Sugo is the newest pasta kitchen to hit Adelaide’s western suburbs.

Owner and Chef, Joshua Cardone, has always wanted to open up his own store after working at his Uncle’s restaurant: Cardone’s Seafood and Grill. So when Joshua got the opportunity to open up Sugo along Grange road, he couldn’t pass it up, eagerly taking on the challenge.

Only been open for a week, Sugo has already started building up a reputation for its delicious and quality pasta; and we are certain that it is going to be a huge success.

To Joshua and the Sugo team, pasta is more than just food; it represents family, which is evident through the pride, care and love that is put into creating every dish.

The menu is structured in steps, making it easy for guests to choose something they know they will love; enabling guests to pick a pasta type to go with any of their favourite sauces and toppings.

Before we had even ordered, the aromas coming from the kitchen made our mouths water, eager to taste the many options Sugo has available.

The Parmigiano Garlic Bread was the prefect way to start us off. The garlic and buttery bread was a delight and held a lovely crunchy crust with a slight herb and peppery tang. The parmigiano cheese melted on top gave a slight bite that tied the dish together, giving tangy salty tones to balance the strong garlic and buttery flavours. The Parmigiano Garlic Bread consisted of a delicious balance of flavours and is a delicious side dish I would recommend getting with any meal or even just as a starter like we did.

The Arancini had a lovely crispy batter with slightly chewy rice, which seemed to be coated in a slight, almost, curry marinade. This, however, didn’t add any hot spice but added flavour to the rice. The centre of the Arancini contained small pieces of meat that was cooked to perfection, with a lovely thick tomato sauce served as a bed, adding a slight sweetness to the savoury dish.

Penne Pollo Rosè is made with chicken, baby spinach and sundried tomatoes in a rosè sauce. The light and fragrant rosè sauce was delicious. Very creamy but refreshing tones were prominent in the sauce; pairing perfectly with the soft and tender chicken pieces. The pasta was cooked al dente and the whole dish didn’t feel too heavy. I could easily (and gladly) eat the whole bowl myself. The Penne Pollo Rosè was a favourite of the night.

The Meatballs were homemade with lovely quality mince beef. Very prominent meaty flavours gave off hints of fresh herb that lifted the dish and helped balance the deeper flavours. The juicy meatballs were cooked perfectly and were paired with a lovely rich tomato sauce that gave a slight deeper sweetness that balanced with the earthy meat.

Sugo’s Spaghetti Puttanesca is made with anchovies, tomatoes, chilli and seasoning in a napolitana sauce. The chilli added flavour and slight warmth but didn’t leave a burning sensation in the mouth; only complimenting the saltiness from the anchovies and the sweetness of the tomato pieces. The spaghetti was again cooked perfectly. The lovely sweet tomato chunks with a slight saltiness of the anchovies paired well together. The Spaghetti Puttanesca is a seemingly simple dish, but was packed full of flavour.

Spaghetti Chilli Crab is made from blue swimmer crab, tomatoes, chilli, rocket and seasoning, mixed in a napolitana sauce. The sweetness of the crab meat was prominent and we were given a generous serving. The crab meat flavour balanced well with the tomato-based sauce, while the herbs and rocket lifted the dish, leaving you wanting more. A lovely salty balance with the sweeter meat and tomato, paired perfectly with the small amount of chilli that gave a slight warmth without too much heat. The linguine was cooked perfectly which only added to the warming seafood dish.

Ravioli Bolognese contains beautiful pillows of pasta with a meat centre, mixed in a napolitana and beef mince sauce. The rich and thick napolitana sauce added a lovely earthy and meaty flavour, with a hint of sweeter tomato that balanced well with the beautiful, soft ravioli. The pillows of pasta had a lovely smooth beef filling that wasn’t at all overpowering with the beef in the sauce and balanced well; the lighter meat flavour with the richer, deeper meat. The Beef mince was of wonderful quality, with no gristle and a soft and tender texture.

The Gnocchi Beef Ragu is pulled beef cheek also in a napolitana-based sauce. The Beef cheek was a lovely pairing with the tomato-based sauce, which complimented the richness of the beef by adding a slight sweetness from the tomato pieces. However, the napolitana sauce took on richer flavours from the beef cheek, giving a deeper, more savoury sauce overall. The soft gnocchi was wonderfully cooked, lovely and light, which helped to balance the meatier flavours of the dish.

The Rocket Salad was sweet and crunchy, a perfect texture balance and flavour combination to pair with any dish you can make on the menu. The cool, almost tang from the rocket paired perfectly with the sweetness of the sliced pear pieces, while earthy tones from the added walnuts tied the flavours together. The light and refreshing salad was another simple but flavourful dish that anyone would love.

The pasta at Sugo was deliciously fresh and cooked to perfection. From this, it was evident the time and care the Sugo team puts in to create a delicious dish that customers will love.

There is something for everyone on the menu, including gluten free pasta and also vegetarian options to ensure all guests will find what they are looking for.

Joshua has future dreams to open another Sugo Pasta Kitchen in Adelaide’s north-eastern suburbs, and eventually would like to own his own chain of restaurants.

If you are looking for high, restaurant quality pasta dishes at takeaway prices, Sugo Pasta Kitchen along Grange road is definitely the place to visit.

Open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm till late; you are sure to have a wonderful experience at Sugo.

Words by Cyndal King

WHERE: 567 Grange Rd, Grange