Spaghetti Bolognese Mondays

Overview

It's a truth universally acknowledged that every household has a list of dinner dishes that run on a regular rotation. Some menus may be more adventurous or diverse than others, but, Italian heritage or not, spaghetti bolognese is a staple on a lot of them. And while nobody makes it as good as nonna, it's still a dish that you occasionally opt for in a restaurant — it's a dependable classic of cheesy, meaty, carb-y goodness that reminds you of your childhood.

Big Poppa's is banking on that nostalgia and turning Mondays into spaghetti bolognese night. Like many others, owner Lewis Jaffrey remembers spag bol dinners being the highlight of his week growing up, and believes that people haven't lost touch with old favourites. And, despite recent claims that Sydneysiders' fickle tastes are causing restaurants to drop it off their menus, Jaffrey says there's a high demand for the classic dish. "My best mates have been begging me to put it on the menu since we opened 18 months ago," says Jaffrey. "People have an emotional connection to it".

Starting from Monday, 19 February, Big Poppa's will be churning out $23 bowls of bolognese every Monday — made with its much-loved house-made pasta. "We figured out recently that we have made over two tonnes of handmade pasta since we opened," Jaffrey says.

The homestyle sauce is courtesy of chef Cam Smith, and it's a mix of pork and veal mince with a vegetable ragu. If you're thinking "that sounds pretty simple", Jaffrey insists Smith's sauce is pretty special. "Whenever he makes it for staff dinner, the entire team turns up — even if they weren't working." We think Nonna may have some competition.

You can reserve your spot at Spaghetti Bolognese Mondays by making a reservation through the website, or just rock up at 6pm and order a bowl before it sells out.