I’m a huge fan of old pubs. Not old pubs given a glossy, stainless-steel makeover – the sort with a big wooden bar you can sit at and share a beer with mates without feeling you must tip the bar staff, but where you’d think twice about taking your mother for a bite.

Woolloomooloo’s Old Fitzroy fits that bill in many ways, but with the arrival of chef Nicholas Hill (formerly of Sepia) I’d be happy to take anyone, even my mum, for a meal.

Although it oozes a natural charm, the Old Fitzroy, first opened in 1860, could do with a bit of love to match the nous in the kitchen – and an imminent  renovation will see to that. In the meantime, negotiating the nooks and crannies in the tiny up-and-down pub to get to the dining room feels like you’re stepping back of house. Nevertheless, it opens up to a sunlit room, which, if furnished with care, would really support Hill’s contemporary bistro fare.

Of course, don’t expect the ‘food as art’ of his mentor Martin Benn, but there’s a certain attention to detail that elevates this style of cookery to a very satisfying level – and he’s having fun, too. Take his rissole sandwich. Hill’s rendition of the suburban classic sees a light patty partnered with beetroot and cheddar on toasted milk bread. For folk like me who remember the catchphrase of the ABC’s Aunty Jack, “See you round like a rissole”, it’s pretty satisfying to see on a menu and even better to eat.

Nostalgia continues with scoffable Scotch egg that spills yolk when sliced, a fetching fish pie of smoked mackerel served with a parsley and anchovy sauce, and a short-rib pasty with bone-marrow mustard.

It’s good stuff and a lot of fun, though I feel like the menu is on the verge of even better things. As long as chef Hill continues with his tasty and playful interpretation of bistro food, he’ll be giving the best pub offerings in town a run for their money.