Bondi’s Number One Bistro

By Marcus Braid on July 10, 2014 in Food

Why do you enjoy having a meal and drink at your local? It’s safe to say that value-for-money, decent food and familiarity make up most of the equation. When you factor in restaurant-quality cuisine, experienced international chefs and a comforting ambience, it’s probably going to make sense to go there often. For those familiar with Bistro One at Easts Leagues Club, you’re probably already a regular guest.

Easts sits smack-bang in the middle of Bondi Junction on Spring Street, among the hustle and bustle of the surrounding shopping centres, cafes and retail outlets. The setting on arrival upstairs at Bistro One is that of a spacious and welcoming eatery with all the key characteristics of your standard club bistro: televisions showcasing sport, oldies playing bingo and the odd person lighting up a cigarette on the expansive balcony outside.

Once my companions and I were seated, it felt like the kind of place you could wind back a few hours enjoying the food while having a yarn. After sussing out the menu and putting forward our orders, we were soon greeted with a delightful basket of calamari and baby sqiud snap fried with parsley and citrus zest. It was easy to get carried away with the starters, especially once the chilli prawn pizza with cherry tomatoes, rocket and salsa verde was served. Delicious.

When choosing mains, we moved stridently away from your stereotypical pub food. José Luis Andrade is the most experienced chef in the kitchen with over 25 years on the grill. The staff at Easts have worked purposefully over this time to coax his secret Portuguese peri peri chicken recipe from him and they’ve finally succeeded, and it’s safe to say that Jose’s Portuguese chicken skewers are an absolute delight.

With room in our stomachs, we were next greeted by the ‘Crying Tiger’, 200 grams of angus beef with nam-prik dressing, made personally by Bistro One’s Thai chef Ichaya. The dish is incredible in its authenticity. There are no blenders, fancy gadgets or pastes used here; Ichaya prefers to use the old-school mortar and pestle, ensuring the dish has the fresh, balanced flavours associated with Thai cuisine.
Still not entirely satiated, we also tucked into a meal dedicated to Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. The big bopper is the poster boy for the 300-gram rump steak – appropriately named ‘Jared’s Big Rump’ – and it did not disappoint.

To finish, a chocolate fondant and a granny smith ‘tart fine’ ended proceedings in a truly satisfying manner. The fondant in particular, with peanut butter and salted caramel ice cream, was to die for.

After bidding farewell and heading back to work after lunch, the clear consensus was that it wouldn’t be long before we’d be back at Easts’ Bistro One. Bondi Junction is truly fortunate to have a first-class bistro right on Spring Street.