Onesta Cucina

With the move to larger premises just one block from its original site, Onesta Cucina has lost a little of its previous intimacy but kept its friendly buzz. The separate bar area is a handy meeting spot before you head into the darkly elegant but slightly noisy dining room. Service is competent and friendly, and the menu changes daily. Mains are substantial, so a tangled pile of crisply fried whole Clarence River school prawns served simply with shellfish oil and lemon is an excellent way to start. There's plenty of Jasper Peel organic sourdough (from Ulladulla) for mopping up sauces. Pasta dishes are delectable, as is the signature gold-band snapper pie, but a cassoulet of confit duck, pork belly and salsicce is a star performer. Lighter eaters will enjoy a crisp-skinned barramundi fillet sitting on ratatouille and surrounded by salsa verde. A chocolate pudding, with not-too-sweet dark chocolate oozing from its centre and dobs of raspberry sauce, is surprisingly light.