NSW

BLANCA

4/75-79 Hall Street, Bondi (02) 9365 2998 blanca.com.au Open Friday-Sunday for lunch and Tuesday-Sunday for dinner Bondi’s food scene has really come to the fore in recent years and the addition of Blanca has added even more colour to the landscape. A palette of white walls and black furniture provides the ideal backdrop for the beautifully balanced brushstrokes of Finnish-born chef Tomi Björck’s Japanese and European dishes. Waitstaff are brimming with as much enthusiasm as the diners who marvel at each morsel delivered. Wasabi mayo, pickled daikon and yuzu add an exclamation mark to textural beef tartare. Creamy stracciatella provides sweetness for grilled prawns partnered with walnuts, while a miso caramel makes pork ribs finger-licking good. With an appealing and accessible wine list, Blanca is painting a new picture for our most famous beach.

BISTRO REX

52 Macleay Street, Potts Point (02) 9332 2100 bistrorex.com.au Open Thursday-Monday for lunch and seven days for dinner On the back of a mini French renaissance comes the bistro of every suburb’s dreams. Bistro Rex delivers cracking food, great wine and good times. Guests step into a smart space with mosaic-tiled floors and pillars, French oak panelling, copper and brass railings, dark-brown designer bistro chairs and a zinc bar you can dine at. The service is spot-on, the wine flowing and the food simple yet satisfying. A rich, textural pork terrine lets the pâté do the talking, while a classic pissaladière champions caramelised onion, anchovies and black olives. Meanwhile, a delicate omelette hides the sweet flesh of spanner crab and a puddle of café de Paris tops a solid steak frites. What more do you need?

PINO’S VINO E CUCINA

199 Lawrence Street, Alexandria (02) 9550 2789 pinosvinoecucina.com.au Open TuesdaySunday for dinner Push open the big wooden door and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a secret world. More Austrian tavern than Italian trattoria, Pino’s features white ceilings with exposed beams, a heavy-set wooden bar and copper pots on the walls. Prop yourself up at the bar for a signature cocktail or grab a banquette and indulge in a modern play on provincial Italy. It’s boisterously loud, bags of fun and the food is a joy. Grilled peach hides behind a veil of prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella. A crisp chickpea pancake gets a spark from pickled onions, while trenette pasta makes friends with lardo, zucchini and mint. You’ll want a big slice of tiramisù. Trust us.