Continental Deli Bar & Bistro, Newtown

MAR-TINNY! Heh it’s a martini that’s been canned, geddit? Continental Deli Bar & Bistro has been open for about a year now, located down the road from Black Star Pastry and next door to the Newtown fire station. The downstairs deli stocks European cheeses, small goods and tinned seafood- Continental sources the best products from all over the globe but they also have an onsite cannery to can local produce. Upstairs in the bistro, the Mediterranean inspired menu is share style, featuring ingredients from the deli.

We’re a group of 3 and choose to have dinner in the bistro where the chairs aren’t stools because lol I’m uncoordinated. We start with the Chicken Liver Pate ($16) which is an absolute DREAM. It’s rich, creamy and pretty much perfect slathered onto the buttery toasted brioche. That’s right- PERFECT! Oh and those preserved kumquats were ace, slightly sweet and the perfect acidity against the pate.

The Steak Tartare ($20) with parmesan is a must order, the cubes of hand cut Northern NSW grass-fed beef are tender and the gaufrette potatoes aka waffle chips are ridiculously tasty.

The Continental Cheese & Charcuterie Plate ($45) is great value, that day’s selection we had Wagyu bresaola, Mortadella, Culatello, Comté, Midnight Moon goats cheese and a Saint-Nectaire washed rind. Comté cheese is the friggen bomb and the ribbons of culatello were melt in your mouth deliciousness. This baby came with a plate of crackers and preserved fruit that we couldn’t stop nibbling on, alternating bites of meat and cheese with pickled chillies.

And couldn’t resist the Continental canned Australian seafood plate ($30) which came with a bit of Cambados octopus, Cambados mussels in marinade, Cambados razor clams, Espinaler tuna belly, Oritz anchovies and La belle-iloise sardines. My fave of the bunch were the curls of octopus, followed closely by the soft chew of the razor clam.

The Crispy Lamb ($30) is last to arrive and our eyes rolls to the heavens at first bite of the lamb. The meat is so freaking tender but my god that tile of crispy skin! It was like crackling! There was nothing but silence as we concentrated on how amazing that skin was! There was a swirl of creamy white polenta with a rosemary & anchovy sauce and some roasted cauliflower florets hiding underneath to provide me with my daily vegetable intake.

Continental Deli & Bistro
210 Australia Street,
Newtown

Trading Hours:
Deli
Mon – Fri: 11am – late
Sat & Sun: 10am – late

Bistro
7 days: 6pm – late