The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 104

jimey Parninjj jeralb smh.com.au Weekend Edition, October 6-7, 2001 Metropolitan 7 RESTAURANT REVIEW Berry's Bay Grill, Waverton Bowling and Recreation Club, Waverton, Sunday lunch Cmm griDDs Bwu(o i Wf A discerning young eater gives a dish on this northern French menu a score of infinity out of 10, writes David Dale. FIVE DOCK SEAFOOD CAFE 102 Great North Road, Five Dock, 9713 2102 "I don't feel like anything battered or deep-fried," she tells me, when what I was hoping to hear was an acknowledgment, however small, of the thoroughly excellent reverse parallel park I'd just pulled off. "But you said you wanted fish and chips!" Looks are exchanged. Says she'll' wait in the car. Inside there is a queue and time to assess the options.

The first words read are "battered" and "battered" fish, mussel and sav, respectively. A man in boardshorts and bare feet very authentic, but not what you expect to see this far from the ocean on a wet Tuesday evening collects his batter-coated order and departs merrily into the night. Meanwhile, I'm still poring over the mini fish market display of intact, uncooked seafood resting on ice behind the counter. Moon fish, red fish, ling fish. "I got fish and chips for me," I silently rehearse, "and yours is an orange roughie.

Not battered. Not fried. It's still got its skin and its eyes in it see!" Back to reality and at the front of the queue. I had been deliberately avoiding the words "mixed thinking it best not to dwell on the fact that a fish and chip shop would also deem it appropriate to prepare lamb chops, steak and sausage. Then I catch sight of the fine print beneath.

The mixed grill comprises barbecue fish, calamari, scallops, prawns, mussels and chips, $9.90. Alongside this is the promise of barbecue seafood on a stick, $3.90. Saved. And I've gone off the idea of batter myself by now, but if she thinks she's getting any cf my chips, she's got another thing "What? Oh two of those barbecue sticks and one mixed grill, thanks." John Saxby s. 2 5 ust when you think you've got the kids trained in the rules of-restaurant reviewing (Nol of 4' OUT OF TEN which is: never do anything that might let the waiter suspect what you're doing), the system breaks down and one of them yells: "Dad, you have to give this chicken 10 out of causing the next child to up the ante to "No, 40 out of and the youngest to declare, "My sausage is If the waiter at the Waverton Bowling Club drew any conclusion from this outburst, he gave no sign.

Fortunately, it's not the sort of place where the workers are likely to suspect the customers of being reviewers. In any case the waiter had already demonstrated such finesse in persuading two kids to try the chicken that he could hardly have improved on his service. They'd been sceptical about the sound of chicken breast with a sauce of cream and apple cider and had been asking if they could have just fried chicken with mashed potato (conquering their disappointment at the absence of chips). The waiter pointed out that the chicken would be a bit dry if it was just fried and wondered if it would be OK if the chef added bittersweet creme caramel, the pavlova loaded with strawberries and passionfruit, and the cute little discus of sticky date pudding. Fine coffee, too.

As we joined the kids on the skateboard ramp a little later, the adults expressed the view that if Jean-Pierre were to move a little closer to the Mediterranean in his food stylings, Berry's Bay Grill could become an essential part of the Great French Revival that is now passing through the Sydney restaurant scene. The kids said this was unnecessary and demanded to come back the next Sunday. Woolcott Street, Waverton, 9955 2729. bowling is an English pastime. You can order a whole roast leg of lamb for four or more if you give a day's notice.

The small wine list is reasonably priced and contains a few instructive rarities. The adults found most of their dishes erred on the side of rich and salty, particularly the "ragout of leeks and bacon in puff pastry" and the steak and kidney pie. The chargrilled quail on "mesculin" salad leaves had loads of flavour as good as duck," declared one grown-up) but it was splashed with a thick vinaigrette that was way too sour. All ages united in acclaiming the desserts, particularly the perfectly Food 710 Northern French style, which kids love and adults may find a bit heavy. Service 810 Waiters who know the food, the wine and the tastes of kids.

Atmosphere 910 A room with a view of park, harbour and a bit of bridge. Value 810 Entrees about $12, mains about $21, desserts about $8. that the kids had done better than the adults the sausage and the chicken were the most delicious of all the dishes arrayed before the seven of us. The kids grabbed their plates back after all four adults had claimed reviewers' rights, shovelled the rest down their gobs, then hurtled out the door and into the park which surrounds the club. Through the picture window we could watch them discover an unused skateboard ramp and proceed to run up and down it, pretending to be teenagers.

We were then able to operate on our meals in a more leisurely fashion, while reflecting that Berry's Bay Grill at the Waverton Bowling Club may be the best place in Sydney to take children for Sunday lunch. It is, however, a bit weird. Nobody did any bowling during the three hours that we were in the restaurant or playing in the park, and the other diners two middle-aged couples and a three-generational birthday party did not look a bit like bowlers. (Asked about this, the waiter said the club had 27 members, but they are not very active.) The interior walls are decorated with framed sketches of plump naked women, which would seem likely to shock lady bowlers (unless, of course, the women in the sketches are lady bowlers) Most of the food is traditional French of a kind that used to flourish in Sydney in the years before nouvelle cuisine lightened everything up (the waiter told us proudly that the chefs name is Jean-Pierre, and he works alone in the kitchen). There's the occasional Italian special (gooey ravioli of goat cheese, eggplant and oregano) and a steak and kidney pie for those who think Rule number two of restaurant reviewing is that the person who does the writing is allowed to taste everyone else's meal.

some cream (but no cider!) to ensure it stayed moist. They grudgingly agreed, then narrowed their eyes when the dish arrived with some chunks of apple (but no cider!) among the chicken pieces sitting on the mash. On tasting, they declared it a triumph, particularly the rich creamy gravy. Berry nice: But number three reckoned he was dishes from the doing better with what the menu Berry's Bay Grill called the "huge homemade include (top, which was a fat brown from left) curving creature about half a chicken in metre long, full of spicy meat, also cream and cider sitting on a mound of mash, sauce, pavlova. Rule number two of restaurant and chargrilled reviewing is that the person who quail, does the writing is allowed to taste Photos: George everyone else's meal and, when I Fetting claimed my rights, I concluded Order Time 15 minutes for a griliedWder, 5 to 10 for batter lovers.

Can get pretty busy so phone ahead. How it travels Well. Waxed cardboard boxes and a well-considered piece of foil separating seafood from excellent thin-cut chips. Leftover potential Not good, but nor is there likely to be any. Bottom line $17 for two Video match The Perfect Storm.

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