Sydney Eat Street: 10 things to eat in Balmain
WITH a main drag made for rambling amid heritage buildings, Balmain is perfect for food lovers of both the casual and dedicated varieties.
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WITH a main drag made for rambling amid heritage buildings, Balmain is perfect for food lovers of both the casual and dedicated varieties.
Take a tour of Balmain’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street.
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Bertoni Cafe
WHILE patrons may be here for their coffee fix and breakfast, it’s really owner Anthony Bertoni’s mother, affectionately called Nonna, that they’re here to see. After all, she is the inspiration here along with her 100-year-old lasagna recipe that was passed on to her before emigrating from Italy.
Growing up in southwest Sydney, where his father tended to his garden market, Anthony (pictured) recalls how his mother used to go out back and gather whatever vegetables were on hand, adding them to tomato sauce. “We always had a love for food. What we prepare is what we’d do if you came to our house for dinner,” he said.
But for those time-poor patrons who may not be able to linger, Anthony prepares “take-home” food, something that parents can serve at dinner knowing that it “is good enough to feed their kids’’. — 281 Darling St
Victoire Boulangerie’s Citroen van
WHAT owner Myriam Wever started up as a small Parisian bakery making sourdough bread and pastries 30 years ago in East Balmain later moved to Rozelle, where it continues to produce baked goods for some of the most respected chefs in the industry.
But when the spot became available and the interim owner had brought in an old Citroen van, it was the ideal scenario for them to once again have a presence in Balmain.
They continue to sell Myriam’s freshly baked breads and croissant, but have added on a few sandwiches during lunch. — parking spot in front of 263 Darling St
The Hunter Works
TUCKED away behind an old sandstone building is a leafy courtyard which, despite its near-hidden location, is buzzing without an empty table in sight.
The smooth coffee may account for the chatter but it’s the ethos of the gentlemen behind it — owners Mic Wernej, Toby Aubrey-Poiner and Jonc Price — that is the real draw.
The majority of their food is bought from a farmers’ co-op along the Hawkesbury River so the menu is entirely dependent on what is available at the time. Tomatoes start off very sweet then as they’re exposed to more heat they have a citrusy element.
Anything they have left over, such as fruit that is bruised and can’t be sold by a retailer, gets turned into jam — as they just did with strawberries, lemon and thyme. — 7/332 Darling St
Chon Thai
DEPENDING on which region you go to in Thailand not only will you come across different flavours but also different variations of spiciness, something that chef “Air” Jantrakool has incorporated in to Chon Thai’s menu.
It’s a practical and frugal thing, she says, in that the choice cuts were made very spicy so you’d eat less of them and more of the rice and side condiments. Air is a bit more generous here but still does encourage people to partake in the side dishes so that they can see how it balances out the flavour. But if you prefer things on the milder side, she suggests equally tasty food such as the twice-cooked pork belly steamed buns or the king prawn salad from the more northern regions. — 300 Darling St
Wilhelmina’s Liquid and Larder
THE shelves behind the bar are stocked to the ceiling with all varieties of wines and liquor, a reflection of their first two establishments – whisky bar Wild Rover and the trendy Grandma’s. Sunday roast incorporates a sustainable approach in that it is a “nose to tail” production where every bit is used. There are the primary cuts, such as fillet and rib-eye, but the more unusual cuts such as shoulder and flank are becoming favourites. — 332 Darling St
WHEN IN BALMAIN, YOU MUST TRY ...
Crispy skin Maryland chicken with chilli basil
The menu may change with the season, but the consistently stellar flavours of the crispy skin chicken or braised ribs are what has kept Blue Ginger thriving. — Blue Ginger, 241 Darling St
No Fussypants menu with Dad’s smoked trout
Chef Sam Bennett is constantly changing the menu to incorporate the freshest ingredients, including Dad’s smoked trout, a recipe that features this trout paté topped with a bit of curry. — One Ford Street, 1 Ford St
Burger and a beer
While many pubs and clubs around Sydney are going for high-end modern chic, publican Tim Condon has embraced the Cricketers Arms Hotel’s century old-history, where the indication of a great pub was cold draught beer and good grub. — Cricketers Arms Hotel, 255 Darling St
Eggs Benedict
The breakfast favourite is eggs benedict, perfectly poached eggs with hollandaise sauce, but rather than on toast, it’s served on potato rosti. — Kafeine, 260 Darling St
Irish butcher’s black and white pudding with pickled eggs
There’s an airy and comfortable dining area featuring an inspired menu that includes Irish dishes such as black and white pudding with pickled eggs. — Cat and Fiddle, 456 Darling St
‘Beyond a fire sale’: Criniti’s stores sold for staggering price
Despite its whopping $19 million debt, the remaining Criniti’s stores, including Parramatta and Darling Harbour, have sold for a staggeringly low price in what one broker has described as ‘beyond a fire sale’.
‘I like big buns’: Wacky burgers with a difference
Parramatta’s very own Eat Street is as exciting and diverse as the city itself. Take BL Burgers for example, which brought its premium burgers — including the Blame Canada, Blame Indian and Mac Daddy burgers — to western Sydney.