Intermezzo Ristorante

An outdoor table beside grand colonnades on the edge of lively, traffic-free Martin Place is about as close as Sydney gets to an Italian piazza. The chiming GPO clock adds to the charm, as waiters in starched jackets and black neckties run about as if booked by Italian central casting. A generous antipasto platter includes San Daniele prosciutto, white anchovies, coppa and salami, while fiori di zucchini - olive-scented and lightly cooked zucchini flowers - are nicely crunchy with a hint of aged cabernet dressing and ricotta cream. Goodsized chunks of sauteed king prawns come with perfect house-made gnocchi and shaved bottarga; a tangle of linguine infused with cherry tomatoes is paired with two fat scampi; and filetto di maiale combines slices of impeccably cooked pork fillet in a rich sauce, complete with tiny grapes and caramelised apples. Maintain the 'I could be in Italy' feeling with a pretty crostatino - a crusty apple tart with candied figs.