Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 138

di guan (tuna in a rich sauce). Another favorite dish is Yassa (chicken in a rich
African sauce). All meals are served on traditional wooden plates.
280 King St., Newtown. & 02/9557 4565. Reservations not accepted. Main courses A$8.50-A$9.50
(US$5.50-US$6.20). No credit cards. CityRail: Newtown.
Old Saigon VIETNAMESE Another Newtown establishment bursting
with atmosphere, Old Saigon was owned until 1998 by a former American Viet-
nam War correspondent who loved Vietnam so much he ended up living there
and marrying a local, before coming to Australia. Just to make sure you know
his history, he's put up his photos on the walls and strewn the place with home-
made tin helicopters. His Vietnamese brother-in-law has taken over, but the
food is still glorious, with spicy squid dishes among my favorites. A popular pas-
time is grilling your own strips of venison, beef, wild boar, kangaroo, or croco-
dile over a burner at your table, then wrapping the meat in rice paper with
lettuce and mint, and dipping it in a chile sauce. I highly recommend this place
for a cheap night out.
107 King St., Newtown. & 02/9519 5931. Reservations recommended. Main courses A$12-A$43
(US$7.80-US$28). AE, DC, MC, V. Wed-Fri noon-3pm; Tues-Sun 6-11pm. BYO only. CityRail: Newtown.
AT BONDI BEACH
The seafront drag of Campbell Parade is packed with restaurants. A new addi-
tion in 2003 to the restaurant scene was Moorish Restaurant and Bar beneath
the North Bondi R.S.L. Club, at the far end of Bondi Beach to your left as you
look at the ocean. It's run by chef Luke Mangan, also behind Salt in Dar-
linghurst and Bistro Lulu, so the pedigree is excellent. It's a bit more casual than
those two places and features a modern interpretation of Spanish and North
African food, with a range of dishes from tapas to wood-fired grills. The views
of the beach are terrific. A poolside cafe also opened in mid-2003 at the Bondi
Icebergs Club at the other end of the beach.
MODERATE
Thai Terrific THAI Thai Terrific by name, terrific Thai by nature. This
superb place around the corner from the Bondi Hotel is run with flair and effi-
cient service. The large back room can be noisy, so if you prefer less din with
your dinner, sit at one of the sidewalk tables. The servings here are enormous—
three people could easily fill up on just two main courses. The tom yum (hot and
sour) soups and the prawn or seafood laksa noodle soups (spicy soup made with
coconut milk) are the best I've tasted in Australia and are very filling. I also
highly recommend the red curries.
Equally as nice (and quieter) is the Bangkok-style Nina ' s Ploy Thai Restau-
rant , at 132 Wairoa Ave. ( & 02/9365 1118 ), at the corner of Warners
Avenue at the end of the main Campbell Parade strip. Main courses here cost
between A$8 and A$12.50 (US$5.60 and US$8.75); cash only.
147 Curlewis St., Bondi Beach. & 02/9365 7794. Reservations recommended Fri-Sat nights. Main courses
A$11-A$20 (US$7-US$13). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-11pm. Bus: 380 to Bondi Beach.
INEXPENSIVE
Pompei's PIZZA/PASTA/ICECREAM The recipe is simple: Use
good ingredients and you'll get good pizzas—regulars swear they are the best in
Sydney. Toppings include figs, prosciutto, fresh goat cheese, and pumpkin. They
also have a selection of pizzas without cheese. And leave some room for the
homemade gelati, the best in Sydney by far—the last time I had anything so

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