The Golden Sheaf
This leafy courtyard is where the Eastern Suburbs set congregate after the Randwick races or the AFL. At sunset, the outdoor space is alive with chattering birds above the chatting crowds. Watch the fairy lights come up over a schooner of imported Sierra Nevada Pale ($8.50) or an Aussie Vale IPA ($7.20) in the lively space. And despite the affluence of the suburb Double Bay, you won’t find yourself having to double pay at the popular Sheaf Bistro. Whether you try pub classics, or the lighter Asian-inspired offerings, you’ll find the portions generous, and the prices comparable with other pubs. In terms of the classics, look no further than the ever-popular Beef Fillet ($29.50) decked out with aioli, onion jam and jus. It’s a hearty slab of beef with a surprisingly good accompaniment in the form of a crisp mushroom risotto cake. If that all sounds too heavy, the Salmon and Tuna Sashimi Salad ($22) is piled high with baby spinach, cucumber, pickled ginger and pumpkin crisps cresting a generous amount of raw fish. Handmade Pumpkin Tortellini ($18) balance the sweet orange filling with mustard fruits and a nutty beurre noisette. My only complaint: even drinking at the top end of their wine list, the Simonnet Febvre Petit Chablis ($50/bottle) indicated there’s plenty of room for improvement.
The Golden Sheaf
429 New South Head Road, Double Bay
Ph: (02) 9327 5877 goldensheaf.com.au
Pub Bistro $$-$$$
