Bar Idda
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It’s normal to cry on your birthday. But there’ll only be happy tears at Bar Idda’s 15-year hurrah on Monday, June 17.
To mark the occasion, the neighbourhood spot will serve a $50pp feast with comforting Sicilian dishes, free-flowing house wines and Italian tunes. Standout dishes will include its longstanding mulinciani (a lasagne-esque layered eggplant dish) and maccaruni with slow-cooked beef and pork ragu, which both follow co-owner Alfredo La Spina’s family recipes.
If you can't get a seat at the table, head to its sausage and salami class ($200pp) on Saturday, June 22 to craft some cold cuts and enjoy a four-course feast.
At Bar Idda owner and chef Alfredo La Spina serves up home-style Sicilian food with generosity and heart. The decor is simple, the wine is served in carafes or Duralex tumblers and the service is friendly, creating an intimate and welcoming environment. It’s the sort of place you could overhear someone saying, “Just like nonna used to make.”
The staff recommend sharing a number of dishes. That's sage advice, as resisting the temptation to steal a forkful of your date's mulinciani – layered eggplant, tomato and basil oozing with pecorino – would be impossible. Salads such as the chicory, celery and sultana help cut through the richness of other dishes.
Dessert is a highlight. Don't be scared off by the lurid green of the pistachio and almond marzipan crowning the traditional Sicilian cassata. Filled with creamy ricotta, it's mouth-wateringly good.
If you forget to book, pull up a bar stool, order an aperitivo and picture yourself in the streets of Palermo while you wait for a table. From the food and the kitsch decor to the Sicilian coat of arms emblazoned on the business card, the authenticity is evident here: delicious food in a cosy neighbourhood restaurant.
Contact Details
Phone: (03) 9380 5339
Website: baridda.com.au
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