21 February 2014
GUSTO AT SKY CITY GRAND
Imagine this. Perched at the chef’s table in the kitchen of the new Gusto restaurant. Sean Connolly is in fine fettle, sitting with six of us, ordering up a host of treats, pouring wine and telling tales. And then, out comes some crisp bruschetta, a block of the very fine Lewis Road Creamery butter and a tin of Ortiz anchovies. Sean slices great slabs of butter onto the toasted bread, and tops each with a tangy anchovy. Wow! The combination of crisp, crunchy, salty, tangy and meltingly luscious fat was heavenly.
Another masterstroke move from Sky City who seem to be shifting their focus (or maybe our perception of their business) from gambling to the restaurant industry. Following the enormous success of The Grill where Sean set new heights for steak and bloke-ish dining in the city, he’s been given free reign to head the kitchen in this new Italian influenced restaurant in the lobby and rear of Sky City Grand Hotel. Exactly what was needed there, as I am told the breakfast buffet serves up to 300 people each day with a gourmet array of fine fare.
His menu is filled with dishes that all scream ‘eat me’, ‘pick me’, ‘you know you want me’. Lovely little plates of nibbly bits like olives, parmigiano reggiano, antipoasto, bruschetta and meatballs that are also designed to serve the clients who sit in the lobby over a drink or two.
The range of smaller plates or starters includes some fresh salady stuff, an amazing take on vitello tonnato, the best tomatoes (Curious Croppers) with buffalo mozzarella, and an amazing selection of pasta dishes, all made in house. The risottos are made from scratch when ordered.
But the main courses are the real standouts; crumbed veal cutlet, a hearty kingfish tail saltimbocca style, wild rabbit cacciatore (Hey Sean, we have rabbits here at Omaha Beach if you run out) and the signature dish, line caught whole snapper from Coromandel that is cooked in ‘acqua pazza’ and smothered in passata. Or in other words, fresh sea water shipped in from Coromandel to poach the fish (deliciously salty) and locally made in a dense tomato sauce with those fabulous Curious Croppers, in a joint venture with Sean Connolly. It was salty, rich and oh so moist.
We had a lovely selection of Italian wines, some wicked rum baba to finish and will be back, soon. So much choice at Sky City and the new Gusto is first and foremost a hotel restaurant. But one with a difference. I love the way the space is intimate within but still opens up to the lobby in such a way that you can’t miss it. Don’t.