Balla, The Star, Sydney

Last time my husband and I visited Balla, housed at The Star in Sydney, we were gifted with a table by the large windows overlooking the harbour and great lighting for photos - always a huge bonus for foodies who like to share! I had previously written about Balla on my former blog and was always looking for an opportunity to revisit it on behalf of Sugar and Salt.

 

Photo from The Star website

Balla is Stefano Manfredi's baby and he has said that it is probably the most Italian restaurant he has opened. He overlooked the entire design of the food menu as well as the wholly Italian wine collection and the space in which it is all housed.

I think he did an amazing job putting everything together - Balla has a wonderful Sydney seaside ambiance and I still love it. The very first time we visited Balla, we were seated at one of the bench seats and at first I thought I was a bit too close to neighbouring patrons but this is in keeping with Manfredi's vision of shared tables as in an authentic Milanese osteria. Besides, I quickly overcame my reservations as the restaurant started to fill and the food arrived without delay. The decor is wonderfully fresh and unique, and the views are beautiful. I cannot believe The Star was previously not making good use of that particular side of the building!

If you want to see some gorgeous photos of the interior, along with some special dishes served at a private dinner when Balla first opened, head on over to the blog Not Quite Nigella. Blogger Lorraine Elliot, as you can probably guess, is a food enthusiast and writer who was lucky enough to attend this private dinner! I believe her husband may have taken the photos of the restaurant which are simply gorgeous. She got all the inside goss on the design of the restaurant and how much everything cost - I was intrigued reading about the lighting and the mosaic tiles.

We have eaten at Balla a number of times, particularly before heading to The Lyric Theatre for a show, as it is so close. On our latest visit we were seated at a small table nestled in the corner with great views. One of our favourite things about Balla is that they are spot on with their portion sizes. Following is a pictorial journey of our last visit.



Roasted Quail with radicchio, figs and balsamic.

Grilled Cauliflower with truffle pecorino, cured egg yolk and macadamia.

Tagliatelle with slipper lobster, tomato, capers and oregano.

Potato Gnocchi with pork shoulder ragu.

Scampi with shaved Autumn vegetables and Tuscan oil.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast with sautéed parsnip, radicchio and mustard plum.



Coffee Brulee with chocolate biscuit, raspberry and almond praline.

As usual, Balla got it right with all their flavours marrying perfectly. The standout dish for me were the gnocchi. I've had gnocchi there in various ways and each time they seem to nail the dish!

The dessert was also gorgeous. The biscuit base was a little thick and hard to crack but we successfully got to it without a scene. I would definitely order it again because it was delicious.

You can view the current dinner menu here and the dessert menu here. Definitely worth a visit, particularly if you're in Sydney and looking for a pre-show dinner.