New Bar Infinita in Gordon opened just last Wednesday, with a menu curated by Head Chef Francesco Iervolino who has cooked in top-notch restaurants in Italy and Australia. Iervolino has most recently cooked in Sydney restaurants including the iconic Lucio's Italian restaurant - where he spent most of his time in Sydney as Senior Sous Chef - as well as previously cooking at Firedoor and Ormeggio.
This new Gordon restaurant bar is a complete surprise. On approach Bar Infinita may appear like other suburban eateries. Yet step inside...
Bar Infinita aperitivo menu is displayed in lights above the bar with a selection from the cocktail list. Inside the elegant leather leaflets presented at the table, one for food, one for drinks, prescribe many more menu choices.
For starters or just to mop up the delicious drinks, Bar Infinita presents a whole page of small bites of food. Two oyster choices. Two wood fired breads. Charcuterie includes LP's mortadella ($8) and saucisson ($11), San Daniele proscuitto ($14) and Wagyu pastrami ($14). San Daniele proscuitto also adorns the Gnoccho Fritto ($9) with Parmesan, and there are six other Bar Infinita snack selections from Marinated olives ($8) to Grilled scallop, cauliflower puree, preserved lemon, green apple. The four Antipasti menu choices hug one of the most scrumptious delights I have eaten in a long time - listed as Roasted cauliflor, cashew mousse, sultanas ($22). It's a generous plate, with perfect balance, just enough crunch, creamy lightness and moreishly offset with the tiny sultanas pickled.
There's a second full page of Bar Infinita selections for those with a bigger dining appetite beyond bar food. Being Italian you might imagine some. Pastas are hand made in the restaurant. The Spaghetti, vongole, warrigal greens, bottarga ($36) is exquisite. I understand the spaghetti is not only copper extruded (that provides texture for the sauce to cling) but the fresh pasta is rested for at least 40 minutes before cooking. You would be hard pressed to find a better example of a pasta dish in Sydney. Although some of the other pasta options are also beckoning. Bigger dishes include Murray cod and Margra lamb through to four beef steak options. And again there is a recent best with the sensational dessert, Amalfi Coast lemon mousse, lemon jam, lemon crumb ($16). Oh so salivating again just thinking about this extraordinary elevated not too sweet not too tart just right creamy combination.
When it comes to cocktails, the intimate restaurant and bar shines a light on all things Italian with a list curated by one time Star mixologist Aaron Dean. Sip on house made Limoncello, herbaceous Australian Triple G gin Amalfi Sours with Amaretto, and the spectacular blue bubble Angelo Azzurro, Cointreau, Triple G gin, triple sec and blue curacao. And did I mention the prices? These beauties for the cocktail lover reflect their suburban setting and are all only $18 and under! Although expertise and service, like with food, will match the highest end Sydney venues. Plus there's an extensive wine collection from personality and Paski owner Giorgio de Maria (Giorgio de Maria Fun Wines) with most of the luscious lovelies available by the glass. Now that's impressive too.
Service is swift and nicely paced led by career professional Fernando Vaca on the floor as restaurant manager. The delightful indoor outdoor venue includes a mix of dining options in its neat and well designed space: al fresco tables, built in benches indoors at the restaurant rear, stools at the bar and at a bench perched for street gazing. Conveniently an easy walk from Gordon Train Station, Bar Infinita is also serviced close by with a free 3 hour council park.
Bar Infinita may be what the upper North Shore was missing, but Sydney Scoop recommends that you don't have to be local to the north side to bring your crew here. This is the complete package in high end meets casual dining and drinking, so Bar Infinita is worth a trip no matter where you live in Sydney. Point in case, I came all the way from the south west Sydney suburbs and would love to go back soon. Those missing the fabulous Lucio's in Paddington would welcome seeing a familiar face in the open kitchen and the same integrity in cooking and customer care. Most highly recommended if you love Italian food.
