John and Aleida Dwarte are getting ready to launch a new Italian restaurant overlooking Surf Beach in Kiama. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
Fresh, handmade Italian cuisine, inspired by the feeling of home cooking with family, is bound for Kiama’s coastline, with excitement already building for a new restaurant and cafe overlooking Surf Beach.
When John and Aleida Dwarte first set their eyes on this Bong Bong Road space, they knew it was the perfect spot for their next venture.
“We were on the hunt for a place where we could open a restaurant and cafe,” John said. “We had our last place which we sold in the back end of last year and we were looking to find somewhere a bit more coastal with a nice view, and somewhere we can really elevate what we’re doing.”
“I think the first thing I said to John was ‘I could not be anything but happy coming to work here every day,'” Aleida said.
“There’s something about being on the water that just makes you happy and makes people enjoy their dining experience even more.”
After previously building up a Unanderra restaurant from an empty shell, they were excited to transform this new space with a spectacular view into something that resonates and delivers for the local community.
“We aim to make everything here and have a real authentic offering that’s not just opening a packet or jar. It’s everything brought in using local suppliers with fruit and veg, meat, seafood, all that to create everything and create a real artisan product here,” John said.
“Part of the design that we’re putting together has a kitchen that is open and visible so the customers can see who is preparing their food for them and get involved in the process,” Aleida said.
“There’s a real theatre around it as well – they’ll see the fire and the making of the pasta and everything like that,” John said.
That extravagance will be combined with the authentic feeling and comfort of cooking with family.
“My background is Italian and I’ve spent my whole life around the kitchen with my nonna, my mum and my aunties where we’d be making gnocchi or whatever it is – pasta, pizza – and that’s where I grew up and where my passion is,” John said.
“Sometimes it’s a bit rustic, I guess, and you need to find a way to bring that into a restaurant setting because you can’t just plonk a bowl of pasta on the table, you’ve got to refine it a little bit. It’s certainly challenging bringing that across.”
“That’s something we aim to do and makes us happy if people come into the restaurant environment but feel like they’re eating this authentic Italian food that they would be at home,” Aleida said.
“Some of the compliments that we got on a regular basis at our previous restaurant was ‘this takes me back to when I was in Italy’ or ‘like my Nonna’s food’.
“That’s the biggest compliment for us because if you feel like that’s come from the heart, love, family, then that’s the aim for our food.”
While the flavours and purpose of Trinita Ristorante will influence meals available throughout the day, the venue will adapt and provide different offerings to meet the needs of their customers.
“With the cafe opening seven days a week you’ll have your regular cafe breakfast menu which will be Italian inspired as well with freshly made pastries and sweets and all of that,” John said.
“Through to lunch we’ll have some beautiful sandwiches that we’re going to be making as well as the a la carte menu.
“Then at nighttime it will be a little bit more elevated with full a la carte menu with everything we will be offering.”
The fit out is still in its early stages with a lot of work to be done to transform the space into the venue the couple envision, but momentum and anticipation are already growing with locals and other businesses.
“Everyone’s definitely been messaging us and reaching out and trying to find out what we’re doing here, and if they’ve got a service that they want to provide they let us know,” John said.
“When it comes to fit out and all that kind of stuff we’ve always agreed that people support us as their local restaurants so we’ll aim to support local contractors as well,” Aleida said.
Plans are currently making their way through development processes with the pair hoping to get the tick of approval and start setting up the space in time for winter, a perfect time to provide everything from hearty meals on cold nights to the morning coffee for the rugby parents.
“We are excited and ready to go so as soon as we get that green light it’s all steam ahead,” Aleida said.
“We cannot wait to be trading in this area, that’s for sure.”
To stay updated or to get in touch visit the Trinita Ristorante Facebook, Instagram or website.
