The words “all day Italian-inspired cafe” don’t elicit much excitement these days. Italian food is found across the city in delicious, and disappointing forms, and for that reason it’s hard to do something new. But when someone does, it’s worth taking notice.

Anthony Canturi (Cho Cho San, Apollo, Eau De Vie) has struck that elusive balance between the surprising and familiar at Son of Frank. Canturi owns the venue with his brother Jonathan and describes the food as “Italian-ish”. “Our heritage is Italian, but we didn’t want to do in-your-face Italian. We wanted small influences, and for me it’s about serving fresh food prepared simply without too many complicated flavours,” says Anthony. “We have a lot of fun in the kitchen.”

The cafe's head chef is Max Bean (Est and Bridge Room), and his eggs are a riff on melanzane, or stuffed eggplant, a dish the brothers’ nonna made them when they were kids. The eggs are poached then battered and fried and served with toast atop the deconstructed melanzane ingredients. That is made by taking a round of crumbed and fried mozzarella, pureed charred eggplant and a dollop of tangy passata. A handful of prosciutto and fresh basil finish the plate. It’s not overwrought, and the flavours and textures are perfectly balanced.

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Some dishes don’t strike an Italian chord at all, like the house-made crumpets served with bacon jam. The crumpets are rich and sweet, made with reduced brown-sugar syrup and chilli, and make a tasty foil for the fried-egg accompaniment.

The weekday menu focuses on quick, tasty eats. Sandwiches like the Reu-bene made with mortadella and prosciutto rather than corned beef, or the meatball sub made with a tangy and sweet tomato sugo are good examples. Weekend brunch is decadent, with rum-soaked babas (cakey moulded Italian doughnuts) served with a tart custard and berries.

The goal is to be an all-day eatery, and the brothers are negotiating evening hours with the council. If that happens your day could be breakfast accompanied by a fresh tomato juice Bloody Mary, followed by a lunch with an orange-butter breakfast martini and then onto dinner with something boozy.

“We want this to be a neighbourhood cafe where people hang out all day if they want,” says Anthony.
The clean, pared back fit-out was done in partnership with Margie Noonan, one of the owners of nearby Black Bottle wine bar. A black-and-white botanical mural decorates one wall, and lush green plants are the only colour in this otherwise neutral space of natural timber and exposed brick.

It’s modern, cosy and a good place to while away an afternoon drinking Bloody Marys and watching Victoria Street go by.

Son of Frank

263 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst

Hours:
Mon to Friday 7am–4pm
Sat to Sun 8am–3pm

facebook.com./sonoffrankdarlinghurst

This article first appeared on Broadsheet on May 21, 2018. Menu items may have changed since publication.