REVIEW: Bruno's Restaurant

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Bruno’s is far from your traditional Italian restaurant. Just simply looking around and you’ll see that there are no red and white checked tablecloths in sight. And while there are small vases of red roses dispersed here and there, mamma’s definitely not cooking your spaghetti.

Bruno’s Restaurant is the ground floor of a three-level venue on Darlinghurst’s Oxford St, with upstairs playing host to Hunky Dory Social Club – the floorplan giving guests the ability to move seamlessly from dinner, right upstairs to cocktails and live music, or vice versa.

Opened a year ago by Melbournites Christopher Cinerari and Richard Garla, the club celebrated the arrival of chef Daniele Trimarchi (of Icebergs and Fratelli Paradiso fame) with the media invited to a launch event last Wednesday.

Having never been to the venue myself, I had no set expectations but it became clear as we made our way up the three sets of dark-timber stairs, dimly lit by candles that this place was a modern twist on the traditional; it was young with subtle hints of the old.

First stop was Hunky Dory. Directions to reach the rooftop were direct but for anyone in doubt, the chilled-out beats surfacing from the upper floor were a failsafe guide.

For around an hour and a half, guests are able to mingle with house cocktails amongst the kitsch outdoor balcony setting that is Hunky Dory. The temperamental weather means rain is a possible threat, and while a sunny cloudless sky would usually be the perfect accompaniment to this rooftop setting, the overcast city backdrop only further complements the industrial-feel of this space.

Think… a bar bench studded with overlapping triangles of copper sheets outlined in nail bulleting, a mustard velvet Chesterfield lounge, and Morrocan chandeliers. There’s an outdoor potted balcony lined by a grafiteed wall of exposed bricks sporting a mini penny-farthing and hanging plant baskets. And on a small stage, there’s cabaret entertainment, with Jess Higgs – best known for her work with Flight Facilities – showing that even Alicia Bridges’ 1970s disco-hit “I Love the Nightlife” can be beautifully mastered into a laid-back, acoustic piece.

It’s the quirky detailing of this space that sets Hunky Dory apart from other bars, acting as a real talking point for guests who are continually spotting new novelties. And while it’s a bit of a mish-mash of finds, it really does just come together and work.

As the singing wraps up, the guests begin to move in single file down the candle-lit stairwell and into the intimate setting of Bruno’s Restaurant downstairs. As mentioned before, the experience is seamless. Instead of the usual blinding lighting that many restaurants pride themselves on, Bruno’s continues Hunky Dory’s eclectic setting with the only light coming from half a dozen or so upturned metal-bowls that house lightbulbs. They hang from the cowhide ceiling, centring spotlights on spaces down the long dining tables. We later find that this sort of communal setting is replicated in the serving style of the food, with dishes shared between three or four people – an automatic talking point to get to know your new dining neighbour.

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Like upstairs, it’s the attention to detail that sets this venue apart. A glass table surface protects the black tablecloths beneath them, crocheted by co-owner Cinerari’s mother herself, and I spot the a couple of children’s classics – Golden Books – the covers of which hold the usual menus. The waitstaff fit the scene perfectly with no set uniform in sight – the ladies wearing individual dresses, blunt haircuts and bright lipstick, and the men clad in paisley-style shirts with casually-rolled up sleeves. Well-known Elvis hits start off the dining experience, before the playlist delves into the jazz of Louis Armstrong.

It isn’t long at all before we are brought an array of entré platters, the mix including a selection of Italian cured meats with an almond skordalia, pork and fennel stuffed green olives, Sambuca Gaeta and Sicilian olives, spicy cured pork pate and wood-fired bread with goat cheese. Albeit simple, the slices of ham have such a soft texture that they almost melt-in-your-mouth – certainly a contrast to your everyday lunchbox-style ham sandwiches!

While many would have been satisfied with the entré selection as a meal in itself (note to self: bread can fill you up pretty quickly), we are then brought the next round: pizzas and salads. First comes the Ortolana pizza: tomato, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, rocket and pesto, paired with the Insalata Primavera: brussel sprout, walnut, parmesan, lemon, oil and balsamic.

Although the second pizza – Sporchino – certainly spruiks the entire table’s attention through its overpowering smell (you can count the Tallegio cheese for that one), the flavour of the cheese is comparitively mild, and you can instead taste the stronger prosciutto and chilli components, along with the background bases of tomato and asparagus. This is paired with one of my favourite dishes of the night, the Insalata di Lenticchia. The seeded-texture appearance would not normally constitute a salad in my eyes, but the blue lentils, goats cheese, mint, woodfired baby beetroot and Spanish onion are a perfect flavour combination. The final pizza for the evening is Inserpabile: mozzarella, gorganzola and roman sausage, with a rustic style Insalata Caprese: a basil and buffalo mozzarella salad.

For the final course, we are presented with a triangular shaped plate of beautifully presented gorgonzola stuffed field mushrooms, slow braised veal with an in-house tuna dressing, calamari with aioli and lemon, and haloumi with roasted red peppers. Despite not eating the salmon myself (at this stage, I am both full and not the greatest fan of salmon in general), I am told by the gentleman beside me that it is his favourite dish of the night, and that its pairing with vodka and beetroot is a unique twist that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. I can however, personally vouch for the final dish of the night – the twice-cooked pork belly. With exclamations around me that it is “Just like Christmas!”, the tender pork is complemented by crackling crumble and braised moscato pears. Heaven in my mouth, really!

I must look to the wise words of the reviewer next to me to really summarise the foodie experience. My plus-one buddy and I agreed that along with his ongoing commentary being highly entertaining, it was also an honest summation of the food – each dish receiving a “That’s absolutely beautiful!” exclamation louder than the last.

With a vast selection of degustation dishes, an eccentric vibe, live music and an industrial setting – Bruno’s is definitely not your everyday Italian restaurant.

Bruno’s Downstairs At Hunky Dory Social Club is located at 215 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Bookings can be made on 02 9331 0442.

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