Ouzo is set to open next week, delivering a taste of the Mediterranean to the streets of Darlinghurst. The venue is the latest venture from the team behind Tommy’s Mexican restaurants in Darlinghurst and Manly, David Cooper and Brett Ayton.
During an extensive food tour across Spain, France, Greece, Italy, and Turkey, Cooper and Ayton visited numerous restaurants, from Michelin-starred eateries to hole-in-the-wall takeaways.
The trip inspired the duo to branch out from Mexican food and begin exploring the “relaxed atmosphere” of European dining culture to establish Ouzo’s ethos of leisurely dining, seasonal produce, and woodfire cooking.
The duo drew inspiration from a range of experiences, including a degustation at Spain’s Asador Etxebarri, a woodfire restaurant rated number two in the world; sampling seafood tapas at Catalan restaurants Cañete and Ultramarinos Marin; and the tasting mezze in Istanbul and gyros in Greece.
The restaurant provides a distinct offering across two floors. Downstairs is a walk-in bar serving drinks and small plates, while upstairs is a 100-seat restaurant centred around the woodfire grill.
Chef Ignacio Morales (previously of Bondi mezze restaurant Ikaria) developed the menu, which features slow cooked lamb shoulder; velvety taramasalata with warm, seasoned pita bread; and woodfire-cooked MBS5+ Tajima Wagyu sirloin with a Pedro Ximenez reduction.
“One of the dishes I’m really looking forward to people trying is the coral trout. Cooked over woodfire on the hibachi grill, it gets the perfect crispy crust on the skin. Its sauce is a mix of beurre blanc and celeriac, making a rich buttery sauce paired perfectly with a really bright green rocket oil. It presents really well,” says Morales.
Morales also recommends the brussel sprouts with a red wine reduction and pecorino, noting that while they’re “not a typical hero dish,” they make for a delicious pairing alongside the mains.
“I am thrilled to be opening the first non-Mexican restaurant in the group. Knowing it’s a bit more upmarket is always a challenge but a very welcome one to any chef. I know with the team we have built for this venue we will be able to exceed the expectations of any guest,” says Morales.
“It’s been really nice to try some different flavours and dishes. We’re really excited for people to come and try what we’ve come up with,” say Cooper and Ayton.
The drink list is inspired by cocktail bars of Athens and Barcelona. Head mixologist Euan Ferderer contributed an extensive cocktail list, including five types of martinis, while Sommelier Jean Draillard (ex-Icebergs) developed an 80-bottle wine list designed to complement Mediterranean flavours.
“Travelling through Bordeaux we tried so many amazing wines. There’s a big focus on French wines from Bordeaux and burgundy on the menu as a result,” say Cooper and Ayton.
Fittingly, the restaurant will also have a large selection of Ouzo available.
The restaurant will open next Thursday, October 3.
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