Simon Food Favourites: Bankstown

25 September 2010

Bistro 44: Club Sandwich, Bankstown (16 Aug 2010)

44 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown NSW 2148
http://www.bistro44.com.au

Little gem in Blacktown

Blacktown hasn't been high on my list of places to visit for food but a work related visit to the nearby Pegasus Print Group is an opportunity for me to pick somewhere for lunch. Having no recommendations in mind an Eatability search comes to the rescue highlighting Bistro 44 with a promising score of 8.4 after 17 reviews. My Bistro Club Sandwich ($11.50) comes with tender chicken, bacon rashers, aioli, fried free range egg, crisp ice-burg [iceberg] lettuce, avocado, fresh tomato and battered fries. Quite a substantial offering for a reasonable price and all washed down with an Orange juice ($3.50 bottled) — I'd happily order again. Unfortunately I arrived near the end of lunch service so the fresh juicer was cleaned up already. The chips were tasty and crisp and the sandwich had a good balance of ingredients and enough moisture to remain juicy with every bite. I loved the touch of the cute olive stuck on top — so 70s.

Service was efficient and friendly and the seating area was clean and cosy. Quite a rare find I assume in Blacktown amongst the kebab and pizza shops and streets lined with discount pharmacies, cheap shoe stores and money lending joints. I'll probably be using this club sandwich as a base to compare to all others I try. If you love Blacktown then be sure to pick up a I Heart Blacktown t-shirt across the road from the Blacktown Visitor Information and Heritage Centre.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Clean, Efficient and friendly service, Reasonably priced, Decent quality, Organic free-range eggs, Art on the wall, Toilet available at the back, Free parking station nearby

CONS: Not much other food variety in the area it seems

MUST TRY: Bistro Club Sandwich

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Bistro Club Sandwich with tender chicken, bacon rashers, aioli, fried free range egg, crisp ice-burg [iceberg] lettuce, avocado, fresh tomato and battered fries ($11.50)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Orange juice ($3.50 bottled)

Certified organic free-range eggs used from Chanteclair Farms

Service counter and street view

Seating

Outdoor seating

Outside

I Heart NY was so 90s — now there's I Heart Blacktown t-shirts

Max Webber Library across the road

Nearby free parking

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08 July 2009

Summerland Restaurant: $30 Lebanese Dinner Banquet, Bankstown (4 July 2009)

457 Chapel Road, Bankstown NSW 2200
http://www.summerlandrestaurant.com.au

Belly dancing banquet for $30

I don't think I've ever eaten so much food in one day! After enjoying a huge Christmas in July lunch in Rose Bay it was off to a birthday dinner in Bankstown for a $30 per person banquet of freshly cooked lebanese bread served with plenty of delicious dishes. Last year I visited this place on a Sunday and it was deadly quiet with only a handful of small groups dining. This year it's a fully packed Saturday night complete with belly dancing show and lively music by the very talented Alex Hadshiti whose booked in every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and can apparently sing in 6-7 different languages. He was singing plenty of sing-a-long favourites as well as a few traditional ones and really created a fun party atmosphere for the many birthday groups dining tonight.

Once they start serving the banquet the dishes keep coming out quickly from the kitchen along with plenty of freshly cooked lebanese bread. The table space is soon completely filled leaving little room for even your cutlery and drinks. I really liked their baba ghanouj, tasty lamb skewers, fresh fattoush and tabouleh, moist vine leaves and of course the freshly cooked bread. They cook a pretty good falafel too which is tasty and crunchy on the outside although my favourite is still at Jasmin in Punchbowl. Tonight we decline ordering the kibbeh nayah (finely ground raw lamb) which is included in the banquet because we struggled last time to eat it — definitely an acquired taste.

What's your favourite Lebanese restaurant?