Good Strathfield dining – but, city prices?

Christine Lee, Concord.

Il Cuore, 1 George St, North Strathfield. This is in the new Bakehouse Quarter, which is a pretty cool place for a restaurant. There's a lot of street dining and lots of choice of where to eat, so it has a nice vibe to it. We ate simply - fish for me while my husband had steak. We both enjoyed our meals there very much - the food was beautifully cooked and presented, and service was very pleasant. However, it’s probably a little pricey for the area, and if they don’t drop their prices I think they might struggle to get the locals in.

Would you like music with that?

Tom & Beth, Concord.

Tre Pesci, Drummoyne. Visited this lively spot again recently and dined in their courtyard area. The usual friendly but relaxed service. This time my lady tried the Balmain Bug with a mustard sauce and it was lush. At the risk of being boring, I went for my favourite dish here – Steak with Prawns – and it was superb as always. One bit of advice – if you like music, go on a Wednesday or Thursday night. If not, go other nights, as it can get a bit loud. A parking tip – with the restaurant on a main intersection, you’ll often fine (free) parking around nearby Formosa Street.

A vote for Sam’s Pizza and Pasta.

Keith W, Gladesville.

Here’s one place to add to your list. It’s at the corner of Marsden & Victoria Roads at West Ryde and it would give some big names around Haberfield and Leichhardt a run on value for money. Not just for pizzas – pastas, plus veal and chicken dishes are all consistently good. Like some other diners I know by sight, we’ve been coming here for over 10 years. They’re certainly doing something right! Try them out.

Best casual dining – with 5-star views.

Al & Vida O'Neill, Epping.

We use Aqua Vista at Drummoyne quite often to catch up with a group of friends and choose lunch because daytime makes the most of their excellent water views. Food is from good to very good – a few of us always go for their fab flathead & chips. You self-serve drink orders at the bar – which isn’t really a hassle, and can actually make it simpler for a group, with no complicated wine & drinks bill to sort out afterwards.

Making a ‘Splash’ in Newtown.

Bryce Findlay, Ultimo.

Not for upmarket posers looking for vogue decor and style… But if you enjoy great seafood in a cheerful (sometimes exuberantly noisy) family-run restaurant, Splash on King Street, Newtown rates tops with me. Fantastic Seafood Platter – hot or cold. All their seafood is truly fresh and tasty, at sensible prices, and happy service. If you have a good open time like our group, you may just score some complimentary ports as we did!

Tre Pesci a double hit.

Mary & Terence G., Lane Cove.

Completely satisfying. I took my husband for his birthday as a surprise and he loved it –he's difficult to please when it comes to food! The memorabilia all around the place was so good to look at and I found the service was fantastic. Our table was ready and waiting but I suggest you do book as it gets packed out. We were both so impressed we went back for our anniversary the following month! Truly recommended.

Café with class and colour.

Anthony Ambrosoli, Cremorne.

Grind Espresso is a really cheerful cafe that delivers consistently excellent coffee – and a lot more. They do a great honest breakfast. Light meals are thoughtful and fresh, with salads and pastas to choose from. Staff are friendly and quick. Up the quieter end of Norton Street – and after a few visits I noticed that Grind is a favourite with a lot of the waiters and kitchen people from other local restaurants. That’s quite an endorsement!

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No flies on The Bug.	Donna & Bob Taylor, Marsfield.
We had a great time at Balmain Bug recently. The service was superb, with wait staff always on hand, and extremely friendly. The seafood was fantastic - servings more than adequate – and my partner was pleased to be able to meet her vegetarian needs. It’s worth a visit just to enjoy the beautiful period sandstone interior! We’ll be back to the Balmain Bug.

Rozelle cafe with its own style.

Amber & Alan Blunt, Mosman.

Piccolo Padre is a bit of an upmarket cafe that does good lunches and good quality dinners too. Their food is well-presented and excellent value – and their little green back courtyard is a bonus if you can score a table there. They don’t take credit cards – but then they don’t charge corkage, which is a nice change in the Balmain/Rozelle area. Well worth a visit, and they do weekend breakfasts too.

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Tuscany is numero uno.

‘Car Club Gourmets’, Naremburn.

Right at the front of Norton Plaza on Norton Street, this is the perfect place to watch Leichhardt’s colourful passing parade and enjoy some great food at the same time. I’d heard it had some settling-in problems, but Tuscany Ristorante really performed the night our group of 8 was there. Whether it was lush seafood, prime steak, tender veal or tasty risotto, every one of us was delighted with our dishes. We got the chance to thank the Chef that night, Carlo, who came out to see the diners were happy.

Mixed feelings on Carpaccio.

Jim & Carol Wallington, Camperdown.

Some time ago when I ate at Carpaccio on Norton Street, I was very taken with it all, service was sharp and the food was very impressive. However on a recent visit I almost felt I was in another restaurant. The staff approach varied from indifferent to plain rude and the food was definitely down a couple of notches. Perhaps if they’d applied the excess oil from a seafood dish to the apparently undressed salad, the balance might have been acceptable. Guys, you have a great spot there, on what’s a “sacred site” in Norton Street – just try and lift your game, please.

Hard to say, but easy to eat at.

”The Five Dock Foursome”.

Talk about “You Italians have funny names”… But however you pronounce “tratta ra ro”, the results on the table are not to be laughed at. I treated my husband to birthday dinner here recently with the in-laws and we were all delightfully surprised by the quality and taste of the food. Also the generous servings, and the value for money. Sensibly friendly staff added the finishing touch to ensure that we put this place on our approved list for the future .

Il Locale drops the ball.

Jack Horrocks, Guildford.

What happens to great new restaurants that kick off with stunning menus and super presentation? Do they get complacent over time? I ate a few times at Il Locale some time back. It looked great and had dishes that rocked. Then I was interstate for quite a while and only recently checked it out again. What a change! Some good, some ordinary, some bad. I got the feeling that not everything was fresh or from genuine fresh produce. Please roll the tape back and return to your previous very high standards.

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