75 Belmore Road, Randwick NSW 2031
Not sure if you can really change a classic Big Mac and make it work but I'm always up for trying new variations. For me I still prefer the all time classic Big Mac which is my go to burger at Maccas. I can see what they were trying to do but I'm not convinced the pickles and special sauce works in this. It's a more filling burger due to the battered fried chicken patties but I think they also dominate over the other ingredients and flavours so it doesn't quite have the right balance as a Big Mac does for me. But for those who aren't keen on beef patties it might suit as a chicken burger alternative. Chicken Big Mac ($12.20 small meal).
Royal Randwick Shopping Centre
73 Belmore Road, Randwick NSW 2031
https://mcdonalds.com.au
Maccas returns to Randwick
After what seems like years McDonald's has returned to Royal Randwick Shopping Centre in a new location. Taking advantage of the corner spot it's well located near the bus stop and high pedestrian traffic. Seating is more suited for single and couple dining rather than families and ordering is via the displays rather than my preference of over the counter. Sausage Egg McMuffin ($4.45) and my guilty pleasure Hash Brown ($2.25) are good and served promptly via the table service available.
66 High St, Randwick NSW 2031
http://www.22grams.com/
https://www.facebook.com/22gramscafe/
https://www.instagram.com/twenty2grams/
New bakery by 22 grams
New bakery beginnings by the well established 22 Grams is looking promising just down the road from their cafe with a nice selection of pastries and sourdough to tempt. Cappuccino ($3.50) was good using their house roasted blend. Croissant ($4) had a nice texture and buttery flavour. I reckon go for the morning pick when they'd be even fresher rather than when I visited in the afternoon. On my 2nd visit I confirmed there's a good amount of yummy chocolate in the Chocolate Croissant ($5) and the Almond Croissant ($5) had a lovely crispy texture. I'll definitely need to try the plum danish and sourdough next. Parking is very limited in the area due to the light rail construction in progress just outside. Service was friendly and the decor simple but refined and slick.
76 Clovelly Rd, Randwick NSW 2031
Phone: 9398 3036
http://littleitalypizzaandpasta.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/littleitalypizzaandpasta1/
Little Italy opens in Randwick
I've been twice now to this pizza shop which has taken over where Pizza Moncur used to be. The first time was when they'd just opened around 8 Dec and I very much enjoyed the Pepperoni Speciale ($15) and the kids enjoyed the Bambini Tomato base with ham & mozzarella ($8).
Second time visit was a lazy Friday dinner using the 50% discount for first online order. They were getting a bit slammed with dinner orders at the time so it took 20-25 mins longer than expected for the pickup. Hungry family satisfied in the end though. Bambini Tomato base with ham & mozzarella ($8) still a kid favourite. Gamberi - Prawns, mozzarella, oregano, parmesan, chili flakes, garlic, tomato sauce ($21) was nice. Suprema - Tomato base with ham, spicy salami, cabanossi, bacon, mushroom, capsicum, onion, olives, mozzarella, oregano ($21) had a fair amount of topping which challenged the thin base integrity when picking up. Interestingly they don't put pineapple on their supreme pizza. Pepperoni with tomato & capsicum sauce with oregano, mozzarella, chilli flakes ($15) can be ordered as regular, mild or wild. So far have enjoyed the regular with noticeable chilli hum.
I'm still a little confused about the 'SINCE 1967' on their website but I'm enjoying their thin pizza base and tasty toppings. Counter service has been friendly even under the pressure of being busy and managing customers when orders are taking longer than expected. There's some window bench sitting inside and a few tables outside. Pizzas are served in takeaway boxes for dining in but I'm hoping they'll be able to serve on real plates in the future to save on rubbish.
