A new generation in eating out

The new generation

There’s a certain vibe around Lane Cove as we enter a new era in eating out. The entry of several new players onto the dining scene will provide locals with greater choice than ever before. By Jocelyn Biddle.

Whereas Italian, pizza, Thai and sushi dining options have been available for quite some time, the addition of Spanish, Middle Eastern, French and Mexican cuisines is really going to spice up our local food scene.

Restaurants including Lillah, Four Frogs Creperie and Guzman Y Gomez are placing the finishing touches on their new venues before their openings this month.

Trevor Blye is the man behind Lillah. This much-anticipated restaurant located on Longueville Road is scheduled to open in early May.

A Hunters Hill resident, Trevor identified a gap in the market for quality, innovative Middle Eastern cuisine at an approachable price point.

“Lillah is a casual, family oriented restaurant serving the highest quality food without being too intimidating. This restaurant is all about bringing people together, taking them on a journey with flavour and fine produce and allowing them to experience thousands of years of culture and family traditions in a fun, food-filled environment.”

The menu is made for sharing with local produce delivered daily. Meats slowcooked on the custom-made Parilla-style grill are designed to enhance the ethnic charcoal flavours of the dishes.

Since November, Trevor has worked tirelessly to complete an impressive fit-out of the restaurant located on Longueville Road. Previously the site of Noodle King, Trevor completely gutted the interior to create a moody space with concrete floors, high ceilings, marble surfaces and an open plan kitchen which will allow diners to see the theatre unfold.

Clearly a labour of love, there has been great attention to detail and Trevor has worked closely with Roy Ner, acclaimed chef of Nour restaurant in Surry Hills, in the design of the restaurant and menu. Lunch and dinner will be offered daily, as well as a brunch sitting on weekends.

Located just next door is Encasa Restaurant, which has really made its mark on the local dining scene since opening here 18 months ago.

Local residents and owners Maria Barona and Pachi Rodriguez recognised a gap in the local dining scene in terms of a restaurant that was a bit different to the more traditional options of pizza, pasta or Thai.

Offering a great fit out and authentic Spanish cuisine, Encasa has become a popular destination as evidenced by its packed tables every Friday and Saturday night. With a young family themselves, Maria and Pachi said that it was also really important for them to create a restaurant that welcomed kids.

Maria and Pachi also operate a restaurant in Pitt Street, together with two shops in Chifley Square and Westfield Pitt Street that offer Spanish style baguettes to take away.

According to Maria, the secret to their local success is offering really good quality food in a non-pretentious environment.

“Lane Cove locals tend to be well travelled and they expect quality food and service that is well priced. As an authentic Spanish restaurant, we’re offering a point of difference to everything else that’s available locally, which has been really important to our success.”

Maria welcomes the new restaurants coming into the area.

Trevor Blye is the owner of Lillah - Lane Cove’s new Middle Eastern restaurant.

Encasa has been a very popular addition to the local dining scene.

“Lane Cove locals tend to be well travelled and they expect quality food and service that is well priced.”

“Previously if you wanted to try something a bit different, you had to travel to Crows Nest. The greater variety available locally is only going to help attract more people so that Lane Cove becomes the new Crows Nest.”

Another restaurant with a difference to hit the local dining scene is Four Frogs Creperie.

Specialising in sweet and savoury crepes, Four Frogs Creperie was first established in Mosman in 2013 by four Frenchmen. The business partners have since expanded into Randwick, Circular Quay and now Lane Cove.

According to Operations Manager Anthony Sebert, they had been looking at Lane Cove as a destination for quite some time and had just been waiting for the right site.

“We liked the demographics of the area, with plenty of young families. We will be offering what we feel are Sydney’s finest, most authentic crepes - sweet for dessert, and savoury (we call them galettes) - coupled with an excellent standard of table service.”

Opening in late May, the new creperie is located in the site previously tenanted by Zest café. The space is currently being refitted, with an open plan kitchen that can be seen from the street.

“We use the traditional recipes and techniques used by the skilled crepiers of Bretagne, which is the region in France where crepes originate.

Four Frogs Creperie plans to open from 11am till late on Tuesday through Thursday, and from 7.30am till late on Friday through Sunday. It will be fully licensed.

For business partners Steve Jones and Phil Jensen, opening their new venture Shorties Bar & Dining in Longueville Road last November is proving to have been the right decision.

This is the third venue for Steve and Phil, who also run SBK (Small Bar & Kitchen) in Kirribilli and the The Hayberry in Crows Nest.

“We’re all about the local village. When this site became available, it ticked most of the boxes in terms of space, functionality and location. Everyone knows everyone here – it’s a really nice neighbourhood and we’re really pleased to be part of it.”

Located at the top of Longueville Road, Shorties offers food designed to be shared, with an emphasis on Australian produce, together with a great selection of wines, craft beers and an extensive cocktail list.

It is proving to be a real hit, particularly with women looking to catch up on a night out.

“We wanted to offer something different and we’re delighted to be part of this new generation of restaurants in the area. It’s all about keeping things fresh and giving locals a choice.”

Apart from Middle Eastern, French and Spanish, another new cuisine that we are adding to the local food scene is Mexican.

Guzman y Gomez is another eagerly anticipated new entrant which will be opening in the site previously occupied by Epitome, directly opposite Bakers Delight.

Passionate about all things Mexican, Guzman y Gomez prides itself on offering made-to-order, nutritious fast food.

Natalie and Ruben Henriques are the couple behind this new restaurant, which they are adding to stores they manage in Rhodes and Top Ryde.

“We have been looking to set up in Lane Cove for quite some time and have been waiting for the right site to come up. We saw big potential in the area as it is underserviced in terms of quick, casual, convenient fast food.”

With no microwaves, all food is prepared using fresh, whole produce and authentic ingredients with no preservatives or additives and using free range chicken. Think nachos, tacos, quesadillas, tortillas, salsa, guacamole and churros. GYG can also be delivered by ordering on Deliveroo or UberEats.

And locals don’t have too much longer to wait, with the grand opening taking place on Thursday 10th May.

“We’ll be kicking off with our free burrito day. From 12pm to 7pm, customers can come along to have a regular sized burrito and enjoy Mexican music and entertainment at the same time, including our live mariachi band.”

With these new entrants – and potentially more to follow as other sites become available, such as that previously occupied by The Lodge - eating out in Lane Cove has never been better. █

Natalie and Ruben Henriques are the franchisees behind Lane Cove’s new Guzman y Gomez restaurant.

“We’re delighted to be part of this new generation of restaurants in the area. It’s all about keeping things fresh and giving locals a choice.”

Shorties Bar & Dining