Sagra

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/

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/

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.

http://drinkfortpoint.com/

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.

http://drinkfortpoint.com/

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!

http://beehiveboston.com/

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.

http://www.mareoysterbar.com/content/menu.html

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.    

http://www.papagayoboston.com/

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.

http://www.topofthehub.net/

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.

http://www.barringtoncoffee.com/

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.

http://artuboston.com/

Places I wanted to try but just couldn’t squeeze in… 

The Butchery

Cappolo

B & G Oysters

No. 9 Park

Menton

 

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/

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.

http://mamasita.com.au/

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!

http://stali.com.au/

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.

http://cumulusinc.com.au/

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.

http://travelinsider.qantas.com.au/gigibaba_melbourne.htm

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/

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.

61 Albion St

Surry Hills

Sydney 2010

Monday-Saturday           7am-4pm

Sunday                            8am-4pm

http://reubenhills.com.au/about

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 5^th 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

http://www.ippudo.com.au/

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.   

http://themorrison.com.au/

225 George St

Sydney, NSW 2000

Mr. Wong

Australia Day Monday. How to celebrate? With Chinese food obviously!

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.  

3 Bridge Lane

Sydney NSW 2000

http://merivale.com.au/mrwong

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 4^th 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

http://merivale.com.au/sushie

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.

Bar Zini

A small Italian hideaway (replete with Italian staff) that knows a thing or two about la dolce vita. In the morning you will find locals knocking back coffee at the bar, the barista starting conversations with all the regulars, and people snatching a quick moment with their loved one before work. It makes the start to the day that much brighter. For breakfast I recommend the bacon and egg roll, it is rare to find a straightforward one nowadays in Sydney; runny free-range eggs, lovely smoked bacon, Turkish bread, and that’s your lot. Incidentally they do spanking good coffee right through the day. Lunch has all the pastas and salads you expect, all balanced and refreshing – definitely not the stoge some places try and pass off as Italian. Evening, however, is my favourite time of day at this joint. When the weather is warm and the air is buzzing with post-work recreation, a frosty glass of Italian white and some lightly dressed pasta is just the ticket for a civilised wind-down. Want to know what makes this even better? It’s free! Every Thursday and Friday between 5pm and 7 pm Bar Zini generously invites everyone to enjoy free aperitivo consisting of salad, pizza and pasta. If you have religiously saved ten coffee stamps the glass of wine is thrown into the bargain too! I must warn you, if you do take up this generous offer it is highly likely the dinner menu will lure you to stay for something a little more substantial. As the menu varies daily I can’t make specific recommendations but past favourites include; veal scallopine with gorgonzola sauce and spinach and some fantastic mussels with a rich tomato based sauce and soft polenta. Whatever time of day you find yourself in Bar Zini you will enjoy it.  

78 Harris St
Pyrmont NSW 2009
http://www.barzini.com.au/

Tasmania

I owe you all an apology. According to Blogger I haven't posted since the 5th of September. An extremely busy work schedule and one friend's fabulous wedding has meant that I have barely had time to remind my family that I'm alive. Hopefully I'll be able to update you on all the restaurants I have tried in the past couple of months.

I thought I'd start with a brief overview of a few of the places I tried in Hobart.

Pigeon Hole: A little trek uphill through Hobart brings you to a lovely little cafe in a suburb full of pretty houses. The kitchen is located in an old fridge, but despite the space limitation they manage to pump out a range of home-made breads and in-one-pan egg breakfasts that are simply delectable. It is hard to resist one of the lovely pastries on display for a post-breakfast treat. I recommend the rhubarb danish with one of Pigeon Hole's coffees.

Jam Jar Lounge: They have Bloody Mary cocktails on the breakfast menu. Enough said.

Daci and Daci: Fantastic bakery, you cannot go near this place and not be tempted! Pain au chocolate passed the test.

Jackman and McRoss: Another fine bakery. Get a pork and pistachio sausage roll a go for a stroll around the Battery Point area.

MONA Wine Bar: When you can't take anymore sex and death slink away to the MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) Wine Bar for super fresh Tassie oysters and lovely Ploughman's lunch. With a vineyard and brewery on-site there is no shortage of drinkies! (Don't get the Moo Brew larger, tasted like floral VB).

Jack Greene Bar: Burgers! Really good ones! And about 10 beers on tap; feels really similar to the Local Taphouse on Flinders in Sydney. The Fish burger comes as an actual fillet of perfectly cooked fish. Blue-eye trevalla no less! The Belly Pork burger is also worth a look in. Top it off with cider and you are well on your way.

Nant Distillery: An artisan distillery an hour outside of Hobart, near Bothwell. Three course lunch, whisky tasting, distillery tour and two hours of clay-pigeon shooting; what more could you want? Lunch consisted of confit trout from the distillery’s own streams, twice cooked duck with plums and a fabulous sticky toffee pudding with whisky butterscotch sauce. The blokes running the shoot are hilarious. I want their life.

Salamanca Markets: A must-do if in Hobart on a Saturday. Go to one of the German sausage sizzle stands, get a bratwurst and take in a buskers show.

Kate's Berry Farm: If you find yourself driving up the east coast of Tasmania make sure you stop in at Kate's Berry Farm in Swansea. They have a selection of berry pies, jams and chocolates for sale. Disappointingly no fresh berries! But the pies are stuffed full of berries and are absolutely delectable.

The Edge of the Bay Restaurant: Attached to the Edge of the Bay hotel this is one of two up-market restaurants in Coles Bay, near Freycinet national park. The menu is limited, and there isn't much seafood on the menu (two dishes in all) which is such a shame given the restaurant sits on the edge of such pristine water. I thought they would at least have oysters. The pulled pork entree was seasoned very strangely and wasn't enjoyable. The main coral trout was perfectly cooked and beautifully accompanied. The cheese plate was lack-luster. The view however was knock-out.

Coles Bay Marine Farm: The oysters were a bit deflated, having been left too long between shucking and serving. The scallops and mussels were beautifully cooked. Nice place for a spot of lunch.

Blue Eye Dragon

Now I owe The Jet-setter an apology. She wanted to go to this restaurant before I had tried it, and in my indecisive flimsyness I suggested somewhere else. Stupid past-self. Now I have been; come close dear readers, for I am about to share with you a gem of a restaurant. Sure Australia has some rockin' Asian food, some cheap and cheerful, others ritzy, but this place has an intangible magic about it that makes it one of my absolute favourites.

Blue eye dragon is located behind The Star casino on Pyrmont St. nestled in an old school hall next to a quaint little church. A huge iron dragon guards the entrance to a very sparse looking concrete courtyard that has pieces of naturally formed, expensive looking furniture that give the place a very Zen feel. A door to the left opens up into the cavernous dining room that still contains the 'stage' from the buildings days as a school. Diners up here are subtly screened so they need not worry about their eating habits being on display, so feast away!

The tables are white-clothed topped with large sheets of paper, and the delicate light provides intimacy without making the menu difficult to read. Now a note about the staff; they are brilliant! The restaurant owner greets every new table at the door with a huge grin. He warmly seats you and explains how the menu works. There is the straight up a la carte delio, or of there are four of you in your party you can order the banquet. If you are lucky enough to be in the latter situation, DO IT! At $50 per person you get to choose 6 entrees and 4 mains. Yep, ten courses! While these dishes are designed for sharing they certainly aren't tapas sized. My family, the one full of chefs, had to take the last dish home. We simply couldn't fit anything more! And we are well trained in the multi-course marathon. For shame!

You could choose dishes like the fried chicken with five spice salt, or the pork mince filled tofu. You must get the beef shin; don't argue with me! Queensland scallops in house XO sauce, slightly spicy with the right balance of sour and salty without overpowering the delicate meat of the shellfish. You all know I am a huge fan of belly pork, so the slow cooked version in an awesome salty broth is always on my 'must order' list. The beef fillet is also on there. Now I realise this isn't Taiwanese cuisine in the authentic sense, it has most definately been re-styled for the western clienelle but they have done a nice job of it. Kept the flavours we love but ditched the blood jellies and chicken feet. Go, you know you can't stay away now you have read about it.

http://www.blueeyedragon.com.au/pc.php

Graze

It’s Friday night after a very long week at work. I have tickets to go see ‘The Beards’ at the Manning Bar, but they won’t be taking the stage till about 10 pm. My date, being the workaholic he is won’t be out of work until 8 pm so I have a few hours to kills. Hey Mum fancy dinner out? My treat? Deal.

I have wanted to try this share-plate restaurant in Pyrmont since it first opened its doors to reveal a funky, mod interior that is all light wood furnishings and dark walls with large French windows that open out onto Harris Street on a hot night.  My thinking was ‘why not give it a try for lovely lady-night-out’? Surprisingly Graze has space to squeeze a last minute booking for two on a Friday, only if we come straight away though. So come we do.

Mum and I are escorted upstairs to a nicely spaced dining room decorated in the same style as downstairs. There is a balcony that faces onto Harris street with counter-space and seating for four diners, an ideal people-watching spot I’ll be sure to nab next time (especially on a Saturday; the crowds that go to the Casino are hilarious! Ladies the world is not your gynaecologist). Despite the emptiness of the restaurant at this early dinner hour the atmosphere is intimate and relaxed, none of that awkward whispering-until-the-room-fills required. The staff, are among the best I have encountered, they are ever-present, never intrusive, have perfect timing and are happy to chat and have a laugh. Furthermore they are not ‘gimicky’ (as much fun as that is at times), they are just really good at what they do. 

So what to eat? Well the jamon and cheese toasty with cauliflower milkshake just sounds too good to pass up. The toasties are mini, buttery and crispy, with the warm cauliflower milkshake served in a mini Perspex milk carton. How fun! We also get truffled duck egg on toast with parmesan and grilled asparagus. These little soft-poached gems are stunning. The earthy truffle combined with the bite of parmesan, crunchy toast and asparagus make for a dish that should be on every cafes lunch menu. Simple, not fussy, ever so perfect. The soft shell crab with native finger lime dressing is also lovely, but my heart belongs to the duck eggs.

For mains we have chicken wings with sweet potato puree and corn that has a lovely balance of sweet and salty. The wings have been nicely de-boned so you can eagerly stuff your face with the juicy, tender meat. The second main of filo wrapped lamb doesn’t quite hit the right notes though. The pastry isn’t as light and fluffy as we would have liked, and it isn’t ample enough to absorb the juices from the lamb mince. While the pastry has remained crisp, there isn’t a flavour that comes through strongly enough to be the centrepiece of the meal. It is a bit flat. All this food is washed down with a lovely Italian wine that I randomly select (I am really flying blind here, Australian wine is the only type I know anything about) and it turns out to be lovely (but naturally too much led me to forget the name of it). Reminds me a lot of a granache, mourvedre blended with something else. Smooth.  

Desert consists of Eaton mess, strawberries, meringue and cream has all the right components, but not enough meringue and a bit too much cream. The balance of flavours needs work. The espresso crème brulee with rhubarb has lovely texture and the interesting combination of espresso and rhubarb is nice. I could go another one to myself (we had to share didn’t we?).

Overall this place is warm and welcoming, a lovely option if you want to linger of nice wine and food to catch up with friends, family or the other half you keep neglecting for episodes of revenge.   

http://grazepyrmont.com.au/

Wok Station

Everyone has a favourite local restaurant. The cheap, easy one you go to when it is raining, there is nothing in the fridge or you are having a really lazy night and just damn well don't feel like cooking, OK? Wok station is mine.

It is a Thai restaurant on Harris st and Union square, perfectly located to snare locals and professionals on their way home who realise their stomach is eating itself. Most of the seating is inside, but in summer the folding windows and doors open out allowing the people, curry and BYO booze to be flung (yup, flung) onto the footpath covering the neighbourhood with the hum of eating, drinking and general merriment (@ Jet-setter; that one is for you).

 It is a Monday. It is 8:30 pm. I have been at run-club and subsequently could eat the crutch out of a low flying duck. So when Cueball suggests Thai for dinner I get pretty excited. We nab our favourite table, the one with the throne-like chairs near the window, and settle in for some people-watching. Wok station has recently had a makeover. Previously the set-up was basic with metal chairs and tables, it did not invite the diner to linger over their meal. Now however under their new 'romantic event' slogan (yeah, so Asian) there is warm lighting, comfy chairs and a bit more of a go-slow atmosphere (in the dining room, not the kitchen).

This place has your standard pad Thai and chilli basil stirfry, but the dish I always get is this green curry pork called 'Gang keaw waan moo yang'. It is green curry overflowing with greenbeans and young eggplant, with a sprinkling of fresh peppercorns, packing the right amount of heat to get the nose running. The thick cuts of pork are cooked on a grill so it is tender and juicy, and gives the dish a slightly smoky flavour. Another favourite is the simmering seafood. This is a sweeter, soy based dish with generous serves of calamari, fish, and prawns. We generally get satay skewers, which can be a little dry sometimes but that is easily remedied with helpings of the fantastic peanut sauce. Otherwise we go for the diamond bags, little parcels of wonton pastry filled with nuts, spices and seafood.

Other fabulous dishes include Thunder Chicken; minced chicken and spring onion in tamarind sauce, and massaman lamb curry; one of the best versions of this curry I have had. So while this is my local, if you happen to walk past with an empty stomach, the food is nice, the staff are nice and it is conviently located next to one of the nicest watering holes in Sydney (Gallon, review is on its way!).

The Fish Shop

Being from ye olde merry England I really appreciate how much more awesome my life here in Oz is. But there is one thing that Australia just can't get right; fish and chips! Who would have thought this country with all the blue stuff around it and an apparent love affair with seafood would struggle with such a simple dish? The fish must be freshly battered and crisp. The chips must be fresh, not frozen and certainly not processed! Yet time and again I get soggy batter, overcooked fish, and chips that don't even deserve to be called chips. 'Geriatric mash' might be a better name.So when I heard that Merivale's own Brit Jeremy Strode was opening up The Fish Shop in Potts Point I got a little excited. I grabbed me a Brit and a Scot and went for a gander.

The Fish Shop is set up 'canteen' style with high tables and bar stools scattered throughout the decent space. Small touches like mismatched furniture, stained glass inserts and wooden panelling give this place the aura of your favourite summer holiday fish shop down the south coast. The kitchen is open, with four bar stools a little invasively placed along one counter overlooking the kitchen. The bar is nestled up the back. Menus come as mini newspapers with fun factoids. For example did you know that a scallop has hundreds of eyes, all of which are blue? Might have to google that one.

We start with potato scallops and some natural oysters. The oyster are fresh and the potato scallop isn't processed! Generous slatherings of salt and Satchwell's vinegar make this the best potato scallop I have had in years. This bodes well. Now for the mains. Specials are scrawled on the blackboard. I decide grilled kingfish is just the thing, while the odd couple go for classic battered fish.The fish and chips are divine. The right amount of crisp, golden batter encapsulates lovely delicate whitehead fillets. The tartare is homemade, the chunks are identifiable. Oohh gherkin, capers. And the chips, bless me the chips. Fresh!

My kingfish arrives with crispy skin and a lemony rocket salad. It is a simple composition that highlights what an awesome fish that kingfish is. Oh thankyou humble kingfish for being so very delicious. Given the prices I'm very happy with the portion sizes. No main is over $30 (though I'm sure adding lobster or crab to the specials menu would change that!).

I have a gin and rhubarb cocktail for desert (alco) though I am tempted by the ice cream sandwich on offer. I'll save that one for next time I reckon. Though Time Out just did a write up so heaven knows if ill be able get a seat there anytime soon. Can we get a poms seated first policy happening? I'm hooked!

http://merivale.com.au/thefishshop/

Concrete blonde

I have been lured to The Cross on a Sunday for one very good reason; Sunday Roast and I have it on good authority that Concrete Blonde is the place to go.

This place is located on Bayswater road in the same complex as Hugo’s. There is a lovely canopied outdoor seating area, and lounge seats on which to enjoy a pre-dinner (or lunch) drink in the afternoon sun. I assume this place is named after the U.S. rock group of the same name, though the name has been interpreted literally in the interesting glass door to the toilet, which contains patterns and text made of concrete set in the glass. The fit-out feels expensive, but the tone of the restaurant is quite casual.

After the parents, Cueball and I settle into our seats, I spy the kitchen. It is open, and you can see the chefs flitting back and forth, that bit is pretty standard. But the wood-fire spit and free-standing circular grills sure aren’t! Unfortunately there isn’t anything on the spit today, but our waitress informs us that last night there was a special of spit-roasted suckling pig. If that isn’t the best combination of food related words I have heard in a while. Given that the pig understandably sold out last night I go for the grass-fed Tasmanian roast beef with all the traditional trimmings. Think buttery beans and carrots, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes and jus served alongside a thick cut of just-medium beef. Oh it is heaven, absolute heaven. Of course I managed to squeeze in an entrée first; ham hock terrine with sourdough toast, perfectly accompanied by a large glass of chardonnay (Canobolas-Smith, Orange 2006). Pinot noir (Explorer by Surveyor Thomson) with the beef, from Central Otago duh (seriously who isn’t on the Otago bandwagon yet?).

Though the beef leaves me absolutely stuffed I am completely suckered in by the warm lemon pudding with vanilla bean ice-cream. It is spongy on top, and gooey inside. Others on the table go for honeycomb parfait and a valrhona chocolate terrine with raspberries and chocolate soil. Parfait, well everybody loves parfait, and for those chocaholics out there the valrhona is everything you need and want.

For $48, the Sunday lunch menu on offer at Concrete Blonde is more than a bargain, I am so stuffed I actually walk home to avoid my stomach bursting. That roast beef is the best I have had at any restaurant, and if they have the suckling pig on again God help anyone who prevents me from getting a reservation!

 http://www.concreteblonderestaurant.com.au/