It was always going to be a great night. Take The Hungry One and myself. Add two hilarious beings from our wedding party; one of my brideslaves, conveniently married to one of his groomsmen.
Then put us in one of our collective favourite restaurants (albeit in a new location).
Sopra has been the answer to so many questions. ‘Where should I go for a great early lunch?’ (Sopra Waterloo, which was conveniently a five minute walk from our old pad in Sydney). ‘Where should we celebrate our birthdays?’ ( On their private balcony where the four course $60 family style Italian feast would both stuff and delight, every year without fail).
And where should we run to when the going gets a little rough?
I will never, ever forget the kindness of Sopra’s Nicole when during some dark days she matched our faces to a piece in the newspaper. As soon as we walked into the crowded Waterloo site she shuttled us into the private room. ‘You don’t need people around’ she said. ‘You need some wine. And zucchini flowers. And banoffee’
She was right.
It’s that kind of place.
Sopra, and the Italian providore ‘Fratelli Fresh’ it’s attached to has expanded across Sydney; from Waterloo, to Potts Point to Walsh Bay- and now there’s an outpost smack bang in the middle of the city on Bridge Street.
It’s just as good as the others. It plays host to the the old favourites; the black board menu, the carafes of wine, Campari over ice, antipasti platters, rustic tumble of pastas
There are also new things to like mozzarella bar and wood fired pizzas. And the thing to have alongside is their shaved baby cabbage salad (AUD$18)
It’s tall and proud, like a pistachio green Marge Simpson bouffant. The baby cabbage is cut wafer thin with a mandoline, punched up with crumbles of parmesan and slicked with aged balsamic.
It’s is the true demonstration of a whole being more than the parts.
But the parts; shoddy cheap supermarket balsamic won’t cut it. Neither will insipid cheese or rubbery fat chunks of cabbage; lazy cole slaw style.
It’s a twirl and a dip of bitterness and acidity. It’s the perfect supporting act for rich pastas and sweet mozzarella glossed pizza.
It might be normally ordered as a side player, but it’s a star in its own right.
The four of us fought with our forks to get the last thing. Luckily we’re old enough friends to share nicely.
Just one more thing to miss about Sydney, I guess.
(and happy Australia Day to you too)
Cafe Sopra Bridge Street
Ph.82982701
Monday – Friday 12pm – 3pm and 6pm – 10pm
http://www.fratellifresh.com.au/contact_us.asp
i've been to cafe sopra a few times but have never actually ordered the shaved cabbage salad but i will now. looks pretty awesome 🙂
Happy Australia Day Tori. I always used to get homesick on Australia day so I hope you are surviving ok. Looks like I am putting Sopra on my wish list for Sydney.