Sydney’s new light rail may have had its hiccups, but it’s a smooth ride to Tramsheds and the new brunch menu at Bodega 1904. Puffa jackets abound on this cold, rainy day as the inner-west crowd braves the wintry weather for the colourful market stalls, cafés and restaurants at the popular hub.
Set in the remodelled Tramsheds with its high glass ceilings and industrial-style food precinct, Bodega 1904 is vibrant location that’s busy from breakfast through brunch. Retro bar stools upholstered in vintage celadon green surround a wood panelled bar – you can choose to eat there, or take a table under the warm moon-globe lights of the restaurant section.
We begin our voyage of the new brunch menu with beetroot and ricotta salad. Dark, glistening roast beets in gold and purple contrast with salty-sweet olives and smoky pecans. Ricotta and beetroot can be a cliché but this is a stand out, with ricotta and honey whipped to a silky cream, scattered with fresh mint leaves.
Octopus salad is another new star on the brunch menu. Seared chunky tentacle is crispy on the outside and tender within, radicchio, fresh dill and and parsley providing a herby kick, on a bed of roast kipfler potatoes. Green tomato dressing adds a tangy panache. There’s another Latin-American nod – Bodega 1904’s heritage – in the Cured Mt Cook salmon, on a bed of sweet corn and red pepper salsa, with fried shavings of sweet potato adding texture.
New to the main dish section of the menu, Asian inspired Hiramasa Kingfish is accompanied by a delicious, fiery ginger julienne of kohlrabi, with juicy chunks of cucumber. It’s great to see kohlrabi – a rare and elusive vegetable – on the menu. We also love the crackling-skinned Spatchcock draped with tender ribbons of fennel on lightly creamed corn. Our waiter encourages us to try a side of roast cauliflower with mint yoghurt and brown butter, sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts and a honey vinaigrette: it’s a meal in itself.
Bodega 1904 is technically a “local market kitchen, bar and wine store” – so it’s no wonder that it features a vast drinks menu, with bottles mainly in the $50-$100 range. There are reds, whites and rosés from all over the world, as well as a range of quirky cocktails. From the mischievous Ginger Kitten with Dark Matter rum and lime juice, to the signature Bodega 1904 Sangria, a blend of red wine, brandy, fruit and orange juice.
It’s a brunch definitely worth dragging yourself out of bed for – even on the rainiest weekend!
Bodega 1904
The Tramsheds, 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge NSW
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12pm – 10pm, Saturday 12pm – late, Sunday 9am – 9pm (brunch starts at 12 noon)
The Tramsheds, 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge NSW
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12pm – 10pm, Saturday 12pm – late, Sunday 9am – 9pm (brunch starts at 12 noon)
