Freshly shucked, peak-condition Bateman’s Bay oysters? Sliced to order Spanish, Italian and locally made charcuterie? Or how about gnochetti tossed with slow-cooked lamb, anchovies, green olives and ricotta salata? Wine might get top billing at Bellota, given it’s a wine bar attached and with direct access to the Prince Wine Store and its 3000-plus bottle cellar, but food here is no second fiddle. Chef Nicky Riemer (ex-Union Dining) cooks with a direct simplicity suited to the tiled, Parisian bar-style. John Dory might be served with clams, salty belly bacon and a cauliflower crème while a pork schnitzel belongs in the “simple things done well” category, teamed with a soft-poached egg and a classic bagna càuda. At times dishes can under-deliver, as with a disappointingly dry Sicilian orange cake, but switched-on service and nearby access to a truckload of magnificent wine at very reasonable prices easily help put things right.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Food: ★
Wine: ★ ★ ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
