Fico Celebrates 10 Years in Hobart With 10 Dishes From Its Past

Fico has never been just a fine-dining room. Over ten years, it has become one of Hobart’s most beloved restaurants, its nine-course tasting menu woven into the culinary fabric of the city. To mark the milestone, co-owners and executive chefs Federica “Freddy” Andrisani and Oskar Rossi are reviving ten dishes from Fico’s past, threading them through the set menus until the end of the year.

A decade has also seen the launch of sister venue Pitzi, a casual taste of Fico in a lively wine bar. Along the way, Fico has collected multiple awards, including recognition for its 410-strong wine list, while gathering plenty of memories for Andrisani and Rossi.

“Getting married in the restaurant was incredibly memorable,” Andrisani says. “Also to that end being able to share this journey with each other and still love every minute of it after 10 years.”

Threads of family run through Fico, with 25 pieces by artist Tom Samek, Rossi’s father, including the bespoke tables. With forest greens, timber and fresh florals throughout, Fico has the feeling of a friend’s dining room, albeit one with exceptional taste and a serious command of Tasmanian produce. It’s a rare balance of elevated cuisine and genuine generosity. Fico began with more of a neighbourhood bistro style, but has since grown into its current dining experience.

“I think restaurants sometimes have a life of their own and this was certainly the case with Fico,” Andrisani says.

Of the ten revived dishes, she says, “We felt that it was a nice eclectic mix of dishes showcasing some great Tasmanian produce that you don’t often see on menus and also some of our favourites from past seasons.”

That produce remains central to Fico’s identity. The restaurant works with farmers by name and traces the provenance of each bite, from wild-shot hare from the Midlands in the first anniversary dish, hare alla bourguignon, to a future sfogliatella with whipped Tasmanian buffalo ricotta, white chocolate cream and house-made limoncello encased in crisp pastry, a nod to Andrisani’s Neapolitan roots.

Fico’s courses are ever-evolving, but all are characterised by a deft, light touch. Fried pasta, sage, olive and parmigiano reggiano sounds rich, but arrives crunchy and airy. Eggplant tortelli with fonduta and roasted tomato brings depth without heaviness, while Japanese-influenced dishes make a beautiful vessel for the purity of Tasmanian seafood. Case in point: a chawanmushi with octopus and mushroom dressing marries sweet flesh, salt and earthiness with real elegance.

Few chefs could pull off a mandarin liquorice dessert, but here the liquorice root brings a medicinal woodiness that grounds the sweetness and acidity of the mandarin, lifted by a bright sigh of yoghurt foam.

But when you go, chances are you’ll experience completely different dishes. That’s why Hobart keeps returning to Fico: still here, always new.

For another Tasmanian dining milestone, read our story on Stillwater’s 25 years in Launceston, or keep up with the latest openings, events and cultural happenings in our guide to what’s new across Hobart and Tasmania.