Review: Old Town in Newtown

503 King Street

Newtown

Tues - Thurs & Sun: 5pm - 11pm
Fri - Sat: 9am - 11pm

02 9557 4339


It is a cold and wintry night in what had been a cold and wintry week. There is just something about this kind of weather that just screams for Italian comfort food, so we decide to make the long trek back to the old stomping ground and give the Old Town in Newtown a go.

The Old Town is on King Street, but down towards the New Theatre and Pastizzi Cafe end. The place is pretty empty when we arrive but some tables start to fill as the evening progresses. The Old Town calls itself a cafe as opposed to a restaurant and the interior does feel more like that. Some homey touches suit the style of food though.

Review: Alio

5 Baptist Street, 

Surry Hills

02 8394 9368

alioptyltd@iprimus.com.au

Dinner 

Mon - Sat from 6pm

When Buggles and I started 'dating' 12 long years ago, Alio was our go to restaurant. We loved kicking back with a Mojito and enjoying their take on modern Italian cuisine.

Over the years our tastes have broadened and Alio seemed to get left behind.

Then late last year we attended an Italian Feast cooking class headed by Ashley Hughes and the memories came flooding back. 

So at long last, we are returning.

Review : the corner house

281 Bondi Rd
Bondi

02 80206698
info@thecornerhouse.com.au
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Tues-Sat 5pm - midnight
Sun 5pm - 10pm

After our fabulous lunch at Panama House, it just stood to reason that we needed to visit its (big) sister restaurant - the corner house.
So thanks (again) to Nat from Folke & boys from the corner house - we are heading out this Wednesday evening to do just that.

The corner house is situated just down the road from Panama House, in a space formerly occupied by Castile Pizza.

We are seated in the front section of the restaurant overlooking Bondi Rd, we snuggle into our corner bench, enveloped by the warmth of the room.

Now, prior to our visit we had read Simon Thomsen's review, with all it's talk of hip, young things & music loud enough to rival a rock concert - well not tonight.
Tonight, it is blissfully quiet & relaxing - sure there is the odd 'hip, young thing', but there are also families enjoying a night out. Tonight it has the feel of an up market 'local' - somewhere for family & friends to come together and enjoy great food and wine. 

Review : Acqua Pazza Ristorante - CLOSED

1 Bent Street Sydney 2000

02 92470851
info@acquapazza.com.au

Open Weekdays 12pm-3pm, 6pm-11pm;
Sat 6pm-11pm

We don't tend to eat out in the CBD during the week....don't know why, but we tend to restrict our midweekers to Surry Hills or the Inner West.
That said, we have been very keen to try Mario Percuoco's (not so new) restaurant Acqua Pazza for a while now.

We arrive at around 6.30pm & locate the restaurant (which is part of the Winter Garden complex) easy enough.

The room is spacious, not too dark (which we love), with large tables & comfy chairs. It is a very inviting space.

We kick things off with a glass of Prosecco each while looking over the menu.

Review : Chiswick Pizzeria Ristorante

3b-45 Blackwall Point Road
Chiswick

02 9712 1274
chiswickpizzeria@iinet.net.au

Tuesday-Sunday
5pm-9.30pm

So it is Saturday night, but not any Saturday night, this one finds us in a suburb we have not previously visited.....Chiswick.

There is no question that Buggles and Squeak love our fine dining, but we also love our comfort food...a lot.
Take our regular visits to Riccardo's and the
Pastizzi Cafe for example.

Chiswick Pizzeria Ristorante, sits on Blackwall Point Road, nestled between Abbotsford and Five Dock Bays, the view is quite impressive.

The restaurant this evening is positively buzzing, it is clear to see that it is very popular with local families.

Once seated we crack open a bottle of Pinot Gris and set about deciding what to order.

Review: Avido (Dinner) - CLOSED

438 Oxford St
Paddington

Lunch
Thurs - Sat
Dinner
7 days from 5:30pm til late

We had a 'taster' of the Avido experience a little while ago with a sneaky mid week lunch. We were so impressed with the food that we decided to head back to see what dinner could offer.

Review: Cipri Italian

10 Elizabeth Street
Paddington

Telefono:  9331 3333

Tues: Dinner 18:00 - 22:00

Wed - Fri: Lunch 12:00 - 15:00
Dinner 18:00 - 22:00
Sat:  Dinner 18:00 - 22:00
Sun: Lunch  12:00 - 15:00
Dinner 18:00 - 21:00

The evening doesn't start well. We have arrived for our dinner & they don't have our reservation, oh dear. Luckily Cipri Italian seems to be more of a family/large group type of restaurant, so there are still a few tables for two available.

We like the feel of the restaurant straight away(especially when you consider how unattractive it appears from outside). Dark, moody lighting, well spaced tables, friendly waitstaff; it ticks a lot of boxes.

Review: The Bite Parramatta (then Chocolateria San Churro!)

308 Church St
Parramatta


Sun-Thurs:
12pm - 10pm
Fri-Sat:
12pm - 11pm


We needed to have a catch up with Cooty (aka Squeak's mum) and as observant readers of Buggles & Squeak will know... the choice of lunch venue is a minefield that needs to be navigated with care. Seafood and Italian are usually the best options, but of late seafood seems to have ignited a few unexpected landmines so Italian seems our best option. The Western Suburbs are our destination so we check out what Parramatta has to offer and fall upon a place called 'The Bite'. The menu looks extensive which, while isn't necessarily a good thing in normal circumstances, seems to be what we need. There are loads of pasta and pizza options with a bit of seafood for good measure... so we are proud of seemingly negotiating our way across the minefield successfully!

Review : Gelbison at Leichhardt - Now CASA MESSINA

116 Marion Street
Leichhardt

Open 7 nights
5pm-11pm

While we could 
happily eat in 'fine diners' on a regular basis (money permitting), we sometimes get a hankering for a spot of 'cheap & cheerful'. This might be Indian, Chinese or as it happens tonight....Italian.

With that in mind we take ourselves off to Leichhardt to see if Gelbison is cheap & cheerful enough to satisfy our craving.

Review: Oliveto Ristorante & Bar (Birthday Dinner No.2)

Brays Bay Reserve
443 Concord Rd
Rhodes

Lunch
Mon - Fri, Sun: 
12pm - 3pm

Dinner
Tues - Sat:
6pm - 10pm

For work and family related functions where you require a spot that suits everyone in terms of cuisine and location, Oliveto Ristorante & Bar has long been the venue of choice for Buggles & Squeak.

Review : Pastizzi Cafe

523 King Street
Newtown 2042

Open 7 days
9am - late

My love affair with pasta ended almost two years ago, when I decided to 'try' & eliminate carbs from my diet. For the most part I have succeeded, pasta & rice have really not featured in my diet at all & potatoes, bread & sugar are very much reduced.
What were once daily delights are now, at most, weekly highlights.
So, when after all this time my thoughts do turn to pasta, I immediately start thinking about the pasta of my mother country, the wonderful ricotta & parsley filled Maltese Ravjul.

Review : Aperitivo

163 Norton Street
Leichhardt 2040

Tuesday-Saturday
5pm to Midnight

Sunday
5pm to 10 pm

Summertime and the living is easy….not so, if you live in Sydney. It was a hot & sticky night as we headed out to Aperitivo.


Aperitivo occupies the former home of Pavarotti on Norton. The space has been suitably ‘spruced’ up & nothing remains of its former incarnation.


The restaurant is deceptively large & has a very modern feel; dark brown tones with the odd splash of colour, courtesy the bright red chairs & the wonderfully decorative wall.

Review: Gigi

379 King Street

Newtown


Tues-Sun: 5-11pm


Following our visit to Top Level Woodfire Pizza Bar, Squeak and I were on a pizza mission and Gigi in Newtown seemed to call us - largely because of a potato pizza we spied sitting on their menu. On arrival Gigi already has a number of tables taken, and we opt to sit towards the back where we expect things will be significantly quieter... how wrong we were!

Review : Top Level Woodfire Pizza Bar - CLOSED

Level 1
196 King Street
Newtown


Wed-Fri
From 5.30pm

Sat-Sun
From 12 noon




Newtown has no shortage of pizza restaurants, they are scattered throughout King Street & beyond. Some are genuinely bad, some average & some quite good, but there has never been a truly great pizzeria in Newtown....until now.


Ruggiero Lattanzio of La Disfida fame has opened Top Level Woodfire Pizza Bar on King Street, finally Newtown joins the ranks of heavy hitters Surry Hills, East Sydney & Haberfield, with a pizzeria truly worth raving about.

Review : La Tratt

Fairfield RSL
14 Anzac Avenue
Fairfield, NSW


Wed-Sat from 6pm


We were heading out on a Saturday evening to visit with my mum. Rather than our usual reservation at Riccardo's we decided to try somewhere different. Mum ranks Italian as her favourite cusine, so we decided to give La Tratt at the Fairfield RSL a go.


The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awarded La Tratt a score of 13.5 in their 2009 and 2010 editions, so we figured this was going to be a pretty good dinner for three.

Review : Enoteca Vino Bar

920 Lygon Street
Carlton North


OPEN Tuesday to Saturday 9am - 10pm

Sunday 9am - 4pm

CLOSED Mondays

Buggles & Squeak had been wanting to visit Enoteca Sileno for lunch ever since we won a glorious wine dinner co-hosted by the Enoteca crew & harbourkitchen&bar.

Finally our time had come...

Review: Pilu at Freshwater

'On the Beach'

Moore Road

Freshwater  NSW

Lunch: Tues - Sun from 12pm
Dinner: Tues - Sat  from 6pm

10 years can roll around very quickly and Buggles and Squeak thought that a leisurely lunch at Pilu overlooking the beautiful Freshwater beach would be a fine way to celebrate our ten years together.

Pilu at Freshwater has received many accolades over the past few years and this one was no exception. While many an establishment felt the ire of the SMH scythe (do not even get us started on the clearly defective tastebuds on the reviewer of Vulcans!) Pilu at Freshwater has managed to maintain their standing on 2 hats.

Review : La Scala on Jersey

Corner of Jersey Road and Melrose Lane

Woollahra NSW 2025

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday
Dinner from 6pm until late


Buggles & Squeak have been admirers of Darren Simpson since his days at ‘Aqua Luna’. We decided a visit to La Scala on Jersey was in order.



The evening started well with parking very close to the restaurant.

On alighting the stairs we were greeted by the maitre’d & shown to our table…lovely just by the window.

Review: Ventuno

21 Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay

Mon - Sun  12pm - 11.30pm

Squeak and I have been haunting the Walsh Bay area now for some years, and in that time have seen a number of restaurants open (and close). It is, no doubt, a prime spot due to the fact that it really is the hub of the Sydney Theatre Company's productions. One place that we regularly return to is Ventuno. This place is in some ways an oddity for this part of town - top location and view, stylish decor, consistently good service and some of the best pizza we've had in a long time.  Oh, and I forgot to mention.... really reasonably priced!