Maestral

Talk about all in the family. Maestral is a simple joint in the maze of the Weston Creek shops but it's the Skaljac family that gives it a homely warmth.

Dad Julian is in the little kitchen doling out a dozen Croatian dishes, sticking his head out every now and again to shout a greeting to a friend. Mum Julie and twin daughters Anna and Andrea keep things ticking along in the yellow-painted dining room with charm and a casual friendliness.

There's nothing pretentious about this little restaurant and that's a pretty good thing. Bring a bottle of hearty red with you – it's BYO only – and settle in at a table with a scenic view of King's Landing, the capital of Westeros – okay, a tourist poster of Dubrovnik tacked to the wall.

There's a big blackboard on the back wall that lists the specials and the chef's suggestions, such as Dalmatian fish stew, with cheeky asides such as "yummy!" added.

It's packed here, with a steady stream of people flowing in looking for a bite. Not bad for a suburban restaurant.

We start with anchovy bread ($12) – slabs of bread draped with tiny salty, meaty fish. It's a simple, unpretentious snack that's pretty satisfying.

A more substantial entree comes in the form of a seafood platter ($18.90) and this is fresh and simple, with good sweet prawns which are better by themselves than with an accompanying bowl of pink cocktail sauce. Curls of cold smoked trout and salmon are pleasant.

Mains are big and beefy. A comforting bowl of brudet, the Dalmatian fish stew ($36), features huge chunks of fish, big mussels, two halves of a Moreton bay bug in a tomatoey stew with bits of bread on the side, perfect for mopping up the soup.

Still in the seafood theme, a thick piece of fish wrapped in baking paper with potato, lemon and tomatoes is nicely tender with a herby kick from a tangled layer of dill on top.

A plate of Croatian mixed grill ($32.90) is equally honest, with kransky, pork and chicken fillets, served with two pots of ajvar and pickled cabbage. There's rice underneath and some lightly fried potatoes. Everything is juicy with a light touch of char.

Mama Skaljac makes desserts and we're assured that her cakes are well worth the effort. Lemon cheesecake ($14) with plain vanilla ice-cream is easy enough to eat and a plate of maple and cinnamon crepes ($14) scattered with flaked almonds are a little spicy and plenty sweet, lovely and silky.

Fine dining it is not – this is home cooking with a big heart, and the whole package adds up to a warm, friendly restaurant.