Shared dinner and a bottle of wine with friends last night at Onde, a little bistro tucked away on Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst. They don’t take bookings which was perfect as it made it easier to unexpectedly grab dinner for 4 during prime time. There were a couple of stand outs but otherwise it was a relatively simple, well-presented and well-priced meal.
The fried calamari salad was the favourite. Very lightly battered and fried, served over some greens with bits of tomato. The duck liver pate was also nice and served perfectly for four to share with four pieces of toasted bread. The mains were well presented but low on flavour for my taste. The brisket was beautifully cooked, but very plain, topped with greens and served in a light broth with little slices of pickle (the savior of the dish for me). The rabbit and liver special, which sounded fabulous on paper, looked and tasted more like a grilled chicken salad… boring! The fish & chips and t-bone (cooked an impressively perfect medium rare) were both served with “french” fries which were yum!
All in it was an enjoyable night at a reasonably priced neighborhood joint in Darlinghurst.
