The Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park is undergoing a renaissance. Well-known for its entertainment options — the Horden Pavillion, Fox Studios, the SCG and Allianz Stadium — the precinct is also fast becoming a foodie destination. In addition to twice-weekly farmers’ markets the precinct is now home to a new Fratelli Fresh restaurant.
The Plus Ones recently visited Fratelli to try out their new spring menu.
The Entertainment Quarter restaurant spans a large alfresco dining area/beer garden surrounded by lemon and olive trees. It has a number of long wooden tables that are perfectly suited for communal lunches or dinners. There is also an indoor area that covers a substantial part of the restaurant.
Head chef Gabor Dennes explained the simple concept behind the new spring menu: take well-known Italian dishes, minimise the number ingredients, and extract maximum flavour. Over the course of two-hours we put his conept to the test.
To start, we shared the Anti-Pasti Board with burrata, cured meats, mixed olives, focaccia & caprese salad. The combination of the burrata and fresh tomatoes was devine and a perfect way to ease into a long lunch.
For mains, I had the spaghettini crab, pangrattoto, garlic, chilli & parsley. This was a beautifully balanced dish where the softness of the spaghettini was offset by the slight crunch of crab and pangarattoto. The garlic and chilli worked well together without one overpowering the other.
My Plus One enjoyed the house made Ricotta ravioli, burnt butter, sage & pine nuts. This was, in his words, a “wonderful spring dish, with its soft textures and fragrant sage-butter sauce. A true Italian classic cooked to perfection, and light enough that there was still space for dessert”.
Of course, an Italian lunch it would not be without house-made gelato for dessert. We enjoyed a mix of the Yoghurt & Amarena and Hazelnut & Salted Caramel, which were just two of several flavours available.
Fratelli Fresh is a welcome addition to the Entertainment Quarter. It has everything you have come to know and expect of the Fratelli brand but with a splash of the outdoors. What’s not to like?
-Khanh
Writer for the Plus Ones, Khanh will no doubt be enjoying more long lunches at Fratelli Fresh
Go to http://www.fratellifresh.com.au/ to check out their new spring venue. You can also join their Fratelli Friends loyalty program for excellent discounts and exclusive access to events and masterclasses.
