Giovanni Spinazzola says he's staying put at Da Gianni Trattoria for the foreseeable future. I applaud his decision for two reasons. First, this warm, friendly, yet stylish trattoria is a five-minute drive from my house, but best of all it's good not to be forced to follow this talented chef around. In the year or so before setting up his own restaurant, Giovanni manned the pans in quick succession at Bistro Moore, Jaspers and Ecco at the Drummoyne Sailing Club.
Da Gianni is located in the former Three Clicks West site; the building started life as a 19th century pharmacy. But forget any thought of the stripline appearance of today's chemist shops; back then it must have been something of a pleasure to be sick and have your prescriptions filled in such a handsome space packed with stained-glass windows and gleaming cedar floors and timberwork. Yet although the sharp and stylish decor and waiters in traditional Italian waiter's garb - white jackets and ties - may suggest otherwise, Giovanni is determined to keep prices within reason so locals will think nothing of popping in for a glass of pinot grigio and a bowl of pasta, especially when it's home-made fettucine with truffled eggs. I have a confession - I ordered this incredible dish the first three times I dined at Da Gianni.
As you read through the menu, out comes fresh Italian bread and extra virgin olive oil. For an entree there's nothing more refreshing than the insalata caprese - vine-ripened tomatoes teamed with the freshest mozzarella cheese and - here's a twist - white anchovies. Unless it's the fresh artichoke with baby peas in a full-flavoured home-made stock. All mains cost less than $30. Great value for listings such as low-cooked duck leg and roast breast with savoy cabbage, pancetta and chestnuts or abbachio - wet-roasted milk-fed lamb "the Roman way". The desserts alone make a visit worthwhile, ranging from semi-freddo of crushed Italian nougat, amarena cherries and pistachio nut to castagnaccio - a warm chocolate and chestnut torta with candied orange. Cinzia, Giovanni's wife, is the ultimate Italian hostess - warm, engaging and knowledgable. There's a well-thought-out wine list with both Australian and Italian bottlings. If you are splashing out, go for the 2004 Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella. 127 Booth St, Annandale; phone (02) 9660 6652.
If someone blindfolded you and deposited you just inside the door at La Mint, you would be hard-pressed to guess you were in a Vietnamese restaurant. Or, at least what most of us think a South-East Asian restaurant should look like. There's the sort of square timber pillars, grey brickwork, polished floorboards and crisp white linen most Sydneysiders associate with trendy fusion restaurants. The prices match the decor, too - $18 to $38 for mains. Maybe it's the French colonial influence in such dishes as oxtail a la bourguignon that shows not everything is lost in translation, or the high cost of ingredients in such lip-smacking dishes as drunken mudcrab. The signature dish is shaking beef with snake beans, which underscores once again that if you use the finest ingredients you don't need an army of them. 62 Riley St, Darlinghurst; phone (02) 9331 1818.
Spring is firmly sprung, so what better venue to welcome the more relaxed warm weather than the very stylish Cushion Bar, Lounge and Restaurant, where the panoramic views extend to the famous Bronte surf break. Located in the centre of "Sydney's seaside village", chef Tim Begley dishes up the sort of sophisticated yet relaxed food that fits the Sex and the City oceanside setting. Many people I know come here solely for the hand-stretched wood-fired pizzas - all about $19 - with innovative toppings such as baked sweet potato, semi-dried tomatoes, field mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, pesto and crumbled feta cheese. Substantial "nibbles" served near the bar area include grilled harissa chicken with flour tortillas, shallots, sour cream and avocado and the Cushion vegetarian mezze plate. The cocktail menu is another lure and showcases modern mixes such as toffee apple martinis - a blend of Matusalem Classico rum, butterscotch schnapps and pomme verte - and a clutch of Immortals from the manhattan through gin daisy and whisky sour. 242 Arden St, Coogee; phone (02) 9315 9130.
If I read that Cabarita and Canada Bay are up-and-coming suburbs one more time, I am going to scream. A generation has grown up since house prices in these two waterfront suburbs passed the million-dollar mark. Angelo's on the Bay is something of an institution hereabouts and with good reason - it pushes all the right buttons. Right on the water, a wraparound verandah where the kids can play after they have bolted their meals, and a great Italian menu. Seafood is to the fore, of course, in trademark entrees such as grilled scallops with hazelnut and coriander butter and in the famous seafood platter which should keep your digestive system working for some time. The ever-changing pasta menu is superb, too. A great neighbourhood restaurant where you can relax but know instinctively that the majority of your fellow diners own a Merc or BMW. Sunday lunches are booked well in advance because a rite of passage is to stroll in adjacent Prince Edward Park to walk off at least some of the kilojoules. Prince Edward Park, Cabarita; phone (02) 9743 2225.