RAGAZZI ★★★★½
Shop 1/2-12 Angel Place, Sydney
Ragazzi may be the new kid on a CBD laneway but it's not shy about what it does best: pasta and wine. The two words flank the doorway of this tiny eatery in back-lit signs. It's a simple premise. But like a thoughtful introvert, part of Ragazzi's charm is its ability to surprise.
Ragazzi in Angel Place champions fresh pasta and natural wines.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
Behind this handsome 38-seater are natural wine whizzes Nathaniel Hatwell, Matt Swieboda and head chef Scott Williams (MoVida, Bacco Osteria). Hatwell and Swieboda have a history of winning over wine nerds with small format venues such as Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Eloise – two inner-city favourites that champion local and French drops respectively.
Ragazzi is the Italian version of this. Opened in mid-October, it joins Sydney's new crew of Italian-ish rising stars such as Dan Pepperell's Alberto’s Lounge, vegan trattoria Peppe’s and Mitch Orr's post-ACME creation, CicciaBella. Like its cohorts, chef Scott Williams is big on using old-school techniques in unexpected ways. "We're not super traditional. The only one thing I do is respect the pasta shape, because they're made for specific purposes in mind," Williams says.
On the daily changing menu the line-up is driven by geometry. Mains (besides a larger meat or seafood dish) consist of a total of six or so long, short and stuffed pastas. All are hand-rolled and chosen each morning, tailored to the exact cuts of protein and fresh produce the kitchen is working with. "People say I'm obnoxiously seasonal," Williams says, laughing. The upside, of course, is that market-friendly ingredients are also affordable, so no pasta is over $30.
Ravioli with market-fresh asparagus, pecorino and honey.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
We visit on a whole pig and asparagus kind of week. On the pork front, we find ourselves choosing between a cavatelli (a narrow shell-shaped pasta) served with pipis and a house made sausage, or a brothy agnolotti dal plin – small, meat-filled egg pasta parcels that come with tender, white asparagus spears.
My lunch partner suggests sharing the latter and a cacio e pepe. Our dishes come pre-divided — a thoughtful move that ensures we get our own bowl of earthy stock and spares us from fighting over last bites. Here, the agnolotti is filled with pork mince that's mixed with back fat and a hit of nutmeg and brandy. And that bouncy mouth feel? It's thanks to the collagen from a trotter stock made from the whole beast.
A spaghetti alla chitarra (or "guitar spaghetti") clings perfectly to the silky cacio e pepe sauce. Served with a snowfall of fresh pecorino romano, William's version of the cheese and pepper noodle is lifted by the addition of Espelette pepper — a Basque-style red pepper that nods to his MoVida days.
You'll find more evidence of his Spanish influence in the snacks section. Single-bite beauties such as the tuna crudo with puffed buckwheat on fried dough discs or, for butter fiends, a Cantabrian anchovy on sourdough where the thick layer of chive-dotted butter will leave your heart full and lips glossy.
The Cantabrian anchovy on sourdough with a thick layer of chive-dotted butter. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
I return the next day to a slightly tweaked line-up: this time getting deeper into the asparagus theme with a honey drizzled ravioli. I'm blown away by the al-dente pockets of bright, silky asparagus puree, their sweetness balanced by a nutty brown butter and shavings of parmigiano reggiano. ("No tricks," says Williams, when I asked about it later. Just the magic of in-season produce.) That is, if you don't count the burnt paprika he stirs through the yellow box honey to keep the whole thing smoky. I finish with a squeaky fresh lemon and rosemary sorbet, though I would've revisited the velvety chocolate and bourbon gelato happily.
Like its two wine-bar siblings, Ragazzi has an impressive by-the-glass selection – plus a full 250-strong list that's broken down into different Italian regions, each matched with similarly styled local and international wines. Pick a glass and stay a while. You'll be surprised by the vibrant talent show of what different pasta shapes can do in capable hands.
THE LOWDOWN
Main attraction: Chef Scott Williams serves up some seriously inventive pastas made with seasonal produce and free-range whole beasts. Pair the excellent carbs with the 250-strong Italian wine list.
Must-try: A daily menu means dishes change frequently. Don't miss the buttery cacio e pepe if it's on the line-up.
Insta-worthy dish: The ultra buttery anchovy and sourdough toast. For dessert fans, the honey panna cotta with blood orange granita is also a good bet.
Drinks: Wine by the glass, $12-$24.
Prices: Snacks $5-$16; lunch and dinner $21-$30.
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-12am, Sat 3pm-12am.
IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
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167 Phillip Street, Sydney
This CBD outpost of Newtown's Continental Deli is an oasis for city workers. You get the same icy-cold canned cocktails (Mar-tinny! Can-hatten!), delicious cheeses and charcuterie, minus the commute. For a mid-week dinner treat get stuck into bigger plates such as the XO bucatini.
PS40
40 Skittle Lane, Sydney
If you've never been to a bar with its own soda-making plant, now is the time to correct this. Cocktail wunderkind Michael Chiem not only does excellent booze, but pours house made sodas for fun mixers and non-drinkers. The buzzy, laid-back vibe also makes this a perfect date spot.
Cantina OK!
Council Place, Sydney
Catina OK! is a laneway bar that fits 20 patrons and focuses single-mindedly on a spirit — mezcal. It's from the same team behind nearby Mexican bar Tio's, which explains the good vibes. Ask for the day's special and be blown away by an impressive backbar of hand-sourced mezcals.
MARY'S UNDERGROUND
7 Macquarie Place, Sydney
Opened in May this year, Mary's Underground replaces the Basement and serves up polished cocktails and a menu of dry-aged meat and lobster that's practically the opposite of its grungy sibling in Newtown. But it's moody and fun and feels almost like you're in a Nick Cave song.
Little Felix
2A Ash Street, Sydney
It's not easy to pull off a 1920s cocktail bar in Sydney, but Merivale's Little Felix gives it a good try. A companion bar to Felix restaurant, this candlelit, jazzy venue is somewhere you can easily picture Fitzgerald-y types drinking in. Go early to get yourself a booth as you sip on an aperitif.
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