Michael in Newtown 2

The last blog that I posted to give a run down on my favourite pubs in Newtown. This blog is going to be about the best restaurants that Newtown has to offer. King Street is the main thoroughfare where all these great cafes and restaurants are located. The street runs about 3 km from Sydney University in the north to Sydney Park in the south. Getting there from the city use buses no 422 423 426 428 and M30. On the train at MacDonald town station near the north end, Newtown station middle and St Peters at the south end of King Street. My journey will be from St Peters heading north along King Street.  I there are 2 eateries that I frequently stop into to have a quick bit when out shopping in busy King St. these are where you can eat on a small budget and have a nice meal,and soak up some of the local Newtown culture. they are  Pastizzi Pasta café, and Thai la long.

Pastizzi Pasta Café

The small café is well known to locals were you can stop in for a quick bite and coffee, meet up with friends before heading out. The speciality here is the Pastizzi, but pasta is also served as a main meal option from $16.00. But most come for the diamond shaped Pastizzi which is savoury pastry with a variety yum of ingredients. My favourites Pastizzi are the chicken and mushroom, meat and chilli and feta cheese. There is also some sweet Pastizzi, which are apple, chocolate ricotta and cherry verities.  Pastizzi are quite cheap and two to three is usually sufficient for one person. The café has the most recently cooked Pastizzi displayed on the wall behind the counter. The café has communal tables, with bench seating, giving you the ideal spot to observe and watch the interesting people pass by in the street outside .   Coffee is good and strong too.

 I often meet up with family and friends here and we usually order a few at a time which chatting and drinking coffee. You can also buy the Pastizzi frozen by the dozen in bags. I have done this when having parties at home. This can be a quick and easy when entertaining friends or when people drop in unexpected.   

Thai La Long

There are nearly 30 Thai restaurants in Newtown so there is lots of choice to choose from. Most are about the same quality, as the standard for the area is high.  My favourite is Thai La Long. This is because Thai la long just does everything right. Having a lunch time special price of $7 you can pick from about 20 different meals on their lunch menu. The meal serving s is generous and come with rice or noodles.   I have been going to Thai La ling for about 5 years now. When use to work at the hairdresser’s across the road, I would ordered lunch every day from them. My favourite is Chicken Pad Thai, but Beef with chilli jam and broccoli has to be a close second.  I have never got sick of their food, as it is always delicious and served fast. This is a popular spot for locals, as well as Sydney uni students. The restaurants decor is basic with communal tables, where groups of friends can catch up over a meal.  There is a small courtyard out the back to enjoy the sun or chill out on a cool night in summer. The restaurant is BYO so bring a few beers or bottle of wine. Tables are turned quick as most are in at night to hit the pubs and bars after dinner or a show at the Vanguard across the road.  If you cannot get in to the restaurant don’t worry Thai la long 2 is a few doors down the road and operated by the same family with catering the same Menu and service.

I hope you enjoy all these restaurants as much as I have, please post your experience of these venues below or add your own favourite Newtown cheap eats to the blog.

 Cheers Michael 

Michael in Newtown 1

 Hi My Name is Michael Mlodzianowski; I am Student at Macquarie University, where I am studying to become a primary school teacher.  I have lived in Sydney my entire life, but I have moved around its suburbs constantly in that time. I am currently residing in Darlinghurst, just east of the central business district. I spend my childhood in the Macarthur region in the outer South west suburbs, before moving east as a 17 year old. In the 19 years since that first move I have lived  other Sydney  areas such as the Sutherland shire, St. George area, Blue Mountains, North shore, and the Northern beaches. Before university I use to work as a hairdresser. I started to recommend places to go to clients when I was working in The Rocks in central Sydney. As many of the salons clients were international guest of this beautiful city. I would always try to recommend places that were off the tourist track, so to speak. In my last hairdressing job before I started studying full time Macquarie University I was at the University of NSW where I worked for 2 years. This is where many international students would ask me  where to go out that was fun and exciting, but also affordable on a student budget. With that in mind I have many recommendations to share with you that I have enjoyed over the years. Many of my favourites from my later teens are still around, new places pop up and some become too trendy and then after the fad dyes off returns back to the original quiet or unpretentious local it had been for years before.  

Sydney is such a great city, some of the suburbs are rich with community culture and vibrancy and these venues that I choice reflect this.  The first of my blogs post is on Newtown.

NEWTOWN

Newtown is 3 KM west of the city centre. Newtown started as a working class suburb from the 1850’S. In the 1970 is became the choice suburb for any one that had an alternative lifestyle, this is still reflects in its culture today. With the bohemian still present in its attitude even though the price of real estate has drastically increased it has become a quite a trendy suburb of Sydney.  

  

In Newtown there are many hotels but my favourite is The Courthouse hotel. This is located at 202 Australia St, on the corner of Lennox St. This is just a short walk from King Street. The Courty at it is affecting known locally. The pub reflects Newtown’s bohemian culture, in its decor and style and colourful locals that are its regulars. The front room is looks like an old style pub with retro 1970’s AFL posters of players which dot the walls. There is a room dedicated to pinball machines with AC/DC and KISS themed machines and also an old duke box, where alternative and indie bands are favourites amongst its selection. The crown of the Courty has to be the large beer garden, located in the back of the hotel.  The garden is covered with large communal tables and umbrellas. This is where I like to meet up with friends and often run into old acquaintances. The atmosphere is inviting but very chilled out. The Court house has many locally brewed beers and ciders on tap and my favourite is the Bees knees or the Coopers Green Ale, which are $6.50 a schooner, or Bulmer’s cider for $7.00.  You can perchance these in Jugs for $16.00 where you can serve 3 schooner size drinks from each Jug. The court house also has a bistro where the usual pub offering is severed: including fish and chips; steak, chips and salad; and chicken risotto all $18.00. I tried the seafood spaghetti which was delicious at $20.00. The servings are really big so no need for sides or desert. If you only feel like a small meal wedges for $9 or Nachos for $12, theses can also be a starter and are great to share with your friends. The courthouse is a fantastic spot on a sunny afternoon or balmy evening when catching up with friends for a few drinks and a nice meal.

Other hotels in Newtown worth checking out…

The Coopers Arms,  as you enter the down stairs area this has the traditional feel but the upstairs the roof has been removed leaving an open chic contemporary courtyard area, for the young hip and happening crowd.

The Town Hall hotel or townie as local know it by has the latest hours of all the hotels. It open 24 hours a day! There are live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Most late night revellers end up here…