One movie meme that refuses to die is how Titanic (the James Cameron classic that came out TWENTY YEARS AGO) ended.

Let me refresh your memory: the Titanic has hit an iceberg and people are frantically evacuating the not-so-small boating accident. Our main characters played by Leo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet are whispering sweet nothings to each other as death awaits poor Leo and Kate Winslet floats on a sturdy looking door.

That door was a solid piece of timber and could’ve easily supported the both of them. Yet, Kate never scooches over for young Leo.

Olio, why didn’t you just force your way on to the door with Kate Winslet so you could’ve starred in Titanic 2?

Speaking of Leo, have you heard of the new restaurant by the name of Olio Kensington Street in Chippendale?

Kensington Street continues to bolster its culinary arsenal with the addition of Olio. Headed by award winning chef Lino Sauro, Olio Kensington Street adds a splash of Sicilian sizzle to what is quickly becoming one of Sydney’s tastiest streets.

I just couldn’t walk pasta place with such a sterling reputation without trying it for myself.

This beautifully plated appetiser arrives in front of me before I make my acquaintance with my carbohydrate loaded mains. It’s a nice way to whet the appetite with the nuts and beetroot blending together perfectly. I wouldn’t go as far as to say this dish was nuts but it certainly didn’t miss a beet.

Burrata finally makes its debut on this humble little food blog that started out as a way for me to showcase my puns that no one laughed at and has slowly morphed into err…a way for me to showcase my puns no one laughs at.

Olio’s burrata was quite a different affair from what I was accustomed to. Instead of a ball of fresh Italian cheese I was presented with a plate almost overflowing with mushrooms, parma ham with only hints of strings of burrata. Nonetheless, the dish was incredibly tasty with more toppings than the most generous of pizza places and tasty to boot.

Though it doesn’t look to appetising, you’d be foolish to judge this dish on looks alone.

Risone (also known as orzo) pasta is very different from mom’s spaghetti. It bears a close resemblance to long grain rice with less chew. Chunks of octopus are hidden throughout the pool of pasta swimming in rich bone marrow broth. It’s quite a filling dish and definitely not one you can handle solo unless you’ve been undergoing a paper mache diet.

Yes, that’s a real thing. Go on, Google it.

….holy crap, did you actually google paper mache diet? Come on, guys.

I almost always opt for squid ink pasta if it’s available. I tell people I’m adventurous when it comes to food but am I really when all I do is have the same dish at different restaurants?

And thank goodness I decided to stick to old reliable as it was a pleasure to eat. Pasta with a bit of bite, a fair amount of spanner crab all bound together by a delightful black pepper sauce. If only that black pepper sauce could be produced en masse to bind the citizens of the world together as I’ve never seen it more fractured.

…wow, I really need to retire soon.

I’ve heard that summer in Sicily was beautiful but I had no idea it was THIS beautiful. Chunks of watermelon, dollops of raspberry and ice cream that tastes like frozen jam dance upon the plate like a fruit salad on LSD.

Fresh, fragrant and dynamic: Sicilian summer is the season I want all year long.

Here’s the TL;DR for everyone who barreled through this post by just looking at the photos:

• Am I the only one who starts making machine gun noises every time I order a buratta (bratt, bratt, bratt sk pew pew)?
• To all the folks that thought I pasta-way due to my month-long break from writing; my sincerest apologies.

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Olio Kensington Street

Second floor, Old Rum Store 10-12 Kensington Street, Chippendale, Sydney, NSW

Opening Hours:

Monday – Wednesday: 6PM – 10PM
Thusday – Saturday: 12-3PM, 6-10PM
Sunday: Closed