Finally, it’s back.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
I can feel it in the air.
asserted
I → feel → air
For someone who has an eBay alert set up for “vintage Black Stump restaurant menu”, the return of chicken stuffed with butter, garlic and herbs is even more exciting than the time I saw Dr Terence from A Country Practice at Grace Bros (I was eight).
asserted
I → have → Bros
Granted, I’ve only spotted two new chicken Kyivs in the wild – at the relaunched Carlisle Hotel in Newtown and Leichhardt Bowling Club – but after years in hibernation, these are major sightings.
asserted
these → grant → hibernation
It’s still popular at butchers and supermarkets, yes, and the headline act at Chippendale’s Kyiv Social, but like chips, gravy and the parmigiana, it tastes four times better at the pub.
The Kyiv’s appearance at Leichhardt bowlo’s Blue Ribbon Bistro is a calculated move by chef Nic Wong, who wanted to serve pub classics from the age of MeadowLea and French onion soup mix in everything.
asserted
who → ’ → everything
Wong knows how to hit the right nostalgia notes from his time leading Marrickville’s Lucky Prawn, but he also cares about produce and doing things the right way after cutting his teeth at Rockpool.
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he → know → Rockpool
For the bowlo kitchen, which relaunched in July, Wong teamed up with other former Rockpool chefs: Joel Humphreys (they’re co-owners of Newcastle’s hatted Bistro Penny) and Graeme Hunt (who runs the kitchen day to day).
asserted
who → relaunche → day
This means your $10 side salad features top-condition radicchio and a spot-on mustard dressing, and the $35 rump (served with chips, naturally) comes from nearby boutique butcher Great Meats Co.
The tartare on a whopping big fish sandwich hits the right balance of dill, Dijon and gherkin, and a quality rendition of pub calamari is crumbed in-house, a rarity for anywhere with pokies.
asserted
rendition → mean → pokies
The club still has a dozen slots in a dank little side room, which is a fair reduction from the number it used to have, but come on Leichhardt Bowlo board: vote “yes” to turfing the lot.
asserted
it → have → lot
On any given weekend, there’s a line at the bar and the kids’ playground and beer garden are packed.
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playground → give → bar
No doubt winter trade isn’t as healthy, but I still can’t see the club going under if it replaces Cleopatra and Cashman with pinballs and Buck Hunter.
asserted
it → see → pinballs
Anyway, that’s my obligatory “pokies destroy families and culture and they should all be incinerated” rant.
asserted
they → ’ → families
A thick crumb wraps the bone-in cutlet, and absorbs the waves of garlic, butter and mash as you approach the centre.
asserted
you → wrap → centre
The fish-and-chips batter is appropriately lacy, and onion rings are purpose-built for beer and cheap wine in the sun.
asserted
rings → build → sun
A vodka-sauce pasta bake nails the cheese-and-comfort brief it’s assigned, and the sleeper hit is Hunt’s fish of the day.
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hit → nail → day
At club trivia the other week, that fish was a nicely steamed fillet of orange roughy, laid over a punchy puttanesca-ish mix of tomatoes, capers, olives and butter beans.
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fish → steam → tomatoes
Meanwhile, every second person orders the works burger heaving with a fried egg, beetroot and bacon on a super fluffy bun.
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person → order → bun
It is everything you hope it will be and will require nine serviettes.
asserted
it → hope → serviettes
Blue Ribbon is an order-and-collect-at-the-counter situation, hence I’ve been restrained with the score, but when the vast majority of NSW’s bowlos and RSLs trade on frozen schnitzels and bulk-buy squid, traditional club food doesn’t get much better than this.
asserted
food → order → this
With Kyiv back on the menu, maybe it’s also time for the return of carpetbag steak.
asserted
it → ’ → steak
Welcoming local for members and their guests that pumps on weekends
Go-to dishes: Chicken Kyiv ($33); calamari rings ($22); fish of the day ($37); burger with the lot ($30); vodka pasta bake ($25)
Drinks: Bowling club beers and wine at bowling club prices (and Guinness on tap)
Cost: About $60 for two, excluding drinks
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that → welcome → drinks
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently.
asserted
reviews → book → ?
A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
asserted
restaurant → pay → Guide
The Aporia
