Bondi Euro-diner Comida effortlessly in the pink

This year would certainly be an interesting time to wake up from a year-long coma. Where a sweet potato in a wig is leader of the free world, unicorn toast is an actual food and Australia's longest cat has more Instagram followers than Anthony Albanese and Annabel Crabb combined. Or maybe it's all reason enough to go back under and stay there.

But enough of the black clouds – check out this silver lining, where finding the joy in the tasty diversions at this newish little North Bondi Euro-diner is effortless.

Until recently, this pocket-sized site was Paradise Road, David Owen's bistro specialising in old school milk bar classics – burgers, malted shakes – in slick surrounds. But the ex-Icebergs chef decided to turn it on its head, giving the place a pretty makeover and a brand new groove.

The room's a fun mix of glossy tiles and Scandi-pink – or millennial pink, if you're born after 1982 – walls, plenty of greenery and a blackboard wine list.

Conversely, the menu is a bit of a mixed bag. Much of it is deeply imbedded in Italian comfort, which is extremely welcome when you're sitting on the balcony being hit in the face by a bracing salty sea breeze.

That chicken milanese sees a hefty crumbed and deep-fried chicken breast lightly doused in sugo and finished in rounds of fresh, only-just-melting mozzarella with a few nicely dressed leaves on the side.

But then there's the odd Spanish touch with the likes of pan con tomate – that classic rustic dish of bread rubbed in garlic and topped with very ripe tomato – luxed up with generous ribbons of serrano ham.

There's a crema catalana, too, the silken Spanish-style set custard finished in rounds of blushing, juicy fig.

Elsewhere, and probably very smartly, the target is pure Bondi. How many clean-living, paddle-board-yoga fanciers are going to order the spaghetti and clams when they can get down with pickled vegetable salad topped with slices of golden haloumi dressed deftly with a tiny bit of honey? Not many, if any. Big ups to those who do, though.

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking going on here, but then, that's not really the point. More, Comida's rooted in comfort and ease of use. And in a world gone mad, that's no bad thing.