Sydney has enjoyed a clutch of new Italian restaurants recently. Louie opened in Coogee, and Mosman has new waterfront eatery St Siandra. The latest is Fauna, a petite new neighbourhood restaurant and bar in Surry Hills.
“Fauna is influenced by the connection between us and the world around us, celebrating the produce we choose to serve,” co-owner Geraint Coles tells Broadsheet. “But also, it’s the idea of what is local to the area that drove the name Fauna – European food, cooked with Australian ingredients, served up in a redesigned Edwardian terrace in Surry Hills.”
Coles owns the business with his partner, Julia Quisumbing. Between them, the couple have spent decades working in hospitality, including a stint at The Hudson in Los Angeles. The LA locals loved a “great neighbourhood restaurant” and the duo wanted to replicate the concept here.
Tucked away on Fitzroy Street, Fauna is open for lunch and dinner. The terrace houses three different spaces, each offering its own dining experience. Downstairs is the intimate 16-person dining room – a light and airy space that contrasts with the black exterior. Sage-coloured banquette seating and marble tables line the room, and candles set the scene for an easy date night. The same earthy tones and Med-inspired interiors are carried into the homey upstairs bar (which has rattan chairs worth fighting over), as well as a lush outdoor garden perfect for whiling away a long lunch in the sun.
The seafood-forward menu by head chef Ace Espiritu, a former chef de partie at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, follows the classic Italian four-course structure while incorporating local produce and native Australian ingredients. He draws inspiration from his Filipino roots, too.
Coles reckons the kangaroo tartare served with nori chips, miso aioli and cured egg yolk (a local take on beef tartare) “has turned the most heads” – and for all the right reasons. There are also Italian classics, such as cheesy arancini stuffed with porcini mushroom, taleggio and truffle pecorino; a Balmain bug arrabbiata; and a creamy carbonara.
“It goes without saying that everyone loves a carbonara. [That] and the octopus with eggplant puree and black olive tapenade are the biggest crowd favourites,” Coles says.
The cocktail list includes the Fauna Margarita and a riberry Negroni, as well as a good selection of local and international wines and beers. With the cooler months fast approaching, new food and drink items will soon be hitting the menu.
To make the most of the crisp mornings in the outdoor garden, Coles and Quisumbing are toying with the idea of a weekend brunch menu.
“It’ll be strictly for the later-rising crowd, no 7am lattes! But that is yet to be seen,” says Coles. “Right now, we are just getting to know our locals and are keen to listen to their feedback and see what we can do to provide the best addition possible to our little Fitzroy [Street] precinct.”
Fauna
59 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
0468 322 107
Hours:
Tue & Wed 5.30pm–midnight
Thu to Sat midday–3pm, 5.30pm–midnight
fauna.restaurant.com
@faunasurryhills
19 Jul 2023
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