A Tavola, Darlinghurst.

In the past week I have eaten delicious scrambled tofu at Bondi’s Brown Sugar, goats cheese and roast tomato bruschetta at Trio, cheap and cheerful sashimi and teriyaki chicken at Sushi on Stanley, garlic white wine prawns, chorizo, pepperoni pizza and spinach pumpkin salad at Dish in Double Bay and a sumptuous feast at Neil Perry’s Spice Temple. Yet you may notice a lack of restaurant reviews here at the Strawberry Patch. Obviously it’s not from a lack of eating, but rather a love of eating. I don’t want to have to think too much about my dinner when I’m out, my friends probably don’t want me to pass comment on the taste, texture and presentation of every dish, and to be honest I’m always a little embarrassed to pull out my camera in the middle of a fine dining experience! Yet sometimes duty calls!

A Tavola on Victoria St, Darlinghurst, is somewhere I have been wanting to dine since I read rave reviews about it from my little hometown back in 2007, and now, three years after moving to Sydney, I can say delicious mission accomplished.

It was Friday when AB and I were planning our girl-date for the evening, emailing restaurant menus back and forth and bouncing around cuisine ideas, when I remembered that I would die if I didn’t eat at A Tavola in the very near future. 15 minutes later we had a booking.  Two hours later I was sitting at the long communal table with a glass of semillon, a side of herby focaccia and my book while poor AB was stuck in traffic and getting more stressed by the minute on Parramatta Road. Not that I minded one iota – sitting, sipping, reading, nibbling, anticipating a beautiful meal = Friday night bliss.

40 minutes later, with a refilled glass and at least ten text messages from my date we realised that AB was really quite stuck and perhaps our booking allocation would be over before we had even ordered. Enter the divine Maitre De, Milo, who shuffled the seating arrangements of other groups so that when AB arrived we could both settle in for the long haul and savour the taste of their handmade pasta and sweet flaking fish. With waitstaff who were attentive without being pushy, and a simple, delectable menu, I think A Tavola has become the new Friday night date spot for these 2 girls!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The daily specials and handmade pastas.

 

Reading ‘The Household Guide to Dying’

 

Pappardelle with goat ragu.

 

Crispy blue-eye with radicchio and grapefruit salad.

 

After dinner head across the road to Messina! Perfect scoops – coconut and tiramisu