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Giovanni Battista opened the Grotto Restaurant in 1955 in a triple shop front at 97 to 101 Anzac Parade and it quickly became a Kensington fixture until it closed in 2011. In the 1950s, restaurants that served Italian cuisine was something of rarity. What better way to celebrate that special occasion, or take a girl somewhere to impress, than an eatery with such exotic food as pizza, spagetti and cassata icecream! The restaurant also specialised in seafood, though something in good supply in Sydney being near the ocean, was much under-rated as a fine dining option. The new wave of immigrants from the Mediterranean region introduced Sydney-siders to the delights of seafood beyond just "fish and chips" and the "Grotto" became renowned for it lavish seafood dinners.

Grotto Carpri building in 2014, at 97 -101 Anzac Parade, Kensington

Inside the Capri's watery eating world

The restaurant was featured as a backdrop on an episode of the Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities television true crime drama, which revealed that it was a favoured eatery for some of Sydney's top "hoods". Never ones to miss an opportunity, the management ensured that a unique item soon appeared on the menu : Mobster Lobster

The Grotto's matchbox cover says it all!

Anzac Parade, Kensington Nightlife
Anzac Parade over the last couple of decades has become "modernised" with steel and concrete apartment blocks and commercial buildings. The south- eastern light rail running down the centre of the Anzac Parade has taken away the pedestrian friendly, village feel to the area. However, there was a time from the 1950s to the 1980s when the strip had a vibrant nightlife with a number of nightclubs and restaurants along the Anzac Parade strip. The horse racing fraternaty was attracted to the area on race days, and the development of the University of New South brought academics and students looking for entertainment.

This probably helped the "Grotto", but there were also others. In the 70s and 80s the Double Diamonds restaurant nightclub at 107 Anzac Parade offered a la carte menu, live music and cabaret. It was notable for a range of 1960s covers bands.

Then there was a little corner establishment at 126 Anzac Parade known as "Jack's Cellar", cunningly named after the proporietor's stage name of Jack Cellar from the long running Australia television soapie No. 96. Tom Oliver, the proprietor, was a repsected actor from stage and screen, and he played Jack Cellar, a character portrayed as a rough diamond sort of man of the world. He would have fitted in perfectly at 126 Anzac Parade. If you were lucky you could run into a celebrity waiting on the tables.

The Purple Onion
Located at 83 Anzac Parade, the Purple Onion opened in 1962. Sexual activity between men was still illegal in Australia, carrying harsh punishments if convicted, and would not be decriminalised in NSW for another 22 years. The nightclub was a space where gay men could dance the night away or watch drag performers in relative safety from harassment and physical violence.

The Purple Onion nightclub, was replaced by a gay gym and baths known as Ken's Karate Club. Ken's first owner was Ken "Kandy" Johnson, a drag queen from the Purple Onion, Johnson first opened Ken's Baths in a gym at 97 Belmore Rd, Randwick in 1971, before relocating to the old Purple Onion building in 1972. He remodelled the venue, the nightclub's stage was replaced with a swimming pool, around which shows were occasionally performed. The venue was later sold to David Ross and Nicolas Lorschy.

The venue was first known as Ken's Karate Klub and also Kensington Karate Klasses (or just the "KKK"). With homosexuality in NSW not decriminalised, the names were supposed to explain the vinyl-covered mats and the thumping and groaning inside.

Ken's at Kensington found itself in the news in 2010 when a television crew filmed a state government Minister leaving the venue. It transpired that he had broken no laws or rules, however, some parts of the media took issue with him driving his government issued car to get there. It turned that it was perfectly legal - the rules said that he could drive himself, ahem, when on private business.

Doncaster Cinema Theatre
Wealthy horse trainer, Richard Wooton built the Doncaster Hotel and several theatres - including Kensington's Doncaster Theatre and the nearby Maroubra Vocalist Theatre. The Doncaster Theatre, at 260 Anzac Parade, was a large cinema next door to the hotel and opened 1929. Wooton's company ran it until 1950 when it was taken over by Eastern Suburbs Cinemas. Several new owners tried running the Doncaster Theatre in its last days showed Greek films and finally closed as a cinema in 1966. William Orr and Eric Duckworth of Phillip Street Theatre fame moved in and turned it into a lavish theatre restaurant. Friction with partners caused Orr and Duckworth to pull out but the shows continued for a few years. It became Greensleeves, a rock venue but closed again in 1973-74. It was demolished for an extension of the Doncaster Hotel, which still stands on the corner of Doncaster Avenue.

Three Buildings Still Standing
As we write, the three of the premises are still standing and recognisable: the Grotto Capri, Ken's Karate Club and Jack's Cellar. It would be a pity if they follow other pieces of Kensington's streetscape and are redeveloped. While they stand, they are visable pieces of the local area's old entertainment and night-life heritage.

Clockwise: Double Diamonds Matchbox Cover; KKK at 83 Anzac Parade; & Jack's Cellar

References

Nicholls, Sean, 'Sex scandal rocks Labor', The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 May 2010

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