Clove Lane… A Home Away From Home

By Joel Bevilacqua on June 7, 2019 in Food

Our new favourite restaurant, by Bonnie Coumbe.

After an Easter weekend getaway filled with copious quantities of chocolate and emergency missions to McDonald’s, I needed to satisfy my finer tastes. To do so, I made my way to the reputable and oft-recommended Clove Lane in Randwick.
This modern bistro is located somewhat incongruously on a corner towards the top of Clovelly Road. With its relaxed vibe and wholesome menu, chef and owner Emile Avramides has created a home away from home for local foodies.
The bistro takes sourcing local produce to a whole new level. The beer is provided by Pat who lives in the building directly opposite the restaurant. ‘Someday Ale’ is the name of the current brew, as Pat hopes he will “someday” make a good brewer. Don’t let his modesty fool you though, the schooners served on arrival garnered two earnest nods of approval.
When I’m on the hunt for new and exciting eateries to share with our hungry readers, my lovely girlfriend Grace usually comes along as my plus one. However, circumstances meant that my better half could not make it to Clove Lane on this occasion so my trusty roommate Jackson ‘Jacko’ Doolan was bestowed with the honour of being my date. As it turned out, Grace would live to regret her absence as our first wave of dishes consisted of three of her favourite things in the world: warm sourdough with a whipped burnt butter, burrata, and kingfish ceviche with salmon roe (I like to think that I come in at a close fourth). The sourdough is locally sourced from Iggy’s just up the road and the burrata is supplied by Vannella Cheese in Marrickville.
Clove Lane’s ever-changing menu is a mix of tantalising vegetable dishes like the charred broccoli with labne and duck crackle and seeded butternut pumpkin with chickpea miso and holy goat fromage frais, as well as larger carnivorous options such as the prized Mooloolaba swordfish, braised ox cheek and wagyu sirloin. The fine dining background of chef Avramides and his team shines through in each of these dishes.
Despite the food sitting somewhere towards the fine dining end of the spectrum, there is a relaxed and welcoming feel about Clove Lane. It’s not pretentious – quite the opposite. An open kitchen and laid-back, friendly staff set the tone – these guys enjoy working here and it shines through in the service. If you like you can sit up at the kitchen bench, chat with towering chef Big Willy and watch him work his magic. You might even like to shout him a drink at the end of the night to say thankyou. The friendly neighbourhood setting continues outside, with hanging plants above the tables and a small courtyard that houses a herb garden. Put simply, you won’t get to experience food of this high standard in a more friendly and relaxed setting.
I should also mention that, with copper pendant lighting bathing the white rendered walls and dark timbre furniture in a warm golden light, Clove Lane would be the perfect spot for a date, something my very single roommate Jacko was quick to point out!

Clove Lane
www.clovelane.com.au
Address 19 Clovelly Road, Randwick
Facebook Clove Lane
Instagram clovelane2031
Phone 02 9326 3573
Open Tue-Wed 5-10pm, Thu-Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-8pm
Prices 5-course dinner “feed me” $85pp, the menu changes often so please check the website.
Cards Master, Visa, Amex
Licensed Yes