RESTAURANT NEWS
SYDNEY
Bondi is set to welcome a newcomer and a returning favourite, with chef
Orazio D’Elia reprising his pizza-led bolthole Da Orazio. Some hallmarks of the restaurant will return (including most importantly, the rotisserie porchetta), while new tasty additions include a thoroughly tested and rested pizza dough recipe and a pint-sized new wine bar dubbed Orazietto next door.
Nearby Blackwood Bondi will bring fresh talent to the suburb, with the team behind Cronulla’s Blackwood Pantry opening the Bondi outpost. Rounding out the Glenayr Avenue Seven Ways hub, the day-to-night diner is led by chef
Rob Lechowicz, who earned his stripes learning from Tony Bilson, before heading to Europe. While there’s an
Italian undercurrent to the menu, Australian brunch culture will also play a feature role. Think carrot and sweet potato fritters, and blueberry and ricotta hotcakes, by day; followed by veal cotoletta and truffle casarecce in the evening. They’ve also recruited the team from Maybe Sammy to trick up the cocktail list and brought in architecture firm Richards Stanisich (who fitted out Sepia) to design interiors.
Back down on Campbell Parade,
Topikós Dining Room and Bar will see the Point Group (Shell House and The Dolphin) refresh the space where Bondi Beach Public Bar once reigned. Culinary director Joel Bickford (ex-Aria) will be joined by head chef Charles Woodward (ex-Pilu and Bathers’ Pavilion) to oversee a Greek menu, packed with pitas and gyros. Given its seaside location, it makes sense that seafood will make a star turn, with saganaki split king prawns; and wood fired octopus with fried white bait.
In Paddington, the site of the old Lucio’s will transform into Civico 47.
Executive chef Matteo Zamboni will bring his experience from time on the pans at
Ormeggio, Pilu at Freshwater and Jonah’s to create a light and bright Italian menu.
The Castlereagh by Fassnidge will see the popular Irish chef revitalise the club’s bistro menu. He’s appointed Cooper Nugent as head chef, who worked alongside him at Banksia and the Terminus, and much like those two pubs, gussied up counter meals will be the go. A suckling pig sausage roll and buttermilk chicken schnitzels will lead the menu. Another CBD snack stop has relocated, with the Flyover Fritterie and Chai Bar opening in Redfern. The playful Indian all-day diner will serve up golden aloo tikki (potato fritters), curry-filled jaffle toasties and hearty salads.
Nearby in Newtown, White Moon Bar is saying kanpai to the neighbourhood, being a new tachinome (standing bar) by the team behind Tokyo Lamington. The pint-sized walk-in-only bar will see chef Jin Lee on snack duty, bringing her talents from Cumulus Inc, Supernormal and Quay to the succinct menu.
Think prawn or heirloom tomato and seaweed mayo korokke (potato-based, panko-crumbed croquettes) and salt and vinegar edamame, ideal snacks to sit alongside sake, yuzu highballs and umeshu on the rocks.
MELBOURNE
Sprawling Mornington Peninsula jewel The Continental Sorrento has begun its progressive launch, with Barlow (a speakeasy-style cocktail bar) and Audrey’s (an elegant seafood-focussed dining room) opening. At the latter, Scott Pickett has worked alongside head chef Nick Deligiannis on Peninsula producerfavouring dishes including barbecue abalone with bonito; malt-glazed eel Melba toasts; and John Dory with celeriac and tuna marrow bordelaise. There will also be a raw bar, replete with oysters, crayfish, abalone and periwinkles.
In the city, Elchi has opened in the old Press Club on Flinders Street. It’s the third restaurant for executive chef Manpreet Sekhon (owner of Eastern Spice in Geelong and Masti in Fitzroy), who will take on neo-Indian cuisine, which sees family recipes infused with new world techniques. Sekhon makes a point of catering to dietary needs; and adds globally inspired ingredients to classic Indian dishes. Perhaps a golden whole amritsari (glutenfree rice flour battered fish) with tamarind and lime; chicken tikka with a tomato-chilli caramel; or a korma made with ricotta cheese and potato, filled with fig, ginger, green chilli and pomegranate.
Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca
started its life in locked-down Melbourne as an Italian takeaway shop – serving larger-than-life meatball subs and bone marrow garlic bread – while its owners patiently waited to open their main project, Poodle Bar and Bistro. Now, after much clamouring for its return, it’s back permanently, about a hundred metres further up Gertrude Street. It’s a little bit New York red-sauce joint, a little bit Roman trattoria, and all Melbourne. Go for good tunes, sharp cocktails and fun food, including garlic bread slicked with bone marrow; and spaghetti with meatballs.