Showing love through pasta is the way at new laneway pasta bar Alt. “It’s about doing the little things with love every time and repeating that formula,” says co-owner Mino Han. To that end, the former chef and owner of Mentone’s Bar Audrey is making everything in-house – from the pasta itself to brioche, vinegars, preserves and more.
Because Melbourne has so many exceptional Italian restaurants, Han says he’s (mostly) steering away from tradition to focus on achieving alternative outcomes with time-honoured Italian methods. Hence the name.
That could mean bright-green pappardelle – made with seaweed – that’s almost smoky, offering a subtle contrast to the thin slithers of buttery abalone on top. Or a silky risotto flavoured with blue cheese and daikon. Or a hiramasa kingfish with fermented kumquat.
There are also some classics: cacio e pepe made with thick, hand-rolled pici; carbonara with chunks of salty guanciale; and a spanner-crab fettuccine, topped with the shell. The three desserts are mostly light, with a trio of seasonal gelati (corn, basil, and marjoram), a coconut-yoghurt ice-cream with granita, or a rich chocolate mousse.
With the help of Rooftop Architecture & Design, Han overhauled the Niagara Lane space, once home to Cafe Lafayette. It’s all moody and low-lit, now with an open kitchen and olive-green banquettes, as well as the existing exposed brick. Eclectic artworks include a black-and-white photo of fishermen holding giant soy-sauce bottles, and a painting of a woman wearing a bandit mask.
Alt Pasta Bar
30 Niagara Lane, Melbourne
Hours:
Tue to Sat 5pm–late
altpastabar.com.au
28 Jul 2023
28 Jul 2023
27 Jul 2023
27 Jul 2023