Seems like a shady place to go as the entrance is off a back lane car park. The stairs are high and narrow and it looks like you're entering the back door of someone's house. But the food is hugely varied and the atmosphere is chic and friendly. We tried about six dishes and they were all hits. The price was average.

Approximate cost: $12

The Union is a little hole in the wall, easy to miss if you're inattentive and just casually driving by. I expected to find a place that was reminiscent of medieval architecture or some such, but it ended up looking like an ordinary, slightly industrial back entrance. The stairs are barely wide enough for two adjacent people to ascend and as such, I was not expecting much. (However, for those concerned there is large carpark available for free).

The interior is quite fantastic. When I talk of ambience, I wish that every eatery had an atmosphere such as the one in the Union. The restaurant is small yet elegant, and we were promptly seated. The close quarters actually brought us altogether, and with a party of eight people, it was surprisingly easy to converse with each other over the table. The place is spotless and the background music is pleasant enough to fade into the background and be utterly unmemorable, yet seamless.

The waitstaff are polite and attentive, approaching us almost immediately. After ordering drinks and munching on our complimentary bread and olive oil – always delightful – we wasted no time in choosing from the tapas menu (which was conveniently located just in front of our table with prices). The waitstaff also advised us whether one plate would be sufficient or not for our group of eight, which was pretty helpful. We finally decided on the mushrooms, polenta chips with aioli, fried haloumi, beef cigars, patatas bravas (and something else that I unfortunately can't remember).

What surprised me is how little amount of time was spent on waiting. It was so disconcerting that our actual plans had been thrown into disarray! The first plate came out within 5-10 minutes. Nice to see that Penrith can offer some decent timing in comparison to “fancy” eateries in the CBD. The tapas themselves were not the resounding hit that I had been expecting though. Some were great, and some were average and apparently not worthy within my memory.

The fried haloumi was just that – fried cheese. As someone who had never tried haloumi before, I didn't think I had been missing out on much. The beef cigars, exotic as they sounded, were simply small beef spring rolls that were wrinkly like my great-aunt's fingers. And no, I'm not just exercising my ever-expanding wit – I literally thought that. They tasted pleasant enough with their accompanying sauce, but once again, nothing amazing. The patatas were baked potatoes in a tomato-esque sauce. I also felt indifferent to this dish as it spoke nothing of import to me.

The real gems would be the remainder dishes. I have had some troublesome experiences with polenta in the past, but the Union's polenta chips are delightful. The polenta doesn't taste heavy or mushy, and the aioli complements it perfectly. The mushrooms were probably the unanimous favourite at the table. Just the right amount of oiliness and saltiness, they were delicious and I simply wanted more. In a way, the tapas experience is annoying – just when you get to like a dish, it's all gone.

The dishes we ordered were all approximately $15 give or take some change. The experience seems to be most worthwhile when you attend with a sizable party – that way you can experience a greater variety of flavours without spending all too much. I still thought most of the food could have been slightly more flavoursome, but regardless, I have recommended it to some people and look forward to attending again and trying different dishes. Finally, a noteworthy place in Penrith!

3.5/5

Approximate cost: $15

A great place to dine in penrith, especially if you are looking for something a little bit different... doesnt look like much from the outside but when you walk in the atmosphere reminds me of places in the city! it has a wonderful warm rustic but sassy ambiance. Amazing food, good friendly service, good prices! a place to go back numerous times! Also a great place to go and get a wine and relax in the evening!