justified.

By this time, the others were incredibly full from the pasta but we soldiered on.

Watermelon granita

I recall it being an Italian tradition to serve something cold as a palate cleanser because apparently the coldness opens up your stomach for more digestion. I have to verify that. The clarity of the watermelon was immediately apparent combined with the mint made a very refreshing change to the heavy pasta.

Pesce con peperoncini dolci
Bass Groper ove roasted with garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Served with green sweet peppers, cherry tomoatoes and basil

The next was a superbly roasted Bass Grouper with simple clean flavours of garlic, basil and sweet tomatoes. The bitter green peppers can occasionally interfere with the flavours, however a perfect mouthful results in a wonderfully balanced dish.

Filetto con primavera
Aged Black Angu fillet served with  baby vegetables

The aged angus wasn't a particularly marbled cut, however the cut was cooked perfectly and was full of flavour. The sweet and sticky jus ensure a befitting rich finale to the savoury courses.

Insalta Verde

Side salad accompanied the steaks. Crisp bitter radichio, peppery rocket and endives; the simplicity and freshness cuts through the fattiness of the mains.

Dessert Tasting Plate :
Semifreddo al torrone
Nougat semifreddo on a pistachio scented cream, served with candied fruit
Crostana D'arance
Orange Tart with Candied Citrus
Cioccolato Di Verona
Chocolate and hazelnut mousse on a sponge base covered in chocolate

Semifreddo al torrone
Nougat semifreddo on a pistachio scented cream, served with candied fruit

In retrospect, had I known the semifroddo was included with the dessert plate the degustation offers, I would of probably went for the apple mille feuille or the cheese plate. Still my semifroddo was a delicious choice. Nougat, ice cream along with the slight distinctive taste of pistachio liquer and soury candied fruits makes a very delicious sweet finish to tonight's meal. The tart had a custard with a gorgeous consistency along with a crisp bruleed top and wonderfully crisp sweet orange peels. The chocolate cake was extremely dark and decadent like any good chocolate cake should be.

At E's request, I've been made to add "Leave the jar ajar" to this post. Now I know where I inherit my incredible sense of humour from. The canolli was my favourite, the creamy nuttiness along with the blistered shell was absolute bliss. 

Hot Chocolate

I wanted to sleep that night so I ordered a hot chocolate instead of the usual latté. Nothing beyond the ordinary

At 125, the 6 courser isn't exactly an inexpensive experience, however the near flawless experience justifies it. There really isn't any restaurant in Sydney quite like Buon. I have to also thank the waiter for personally compiling the menu we ate tonight and printing it at my request.

The food is thoughtful and the simplicity highlights the incredible ingredients, however it's the hospitality that makes Buon Ricordo such a 'good memory' and stand out among the other fine diners. I can quite possibly say that Buon have the best service I've encountered in all of Sydney where the incredibly capable waiter of the night single-handedly attended the entire bottom floor. His mixture of unabashed humour coupled with smart professionalism implied a warmth befitting of the restaurant. The restaurant itself is an extension of Armando's buoyant and amiable personality, where the restaurant itself feels more like a home than anything else and that's the way restaurants should be. Armando himself is a wonderful host, frequently going in and out of the kitchen to make light conversation, greeting guests like family as they come in and leave. His faithful clientèle know what I'm on about. Buon was a spellbinding experience and it certainly merits the price tag along with another visit in the near future.

Posted in: Armando Percuoco, dessert, home, Italian, Kings Cross, Sonoma, Tuscany