New restaurant in Legazpi Village: Head to Fresca Trattoria to satisfy all your pasta cravings

As he got to know the country more and found his footing, d’Arrigo discovered a fondness for the Philippines, noting that it interestingly reminded him of home. “Filipino culture is kind of European, the character, there is something similar with Italians,” he says endearingly.

“I’m not into traditional Italian [restaurants anymore]. I was very traditional, my background when I was in London was fine dining. When I arrived in Australia, I was a bit stuck with my old Italian-style ways. But then in Australia, I learned to combine the cuisine with different things. You don’t need to be stuck with the traditional. Here at Fresca today, I want to do something different, something unique, and something I like,” d’Arrigo intimates. Today, in their new Legazpi Village digs, the brand has evolved past just pasta and is, in fact, renamed as Fresca Trattoria. 

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However, it is no surprise that he started off as a pasta bar, serving a dish that hits close to home. In fact, pasta is in his blood—his grandfather used to own a pasta shop way back when. He chuckled as he giddily showed us the original packaging, a nostalgic memento he keeps to this day. But with additional time spent embedded in the food industry, and greater experience, he was eager to showcase more of Italy. To serve laid-back, approachable, rustic trattoria food in a stylish yet no-frills establishment was the dream—one he can proudly say he has accomplished.

The menu at Fresca Trattoria today is anchored by their deliciously al dente handmade pasta dishes but features a range of cold and hot appetisers, plus hearty, homey mains to boot. D’Arrigo’s menu and recipes are happily influenced by his home, Palermo, Sicily. As a region known for quality seafood, he made sure to celebrate a taste of the sea. In fact, some of his favourite items on the menu highlight fish and shellfish. “My favourite ingredient is the red shrimp from the south of Sicily. This is what we use in the fregola pasta.” 

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Before we devoured our selection of pasta, we started with a light beef carpaccio that comes topped with dollops of pecorino crema which delivers salty pops, then complemented by the sweetness of caramelised pears and the warm earthy and bitter notes from roasted walnuts. Next up came a fluffy pizzette that is baked and then fried, topped with tomato, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and stracciatella. We eagerly pulled apart the hot, crispy yet chewy, and moist limber dough, sinking your teeth into what we now deem to be a must-order starter. The bollito fritto was the next appetiser to meet the table. Here we tried two golden deep-fried spheres of beef sitting atop a delicate pea purée. The crunch juxtaposed the soft and meaty filling which was further softened by the sweet freshness of the peas. For a heavier starter, opt for the risotto al salto, a crispy pan-fried tomato risotto with a savoury Parmigiano Reggiano crema and basil emulsion. A golden brown crunchy crust on both sides sandwiches its gooey rice centre. Each bite is elevated by the herbaceous basil and salty Parmesan dressings.

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Next, we feasted on their signature item, pasta. A perfectly al dente plate of orecchiette coated in creamy fragrant pistachio pesto, coated in even more crunchy crumbles of pistachio which supplied beautiful layers of texture to every bite. Folded into the dish were crispy slices of salty guanciale, rounding out this plate beautifully. 

D’Arrigo then introduced us to his favourite pasta, the fregola with red shrimp. The fregola gamberi was a wonderfully finessed plate, edited smartly to best spotlight its starring produce. The rounds of fregola are doused in a deeply seasoned shrimp bisque, brightened with aromatic parsley and lemon zest, and is finished with an earthy dusting of porcini mushroom. 

To cap off the savoury courses we gladly gobbled Fresca’s swordfish, which proved to be a dish that deserves to be devoured. The spada alla mugnaia presents a meaty and succulent healthy cut of swordfish in a lemon-butter sauce, topped with salty, floral capers. We ended our meal with a refreshing granita of calamansi and basil to both energise and cleanse the palate.

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Fresca’s buzzing open kitchen framed by shiny green tiles, its wooden bar, and industrial interiors welcome guests into an unpretentious space, and effortlessly puts diners at ease. Hints of colour are brought into the space from an array of framed artworks, giving the concrete walls some oomph. The pared-back aesthetic is rounded out by the mood set at Fresca. When dining there, I noticed the music—but in a good way. While savouring a bite from each of our many orders, the restaurant’s infectious music discretely and effectively elicited a physical response from us. From bopping our head to the beat, swaying from side to side, or humming along, we couldn’t help but be swayed by sound. It wasn’t distractingly loud or fast-paced, but instead well-tempered and fun. The upbeat lounge playlist curated by d’Arrigo himself, shares some of his favourite tunes and expertly sets the tone for a festive meal ahead. 

Not a man to slow down or sit still, d’Arrigo started excitedly chatting about all his future dreams and goals for Fresca. From weekly specials to fresh creations to permanently feature on the menu, future collabs and pop-up degustation experiences, the sky is the limit for Fresca Trattoria, and we, for one, can’t wait to taste what’s next.

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