Overview
It has been almost a decade since Petrie Terrace's former gaol-turned-barracks was transformed into a retail, restaurant and cinema complex — and it just keeps evolving. There's always seems to be somewhere new to eat here, with Nativo Kitchen and Wine Bar the latest addition to the precinct, bringing Tuscan-style food and dining to Paddington.
With NKB Group running the show, Nativo joins their alliterative stable of culinary haunts, which also includes Nickel Kitchen and Bar in Fortitude Valley and NKB Express in Indooroopilly. It's a case of one door closing and another one opening for the company, however. Their other Indro joint, Nantucket Kitchen and Bar, is set to shut on May 14.
But back to all things new, shiny and delicious. Nativo plays up the rustic-style atmosphere the Barracks has in spades, turning the former French Twist site into a little Italy, complete with exposed brick, a cosy courtyard and a mural of the Italian countryside. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, the menu keeps the same vibe flowing, favouring classic, regional dishes.
Start the day with a Nativo breakfast board, which features Parma ham, dried tomatoes, basil pesto, smashed avocado, sourdough and marinated eggplant, or get fresh and fruity with fresh strawberry and basil salad, whipped ricotta, fresh honeycomb and vincotto. The lunch and dinner selection ranges from crisp fried baby calamari with squid ink aioli and house-made rabbit and pistachio terrine for starters, a choice of ten pizzas and five pastas, plus mains such as osso bucco, pan-roasted duck breast and three types of scallopini.
For dessert, opt for more old favourites, with gelato, affogatos and tiramisu on offer. And as for the drinks list, Italian wines — including nine rather pricey varieties labelled 'collector wines' — lead the charge, as well as a hefty array of grappa (of course), and trusty tipples such as Bellinis, Americanos, Negronis and Milano martinis among the cocktail choices.
Nativo Kitchen & Wine Bar is now open at 61 Petrie Terrace, Paddington. For more information, check out their website and Facebook page.