Fino Vino opens its doors
Eagerly awaited new diner Fino Vino opens with former L’Italy chef Joe Carey at the helm.
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Eagerly awaited new diner Fino Vino, headed up by award-winning restaurant duo David Swain and Sharon Romeo, has opened its doors with respected chef Joe Carey taking the reins in the kitchen.
Joe, most recently of restaurant L’Italy and prior to that, regional Victoria, will help bring to life a vision dreamt up by the powerhouse pair behind Fino at Seppeltsfield.
Food won’t necessarily be Italian in cuisine, but “Fino in style”, showcasing ingredients that have been “well cared for before they come to us”.
“Then we will care for them here,” says Joe, adding that he’s excited to get on board the project.
“I like to connect with producers and be respectful of what they do, really,” he says.
“When you meet people who catch things, and rear things; people who care for what they do, those things become really important.”
A 9m-long communal table runs through the centre of the venue and plenty of character is being retained, the exposed bricks also adding warmth. Curved windows at the front look out to jacarandas in full bloom across the road.
“I think we’ve got an opportunity to do something a little bit different in the CBD,” says Sharon. Fino Vino isn’t a restaurant, she says. Nor is it a bar. What they aim to create is a community. A “convivial environment”, where drop-ins are welcome.
“You don’t even have to eat,” Sharon adds. “There aren’t any rules.”
Sharon and David, who first made a mark on South Australia’s dining scene at their original Fino in Willunga (2006-16), want to bring regional ethos to the city. They invite people to drop off produce grown on their property. And they’re excited to welcome some of their oldest supporters, including several McLaren Vale winemakers.
Of course, the wine game will be strong. Adelaide sommelier Jonathan Brook also has taken on the role of assistant manager.
Local architectural firm studio-gram has designed the 70-seat space, which includes bench seating and an open kitchen, at which five people can sit to “watch Joe and the team work”.
And so much of the detail is South Australian – from the stonework on the benchtop, which was found in the Flinders Ranges, down to the terracotta tiles.
“There’s this connection to place, which is important to us when building a menu and wine list,” Sharon adds. “It’s the glue, and it’s so vital.”
82 Flinders St, city, finovino.net.au