Bondi foodie love: TruckStop

Having just returned from a trip to the States and with a self-confessed obsession with all things sushi, the opening of a Japanese-American fusion restaurant in Bondi definitely caught my eye.
Beating the post-holiday-blues is all about keeping the good times coming (being back at your desk would be waaaay too depressing otherwise) so a Tuesday evening visit to Bondi is just what the doctor ordered.

TruckStop, located on the first floor of Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel, is the newest venture from the team behind one of Sydney’s most popular food trucks, Eat Art Truck. (Get it? Truck-Stop. Check out our review here and don’t worry if you’re a fan, the truck is still on the road).
Head chef, Stuart McGill, worked for many years in Japan and was as a sous chef at Tetsuya restaurant for five years so obviously, we’re in safe hands.

Kicking off the evening with a sake cocktail (so far, so good), we soak up the sparkly new restaurant in all its glory. The courtyard space, complete with funky graffiti walls, is sure to be a fave hangout for the Bondi crowd (and speaking of graffiti, TruckStop also features Sydney’s first legal graffiti laneway. Pretty cool stuff).

The indoor area, complete with moody lighting, has touches of quirkiness too (love the bird coop lighting fixtures!). The large 100-seat venue, designed by respected Sydney designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley and the AZBcreative team, has long summer evenings written all over it.

But really, when an ex-Tetsuya’s chef is involved, what you really want to know about is the food, right?

Let’s just say, Stuart and the team don’t disappoint with their fun and innovative menu.

Fried Chicken and Watermelon is finger-licking good and the fruity addition to an old favourite balances out a tiny bit of the fried food guilt.

Gajin Sushi on Crispy Rice is a delightful combination of the familiar sushi tastes with a new edge.

And Hot Smoked Pork Belly, Molasses and Sansho Glaze goes down an absolute treat (and reminds me that I really must track down Eat Art Truck one day to sample the famous pulled pork roll).

The absolute standout for me has to be the Southern Style Blackened Snapper and Peppers: in a word, divine.

Sweet tooths haven’t been forgotten either with the dessert items given the necessary creative touch. Case in point: Beer and Skittle (a beer sorbet with frozen skittles and sherbet).

All in all, it’s the sort of food that’s perfect for sharing and would go down equally as well with a cocktail, as a beer or cider.

So why a permanent home?
As McGill explained to the 100 plus crowd, he and the team were excited to build on the creativeness of the food truck offerings – no doubt an easier proposition in a proper kitchen, than a van!
The verdict? Whether you’re after a mid-week dinner and drinks option, or a chilled out Sunday afternoon session, TruckStop is definitely worth a visit.

Details:
TruckStop Restaurant
Open Wednesday to Sunday.
Beach Road Hotel Bondi, Level 1
71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach
www.truckstopbondi.com
www.facebook.com/truckstopbondi