Ruki Robatayaki Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Wollongong City Council

First time leaving a review for a dining experience. And it had to be here.

Went down to Wollongong from Sydney and decided to reserve Rookie Eatery as the menu/ratings/reviews looked promising.

Went for a Feed Me 1 course ($95pp). As I rarely head down that way, thought I might as well try everything that's on the menu.

After many experiences of such "course/degustation/tasting" menus, one thing I learnt is that a trip to a kebab joint is always needed after a meal. Even for 12 course dinners costing $300+pp, the tasting menu is exactly that. A tiny winy samples of what they offer. While the taste is great for most courses, everything usually ends up being one mouthful. And everything is gone even before you can start to appreciate the fine taste of the food.

Needless to say, I sat down at Rookie with a certain expectation that the dishes will also be tiny. Well, I was proven very wrong.

There were three of us. And a couple next to our table had opted for the a-la-carte option. Yes, our dishes had one or two less pieces than the full priced main option. But we were served two for every course. So, every course, we were served about 1.5 main dish portions. There were plenty to share between the three. And as the course name "Feed Me" suggests, this was no regular tasting course.

It was really designed to feed the diner, not just showcase the executive chef's culinary skills one bite at a time. Whilst the food themselves were not in the upper fine dining territory, Rookie doesn't make such claims either.

The food were still delicious. Perhaps, more so than many at these super fine dining restaurants where about half of the course makes you feel the way you feel after you look at pieces of "modern art". Cutting-edge and fancy, it cost you $30-50 for that tiny spoonful of whatever you ate, but deep inside, you know you would choose a McDonald's Cheeseburger over that any day of the week.

No such issues at Rookie. Every course was a solid hearty meal in themselves, as if you have come over to a friend's who cooked a feast for you.

$95pp more than justifies the quality and amount of food we had.

Before dining at Rookie, we had already sussed out the nearest kebab joint to drop by on our drive back from Sydney. No such stop-over was necessary.

This was my only second time being in Wollongong. No full day trip would be necessary again. But I will be making the 1.5 hour drive again in the near future just to dine...

Wollongong is so, so lucky to have this restaurant! Came here a week ago in Dec '23 and we ordered the smaller banquet to leave room for desert. The interior is very ambient and lovely. White tablecloths, big wine glasses, whitewashed walls..candles. Lovely. We have eaten at some of Sydney's top restaurants and honestly found the food here to be very exciting. Not just creative, but a massive yum factor to go with it. For example the flatbread came out with a pineapple and relish side and a pickled radish...very unexpected and delicious.Yum Yum. The duck in the duck bao was generously portioned, perfectly roasted being pink inside, yet a crispy skin. That takes skill. Every dish was utterly delicious, very creative and yet never veering into pretension. Talent and taste, it's a hard combination to crack. Desert was pure bliss- best desert I can remember eating in years. It was the peanut butter parfait and I swear to god I ate every last bit and wanted more. And it wasn't a small portion either so I felt almost embarrassed and shocked at the ease with which I scoffed it, while trying to fake good manners. I swear I kept mumbling 'omg' to my husband over the mouthwatering flavour. Finally I stuffed up any photos, because we started eating straight away and then realised we had meant to get a pic and you just have to laugh. We want to come back and try the rendang and crispy eggplant and of course have more desert! Well done to the chef and staff- and our lovely waitress on the night who was...

Welcome to Rookie, Wollongong's culinary wonderland that'll have your taste buds doing the happy dance! Chef Sam is like a flavor wizard, conjuring up dishes so incredible, I'm convinced they're from another dimension of deliciousness.

Seriously, when it comes to accommodating, Chef Sam deserves a gold medal. I'm talking about a gold medal in food diplomacy! No matter what dietary quirks or cravings you have, Sam whips up culinary masterpieces to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.

And let's talk about Griffin, the waiter extraordinaire! This guy's accommodating skills are off the charts! He's like a culinary genie, granting your every wish with a smile. With his expert guidance, our meal became an unforgettable adventure, filled with laughter, joy, and some epic foodie discoveries.

The whole Rookie team knows how to create an atmosphere that's so cozy and inviting; you'll feel like you're dining at your favorite aunt's house (if your aunt happened to be a gourmet chef!). The passion for hospitality and top-notch service make you feel like a VIP.

So, if you're in Wollongong and you haven't been to Rookie yet, you're seriously missing out! It's a gastronomic paradise where Chef Sam's incredible dishes and Griffin's accommodating magic will sweep you off your feet. Prepare yourself for a dining experience that'll leave you raving to all your friends and planning your next visit before you've even finished dessert. Cheers to Rookie - the place where food...