Restaurant review: Zambo

In a pocket of Sydney rapidly becoming known for la republicca gastronomy, a fun fine-diner raises the bar.

Whimsical: Zambo’s version of all'amatriciana. Picture: Jane Dempster

You wouldn’t call it Little Italy. Yet. But there’s a ribbon of Crown Street, in Sydney’s restaurant-thick Surry Hills, that has morphed lately into a gastronomic outpost of la repubblica. First came Besser, a likeable celebration of growing up as a first-gen Aussie with Italian roots; then the Dolphin Hotel across the road. What was missing? Italian chef Matteo Zamboni came up with the answer — “contemporary Italian fine dining” — and before you could say “pecorino espuma” he had his name on the lease of the late, lamented Marque. Zambo was born.

A branding expert might have steered the chef — at that point head of the Pilu at Freshwater kitchen — away from a name so similar to that of a certain macaron maker; I doubt people seeking out Zambo will be confused with the dessert bloke, but whether the converse applies, we’ll have to wait and see.

Zambo is still pretty fresh from the oven, but the place is helped considerably by an Italian maitre d’ of rare professionalism. The menu format is effectively either four or six courses, with optional bolt-ons. Either is good value for money, and the mostly Italian wines are reasonable too, but some dishes will push more buttons than others.

You’ll likely fall in love with Zambo’s version of pasta all’amatriciana (pictured), one of the more whimsical dishes here and one that works brilliantly, provided you’re not too rusted on to tradition. Short “mezzi rigatoni” tubes sit in a parsley butter sauce and are smothered in a frothy pecorino espuma. So far a kind of light mac and cheese. But to provide the contrasts of flavour and texture, your third “sauce” is in a cellophane packet on the table: a coarse crumble of pancetta, tomato, onion, chilli, pepper and dehydrated bread. Sprinkle and eat, it’s a gem.

Another winner is eggy ravioli filled with sweet-yet-acidic braised red capsicum, served with mussels and peanuts and a dressing of preserved lemon and quandong, then dusted with preserved egg yolk and Earl Grey tea powder. Unfamiliar combinations — brave, even — but successful. There’s also a baked red onion filled with ricotta made with eggplant-infused milk, finished with a vegetable jus, puffed spelt, quinoa and coffee powder.

And, not unlike chef Federico Zanellato at LuMi, Japanese experience comes to the table here and there. Dashi combines with the flavour of capers as the broth for a piece of mulloway, roasted and served on an acidic zucchini and mint puree, scattered with raw compressed kombu shavings and pried cubes of chickpea “tofu”.

Like most of the food here, it is light, subtle and quite unpredictable — a theme that continues through to desserts. Zamboni makes his pannacotta, for example, with another infused milk, this time with green peas, and scatters it with crumbled amaretti biscuit, poached pineapple and freeze-dried plum … nearly everything has a bitter/sour/acidic element. It’s a little gem.

As is the surprising combo of white chocolate and sage in the gelato, layered with tart rhubarb and plum gel, vanilla mascarpone and a final snowfall of burnt butter powder — a riff, we’re informed, on the traditional notion of burnt butter and sage sauce for pasta. I wonder what the large table of Italian speakers next to us think of it all.

Zambo looks like a fine diner; it’s in fact a lot more fun than that and time will help both the mood and the food find equilibrium. Worth a look; just don’t ask for a macaron.

Zambo looks like a fine diner; it’s in fact a lot more fun than that. Picture: Jane Dempster

AT A GLANCE

Address: 4-5/355 Crown St, Surry Hills

Contact: 02 8937 3599 zamborestaurant.com.au

Hours: Lunch Thu-Sat; dinner Tue-Sat

Typical prices: Four courses $70; six $85

Like this? Try ... Ormeggio at The Spit, Sydney

Summary: Untraditional Italian

RATING: 3 1/2 stars