Blanca Restaurant in Newcastle is a newly opened Mediterranean food haven by the owners behind Honeysuckle’s Kingfish and Budgewoi’s The Swordfish Co. This place will transport you to the coastlines of Greece and leave you wanting more. The restaurant sits right at the heart of Newcastle and parallel to some of the most amazing harbour views the city offers. Blanca is the newest – and certainly one of the trendiest – restaurants that just opened to the public, giving locals and tourists alike a different and vibe-filled dining experience that’s flavourful to the brim.
My husband and I had a free day – many thanks to my mum-in-law – and figured why not treat ourselves to a different, more elevated restaurant experience. After much searching, we settled on Blanca. Knowing the type of place that it is, I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t get a reservation – but much to my delight, we did. I know they take walk-ins but I definitely recommend getting a reservation to be sure. The process was easy and all done online, which was convenient.
We arrived and we were immediately greeted by friendly reception that led us to our table. Not going to lie, I was a bit entranced by the place- it’s been a while since I walked in a restaurant and felt such a good feeling about it. The place was intentionally open, so you can see everything from inside out. The interiors were modern, with an elevated barnyard style with its high arches and ceilings. The whole place was drenched in sunlight and I immediately noticed feeling like being transported to another place. Which tracks because that’s quite literally what was on their tagline – “here to transport you to the coastlines of Europe”. Yup, we were there. They say the restaurant, its interiors and location were all inspired by the coastlines of Greece, Sicily, and Turkey – and coming from a country full of beautiful islands, I actually felt at home and funnily enough, at peace. I really valued that feeling. I felt like I was in Boracay, about to drink my aperol spritz. I was home for a brief moment and for that I am thankful.
On to the food – WOW. Every item we ordered tasted fresh and full of flavor. You can tell – and from what I’ve read – that they have partnered with local farmers and fishmongers because those plates were beautiful and tasty.
Wood-fired flat bread with Muhummara Dip
Village Fattoush
Sheftalia
Food we ordered:
1. Wood-fired flatbread – Just about the tastiest, fluffiest, easiest-thing-to-eat-bread we have ever tasted! The flavor from the grill was perfect.
2. The Muhumurra dip – The options for dips were a tricky one to navigate – every item sounded good! To settle the debacle, I turned to the server. “What’s your favourite”, I asked the “Well, I recommend the muhammara dip because of its base which are red peppers.” Say no more, we ordered it.
3. Village Fattoush- Cucumbers, tomatoes, fried bread and radishes. It sounds simple but the flavor was far from it! it was fresh, inviting, and a perfect entree to start our meal with.
4. Sheftalia – Cypriot lamb and beef sausages, with black lime and chickpeas. We ordered this because they didn’t have the lamb mains that day. This was still tasty but it was our least favorite.
5. Prawn Parpadelle – Ladies and gents, we have a winner. This pasta dish was silky, buttery, smooth – with the flavors from the grilled prawns and squid perfectly complementing every single umami bite. The shellfish sauce was bursting with the flavors of the ocean – every bite was worth it. The seafood was fresh and pasta itself perfectly cooked. I want one again!
If you love to (day)drink, you will love their drinks menu. It’s extensive and perfectly curated. They also have a lot of wine choices for those who want to keep it simple, but still elevated. The wine list is a combination of Spanish, French, Greek, Italian, Turkish and of course Australian, alongside a curated selection from our very own Hunter Valley.
For those looking to have an elevated dining experience that will stay with you, give Blanca a go. It’s a place meant to be shared with people you love – it’s intimate yet it’s also celebratory. The food is delicious, the vibes are immaculate, and the views unbeatable. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM – book your reservations online!
