House Bar and Bistrot is Potts Point's Newest Rustic Italian Eatery
Ex-Fratelli Fresh chef Mauro Forgillo is whipping up a seasonal menu using all ethical produce, including grass-fed meat, organic veggies and freshly caught seafood.
Potts Point is no stranger to Italian eateries, but its latest addition, House Bar & Bistrot, has a specific focus on ethical and sustainable produce. Opened in late 2017 and set in an old Victorian house, this corner restaurant boasts a ever-changing menu using some seriously fresh ingredients.
At the helm is Mauro Forgillo (ex-Fratelli Fresh), who spent the last decade cooking for Australia hospitality giants Rockpool Dining Group and Merivale, as well as around Europe. The 27-year-old chef is now setting off on his own, bringing a seasonal Italian menu using all ethical produce, including grass-fed meat, organic veggies and freshly caught seafood. Forgillo has carefully researched the producers and farmers he buys from, most of which are located in NSW.
The young chef is also turning out homemade sourdough and freshly made pasta on the daily — using organic and unrefined flours to boot — as well as making his own marinades and cured meats. On the current menu sits grass fed lamb backstrap with eggplant and chickpeas, tagliatelle with fresh clams and pesto burrata on fried bread, along with pizzas assembled atop a pumpkin dough base. Those with a sweet tooth will be glad to hear that the gelato is also homemade, using fresh organic fruits.
On the drinks side, Forgillo is keeping with the Italian theme, offering Birra Menabrea on tap, along with a wine list which focuses on Italian grape varietals and hard-to-find drops from both Australian and Italian winemakers. The rotating list of cocktails are split between before, during and after meal categories. At the moment, patrons can start with a barrel-aged negroni, followed by a Venetian Sgroppino — a lemon sorbet drink topped with vodka and Prosecco. Finish off with an affogato martini, which uses that homemade gelato, no doubt.
The menu can cater to vegos too, with the chef offering up an entire vegetarian menu to those who ask. Finally, for music lovers, the venue will host acoustic and DJ sets every Friday and Saturday. This newcomer is certainly setting its bar high, but it is still to be seen if the restaurant lives up to its self-appointed reputation.
House Bar & Bistrot is now open at 62-64 Kellett St, Potts Point. Open Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday from 11.30am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm; Friday from noon to 10pm; and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
