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.

 

Mecca

646 Harris St Ultimo

Mon-Fri:          7:00 am – 4:00 pm

Sat:                  8:00 am – 3:00 pm

http://meccaespresso.com/