MELBOURNE | When chef David Lakhi’s father bought him a solar oven, aged 12, in Khanna, India, it set in motion a love of cooking that would lead to him having his own Italian restaurant, Little Black Pig & Sons, in Melbourne. I recently accepted an invite to visit, fascinated to know more about David’s story, and try the food at the unassuming Heidelberg spot, which has been been a hit with locals, and those in the know, for the past 11 years.
Why Italian? When David arrived in Australia, aged 19, he trained to be a chef and started working at the Paesano Group’s Italian restaurants. The matriarch of the family, Abruzzo native, Clara Capuzzi, was behind all of the family recipes that came out of those kitchens, and took David under her wing. David’s adopted nonna mentored him over 12 years, and taught him all that she knew about Italian cuisine and the culture’s cooking philosophy. When David branched out to open his own restaurant, Italian it was.
Along with sous chef Alan Andrews, David develops a produce-driven menu that rotates ever two weeks. Seasonality and freshness is king, visiting markets daily, and building strong relationships with local suppliers. It’s a link between Italian food philosophy, and the Indian food philosophy that David grew up with, visiting local markets and helping his mum cook. Everything is made from scratch on site, including the pasta which David hand-batches daily.
The food at Little Black Pig & Sons is a refined take on Italian cuisine. Springy, airy focaccia with olive oil gets things started. Tortino con tonno (mini tartlets filled with yellow fin tuna, roasted tomatoes, celeriac, and Worcestershire gel), pop with balanced salt and acid. The wonderful polenta con funghi (creamy fine polenta with seasonal mushroom ragù, capers, garlic, oregano, and Parmigiano Reggiano) is, as a diner on the table next to me joyously proclaimed, ‘winter in a plate’.
Of the pasta options, you may want to try pappardelle con ragù di cervo. A warming plate of hand-cut nettle pappardelle with pork and venison ragù slow-cooked with garlic, rosemary, oregano, Soave, and Parmigiano Reggiano. If you want to be indulgent, get the Bistecca di manzo. Chargrilled pasture-fed black angus rib eye with Swiss mushrooms, silver beet, and burnt truffle butter. David’s tiramisu, which uses ‘a bit of every liqueur behind the bar’ is the obvious choice to finish.
The wine list focuses on Italian varietals, from some of the best Italian and Australian winemakers. There’s also classic and Italian cocktails, local and Italian beer, and an assortment of digestives, amari, and liqueurs.
Little Black Pig & Sons
48 Burgundy Street
Heidelberg
Victoria 3084
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9459 9114
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Wed: 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Thu – Fri: 12:00pm to 3:00pm, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Sat: 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 3:00pm