The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Beccafico

Louise Rugendyke

Meatball panino and fries.
Meatball panino and fries.James Alcock

Italian$$

"This coffee is just how I like my Italian men - strong and smooth," declares our well-travelled companion, fresh from a six-month overseas jaunt.

She has been haunted by British coffee since March, and now downs any local latte with gusto.

Husband No.1 agrees (about the coffee, not the men) as he nibbles the biscotti that come with the Morgans coffee.

Advertisement
Beccafico in Waterloo.
Beccafico in Waterloo.James Alcock

We are at Beccafico, an Italian restaurant and bar tucked away in a small plaza in Waterloo, on a warm Sunday morning.

When we enter earlier from Danks Street, we find a largely empty restaurant.

"Hello? Are you open?" H1 calls out. I have lured him here with an offer he couldn't refuse: chips for breakfast. His dream isn't about to be dashed now.

Poached egg and patato pancakes.
Poached egg and patato pancakes.James Alcock
Advertisement

The chef sticks his head out from the kitchen with a friendly hello and assures us that yes, they are open, before the head waiter appears and guides us to a table on the Phillip Street side (the real front of the restaurant).

H1 doesn't need to look at the menu to place his order. My investigations prior to our visit uncovered the panino with meatballs, tomato relish, pickled shallots, provolone and the aforementioned chips. Easy.

The traveller, meanwhile, has her eyes on the potato pancakes with smoked leg ham, fresh horseradish and poached egg, while I plump for the smashed avocado with house-smoked ricotta and gremolata on toast.

It's a tough call on a menu full of Italian classics. While H1 can't see past the chips, for me the siren call of eggplant parmigiana with fresh buffalo ricotta, or roasted cauliflower with smoked ocean trout and farro salad, is strong.

Menu regret starts to kick in. Have I picked the wrong dish? It's just avocado on toast, what can they possibly do with it that I can't?

Advertisement

I have even picked conservatively from the drinks menu, choosing fresh apple juice in haste over the mocktails (basil lemonade, fruit punch and Italian cream soda).

All worries evaporate when my plate lands.

The avocado is piled over two slices of sourdough, hidden under a tangle of greenery littered with tiny nasturtium leaves. The smoked ricotta is grated over the top, while the gremolata is the real star.

With the usual lemon zest replaced by orange zest, and combined with beautiful garlicky herbs, only good manners stops me from picking up the plate and licking it clean.

H1 has also forgotten his manners, clapping the arrival of his panino on a small wooden board, shoestring fries piled in a small bowl on one end. The panino appears a little on the small side but is declared full of flavour and more filling than it looks.

Advertisement

The traveller, busy hoeing into her potato pancakes, declares the smoked ham scrumptious.

It's all a million miles away from the usual brunch fare of blah poached eggs on blah toast.

As the morning wears on, a few more diners - and staff - arrive and menu envy kicks in again.

The table of four next to us are tucking into what looks like something sweet and filled with berries. I hadn't spotted anything similar on the menu - it certainly wasn't the panettone pudding.

We lean over, forgetting our manners again, to point and ask: "What the hell is that?"

Advertisement

It's Sicilian bread and butter pudding, the woman replies. "It's not on the menu but my daughter has been here before and knows you have to ask for it."

Another offer you couldn't refuse, if only you knew it was there.

THE LOWDOWN

THE PICKS

Meatball panino with fries

Advertisement

THE COFFEE

Top notch; beautifully made, smooth and rich

THE LOOK

Clean and modern with an open verandah perfect for catching summer breezes

THE SERVICE

Friendly and chatty. The constant filling of water glasses would make you think it was Italy, or Melbourne

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement