Assembly: Casual Italian serves slices of pizza heaven in the city
ASSEMBLY is first and foremost, a pizza restaurant and the man in charge of the wood-fired oven doesn’t bear the title of master of the made-to-order Napoli pizza for nothing.
Sydney Taste
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Not to start on a bum note (and yes, pun is intended) but can we just get past this shared bathroom situation once and for all? Every time I set foot in a restaurant that boasts “unisex bathrooms” as some sort of trendy selling point I can’t help but think of Paulie from The Sopranos riffing about hygiene.
“You look at ladies’ johns? You could eat maple walnut ice cream from the toilets. Eh — there are exceptions. But a men’s? Piss all over the (expletive) floor.”
Paulie may have been flawed in many areas but was right on this point. Men’s toilets are unpleasant. Women’s toilets, by and large, are not.
Unisex bathrooms, therefore, serve as much more pleasant than the standard men’s bathroom and wholly less pleasant than women’s bathrooms.
So ladies, my advice before dining at the new pizza addition Assembly in the CBD is “plan ahead”, where possible. Because putting that factor “behind” us (yes, again, intended) there’s a lot to like about this joint, which is a spin-off of sorts from its cocktail bar cousin Assembly Bar next door.
It’s also another addition to the CBD dining scene, which is so hot right now, gorged with mid-price taverns such as Lot 1 on York Street, Barrio Cellar and the incoming Huber (from the Baxter Inn team) and Movida CBD.
Sorry, dusty fine-diners. The kids want to walk out with a full stomach and a luscious wine glow for no more than $100 and, damn it, there are plenty of places set to oblige.
Assembly’s menu comes from Nick Pulcher (Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta) and, aside from the exquisite wood-fired pizzas (we’ll get to those) there are robust starters such as burrata with heirloom tomatoes ($19) and a finely shaved bresaola with a toss of parmesan and truffle oil ($19).
The offering of mains is mixed. The Tagliolini al Nero di Seppia (squid ink pasta with crabmeat and prawns) consisted of some very overcooked pasta with a flourish of rubbery, watery prawns. Disappointing for $26.50.
The secondi of Tagliata di Manzo is also kind of a let-down. Not least because it’s $38. But this divine cut of grass-fed rib-eye is served almost blue. And if, like me, you like a well-marbled steak with a bit of fire to it you’ll find yourself nibbling pitifully around the crispy edges.
Not surprisingly, as is the Italian way, one of the simplest dishes shines brightest in the form of the Gnoccheti Alla Sorrentina. Thumbnail-sized daubs of creamy handmade gnocchi tossed through a glorious baby truss pomodoro, fresh basil and lashings of Mozzarella Fior De latte ($16/$24). Pulcher has managed the near impossible feat of balancing all three main elements to perfection, without drowning everything in butter or oversalting.
But this is, first and foremost, a pizza restaurant and the man in charge of the wood-fired oven is Antonio Buonomo, a man who doesn’t bear the title of the master of the made-to-order Napoli pizza for nuthin.
His Margherita, a rich, tomatoey revelation on a perfect, powdery-thin base ($18) is a standout. So too is the Salumi ($25), which we order on a white, cheese base drizzled with olive oil and peppered with salami I’d put at about 75 per cent heat. Perfect for mixed company!
It’s not over-thought. The decor is bright and breezy, and the whole thing makes for a nice escape from the grind of the CBD. Note: it’s BYO until mid-February so pack accordingly and, as advised, girls, brace your bladder.
ASSEMBLY
Rating 7/10
Address 488 Kent St, Sydney CBD
Phone 9261 0552
Style Casual Italian/Pizza
Open Daily, noon-midnight
Highlight Traditional, Napoli-style pizzas via heaven
Lowlight The tile/concrete and glass surfaces make it a noisy affair
Like this, then try these
● Rosso Pomodoro, Balmain
● Via Napoli, Lane Cove
● Da Mario, Rosebery
All meals are paid for and visits unannounced
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