Short black

Has Newtown finally reached saturation point for Thai restaurants? Sumalee Thai closes its doors this week after a 20-year run, but regulars of the famed courtyard restaurant at the Bank Hotel on King Street won't have to look far for alternatives. ''When we opened there were eight or nine Thai restaurants on King Street; now there are about 30, and 43 within one kilometre of us,'' Sumalee Thai operator Chris Yarnprasitkul says. A spokeswoman for Solotel, owner of the Bank Hotel, says: ''We didn't feel it fitted the brief of what we wanted for the pub.'' The Bank Bistro will open in Sumalee's place, offering dishes from the grill and pizza. Despite price wars between Newtown's Thai restaurants and the emergence of new Thai precincts, such as Haymarket, Yarnprasitkul still wants a bite of the Newtown cherry. He will continue to deliver takeaway from a cafe on Glebe Point Road but is looking for a new site in Newtown. ''I don't think about the competition, I only fight against myself,'' he says.

Been there, done it all, moving on

Veteran chef Damien Pignolet leaves the Bellevue at the end of March. Pignolet's signing last year at the Paddington pub caused a stir, given its proximity - just a couple of Kurtley Beale punt kicks away - to the Woollahra Hotel and the eatery he created, Bistro Moncur. Pignolet tells Short Black he has done ''everything I can at the Bellevue'' but admits he sometimes struggled to change the dining habits of its well-seasoned regulars. When Pignolet put a lighter-style dish on the menu, he didn't sell a single portion. ''The lamb cutlet, corned beef and home-made sausages remain the biggest sellers,'' he says. Pignolet doesn't know what his next step will be but he's keen to continue consultancy.

Chef about town

London-based Italian chef Antonio Carluccio jets into Australia this week and word is he has given his minders specific requests during his visit. He wants to go mushrooming and has lined up meetings with local TV producers. Apparently, Australia is Carluccio's ''second-biggest market in the world'' and he hasn't given up on his dream of opening a restaurant here. The closest you'll get to that in the foreseeable future is a one-night cooking gig at Simon Johnson on March 27. The lush $300-a-person price includes a copy of his latest cookbook.

Hyde and seek

The city precinct near Hyde Park is the latest area basking in the foodie spotlight. Next month the Hellenic Club's new multi-venue Greek offering (with Peter Conistis in the kitchen) opens at its new building on Castlereagh Street; the owners of Pyrmont's Signorelli Gastronomia are opening a new venue near Bambini Trust; and the New Windsor Hotel (at the corner of Park and Castlereagh streets) is getting in on the action. ''Owners Ben and Simon Tilley have got us, Loop Creative, doing the redesign at the Windsor,'' former GPO and Banc co-owner Stan Sarris says. Plans include a bistro. ''It'll be smart but not formal - value is the new black.''

More blood spilt on Bayswater

Last week Terry Durack singled out Bayswater Diner's macaroni and cheese as one of the best dishes in Sydney under $10. Despite the praise, the restaurant is the latest victim on Bayswater Road. It closed last week after just six months. If Sydney's a tough food town, Bayswater Road is surely one of its most blood-stained streets in recent times, with closures including Concrete Blonde, Ortolan and Smith's on Bayswater. Bayswater Diner co-owner Peter Lew says he might have miscalculated with the diner-led food approach: ''I don't think people want to eat that sort of food every day.'' Lew, who signed a lease with a six-month get-out clause, says the landlord might have another operator to step in and he'll happily hand over the Bayswater Diner moniker. Lew and partner Nicole Galloway will continue to operate Barrio Chino, one of the few recent success stories on Bayswater Road.

Ducks land in Redfern

Last week we revealed Bronte's Three Blue Ducks was toying with two potential sites for expansion; one in Danks Street, Waterloo, and the other in Redfern. We have a winner. And it is Redfern. The Ducks will open at the site of Alio restaurant on Baptist Street. "We've signed a lease but won't open for seven or eight months," a spokesman for Three Blue Ducks tells Short Black. Alio currently remains open. Expect a makeover of the Redfern site before the Ducks' new venue opens.

Tour the terroir

One way to sample the best of the state’s 14 wine regions is a Tour the Regions dinner as part of the NSW Wine Festival. Pick destinations from the Hunter to Tumbarumba, Port Macquarie or Cowra. Or tonight’s Hunter tour, via Paddington, at Buon Ricordo and hosted by Good Food’s Huon Hooke. Eight wines from trophy-winning wineries Hungerford Hill and Brokenwood pair with four courses from two-hat chef Armando Percuoco. Phone 93606729; see nswwinefestival.com.au

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Salvage Specialty Coffee

Good for … Artarmon caffeine levels.

Coffee … Mecca Espresso, $3.50.

To salvage is to save for future use, and Toby Cutler, Matt Gotto and Dan Yee have not only salvaged a cute little space in Artarmon, they've salvaged most of the furniture and fittings as well. The coffee is freshly roasted Mecca Espresso's Dark Horse blend, all toasty nutmeg and candied orange; pastries are from St Malo in Crows Nest; and the menu runs to ricotta and honey on sourdough.

5 Wilkes Avenue, Artarmon. No phone. Open Monday-Saturday until 2.30pm, SMH Good Cafe Guide.