The Balmori Suites hums with a quiet elegance, but step into Osteria and the energy changes. For 24 days, from September 5 to 28, Josh Boutwood has filled the Chef’s Table with warmth, the scent of roasted garlic, and the familiar ease of Italian cooking. This is Josh in his element. The food is honest, straightforward, and good. It is easily recommendable.

He explains his vision simply. “The challenge is not to faithfully recreate the art of Italy’s classic cuisine, but rather to offer a distinctly personal spin,” he says. His inspiration is the humble osteria, a place in Italy where meals are heartwarming, wine flows freely, and conversations stretch long into the night.

The food is rooted in tradition yet alive with his touch. “Italian food is authentic and heartfelt; I want to build on that in a more nuanced experience,” he says. “The flavors are alive, bright and lively, without taking away from each ingredient.”

Starters bring the table alive. Frito Misto is crisp and golden, the fried seafood balanced by roasted garlic and a sharp anchovy emulsion. Salads of zucchini and radicchio are dressed in bright vinaigrettes and oils, then finished with Gorgonzola and Pecorino Romano, a play of bitter, fresh, and sharp.

The pastas feel like the soul of the place. Tortelloni are hand-folded, their delicate skins wrapped around fillings that carry richness. Bucatini twirls around the fork, its hollow center catching tomato sauce. Rigatoni holds its ridges under a meat ragù, while Lasagna arrives in generous layers of cream, cheese, and meat, each bite comforting yet elevated by finesse.

The main courses anchor the meal. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a three-kilogram Porterhouse, is charred black on the outside and tender pink within. Served with roasted garlic and gremolata, it is a showstopper, meant to be shared. The breaded Pork Cotoletta offers crunch and succulence, while Barramundi al Forno, roasted whole, breaks apart easily under the fork, its clean flavor lifted with herbs.

Dessert keeps the promise of comfort. The tiramisu is decadent yet light, soaked in espresso and layered with mascarpone. The panna cotta holds a soft wobble, cream set just right, a simple sweetness that lingers without weight.

The setting matches the food. Tables are close enough for conversation to flow, the room filled with laughter and the clink of wine glasses. The dishes arrive without fuss, plated with restraint, the focus always on the ingredients.

Josh is known for his use of in-house cured meats, fermentation, and careful technique. At Osteria, he channels those skills into food that feels both rooted and new. He does not mimic Italian cooking. He interprets it, letting its spirit guide him.

The result is clear. Osteria is not just a pop-up. It is a brief window into what Italian dining can be in Josh’s hands: warm, heartfelt, and full of life.