Sarti Restaurant Bar

Dressed for success

by Michael Harden
Melbourne Weekly Magazine – September 2, 2009.

Sarti has been through many incarnations since it first opened in the CBD in 2002 as a strange hybrid of tailor shop and Italian bistro. The sewing machines are long gone, but the Italian theme has been as constant as the popularity of the restaurant’s brilliant terrace – one of the best outdoor spaces in the city. But of all the incarnations, it is the latest one with co-owners Riccardo Momesso and Joe Mammone working the kitchen and the front of house respectively that is by far the most successful. Sarti feels like a restaurant that has truly found its feet.

One of the most enjoyable things about Sarti is the deft way it balances the sleek with the rustic. The buzzy, split-level main dining room with its imposing central bar, arched windows, walls ‘‘graffitied’’ with stylised graphics, low–riding banquettes and tables covered with linen and brown paper manages to feel both thoroughly urban and comfortingly homely. Noise levels can be a little alarming on busy nights but there is no denying that the room has energy and buzz. The service style suits the space perfectly – personable, humorous but always accurate.

The sleek/rustic thing is also at work in Momesso’s kitchen. Classic dishes from his family’s native Puglia sit alongside more worked, modern combinations on the fairly lengthy menu. As with the room, traditional and modern share the space amicably. The menu starts with an extensive list of stuzzichini that includes slightly fiery baby bell peppers stuffed with creamy baccala ($3 each), house-made capicollo topped with sundried tomatoes and wonderfully crunchy dried broad beans ($12), pan-seared banana prawns with candied lemon and an earthy walnut ‘‘crumble’’ ($8 each) or an excellent smoked venison tongue carpaccio ($16).

For those who like snacking and sharing as a way to eat dinner, the small courses are a good place to linger for the entire meal but there is plenty of good eating to be had among the larger serves, too. Spaghetti with mud crab and clams ($26/$32) was heartily portioned and subtly flavoured. Thinly sliced veal served with buffalo mozzarella and black truffles ($33) was wonderfully rich without being overwhelming. Desserts include a very good pistachio panna cotta served with caramel salted popcorn ($16).

Sarti has always been one of the city’s good Italian joints. The current team’s clear vision, commitment to great flavours and totally hospitable style have gone one step further and made it one of the best.

The wine list is a well-priced, interesting list with a fondness for Australian and Italian labels and a good selection by the glass. The 2005 Hochkirk ‘‘Maximus’’ pinot noir ($77) from Tarrington in Victoria is a particularly good biodynamic pinot – full-bodied but elegant, savoury with some nice spice. It is a very good friend of the flavours here.