Fly down Bondi Road of an evening and you would possibly miss the small restaurant on your left hand side, although you would have done a double take when you thought you saw the belongings of someone’s living room on the pavement.

A free standing low lit lamp and rustic table in front of a leather sofa set the scene outside of the Rum Diaries restaurant. Inside is a rustic, cosy and intimate restaurant, easily enjoyable for a table of two or a group party. An amazing wood table greets you as you walk through the tiny doors and the tantalising smells and warmth of the kitchen quickly hit you.

A thick oak wooden bar with more rum-based cocktails than you can shake a… well, shake a cocktail shaker at, quite frankly lies in wait as your first tipple. The decor includes candles in which the wax has beautifully created its own form of art, nestled amongst antique mirrors and furniture.

Head chef Daniel Brown has created a unique fusion tapas menu ranging from Rump of Lamb with Lentil Mash to Chilean Pil Pil and being tapas, you get to experience a little bit of everything.

The bill can easily go over $100 for two plus drinks, but completely necessary to get the full dining experience that goes with it.

Disappointingly they only have two sittings, 6.30pm and 8.30pm, which isn’t that accommodating – I’m not sure what happened to the days where you could book a table without having to get a little tipsy waiting at the bar beforehand – but rest assured, with the selection of rums you need to go through, the cheese plate or bread dips and olives are an excellent place to start.

To book your reservation, telephone 02 9300 0440. Address:  288 Bondi Road, Bondi.