Bank Hotel, Newtown

The Bank Hotel has long been a popular hang-out for Newtown locals; and the crowds have only increased after its multi-million dollar refurb. There are comfy lounges now, black leather banquettes, and a leafy open courtyard out the back filled with wooden benches, tables and warming gas lamps.

It's the food that's most often raved on about here. The attached Sumalee Thai restaurant has always had a loyal following. The prices have been hiked up these these days, but the portions are huge and our curry orders last time arrived in bowls the size of soup tureens.

Today it's a late lunch in the bar (also cooked by the Sumalee crew) washed down with schooners of Asahi and Little Creatures. Some tasty tidbits go down a treat.


Salt and pepper squid $13
served with chips

The salt and pepper squid is so very very good. Delicate scrolls of squid are amazingly tender, encrusted with a potent mix of spices that leaves your tongue tingling (and wanting more).


Chilli bean nachos $14
with guacamole and sour cream

Chilli bean nachos are also given an enthusiastic thumbs up. It's a fresh tasting ensemble, devoid of the usual greasy mince and fatty aftertaste that often accompanies this student staple. This version has light crunchy corn chips, a hearty dollop of chilli and yes, that's real undiluted sour cream on top as well (oh such a rare find indeed). The generous scattering of chopped green onion provides a welcome palate refresher.


Sumalee Thai tasting plaste for two $25
Spicy prawn dip and rice crackers, chicken curry puffs,
fish cakes, grilled Thai pork sausages and Thai salad

The Thai tasting plate offers a mini banquet of finger food. Flaky curry puffs, chunky slices of spicy Thai pork sausage, morsels of fish cake and golden discs of deep-fried rice crackers are plied eagerly with sweet chilli sauce and a creamy peanut satay.


Potato wedges $7

Even the potato wedges are tasty. Crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle, this giant starch offering refuses to go soggy (much to my delight when I reach for seconds and third tastings).


Mieng Kum $11
Betel leaf wrap with dried shrimp, roasted coconut,
fresh Thai salad and a sweet tamarind sauce

I've gone for the Mieng Kum, a dish I've struggled to find on menus in Sydney restaurants since trying a homemade version from visiting Thai colleagues. This traditional appetiser combines dried shrimp, zingy segments of lime, finely chopped onion and ginger, toasted coconut shreds, fiery slivers of chilli and the crunch of fresh roasted peanuts.

A thick sticky sauce of palm sugar, galangal and shrimp paste is both spicy and sweet. The entire concoction is rolled up in dark green betel leaves, glossy and smooth. It's an amazing taste sensation, perhaps not as good as my initial home-made version, but delicious all the same.

I'll be back for more. You can bank on that.



Bank Hotel
324 King St, Newtown, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8568 1900

Sun-Tue, 10am-midnight
Wed-Thu, 10am-2am
Fri-Sat, 10am-4am

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