PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Casa di Nico is the young sibling of Nick’s Bar and Grill next door; owner Nick Manettas also has Nick’s Seafood and I’m Angus around the corner at Cockle Bay. Of the four restaurants, all big players on the tourist-grabbing Darling Harbour scene, Nico is usually the quietest and on all but Friday and Saturday nights you can usually get a table on the promenade, looking out at dressed-up passers-by and sleek cruisers cutting through the harbour. Perhaps pizza and pasta don’t say “Sydney summer” as much as a lobster seafood platter, piled sky high with battered prawns and chips, but Casa di Nico has at least made seafood a big part of their menu.
At the heart of the open kitchen is the wood-fired oven, and many of the best dishes are imparted with the smoky flavour unique to this method of cooking. Pizzas are nicely done, with traditional toppings such as salami, Scamorza cheese, red onion and anchovy. Pastas include crab ravioli with sauteed spinach and lemon butter. Casa di Nico does do its own smaller seafood platter, minus chips and lobster, but it offers a good selection for two, with wood-fired bugs, prawns, calamari, octopus, mussels and vongole tossed with garlic, chilli and olive oil. Check the blackboard for some cracking specials, including wood-roasted lobster tail with taleggio.
LOCATION
On the waterfront at King Street Wharf, short walk from CBD, down King Street.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Inspired by simple, fresh ingredients, the menu incorporates the traditional robust flavours from the Italian wood-fired oven, which adds visual impact and ambience to the restaurant and produces flavours unmatched by any other style of cooking. The highlight of Casa di Nico is of course, the fresh seafood for which Nick is renowned. Paul Catto, Casa di Nico's Executive Chef returned from a tasting trip to Italy prior to developing the menu. Paul is ably assisted by Nicola Basso who, with 12 years experience in Venice, is now in charge of the delights from the wood-fired oven.
Nick's sommelier Alex Trevisan has introduced a range of Italian wines and liquors to the Casa di Nico wine list. Alex met with Italian winemakers to gain an indepth understanding of how to best match these imported wines to the menu. Alex's tasting notes give guests an understanding of the style of wine they are choosing and the best match for the dishes they select.
FUNCTIONS
Casa di Nico has a seating capacity of 350 and offers the unique combination of spectacular water views with the food, wine and passion of Italy.