Overview
Food is a love language for many. None understand that better than co-owners of the newest Italian restaurant on Crown Street, Giulia Treuner and Esmeralda Perez, who opened Giuls in Surry Hills this month. A nod to the nickname Treuner's grandfather gave her growing up, Giuls takes inspiration from the region of Tuscany with a hyper-focused and curated menu of handmade pasta, Italian wine and seafood.
"Giuls is all about fresh pasta. Esmeralda and the team produce almost everything in-house and fresh each day," Treuner says.
To start you'll find focaccia with smoked rosemary and olive oil made in-house, fresh oysters with a strawberry vinegar and thyme dressing, and arancini with scamorza smoked mozerella. Smaller plates run to grilled Tasmanian octopus, market fish crudo with ginger and capers, or steak tartare eye fillet with truffle aioli.
The slurpy stars of the show reflect 15 years of Italian cooking experience, with a squid ink fettuccine, with crab, cherry tomatoes and chilli crowning the pasta choices. The conchiglie paired with a vodka, pancetta and taleggio sauce is another favourite, or opt for the heartier ragatoni with lamb ragu and parmesan.
A concise Italian wine menu and small selection of cocktail favourites round out the offering. Giuls brings together Treuner's decade of hospitality experience hailing from Rockpool Dining Group and Head Chef Perez's deep knowledge of Tuscan cuisine. Perez collaborated with Florence-born Alessio Rago to curate the menu, who has trained under three Michelin Star chefs in his career.
"Esmeralda and I are convinced the people make a venue. As an almost all female team we are so inspired to see more female restaurateurs and entire teams killing it in Sydney, a city with such a competitive restaurant scene... particularly after such a trying year for the food industry," said Treuner.
Giuls is open Wednesday to Thursday 4pm-late, and Friday to Sunday 12pm-late at 515 Crown Street, Surry Hills.