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We visited Stuyvesant’s House in Crow’s Nest on Monday night with two of my coworkers and their partners. I’m always up for some German fare, so we were willing to take a chance on a new place. The restaurant was big on “theme”. Walking through the door, you knew instantly that you were in the land of oompah bands and beer steins. Dark paneling, wooden clogs, and bric-a-brac filled out the dark atmosphere—almost too dark to read the menu.

We had Rudi as our waiter, one of the co-owners (apparently, his brother Max is the chef). To say he was charismatic might be one way of putting it. There was great fanfare and flourish in presenting the menu, and many corny jokes being cracked behind an enormous moustache that entirely covered his mouth. Between the invisible lips and the German accent, I didn’t understand a single thing he said the entire evening. And he said quite a bit…

We started with a round of Bitburger Pilsner, which is highly recommended. In fact, if you just went to Rudi & Max’s for the beer, you’d be well served. Rudi announced a complimentary appetizer of bitterballen, which were provided for us to snack on as we perused the menu. These were breaded veal and chicken meatballs with a side dallop of mustard. Not particularly noteworthy, but as we were famished following a couple rounds of drinks at a nearby bar, they were eagerly inhaled.

We ignored the tome of a wine list (it was impressively large, but entirely intimidating, all the same) and stuck with our beers. The second round was Erdinger Weissenback, which was very good, but a bit sweet for the meal – it would have been best on a hot day while eating some hearty bread. Eric and I shared a plate of meats as a starter (Bündner Teller), and the selection of cured hams and sausage was exceptional. Unfortunately, it was accompanied by just a couple slivers of rye bread, though I suppose that if more bread were offered, the plate would simply be a meal in itself. As it was, we couldn’t finish it. I would love to know if there is a local source for their sausage.

I decided to order one of the specials, pork knuckle (Eisbein über alles), which we were told had just come out of the oven. A first time dish for me, this was a delight—an enormous joint of tender, falling-apart meat encased in a thick, crisp crackling. I’ve seen pork knuckle on many menus and have always been afraid of it, I have to admit. I always imagined it being a wobbly mass of cartilage, fat and bone, without much meat. Eric urged me to try it when I asked if he’d ever tasted it, and he likened it more to a lamb shank, which gave me courage.

Eisbein Über Alles – Roasted Pork Knuckle with Dumplings, Spätzle and Red Cabbage

It was amusing to be the smallest person at the table, receiving the largest plate of food! Far too large to be a one-person serving, the knuckle sat regally atop a mess of sauerkraut, spätzle, dumplings, red cabbage and a ladle full of applesauce (I guess that was the über alles part). While I love all of these things individually, I wasn’t crazy about the way they all blanketed each other on the plate. Nonetheless, it was all delicious. I ate to the point of feeling uncomfortable. In fact, I don’t think I hardly spoke until I was done. It was so good, it demanded my complete focus.

Eric ordered the Venison Baden Baden, which was very excellent. There were slices of steak in a juniper red wine glaze, along with some really interesting, meaty mushrooms, spätzle and red cabbage. It was recommended by Rudi to order the Venison medium rare, but Eric thought it might be a bit too rare and ordered it medium (based on previous experience with venison being servered more rare than not). Medium rare would have indeed been perfect, alas, although it was still very tasty.

Venison Baden Baden, in Juniper & Red Wine Glace, medley of Mushrooms, Spätzle and Red Cabbage

We were far too full for dessert, and just managed to amble a couple blocks down the street when Rudi came running after us. It turned out we had shortchanged him on the bill, and he thought that we seemed much too nice for that not to be a mistake. The miscalculation must have been a combination of many drinks and the dark lighting in the restaurant. We produced the additional cash and apologised profusely for our mistake. At least we were so full, that we had not made it very far before he discovered the lapse. We will have to be more careful about double-checking our math next time.

Stuyvesant’s House
Entrées $12 – $30
Mains $19 – $45
Desserts $10 -$16
Fully Licensed, Extensive Wine List

45 Alexander St
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Ph: 02 9439 7155

Bondi is the home of many popular restuarants, and Ravesi’s is no exception.

A poorly communicated brunch rendezvous left our friends and us on location with nowhere to eat. Our original intent was to meet at the somewhat exclusive Sean’s Panaroma. (Exclusive in the sense that bookings have to be made 3 weeks out, according to the host.) With a great meal in mind, our hearts were set on something well-made and well-presented. But, alas, confusion on the table booking left us without a sufficiently large table (although we were able to have a nice bottle of wine while we figured out Plan B). A phone call later, we gambled on another well-regarded restaurant down the street. We ended up having nothing to worry about.

But before we had to move on, I took a few pictures at Sean’s. We will definitely have to return, as it was a great place and just the smell of the fresh baked bread was enough of a reason to make the trip back.

The inside of Sean’s Panaroma. The menu consists of a series of black/green boards.

Before we realised that we didn’t have enough room for all the group that was coming, we had a pleasant chat at the table. You can see a bit of the wine board behind Angela.

A fine assortment of flowers in Sean’s front room.

A small consolation for missing out on a meal—Mahi Ward Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.

It was a blustery and rainy day, and the place we found for lunch was luckily just down the street. We settled in quickly and ordered some entrées and wine. We had a wonderful view of the beach—which was striking in the stormy weather—but had to share the covered porch with the equivalent of a hen’s party and ageing rock-stars pashing at their table (well, he looked like he could have been Rod Stewart…).

The entrées were very well prepared and quite tasty, although our hunger and piqued appetites may have had some say in the matter as well. We started with the Pepper Crust Ahi Tuna with Tomato Salsa and Salmon Caviar, which was very tasty but a tad overdone with the accoutrements. The tuna was almost lost in the bevy of flavours on the spoon. Still, very good and I would recommend it again.

Pepper Crust Ahi Tuna with Tomato Salsa and Salmon Caviar

This was joined by a plate of Pork and Shitake Dumplings which were recommended over the Trout dumplings with Tamarind by our waitress. They were very good and could have been a main course unto themselves.

Pork and Shitake Dumplings

Rounding out the Asian theme, we also ordered a plate of the Duck Spring Rolls with Hoisin sauce. While these were good, they didn’t stand out against the other entrées.

Duck Spring Rolls with Hoisin

For our final entrée, we ordered the Salt & Pepper Squid with Lime. The spicy dipping sauce really made this dish. We are big fans of Salt & Pepper Squid, but it is rare to find it prepared well without being too rubbery. This dish was just on this side of being tough, but the flavours were solid and it was a nice contrast to the other dishes.

Salt & Pepper Squid with Lime

We also ordered a bottle of the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006, which was quite good and complimented the meal very well. Again, a recommendation by the waitress and we were very happy with it.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006

The restaurant also serves a Flakey Asian Bread with Fresh House-made Dips that was extremely good. Hit the spot while we waited for our meal to begin.

After enjoying the first bottle of wine (well, second for the day – but who’s counting) and our entrées, our mains arrived. Among the five of us, we only ordered three different items for our meal (two of us ordering duplicates). Having been a fan of venison since a trip to New Zealand (where they raise and prepare it very well), I was set on trying the Peppered Cervena Venison with Zucchini & Sweet Potato Cake & Red Wine Jus. I’m glad I did, as it was extremely good. This is definitely a dish to make a trip for. The venison was tender and full of flavour from the spice and glaze. I only wished I had a hearty red wine to go with it.

Peppered Cervena Venison with Zucchini & Sweet Potato Cake & Red Wine Jus

Angela ordered the Barramundi Fillet (one of our favourite fish here in Australia) steamed in Coconut with Sweet Potato Mash and Watercress. It was served on a bed of coconut-infused mash and the fish was cooked perfectly. Angela was particularly genrous with squeezings of lime—an ideal complement to the fish/coconut combination.

Barramundi Fillet steamed in Coconut with Sweet Potato Mash and Watercress

And the finally the third main ordered was the Beef Tenderloin with Potato Pave, Mushroom Ceviche, and Red Wine Jus. This was very well presented and well prepared. The flavours of the beef, mushroom and potatoes were well balanced. This was a very filling portion and good for anyone who brings their appetite.

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Pave, Mushroom Ceviche, and Red Wine Jus

Overall Ravesi’s was a very good restaurant. Both the view and the food were very enjoyable. Our stormy view over the beach made our meal all the more relaxing. While atmosphere was nice, the establishment seems to cater to a certain kind of over-the-top, satire-of-itself kind of crowd, particularly downstairs in the bar. It belies the sophistication of the menu, and on a sunny weekend day the crowd might be a little overwhelming. Nonetheless, if you find yourself at Bondi for a nice Sunday lunch, you won’t be disappointed.

Ravesi’s
Entrées $15 – $25
Mains $25 – $28
Full wine list

Location:
118 Campbell Pde
Bondi Beach 2026
Ph: (02) 9365 4422