Bondi Social
It may have rained all weekend but that didn’t stop Secret Foodies celebrating the long weekend at Randwick Races. The ladies were glamorous in colourful spring dresses, impressive fascinators and stunning shoes (that kill our feet but look too hot not to wear). The gentlemen came equally styled to boot and together our Secret Foodies guests were an attractive addition to the Spring Carnival.
It wasn’t just about fashion and bubbles, our Foodies embraced the spirit of racing with a few cheeky punts. For some it was a successful day at the track, for others…well you can’t win them all.
At least those who didn’t win could get their nails done in the Yellowglen tent or have their photo taken for the ‘cover of a magazine’. Unfortunately the races is not known for its tantalising cuisine so it was a good thing the Secret Foodies Bus (and Bus Man Dan) came to the rescue at 6pm to whisk our crew away to a secret location for dinner.
At 5pm the suburb was revealed as Bondi and everyone took pleasure in guessing our destination. Driving down the hill of Campbell Parade we pulled over and the secret was revealed. We had arrived at Bondi Social.
A bus full of gorgeous post races people came flooding out and I’m not sure Bondi Social knew what hit it. Never fear, Hilton Kings the owner was there to greet us and show us to our table, mojito’s following close behind.
Bondi Social is a part of the heart and soul of Bondi and was the perfect locale for a post races dinner. They had a great vibe flowing through the bar and restaurant with dim lighting and a DJ playing upbeat tunes.
We were seated inside and had a group of 26 split across 3 tables next to each other. The view was gorgeous. This is a brilliant place to have afternoon drinks in the sun and at night it’s transformed into a sophisticated bar and dining space without losing that beachfront feel.
After drinking bubbles all day and exhaustive betting our Foodies were hungry. Bondi Social is all about share plates and to start we had Chorizo Sausage with Cherry Tomato & Red Wine Sauce and Chilli, Salt Squid with Lime Aioli. Both dishes were great for post races drinking. I don’t think the tomato in the Caprese Salad of Vine Ripened Tomato was ripe enough and as a result lacked flavour.
The Sweet Corn Fritters with Tomato Chutney were tasty and I would have liked more than one. There weren’t many Lamb Kafta skewers with Cucumber Aioli and unfortunately I didn’t get to try these. My favourite dish of the evening was by far the Steamed Barramundi with Sweet Potato & Ginger Mash. The mash was delicious and so was the sauce that had a coconut flavour. It was a great combination and I will definitely be back for that dish again. I also enjoyed the Twice Cooked Lamb with Romesco & Date Cous Cous. This was a simple dish done well, the meat was soft and flavorsome.
I was a disappointed with the Roasted Beetroot, Puy Lentils, Green Beans, Mint & Goat’s Cheese Salad. The beetroot looked like canned beetroot, I would have liked to see whole roasted beetroots but this is a matter of taste. The Eggplant Stuffed with Zucchini, Goats Cheese, Mint, Onions was delightful and is a must try, small but packs a punch. I didn’t try the Chicken Saltimbocca with Toffee Tomatoes, Fennel Salad so I’m looking forward to hearing what our Foodies thought. It looked like a fancy chicken caeser salad.
I recommend Bondi Social to people who are looking for an upbeat vibe with a relaxed menu. It’s an amazing venue with a brilliant view of the iconic Bondi Beach. The food is great for casual sharing and is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a great venue to host a large group. The wine list is great, as are the cocktails. Hamilton and new manager Jonny are wonderful. My favourite dish was the barramundi and I had a delicious riesling. Bondi Social is good value for money and a fun destination.
But enough about what I think, let’s hear what our foodies have to say…
xxMs Darlinghurst
Category: All Restaurants, East
Bondi Social was nothing like what I expected.. and by that I mean I was pleasantly surprised! A very cool hidden space & the music was great – albeit a bit loud to talk & meet new people. My favourite dish was the vine ripened tomatoes closely followed by the Lamb Kafta skewers. I was disappointed with the cocktail, too sweet.. however the wine list made up for that. Share plates were a perfect way to end an alcohol filled day at the races.
It was a great day at the races followed by some great food and company! (Winning made it an even better day). The Barramundi and Chicken Fennel were my two favourites at Bondi Social. I heard that the Lamb Kafta Skewers were a hit, however, we didn’t get a chance to try them on our table. The music was a little bit too loud to chat easily for dinner time. Maybe they could start with a bit less volume, which gets turned up as the night progresses, when it’s more of a bar? Overall a great venue.
What a great day !! Thank god we had a bus to pick us up as we exited the horse races. Because rain, matched with 10K+ people and heels just don’t mix.
Great location for this Bar/ Restaurant. But I felt that the food could have been better. The dishes were reasonably sized for sharing but the flavours were not outstanding. But I did think that the Chorizo Sausage with Cherry Tomato & Red Wine Sauce was a great dish not too overpowering and well presented! The wait staff also weren’t on the ball that night – maybe it was the crowded room of people, but they really need to add more value for money with offering better table service.
Music was also a bit too loud for a large group for a Saturday night. It was hard to have a conversation. But if you’re up for a bit of energy to start you night off it’s a good pick for dinner.
Cocktail were great. Crowd also good. Overall good venue for a energetic meal with good mates keen to go somewhere that always has vibe.
Bondi social was great for the views and atmosphere. I liked that they had a dj and it is a great place to go with a group of friends. The food was good for sharing and very flavoursome!
It may have rained all weekend but that didn’t stop Secret Foodies celebrating the long weekend at Randwick Races. The ladies were glamorous in colourful spring dresses
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