Alys Oldham

Elva offers the comforts of cosy Italian neighbourhood dining in the bustling epicentre of Bondi Road. You’ll find authentic handmade pasta and bar snacks, accompanied by a range of classic cocktails and Italian vino tucked away behind the frosted double doors, with a mixture of high and low seating along the bar and a leather banquette. The restaurant, wine bar and deli is named after Bondi native Elva Tesoriero, who lives a few doors down and whose family once ran a fruit shop on the very same site in the 1950s. It’s now in the hands of another Bondi local, Nick Gilbert (who owns the popular Vacanza pizza outlets in Bronte and Surry Hills), whose partner in business is Michael Stevens, of the equally popular Baccomatto Osteria. Every aspect of the concise menu reflects classic Italian inspiration, with old-school cooking technique, fresh local produce and quality imported ingredients (think Italian black truffles) front and centre. Get the ball rolling with arancini or meatballs and timeless fritto misto before moving on to spaghetti carbonara or pappardelle with duck ragu. No-nonsense mains like a fish of the day and Black Angus rump cap round out the savoury side of things. If you’re after a bargain, pop in for the Spritz and Spuntini Sessions featuring $10 cocktail and snack specials from 5-7pm Tuesday through Friday and 3-6pm on the weekends.

Cho Cho San isn’t a restaurant you typically associate with ramen. In fact, the modern Potts Point izakaya is known for quite the opposite – inventive drinks and creative share plates that play with Japanese flavours in novel and exciting ways. But that will change on Monaday, March 16, when head chef Max Smith crafts a dish you’ll want to have all to yourself: a double pork-broth ramen. The catch? It will be on the menu for just five nights, until Friday, March 20, and only between 5-6.30pm.  Smith is taking a luxurious approach to his ramen, with a 14-hour double-pork dashi, black pepper and shoyu, as well as fresh noodles and Balangalow pork loin. On top, you’ll find pork XO, a soft soy egg, wood ear mushrooms, chilli oil, bean sprouts and green shallots. And if that’s still not enough, you can treat yourself to some pretty splashy extras including nori stacks, miso corn and eggs rolled in caviar and togarashi.  A bowl will set you back $30, but the deal includes a drink: your choice of a Stone and Wood beer, a Highball or a junmai sake. Be warned – this special is available for walk-ins only, so do yourself a favour and get there early if you don't want to miss out. There will be limited servings available each night, so the possibility of selling out is more of a guarantee. Caught a craving for more noodle soups? Check out our choices for the best noodle soups in Sydney.

Supporting small businesses is always worthwhile, but it tastes especially sweet when accompanied by a free scoop of Messina’s legendary gelato. The frozen dessert masters will be bringing their ever so 'grammable vintage ice cream truck to Burwood Chinatown this Saturday, March 7, dishing up 1000 complimentary scoops from 4-7pm (or until supplies run out). The reason for this enticing giveaway is to combat the impact that coronavirus anxiety has had on businesses in Burwood's Chinatown area, using the promise of free gelato to attract visitors to the Inner West suburb. Since the viral outbreak that originated in China first began making headlines around the world, many areas popular with Sydney's Chinese community have experienced a sharp drop in patronage, forcing some restaurants and shops to close. The social media-based #IWillEatWithYou movement has recently called on Sydneysiders to support Chinese businesses struggling as a result of the stigma, and now major players in the city's hospitality sector are also doing their part to help. Visitors to Burwood this weekend can take their pick of gelato, from pandan and coconut to milk chocolate with choc-peanut fudge, cookies and cream, and boysenberry, with vegan and gluten-free options available so nobody misses out on the party. Local vendors will also be offering plenty of other eats, so make sure to satisfy your savoury side too by grabbing a dish from one of the 30 hawker-style eateries in the precinct. You can also ex

Has watching impeccably groomed pups strutting around Rebel Wilson on Pooch Perfect got you dreaming of your own fur baby getting their name in lights? Maybe you think the endless hours spent mastering the obedience trial on Nintendogs has made you the ultimate trainer with a perfectly behaved companion? No matter what your background is, Opera Australia is offering the ultimate opportunity for well-behaved dogs from all walks of life who dream of being a star. A casting call has been put out for a few lucky woofers to make their stage debuts in front of a crowd of 3,000 at Sydney Opera House’s upcoming production of La Traviata. This year's Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production features the tragic tale that inspired Moulin Rouge accompanied by a sweeping orchestra, fireworks and 80 performers. Plus a few talented pooches. The real-life Parisian woman behind the opera’s central character was once gifted a small spaniel by an admirer, which the chosen pups will be bringing to life in a pivotal scene. French breeds are preferred, but all small to medium-sized dogs have a shot at stardom. The most important factor is that your dog is healthy and well-trained, so that they can confidently cross a floating walkway and climb steps on stage while ignoring plenty of noise, brights lights and other exciting distractions.  Opera Australia is seeking dogs for select performances from April 3 to 21, so make sure you consult their schedules (and maybe yours too). Proud dog parents will

In December 2014, following the siege of Sydney’s Lindt Cafe, Australians took a stand against increasing prejudice facing the Muslim community in a viral act of unity. After Facebook user Rachael Jacobs posted a status about her encounter with a woman too afraid to wear her hijab on a train, Twitter was flooded with more than 120,000 tweets in one day featuring the hashtag #IllRideWithYou. Thousands of people all over the country offered to ride public transport with Muslims who felt intimidated by anti-Islamic fear-mongering, in a widespread display of support challenging the social stigma. Very much in the spirit of that campaign, progressive activist group Get Up is urging Australians to support Chinese restaurants that have suffered a severe drop in diners as a result of fear surrounding the coronavirus crisis. Misinformation and unjustified concern about the virus has caused many people in Sydney to actively avoid areas such as Haymarket's China Town, which has had a major impact on Chinese businesses, with some saying they have lost up to 50 per cent of their income. As a result, many are laying off casual staff and in some instances even closing, with the usually bustling Chinatown now largely deserted. Get Up kick-started the campaign with an email to supporters on Sunday, February 16, after members raised concerns about the inaccurate – and often racist – media coverage stigmatising Chinese residents and their businesses. The hashtag #IWillEatWithYou has been trend

You better whip out the bleach and stock up on extra-strength hair gel, because it’s time to revive your inner punk in preparation for the Offspring’s 2020 Australian tour, kicking off in April. Whether or not you’re familiar with their influence on the skate punk and rock genres across a 36-year long career, there’s a good chance you’ve partied at least once to their controversial Hottest 100 winner ‘Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)’. They’ll be bringing their mosh-worthy bangers to arenas across Australia, including Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on April 24, for their first headline tour in 16 years. Expect a night filled with enough shouty ‘90s nostalgia to make you pull the waist of your jeans bellow your butt and flip some gnarly ollies. Not only will these Californian rockers be playing all of their greatest hits, but they’ll be bringing some very special guests with them. Their equally punk mates from Canada, Sum 41, will be playing a full hour-long set of their own, including tracks you might recognise like ‘Fat Lip’, ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Still Waiting’. You have until Friday, April 24, to dig out your favourite old band shirt and learn some tricks that would make Tony Hawk jealous before this skate punk dream team hits town. General public tickets go live at 9am on Monday, February 3, but if you’re extra keen, you can sign up for early bird access with the pre-sale kicking off on Friday, January 31 at 9am. Looking for some other places to rock out in Sydney? Check out these to