North Bondi Italian Food

By Franz Scheurer

Like a seasoned general, Maurice Terzini moves to conquer Bondi Beach. With Icebergs at one end and North Bondi Italian Food at the other, he’s cornered the two best locations and between the two, offers something for everyone.

Where Icebergs is up-market, aimed at more affluent clientele, North Bondi Italian Food is very casual and cleverly imparts the illusion that it is cheap. Printed menu on place mats, a similarly down-market photocopy paper wine-list and casual wait staff give the impression that this is just a little trattoria or enotecca selling cichetti in a beachside setting, which they do - and well. The makeover of the room is brilliant and I love the light fittings. The menu is extensive with a plethora of tempting little morsels and more substantial dishes, all designed to relax you. I guess it works.

We tried the ‘Chunks of Double Smoked Leg Ham’, terrific ham, sliced and plonked onto a plate, the ‘Rocket, Fennel Salad’ a decent serving of simple, wonderfully fresh greens with some salted and sugared fennel, and we loved the ‘Farfalle, Braised Game, Porcini, Peas’, a plate of perfectly cooked pasta with a rich, gelatinous ragout. The dish of the day was the ‘Trippa Alla Parmigiana’, braised tripe Parma-style, served with cotechino (an Italian sausage made predominantly from pig skin), borlotti beans, tomato and peas. If you are having dinner then don’t miss the suckling roasts, on Wednesday it’s Lamb, on Thursday Chicken, on Friday Quail, on Saturday Pork Neck (yum!) and on Sunday Beef Blade in a salt crust.

The food is delicious, the wine list very appropriate with lots of good Italian offerings and a huge choice of wine by the glass (20 wines!) Now this is fabulous, especially in a restaurant where the view entices you to linger! (I’ll never forget the couple in their 90s on the beach, him wearing a g-string and her sporting a bikini!)

Value for money is good, although beware, once you have ordered all you want to eat, it might not be as cheap as you expect. They’re open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner and don’t take reservations

Score: 7.5/10

For more information:

North Bondi Italian Food

118 – 120 Ramsgate Ave

North Bondi

Tel.: 02 9300 4400