We visited for the new menu which is designed for you to enjoy as delicious long lunch, with bottomless wine on offer at a very reasonable price.
Eat inside in a minimalist styling with wooden, marble and white furniture, complete with a shelve of wines on the back wall. You’ll find it in a part residential/part industrial/ part retail area precinct of Waterloo. It’s a quiet and serene space, not easily spotted from the streets and tucked away, so be sure to tell all your friends to visit because it’s worth it.
The starters were delicious. This included the bruschetta of the day, on this particular occasion, it was an eggplant style purée topped with a grated Parmesan. It had a lovely smoky flavor to it.
We also loved the smoked scamorza in Carozza with spicy ketchup. Literally a fried crumbed Cheese sandwich, topped with house made ketchup so bad, but oh so good.
The Wagyu bresola is another tasty starter, of air dried beef with rocket and creamy Aioli. This was served with some charcoal puffs and reypanaer VSOP (a Gouda style hard cheese) which meant the dish oozed flavour!
When we heard the pasta was made fresh on site, we could not resist. The squid ink fettuccine, with spanned crab, was taken to another level with the XO butter and pangrattato crumb.
They also keep it simple with the spaghetti cacio e Pepe with truffle pecorino, a classic traditional favourite.
Allegra also has a range of meats and seafood options, a few sides and there’s certainly something for everyone. You can certainly tell that you’re eating freshly made food in house. We saw the chefs busily working away preparing pasta, slicing the bresola and it was great to see them at work. They use locally sourced ingredients which is a huge positive for diners who reap the benefits of this wonderful food.
From the drinks menu there’s some healthy and refreshing shakes and frappes and ‘Fizzz’ drinks. We went for the ‘elderflower virgin, with blueberries, lime and elderflower’. Juices by botanica, tea and coffee, there’s something for everyone. Given that the venue is doing a long lunch now, you might be swayed by the $35 all you can drink wine. Otherwise you’d love a cocktail or two, which they like to call ‘tipples’. They have a breakfast espresso martini, Bloody Mary, mimosas and margaritas.
The tiramisu cannot be passed on, one of the best we’ve ever had. Soft and fluffy cake, cream and when you put your spoon inside and hear a crack – that’s the tempered Amadei chocolate which adds an amazing textural component. The tiramisu is also topped with chocolate pop rocks, you’ll be in dessert heaven.
The perfect place for an enjoyable long lunch with a glass of wine in hand; what could be better!
8/18 Danks Street
Waterloo, NSW 2017
entry via Phillip st or Danks street.