Paddington’s NOTA to transform into a ‘Michelin’-inspired Italian fine-diner

Dario Manca wasn’t expecting to open his own restaurant. Not yet, anyway.

But then a space like 224 Given Terrace doesn’t come up that often. The heritage-listed premises right in the guts of Paddington are perhaps still best known as the original home of classic French restaurant Montrachet, but has enjoyed a fruitful recent life as NOTA, Sebastiaan de Kort and Kevin Docherty’s European diner, which became a local favourite after opening in early 2019.

NOTA will run its last service on August 3, with de Kort and Docherty consolidating their interests at Allonda with co-owner of that restaurant, Yanika Sittisuntorn – but a succession plan was always in place.

In September, Manca will open Attimi by Dario Manca, an Italian restaurant serving a fine-dining style degustation menu on weekends, and an a la carte menu during the week.

“To be completely honest with you, I was not really looking to become a business owner,” says Manca, who was most recently executive chef at popular Valley restaurant Rosmarino, where he became known for his playful spins on traditional Italian food. Before that, he was head chef at Za Za Ta, and previously worked at the award-winning Pilu at Freshwater in Sydney, and various restaurants in Italy and the United Kingdom.

“I was looking for probably the last good experience as an employee, maybe an executive [chef] position. But then I saw that NOTA was becoming available, and they actually contacted me ... so it [happened quite quickly].

“I had toyed with the idea of my own place four years ago. I was playing with spreadsheets and things for a while, but then Rosmarino came up and that was obviously a really great experience.”

On weekends, diners can expect a choice of two set menus: a smaller degustation taking a “quick Italian tour” across eight courses with snacks and more substantial plates, with a larger 12-course degustation featuring even more regional influences.

“There are so many good Italian restaurants in Brisbane – amazing restaurants but more in that trattoria style,” Manca says. “There is not that kind of approach of an Italian Michelin experience here in Brisbane. So I wanted to see if I could be a bit of a pioneer. Also, there are restaurants such as Exhibition, or Restaurant Dan Arnold – excellent places that focus on degustation only, and it really works for them.

“I’m only taking the one space,” he adds, as Manca won’t be taking up the lease on the second dining room that NOTA expanded into in 2022. “So at that point I knew I would need to cut myself out a [particular] spend per head, and that’s where the idea for this model originated from.”

“There are so many good Italian restaurants in Brisbane … but more in that trattoria style. There is not that kind of approach of an Italian Michelin experience here. So I wanted to see if I could be a bit of a pioneer.

Dario Manca

From Tuesday to Thursday, Attimi will wind back to an a la carte menu, suitable for locals who want to drop in for a snack, small plate or a glass of wine.

“People can get a bit scared of the term ‘fine dining’ but every time I go back to Italy or Europe and get that Michelin experience, I’m thrown into a bit of a wonderland,” Manca explains.

“It’s such a beautiful chance to take something traditional – say a lasagne, but transform it into maybe a taco, for example – then you close your eyes, and you feel your nonna hugging you. It’s a multisensory experience and fun and different, but still hits the spot for flavour.”

Manca is still resolving his approach to drinks, but says to expect a regionally focused Italian wine list, with some skin-contact bottles thrown in for good measure.

For the fit-out, Manca is going to keep some elements of the existing NOTA dining room but says he ultimately wants Attimi to feel like a new creation. For starters, he’s cutting back the bar to add more seats, and wants to make better use of the restaurant’s footpath dining.

“I don’t want people who have been coming here for years thinking it feels the same as before,” Manca says. “But I’ll be cutting the bar first of all, because there will be that greater focus on food.”

Attimi by Dario Manca will open in early September.