Bondi Harvest500 Oxford St (inside The Eastern Hotel)
Bondi Junction, Sydney
Bondi Harvest, the popular online TV series of Guy Turland and Mark Alston, has literally come to life in this cafe. On the first floor of the popular Eastern Hotel it has quickly become a favourite place to eat. The space is large and very functional, seating over 100 people. If you want some privacy, you can sit at one of many booths on offer but if you feel like being a bit more social, there are share tables too.We entered via the hotel and went to level one up some grand stairs. We later found out the entrance is at street level on the other side. As soon as we walked in we noticed a mellow guitarist playing some lovely tunes on the floor. After a brief interaction with the lovely floor staff at the expansive marble bar, we made our way to one of the booths at the back and started looking at the menu.
Bondi Harvest also has a good range of very funky cocktails on offer.The appropriate to area 'Surf and Destroy', a mojito with blueberries, is certainly a very refreshing choice that we loved.
The uniquely named "Harvest Hangs Mary" sounds somewhat violent but it is actually smooth and full of flavour with a strong hit of Tequila. It really hit the spot too!
Our first starter, a generous helping of Whipped Meredith Dairy Goats Cheese was creamy, soft and flavoursome, served with delicious grilled sourdough bread.
Next was White Anchovies which were bursting with flavour, marinated in lemon and chilli for a slightly tangy bite. The chimmichurri sourdough was a great addition adding to the complex flavours in this dish.
We also tried the Skewered Melon on the advice of our waiter.Wrapped generously with prosciutto on a bed of mint spiced labna, this melon dish was a mouthwatering twist on a traditional Italian Melanzane, and is something that we have never eaten before.
We'd now highly recommend it.
Next our mains arrived. If you like big servings. Bondi Harvest has you covered. Our lamb shoulder for two was a huge 1/2 kg, and was falling off the bone after many hours of slow cooking. A unique fennel and almond crumble added a real kick to this outstanding dish, served with a mountain of super-crispy roast potatoes - we love crispy potatoes!
Have you ever had a Quinoa Risotto? The one here is fantastic. Light and rich in flavour the dish featured grilled mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Truffle oil sets off a hint of earthy sweetness and brings out the flavour of the mushrooms so well. A Mediterranean Vegetable Salad was a colourful and tasty side dish, especially with the lamb.
All this amazing food was enjoyed with wine of course - after our earlier cocktails. We had a glass each of Tarrawarra Pinot Noir and Fromm La Strata Pinot Gris, chosen as always by Count J the wine buff. It's not often we say no to food but when our waiter asked us if we wanted dessert, we initially declined but later conceded to sharing one.
A delicious house made Chocolate Mousse was topped with fresh blueberries, strawberries, shaved coconut and almond flakes. We enjoyed the dessert very much as it wasn't too heavy or overly sweet. A great way to end the night!
We very much enjoyed our evening at Bondi Harvest. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is fun. Their philosophy is eat healthy with food that is seasonal and locally sourced. Although we came for dinner, Bondi Harvest boasts a very impressive breakfast and lunch menu. We most definitely will be back to try both. Bondi Harvest is open 7 days a week.
The Counts, who are now doing reviews for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of Bondi Harvest. Special thanks also to Sonya Blan for arranging this visit.
