Sede

It's not an easy task, taking over a neighbourhood favourite and transforming it. For the team behind Sede (pronounced ''s'day''), there have been some bumps on the road, but a few months in - and with an ear to what diners want - the offerings at this Annandale small bar-casual eatery tick a lot of boxes.

Richie Ragel, Michael Cleary and Nathan Lusted launched Sede in late November on the site of the family-friendly Italian cafe and restaurant Vicini, after buying it a year earlier. It opened with a dual focus - formal dining upstairs, wine bar meets tapas bar meets pizzeria downstairs. But the more casual approach won out. The whole space is now devoted to share plates, pizza and some substantial meals from the now-retired upstairs menu.

A fresh lick of paint helps Sede step into its new image, as does the 2pm weekend opening time - no more breakfasts.

Seated downstairs, we enjoy the evening breeze through the large open windows. These are the best seats in the house; upstairs, it's the balcony. With a fireplace on each level, it's obvious what the winter equivalent will be.

A large pizza oven dominates the open kitchen, and counter seats give a bird's-eye view of the chefs in action. It's a good spot for a glass of wine, cocktail or one of the local Wayward Brewery craft beers on tap. A decent selection of local and international wines are available by the glass ($7.50-$16.50).

Couples, families and groups of friends are eating here tonight. The service is great - attentive and personable - although the food comes all at once, which makes a quick night of it. On a second visit, an order of freshly shucked Port Stephens oysters comes to the table twice, indicating communication issues between the floor and kitchen.

Chips are big at Sede, served in mini deep-frying baskets with a casing of newsprint-styled paper. Polenta chips come well seasoned and flavoured with thyme, with a subtle gorgonzola sauce that wins over even the anti blue-cheese brigade.

Calamari is cut to resemble chips and served in the same basket, sprinkled with parsley and served with a rich aioli. Beer-battered chips are on the menu, too.

The pizzas from the wood-fired oven are thin crust. The margherita, topped with fior di latte mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh basil leaves, is treated with respect and restraint but perhaps has spent a few minutes too long in the oven. The bosco is piled high with mushroom, grilled zucchini and eggplant and roasted capsicum, tasty without being oily. This is best eaten with a knife and fork lest you end up with a chunk of veg on your lap.

The dessert options centre around ice-cream and sorbet from another inner-west business, Marrickville's Serendipity. We choose scoops of lime, mango and chocolate from the limited offerings. It's a refreshing way to end the meal.

A wine bar-restaurant hybrid in a suburban shopping strip not known for its night life presents opportunities and challenges. Sede hasn't quite nailed it yet, but there's every indication it could. What makes it an attractive proposition is flexibility. If you're after a post-work glass of wine or a casual meal with some drinks, it has those bases covered.

Menu

Something for everyone, from wood-fired pizzas to share plates to substantial meals.

Recommended dishes

Margherita pizza, bosco pizza, polenta chips, calamari, oysters with eschalot and red wine vinegar.

Rating

3.5 (out of five stars)