Stefano Manfredi has been an integral part of the nation's dining culture for nearly 30 years, and with his latest venture - a contemporary take on the classic osteria Milanese - he has lost none of his potency.
As the restaurant is named after the Italian futurist painter Giacomo Balla, it's only fitting that the stylings here are ultra-modern. An industrial motif dominates a dining room decked out in masculine materials: rough concrete, burnished metal and leather banquettes. Balla only really begins to soften once you perch on said cowhide and open the menu (or scroll through the iPad app'ed wine list). It's here you'll find the old-school, produce-driven cuisine that contrasts so well against its modern surrounds.
The menu is an homage to rustic, regional Brescian and Tuscan fare, relying on provenance rather than plate-ups to elevate each dish above the sum of its parts. It's this list of produce that makes Balla really worth the visit and speaks of a knowledge of local produce one can only garner over three decades in the industry. Pino's salumi, produce sourced directly from the Bells at Killcare kitchen garden - we might've seen these things from Manfredi before, but bringing them back to Sydney one more time is anything but a bad thing.
Nick Eggert
Open
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Breakfast
Lunch
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Dinner
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Late
Tue-Fri noon-2.30pm Mon-Sat 5.30pm-10.30pm
Italian
Entree: $6-$24
Mains: $23-$59
Dessert: $12-$24
Payment accepted: MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and American Express
Licensed with bar. Wine is available by the glass.
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