Review: The Bar at the End of the Wharf

Pier 4

Hickson Rd

Walsh Bay

Monday to Friday
Coffee and cake 10am - 3pm                        
Lunch 12pm - 3pm
Bar menu 5pm - late 

Saturdays
Lunch 12pm - 3pm
Bar menu 5pm - late 

So tonight as part of our STC subscription we are off to see 'The Splinter', so rather than dine at our usual spot Cafe Sopra, we decide to give the relatively newly opened 'Bar at the End of the Wharf' a go.

'The Bar' fills the space formerly occupied by The Wharf restaurant and after the very lengthy walk down the pier, we are happy to settle into our seats and admire the best view of the harbour, Sydney has to offer.

Review: Blacksheep

256 King Street
Newtown




Mon - Sat: 12pm - midnight
Sun: 10am - 10pm


8033 3455




Blacksheep is a relatively recent addition to King St, taking over where Funky Bar ended. Newtown can be an interesting place to eat. For a long time it has seemed that the food had to be secondary to the company. Now with the recent openings of places like Bloodwood, Hartsyard and Spencer Guthrie we can happily start to enjoy both. Blacksheep isn't attempting to be a fine diner; it kind of wedges in nicely between casual cafe and restaurant and offers a variety of share plates - which works well for us prior to a spontaneous Dendy visit.

Review: 4fourteen

414 Bourke Street
(enter via 72a 
Fitzroy St)
Surry Hills


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


93315399

restaurant@4fourteen.com.au

Buggles & Squeak have been long time devotees of all things Colin Fassnidge (right back to Le Grande Bouffe days!) so when news of the opening of 4fourteen filtered through to us we were counting down the days until opening. We manage to snaffle a lunchtime reservation and one beautiful Friday we make our way to Surry Hills - excited to sample the new fare.

4fourteen is quite a large space and it is decked out in a very urban, but warm, way with lots of exposed brick, beams and timber with a large open kitchen. 

Review : Hartsyard

33 Enmore Road

Newtown

8068 1473

e: hello@hartsyard.com.au

Mon-Tues : Closed

Wed-Sun : 5.30pm till late

I know, I know we are very late in coming to the table on this one - seems every blogger & reviewer has been here before us & pretty much said it all.

So why you may ask, are we even bothering with this blog entry?  Because the food at Hartsyard is so good & we want to shout it from the rooftops, that's why.

Truth be told, we have had our table booked for a couple of weeks - as soon as we looked at the menu and read 'fried chicken' and 'poutine' we were in.

So we arrive on this ultra cold Saturday evening to a restaurant that is warm  and very inviting

The room has been designed by Ashley Couch and what a great job she has done. We love the industrial aesthetic & have stolen a few ideas for our new apartment!

Review : Chiswick

65 Ocean Street

Woollahra


02 8388 8688
info@chiswickrestaurant.com.au


Lunch and Dinner
Tuesday-Sunday

Tonight finds us dining with The Hamiltons. We love dining with food loving, like minded folk, and The Hamiltons are one such couple.

The four of us have been looking forward to this dinner at Matt Moran's newbie Chiswick for a while now, and from the moment we step into Chiswick Gardens, we know we are not going to be disappointed.

The beautifully manicured lawns give way to a large, contemporary space which is already starting to fill quickly, when we arrive at 7pm

Review : District Dining - CLOSED

17 Randle Street, Surry Hills

Sydney, NSW 2010

(02) 9211 7798
info@districtdining.com.au

Monday Dinner 6 - 11pm

Tuesday-Thursday & Saturday
Lunch 12 - 3pm & Dinner 6 - 11pm
Friday, open all day 12 - 11pm
Sunday long lunch 12 - 5pm

Today finds us lunching with our two favourite girls…..H & A.

We are heading to District Dining, and as none of us have dined here before, we are all quite looking forward to the meal ahead.


We initially have a little trouble locating the restaurant, but soon spot the Mondrian inspired panel out the front.
The restaurant is larger than expected, and at this time of day still relatively empty.
Once seated, we order a bottle of 2010 Pike & Joyce ‘The Bleedings’ Rosé, and glance over the menu.

Review : Gotham (the Paying Visit) - CLOSED

35 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW
At the Hyde Park end of Oxford St.
Phone: 9283 1891
Email: info@gotham.net.au

Tue - Sat 5pm to midnight

The last time we visited Gotham a few months back, it was by invitation.

Time to pay another visit as 'paying customers' to see if we are still suitably impressed.

We still really love the space. Dark & intimate, perfect for catching up with friends over a cocktail or vino and a few shared plates.

Review : Bench Wine Bar

503-511 King Street
Newtown

Wednesday-Friday from 5pm
Saturday-Sunday from 4pm

We are catching up again with C1 & C2 and alas, once again, C2 is absent (we are starting to feel a tad paranoid!).
The three of us decide that some wine/cocktails & a few share plates are just what the doctor ordered! So it's off to Bench we go.

Finally! a drinking establishment in Newtown that seems to cater for us (ok, mainly me), the more geriatric set. I look around and I feel positively in 'bloom' again.

It is very pleasant indeed walking into this sleek, dimly lit bar. It is tiny, granted, but also very inviting.
We grab a spot at the end of the long communal bench, order a cocktail each and decide on what plates to share.

Review : Gotham - CLOSED

35 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW

At the Hyde Park end of Oxford St.

Phone: 9283 1891

Email: info@gotham.net.au

Mon - CLOSED

Tue - Sat 5pm to midnight
Sun - CLOSED


As huge fans of Laif Etournaud's (ex-Onde, Bistro Moncur and Berowra Waters) style of cooking (mustard crumbed beef cheeks, anyone?), we are really keen to see what he is bringing to Gotham now that he has signed on as consultant chef.
When you add mixologist extraordinaire, Dane Reid (Jimmy Liks) to the mix....well Gotham becomes a must do destination....doesn't it?

The question proves rhetorical as Squeak and I decide to stop in for one of those midweek early dinners that help shake off the cares of the working week. With the name intrinsically entwined with a New York sensibility Gotham promises much in terms of moodiness and sophistication, so expectations are high as we step over the threshold.

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.