The Bach Eatery

The Bach Eatery (pronounced The Batch Eatery) is the definition of shared plates. This casual café come bistro come restaurant sits the individual serving plates, paper napkin wrapped cutlery and glasses in the centre of the table. And, all the dishes on The Bach House menu sit under the heading "sharing". Dishes come with small metal tongs for plating your own, and range from a couple of bits that are priced at only $4 for each piece such as Prawn & pea arancini with crab bisque aioli or White truffle potato dumplings. Now that's value!

One of the best dishes is Thirlmere chicken liver pate with seasonal pickles ($18). The Bach Eatery pate is awesomely deep and full flavoured with a sumptuous texture - not too heavy and not too light - and served with a bone handle knife for spreading and generous sides including plenty of toast. On the opening The Bach Eatery menu there's a couple of dishes at $16: Beetroot & heirloom carrot salad with ricotta & hazelnuts; Cuttlefish, peperonata, squid ink dressing. And a couple more dishes at $18: NZ marinated king salmon with verjuice dressing & toast; Charcuterie tasting plate with pickled veg.

The dearest dishes are only twenty two bucks, dishes like Pappardelle with wild mushroom veloute & slow cooked egg which was rich and flavoursome and plenty for two people to share. The 16 hour slow cooked lamb shoulder with pumpkin puree, Brussels sprouts is a mighty plate of protein. Grain fed skirt steak with onion soubise, crispy onion & grilled cos is there to satisfy the meat lovers in your sharing circle. Plus, there is a blackboard with a special that changes daily.

And there is a trio of awesome desserts to eat on their own or to round off your night. Best sweet treat is the Kiwi inspired "Jelly Tip" which sits over a fluffy layer of white chocolate mousse. Winner winner jelly dinner. Or you can debate whether a pav is Kiwi or Aussie - here it is served in a glass. The other dessert classic is Hokey pokey brulee, with a honeycomb side.

Chef owner Darrien Potaka has been cooking in Australia for the past 15 years in some of Sydney's great restaurants, he started at Level 41 as Dietmar Sawyers right hand man in 1996 and finished recently at Bistro Moncur before deciding to open something of his own. Head Chef Peter Coyle brings his skills from a long stint running the kitchen at Fix. St James and other good food places to this restaurant. Their pedigrees display not just in the ease of The Batch Eatery menu but in its excellent eating.

Most of the tables are high benches and stools for two so these and the sharing concept make The Bach Eatery a good date night prospect. There's also a couple of long wooden benches and low stools in the back next to the surfboard. Yeup, The Bach Eatery has a casual relaxed beach feel, and very friendly happy service. Pure love.

Great news too for music lovers as The Bach House is just down the road from Newtown Social Club.