Bill and Toni's, Balmain

Beef burgers w/ chips ($14) and w/ salad ($18)

My boyfriend, Nathan, and I visited Bill and Toni's Pub Life for dinner on his first night back in Australia, following a five month cricket holiday in England. Nathan is obsessed with hamburgers, chips and beef in general. I wanted to treat him upon his arrival back in the country.

My burger with salad (that was ordered after much self control- I try to refrain from eating hot chips no matter how tempting) fulfilled all of the expectations I had after writing this profile on the Sir William Wallace Hotel's new eatery for the Inner West Courier. 

The new restaurant in the Balmain institution prides itself on good, hearty, and oh-so-tasty pub food. This is exactly what I received in my takeaway-box-plate. And this is exactly why so many people are in love with the Father Bill and Toni's restaurant in Stanley St, and now the two Bill and Toni's Pub Life restaurants in Surry Hills and (since August) Balmain.

I asked my boyfriend to describe the meal; I got "moist, lush, mmm and nomnomnom." Whatever that means... The burger was definitely juicy. I am only recently a fan of beef mince, and the patty on this was just divine; bursting with flavour and the most excellent, as I said, juicy, delicious, divine, tantalising texture. The caramelised onion offered another layer of flavour, as did the house-made mayonnaise and fresh bun. My salad was equally great. I love a salad that is varied and dressed to perfection. This was exactly that- with capsicum, lots of different greens, tomato and onion. My boyfriend says his chips "were good but they weren't amazing." Maybe because in England, as I have been hearing all week since his return, did not have chicken salt and the chips at Bill and Toni's were not drenched in the stuff.

The decor in the eatery is old school; basically what one expects of a pub built in the late 1870's. The tables were dressed with paper (bring some crayons and pens= hours of entertainment for the kids, or the mother in my case). The drinks, as with most pubs, need to be ordered at the bar. And the vibe is loud and busy. 

Bill and Toni's is about PUB food: expect great quality, value for money and orgasms of the tastebuds, but not so much sophistication and fine-dining. 

Bill and Toni's Pub Life, 31 Cameron St, Balmain