Classico Moderno
174 Liverpool St
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Classico Moderno is hidden away from hustle and bustle of Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Just a short stroll and you’ll find this gem of a pop-up, a classic building with a modern facelift to compliment the restaurant and its menu. The Viscount and Viscountess were greeted by their waitress, Claudia who explained that the recipes originate in the Emilia region, in the northern Italy. The menu is designed around simple flavours and fresh produce.
We left the choice of our menu to the chef and part-owner, Francesco, to showcase some of his favourite dishes. We started the evening with the Gnocco Fritto e mortadella which was a beautiful, crunchy pizza dough pastry filled with a flavour-packed mortadella mousse. It was light, fluffy and delicious; a great start to the meal.
Next off the block was the Cotechino Slider, something we probably wouldn’t have chosen for ourselves, but was an absolute treat. The lentil buns were soft, warm and fluffy with the same deliciousness of bread straight from the baker. The pig trotter sausage was tasty and flavoursome but not overpowering in this delicate dish. And what slider would be complete without a creamy mayo and pickled cucumber? Definitely a winner.
Our next dish was Polipo agradolce, or slow cooked octopus with potatoes. This was a beautiful, modern take on a traditional Italian dish, complete with potato foam. The sweet and sour sauce which accompanied this dish was a delicious contrast with the creamy sauce, sweetness of the sultanas and the crunch from the pine nuts.
The Ravioli de pesce followed and we could smell it before it had left the kitchen. for the Viscountess, this was the standout dish of the evening. The ravioli was cooked al-dente and to absolute perfection, as were the pieces of cod nestled inside. The fresh tomato sauce was packed full of flavour and the fried basil and parsley added another depth of flavour.
The Risotto taleggio e asparagi was stunning to look at, and equally as good on the tastebuds. With fresh green chargrilled asparagus and the creamy taleggio cheese sauce, this dish would be perfect to share as a main or quite easily devoured on your own. Nothing says good, hearty Italian food quite like a creamy risotto.
The final dish on our menu before we attempted dessert was the Fritto Mistro dell’Adriatico. This was a beautiful selection of fresh seafood, including prawns, calamari heads, fish fillets and squid, which were lightly fried and accompanied by a beautiful, creamy mayo and rocket salad. A much more delicate take on a fisherman’s basket.
Before we moved on to dessert, Claudia offered us a celery sorbet palate cleanser which was fresh and definitely needed with the amazing desserts we were about to attempt.
The first dessert Franceso presented to us was the Zappa Inglese allo stracchino which was a tasty, layered dessert made up of sponge cake, stracchino cheese, berry jelly, meringue and fruit. This had all the makings of a great dessert, and it definitely delivered. The Zappa was not too heavy, and with the fresh fruit and sponge cake, was an excellent way to finish the meal.
The Cioccolatissimo is definitely one for the chocoholics, and we’d definitely recommend leaving room for this one! This was the Viscount’s favourite dish of the evening, with chocolate brownie, and light and fluffy dark chocolate and white chocolate mousse. This dessert was decadent and delicious and if it wasn’t rude to lick the bowl, we definitely would have!
The Viscount accompanied his meal with Birra Moretti, and the Viscountess was recommended the Vermenteno from the white wine list.
A huge thank you to Francesco, Claudio and the team at Classico Moderno for hosting us in their restaurant, which felt more like we were being welcomed into someone’s home. Starting in February, Classico Moderno will be open on Mondays and also offer a great degustation meal if you’d like to leave the choice to the chef just like we did.