Churros are a real warm childhood memory for me; every Christmas morning we would eat them for breakfast with my grandmother's thick hot chocolate. My grandfather had a wonderful churrera that churned out perfect star shaped donuts cooked of course in Spanish olive oil. Since moving away from my family I've found it hard to find good churros, most of the ones you do see are of the Mexican style dusted in cinnamon and without chocolate... well what's the point of churros without chocolate?! Obviously the founders of San Churro feel the same way because really... their entire menu is churros and various types of chocolate. Awww yeah.



After a boiling hot day mincing around Glebe in ridiculous goth platforms I really needed a) air conditioning and b) a seat. San Churro provided both as well as lovely cool Spanish inspired arch and tile eatery.... and of course lots of chocolate.

It's rather amusing to note that San Churro is a purely Australian chain, not an import from a Hispanic country; but they got it all just right as far as I'm concerned.



The delicious display of cakes looked wonderful, but really I was there for the churros and hot chocolate so these little tempting treats would have to wait.



Similarly so for this display of truffles but they were too pretty not to take a picture of; you can read more on the new Coleccion Clasica truffle range here.

On to what we were really here for though!



Spanish Hot Chocolate Azteca $6.50

Spanish and Italian style hot chocolate is much thicker than their French or English counterparts; often made with a flour ingredient and almost roux style. This rendition is thick and rich, claiming to be from an 'authentic Spanish recipe' I can't verify but it is just lovely.

The Azteca is a South American inspired mix of cinnamon and chilli, which I am well known for loving. It is so tasty that I am virtually incable of letting it cool enough to drink because I want it all in my mouth right now! Very very much recommended. I am very interested in trying their other Spanish hot chocolates as there are Avellana, Mint and Gianduja flavours and more.



Milk Hot Chocolate $5.90

My companion goes for a more standard hot chocolate but is very enthusiastic about his choice. You can buy this in both couverture and standard versions, with a tablet of melting chocolate in the couverture version. I however will always stick with the more traditional Spanish style.



Churros for 1 $6.90

If you buy this for two you get twice as many churros and 2 chocolate pots. Given the richness of the hot chocolate though I am very glad I only buy this for one to share as we are undone by the end of the meal.

The churros seem to be made to a very standard traditional recipe for these "Spanish donuts" which requires making a roux based pastry using butter and eggs. This is then deep fried using the largest churrera I've ever seen, the wheel is more like that of a ship than a kitchen implement! The churros are warm and light, very rich but obviously using high quality oil that has been well drained. Being lactose intolerant I ask for dark chocolate, but a choice is offered. This is evidently recently melted good quality dark chocolate and the amount that is given is more than generous.

All in all this is a very good rendition, there is always a risk when you eat out the cuisine you are served by any ethnic grandmother, because they rarely stack up. This is the exception, let San Churro be your salvation!

San Churro Chocolateria, Glebe
http://www.sanchurro.com/
47 Glebe Point Road,
Glebe, NSW 2037
02 9692 0119


Mon-Thu 10am-11pm
Fri 10am-Midnight
Sat 9am-Midnight
Sun 10am-11pm

Cafe style eating, no alcohol, no reservations
Take away available

With my university assessments out of the road it's been a luxurious weekend socialising and doing scene things and that means when I wake up on a Sunday morning I think "what should I like to do for lunch" instead of dragging myself to my keyboard to write.

On this warm and a little lazy Sunday that meant going to Glebe for the annual street fair held on Glebe Point Rd with all it's foodie glory and endless street stalls.



Unfortunately when you get to Glebe the street is a "little busy" ... for over a kilometer. I'm not great with the public at the best of times let alone when people stand stock still in a packed street fair so I have little patience but the endless streams of socialising with people I knew and the tasty street food certainly makes up for this.



On arrival this WWII era period singing group were crooning on the wonders of coffee, it seemed a fitting beginning to my fair day!



Almustafa selling traditional Lebanese sweets and hookahs.



This chilli stall had people in wondrous hysterics, I did not buy any as my fridge is already over flowing with hot condiments I barely use!



In Sydney fairs the gozleme is the flat bread of choice but with our growing sub-continental Asian population I was not surprised to see this Indian stall being very popular.



One of about 12 gozleme stalls along the strip, I did in fact buy a spinach and feta gozleme but was so hungry I ate it before I remembered to take a picture! Bad blogger!



This dim sum station was churning out yum cha delights. I had attempted to buy one of their BBQ duck buns at the Night Noodle Markets during Good Food month and they were out of stock. Not today!



Sweet char sui and roasted duck with caramelised onions in soft white dough, just right for $2.50... would buy again!



I'm sure there are some for whom it is vital that you own a brand name coffee chain t-shirt, but I've never seen such a thing before!



Ambrosia marinated olives



Common Ground Bakery, their sour dough spelt and carob treats are a must for the bread enthusiast. Not cheap, but worth every penny.



A woman makes small dutch poffertjes in a specially designed pan.



On a hot day in full sun a lemonade stall is a great idea, especially this jaunty one in the shape of a lemon!

I will admit though that my win for the day was the 99c cokes from outside the IGA; specially set up for high turn around and a much needed thirst break after a long trek in heavy crowds in full sunlight. I had thought it would be far too crowded to take a parasol but immediately regreted not bringing it on arrival choosing instead to hide under my fan for much of the afternoon.

Afterwards I settled in with a friend to finally give San Churro a taste but I think they deserve their own post!

Newtown is positively filled with Thai restaurants, you can barely go 10 houses without hitting one. On my block there are 3!



But when you live in Newtown where you tend to eat lazy Friday night Thai is Doy Tao. These days there's a few branches of their restaurant but this is the one I eat at regularly. The produce is good and fresh, they have a huge range of vegetarian options and some special meals like whole fillet fish.



It really is the most satisfying take out in Newtown with fresh quick meals and excellent spicy food. Eating in is slightly less comfortable, the tables are jammed in so that we are about 5 inches from our neighbours and we're barely missed by rushing wait staff, the entire place so noisy we're almost yelling at each other across the table. But the food is still good enough to make all this easily forgotten.



Deep fried bean curd in peanut sauce $7.50

Readers of my blog will know just how much I like tofu so it's unsurprising how much I love this dish. Unfortunately it is cotton rather than silk tofu and a bit heavier than I like but nonetheless is still good quality fresh tofu, deep fried in what I assume to be nut oil. This is then served with huge amounts of rich peanut sauce, similar to an Indonesian satay. My only regret is how rich the nut sauce is when I have other food coming



Curry Puffs $7.50

Definitely one of the better renditions of this dish the puffs are available in both vegetarian and meat filling. The chewy light and I dare say fattening pastry is the real winner here thouygh.



Duck Green Curry $18 and Jasmine Rice for 2 $5

I'm not a huge fan of Thai over other Asian foods, especially given that in Brisbane the primary immigrant restaurant for most of my youth was Vietnamese rather than Thai but when you combine words like "duck" and "curry" you know that I'm interested! This is a great version with creamy coconut and hot fresh spices that really zing but not so hot to turn off the unadventurous. The duck slices are generous and have a thin slice of roasted fat and skin attached.



Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu $14

I love the noodle dishes more than anything here and they certainly don't "lose" anything by being vegetarian. Lots of vegetables, tofu slices and nuts make this very generous serve very filling. The spiced soy noodle sauce is slightly sweet and very morish; highly recommended with your favourite vegetables or meat.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of my favourite takeout item on their menu with is the Chicken Pad Kee Mao $16; a delicious blend of basil and chilli jam stir fry with handmade rice noodles.

Stop by for some quick takeout or try one of their lunch specials, I find that as a Friday/Saturday night venue they're best avoided due to the rush of customers, noise and subsequent less than fantastic service. The food however speaks for itself.

Doy Tao
http://www.doytaothai.com

543-545 King Street
Newtown
Telephone: 9557 6334

Bookings essential for weekend nights
Takeaway available
BYO licence

This is a blog post that I've been asked to make by... I think just about everyone who's ever eaten at my house and reads my blog regularly. It's also a blog post that I'm a little loathe to make because it takes all the mystery out of how to cook what is essentially a very simple convenience meal that always comes out marvellously. Curry rice is really one of those Japanese family favourites that Mums make to appeal to fussy kids, a family favourite that's more like a spiced stew than what we think of as a curry even the "hot" varieties are very mild.

One note I will make is that because this is a very quick meal to make that actually you should put the rice on to cook before doing anything else; even preparing the vegetables. If you are using a rice cooker generally the rest of the meal will take around the same time as most commercial machines will take to cook the rice.

Miso soup

4 cups of water
1 spring onion
1 packet of bonito dashi (Japanese sardine stock)
4 tablespoons of fresh shiro miso paste
1 pack firm silken tofu

Most of this meal is about "what to buy" when you're in an Asian supermarket. First we start with the dashi; dashi simply means 'soup base' or 'stock' and in our case we are going to use a packet bonito dashi made from Japanese sardines. My favourite brand is Shimaya which is reliable, stores in the cupboard and available in just about any major supermarket in Australia.



Put the water on the heat and add 1 packet (10g) of bonito dashi powder; if you are making dashi or have bought another brand then follow the instructions to make 1L.



While the water is heating then dice the spring onion and tofu. Heat the stock until it is beginning to boil; add the spring onion and take to a full boil.



The brand of tofu that I buy is TLY Joyce which is available in the fresh fridge section of most Coles or Asian supermarkets in Australia. It is vegan, fresh and comes in a variety of textures and flavours of your choosing.



When the water has boiled take it down to a medium heat and then take off 1-2 cups into a bowl or other heat proof container.



I prefer shiro miso - which is white miso paste. Miso paste also comes in a variety of types, red and white are the most common but some come with the dashi "built in," with wakame (seaweed), shellfish, mushroom or about any other Japanese seasoning one could imagine. Shiro miso is much less strong than other miso paste and is often eaten at breakfast time, I find that because it is milder it is better suited to most Western palettes.

You should never buy non Japanese miso paste; even Miso that is made in Australia is never as good, let alone Korean or Taiwanese miso that you can find these days. For "every day" meals I religiously buy this Miko brand. It is available in most good Asian supermarkets in Australia including at Burlington, Miracle and V-Plus supermarket chains.

Also never buy powdered miso, miso is a preserved product that should survive for months on the shelf with proper sealed containers there is no need to buy powdered instant miso.

Add the miso and stir until it's mostly dissolved.



Add the Miso/Dashi mix back into the soup and keep on a medium heat until the miso is well mixed throughout the soup. Add the tofu and warm until heated through; the soup should not boil once the miso is added.



Pour into small soup bowls and serve. Note that the miso will settle if left and form a cloud in the bottom of the bowl - this is normal and does not identify separation or other issue with the food. Stir with chopsticks and drink!



Curry-reisu

2 cups of uncooked rice

250g lean meat: Pork, beef or chicken as preference
1 brown onion
2 onions
Japanese curry paste
oil to fry

As mentioned earlier, place the rice onto cook before other parts of the meal.



In this case I'm using chicken, traditionally the meat used in curry is pork in Japan. Also excellent is the sauce sans meat poured over katsu schnitzel.



Brown the onions then add the carrot diced, you can add other vegetables at this point if you want. Potatoes and yams are excellent in this dish. Add the meat and stir fry on medium eat until the meat is browned.



I like S&B "Tasty Curry" in either Medium Hot or Hot. There are about 100 different brands you can buy, these are all a matter of taste. S&B and House are the main brands of Japanese curry, for sweeter curry buy Vermont, for hotter curry buy "Jungle Curry".



When you open the packet there are "ice cube" trays of curry paste inside. 1 square is equivalent to about 1 serve, in this case we are making food for around 4 people so will use half a packet. Cut the block into cubes.



Cover the meat/vegetables with hot water and add the cubes, stir until the paste has melted and then put onto medium heat until the rice is cooked.



The stew will thicken quickly until a thick sauce has formed; this will continue to thicken if cooled so you should serve immediately.

On a Sunday night particularly if I've spent the entire day doing university work; but maybe even because you just don't want to cook, or because it's cold, or because your family are driving you nuts and you need a drink ... it's great to have a local pub with decent food. At my end of Newtown that's The Union.

From the outside it looks a little dodgy like many inner West pubs. The walls are tiled, they're showing sport in the main room and the decor is what you might call... utilitarian. Step inside and through the back and instead you find yourself in a warm friendly family pub bistro, the TVs are showing the Sunday night family movie at muted volume. They're playing The Cure softly as well, because this is Newtown after all, and most of the pub are young families or alternative types talking media analysis. In short I feel pretty at home.



Herb and garlic bread $5

The garlic bread looks a little sad with its burnt corner! If you like that overly soft pizza chain garlic bread you'll like this, though it is thankfully much less oily than most pizza places. Not the best item on their menu.



This month's special - Warm crisp pork belly and apple salad with matched drink $19

Admittedly I am drawn to this dish primarily because it comes with a large glass of Bulmer's cider but on arrival I'm very happy with the results. Sharp but not overpowering balsamic are dashed on sweet fruit that hits the perfect note with the crisped meat and fat of the pork. For pub bistro food this is top notch and I make strange little noises as I chase the last of the crackled pork around the plate.



Sunday night roast with vegies $12
There's something quite homely about a roast counter meal in a pub isn't there? I don't know that there's much to say about this, it's certainly not fancy but the meat isn't overcooked and is fairly moist. The gravy I suspect comes from a packet but there's definitely some induced meat fat in there. The vegetables are well cooked and not overdone either. It's not high class but it does certainly hit the spot especially given the price and certainly not a bad rendition of a pub classic.



Chicken parmiggiana with mashed potato and vegetables $18

Not the cheapest chicken parmiggiana in the inner city but its much better quality than most pubs. The meat is well cooked and moist, the bread crumb not too oily. The sauce is fresh and the cheese is actual fresh mozzarella. This brings a classic pub meal up to the inner ring suburbia lifestyle.



Zucchini and sweet corn fritters with grilled haloumi $14

I have a love affair with sweet corn that I'm well known for, and corn fritters in particular are a favourite of mine. To find out I can have them and call it dinner rather than having to seek out Sunday brunch cafes with it listed on their menu is music to my ears. I suspect when I order that I will get one limp piece of haloumi on the side and am happy to see most of a block cut up and grilled with my food. The fritters are well made and served over a wilted spinach salad with tomatoes and a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon.

I do the happy food dance and vow to return.

The Union really is a classic pub bistro brought upscale just enough to appeal to the professional queers and goths who can still afford King St rent but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the Newtown and Marrickville regulars. The drinks are cheap, the atmosphere is pleasant and unrowdy and the service is pretty fast. For pub food its very satisfying and their regular list of well thought out specials is worth a look over.

The Union Hotel
http://www.unionnewtown.com.au/eatery.html
576 King St
Newtown NSW 2040

Fully licensed, pub atmosphere but children and family groups welcome so long as children are supervised
Walk in, no reservations required

I don't claim to be a Scotch afficionado but I do like to make note of really unusual alcohols and Laphroaig is definitely in that category.



Claiming to be one of the most "richly" flavoured Scotches the strength of the woodiness in this whiskey was enough to stop me in my tracks and I admit I could not finish the glass, and this was before we got to the quarter cask stronger flavoured version.

Unusual and very much worth seeking out if you like brown liquors, it was certainly a taste experience for me, courtesy of guplor

Recently it was innerwestfoodie's birthday so she organised a wonderful day trip out to the Hunter Valley.



This required falling out of bed at an ungodly hour for a weekend and heading into Central Station. On arrival though I got a pleasant surprise that warmed my heart a little; the Historical Society were having an event complete with steam trains, boogie woogie singers and more fur than I've seen in an aeon.



Our birthday girl had ordered our own 21 seat bus so in piled all the odd fellows that constitute her friends and we were away on a road trip!



Snacking started on the way of course with choc dipped strawberries and chocolate cherry fudge from the kitchen of Elisa.



Screeching and gossiping and makeup application continued all the way to Cessnock with myself looking curiously out the window at every opportunity, being from up North I've never seen this part of Australia and all the places that everyone else seems to think of as familiar.



Firstly we stopped at Audrey Wilkinson winery.



We may like our alternative cultures but we sure do like our food and wine; I personally think this picture sums up our day and in fact possibly our group of friends to a tea. innerwestfoodie's beau replete with stove piped jeans and spiked hair standing over a vineyard desperately pulling smokes out lest he die from the clean air.



Being in a tour group affords informative talks, a little less personal than the one on one guides I'm used to but interesting to see how they deal with it. The tour guide gives a run down of the juicing, fermenting and storage processes and then begins to explain the tasting process to those unfamiliar.



To be honest I don't have much nice to say about the Wilkinson label. Hunter Valley wine isn't my favourite to start with being of a sort of limp and weak taste and the varieties that grow here aren't my favourite.

The somewhat "funky" labels give away the sort of market they're going for here which is mid priced upmarket pub counters and funky neighbourhood restaurants in Sydney. I am entirely offended that they've decided that Gewürztraminer is too hard to spell and have just called it "Traminer." On the other hand the Moscato goes down extremely well with the non wine people in the tour and should be taken note when trying to introduce others to wine. Also I am a little interested that they have a Malbec blend even if the resulting wine was quite average.



Next we're off to First Creek Winery which I'm told is a blender rather than a grower and while I'm sure it takes away from the authenticity of the tour I feel somewhat satisfied that most of their fruit in fact doesn't come from the Hunter at all. Mostly they ship in from Canberra and Tasmania.



Again we're given another speech and some tastings; they're very open to us trying different varieties and I am keen to get onto the Pinot and Verdelho.



The surprise winner for me though was the Semillon dessert wine, and I end up walking away with 2 of these plus 6 of their Sauvignon Semillon and 6 late release Verdelho in preparation for the BBQ season.



Oak barrels at First Creek

I feel compelled to make a note here on the topic of dessert wines since they seem to be quite common in the Hunter what with the explosion of Semillon and I heard words bandied about but not understood for much of the day. Botrytis is not a label or a name for a wine but a method of making dessert wines. To get the additional sweetness in dessert wines water must be removed to allow the syrupy thick sweet after dinner wines. This is done in Australia primarily in two ways; Ice Methods and Botrytis. In the former liquid is cooled and the pure water which freezes first is removed to leave a more concentrated juice behind. In the latter the fruit is left on the vine long after it has ripened, this attracts a damp and beneficial fungus called Botrytis cinerea which leeches water from the fruit leaving more solids and a stickier fruitier juice used for dessert wines such as those used for Noble or Tokaj.

Lunch and more to come later...

Every neighbourhood has a restaurant like Pho 236; the walls are slightly sticky with oil, the plastic chairs have seen better decades let alone days and the menus are filled with helpful descriptors like 'Soup, short' but the restaurant is packed day and night and people walk out clutching their stomachs happily. Unlike Happy Chef just up the road Pho 236 doesn't even have the ubiquitous backlit plastic waterfall painting that seems to have been cloned across every cheap and cheerful Asian restaurant in Australia. This is just a space that you enter, functional only for people to eat and leave satisfied, not to linger and chat.



On a sunny Spring afternoon there really is nothing better than sitting down to a big fresh bowl of noodles and vegetables, and Pho 236 has amazingly fresh and authentic soups to appeal to any food afficionado. They do other Sino-Viet cuisine but really if a restaurant is named for a dish, you should order that dish.



Beef Pho $7.50

Par cooked beef is added to fresh delicious beef stock with fresh coriander, rice noodles and onions. Just perfect with lots of chilli.



Spicey noodle soup with chicken $8

An almost laksa like soup is thick with chilli oil and spices, soaked and roasted Viet style chicken is boned and shredded into the soup with thin rice noodles. Table thumpingly good. To top it off there's enough for me to take half home and eat it for lunch the next day, when it is just as good reheated. 2 tasty lunches for $8? Don't mind if I do.



Our order comes with fresh herbs, lemon and bean sprouts to be added at will to your soup. I add a very generous amount of coriander and lemon to my soup because they offset the fresh shredded chicken perfectly.



If you're so inclined though they also have red vinegar, soy and fresh birds eye chilli on every table.

There's nothing refined or special about Pho 236, it's just good fresh food done well and served fast and at $20 for two with a soft drink affordable for even those on a student budget. The service isn't the friendliest, though that may change if your Vietnamese is good; but the food is cheap and excellent and highly recommended. In Newtown where your choice of Asian restaurants is plentiful this is a local favourite for a good reason.

Pho 236
236 King St
Newtown
Near the Mitre 10, look for the sign

Casual dining atmosphere
Walk in for a table, come early for dinner

Sometimes when it comes to specialty foods like those bought in Asian supermarkets knowing which brand to buy is half the battle. There are any number of products I use regularly from ethnic stores that others are interested in and so this is the first of what I hope will be many such posts.



This isn't so much a recipe; this pudding requires the addition of hot water only and being set in the fridge overnight rather like a commercial jelly mix. I use these non stick metal pudding moulds from Wiltshire which run for about $5 each at the supermarket. Each mold uses 2 "serves" of a packet of pudding and so 1 packet will make 3 molds; more than this is overkill unless you're having a dinner party. A set of 6 molds will do most kitchens more than well.



Fairsen Pudding mixes are excellent quality and run for about $2.30 at Miracle Supermarkets in Sydney. The mix is easy to use, has English instructions on the side and comes in a variety of flavours (though I will generally beeline straight for the almond every time). It is a Taiwanese brand rather than Thai like many of the 'ready made' products available, so the style is much like that from Chinese restaurants. Most importantly all the ingredients are recogniseable natural products which is more than can be said for many of the alternatives on the market.

This pudding mix contains Agar and not gelatin and is Vegetarian friendly however it does contain Milk powder and is not Vegan friendly. I would declare this product safe for the lactose intolerant though, as an extreme intolerant case I can eat a single serve with no ill effects; those who are dairy allergic should avoid. For my pick of the Vegan almond puddings I suggest you try TLY Joyce Almond Tofu Dessert which is available fresh in most Asian supermarkets and some city Coles stores.

Traditionally this dessert is served with mixed boiled fruit and inexplicably in most restaurants it has one lone perfectly preserved Maraschino cherry sitting on top with stem intact. Not for me today though, so here's me putting my little Western spin on a Chinese classic.



Almond Pudding with Maple Syrup and Stewed Spiced Apple

So there we have it, a little slice of heaven made at home with very little effort, try it yourself sometime!

Ooh but I do like a drink don't I? That just has to come with good pub food on occasion, particularly after the stress of moving. Still this is Newtown so there's an abundance of places to stop for both a drink and a bite to eat. The Coopers Hotel is definitely one of the better pub bistros in the area and comes recommended. From the outside the pub still hints at its VB and racing punters history with its tiled wall and high beer stools, but upstairs is a Newtownian wonder of upmarket alternative lifestyle; all power lesbians and skater-punks drinking Shiraz.



The decor is quite tasteful, all dark wood and no 60s pub carpet in sight. Outside there's a small beer garden where you can smoke and a rather tranquil water feature that tones down the rowdiness of the patrons.



Bulmer's Cider $6.20

One of the biggest wins for me since the Coopers' renovations is that they finally have decent English cider on tap, though for unknown reasons they don't stock pint glasses. I still don't really understand non-UK drink sizes in Sydney but this is a "schooner" for unfortunately about the same size as a pint at Kelly's down the road... but anyway we're here for the food!



Pumpkin and Rosemary Risotto tossed with Goat's Cheese and shaved Pecorino $18

You know your neighbourhood has gentrified when they put goat's cheese in the pub food; but being the poster girl for middle class alternatives I really don't mind one iota. The risotto isn't gluggy like it can be and is fresh, creamy and delicious. Large pieces of pumpkin are scattered throughout and the creamy rice has taken on the fresh vegetable flavour. The risotto itself was a little underseasoned in my opinion, but once the cheeses were stirred through this more than balanced the dish and I suspect this was the cook's thinking.



Spiced Lamb Burger with smoked eggplant relish, tzatziki and kumera chips $16

If Blackbird had the burger that doesn't deserve its price tag then the Coopers does. The lamb patty is fresh, thick and a little pink just as I like my lamb, the entire burger is so thick it must be cut in half to be able to pick it up. The salad is fresh and inventive, the relish and yoghurt superbly complement the meat. Kumera is a new zealand sweet potato for those that are unaware; and though what we have here could barely be described as chips they are extremely tasty. Highly recommended especially after a couple of drinks.

The Coopers Hotel Pub, Bar and Bistro
http://www.coopershotel.com.au/
221 King Street,
Newtown, 2042
Enquiries: 9550 3461

Head upstairs for the bistro

Monday - Saturday Midday - 10pm
Sunday Midday - 9pm

No booking required
Fully licensed, pub atmosphere

My previous long term partner has been living in Japan for a year teaching English, and my recent trip back home to Brisbane was the first chance I had to see him since his return. We decided that a reunion was worthy of an old tradition so we hit up The Boatshed, the upmarket steakhouse at The Regatta in Toowong. This was a venue we went to regularly while we were together and is still a family favourite of his clan.



Despite being located at a very rowdy student pub and on Coronation Drive The Boatshed restaurant itself is quite tranquil, the furniture well positioned so that I can see the river and the trees and not the endless traffic. The restaurant is shielded from the oversized pub next door by a series of railings and hedges that do their job very effectively.



Pepperjack 2008 Shiraz $49

You couldn't let a steak go lonely, this Pepperjack is a lot younger than I like to drink Shiraz but nonetheless is smooth after a few minutes on the table and has evidently been grown for drinking and not cellaring. The Barossa Shiraz has a lot of pepper flavour and strong tannins expected from a wine so young and from this area but not so much they are overpowering. As a table wine it holds up very well and accompanies the beef to perfection.



Potato Cob with Olive Oil and Balsamic $8.50

My ex's tastes run a little on the plain side (though I note they have become a lot more adventurous in recent years) so we forewent the sweet potato dip and I asked for balsamic instead. For unknown reasons they gave me what appeared to be a balsamic dressing concoction rather than pure vinegar so it was pushed asside. The bread itself was lovely as was the olive oil, perhaps attempting not to mess with someone's menu would do me some good on occasion.



6 Oysters Kilpatrick $14.50

I'm not a large fan of shellfish however the ex is and devours these with glee. I do try some of the sauce and bacon out of interest and am pleased with the result. I am also impressed that they bother to bring actual oyster forks, and even then two sets laid out so we can both dine as desired.



Confit Pork Belly with Orange, Beetroot and Rocket Salad $18.50

How can you turn down confit pork belly really? The fat here is creamy and delicious, though I admit some of the middle section needs a little seasoning as the piece is quite thick and evidently not all is evenly basted. The top is crunchy and golden, the flesh sweet and delicious. Counter balanced with the orange and beetroot this is a well put together dish. Casual and rich at the same time.



Dry Aged Beef with Mash and Roasted Vegetables $34.00

Just in case that is a factor for anyone it is worth noting that the dry aged beef can only be ordered on the bone. This is due to the drying process and the way the meat is prepared but despite my dislike of bones I simply adore aged beef and tend to cut the bone out on arrival for maximum pleasure.

I admit the majority of aged beef I've eaten recently is Wagyu and this appears to be the organic Angus that the Boatshed is more famous for. The meat is not as "melt in your mouth" as Wagyu but it is a fine cut of meat cooked well. The vegetables and sauce are not what they once were sadly and I think there's been a change of direction in the kitchen since I lived in Brisbane. Sadly I think the lack of awards since 2007 is a little indicative of this fact and as always I object to the 70s-tastic sprig of curley leaf parsley thrown on as a garnish.



300g Eye Fillet with Mash and Salad $39.50

Again I really don't understand the point of this garnish looking sad and lonely next to the potato but otherwise the meat is cooked to order and deliciously tender. There are a number of other beefs worth trying at The Boatshed and really that's what this restaurant is all about. From Organic Wagyu to John Dee Angus in a variety of styles and feeds the meat is all worth a try.

I do feel as if the restaurant is not the cutting edge steakhouse it once was, the seafood salads and delicious sauces are gone and replaced with high quality but slightly more standard fare. There is always the possibility that years in Sydney have matured my palette somewhat away from the Boatshed and its fare but really, steak is steak and it's hard to confuse. I'd take Meat and Wine Co. over the Boatshed for wine selection and the quality of the aged beef however for atmosphere and service, not to mention wine at Brisbane prices (the same bottle cost $66 at a venue I attended this week in Sydney) The Boatshed is definitely superior.

More importantly of the Brisbane steakhouses it's definitely one of my favourites (Embers on Park Rd is my all time pick for those that are interested), the service is restaurant quality but the atmosphere steak house casual. You can order endless beer and cocktails from the main bar if you so wish however the patrons tend to gravitate more towards the wine list and the whole venue seems geared towards the business casual synonymous with Toowong. Unlike many steakhouses where they seem to believe that the quality of the meat can more than make up for the beer garden decor The Boatshed uses real furniture, decent interior design and good customer service. Not the most refined restaurant in Australia but definitely a pick for those craving a good slab of meat, a strong breeze and a quality tipple while in Brisbane.

The Boatshed @ The Regatta Hotel
http://www.regattahotel.com.au/eat_boatshed_restaurant.html

Regatta Hotel
543 Coronation Drive
Toowong Qld 4064
Ph: (07) 3871 9595

Fully licenced
Bookings recommended for Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday days

There's really no mystery about where I get my gourmande tendencies from, I come from a foodie family. Sadly I recently separated from my partner so my father decided to put on a cheer up spread when I went home to visit.



Perrier Jouet NV Grand Brut

Much of the time I'm not so easily swayed by the actual Champagne name over other sparkling wines however Perrier Jouet is one of those exceptions. There really is no beating it for quality, taste and a little piece of luxury. If you're going to shell out for French Champagne then this is without a doubt my pick of the labels; seconded by Taittinger. I find the quality of their Brut to be on par with vintage champagnes from other houses.

A standard mix of Pinot, Chardonnay and Meunier this is a classic Champagne with a strong yeast and long robust taste. This is a strong aperitif to have on its own and went well with the hors d'ouevres we were eating. The bubbles were larger than I was expecting and the mousse strong with it. Not much nose but a clean acidic end.



Home made smoked salmon with cream cheese, capers, onion and lettuce

My parentals smoking box turns out the most amazing fresh smoked salmon, if you've never had freshly smoked salmon you really must try it. The texture and moisture are completely different to the commercial varieties most people eat regularly.



Salamanca, prosciutto and fresh ham

Salamanca is rather like chorizo but larger and somewhat less fatty. Heavy on the pork and smoked paprika, this is right up my alley given my palette's years of Spanish cuisine.



"Jewish Caviar" - Chopped liver and eggs

If you like pate then this is a nice alternative liver recipe and great on a warm day like this. I'm sure I'll blog the recipe at some stage but in the meantime you can use this one.



Cheese platter - Double brie, Roaring 40s blue, Margot and aged French brie

All served up with nuts and figs and all the trimmings!



The full spread including home made bread and artichokes



2007 Les Nuages Loire Sauvignon Blanc

After a lifetime of New Zealand Sauv Blancs this is a completely different wine. Stronger and more robust with a toastier feel and a creamy palette.



Coffee and Iranian Sohan

Sohan is a spiced caramel style sweet made from sugar, cardamom, pistachio and vegetable oils.

This is some of the cheekiest restaurant naming I've ever heard and is on par with the Doctor's Associates Inc. being the owners of Subway. They're not "The Best" Thai but they're pretty good.

On a cold rainy day when I was a very sick person I was craving warming loving noodley soup and had places to be that ruled out a trip to a ramen joint. "To the local eateries!" said I and so I tried The Best Thai on Norton St.

I like fried things and noodley soups and apparently so does everyone else, of the 3 of us that went to lunch we all ordered the same meal!



Money Bags $7 for 4

These are made fresh by hand on site and are piping hot and recently constructed when they arrive. A generous amount of chicken mince and corn is included, though sadly not laced with coconut as at the Annandale. They are so hot when they arrive that I cut them all open to release the steam so that I can eat them quickly :o)



Tom Yum Gai $8

While sick this was the perfect meal, hot enough to burn through sinusitis, not so hot that I couldn't taste afterwards. The soup is freshly made to order and contains generous helpings of fresh vegetables, rice noodles and braised chicken. The only real complaint I have is that it's a little "rustic" and so whole kaffir leaves and large woody sections of lemon grass are throughout the soup and require fishing out throughout the meal. It's not table bangingly good but it's more than adequate, exactly what I need at the time and for the price, hard to beat.

It's not "The Best" but you get a little sick of looking at pasta and pizza menus when you live in Leichhardt and this is a decent but not excellent variation on Asian when you just can't stomach the idea of another olive oil drenched carb fest.

The Best Thai - Leichhardt branch
http://www.thebestthai.com.au/
62 Norton Street
Leichhardt
P: 9569 0768

Casual dining
No reservation required
Take away available

Most of the restaurants at Darling Harbour are a little bit overly swanky. So when you're looking for something a bit casual after a day of site seeing or when you have a visitor who wants to see the water and lights of Darling Harbour without a $100 a head meal then Blackbird is one of the few decent options in the area.



Image stolen mercilessly from the Blackbird website, as I forgot to take one of the view

Being Darling Harbour though you can expect to pay premium prices for quite standard food. Most of the food here is of the "family restaurant" type fare, burgers, salads, pastas and there's plenty here that will keep kids entertained not to mention drinks to keep the parents sane after a day of trudging the sites.

Honestly the food was about as average as you can expect in a family restaurant but it wasn't offensive, the main thing that annoys me is the price to quality ratio. Almost everything seems to come served with commercial sauces like caesar dressing and ketchup; for some reason I got served a creamy salad dressing when I asked for mayonnaise and I'm not sure the immigrant wait staff knew the difference. There was coffee but it wasn't great and I went for a smoke so when I came back it was cold.

For the same price you could hit a Hog's Breath, Sizzler or alternative and get about the same meal - here you pay for the view and it really is a lovely view.



Beef salad $18.90



Cheeseburger $18.90

This burger was pretty good, it just wasn't $19 worth of good. They do have specials once a week, Monday is burger day at $12 for a burger and chips.



Fish and chips $19.90

Blackbird Cafe
http://www.blackbirdcafe.com.au/
201 Sussex St Sydney
NSW 2000
Australia
Situated on the balcony level of Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Park above Nicks Seafood Restaurant.

Family atmosphere
Come for the view
Fully licensed

Apologies everyone for the radio silence but I have recently moved house and am now back in Newtown. I have a backlog of posts to make and the wonders of King St to eat my way through again so keep your eyes open for regular posts!

Well as I'm sure we're aware based on my reviews I'm a little wappanese in my tastes, so what better gift than a box full of freshly made mochi and daifuku rice cakes?

The new cake store at the front of the Miracle Supermarket in World Square is a real delight. Fresh, sweet and using wonderful ingredients the normal range of Asian flavoured sweets can be found here including goma (black sesame), azuki (red bean), brown sugar, peanut and konnyaku jelly. Fresh cream, fruit and chestnut daifuku are also included; due to the freshness of the products refrigeration is required unlike many giftable Japanese sweets and should be purchased immediately prior to gifting.

Being a gift I did not enquire about the price; I would expect mochi of this quality to run to ~$4 a unit.



Assorted mochi including a cut konnyaku and azuki mochi



Macha, azuki and cream filled mochi

So apart from the fact that the cakes are wonderful quality, fresh and traditional to make things even better? There's a discount docket running online and on inner city Coles dockets. Hmmm cake, discount cake!



Shu Shin Bou Mochi Store
http://www.shushinbou.com/home.php
Lower Ground
World Square Shopping Centre
(At the Miracle Supermarket)
George St
Sydney CBD

Sometimes I find that walking on certain streets of the city and just trying somewhere random works out very well. Pitt St and all its Korea-Town glory are definitely high on the list. Mostly we were after somewhere we could get a drink and dinner in the same venue, not sure if we wanted to drink or eat more. Most of the Korean places looked a little crowded and then we chanced across Shinara.



We were a little put off by the number of nationalities listed on the poster, but all you can eat grill? Well we had to give it a go, especially when we spied the stocked looking bar in the bottom room.

Upon entry we were eyed a little suspiciously by the staff, it's Friday night, they're packed and we're white... they're not quite sure what to do. They're ever so polite though and place us at a table and take a drink order while they clear a table for us upstairs. Before we've even received our drink we are whisked upstairs to a table.



The whole place is packed solid with international students and families, all Korean; I'm not sure why they bother with the other nationalities on the poster, you can tell who the market is here. The whole place is very Asian from top to toe; the grill inset tables, the cups of rice tea and sujo scattered across every table, girls with long nails tapping bling covered smart phones; if you could chainsmoke in the restaurant it would be like just about anywhere in Osaka.



The premise is much like an ishiyaki - you order small dishes to grill in the table and hot or cold side dishes, desserts and drinks from the menu. To make matters better this is an all you can eat place.

There's two main "sets" the Standard Buffet for $29.50 contains a number of very common Korean dishes such as bipimbap, nori, vegetables, beef loin, pork belly, chilli chicken and the like.

The "Premium" Buffet which we go for is $39.50 and contains all of the standard items plus wagyu strip and sirloin, ox tongue, croquettes, tempura, kyoza, sashimi, ice cream and more.

Unlike a Western buffet this is more of the yum cha style approach, you press a button, the waitress comes and you order several small dishes which come out one by one. Generally by the time one set is mostly cooked it's a good idea to order the next. You have 90 minutes to order as much as you like, though unless you're drinking solidly I would be surprised if you manage to put away more than about an hour's worth of food.

There are two other Caucasians in the room, but they're with a couple of Koreans and I suspect may have been a "meeting the family" scenario. The Maitre'd is very sweet and tries to explain the system to us without being too condascending and is surprised when we talk merrily about food adventures in Asia and order plum wine. His initial cynicism immediately melts away as we enthusiastically order dishes of kim chi, dumplings and tofu in a way that defies our heritage. Our female waitresses are as easily impressed by our comfort and I see a couple of them sneaking looks at the fact that we can deftly handle the pincer like flat metal Korean chopsticks; they're all very helpful and seem remarkably happy that the Westerners were so keen on the food. All in all the service is quite rushed, but very friendly and helpful and far exceeds the speed you would expect on a busy Friday night.



Bohae Plum Wine - $22 for a bottle

I have a serious weakness for plum wine (ume-shu in Japanese). The Korean equivalent is much less sweet than the Japanese type but it's still damn drinkable, though I'd have preferred it on the rocks as I usually drink it, the Koreans only seem to understand small flat liquor glasses. If you aren't drinking alcohol then there's various cold teas and water included in the buffet.

And on to the actual buffet food...



Marinated Wagyu Sirloin and Wagyu Steak

I mostly left the wagyu steak to the boy but the sirloin strips went amazingly well with the sweet Korean soy dipping sauce.



Kim chi (of course!)



Beef sirloin and pork belly

Really the pork belly needed to be cut before cooking, but we'd worked that out by the second round.



Kyoza



Agedashi tofu

It's never as good in Korean restaurants and the sweet soy was a little much but I do like fried tofu nonetheless



Grilled pork neck



Buttered corn



Garlic cloves in Sesame Oil



Ice cream

There was other food but I seem to have gotten too involved in eating it and not enough in photographing it! Croquettes, chilli and shallot jeon, chilli chicken, green tea ice cream and really about 3 rounds of every dish above seemed to appear. I would have liked some sashimi or similar but not in the heat from the BBQ.

Shinara was a real hit with us, but we love authentic Asian cuisine and are used to the hustle and bustle of immigrant eateries. There are some reviews out there on the internets that are quite poor but these seem to be from the kind of people who wanted elaborate table service and loathe a waitress with poor English skills; We are not those people. If you like a rowdy good time, reasonably priced drinks, table cooked food and hearty Asian eating then I highly recommend. This is definitely going into my regular rotation of casual eateries to meet up with friends in the city.

Shinara Grill and Lounge
Shop 1, 338 Pitt Street
Sydney, 2000
(02) 9262 9218

Fully licensed
Rowdy student atmosphere
Booking not required by expect to wait on a busy night for a table

Take a series of photos of thick juicy burgers.

Add recipes and product information about the cheese.

And then take the dulcet tones of Patrick Warburton and play the loving, mouth watering soundtrack over the website.

It's the foodie equivalent of Hustler. Ooooh so good.

Once upon a time I lived in Newtown with all the myriad of wonderful late breakfast cafes available to that part of town. Leichhardt has plenty of eateries but not so many actual cafes, but we've been missing Sunday brunches and so we're on a mission to find the perfect brunch venue in walking distance of home.

Unfortunately Mezzapica isn't it.



We'd gone on the strength of them advertising Corn Fritters on a street sign the previous weekend, they are a particular favourite of mine and I was really looking forward to it. On arrival we found it was a once off and they didn't have them, nor apparently the ingredients in the kitchen to make them off menu (?!).

Evidently the girl who lives next door to the cafe treats it as her living room, she kept noisily wandering between the table and her front door and the wait staff were mucking about with her somewhat innappropriately in front of the other customers and at a volume that was entirely distracting. We had to fetch our own menu from inside after waiting some time at a table, though admittedly a waitress did eventually come out to take our order, she did not however fix the wobble in the table or bring us cutlery. Not a great start.



Espresso coffees $4.00

The coffee itself was fine, a nicely generic Giancarlo espresso, however the soy milk they used in my flat white was god awful. The temperature was quite cool also, often I leave my coffee for a few minutes before drinking, in this case I drank it straight after serving. The boy's latte was distinctly average but with real milk not as offensive as my own.



3 egg omelette - salmon, spinach and cheese with toast $13

The salmon was additional and the dish was quite bland, it would have been forgettable without the addition of both salmon and salt. An average but not exciting omelette.



Eggs Florentine - English muffin, wilted spinach, smoked salmon, poached egg and hollandaise $12

I honestly think you could put hollandaise on a bathroom sponge and I'd eat it, so I still enjoyed the dish. The sauce was thicker than I like and I suspect it was premade in a larger batch, but well balanced and tangy nonetheless. The poached eggs could have been a little less cooked for my taste but the salmon was fresh and good quality for a breakfast cafe, the spinach well cooked and the muffin not overly greasy. My biggest complaint was that the meal sat heavily on my stomach due to the rich sauce and made for a difficult walk home.

After the slightly flat meal we discovered they only take cash, something we were not informed of on entering or ordering. Luckily I had cash on me, but my boyfriend's breakfast treat turned into a meal I shelled out for making it a little more sour than it already was.

Don't get me wrong it wasn't *bad* and I'd still attend ifyou were invited there but it's just a very average cafe and a very average breakfast. We shall be trying other brunch venues over time, I feel no need to return to this one.

Mezzapica Cafe
128 Norton St
Leichhardt 2040 NSW

No bookings taken
Family atmosphere
Cash only

Who doesn't love a degustation? It had been a while since The Boy and I had done a proper date night and so we headed to Becasse as we had never been though I had been impressed with their food at various food events (not to mention somewhat in lust with the Plan B Wagyu burger).

Overall impressions are quite good, I believe it truly deserves the number of hats that it has won and the Chef of the Year to Justin North. I will say though that some of the items in the menu ran a little flat, but were off set by some wonderful highlights that pushed the entire meal into an upper echelon. The wine matching was well done for the food, though a little impersonal compared to some tasting menus where the wine is matched to taste. Unfortunately in our case we didn't have a sommelier on the floor and so it was wait staff that only know the items they are presented with on the menu.



The service was attentive but not top class; we were served by a large number of staff, most of whom only served two dishes, without the continuity of service this caused some problems. For one thing it took 90 minutes to receive the first three dishes and we were left waiting for long periods between courses, this didn't improve until the majority of the restaurant had finished and left. The boy didn't get a steak knife to go with his beef dish and this made it difficult to eat when the beef was so rare, additionally no one noticed when I dropped a knife nor did they offer to replace it. They missed an entire wine from the list however as this was the Gerwurtztraminer I wasn't too upset, and we were going to ask for it to be replaced with an additional glass of the Tokaji which they gave us due to enthusiasm about the wine regardless, but in other circumstances this would have left me raw when we paid additional for a sparkling at the beginning of the meal.

Additionally the atmosphere was a little stifled, on first arrival I felt a little unwilling to speak at my normal volume, it felt like being in a food library. Thankfully this dissipated as the matched wines were brought out, but there's something about the beige interior and relative openness of the tables that makes you feel like you shouldn't speak up. Mind you we did spend half the night giggling at the conversations next to us so I guess it's with reason.



The table next to us (sadly not in frame) did a dish substitution on the Jewfish which I wish I'd had the knowledge of their menu to complete as they were presented with a Rabbit and Duck dish that sounded absolutely to die for not to mention completely matched to my tastes. Otherwise they kept us entertained for much of the evening as the female partner did not seem to be comfortable in such a calibre of restaurants making regular comments about the size of the dishes, her unwillingness to eat parts of the food and her feeling remarkably overdressed for the occasion. Mark my words people; the wealthy don't feel the need to dress up for such a dinner. The partner ended up looking on jealously as we were discussing the wine with the wait staff, either that girl had better learn her food or they're in for a rocky future methinks.

But enough dissection of the restaurant, on to the food!



Springfield bottled water - Sparkling and Still $10 a bottle.

If it's not obvious you should *always* get water with such a meal, the volume of the wine and the need to cleanse between dishes makes this vital. If you're unwilling to pay for water ask for regular servings of tap water.



N.V. Chandon Blanc de Blanc $14

Not a truly great sparkling, but being a pure Chardonnay sparkling lends a little difference to my usual line up and the only other sparkling by the glass was the Roederer at $28 which I find far too full a palette for before a large meal.



Dry vodka martini with both twist and olive $16

Having shared one too many Vesper Martinis with a work friend earlier in the week I really wasn't up to the punch of the boyfriend's vodka martini, but it was a well done impression nonetheless and obviously used a grain vodka of some quality.



Canape - Mascarpone, lemon and herb mousse on a buttery parmesan round - Complimentary

Apperitifs were served with a complimentary canape while we decided what to order. There is an alternative wonderful Black Truffle degustation menu on at Becasse at the moment however much less of it was to my taste and it seemed difficult to match to another tasting menu when there was an unmatched number of dishes in each. Thankfully the boy decided to have the standard dinner degustaton with me!

The following dishes are all included in the degustation at a cost of $130 for food or $190 with matched wines.



Sourdough, pumpkin and rosemary breads served with olive oil emulsion and smoked pure butter.



Amuse bouche - Celeriac and potato veloute

I admit I do like the trend of putting small veloutes and soups in espresso cups, I find it's an elegant method of service and forgoes the need for a soup spoon. The tangy creme fraiche went perfectly with the sparkling wine.



Salad: Salad of heirloom tomato basil with golden tomato and olive oil sorbet - matched with 2007 Caves de Pouilly-Sur-Loire, Coteaux du Giennois, Loire Valley

I admit I don't think this dish was necessary given the existence of the canape and amuse bouche and it felt a little... unexciting. The olive oil sorbet was marvellous rather like a chilled virgin olive oil mayonessa, however it would have fared much better for a lashing of balsamic.



Appetiser: Carpaccio of John Dory with Thai flavours - Should have been served with 2008 Leabrook Gewurtztraminer, Adelaide Hills, however I didn't receive it :|

After my usual complaint that you can't seem to get a high class meal without a ceviche or carpaccio included this dish really blew me away and was one of the highlights of the meal; the meaty fish was lightened by a soft thai dressing, shavings or chilli and crisp bean shoots. Highly recommended; I cannot stop thinking of the mouth feel of the fish.



Fish Course: Seared swordfish and config squid in a citrus sauce vierge and squid ink noodles - matched with the 2008 Tscharke, Girl Talk Albarino, Barossa Valley

I can't think for the life of me why I forgot to get pictures of all of the wines however this Tscharke was wonderful and will be making it into my drinking rounds in the near future.

The swordfish was good but not outstanding, however the squid ink noodles were dark, delicious and chewy in a way that reminded me of konnyaku jelly.



Fish Course 2: Roast fillet of jewfish potato gnocchi and saute of mushrooms - Matched with 2006 Surveyor Thomson Pinot Noir, Central Otago

The crisp skin of the jewfish was an amazing counterpart to the juicy flesh however the highlight of this dish was the creamy pan friend gnocchi that melted in the mouth in an eye rolling manner; such a delightful texture is rarely found in any food.



I just love Pinot Noir with a strong fish, the pairing with the jewfish was well thought out and just heavenly. Unfortunately the wine servings were a little generous and I was finding myself juggling glasses by the end of the meal. At the front of this photo is the Blaufrankisch, the middle is the Syrah and the back is the Pinot.



Poultry course: Mosaic of smoked ham and confit chicken salad of baby turnip and apple, mulled cider gel - Matched with 2006 Nittnaus Blaufrankisch, Burgenland

I probably would have preferred this dish after the salad and it seemed odd to have a cold dish at this point of the meal; even if formal dish orders were being maintained. The mosaic was excellent, fresh, cool and just perfectly seasoned. I thought the cider gel was unnecessary and a cloying texture with the cold meat.

The Blaufrankisch was franky very disappointing; the rich raspberry colour of the wine was enticing but left dead with an almost non existant nose, flat dull peak and extremely short impression; With the cold saltiness of the dish this was a total disaster.



Meat course: Slow cooked suckling pig with peas, pancetta, cos lettuce, potato puree and sage jus - Matched with 2005 Stags Leap Petite Syrah, Napa Valley

For me this was the true pinnacle of the meal and the sort of dish that makes this restaurant such a winner. Slow roasted suckling pig roasted to a creamy fat perfection that melted in the mouth, offset with a rich reduction and sage jus and just the right amount of fresh vegetables and top shelf potato puree. Backed up and rounded in aftertaste by the strong hearty Californian Syrah I have only the highest praise for the construction of this entire course.



Meat course: Roast rib and braise of Gundooee organic wagyu saute of chestnuts and sprouts and celeriac puree

My partner's main was frankly disappointing for what was an amazing array of ingredients; chefs seem almost afraid to cook wagyu properly these days and while we both like our meat rare this was blue to the detriment of the meat being the wrong temperature and texture, particularly when paired with the celeriac puree. The brussel sprouts were tangy and balanced the richness of the dish - or would have if only my boyfriend ate them, I did so thankfully on his behalf.



Pre-dessert: Yoghurt pannacotta, pineapple gratin and pain d'epice

All was forgiven with this amazing pre dessert palette cleanser, the gratin was evidently made from the freshest pineapple and was sweet without being cloying; it completely flushed the mouth after the rich fattiness of the meat course. The sweet creamy pannacotta contrasted wonderfully and mixed well with the coriander jelly; the mix of tastes and textures in the mouth was truly unique and superbly balanced. Another unfaultable item.



Dessert: Banana crème brulée salted peanut brittle and milk coffee sorbet

I am usually uninspired by banana however I cannot pass a salted toffee or peanut brittle and I was not disappointed here. The crisp shell cracked into many pieces and revealed a creamy dairy pudding laced with slices of soft fresh banana and covering a layer salted peanut brittle pieces that induced me to unintelligible noises with every bite. The kind of dessert I dream about.



Dessert: Rhubarb and mandarin goats’ cheesecake burnt butter ice cream, lemon balm and honey crumble

I feel as though the goats cheese used in this dessert was too strong and perhaps included only for sake of exoticness however otherwise enjoyed all elements of the dish, the boy who had actually ordered this for himself was underwhelmed and shockingly left half of it behind. If I hadn't been so full from the rest of the meal I'd have tried to finish it myself.



2003 Chateau Dereszla, Tokaji "Furmint", Tokaj

Remarkably the dessert wine is the one we were holding out the most for. My partner having not grown up in the somewhat wine flushed household I did doesn't have the palette for wine and is being introduced as best I know how - through the fortifieds and back down (watching him foolishy try to take on the unsubtle Syrah was a delight!). One of my most celebrated maneuvres to date has been to introduce him to Tokay. In Australia this is a sweet syruppy muscadelle wine that has the mouth feel of mead but a taste akin to a lighter port. In Hungary this is a different affair and we were keen to try the Dereszla after so many winter tipples of Buller's Tokay. This is a very different wine indeed, lighter and less sweet more like a Semillon dessert wine than an Australian Tokay; good and a fine accompaniment to the dessert but not inducing the kind of hungry eyed eagerness in my wine-destitute partner that I am so trying to encourage.

There was a cheese plate on offer that I was intending to order however I hit the wall somewhere around dish 6 and there was no space for either cheese or coffee, despite the amazing petit fours I spyed about the room and the fact that I had skipped lunch in favour of the grand meal.

All in all a high class meal at a pure pinnacle in some areas and very flat in others. While I am sometimes overly critical of high class food, and possibly overly complimentary of homely cooking executed well, I expect that a meal that costs $370 lives up to its princely price tag. North's food is excellent however some of it is a little unexciting for those who eat good food regularly; often dishes are elevated purely by a single excellent item. If he managed to make more of his dishes match those elements perfectly, or bring all the items to the same standard he would be truly world class rather than just one of Sydney's finest.

After the disappointing service at Balzac Becasse definitely had a leg up, the staff knew the wines, announced each dish with refined formality and interacted well however there were still elements drawing criticism and I would possibly advise that a mid week attendance or a la carte meal would probably be preferred to the Friday night degustation we attended.

Becasse
http://www.becasse.com.au/
204 Clarence Street
Sydney 2000

Fully licenced
Reservations imperative
Formal dining environment

It's very hard to give a moderate review to Baraka as it's one of my favourite restaurants and close to home being in the Italian Forum. Generally restaurant staff in the forum will bark at you in an attempt to entice you into the restaurant, when you live in the building this is wearing especially when so few of them remember your face. Originally we went into the restaurant on the strength of this fact alone and it firmly placed itself in our hearts ever since.



At the end of last year, when the restaurant was called Sahara, it shut its doors for renovations and then after a length delay re-opened as Baraka with the Safari Bar next door. The boy had his nose pressed to the glass willing them to complete renovations the whole time. The new dining room is warm and inviting and heavy on the dark woods.

To be honest I don't think the timing was the best and I fear they are suffering more than others in a hard economic time. I am rather hoping that my review will convince some people to go as the food is so amazing that word of mouth is sure to follow. Baraka is firmly Moroccan fare, with some concession to flavours brought in from Spain and France. The sauces are heavenly and the food warming but not overly heavy.

We decide to start in the bar with some African alcohol now that the bar is full service, all in the interest of food exploration of course!



South African Beer - Windhoek $7.50



South African Wine - Nederburg $40



Serengeti Lager $8.00



Salaam! Espanola $14 - spiced rum with blended mango and peach with slices of fresh strawberry

The boy sure is confident in his role as my wife - this is his very girly cocktail while we all sip on beer and wine. It's got a punch but its light and fruity and he seems rather happy with himself even while we jibe him about needing an umbrella in it.



Sahara Bread $4.90

Sadly they have changed from using turkish style bread so this is crustier now than I like however the spices and excellent quality olive oil still make this a real treat and worthy of using the stomach space.



Salt and Pepper Calimari $15.90

This has a more mediterranean feel than the Asian salt and pepper squid you may be used to. The squid is fresh and cooked to perfection and though the boy and I are not big seafood people we all fall on this delighted. The home made mayonnaise based sause is also light and well seasoned and it is served with a dressing made of that Moroccan staple - preserved lemon.



Merguez Sausages $14.90

Home made sausages with harissa and preserved lemon are grilled and served on top of a chickpea ragout with a light sweet curry flavour, heavy on the cinnamon and very addictive. What seemed like an 'uneventful' entree ends with all the party scraping the bottom of the bowl to get at the remaining sauce. If there'd been any bread left it would have been used to mop up the remains.



Barilla $16.90

This is one of their stunning signature dishes which is so unique and unusual to other restaurants that it simply must be ordered. Light filo pastry is filled with chicken and almond and flavoured with cinnamon and orange blossoms. Around the dish a heady aromatic sauce made with a heavy hand of rose water; it rounds off the palette with a sensual mouth feel and musky flavour that lingers while managing to not be heavy. Every member of the party makes unintelligable noises of delight and surprise when they put the sauce in their mouth and then the elbowing fight begins to ensure each gets their own generous serve.



Sahara Feast $24.90

Chicken is marinated in morroccan spices and grilled over kebabs. This is well spiced and light and served with a fresh citrus salad but really isn't my favourite of their dishes, though it is good lacking the mouth-gasmic sauces of the other dishes it leaves me wanting. I think the price is a little rich when compared to the other servings.



Fez Chicken Tagine $23.90

You really can't eat Moroccan food without trying a traditional tagine casserole dish, especially as they come out served in their little chimneyed pots and are whisked off to reveal the steam and spices below!

This is their dish that won me over; chicken is stewed on the bone in both thigh and breast pieces in a light sauce of strong preserved lemon with olives and onion. The olives take on the sauce and explode with flavour in your mouth, the chicken falls off the bone in a satisfying way and the whole dish is both warming and yet still light. Preserved lemon is not as sharp as fresh lemon and gives a different flavoursome approach, definitely worth trying if you haven't before.



Lamb Tajine $25.90

The other tajine we order is a lamb shank stewed in a sweet but not overly hot curry; in fact most of the food at this restaurant is aromatic but not overly spicy. Moroccan is strong on cinnamon and clove but not on chilli, leaving a lot of intense flavour but not the heat that turns some off. You can taste every last bite of the food and you really want to! This curry is mixed with stewed prunes and the sweetness of the prunes with the rich tender lamb on the bone mixes well with the woody spices of the sauce.



Fig and Date pudding $11.90

You can see from the corner cut out of it that it was so enticing I couldn't stop people digging in before I got a photo. As expected after the rest of the meal the sauce is just amazing, the pudding rich and moist.



Creme Caramel $11.90

Another dessert classic done well, you can tell that some of the staff are Spanish as this has the real toffee flavour of flan with dribbles of deliciously light sugar sauce.





Minted tea $4.50

After a rich meal a tea doesn't go astray and this is served in delightful silverware and Moroccan glassware topped with fresh mint.



Tawny Port $7.00

And why not a port to finish off? It is Winter after all.

The sauces here are amazing and the food inviting and memorable, not to mention something a little different in the Italian heavy Leichhardt. They have tried to insert some more mediterranean food into the menu, presumeably to get more customers in, but ignore this you can get that kind of food anywhere in the Forum. What makes this place stand out and where they shine is the spiced and fresh Moroccan food.

Sadly my favourite Maitre'D seems to no longer work at the restaurant, I wonder if he didn't have a fight with the management about the menu additions; still the service is attentive and the chef is a god. I highly recommend taking a few friends and sharing the dishes. Here we had 3 entrees, 3 mains and 2 desserts between 4 and were dying at the end of the meal, but never ever once thinking we could stop eating. Add in a couple of bottles of wine and some good friends and this is the perfect informal foodie delight.

Restaurant Baraka and Safari Bar
http://www.restaurantbaraka.com.au/
Shop 2-3, Level One, Italian Forum
23 Norton Street
Leichhardt NSW 2040

Fully licensed
No reservation necessary, though they tend to close the kitchen early so arrive before 8:30