Buzo, Sydney

By CARROLL DU CHATEAU for canvas

The challenge in Paddington, which has been gentrified beyond belief, is to find one of those neighbourhood Italian restaurants that Sydney used to be famous for. You know, the ones with checked red tablecloths, home-made pasta and an Italian mamma out back.

This time it took a flick through the Sydney Morning Herald's Cheap Eats guide before we stepped across to Buzo, which sits in a leafy urban street behind Oxford St in Woollahra.

When we arrived the feel was dead right - pictures of Tuscan villages on the walls, decent linen napkins, paper over the tablecloths, a low-key local crowd, and, best of all, a noise-softening carpeted floor.

The menu is retyped every day to reflect the season and what looks best at the markets. Our version included buffalo mozzarella, Jerusalem artichokes, amaretti, calves' liver and kidneys. The wine list is innovative with an excellent range of Australian and Italian wines. We chose a South Australian shiraz/sangiovese, A$35 (NZ$39).

I decided to take it easy, starting with Pappa col pomodoro (tomato, basil and bread soup), then moving on to an antipasto-size stuffed grilled calamari, both A$13.50 (NZ$15.20). The soup was delicious: sweet, chunky tomato stiffened with bread and more filling than some main courses.

Brian began with the Grappa-cured Atlantic salmon with salmon roe, A$13.50 (NZ$15.20), which melted, with an unusual fragrance, in his mouth. Marcus sampled the squid and Andrea found her Coppa & ricotta crescent (melted ricotta wrapped in pork prosciutto, served in a bready case) "utterly fantastic".

There was an Italian feel of generosity throughout: big wine glasses, and an extra stuffed squid parcel for me, complimentary rolls (served with unsalted butter and plenty of it, for people like us who don't like olive oil on their bread).

My squid was okay, without being fabulous - the stuffing somewhat overpowered the subtle-tasting squid. Andrea found her Vincisgrassi (porcini mushroom, prosciutto and truffle lasagne), A$19.50 (NZ$22) a bit boring after the first few marvellous forkfuls, though the rest of us loved our samples. Brian and Marcus, on the other hand, ploughed happily thorough their Calves' liver, bittersweet with balsamic vinegar, A$19.50 (NZ$22) and Sicilian roast leg of lamb, A$25 (NZ$28.21). Both declared their dishes superb, slightly underdone, seriously tasty.

Then, for the first time in my life, came a dessert that was the high point of the meal. My Torta di Verona (mascarpone, pandoro and blueberry trifle), A$12 (NZ$13.50), arrived looking like a small mountain, and tasted like heaven - spoon after unexpected spoon of crunchy praline and nuts, laced with cream, sponge, liqueur and blueberries. If you ever happen to be there, swerve the Tiramisu, Warm baked chocolate, White peach amaretti and almond torta and head straight for the torta.

Overall Buzo was just what we wanted, a restaurant that makes the most of Sydney's great Italian heritage, with highly professional service and reasonable prices, in an area where $100 a head is standard for a decent dinner out.

Ambience: buzzy yet muted, sophisticated

Cost: A$258 for four including two bottles of wine.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.