A restaurant featuring Mexican, Italian, American and English dishes, as well as an Aussie meat pie, on the menu would normally have us running fast in the opposite direction. Fortunately, the kitchen at Bistro 33 manages to cope pretty well with this global culinary odyssey. And, while most dishes are simply good rather than great, they manage to do it without charging the earth. The location is a big plus, it used to be Cafe Buongiorno, and while the new owners have given the cute two-story home turned eatery a more contemporary interior, with lots of bare concrete, they’ve left the lovely tropical garden, complete with large pond, pretty much unchanged. Enjoy it from the large conservatory or hang with the toads alfresco. Either way, the friendly servers are quick to take your order. The starters feature plenty of reassuring choices like the deep-fried potato skins with sour cream, bacon and cheddar cheese. We like that they tell you how many you get (four) and that they were big and crunchy, but the cheese was a touch bland. That certainly can’t be said about the chicken quesadilla which are a fresh, tangy treat. The Caesar salad is also pleasingly authentic, using proper romaine lettuce and parmesan, never guaranteed in this town. The choice of mains is almost confusingly broad, from pizzas and pastas, to hamburgers and grilled fish. Fans of mashed potatoes should try the beef stew; despite first appearances, it’s rich and moist and the peppery sauce goes well with the smooth and creamy mash. The proper wood-fired pizza oven is another plus, which means you get a wonderfully crisp and light crust to your pie, even if our Diavola was a little singed last time. Where Bistro 33 does get hit and miss is with the desserts. The nutty coffee bar was chewy, sweet goodness, but the blueberry cheesecake failed badly due to dodgy looking whipped cream and a sponge base. The food here is neither particularly healthy or particularly innovative but we almost like that. Coupled with a decent wine list, a friendly vibe and good lunch deals Bistro 33 is a place to come for comfort food that won’t break the bank. Corkage B300.
