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Just Open: Acme, Rushcutters Bay

Callan Boys
Callan Boys

Bucking tradition: Wholemeal bucatini with goat, nduja and olive.
Bucking tradition: Wholemeal bucatini with goat, nduja and olive.Wolter Peeters

"We had an Italian restaurateur in here last night and he said he would never, ever, ever, ever serve bucatini with a braised meat ragu." says Acme chef and co-owner Mitch Orr. "I don't really give a shit about that, you know what I mean? If I want to serve bucatini with a meat ragu I'll f---ing do it."

Mitch Orr, Sydney's Prince of Pasta, is back. The young chef has opened a new neighbourhood pasta house in Rushcutters Bay with mates Andy Emerson, Cam Fairbairn and Ed Loveday (take the first letter from each of their names and you can see why the joint is called Acme).

Orr is best known for his spaghetti skills at 121BC and degustation dinners at Buzo that challenged traditional pasta concepts.

Your friendly neighbourhood pasta joint: inside Acme at Rushcutters Bay.
Your friendly neighbourhood pasta joint: inside Acme at Rushcutters Bay.Wolter Peeters
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"I'm not worried about tradition. I'm not trying to disrespect it or anything but the pasta's just sort of the backbone to carry other flavours," says Orr. "If I do a carbonara, I'm going to do it properly. If I'm going to do a traditional dish, that is the way it is, I'm going to nail it and do it properly, but outside of that we're just playing and having fun."

And Acme is a lot of fun. Early in the evening, when we give thanks to daylight saving, natural light fills the airy front room, showcasing a smart blue and white colour theme. It's a relaxed place to eat that's complemented by relaxed prices.

"We just want to be a little neighbourhood joint where you can get a good bowl of pasta, or multiple bowls of pasta, that's not too expensive, you know?" says Orr. "The inspiration for Acme is more Chinatown than anything else. You can go to Chinatown in Sydney and get a bowl of ramen or pho - whatever it may be - and it's going to cost you next to nothing, it's going to be fantastic, and it's going to be in a real chilled-out environment.

"It's hard to do that with pasta in Sydney. You can get amazing pasta but you've kind of got to go and spend $35 to $45 for a big bowl of it and that's all you're going to eat. I like to eat lots of little things in a quick amount of time and try different types of things."

Orr says the idea for the menu is to have about seven to eight snacks and the same amount of pastas. Most pasta is priced around the $20 mark. There are choices like the "controversial" wholemeal bucatini with goat ragu, nduja (spreadable sausage) and olive ($22), macaroni with pig's head and egg yolk ($18), and linguine with black garlic and burnt chilli ($12). Orr makes all pasta at Acme from scratch.

60 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay, 8068 0932, weareacme.com.au

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Callan BoysCallan Boys is editor of SMH Good Food Guide, restaurant critic for Good Weekend and Good Food writer.

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