Dove & Olive @ Surry Hills

Post

Subscribe

Posted 2014-06-12 by GiGi GMV ⇒ follow

So many friends have asked me if I can find some budget lunch spots around Sydney, in light of the shrinking economy and how we all try to stretch our dollar a bit further to make ends meet. Rents and bills are all fixed. The only expense we can slash immediately is the food budget.

Oily, greasy fish cocktails that are reheated over and over again; or cheap sushi rolls that contain more rice than fillings may be cheap, but they are not quality lunch choices.

Everyone loves a bargain buy, but I want gourmet quality as well.

And if you think I am going to suggest a cheap meat pie (actually meat pies are getting expensive around Sydney) or subway rolls, think again.

I accept my friends' challenge to find the 'best value for money' eating spot in Sydney.

I have covered Chur Burger where you can get a decent gourmet burger for $10, but when you add on chips, you are looking at $15 minimum.

Following from this, I've revised the challenge's terms to:
a) $10 (have to include sides)
b) Gourmet quality meal (must have sit-down option)
c) Drinks are excluded.

Today we are checking out the Dove & Olive Bar Restaurant located in Surry Hills. It is an old 1876 pub and the new owners have renovated the place extensively. It looks sleek with comfortable bistro ambience.

Dove and Olive is definitely not another typical pub. In fact it is a combination of old favourites from the downtown New York American diner with the hearty comfort of Italian. They also offer a $9 daily special. That certainly got my attention.

Monday is the $9 schnitzel Day.

A large serving of crispy schnitzel topped with shredded cheese, served with shoestring fries and salad.

Not only is it cheap, you are also spoiled for choices. You get to choose from 4 different flavours:

Italian (traditional napolitano sauce, grilled eggplant, and smokey buffalo mozzarella); or Mexican (chilli corn carne, jalepenós & mozzarella); or Spanish (prawn, chorizo & mozzarella); and
Hawaiian (double smoked ham, pineapple & mozzarella)

The schnitzel is tender and well seasoned. It is really good quality for what we expected.

We think this is a real bargain for $9.

Tuesday is $9 Pull pork roll.

My friends could not wait for this Tuesday's special. I don't blame them. This Po'Boy is quite special.

Dove and Olive offers an in-house braised pulled pork on an incredible Southern American 9 inch crusty sourdough baguette with coleslaw, roquette, tomato, gherkins and aioli for just $9 -- including a big handful of shoestring fries.

It is quite a mouthful, but every bite is absolutely delicious. We all love it. Tuesday is going to be our favourite day of the week.

Wait! Perhaps Wednesday will be our favourite day of the week. Why? $9 steak that is why.

Look at this large mouth-watering, 220g tender lean cut Black Angus Delmonico rump steak. It is a 150 day certified NSW Australian angus beef with a marble score of 2 . It is juicy, moist and quite substantial. It is served with chips & salad, mustard and gravy.

Hmm.... perhaps it is one of the best value steaks in town.
We think this is another quality bargain.

Thursday's $9 special is a deluxe beef burger with fries and $9 pizza on Saturdays....you can seriously visit this place 5 days in a week without breaking your bank.

These $9 meals are spot on. The serving is generous using good ingredients. Even when we finished, we still keep on saying, wow, this is unbelievable, it's great.

I think Dove and Olive currently offers one of the best value meals in Sydney. What a great lunch for under 10 bucks.

Notes to friends: Dove & Olive is fast becoming THE craft beer destination of Surry Hills. You may want to check this place out yourself.