FIRST LOOK: Inside the resurrection of Secolo Dining at Balmain’s The Exchange Hotel

After Fabbrica Pasta Bar’s abrupt departure from the pub, CBD restaurant Secolo Dining has opened at The Exchange Hotel in Balmain. And they have plans to open more venues.

Second serve: Secolo has set up in Balmain after closing in the CBD.

A phone call, an honest meeting and two weeks was what it took to resurrect CBD restaurant Secolo, which closed its doors in 2022.

When the failure of the CBD to return to pre-pandemic levels of customers and a feud with landlords forced the closure of Secolo in 2022, owner-operators Tanja and Anthony Arienzale thought the brand was “bad luck”.

They had no intention of opening the venue at a new location.

“Secolo caused us a lot of difficulty and lost us a lot of money. Closing it was so stressful. We felt like it was bad luck,” said Tanja.

But a phone call from Public Hospitality’s Vince Lombardo, convinced the trio to try again.

First look at restaurant Secolo Balmain.

“We’d lost a little confidence in it because we felt like we failed. But Vince reminded us that we had a great brand and offering,” Tanja said.

“We made a decision in two days, and are now opening two weeks later. Since we’ve resurrected it, we feel more positive about it.”

Secolo Balmain is set to open on December 1 at the old spot of Fabbrica Pasta Bar in The Exchange Hotel.

The opportunity to step into the space, owned by Public, came after previous tenants Love Tilly Group unexpectedly walked away from their partnership with Public.

While the dispute between the two groups made headlines, Tanja said she wasn’t nervous to step into the space for a pop up.

“[CEO of Public] Jon Adgemis has been open with us and honest and we’ve got a written agreement that is fair. We run the business and pay a percentage of the turnover to Public, and we’ve also got access to their team of experts,” Tanja said.

Husband and wife team Tanja and Anthony Arienzale, with chef Mattia Senesi (centre) will open Secolo Balmain on December 1.

The CBD location had a focus on pizza, Secolo Balmain will showcase fresh pasta, like a Blue Swimmer Crab spaghetti and rigatoni alla norma from Italian chef Mattia Senesi.

The menu will also change every three months to reflect what’s in produce.

“While Secolo Dining was more cafe/takeaway, Secolo Balmain is a restaurant and we are excited to experiment with the food and focus on our customer service, which is at the heart of what we do,” Tanja said, adding their philosophy is that a meal is not just sustenance but an art form that nourishes the soul.

Meanwhile, the team are also working towards opening another venue in February. Called Tesuto, meaning fabric, the restaurant will open inside a heritage rag trade warehouse.

SECONDO, DARLING: BEI AMICI DOUBLES DOWN

Tough economic conditions are forcing Sydney restaurants to close their doors, however not all those in the industry choose to buy into the doom and gloom.

When chef Felix Rutz saw a “For Lease” sign in the window of a new premises in Darlinghurst’s Taylor Square, he pounced.

Rutz and his wife, Leigh Cholakos, saw the 100-year-old early modernist building that previously housed Casoni restaurant as the perfect spot to expand the family business and open another Bei Amici Italian restaurant.

The second venue, Bei Bar and Bistro, comes 16 years after they opened their first successful neighbourhood restaurant in Darling Point.

They launched two weeks ago, with The Block couple Mark and Mitch among the first customers through the doors.

“From Darling Point and now Darlinghurst, next has to be Darling harbour!,” said Rutz.

Owners Felix Rutz and Leigh Cholakos, at their new restaurant, Bei, in Darlinghurst, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“After 17 years at Darling Point, opening something new is a dream come true. Opening two restaurants in a lifetime is also a dream come true.”

Rutz’s menus are inspired interpretations of a broader Mediterranean cuisine: Italian, a touch of Greek, but using the best Australian ingredients and a few imported specialties.

The menu and the wine list is small, simple, but enticing.

Wines are largely classic Italian and Australian styles.

With a strong emphasis on seafood, there are also plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians, plenty of pulses and vegetables, while Rutz’s hand-rolled pasta will continue to gather new fans.

The intimate indoor space is complemented by outdoor tables which allows customers to watch the passing parade of life in Darlinghurst while enjoying a wine or two during happy hour.