Onde

Onde feels like a local restaurant — small, nothing special about the deco. The menu changes often and is written with chalk on a black board. I love this type of cuisine, fresh from the market.
Some of the dishes have a French inspiration (tart, duck confit, calves liver) but I would not qualify it as a typical French restaurant (Aussie modern twist to it which is good!)
The dishes use good produce, always well seasoned and flavoured. I had a beautiful crispy polenta with grilled veggies. Serving sizes are quite generous and it is definitely good value for money !
The wine list is quite inviting too
The only minus would be the noise… or at least the night I went there was a big birthday table and the restaurant being quite small it resonates a lot.

WOW WOW WOW. Do not walk – run to this place. We found it quite by mistake on our recent trip. We wanted something walking distance from King’s Cross and this is it. Possibly one of the BEST dinners I have had! I had the Crispy Polenta with Cauliflower Purée, Swiss Browns and Spinach = INCREDIBLE! A very fun, small environment where you are well taken care of. Great wine list and a cozy environment. Wish we had something like this in the States.

Absolutely love this place, was taken there by a good friend. Wine list is excellent, and the food was simply awesome (we both had the duck). Fresh, simple but delicious and amazingly presented food, in a relaxed atmosphere. Love it and will be returning often

SIT IN … an art gallery with a fixation on the modern. White walls, unusually bright lighting and sharp geometric edges transport you to MOMA. The handwritten chalkboard may be the only overt indication you’re in a French bistro, family-​owned and in operation for decades. It’s certainly not the drab gray exterior that draws people into the joint.
NIBBLE ON … classic French fare, with modern Australian touches. Sizes here are generous, which attests to the excellent value proposition offered by the tasty food. Start with the sugar-​cured salmon with shaved beetroot, chervil, capers and horseradish cream ($ 18.50). The cure on the salmon is remarkably light, letting the fresh salmon do the singing (as it should). The beetroot offers an earthy sweetness to complement the brininess of the fish and the capers. The horseradish in the cream, which could in the hands of a lesser chef overpower everything else, is kept on a very short leash. The entrée even comes with slices of toasted baguette, which makes it almost akin to a fancier, better version of smoked salmon on bagel. Transition to the duck confit with caramelized apple, mesclun, potatoes and walnuts ($ 30.50), the bedrock of the restaurant, and for good reason. Two generous portions of duck (leg on top and thigh buried underneath) that are fork tender and moist. My dining companions at the neighboring table had a When Harry Met Sally moment when eating this dish, except this day, none of the moans were fake (bring a date here and a similar promise can be made! About the food, that is :)). Deeply caramelized apples offset the saltiness of the duck meat, and the mesclun offers gentle bitter, vegetal notes to balance out the richness of the dish. The only misses on the plate are the flavorless potatoes and the oddly unadorned walnuts, which offer nice crunch for texture but not much else. Desserts are kept deliberately simple given the small capacity of the kitchen (think meringues, tarts and caramelized fruits of various kinds), but don’t miss out on the sourcream ice cream ($ 3), an affordably petite sweet to end the evening.
IMBIBE FROM … a small but curated list of wines, predominantly from France but with a smattering of other countries in tow. Teetotalers have a range of juices, soft drinks, teas and coffee to choose from.
SPEAK TO … one of the two or three FOH waiters who have worked there for ages. You know you’re on to a good thing when your server has worked there for 7 years, a practical eternity in this day and age for someone in the hospitality industry. Or better yet, talk to your neighbors after their lascivious experience with the duck. Moaning and all are acceptable social behaviors at Onde, a hidden gem that excels in delicious French food that’s notably un-​frou-​frou.
P. S. — take advantage of the prix fixe, which includes an entrée (3 choices, including the sugar-​cured salmon), main (3 choices, including the fabulous duck) and house wine or non-​alcoholic beverage for $ 39.50, an even greater value proposition for those willing to eat during an off hour (available 5:30 — 6:30, M-​Sun, and after 9:15, Sun-​Th (10:15 pm on Sat.)). It’s a substantial discount off the already reasonable prices.

Don’t be surprised when you start to feel like you walked into an underground pop-​up rather than into a celebrated, long-​standing family business — Onde is a minimalist venue casually situated within a nondescript shopfront. And guess where that leaves all the focus? THE WINE. Oh, and the food. But let’s talk about the wine first…
Heavy on the French whites with some nice Spanish and Italian reds on offer, the list was well-​rounded, accessible, and perfect with the menu. For the beer drinkers out there, a German hefeweizen and a Spanish Pale Ale beckoned. All these, of course, nestled nicely among a strong list of local favourites.
The food was tasty and beautifully presented. The winner of the night? Sautéed cauliflower, celery, spinach and hazelnut salad. And while none of the dishes knocked my socks off, I enjoyed every bite and really appreciated the obvious focus on flavour. Case in point: just when you thought a T– Bone steak and chips couldn’t get better, they introduce red wine butter. That’s right… Red. Wine. Butter. Now you definitely want to go, don’t you?

Absolutely the best food we ate while in Australia! My husband had the duck and I had the T-​bone with chips… delicious. We were seated in the best seat in the house, and treated just lovely, Thanks to Unilocal for helping us find this jewel…

Walk down Liverpool Street and you’d never know this French delight awaits. Neatly presented in an old terrace house Onde would seat no more than 30 people making it a truly intimate experience. Although we didn’t have a reservation we were seated promptly and without fuss. Onde is confident in its capabilities and doesn’t need to produce a big song and dance to tell the world. Very French of them indeed.
The menu is simple, fuss-​free and full of quality choices. My dining companions and I all choose three different meals, making sure we are able to sample the best of all worlds and reducing menu envy.
A great meal in a superb environment.

I make absolutely no apologises about my undying love for Onde.
I have been going to this restaurant for many, many years and every time I know I am going back I get very excited.
The service is great, the food in great and reliable and the experience, where it is just two of you or six.
From memory, they do not take bookings and you will normally have to wait. For first timers this might be a little off putting, but wait until you dine and then you will understand why us loyal convert do as we are told.
Laif and Simone have had this place from the start and they never forget you — it is like coming home to family.
I recently returned after an absence of three or four years and was overjoyed to find things exactly as I left them. And to my surprise, Simone spoilt me rotten. I felt like a long lost son coming home.
Do this place with some one special first off — friend or partner — and I am sure you will understand why so many of us hold this place close to our hearts.

Onde is a cozy little restaurant which serves A-​MAZING food and has a great wine list to go with it.
We ordered Jerusalem artichokes and a salad of whitlof and blue cheese to start, both of which were gone too soon. For main I ordered Tuna, which was cooked to perfection while each of the boys I was dining with ordered the steak w/​chips in red wine butter. The chips soak up the red wine butter and taste unbelievable… it’s a heart attack on a plate but it tastes so good that you can worry about that later.

Onde is an exceptional restaurant. I am lucky enough to know a chef that works there so I was treated with love. Judging from the list of hopeful patrons though, it seems everyone is treated with such love.
Only seating 36 people, there is a cozy feeling. Like you are a part of a chosen few. The place bustles as you wait at the small bar or out on the cushioned step out front. There is no pretense about the place, yet it has an exclusivity also.
We got seated, quite close to our next door neighbors. Told you it was cozy.
«Paris» the chef, sent us our entrée on the house. I am glad he did as it was unbelievable.
Suger-​cured Salmon with shaved Beetroot, Chervil & Horseradish Cream MMmmm!!!
I got the Fish & Chips. ‘M’ got the steak, and after being in Asia for three weeks it was a celebrated meal.
They had a special on. Everything was at 1996 prices, the year they opened. It’s a lovely sentiment to thank the locals and loyal customers. The whole meal came to $ 100.
«Are you kidding??» you exclaim.
This steal may not last so I would get there ASAP. What will not change, however, is the beautiful wine, the exceptional service, the magnificent food and the elegance of Onde.