Sapori Mediterranean Cusine Pizzeria & Cafe
Shop 2, 282 Great North Road,
Abbotsford, NSW
02 9712 2047

Friday night means dining out night!

Of course, it’s not like other nights don’t mean that also, but it’s almost a given for Cee and I to find somewhere to eat out at the end of a busy work week. Sapori at Abbotsford was my choice for last Friday, and it was chosen due to its particularly good ranking and comments over at Eatability, and the close proximity to our place.

Sapori doesn’t exactly have the best decor in the world, between the mix and match colours and the framed photos of typical Italian scenes on the walls, however it was extremely busy and without having booked I doubt we would’ve been able to eat there that night. A busy restaurant is usually a very good indicator of a quality menu.

The staff were all very friendly and courteous, and we never felt like we were kept waiting. In fact the time between finishing our excellent Bruschetta Pizza Crust entrée and our mains was just perfect, giving us lots of time to talk about the week and not making us feel like we were being rushed out the door. In such a small, busy restaurant the desire on turning tables can often lead to rushed and almost pushy service.

My main meal was a Linguine & Prawn dish from the specials menu, and was a little underwhelming. The ricotta based sauce really took over the flavours of the zucchini, bacon and other touches and only the prawns gave any contrast. Cee absolutely loved her small Capodimonte Pizza (eggplant, mushrooms, basil, tapenade and mozzarella) and could barely contain her delight. It has officially won her “Best Vegetarian Pizza” award, dethroning another excellent pizza eaten during our honeymoon on the Gold Coast.

The crusts on both Cee’s pizza and our bruschetta crust entrée were brilliant. The menu makes the point that they are homemade on site, and they really know how to do it right.

Dessert choices were limited to a range of gelati, or a baked ricotta and pear cheesecake which I opted for. It was a very nice way to end the meal, and was sweet and tart at the same time. A broader choice of desserts would be great, but pizza is clearly what they do best, and if you’re looking for a good pizza in the Abbotsford area be sure to call in.

12/20 Spoons.

Kris

Crust
218 Lyons Road
Drummoyne, NSW
02 9712 2070

Last night was just one of those nights. I could feel it in the chilly night air, in the comfyness of the couch and in the glow of the TV… It was a pizza night. Having tried and loved another pizza place that delivers to us we thought we would give Crust a go!

Crust has an extensive menu ranging from starters and traditional pizzas, to meat, chicken, seafood, vegetarian and healthy choice pizzas! It need not be said amongst us that a healthy choice pizza is a oxymoron so Kris ordered a medium Peri-Peri Chicken and I ordered a medium Wild Mushroom (light on the cheese).

Within 45 minutes our pizzas were buzzed up to the apartment and were ready to be devoured! Although I’m not a big fan of meat as soon as the smell of Peri-Peri chicken wafted across my field of mushrooms I was immediately jealous! The smell was sensational as was the taste. My Wild Mushroom feast was also delicious, the mushrooms were nice and tender and the minimal cheese didn’t overwhelm their flavour. As one would expect the crusts were good too, nice and soft with crisper edges. As far as takeaway pizzas go these weren’t bad. While Kris had to wait a few minutes for his to cool down before being able to eat his without the topping coming off, mine was merely lukewarm. Being big eaters we were able to both polish off our medium size meals in one hit, but others may need to save some for late or share a large size pizza!

Overall at a cost of $35.60 (including a public holiday surcharge) this was a good pizza night, but by no means the best, tastiest or cheapest pizza around.

Stuffed Cee

Belli Bar
80 Norton Street
Leichhardt NSW
02 9564 6232

With such a diverse collection of Cafés in Leichhardt, it’s impossible to be left hungry when you’re looking for somewhere to get a quick meal during your lunch break. Unless of course you spend your most of your lunch break indecisively pacing up and down trying to choose where to eat.

If you’re looking for a delicious, sizable sandwich to takeaway, then look no further than the excellent Belli Bar. Conveniently located across the street from the Norton Plaza Shopping Centre, this surprisingly spacious little café buzzes with a friendly local vibe, and has one of the best selections of sandwiches, focaccias, paninis and pizettas i’ve seen.

Taking a seat, it doesn’t take long for our freshly toasted meals to be brought to the table. Cee has a generously filled Vegetarian Panini, and I have one of the best Salami Focaccias i’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. With spinach, tomato and cheese, the very well chosen salami doesn’t reach forth and grab your taste buds violently, but rather sits back and lets itself be part of the mix. The focaccia itself was perfectly seasoned and stayed intact for the duration, instead of crumbling apart or turing into a soggy mess like many others.

Having a leisurely lunch at Belli Bar was a wonderful experience. The staff are friendly and energetic, and play a large part in making the atmosphere feel so alive. With prices around $5.50 for a large sandwich, and $8.50 for the excellent paninis and foacaccias, you won’t feel robbed picking up a fantastic lunch here.

13/20 Spoons

Kris

Indian Kitchen
186 Lyons Road
Drummoyne, NSW
02 9719 9361

There are times when the comfort and convenience of having food delivered to your door far surpasses the pleasure of dining out. Tonight is one of those nights.

The decision to order in Indian was more a process of elimination as we have slowly sampled the delicacies from almost all our local Drummoyne restaurants. As the new Indian restaurant on Lyons Road, Curry Planet, is closed on Tuesday nights, the responsibility of delivering a warm, delicious dinner falls to Indian Kitchen.

On the menu for tonight is the vegetarian Malai Kofta, a potato and cottage cheese dumpling in a korma sauce, and the old faithful Butter Chicken. We also ordered warm Naan Bread and Basmati Rice to compliment these dishes, with a total bill of $37.80 delivered to our door within the standard 45mins.

For me, nothing beats a good Indian meal, it is aromatic, warm and satisfies the senses. I have sampled many Malai Kofta dishes and this one was not bad. The Korma sauce warmed the mouth without being spicy, however the dumplings were quite dry. The butter chicken was rich in tomato flavour and less creamy than others, which complimented the fresh chicken. The Basmati rice was nicely spiced with sultanas and peanuts throughout, however on hindsight I would have preferred plain rice to soak up the flavours of the curry. The Naan was oily to the touch but dry to the tounge and became slightly tough as it cooled, however it was nice when dipped in the sauces.

Overall this eating-in experience was a pleasant one, but by no means the best Indian I have had by a long shot. I will be interested to see how Curry Planet fairs in comparison.

11/20 Spoons

Satisfied Cee