Gran Torino
Neil and Samantha Perry's contemporary ode to a golden age of dining brings big Italian flavours and seasonal Australian produce to a historic Double Bay location.
Overview
Ascending the steps and passing through the glass front of Gaden House feels like stepping into another era — one of big, confident dining rooms where the service is crisp, the wine list deep and the food unapologetically generous. Gran Torino is Neil and Samantha Perry's contemporary ode to that golden age, pairing old-world glamour with classic Italian flavours and signature Perry precision across two floors of Double Bay's modernist marvel.
The menu, developed by Perry with Executive Chef Richard Purdue (who previously ran Perry's Rosetta) and Head Chef Ervin Mumajesi (who's come over from Margaret), champions seasonality and quality, spotlighting some of the country's most respected producers. It takes its cues from the traditional Italian emphasis on fresh, market-driven ingredients, with antipasti like Mishima bresaola with reggiano and extra virgin olive oil, Burraduc Farm buffalo mozzarella with artichoke caponata and a fritto misto di mare piled with Spencer Gulf king prawns, squid, scallops and coral trout.
Yusuke Oba
Handmade pastas might include agnolotti del plin filled with veal and guinea fowl luxuriating in sage butter and a classic tagliatelle alla bolognese, while mains range from single-line-caught fish and Wollemi duck alla cacciatora to dry-aged CopperTree Farms steaks served with an array of condiments. Desserts — like a textbook tiramisu, classic cassata and vanilla cream and raspberry conserva-filled bomboloni — channel the same confident simplicity.
The food is matched with a deep, globetrotting wine program. Alongside a strong showing from Italian and Australian makers, there are bottles from Europe, South Africa and the Americas, plus a champagne list that spans both established houses and emerging makers.
Gran Torino's dining spaces, brought to life by longtime Perry collaborators Collette Dinnigan and Earl Carter, feature more than 50 photographs — including many black-and-white images from the 1950s and 60s — lining the dark wood walls and playing nicely against the space's chrome accents. It's a space made for long lunches and lingering dinners, whether in the 130-seat main dining room or on the 30-seat al fresco terrace overlooking Bay Street.
Yusuke Oba
Top images: Yusuke Oba.
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