Honeycomb

LOCATION
On a quiet corner in the backstreets between Darlinghurst and Paddington. A short walk from Victoria Street and a 15 minute cab-ride from the CBD.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Andy Bunn established his reputation as head Chef at Fratelli’s Cafe Sopra. Today, Bunn can be found behind the pots and pans at his humble neighbourhood restaurant, Honeycomb.

On a quiet little intersection, with bustling gourmet fish ‘n’ chips joint, Sea Cow, across the road, Bunn has quickly developed a loyal crowd of Eastern Suburb’s locals. The fit out is bare but beautiful with exposed concrete walls and natural wood trimmings. Large mesh gold light globes hang from the ceiling, creating a moody and intimate atmosphere at night. By day, the restaurant transforms into a sundrenched cafe where a simple black awning provides shade for diners who opt to sip their lattes on the street-side, bench-style seating.

The menu isn’t tricky – it’s a classic mix of Italian and European dishes and our group-of-three decide that we could happily order every single dish. There are light and fresh entrees like tuna carpaccio and a special of grilled prawns and avocado. A classic entree of deep fried zucchini flowers are stuffed with five Italian cheeses. The not-too-rich stuffing oozes out from a waif-like batter and a last-minute sprinkling of parmesan creates a seductive crust. There are rustic, rich mains like lamb ragu and Italian meatballls with capellini. The osso bucco and potato gnocchi appears to abandon its traditional heritage with an unusual chilli spice that may deter some Italian aficionados. The spinach and ricotta raviolini reminds you why freshly made pasta is so superior and the rich tomato sauce is such a vibrant tomato-red that you have no doubt that quality produce is of the uttermost importance in Bunn’s kitchen. While not aesthetically appealing, the barramundi with witlof salad is the hero dish. Two generous fillets, cooked to perfection, are topped with a luscious olive-oil drenched julienned salad. All in all, the food is accomplished and satisfying.

There are missteps. Too many tables fill the small space making it hard to hold a moderate-level conversation and the wine is topped up sporadically. These are minor issues and easily overlooked when you realise that Honeycomb does what a neighbourhood restaurant should: make local life feel good enough that you want to live nearby.

Anna Lisle