Guy Grossi and Paolo Apuzzo put Roman offal cooking in focus at Garum

Guy Grossi and head chef Paolo Apuzzo have expanded the menu at Perth's Garum, drawing on Roman offal traditions, handmade pasta and Western Australian produce

Guy Grossi and head chef Paolo Apuzzo have introduced a substantial menu update at Garum in Perth, bringing traditional offal preparations, new pasta dishes and seasonal Australian seafood into focus.

The changes, introduced in late September and promoted during Guy's visit to Perth in October, represent what the restaurant has described as its biggest menu development since opening in 2018.

While Roman classics including carbonara and cacio e pepe remain, the expanded selection gives the kitchen more room to explore lesser-known preparations alongside familiar dishes.

Among the additions are braised tripe, tongue with 'nduja and green olives, and saffron pasta filled with Australian prawns.

Keeping Rome's offal traditions on the menu

Offal has been part of Garum's cooking since its early years, reflecting the Roman tradition of quinto quarto, or the fifth quarter.

The term refers to offal and other less-prized parts of the animal that became important ingredients in Rome's working-class kitchens, particularly around the historic slaughterhouse district of Testaccio.

At Garum, that tradition continues through dishes including Trippa alla Romana, a preparation Guy learned from his father.

The kitchen braises tripe with tomato, finishing the dish with pine nuts, sultanas and pecorino.

Another preparation, Spiedino di Lingua, combines tongue with 'nduja, green olives and fennel seed.

Both dishes bring ingredients that can be less common on contemporary Australian restaurant menus into the main dining offering.

Rather than presenting offal as a new direction, the additions continue an approach that has been part of Garum's identity since opening.

The inclusion of a dedicated quinto quarto section also gives those preparations a distinct place on the menu, alongside antipasti, pasta and larger dishes.

Paolo Apuzzo and the importance of technique

Handmade pasta remains central to Garum, where Paolo leads the kitchen alongside Guy's broader culinary direction.

Born in Naples, Paolo has previously discussed the importance of preserving traditional Italian cooking methods, particularly when preparing dishes with relatively few ingredients.

In a 2022 interview with SBS Food, he explained how Roman carbonara relies on eggs, pecorino, guanciale and black pepper, with pasta water helping create the sauce's texture without cream.

That commitment to established techniques continues alongside the restaurant's newer pasta preparations.

Bottoni allo Zafferano features saffron pasta filled with Australian prawns and served with butter and salmon roe.

Other dishes include Bucatini all'Amatriciana with tomato, pancetta, chilli and pecorino, and duck tortellini with porcini and pear.

The menu retains familiar preparations such as tonnarelli cacio e pepe and fettuccine carbonara, offering a balance between established Roman dishes and combinations that draw more broadly on Italian cooking.

Western Australian produce meets Italian cooking

Alongside the pasta and offal dishes, seafood remains an important part of Garum's menu.

Abrolhos Island scallops are served with herbs and an almond crust, while cured kingfish is paired with eggplant caponata, almond and dill.

A changing fish dish uses locally sourced seafood with cannellini beans, leek, chilli and salsa verde.

The kitchen also works with Fremantle octopus, reflecting Guy's long-standing interest in using Western Australian ingredients within Italian preparations.

That relationship between regional produce and traditional cooking has been central to Garum since its opening.

The restaurant was established in April 2018 as a collaboration between Guy and The Westin Perth, operating from the heritage-listed Hibernian Hall in the city's east end.

Its original menu was developed around Roman cooking, with traditional pasta, ancient grains and recipes drawn from the region.

Eight years later, Paolo leads the day-to-day kitchen as the restaurant continues to develop that approach.

The latest menu maintains Garum's Roman foundations while giving the chefs additional scope to work with different ingredients, preparations and seasonal produce.

Garum is located at Hibernian Place, 480 Hay Street, Perth.