Kosta's Takeaway Rockdale — Restaurant in Sydney

IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY, DO NOT EAT HERE I’d like to preface my review by saying I tried to resolve the issue directly via email, however did not receive a response. I went here on Saturday afternoon and ordered 2x sandwiches. While ordering, I asked if either sandwich contained nuts, the cashier seemed a bit distracted but said ‘no, there is no nuts’. While eating my sandwich, I notice a green sauce on it that looks like pesto (which usually contains pine nuts). I go up to the counter again to ask about whether there is nuts in the sandwich, but again told there wasn’t any. I insisted on this and the cashier asked me to bring up the sandwich so he could look at it. He discovered pesto was accidentally put on the sandwich, then proceeded to turn his back to me and instead scold the chefs for incorrectly putting pesto on the sandwich. I got the cashier’s attention again and asked him to confirm if pesto was on it and he confirmed yes and it contains pine nuts and then offered to make me another sandwich. As I have a severe anaphylactic allergy to nuts, I began to panic and said I needed to go to the hospital. The cashier seemed very frazzled and so far out of his depth. To be honest, my entire experience with him was unpleasant and seemed liked he wasn’t paying attention at all to what I was saying. I went back to my table to collect my belongings and find my epipen. The cashier then yells at me across the tables to say the pesto doesn’t contain any nuts. By this point, I have zero trust in what the cashier is telling me as only seconds before he told me the opposite. First there is nuts, then there is not? What kind of place is this? In a life or death situation, I can’t take any chances and the fact that the cashier and chefs don’t know the ingredients in their own food is completely appalling and straight up negligent. I have 8 years experience in hospitality and expect such better customer service and care. I am really disappointed with my experience and won’t...

(4.5 stars) To understand the expansion juggernaut of Kosta's Takeaway—which recently opened two stores in Circular Quay and Rosebery less than six months apart—I took a trip to Rockdale to see where it all began. The business, which opened in 2021, is a hole-in-the-wall of a smash repairers, fronted by a few tables protected from the baking heat using big canvas umbrellas. The surrounding stools are awash with reflective strips and neon. Kosta’s is very popular with road crews and tradies as their mainstays are big, unfussy sandwiches. Beef and pickles ($18) is a golden-brown toastie made on excellent bread. It’s fully loaded with standout pastrami cut by red onions, mustard, dill and pickled eschallots. It’s so big it’s very hard to do it justice, but so tasty you want to do it proud.

Fish ($20) contains a big juicy piece of curled flathead looking like it has leapt into the deep fryer in an attempt to get away. It arrives lightly battered on a bun, topped with melted orange cheese and a tangy baby caper-studded tartare. It’s good by itself, but even better with a smear of fermented chilli ($1). Use the rest up on a classic potato scallop ($3) that—if you’re old enough—will pull up memories of 1970s Greek-run suburban takeaways. Owner Benjamin Terkalas—who doesn’t look old enough to remember this wave of hospitality firsthand—named the store for his Dad. His mission is to level up classic sandos that, even at twenty bucks, don’t leave diners feeling fleeced. As I enjoy a classic Greek-style custard tart ($6.50) I muse that...

Firstly, parking is difficult, as it's a really busy part of West Botany St. I parked in Bunnings across the road. I used the app, which applies a surcharge to every item. Paid $21.60 for the fish sandwich and $18.36 for the Schnitty sandwich. I'm thinking unless you are an internet influencer, you're not going to get those big schnittys (see pic). The Schnitty was crunchy. It was a thigh fillet, which I prefer to chicken breast. The bun had a chewy texture, which I'm not a fan of. The fish sandwich was inedible as it was extremely salty as so many others have mentioned. Straight in the bin. I'm thinking either the cook doesn't taste his/ her cooking or has something wrong with their tastebuds. Some kitchens intentionally over salt the fish to mask the lack of freshness. The prices, in my opinion, are overpriced. It's a hole in the wall of a mechanical garage with outdoor seating, so you're not paying overheads for the premises or table service. Comparable standard cafes/ burger restaurants would include chips and drink at...