Replacing older posts, and adding new photos.
Column 1:
a, 2a, 3a & 4a. 201028W-Melbourne’HeraldSun’-400GradiPizza
b. 211104Th-‘SMH’-Italian.restaurant
c. 201028W-Melbourne’Age’-LadroPizza
d. 200510Su-Melbourne’HeraldSun’-Japan-food-van (pizza)
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b & 3b. 220209W-Fairfax-GoodFood-Italian-cafe-a
c. 211204-Melbourne’Age’-Richmond-Ganzo-Italian-food
d. 180901Sa-MetroTwitter – Ferrari Pizza, being serviced to railway passengers at Dandenong during weeks when buses were replacing trains.
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c. 201020Tu-Melbourne’Age’-ThinSlizzyPizza
d. 200326Th-Melbourne’HeraldSun’ – Norwood (Adelaide, SA) -pasta.bar-cafe-pizzeria
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b. 200818Tu-Melbourne’HeraldSun’-Heathmont-OriginalJoes-pizza [closed and vandalised]
c. 210525Tu-Melbourne’HeraldSun’-FlindersSt-Quarter-cafe
d. 200606Sa-‘SMH’-Bankstown-HhalilLebanesePizza.
Ms Frankie opens huge all-day Italian diner in former Threshermans site. EMMA BREHENY February 9 2022
Ms Frankie has taken over the huge Carlton space that was previously Threshermans Bakehouse. Photo: Supplied
Carlton’s hottest corner has another expansive Italian diner, with the opening on February 8 of a second Ms Frankie in the former Threshermans Bakehouse site.
Open for espresso through to digestivo, the restaurant can seat up to 300 guests inside and out, and will add even more buzz to a stretch already occupied by King & Godfree and Pizzeria Di Stasio.
Carlton’s history was a big drawcard for co-owner and designer Wani Sakellaropoulos and her business partner, Melinda Aloisio, when signing the lease and scaling up from their much smaller Cremorne restaurant, which remains open.
Ms Frankie head chef Giorgio Distefano. Photo: Supplied
The renovation of the 1889 building has stripped out Threshermans terracotta tiles and green trusses, replaced by white, dusty pink and red tones.
"We want to give my generation a reason to come back to Carlton and feel that sense of community again, and be proud of being Italian-Australian and our story," says Aloisio.
Sakellaropoulos has borrowed design ideas from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s to create a look that will make people "think about when their parents first came to Australia".
Ms Frankie’s menu has a southern Italian focus. Photo: Supplied
The menu will have the same southern Italian focus as Cremorne and hew closely to tradition, but seafood, risotto and secondi such as tagliata-style steak will be added. It’s a departure from carb-heavy Cremorne but pasta maker Maria Distefano and husband, head chef Giorgio, will still be on the pans.
Ready for all occasions, the coffee window will open at 5.30am each day, aperitivi will be offered between lunch and dinner, and the restaurant cleverly splits in half for functions without disrupting usual trade.
Open: espresso bar daily 5.30am-3pm; restaurant Sun-Thu noon-10pm, Fri-Sat noon-11pm.
221-223 Faraday Street, Carlton, msfrankie.com.au
www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/ms-frankie-opens-huge-al…
Thin Slizzy is Collingwood’s new late-night pizzeria. GEMIMA CODY October 19 2020
A musician and pizza slinger saw an opportunity to open his own venue. Photo: Aidan McDonald
The pandemic has shuttered many businesses, but it has also provided an opportunity for would-be business owners such as Scott Penberthy to secure good lease terms and benefit from the relative ease of securing permits.
Penberthy put in five years at Abbotsford pizza haven Rita’s, and has worked at +39 Pizzeria in the city. He’s also a member of local band Holy Serpent and wanted his own late-night space that married those two interests.
Four months ago, he found a site on Johnston Street between key music sites the Tote and the Bendigo Hotel, and despite the uncertainty in the industry, he jumped.
Thin Slizzy’s Neopolitan pies use a 48-hour risen dough. Photo: Aidan McDonald
He has now opened a low-key pizza parlour (30 seats when restrictions ease) serving thin Neapolitan-style pies on 48-hour fermented bases.
There are a dozen pizzas on the menu, all music-themed. So you’ll find the Blue Meanie, featuring mushrooms, blue cheese and basil, and the Meatallica with hot salami, pancetta and leg ham on a red sauce base.
Penberthy has secured outdoor seating for when restrictions lift and will likely expand the offering to include pizza by the slice, bar snacks and drinks beyond the Hawkers beer tinnies and soft drinks he’s serving now.
Open Wed-Sun 4pm-late, 115 Johnston Street, Collingwood, 03 85974475. Orders via www.instagram.com/thinslizzypizzeria
www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/just-open/music-themed-neapol…
A food lover’s guide to Bankstown, Sydney June 6 2020
Photo album:
* The ladies of Olympic Continental Deli and Butchery. Photo: James Brickwood
* Olympic Continental Deli and Butchery. Photo: James Brickwood.
* At Banh Cuon Vietnamese shop, Anthony Dinh with his mum Kim Thanh prepare dishes. Photo: James Brickwood
* The multicultural food hub of Bankstown in Sydney’s south-west. Photo: James Brickwood
* Valley View Continental Spices & Groceries owner Ali Hamad pours some coffee for us. Photo: James Brickwood
* Various ingredients on the shelf at the Valley View Continental Spices & Groceries store. Photo: James Brickwood
* Herbs and spices available at the Valley View Continental Spices & Groceries store. Photo: James Brickwood
* Valley View Continental Spices & Groceries storefront. Photo: James Brickwood
* Valley view Continental Spices Photo: James Brickwood
* Mohammad El Basha from Chehade El Bahsa & Sons Sweets shop. Photo: James Brickwood
* Various produce available at the Olympic Continental Deli and Butchery. Photo: James Brickwood
* A customer peruses the various produce available at the Valley View Continental Spices shop. Photo: James Brickwood
* Customers check out the fresh fruit and vegetable available in a number of shops in Bankstown. Photo: James Brickwood
* Customers check out the fresh seafood available at the Wha Wang Fish Market. Photo: James Brickwood
* Lebanese style pizzas, called ‘Manoushe’ are a common breakfast and lunch staple served by Khalil Lebanese Pizza. Photo: James Brickwood
* Bacon bones available at the Olympic Continental Deli and Butchery. Photo: James Brickwood
* Taste Tours around Bankstown’s multicultural food hub. Photo: James Brickwood
* Lebanese herbal tea available at the Valley View Continental Spices store. Photo: James Brickwood
* Bountiful seafood options at the local fish market in Bankstown. Photo: James Brickwood
* Mohammad El Basha samples a dessert in between customers at the Chehade El Bahsa & Sons Sweets shop. Photo: James Brickwood
* Kim Thanh cooking in her son Anthony Dinh’s Vietnamese restaurant. Photo: James Brickwood
* Bankstown’s restaurants, cafes and food stalls are emerging from the Covid-19 restrictions. Photo: James Brickwood
* Various styles of nuts available. Photo: James Brickwood
* A Manoush style pizza is cut up at the Khalil Lebanese Pizza shop. Photo: James Brickwood
* Khalil Lebanese Pizza. Photo: James Brickwood
* A meat smallgood is sliced up for a customer at Olympic Continental Deli and Butchery. Photo: James Brickwood
* Bankstown Photo: James Brickwood
* A delivery truck arrives at the North Terrace Fish Market in Bankstown. Photo: James Brickwood1 of 28
Whether it’s black limes for flavouring a sour fish soup, fragrant pho, house-made salami, or enough baklava to feed 200 wedding guests, Bankstown and its surrounding suburbs can provide.
"The area is really the first port of call for newly arrived migrants in Sydney," City of Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour said.
"No matter where you have come from in the world you can access support here, and probably find someone who speaks your language and sells your food. With 130 cultures represented throughout the city, I always say our food courts are like the United Nations."
Valley View Continental Groceries and Spices owner Ali Hamad with Sahar Elsemary from Taste Cultural Food Tours. Photo: James Brickwood
Cr Asfour is on a mission to build the Canterbury-Bankstown brand and believes food is the best way to attract more visitors. In addition to rates relief, the council is supporting cafes and restaurants affected by the coronavirus crisis with grants of up to $2000 to assist with marketing and the provision of safe dining environments.
However, many Bankstown food retailers predict it will be a long process of recovery.
"Around 80 per cent of our clientele are elderly people and they’ve stopped shopping at the store over the past three months" said Joanne Karpouzis, owner of Olympic Continental Delicatessen near Bankstown station. Established in 1956, the Greek deli produces a wide range of European smallgoods, bacon and hams on premises.
"Trade is down about 40 per cent. Many of our elderly customers were sneaking out of the house when COVID first hit – I think it was a fun escape for them. ‘My kids don’t know I’m here’ they would tell us," Ms Karpouzis said.
"But now their children are shopping for them and a lot of the younger generation won’t visit us because it can be difficult to find a park nearby. They’ll just go to one of the major shopping centres instead – wherever is most convenient."
Ali Hamad operates Valley View Continental Groceries and Spices in Bankstown’s Compass Centre. He said business has not picked up since social distancing measures have eased.
"It’s still very scary for older people to go out – they’re worried about their health and prefer to stay home, especially now that winter is here," he said. "Uber Eats and all the other delivery apps have affected us too. Everyone just wants food sent straight to their house now. No one is buying spices to make things from scratch."
Taste Cultural Food Tours is a social enterprise training new migrants and refugees to host excursions through suburbs such as Liverpool, Cabramatta and Merrylands.
Egyptian-born Taste guide Sahar Elsemary will soon reopen her tours after a three month hiatus.
"It’s important to support small businesses such as Olympic Deli because they’re such a big part of our community and cultural history," she said. "My only hope is that more people visit Bankstown and be amazed at what it has to offer."
Taste’s three-hour Bankstown tour includes restaurants where many staff are on temporary visas and not eligible for JobKeeper.
"My mother and I have been lucky enough to remain open with a 50 per cent reduction in rent from the landlord," said Anthony Dinh, who operates Vietnamese eatery Banh Cuon Kim Thanh.
"The rent reduction ends this month though, so who knows what is going to happen after that, especially if we still have a reduced diner capacity due to social distancing."
All Bankstown restaurants visited by the Herald were practising strict social distancing and safety measures.
Breakfast manoush at Khalil’s. Photo: James Brickwood
A self-guided food tour of Bankstown. Warning: may contain high levels of star anise, carbohydrates and cake.
* Valley View Continental Groceries and Spices 40 The Appian Way. A wonderland of spices to inspire home cooking from now until the end of time, with no shortage of tea blends, cheese and honey either. Don’t miss the sweet and heady Lebanese seven-spice mix, ready to enhance any slow-roasted lamb dish it touches.
* Afandi Cafe 44A The Appian Way Many locals regard this unassuming cafe and takeaway to make the best nabulsi knafeh in Sydney. While the pistachio-topped sweet cheese dessert is Afandi’s main drawcard, coffee heated over hot sand Turkish-style is also a winner.
* Khalil’s Lebanese Pizza 119 Bankstown City Plaza. Few breakfasts wake the face like za’atar-fragrant manoush, zippy with Lebanese oregano and the citric kick of sumac. Third-generation baker Khalil Nasra makes a delicious fetta, mozzarella and haloumi pizza too.
* Nam Fong Hot Bread 54 Bankstown City Plaza. There are a large number of Vietnamese bakeries vying for the title of Bankstown’s best banh mi and Nam Fong may well claim the trophy. A $5 pork roll that’s soft and crunchy in all the right places.
* Olympic Continental Delicatessen 38/40 Bankstown City Plaza. Founded in the same year Melbourne hosted an Olympics, this terrazzo-tiled time capsule attracts all nationalities for its house-smoked ham, smallgoods, goat legs and Greek staples.
Anthony Dinh with his mother Kim Thanh making steamed rice paper rolls. Photo: James Brickwood
* Banh Cuon Kim Thanh Shop 7, 313 Chapel Road. There are six regular menu items at Kim Tanh’s banh cuon hotspot and each feature a gold standard version of the Vietnamese slippery rice noodle. Nuoc cham dipping sauce is essential whether your banh cuon is filled with pork mince, omelette or wood-ear mushrooms.
* Son Trang Asian Supermarket 304 Chapel Road. A well-managed Vietnamese grocer featuring hard-to-find fish sauce brands, vermicelli and every spice you could ever need to make a rip-roaring pho or bun bo hue.
* Chehade El Bahsa & Sons Sweets 288 Chapel Road. When an important event requires catering, Middle Eastern locals come to this Lebanese favourite where pistachio, sugar syrup and pine nuts star in all manner of pastries. Basma, boukaj and baloriyah are sold by the single piece or kilogram.
Mohammad El Basha greets customers at Chehade El Bahsa and Sons Sweets. Photo: James Brickwood
* Taste of Egypt 18-20 Greenfield Parade. Visit with friends and family and settle in for a feast of charcoal chicken, fall-apart lamb shank and spiced kefta sausages. Kushari is a must, Egypt’s number one street food featuring a noodle base, lentils, rice, fried onion and spiced tomato sauce.
* An Restaurant 27 Greenfield Parade. Many food lovers believe An is the home of Sydney’s (perhaps Australia’s) best pho, evident by a constant queue at the eatery’s door. The beef noodle soups are especially world class, humming with ginger, cloves and cardamom in a marrow-rich broth.
