The restaurateur behind Tequila Mockingbird in Paddington and hatted metropolis venue Esteban brings the most recent thrilling opening to the Balmain peninsula.
As restaurateur Michael Fegent prepares to open his sprawling Argentinian restaurant Casa Esquina in Balmain on Thursday, February 15, he has a nibble at current controversial feedback that the suburb is, effectively, boring.
Till not too long ago, Fegent says, he may need agreed with the sentiment. Fegent, who lives within the space, believes the peninsula is lastly rising from a protracted hospitality droop, pointing to the not too long ago opened Dry Dock Resort and Chez Blue restaurant on Darling Road as proof the world is on the rise once more.
After which there’s his personal undertaking. As an area, he felt there was a spot available in the market for a venue with loads of outside area, and someplace you will get a terrific piece of meat.
In the course of the top of the COVID pandemic, the restaurateur behind Tequila Mockingbird in Paddington and hatted metropolis venue Esteban snapped up the Balmain constructing the place Efendy and L’Unico eating places beforehand traded.
With 116 of the restaurant’s seats within the courtyard and on the balcony (its capability is 212), he ticked his first field.
Then final yr Fegent and Casa Esquina head chef Will Quartel headed to Argentina, spending practically a month immersing themselves within the tradition and cooking. They rounded out that schooling within the Australian outback, fine-tuning a lot of the menu on a campfire.
“I really like hearth,” Fegent says. “Argentinian barbecue, that reference to the fireplace and the surroundings round you. The usage of timber, the smoke absorbing into the meat.”
Unsurprisingly, you’ll be able to order a steak at Casa Esquina. Fegent says they need the produce and cooking to do the speaking, somewhat than swamping the meat in sauce.
Fugazzeta (stuffed Argentinian-style pizza) additionally made the opening menu, together with suckling pig, wagyu beef tongue pastrami, and a sweetbread and prawn paella. Fegent factors to a few early favourites: complete child pumpkin filled with mushroom risotto, and kangaroo and maraschino cherry empanadas. “Aussie empanadas,” Fegent quips.
The good-looking bones of the landmark nook constructing on Elliott Road nonetheless shine in a ground-up restoration and revamp. There’s a protracted ground-floor bar, a wine cellar non-public eating room, and a color palette centered on earthy tones of terracotta, inexperienced and cream..
“It’s not simply concerning the meals,” Fegent says. “Individuals need to sit in a restaurant and escape their actuality.”
Open Tue-Sat 11am-midnight; Solar 11am-10pm
Scott Bolles writes the weekly Brief Black column in Good Meals.