I’m back in Bondi and back visiting another Italian eatery. This time it’s the new kid on the block, Bonnie’s Wine & Food, which is part of the Iceberg group run by a certain Mr Maurice Terzini –  “the restaurateur par excellence”.

Bonnie’s is set at the back of the pumping Bondi Beach Public Bar; the space is simply separated by white panels that, to me, seem to have been sprayed by a debutant graffiti artist (or perhaps by Mr Terzini himself LOL!). I’m not a big fan, but hey, I’m here for the food.

After glancing at the menu, I’m a bit confused: I was expecting Bonnie’s to be very Italian, but, on the contrary, it is more of a mixture of cuisines.

There is still a great selection of pizzas, but I’ll have to come back another time for those. I’m a little bit more curious about the rest of the menu.

We’re starting with couple of snacks, herb polenta nuggets and sour cream ($10), and ham and cheese croquettes, shaved prosciutto and horseradish ($14). A generous plate of polenta nuggets and the croquettes arrive and they both look very inviting. The nuggets are steamy hot, crunchy, fluffy, flavoursome small bites, and very addictive – like popcorn at the cinema. The croquettes are equally as delicious; I love the idea of having a thin slice of prosciutto draped over each of them.   

We then order the marinated tuna bo sammy and crab fettuccine (both $28). Bo ssam is usually a pork dish in Korean cuisine, but chef Monty Koludrovic has decided on his own interpretation of it: a bowl filled with marinated tuna, served with house pickle baby cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado, shiso leaves and kimchi all wrapped up in a leaf of baby cos lettuce and drizzled with a fermented garlic and chilli dressing. Definitely not Italian but, damn, it’s fresh and tasty. The fettuccini, on the other hand, is very Italian: al dente pasta and sweet blue swimmer crab meat tossed with a chilli, basil and tomato sauce. Just perfect.

Dessert is a simple affair – only three choices of waffle bowl ($14). It’s either double choc, Nutella and hazelnut brownie; Country Valley yoghurt sorbet, rhubarb and strawberry; or Jersey milk gelato, dulce de leche and caramelised nuts. And the winner is… double choc!

It isn’t really a waffle as such, but a wafer basket filled with decadent chocolate gelato and gooey squares of brownie covered with choc sauce. I’m cooked, its time for a snooze.  

The verdict
I may not classify Bonnie’s Wine & Food as an Italian restaurant, but, never the less, it’s a great place with multiple choices of cuisine. It’s very relaxed and a fabulous place to spend time with a bunch of friends.

Best seat in the house
If you want a bit more space for yourself, maybe the bar is a better choice.

Best drink
Tommy’s Margarita is pretty damn good.

Date safe
If you want to be away from the really touristy cafes in Bondi, this is the place to bring your date.

X-factor
Cool place to let your hair down at night.