Simple, seasonal Italian fare.
I really can't remember exactly what I ate. I was really lazy taking notes.
There was some kind of just-set cheesy goodness and a nice squid something for entrée.
The main was slow braised goat with cavolo nero. I will not forget that dish in hurry. The best.
Other dishes included silky house-made pasta with a shit-load of cheese, and a seriously tasty spatch-cock dish.
Prosecco and Pinot.
I know this review is short. It is late, and have yoga in the morning. Go check this place out though, it's damn fine. The small, seasonal menu changes regularly.
62 Stanley St
Darlinghurst
http://www.sagrarestaurant.com.au/
I don't take pictures of food. Who wants one of THOSE sitting next to you in a restaurant.
Monday, 16 December 2013
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Depot
Chef Al Brown is New Zealand’s
answer to Jamie Oliver, with a chain of successful books, restaurants and TV
series to his name. Despite all this he still regularly oversees the pass at
Depot in Auckland, New Zealand, something many celebrity chefs give up not long
after the ink dries on their cookbook contact.
Depot is a share-plate venue with a décor of a cobbled together garage, if that garage was located in a suburb of designers with a really good council clean-up to select from. Outside are heaters and low tables for huddling over the warm offerings from the kitchen. Inside you'll find cocktail-height seating arrangements and two kitchens, one cold, one hot, both open for public viewing pleasure.
The relaxed vibe is immediately evident in the drinks list with jugs of cider and house wine on tap. Despite my snobbery, the house wine is pretty damn decent. Al Brown’s focus is on using the less popular cuts and meats and making them into something delicious. Fresh oysters and clams in NZ are a given. They are creamy, briny, brilliant. The pulled pork tacos are a good balance of meat, a hint of spice, definitely a westernised version of the Mexican classic. The fish sliders (mini burgers) are just perfect. The fish is perfectly cooked, the buns are a soft and white. They disappear quickly. Bone marrow roasted till it is soft a gelatinous, served with thin slivers of bread toasted to crouton-crunchiness is salty and rich. For dessert we opt for the sugar pie. Initially I worry it will be too sweet. The filling is halfway between an egg custard and butterscotch sauce. It has all the rich moorishness of butterscotch without the overt sweetness. The pastry is delicate and short. A truly standout dish. If you find yourself in Auckland this pace will leave you with fond memories of a city with access to some of the best produce the world has to offer.
http://www.eatatdepot.co.nz/
Depot is a share-plate venue with a décor of a cobbled together garage, if that garage was located in a suburb of designers with a really good council clean-up to select from. Outside are heaters and low tables for huddling over the warm offerings from the kitchen. Inside you'll find cocktail-height seating arrangements and two kitchens, one cold, one hot, both open for public viewing pleasure.
The relaxed vibe is immediately evident in the drinks list with jugs of cider and house wine on tap. Despite my snobbery, the house wine is pretty damn decent. Al Brown’s focus is on using the less popular cuts and meats and making them into something delicious. Fresh oysters and clams in NZ are a given. They are creamy, briny, brilliant. The pulled pork tacos are a good balance of meat, a hint of spice, definitely a westernised version of the Mexican classic. The fish sliders (mini burgers) are just perfect. The fish is perfectly cooked, the buns are a soft and white. They disappear quickly. Bone marrow roasted till it is soft a gelatinous, served with thin slivers of bread toasted to crouton-crunchiness is salty and rich. For dessert we opt for the sugar pie. Initially I worry it will be too sweet. The filling is halfway between an egg custard and butterscotch sauce. It has all the rich moorishness of butterscotch without the overt sweetness. The pastry is delicate and short. A truly standout dish. If you find yourself in Auckland this pace will leave you with fond memories of a city with access to some of the best produce the world has to offer.
http://www.eatatdepot.co.nz/
Monday, 16 September 2013
Boston
Ah yes. The city of the Tea
Party, Red Sox, and Mark Whalberg; Bostonians enjoy their rough yet warm and
welcoming reputation. It is a history-steeped city full of Irish hospitality
(take that how you will) and packed full of intellectuals who have attended one
of the many fine institutions in the area. Food is not a thing many people
venture to Boston for, beyond the local tradition of clam chowder (‘chowda’),
oysters and Boston cream pie. Despite this I have found that wherever there are
young, ambitious people there are bound to be a few dining gems. I didn’t get
round to everywhere I wanted to. I have listed at the bottom of this article those
places that came highly recommended but that I just couldn’t fit into my
schedule, or my stomach.
Drink
One thing you need to know about
Boston; this is a Barbara Lynch town. The woman has about seven restaurants,
all of which do an insane level of business. This is her first venture into the
liquid side. A hidden, underground speakeasy beneath her casual Italian
offering (Sportello; see below) with a bar that zig-zags across the floor space
so that every customer gets the best seats in the house. There is no cocktail
list, instead the team here concoct you a drink based on your mood and
preferences. I start easy; a tequila based negroni. They do a top-notch job.
Next I challenge them to make me something with Hendricks and St. Germain. The
result is an MOP (Means of Preservation), a martini minus the slap. It contains
the aforementioned, as well as vermouth, celery bitters and grapefruit. New
all-time favourite. Even better than the Hendricks with Szechuan bitters at Mr.
Wong’s (Sydney). I round things off with a Rum based blazer, perfectly prepared
by Will Thompson, who is more than happy to prop up against the bar and talk
shop. Here they hack the ice up from once huge block using Japanese cleavers
ensuring that the size of ice cube they put in your glass is suited to the
drink you are partaking of. Food-wise they have a selection of small plates
designed to be shared or eaten solo. Apparently the burgers here are amazing. I
tried on two occasions to get one, both times they had already sold out! A
great endorsement in itself. Instead I have the griddled (their spelling)
cheese (jaffle) with orange and caramelised fennel. Orange and fennel are a
classic, but adding them to a cheese toastie is the best idea ever. I’m going
to be gourmet-ing my toasties from now on! If you only get to one place while
you are in Boston, get here.
Sportello
Upstairs from Drink is Sportello,
a casual osteria with a similar sit-at-the-bar format. This gives you a better
view of the open kitchen. The bar again takes up most of the space, with only
one or two tables for larger tables. Sportello also has a bakery, desert,
takeaway counter that is stocked with items baked fresh by the team each day.
More than once I stopped in to pick up their special pastry of the day, the
cronut (a croissant-doughnut hybrid) is particularly nice. If you have time to
sit and enjoy lunch (or brunch from 10:30 am on weekends) I advise you do so.
Soft polenta with lamb ragu is tasty, however I could have done with more lamb.
Cream is added to the polenta so it is mega-rich. A stock-based version might
have been better suited. The aperol spritz washes it down nicely once it
finally arrives. On the second occasion I had the chicken breast, heirloom
carrot and barley salad. While they really stretch the definition of salad, (there
was more protein than green, and it was warm) this dish is one of the best
chicken dishes I have ever eaten. It is juicy, and tender with crispy skin. The
entire dish is perfectly seasoned and well balanced with the earthy barley
complementing the sweet chicken and al
dente baby carrots. The waiter even throws in some free macarons (which are
pretty lack-luster, jam instead of ganache? Really?). They have a fun selection
of ice tea mocktails, each named after one of the staff members. The ginger and
green tea (Monica? I forget) is refreshing and not overly sweetened. I didn’t
try any of their pasta, but judging from the happy noises from fellow diners,
it must be pretty good.
Beehive
Even if you aren’t going to eat here,
you need to check this place out. It is in Boston’s trendy South End and is
fairly unassuming from the street. The bar is at ground level, but the real fun
is downstairs; an underground jazz bar! The place has a really bohemian/New Orleans
feel to it, an effect only magnified when you are hanging out with a bunch of
Quebecians! The furniture is mismatched and squished together, red velvet
drapes hang from exposed brick walls, waiters in vests ferry copious amounts of
wine to tables. It is chaos, and it is wonderful! The menu celebrates comfort
home food with a French bistro twist. Think blackened fish tacos or lemon sole
with clam sauce. I opt for the tuna tartare; raw tuna with all the standard
steak tartare trimmings. Light and refreshing. In Boston this is the place to
party!
Mare Oyster Bar
Oysters are somewhat of an
institution in Boston and the best ones I sampled were at Mare Oyster Bar. This
little restaurant would be at home along any of Sydney’s beaches; the smallish
room is blue with white accents, a large bar runs down one side of the room
behind which a large mirror touts today’s oyster selections and specials. The French
windows are thrown wide open to admit summer’s cooling evening air and snatches
of street performer music. The beautiful people linger at tables over glasses
of crisp white wine. My new Boston friend, Bubbles, a Brit ex-pat bring me here
once she hears (inevitably) how into food I am. Can I just say – thank you! As
we settle into our table, sticking out like sore thumbs I am flabbergasted by
the number of oysters on offer. How on earth am I going to choose? Luckily the
good people at Mare have this covered. The oysters are listed on a small slip
of paper with their region, size and taste described. You can then fill in the
sheet as you desire; one of some varieties, three of another. Each one is
absolutely perfect. For mains I opt for some crisp-skinned salmon with
white-bean puree and roasted fennel. The salmon is perfectly cooked and all the
components work well together, but it isn’t anything I haven’t tried before.
Bubbles opts for the lemon angel hair pasta with pan-seared diver scallops. The
scallops are beautifully plump gems and the pasta is tasty. A solid meal, go
for the oysters.
Papagayo
So due to proximity Mexican food
in the U.S.A. is meant to be worlds ahead of Mexican anywhere else (save Mexico
I guess) so I have to try at least one right? This place is close to the Boston
convention centre so due to the persuasive ways of proximity, this is where I end
up. This place is casual as they come, with bare wooden furniture and heaps of
space to plant your bum. They have s huge selection of tequila which I would
love to sample a hefty amount of, but as I am here on work I don’t think that
would be a terribly good idea. They have table-side preparation of ceviche and guacamole.
The ceviche is zingy but bulked out with prawns, so the beautiful fish becomes
a bit lost. The guacamole on the other hand is stunning. I don’t even need
nacho chips to accompany it, I could just eat it with a spoon! I get some tacos
al pastor, the huge portion of meat is tender but bland and served with a pineapple
salsa. The refried beans are essentially mush. It’s filling and cheap.
Top of the Hub - Prudential Towers
The main reason to visit this
place is to check out the view. Boston is no New York, but watching the sunset
over the bay while listening to live jazz while enjoying some wine and a
lobster roll makes this place the perfect touristy guilty pleasure.
Barrington Coffee Roasters
They have great coffee guys! As
in a beautiful espresso coffee with perfectly heated milk. I went here every
morning for my daily pep-up. The shop is mainly polished concrete with solid
wooden furniture; the main business here is take away, as such there aren’t many
places to perch yourself. They also have a nice selection of pastries. For
breakfast though I am unable to go past the toasted muesli with some lovely
sheep’s milk yogurt with ginger.
Artu
A lovely casual Italian eatery
with plenty of space to perch yourself at the bar to eat if (like me) you are traveling
solo. The staff are really helpful with choosing a nice American pinot noir,
and the lemon sole I order with quinoa is beautifully cooked. I keep
overhearing snippets of conversation, some in Italian, some with a thick Boston
accent. I tune into a conversation in time to hear ‘the whole family died in
that house…’ and tune out. Go for the food, and to spot a mobster.
Places I wanted to try but just couldn’t squeeze in…
The Butchery
Cappolo
B & G Oysters
No. 9 Park
Menton
Monday, 1 July 2013
Sticky Bar
Apparently when my friends invite me out for dinner they feel the need to impress me. The benefit of this is they take me to their favourite local eatery. It is a very personal affair; they hope I love it as much as they do. It's kind of like meeting your significant other's family for the first time. The HUB (as in network, not the other kind) mentioned a $15 Wednesday roast including a glass of wine at Sticky Bar. Sweet. Grab those bikes, get our trendy on and let's go.
A blank double storey white building greets us. There is no clear way in. The HUB leads me round the back of the building where a sign indicates we need to press the button and say the secret password 'Wednesday roast' to gain entry. How covert. The Chef lets us in, we park our bikes and head up a series of barely lit stairs. The first floor opens up into a bar space with two huge communal dining tables in a sunken space off to the left. Apparently they focus on functions here, but do the occaisional dining night where anyone can grab a seat and have a feed. Up another floor to sticky bar proper where chalk board walls display the days specials, the wine selection and an impressive sketch that changes regularly (today it's a young Charlie Sheen). The furniture is a mix of beat up elegance and solid wood.
We order two veal roasts with a sardine bruschetta to start. The bruschetta consists of zesty sardines on a broadbean paste with nice sourdough, a really enjoyable dish. The veal is perfectly cooked, served with mash that could be a bit smoother and somewhat boring 'slaw style salad, sans mayo. Wine is a shiraz from the Margaret River. Fine as a wine to go with dinner, but nothing special.
For a Wednesday night feed Sticky bar gets my vote. The atmosphere is cosy and chilled, and for $15 it is a really good deal.
Mecca
Coffee aficionados know Mecca does an excellent
brew. Whether you like it espresso, filter, cold drip or siphon, they have you
covered. It explains why they quickly went from one shop front on King st to a
further two in Ultimo and Circular Quay. Living in The Mont (Pyrmont) gives me convenient
access to Mecca's Ultimo incarnation, which is probably the most spacious of
the lot. Polished concrete floors, sturdy wooden logs and school-yard metal
chairs create a minimal fuss decor. The morning-rush regulars rarely pause long
enough to examine the Brasserie Bread pastries tantalisingly stacked near the
till. But if you stay a while folks you'll find the breakfast here is worth a
look-in.
Now this is not the place to go if you want a
huge fry-up that leaves you questioning the availability of space for oxygen in
your over-crammed body. Instead they have a nice selection of nicely sized
breakfasts ranging from the typical continental offerings of pastries and toast
with a selection of preserves to poached eggs on toast (no scrambled or
fried varieties offered here) with accompaniments such as tomato and
basil, pickled eggplant and salami, all with a lovely tomato relish. The lunch
menu is Panini dominated with crowd pleasers like bresaola, parmesan and
rocket, and leg ham, Dijon and cheese. There is also a roast
pork sandwich that teases me. But breakfast. Eggs; definitely.
I get the pickled eggplant option. It is an
interesting one. The eggplant is nicely pickled, having a sweet, tart flavour
that cuts through the rich salami and eggs. The eggplant has retained its
firmness giving the dish a good dollop of texture. The HUB gets the granola
with yogurt and stewed rhubarb (trying to be healthy or something, seriously
have you read the sugar content of that stuff?). No complaints arise. Crunchy,
not overly sweet, nice. The coffee is wonderful (as always). It’s a great place
to treat yourself to breakfast before a long day at work.
646 Harris St Ultimo
Mon-Fri: 7:00
am – 4:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
http://meccaespresso.com/
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Melbourne
Had a
little sneaky visit to Melboure in February for a conference and got around to
a few places I wanted to share. I know it is now May, but I'm a busy lady
alright? Besides everyone has their own favourites when they get down to
Melbourne; those hidden gems they proudly dsiscuss when anyone asks where they
should go when they visit Melbourne. Here are a few of my choices:
Mamsita:
The hip place to be at
present in Melbourne. Queues down the stairs, waiting an hour plus for a table,
minimal seating but some amazing Mexican food washed down with excellent
margaritas. If you get in early you can grab a spot at the window and do some
good old people watching. Recommend: the pork loin with almonds and
pomegranate.
St Ali: Great little coffee joint on Southbank. I had the pork terrine
sandwich. A little cumbersome and dry to eat, but tasty. I spent a good couple
of hours reading a book in the corner sipping coffee and just watching the
comings and goings of people. Recommend: the coffee!
Cumulus Inc: A licensed breakfast and lunch joint in
the Melbourne CBD that is super sleek all over. The menu is classics done
exceedingly well. The full English comes with smoked tomato, blood sausage
bacon and fried eggs. Each individual component is perfection; the heirloom
tomato is strong enough to cut through all the other rich components. The
bloody mary here kicks arse and so do the freshly baked lemon curd filled
madelines. Recommend: madelines.
Gigi Baba: Turkish
styled share plates in one of the best fit-outs I have ever seen. Wall to wall
rugs, long filament light bulbs and a large central marble bar make this place
cosy and cool. The eggplant dip is green and, while still smoky, has a vibrant
flavour you don’t get in most babaganoush. The lamb cutlet was beautifully
cooked in another dish we had. There was a chocolate and prune cake for desert.
I think it was a special, but if they have it on the menu for the love of god
get it! The prunes add a complexity to the chocolate that take this thing to
the next level. Recommend: that chocolate-pruney-cakey thingo.
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Tapavino
Apologies for not sharing this place with you sooner. I have been a total restaurant-hog, for which I feel incredibly guilty. 'How good is this place?' you wonder, that I would neglect my duty to infom you of good places to eat. If I told you that in one week I went four times (twice on the same night one occaision) will you start to get a picture?
Tapavino, as the name implies, does tapas and wine. Forget the fried, oily stodge that a lot of places try to pass off as tapas. This place is all about fresh, bright flavours with seperate parts of the menu dedicated to the sea and land. Jamon of course gets its own section. The pumpkin parfait is an amazing spicy, salty-sweet puree that spruiks the tongue for subsequent dishes. Dishes like tuna crudo with spicy roast almonds and sherry dressing stand out. Tender strips of tuna contrast with the satisfying crunch of crushed almonds. This dish is everything. Order it. Now. Seriously, stop reading and go get some.
Back? Ok.
The pork and duck terrine really celebrates the flavours of each meat. A special of slow roast lamb shoulder with yogurt, pomegranate and mint is served sitting in its own juices. Make sure you save some of the copius amounts of bread that come with the other dishes to soak this wonder sauce up. Damn fine. The razor clams are cold and lackluster with a broadbean puree and astringent citrus dressing that leaves the dish missing any cohesion or interest.
This bar is all about sherry, something I know squat about (except that it is mostly produced in Spain), but the staff are more than happy to help I guiding you through the sweet, dry crisp loveliness that is sherry. Most of the staff here have spent time working in Spain and know which tipple best suits the dishes ordered.
Upstairs takes reservations, but downstairs is the part of the restaurant that takes me back to Spain. Squeeze into a tiny table, eavesdrop on the next table over, eat great food and get merry.
Mon-Fri 11:00 am - 11:30 pm
6 Bulletin Place
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.tapavino.com.au/
Monday, 6 May 2013
Reuben Hills
Reuben Hills is one of those places I assumed was
always insanely packed (thanks TimeOut) and thus best avoided. However one
morning after yoga and not much sleep the night before I decided I needed to
reward myself with a coffee. A really good, really strong coffee. To the Hills!
The unassuming street frontage features a large window with a high bar and stools, with a few wooden boxes scattered out front for good measure. It looks small and cosy, but then you walk in and whoa! This place stretches all the way back to the rear alleyway where there is further outdoor seating. Polished concrete and slightly beat-up (but probably expensive), functional furniture fill the space and a large communal table up the back. The waist height kitchen and sideboard style service areas keep the whole space feeling generous. A mezzanine level holds a variety of coffee bean roasting paraphernalia, and shoves divine smells your way.
I decide coffee just ain't going to cut it this morning I want breakfast too! Thankfully when one needs a breakfast buddy The Socialite will answer the call. We settle in to pick something to eat. The menu here has a Spanish/South American influence to it featuring lots of tomato, spice and pork products. We are tempted by such items as the rice pudding with Pedro Ximenez soaked sultanas and Baleada with pimenton pulled pork and chimol (a radish salsa). In the end The Socialite goes for the Tradesmans Brioche with eggs, jamon, avo and relish. It arrives as a morish breakfast burger with skooshy eggs and the right bun to filling ratio. I go for the soft-baked eggs. The perfectly cooked eggs and ranchero (a tomato salsa which is just out of this world) are baked in a terracotta dish and topped with the jamon and spinach. You smash the lot together and pile it up on your toast and get ready to taste the most refreshing, utterly satisfying breakfast I have had in a long time. I don’t remember much of what happened between that dish arriving at the table and the last mouthful, I was on some kind of astral plane.
There are so many lunch dishes I’ll have to come back here to try. There aren’t many places that could entice me to believe they have ‘really fucking great fried chicken’, but after that breakfast I don’t doubt their claim. Ditto for the ‘that shit cray’ affogato.
The coffee is strong and delicious, the staff are great at what they do, the queues on the weekend can seem daunting, but the turnover is pretty sharp. This place deserves to be as busy as they are.
Update: I went back and tried the ‘really fucking great fried chicken’. It’s pretty up there.
Surry Hills
Sydney 2010
Monday-Saturday 7am-4pm
Sunday 8am-4pm
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Ippodu
Just about everyone in Sydney has
a favourite ramen joint. Often they are pokey, squished places filled with a
chorus of slurping and sniffling. On a cold day (or a particularly trying one)
nothing soothes the soul like some ramen. Even chicken soup cannot withstand
the mighty awesomeness that is ramen. Recently a true force in Ramen has made
it to our shores (no, not David Chang); Ippodu, the Fukuoka based ramen noodle
brand whose name translates to ‘one wind hall’ (ominous) has set the local
Japanese and student population abuzz. Ippodu was established in the
southernmost major city in Japan in 1985 by Shigemi Kawahara, the three time TV
champion Ramen Chef who has earned himself a place in the Ramen hall of Fame (I
had no idea that existed either). This humble operation has spread from Japan
to New York, Singapore and finally to us. Ippodu is located on the 5th
floor food court area of the newly vamped Sydney City Westfield, it is the
restaurant obscured by that big, thick line of people. Word has spread fast
about this place. The Jet-Setter and I somehow manage to time it so that there
is barely a queue; possibly it is because we are loitering around the city a little
too late on a school night! The staff shout their enthusiastic ‘irasshaimase’
as we are guided past the central communal tables to a spot with plenty of
elbow room along the far wall. In contrast to the many other ramen joints in
Sydney there is plenty of space between the tables for gesticulation and
noodle-wrangling purposes. The décor is all pine and slate, with what looks
like pieces of roof tiles decorating one of the walls.
Our waiter breezes along and is so
super bubbly that just having a chat to him raises the spirit of mentally
drained, hungry me. We get some edamame (steamed soy beans) to start. They are
lightly salted, still nice and firm; fresh. The Jet-Setter gets the famous Akamaru
Tamago (tonkotsu broth) ramen with egg and I opt for a portion of Barramundi Saikyo
Yaki. The Ramen is rich, garlicky, the pork tender and meaty. Oh it is ramen,
the best ramen. The noodles are al dente so there is a slight bite to them. The
Barramundi is miso marinated, a lovely and salty dish cut through with the sinus-clearing
tang of wasabi sauce. I would recommend ordering rice on the side of this dish
to bulk it out a bit. All this is washed down with two big glasses of ice-cold
Asahi. Despite his best efforts the waiter can’t convince us to order desert,
even though the black sesame pannacotta looks really good. And so it is off
into the night, with tummies full of great Japanese food and enough money left
over for some cocktails.
Westfield Sydney
Level 5
Sydney NSW 2000
Monday, 18 February 2013
The Morrisson
It has been a hectic few months culminating in a big win for
me and I want oysters and a big glass of white damn it! Get me to The Morrison.
The Morrison Oyster Bar is the
newest Sean Connelly offering and is located at the former Brooklyn Hotel site
on the corner of George and Grosvenor St. While the Brooklyn never succeeded in
luring me inside, it didn’t take long for the expanses of large white tiles,
polished concrete and wooden floors of The Morrison to sell me. The whole place
has a light, clean feeling reminiscent of a New York industrial warehouse/French
bistro (yeah, well you try to describe it any better!). Given that it is a
Friday the place is packed when I walk in, and the noise a little oppressive.
The central bar is swamped, pumping out the signature Morrison cocktail, the
now ubiquitous freshly squeezed apple juice and rye whiskey (thanks Shady
Pines) and a wide range of oyster shooters accompanied by flavours such as mint,
lemon and jalapeno.
The menu is a neat selection of
re-vamped and twisted crowd pleasers divided by size and contents. The lighter
and shared dishes include ‘chicken lollipops’ of southern fried chicken with
chilli and molasses dip or the ‘flight of hams’, a study of three cured hams.
There is also the My Diane, something not seen so regularly on menus in Sydney
anymore, but a classic that I will always enjoy.
However I promised myself a nice
selection of oysters as a treat. With a glass of French Chablis in hand I order
a mixed dozen. The oysters here change based on availability and up on the
board today we have Pambula and Port Stephens rock, and Hawkesbury Pacifics.
The oysters are shucked fresh to order at a bar in the far left of the room and
are delightful. I discover that The Morrison’s talents are not limited solely
to oysters upon ordering the pork cutlet. This is a tricky cut of meat to do
well. It must be cooked right the way through without drying out the meat. At
The Morrison they serve it with a ‘green sauce’ containing kale, parsley, sage
and other lovely herby things roughly blended and heaped generously on the
cutlet. I didn’t think anything would ever outdo the apple as the accompaniment
of choice for pork, but…well it happened. The fresh sauce cuts through the richness
of the pork, making for a great dish. The greens with jamon crumbs are also
very good, we end up licking the dish clean! Those crumbs be good. The other in
the party (Dad) orders the dry aged hamburger served medium rare on a brioche
bun, with chipotle mayo and duck fat chips. I don’t even get a look-in. He
inhales it. That is probably the best recommendation that burger can have.
This place is relaxed enough to
enjoy on any night of the week, and I have to go back to try some of the other
fabulous sounding things on the menu.
225 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Thursday, 31 January 2013
Mr. Wong
Australia Day Monday. How to celebrate? With Chinese food
obviously!
3 Bridge Lane
Sydney NSW 2000
It happens to be pissing down
with rain thanks to the remnants of cyclone Oswald, so it is the perfect day to
be inside with good food and nice cocktails. Unfortunately everyone else
wandering around Sydney seems to have the same idea. Luckily my forward-thinking
mother booked us the best table in the house (I’m not telling you which one) in
advance, so we are quickly whisked from the wet doorway to our cosy nook.
Those of you who are fans of the
Merivale group will know that Mr. Wong has replaced the former nightclub Tank,
but the last thing this place feels like is a converted bar. There are thick
wooden beams, dark green tiles, 1920’s light fittings and an eclectic mixture
of wooden furniture, both modern and colonial. A healthy bustle fills the
space, which takes up two floors. Only the upper floor is open for lunch
service, and the space is full. At the far right end there is a kitchen replete
with a few benches for customers who enjoy watching the carnage in the kitchen,
and large glass case full of BBQ chicken, pork and pecking duck. Quite a
display! In the middle is the dumpling kitchen, and round the corner to the
left is a beautifully stocked cocktail bar.
The menu is styled much like the
one at your local Chinese; dumplings and raw dishes are listed first and
subsequent dishes are categorised either by meat or noodles and rice. There are
even banquet menus ranging from $68 to $148. The selection of dishes is
comprehensive enough to cover all your favourites (including sweet and sour
pork), but not so large you get lost. Even if you do flounder a bit the
crisply-dressed staff are extremely helpful. We start with a selection of
dumplings, which are apparently designed by a master dumpling chef from London
of all places! The lobster mei si roll is crisp and contains a surprise vein of
cheese and a slither of fragrant greens; beautifully balanced. The Xiao Long
Bao, or ‘soup’ dumplings are just perfection. The translucent asparagus and
scallop dumplings with XO sauce are equally satisfying. Looks like the
head-hunting for an kick-arse dumpling chef paid off.
Now all of you know how big a fan
I am of the steak tartare at Ms. G’s, so when I saw the Sichuan spiced steak
tartare on Mr. Wong’s menu you know I had to give it a try. The floral Sichuan
pepper and garlic marry well with the rich red meat. It is a very satisfying
interpretation. We also order the five spice slow roast belly pork with Hoi
Sin. It is tender with perfectly rendered fat, and the lovely crispy spiced
skin is satisfying to bite through. We also order the stir-fried rice noodles
with Wagyu beef, bean sprouts and garlic chives. This dish is possibly the only
one I wouldn’t bother ordering again. This sweet dish is missing any depth. It
could do with either some acid or spice to lift it.
I am so, so in love. Thank you
Merivale group. You have your critics, but I am not one of them.
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Sushi E
We in Sydney do love our sushi. Oh yes indeed we do. And while there are many nice places in Sydney to enjoy a chunk of raw fish (mainly in train format) there is only one place that captures some of the essence of a Tokyo sushi restaurant, Sushi E.
The Establishment building on
George St. is mostly known for its namesake bar on the ground floor (P.S. do
not go here on salsa night unless already accompanied by a man, seriously), but
if you venture to the 4th floor and manage to resist the charms of
Hemmesphere you will find arguably the best sushi restaurant in Australia. You
are guided to a hushed space, humming with light chatter and sleekly dressed
staff. There are about 40 seats, half of which are dotted around the waist-high,
central kitchen. Classically trained Japanese sushi Chefs reverently slice fish
to order overlooked by their well-heeled clientele.
While the almost religious mood
of sushi dining has been maintained at Sushi E, the menu has been tweaked to
include many non-sushi options as directed by Chef Ura-san. We start with two
Sydney rock oysters, one natural, one steamed. The natural oyster comes with
salmon roe, cucumber and ponzu, a lovely refreshing combination. The second
oyster is delicately poached, retaining the creamy texture you expect of an
oyster accompanied by soy, mirin, shallot and peanut oil. This is followed by
snapper sashimi dressed with white soy and sesame. It is by far my favourite
dish. Every component lifts the next, with the slightly smoky sesame balancing
the sweet flesh of the snapper, and the salty soy rounding the dish off. The
prawn shumai are silky little pillows that melt in your mouth. A truly stunning
sashimi platter comes with tuna, salmon, kingfish and bonito. Save the bonito
for last; it’s intense flavour is a pretty unique sashimi experience (in a good
way). Seared scallops coated with spicy mayo and chilli are quickly devoured,
as is the scampi nigiri sushi.
The cocktails up here are
excellent. I recommend the Ume royal, a Japanese take on the Kir royal. A
bitters soaked sugar cube, sake and Chandon. The rest of the meal is
accompanied by cold sake, akishika shuzo, a lovely dry sake that goes
beautifully with the meal.
If you do find yourself in need
of a really good sushi fix, this is your place. Nab a spot at the bar if you
can, it is the best spot to watch the chefs work their magic and do a little
people watching for night time entertainment.
Level 4, Establishment
252 George St, Sydney 2000
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Momofuku Seiṑbo
So Momofuku Seiṑbo. The
super-hyped, New York import that has Sydney siders harping away at
Melbournites. David Chang blah blah, lucky peach blah blah, you can read that
shite anywhere. I’m going to tell you about the food…
Going out for dinner is a ritual
engrained in many cultures, each with their own variations, but for the most
part it has a fairly predictable natural progression. The courses get richer as
the meal progresses, alike dishes will all be plated in exactly the same manner
and desert is the final course. Not so at Momofuku Seiobo. The team at this
place do what they want, when they want, how they want, and now it is exactly
what I want. This place has selected which rules they want to follow and have
discarded the rest. There are no white table cloths, the dishes are served by
the chefs, music circulates through rock’n’roll to chilled Radiohead to
hip-hop, you do not know what you will be eating that evening until it lands on
your table and you get to use your hands! I think the one change that shocked
me most (and this is lame of me) is that the still and sparkling water are both
filtered tap water, so you don’t have to pay shitloads to stay hydrated if you
like some fizz. Sounds like utter chaos eh? Reality is they know what they are
doing and invite you along to discover a new form of dining. One where all
pretence is removed. Instead it is about the flavours and textures, and those
hard working geniuses in the kitchen putting it all together for you.
Momofuku Seiṑbo is snuggled away
behind closely-spaced dark beams opposite the glare of Adriano Zumbo’s patisserie
at The Star; only a large silver peach indicates that there is something
inside. The dining room is dark woods and deep blue, with a small spotlight
over each table making the setting intimate. You must pre-book. The system is
not difficult to navigate if you are organised, so quit whingeing about it.
Once your bum is on a seat the food starts arriving. Now the menu here varies,
with one or two dishes changing on a daily basis as ingredients are fresh, or
new ideas arise. You should trust these guys.
All up there were 14 courses. And
there is no way I am going to describe all of them to you. We started with
smoked eel brandad, with apple gel. The crisp pastry hides salty, smoky mash
cut through with the bitter sweet tang of green apple. Best part; you eat it
with your fingers. Yes next up was a pork bun. These are world famous. This is what
people line up for. And guess what? At Momofuku Seiṑbo they sell them per piece
at the bar, so you can have a dinner consisting solely of buns. And booze.
Next; striped trumpeter with celery and mustard oil (chopsticks for this one).
The celery enhances the freshness of the dish, and the mustard oil provides the
richness and tang the lifts the dish from being regular sashimi to something
else. The most interesting dish was the wagyu beef with radish, black bean and
watermelon. The beef is diced finely with watermelon, coated in blackbean and
then hidden under finely shaved radish. The watermelon and astringent fresh
radish cut through the black bean and beef creating a dish that takes a couple
of mouthfuls for the flavour combination to get rolling, but once it does there
is this wonderful whole-mouth feel to the dish (oh dear that sounds dirty).
I think my favourite dish was the
ham congee with donuts and yolk, but then I am a huge fan of salt. A beautiful
dollop of soft, briny rice porridge contrasts with the crisp little fried balls
of savoury dough, coated with a thin egg yolk film. Just enough of each to get
the perfect amount in each mouthful. I could eat this dish forever. Marron with
broccoli and lemon was probably the most conventional dish served, and would
have been at home in any of Sydney’s top restaurants. Squab with caramelised
lettuce and pear comes as a breast and a leg (foot still attached – love it!).
The breast is medium rare and a little on the tough side but the leg is
fall-apart tender. The pear matches nicely and the ‘cooked’ lettuce provides
the fresh flavours the dish needs to cut through all the richness.
Dessert is roasted pineapple with
yogurt wafers, and vinaigrette sorbet. Yeah, vinaigrette sorbet. Oh man, so
good. We all sat there for a long one trying to guess that one! The sorbet
matches the slight bitter tang of the pineapple, rather than trying to smother
it. The caramelisation of the pineapple the sweetness of the yogurt wafer round
the dish out and prevent it being too punchy. Now for the final course, more a
‘petit fours’ according to the staff, a dish of 8 hour slow roasted, caramelised
pork shoulder. Meat? After desert? Oh yes. And this pork is good! I don’t care
when you serve it, I just want it. It is to be eaten with the hands. Get
messy.
Drinks wise there is the pairing
(if you can handle 14 glasses), but there is also a fruitjuice degustation for
teetotallers. I went with Pinot Noir from Bordeaux, forget the name. The wine
selection is long enough to satisfy curiosity, but short enough not to get lost
in.
This restaurant is not for
everyone. If you are after the classic opulent special-occasion dinner where
you can get a steak and potatoes this place is not for you. However if you want
to explore food the likes of which you have never experienced before get
yourself to a computer.
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