Nigella Lawson gushes over Sydney's 'hidden gem' restaurant after discovering its 'staircase to heaven': 'Took my breath away'
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She's dined in Paris, feasted in Florence, and hosted glamorous banquets in London - but it's yet another hidden Sydney gem that's captured Nigella Lawson's taste buds.
The beloved British food icon, who's currently soaking up the Australian sunshine, took to Instagram to wax lyrical about Club Fontana, a quiet Italian eatery tucked away in Sydney's inner-south.
In a post brimming with culinary joy, Nigella, famous for her poetic descriptions of food and unapologetic love of carbs, revealed she was completely enchanted by the Redfern restaurant, describing the experience as 'uplifting,' 'cosy,' and 'exquisite.'
'The visit filled my heart with joy,' the 65-year-old foodie said.
'The food is exquisite but cosy, and the place immediately relaxing and uplifting.'
Nigella admitted that despite already falling for a handful of favourite Sydney spots, she was finally persuaded to try Fontana after hearing repeated praise from her close friend and renowned ceramicist and artist Shelley Simpson.
'I haven't been able to resist going back to restaurants I already know and love here in Sydney… but nor do I want to restrict myself to only my fond, familiar haunts,' she explained.
'The wonderful Shelley Simpson has been telling me about Club Fontana for ages now, and I'm really not sure why I haven't gone there before… but we went together last week, and the visit filled my heart with joy.'
And while Fontana may not be the most obvious pick from the street, what it lacks in visibility it makes up for in charm.
'It's hard to find from the street (mind you, I have got absolutely no sense of direction), but eventually I discovered the carpeted staircase to heaven,' Nigella said - and from there, she was completely sold.
The self-confessed 'carb queen' dove into a string of bold, nostalgic, and impeccably executed dishes, starting with a humble Italian classic - pane fritto with anchovies.
'Pane fritto is, simply, Italian for fried bread,' she said.
'But think puffed-up little pieces of sausage-shaped dough, light but with just the right amount of chew, topped with a salty stripe of anchovy.'
And the hits just kept coming.
From crostini topped with soft-cooked chicory and velvety broad bean purée, to garlic bread rolls that ooze caramelised garlic butter with every greedy bite, Nigella made her way through the menu with delight.
'Carb queen that I am, I moved on to their garlic bread, which comes sumptuously in the form of a bread roll that gushes… with caramelised garlic butter,' she swooned.
She paired it with fresh, soft ricotta which she likened to 'a butterfly kiss', and a bitter leaf Autumn Caesar salad, complete with guanciale, roast kohlrabi, and more anchovies (because one can never have too many).
But it was the dessert that left the TV star and bestselling author speechless.
'Pudding had to be the zabaglione cream, piled Mr Whippy style on top of a kind of upside-down crumble… that's to say, wine-poached quince over a bite-able rubble of divinely peppery biscuit,' Nigella wrote.
'This took my breath away. Well, it all did.'
Ever the thoughtful diner, Nigella made sure to give credit where it's due, singing the praises of the restaurant's talented chef for their 'palate as perfect as his touch.'
She also applauded the service, giving a warm shout-out to front-of-house staff member who helped make the night 'an utter enchantment.'
Despite flying relatively under the radar, Fontana has already built a loyal cult following among Sydney foodies, but now, with Nigella's golden seal of approval, a table at the cosy 40-seater could soon be one of the toughest to score in town.
The visiting British food icon recently dined at Ester in Chippendale, a trendy Sydney restaurant headed up by chef Mat Lindsay that may be a hidden gem - not widely known among the general public but revered by off-duty chefs and serious foodies.
She about Ester for remaining 'unfailingly the most exciting kitchen in the world' after visiting the little-known hotspot with two friends.
The 65-year-old specifically highlighted some of the restaurant's 'exceptional dishes', explaining that her dining experience commenced with 'impeccable' oysters to start.
Also on the menu was the 'legendary fermented potato bread with salmon roe and beguiling jelly-topped kefir cream' - a signature dish renowned at the restaurant.
Nigella also called out the 'exquisite pippies' as a standout.
ReceipeTin Eats founder, Nagi Maehashi, also responded to Nigella's post with an elongated: 'Yuuuuuummmm!!!'
The beloved Australian food blogger also recommended that Nigella check out Ester's sister restaurant, Poly.
'Get everything on the smalls list,' Nagi advised.
The high level of praise that Nigella heaped on Ester should hardly come as a surprise given that she'd previously named it a must-visit when she's in town.
The British food icon told Gourmet Traveller earlier this year that the surprising yet delicious creations at Mat Lindsay's restaurant are 'extraordinary'.
The award-winning restaurant is known for its relaxed yet stylish interiors and wood-fired modern Australian fare.
