$3 wine and traditional lasagne: This underrated Italian delivers a taste of home

Previous SlideNext Slide

It’s gnocchi day at Betto Deli in Newtown, and there’s something comforting about watching Milanese owner-chef Andrea Bettini push and pull a warm mass of potato dough across the kitchen counter, his hands white with flour.

It reminds me of being a kid, watching my nonna and her friends roll gnocchi on an oversized wooden board in the garage. Nonna’s gnocchi was sacred in our household – a labour of love reserved for birthdays and holidays –and now, we make it to remember her.

“That’s what the restaurant is all about,” says Bettini. “Sometimes, when you are far from home, you just miss the simple things … the big family lunches on Sundays, eating comfort food like bolognese lasagne, risotto, and gnocchi.”

The best gnocchi is a delicate balance of texture: so soft it could almost melt in your mouth, just firm enough to maintain its shape and bite. You can’t buy it pre-packaged from the supermarket, and it’s difficult to find a restaurant that nails it, but Bettini’s recipe is many generations in development.

It’s served in a big, hand-painted bowl, with pan-fried asparagus and a gentle brown butter and sage sauce. Pretty damn delicious, and just $27.

“It’s like my grandma used to make,” Bettini says. “Simple ingredients: potatoes that aren’t too starchy, egg yolks, and plain flour.”

Bettini is a hospitality veteran who grew up in Milan, and migrated to Australia in the mid-2010s. He’s worked in hotel and fine-dining restaurants, but wanted Betto − his first restaurant, run with partner Katherine Daza − to recall the home he left behind.

“I realised there are enough great Italian restaurants in Sydney putting their own twist on things,” Bettini says. “I prefer to keep it traditional, respecting the classics.”

That’s what makes Betto special. In a city overwhelmed by the launch of more than a dozen high-profile Italian restaurants this year, from the multi-million dollar Grill Americano to Napoli-born pizza chain L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, Bettini winds it back to what made Italian food so beloved in the first place.

The pasta, porchetta, panini bread and panettone are made from scratch. There’s a wide selection of deli meats and cheese, sliced to order. And the $28 lasagne, layered five times over with a slow-cooked beef and pork bolognese, has become a bestseller for its just-charred edges and mozzarella-spiked bechamel sauce.

On Tuesdays, it’s risotto night − Bettini’s specialty. The pomodoro risotto is creamy, al dente, and dusted with pecorino romano. It arrives promptly, served by Daza, who brings warmth and careful professionalism to the front-of-house.

Almost every dish is listed with an optional add-on: crisp, pan-fried guanciale on the risotto, spoonfuls of stracciatella on the mezze maniche alla vodka, and prawns on the spaghetti alle vongole. It’s a smart move during a cost-of-living crisis, allowing diners to adjust for budget.

‘The pasta, porchetta, panini bread and panettone is made from scratch, in-house.’

Even when splurging on a couple of glasses of Chianti, a side of green beans (pan-fried with chilli and garlic), and a fruity iced granita to go, a group of four can be well-fed for around $60 a head.

Still, Bettini considers the restaurant a work in progress. Despite data from online booking platform OpenTable showing a 38 per cent increase in Italian dining in Sydney this year, it’s proven difficult to stand out on a tight budget (even when glasses of house wine are just $3 on Thursdays).

Aside from a few family photos and the oversized tins of tomatoes hanging from the ceiling, Bettini hasn’t been able to realise his vision of a rustic, old-school trattoria − yet.

“Next year we’re going to make it feel more warm and welcoming,” he says. “Slowly, slowly ... we want this to be a long-term venture.”

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.