Latest news with #CaféPaci
Time Out
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Enmore Road has scored a cool new bar by two former Double Deuce Lounge bartenders
Believe it or not, bartender-owned bars are surprisingly rare in Sydney – which is why we're excited to see what hospo duo and owners Claudia 'Beryl' Morgan and Oliver Churcher have in store with Bar Demo. Located on Newtown 's pumping Enmore Road, the new spot is inspired by the casual, no-fuss wine bars you'd stumble upon in San Francisco, Berlin or Paris. Claudia and Olly first met while working at Sydney's award-winning, '70s-cool cocktail bar Double Deuce Lounge. He moved on to Café Paci and Bar Louise, while she worked at restaurants within the Bentley Group. Between late-night shifts, they often talked about opening a place of their own – somewhere relaxed where you could rock up for a drink, no reservation required and have a chat with the bar staff. Claudia says, 'We wanted somewhere open late where we could buy a bottle without sitting down for a meal, listen to some interesting music… a more modern take on a wine bar that's not serious.' Olly adds, 'As relative newcomers to the world of wine, we wanted to create a place where anyone feels welcome to try something new – even if they don't know much.' True to that ethos, the wine list is grouped by mood rather than region – approachable, not intimidating – with plenty of excellent drops under $100. About a dozen or so rotating wines are available by the glass (in 100ml or 150ml pours). Expect a constantly changing selection from both international and Australian producers, with a strong lean towards natural wines. Even the cocktail list is short and seasonal. The Demo Martini, a great pre- or post-dinner option, is served bracingly cold from the freezer with a little more vermouth, and the Full Bush #2 is a mix of bourbon, yuzu and mezcal, topped with chilli threads. Don't miss the 'fun-size cocktails', like the two-sip +/- Colada – tiny in size but big on flavour. The snack menu is simple and designed with booze in mind. Think charcuterie from LP's and Pino's, Cantabrian anchovies, Chappy's chips and cheese. Once a month, Bar Demo will host Sunday pop-ups with guest chefs. First up is Café Paci's chef-owner Pasi Petänen on Sunday, July 27, followed by James Tai from Bentley Restaurant & Bar, and Jade Gilmour from Sixpenny. Talk about a line-up. Don't expect a Spotify playlist on repeat, either. Instead, the music is on vinyl records, with whole albums played from start to finish on a custom-built sound system. The selection? Curated nightly by staff, it spans everything from jazz and punk to rock and disco. Whether it's a quick pre-gig Martini or a post-dinner vino with friends, the vibe at Bar Demo is right up our alley. Bonus: it's dog-friendly, too. Check out our guide to the best bars in Sydney here. After a watering hole that's a bit more casual? See our list of the best pubs in Sydney, here.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Nigella Lawson reveals the unassuming dish from little-known Sydney restaurant she'd travel 17,000km to eat again: 'Phenomenal'
Nigella Lawson has revealed the one dish in Sydney she would happily fly 17,000km from home to eat again - and it's not what you'd expect. The beloved British food writer and TV host, currently in Australia, took to Instagram to rave about her dinner at Café Paci, a small but highly acclaimed restaurant tucked away on King Street in Newtown. Among a spread of oysters, handmade tonnarelli, and a show-stopping dessert, one entrée in particular left her completely awestruck: fermented carrots on n'duja-spread crisp and thin rye bread. 'The dish I'd come the 17,000 kilometres from home to eat,' she said, sharing a photo of the now-iconic starter. 'That piercingly precise, headily uplifting entrée/starter of fermented carrots on n'duja-spread crisp and thin rye bread. It's just phenomenal, even (though in any other context I might be embarrassed to use the term) iconic.' Lawson didn't stop there. She praised Café Paci's chef Pasi Petänen - who hails from Finland - for creating what she calls 'quintessential Sydney' food: globally inspired, unpretentious and full of warmth. 'There's nowhere like it,' she said. 'The food is impeccable, innovative without being tricksy, the room is relaxed, and everyone who works there contributes to the sense of welcome and excitement that energises me afresh on each visit. It's cool, for sure - but so very warm.' The fermented carrot dish, which has since sent social media into a quiet frenzy, plays with contrasts: the earthy sweetness of the carrot meets the spicy richness of n'duja, all anchored on a delicate rye crisp that gives it crunch and structure. It's bold, but beautifully balanced - and Lawson's endorsement has firmly cemented its place in Sydney's dining scene. Her post continued with a detailed run-through of the meal: oysters with kumquat mignonette ('utterly convincing'), a cod's roe and radish toast ('a citrus-fresh peppery tiling'), and tonnarelli with provolone, colatura and fried zucchini. The meal ended with her 'unmissable' dessert: carrot sorbet on liquorice cake, topped with aerated yoghurt - a dish she described as 'otherworldly'. 'I've hit the word limit,' she added, 'but actually no words could ever suffice.' Since the post went live, fans have been flocking to Café Paci's Instagram, with reservations filling quickly. While Lawson admitted she finds it hard to pick favourites, she made it clear that this unassuming entrée would always have a special place on her palate - and in her passport.
