Just a short distance north of Perth city lies Testun – Beaufort Street’s newest shopfront in terms of eating and drinking. The neo-Italian osteria located in Mount Lawley amplifies the village atmosphere that the neighbourhood already exudes – and Testun is about to become your go-to for wine and fine, but casual dining.
Testun boasts an exposed red brick exterior with elongated windows that welcome the sunlight into the mid-century-esque space. The wholly dark green interior oozes mystique, while the lace doilie curtains overhead the bar provide a sense of comfortability – the delicate fabric a common sight throughout many a nonna’s home. Attention to detail does not go unnoticed and creates a pleasing experience for the eyes.
Testun brings a focus on “injecting fun and youthful vigour” into Perth’s Italian dining scene, affirms the quadruplet of owners – Francesco Trequattrini, Fabio Trequattrini, Antonio di Sanzo and Christopher Caravella.
“Testun is a place where we can come together, share our version of Italo-Australian hospitality and conviviality, whether it be over a long multi-course meal or a few drinks and snacks,” they affirm.
Offering a fare of bold flavour combinations, textures, and colours – Testun manages to remix classic Italian cuisine with familiar ingredients that radiate modernity. Their rotating menu hosts plates with the likes of; tagliatelle with funghi and fermented soy butter; squid spiedino with radicchio, lentil and green olive salsa; and whey-brined pork cotoletta with a sauce charcuterie and cavolo nero.
“Drawing on a lifetime of experience spent in restaurants and professional kitchens, we’re putting the focus back on the creative side of Italian cuisine and the importance of using local, sustainable and fresh produce,” the four owners tell us.
“Honouring tradition at Testun means producing soul food, with the same desire to nourish our guest’s souls that a nonna has for her grandchildren,” they continue.
When it comes to beverages, namely fine wine, Testun boast an extensive wine list with a focus on Italian and Western Australian drops. The menu constantly rotates and evolves allowing drinkers to experience a somewhat never-ending list of options. However, Testun recognises that wine doesn’t satisfy all palates and provides a carefully curated lineup of cocktails, house infusions, independently brewed beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
“Testun is an experience that goes beyond the idea of a wine bar as ‘a place to drink wine’ and more as a place to find community, accompanied by a glass of something delicious, and maybe something a little bit funky,” Testun’s owners divulge.
They proclaim that, “Testun is a place that embodies the innately casual, spontaneous and anything-goes vibe of our Italian culture that strips away the conventional, predictable and safety of the Italian dining scene in Western Australia.”
Images: Supplied
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