SYDNEY

As restaurants slowly but surely return to a (new) normality, we’re tipping our hats to smaller venues that opened just weeks or months before Covid-19 hit. For those filing back into the CBD,

Ho Jiak’s Town Hall outpost will cure lunchtime woes with char kuey teow and laksa. Newtown’s Lonely Mouth is back open, offering vegan ramen, while nearby, Cafe Paci has recommenced its normal trading hours. Meanwhile, Yan is continuing with its Covid-pivot pop-up at Woolloomooloo’s John Montagu café on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, firing up lamb ribs and smoked chicken katsu for those who haven’t made it out to its original

Asian smokehouse in Wolli Creek. Bigger restaurants are also switching things up – North Bondi Fish is now doing fish and chips, tacos and sashimi to take away, while also resuming restaurant service. In the same neck of the woods, Ciccia Bella has farewelled Mitch Orr, as Nic Wong (ex-Cho Cho San) steps into the kitchen and refocuses the menu on nine wood-fired mains, including whole sardines with parsley and lemon, king prawns with caper butter and a grand bistecca alla fiorentina.