Downstairs Restaurant Review

With the weather absolutely pouring down outside, rock and roll on the speakers and smoked ham hock, crumbed pork belly and Old Speckled Hen in my belly, I was home, England home.

Downstairs restaurant in Darlinghurst is the brainchild of British-born (Essex boy, just like myself) chef, Ben Allcock. With Quadrophenia, Bowie and the Sex-Pistols on the wall, this is my kind of restaurant.

The Aussies are quick to snap at the British foods on offer in these golden shores, however, there was nothing to snap at here, with every mouthful of food and drink (a lot of Speckled Hen) working to prove the Aussies wrong.

Rain-sodden we were, but once inside and sat at the 1800s London-esque, pub booth (think East London battle cruiser; boozer), I was happy to sit here all night, and we practically did, being the last customers in the restaurant to leave.

This is what it’s all about. Forget your American-inspired diners, your “look at me, I’m so relaxed” food-hubs, this place just oozed British-cool with food that wasn’t afraid to be proper British!

Great food was combined with excellent service. Relaxed, comfortable, warm and friendly, that’s exactly how an English-boozer-inspired-Darlinghurst-restaurant should be. Allcock and co. have taken the boozer out of London and slapped it in the middle of Sydney’s “too cool for school” quarter. With great effect.
Biased I may be, but what’s wrong with that? Proof yet again that when it comes to food and drink, plus rock and roll, Britain rules the waves. Rule Britannia!

By Ashley Leszczuk