By the time the room began to fill and glasses started clinking, Barnwell Park Golf Club was already alive with the easy warmth of a crowd in celebration mode. On 19 June 2025, a Thursday evening that might have otherwise passed quietly, Deep Gujral gave the Five Dock venue a crisp new identity, launching Stone, the restaurant now nestled at the club’s heart, and with it, a fresh chapter in community dining.
The crowd trickled in from 6.30pm, greeted not by stiff handshakes or corporate banter, but the gentle clink of glassware and the kind of view that invites you to stay longer than planned. The clubhouse windows, looking out to the water, framed a space that felt elegant without effort. Tables were dressed but not overdone. The smell of warm canapés filled the room. And then there was Nishka.
Deep’s daughter, stepping into the MC role with unexpected poise, took the room by surprise. “She had that Hepburn thing,” one guest murmured, not reaching for exaggeration. There’s something about a well-run launch that feels like good theatre. Familiar faces in new settings, a sense of movement, an undercurrent of change. Nishka brought all that together with just the right amount of charm.
Stone isn’t loud about its ambition, and that’s part of the appeal. It’s not trying to reinvent food, just honour it. The menu, we’re told, will rotate with the seasons and borrow from both traditional and contemporary plates, a quiet nod to the area’s diverse culinary roots. Think hand-rolled gnocchi with burnt butter and sage, grilled barramundi with fennel, and a slow-cooked lamb shoulder with cardamom hints. The samples on offer during the launch, served canapé-style, hinted at all three. The lamb, in particular, had guests going back for seconds. Or thirds.
There’s a tension in venues like this—a need to serve the club regulars who expect consistency, while attracting newer diners looking for something with a bit more edge. Stone walks that line carefully. The wine list leans Australian, with a few surprises. A dry rosé from Mudgee got early praise, while a citrus-forward Adelaide Hills Chardonnay was passed around eagerly among tables closer to the windows. Cocktails were simple, clean—a gin and elderflower spritz, and something resembling a blood orange negroni, though no one asked for names.
What made the night linger, though, was less the food and drink and more the sense of something returning to the neighbourhood. For Five Dock locals, Barnwell Park has always been a fixture, but rarely a destination. “It was always the club where your uncle had beers after golf,” joked one guest. “Now it might be the place we go for birthdays.”
Deep Gujral, speaking briefly during the night, made it clear this wasn’t just about refurbishing a building. It was about restoring a sense of place. “We’ve inherited something special,” he said. “The job now is to honour it, and maybe even lift it.”
That tone, not overpromising but gently suggesting something new, captured the night’s mood. Guests left with full stomachs, phone galleries of smiling faces, and a quiet feeling that Five Dock’s food scene just got more interesting.
You could say the real launch came not with speeches or plates, but with applause for Nishka. She’s not on the payroll, not in the hospitality business, just someone who knew when to pause, when to smile, and when to raise a glass. That alone said more about the new spirit of the place than any marketing campaign could.
Stone is now open at Barnwell Park Golf Club, 551 Lyons Road West, Five Dock NSW. Opening hours and booking details available via the club’s official site.
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🍽️ Stone restaurant launches at Barnwell Park Golf Club, Five Dock, blending seasonal dishes with community charm.🏌️♂️ Deep Gujral's venture offers modern Australian fare with global touches, revitalising the local dining scene. Open now! #TheIndianSun
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— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) July 16, 2025
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