BEST ITALIAN: Legno
Sydney hospitality entrepreneur Vince Battiato’s restaurant draws its inspiration from Battiato’s heritage and specializes in traditional pizzas. As well as providing quality Italian fare, Legno will also offer a number of classic dishes including a signature comfit duck and porcini mushroom risotto.
The Alternative Media Group’s very own Dining Reviewer, Jackie McMillan, tells us Legno’s pizza dough is something quite special – matter of fact, their secret dough recipe takes a full two days to rise. When Jackie was giving their menu a whirl, she supped on the Legno Pizza decked out with pancetta, porcini, Italian sausage, garlic, basil and boccocini. The verdict? “Wonderful.”
But it wasn’t quite enough for our ever-keen reviewer, who says she was consumed with order envy when a neighbouring table ordered a potato pizza so “fragrant my mouth watered”. So watch out, Legno, the girl is coming back. And it’s not only the mains she’ll be returning for – she tells us that when it comes to dessert, Legno have perfected their calzone: tasty pizza dough wrapped around caramelised bananas and chocolate, and drizzled with butterscotch sauce.
All that said, if you’re the kind of restaurant-goer who places more faith in the recommendations of patrons over those of a reviewer, the man who trumped our reviewer’s order with the wafting potato pizza was later heard to confess that, as a local, he’d been back three times in the three weeks since Legno opened. So he’s either extremely dedicated, or the place makes a damn good pizza. (Jackie McMillan & Scott Winter)
529 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills. 9698 8225, www.legnopizzeria.com.au
