FEATURE: LA CASA

Doors swing open at La Casa

With the benefit of a cool fitout, the new La Casa at Club Five Dock RSL brings back the warm Italian hospitality that the area is famous for, writes Grant Jones.

WITH A BIT of luck – and some good planning – Club Five Dock RSL has managed to hit two rich veins of gold in the past few years.

Instead of expanding its F&B into another ground-level property up the road from the original clubhouse, CEO David Conway, and the board chose instead to put in a medical centre – just before Covid. And we all know how that went.

Then the level one refurbishment of the original clubhouse did away with a second gaming room and created a terrace, deck and casual lounge, completed by local builder Paul Robinson of World Class Constructions & Homes with a contemporary design by Split Watermelon and furniture by Mint.

With Italian food also back on the rise, engaging two local Italian food identities couldn’t have been better.

“C5DRSL ultimately decided to go with a proven local operator in Carmel Ruggeri (from the original La Casa, Five Dock) and Antonio Sabia (Puntino, Darlinghurst) who could provide a range of food options from Mediterranean-inspired to Modern Australian and cater to guests, from intimate groups to over 400 patrons.”

With Sabia from Basilicata, Ruggeri from Sicili and a head chef from Venice, between the three of them La Casa offers an array of delicious Italian delights.

“I’m super excited to be working back in Five Dock as I moved there when I was seven years old,” says Ruggeri. “My parents played bingo at Club Five Dock RSL for 10 years.”

The bright but cosy alfresco space is open for business, just in time for summer. So far, the offering has exceeded expectations, with members amazed by the fitout, and function bookings are busy.

“La Casa restaurant’s share-style menu features everything from antipasti to a cured meat board plus there is Italian-style street food and stuff for the kids,” says Sabia.

“And there are plenty of people booking way in advance for functions, right up until summer.”