Rave Ov, Mona Vale Road, St. Ives

Rave Ov, Mona Vale Road, St. Ives
Saturday 26 November, 2005

Rave is located in a small group of shops - opposite Hassell Park - on Mona Vale Road. It is situated amongst The Road to Goa (Indian), Nando's, Bellini's (Italian) and an assortment of other shops e.g newsagent, hairdresser. The Rave site has changed hands several times - about 18 months ago it was known as SnIves.

It is a pleasant surprise - the food, service and atmosphere are good. For a local restaurant it's packed - there's no shortage of keen diners in this suburb. They've recently extended out onto the shared patio and enclosed their space with clear branded plastic.

It's very noisy and the tables are way too small. For example, for three guests seated at a table for four, we could barely fit our plates and white wine glasses on the table let alone the side dishes, red wine glasses and wine. Whilst the meal servings are huge and it is value for money - something needs to be done about the tables.

The food is good - I enjoyed the zucchini flowers (light & crisp), eye fillet (cooked to specifications) and chocolate pudding (rich & decadent) while my parents enjoyed their variety of oysters (Natural, Florentine, Kilpatrick & Bloody Mary), roast duck, veal and Baileys Brulee.

The atmosphere is loud and the decor is orange and interesting with these quirky egg shaped lamps on each table that change colour every 30 seconds.

If you are on the North Shore - check it out.

Rave Ov - Shop 1/351 Mona Vale Road, St Ives - (02) 94888942

Stir Crazy Thai, Bay Road, Waverton

Stir Crazy Thai, Bay Road, Waverton
Thursday 24 & Friday 25 November, 2005

Two nights in a row? Yes....last night was spur of the moment as I visited a friend's place in Waverton and we decided to stop in for a quick meal around 8.30pm. Tonight was a planned dinner with friends at 6.30pm.

Stir Crazy is a very informal shoebox of a restaurant in several locations around Sydney e.g. Waverton, Kirribilli and Erskinville. The atmosphere is loud and buzzy with several staff squeezing through the small spaces between the tables. The menu is full of variety and the bonus is it's BYO.

The kitchen is in full view of the dining area, so there's the sound of stir fries heating up in large woks and the view of flames rising above the hot plates. For the amount of staff on the floor, the service is pretty average. The food is simple, fresh and reasonably priced for the portion sizes. My favourite dishes are the pumpkin stir fry, pad thai and fresh spring rolls.

Take along a bottle of wine and it's a cheap and cheerful night out.

Stir Crazy Thai - 2/94a Bay Road, Waverton - (02) 99550709

Tetsuya's, Kent Street, Sydney

Tetsuya's, Kent Street, Sydney
Saturday 19 November, 2005

I've been a fan of Tetsuya's since the Rozelle days and it is seriously one of the finest restaurants Australia has to offer. It is an experience from the moment you arrive and are greeted by the impeccable staff. Discreet, sincere and extremely knowledgeable.

Even more impressive is the fact that Tetsuya himself is standing in reception to greet you (this has happened about 3 out of 6 visits). Such a small gesture has an enormous impact.

Tonight I was dining with two uninitiated friends. I had built this experience up for them and assured them it would be an experience to remember. After our arrival encounter with Tetsuya, my friends were speechless. Our waiter was so informative and kindly explained, when asked, that the small badges that each staff were wearing represented Relais & Chateaux - Tetsuya is the only Australian restaurant to be recognised under the prestigious Relais & Chateaux banner.

http://www.relaischateaux.com/en/

The staff are so attentive. One of my friends announced she was pregnant as we sat down, so it was sparkling wine all around. We couldn't decide between two sparkling wines (at the cheaper end of the menu) so our waiter introduced us to the sommelier. He gave us an overview of each and kindly pointed us in the right direction. My pregnant friend had decided to drink only one glass of champagne and the staff modified her menu accordingly to exclude raw fish. This, somehow, made it's way into each staff members memory bank, so she was never asked again if she wanted a refill or received the wrong meal. Outstanding.

You don't order at Tetsuya's - it is a set degustation menu (tasting plates) so you don't receive a menu. The staff will recite the offerings up front and once each plate is presented at the table they will also walk you through every item and even offer suggestions on how to eat them. For example, the Tartare of tuna came with a lovely avocado sauce with caviar, so we were advised to mix it all up - excellent suggestion as it combined all the flavours beautifully. Likewise with Tetsuya's version of strawberry shortcake - it is presented in a shot glass in layers and we were advised to mix it all up, which we did and WOW!

The menu looked like this:

1. Canape of soft smoked ocean trout with washed onion
2. Tartare of tuna on sushi rice with avocado
3. Tuna marinated in soy & mirin; cold corn soup with basil ice cream; and marinated NZ scampi with chicken parfait and walnut
4. Confit of petuna Tasmanian ocean trout with konbu, daikon and fennel with seasonal green salad
5. Ravioli of QLD spanner crab with tomato and basil vinaigrette
6. Twice cooked de-boned spatchcock with braised daikon & bread sauce
7. Grilled wagyu beef with asian mushrooms & lime jus
8. Beetroot & blood orange sorbet; and strawberry shortcake
9. White truffle ice cream with sticky rice & date
10. Floating island with praline & vanilla bean anglais

You are also offered a starter of oysters after enjoying the canape, which we declined, and also organic sour dough with a truffle and oil butter - this is delicious. For me, the stand out menu items were Tetsuya's signature dish - Confit of ocean trout with konbu, daikon & fennel; the cold corn soup with basil ice cream and every dessert.

I like the way the restaurant is divided into a series of rooms, so it feels quite intimate and each space has a view of the japanese garden. Every table in our room were enjoying themselves immensely, one table was taking photos of each dish as they arrived and another table went with the wines to match each dish so were progressively more entertaining as the night wore on.

Tetsuya's is an experience from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. The service, presentation and food are outstanding.

Tetsuya's - 529 Kent Street, Sydney - (02) 92672900

http://www.tetsuyas.com

Eighty Ate, West Street, North Sydney

Eighty Ate, West Street, North Sydney
Saturday 19 November, 2005

This is a relaxed place with a mixed crowd. The surrounding streets are largely young families but there is also a mix of baby boomers with teenagers.

On Saturday, the Michelle Shennen Garden Centre across the road had a clearing sale, so there was a lot of activity around, people out walking, prams etc.

Eighty Ate is family friendly and there are plenty of staff. The food is good, not great - breakfast contains all the usuals, pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast etc - the coffee is OK and you can read the paper without feeling rushed.

If it's a great day, try to secure a table outside, but there are only about 7. Inside can be a little dark if it's not really sunny outside and sometimes the tables are placed too close together, so trying to navigate a pram through the interior space is a challenge.

Eighty Ate is pleasant and it's located away from the busy Crows Nest shops/ cafes - closer to North Sydney, so if the local markets are on, walk down afterwards.

Eighty Eight - 88 West Street, North Sydney - (02) 99298046

Brew, Harrington St, Sydney

Brew, Harrington St, Sydney
Thursday 17 November, 2005

Located in the old Bushells Tea building in The Rocks this cafe is a real find. It doesn't get too busy, so you can enjoy your coffee/ breakfast & never feel rushed. I've only been to Brew for coffee/ breakfast and it's all good. A steady stream of business professionals enter throughout the morning, many for takeaway coffees - it is located opposite Grosvenor Place, some tourists due to the nearby hotels and residents of the understated Cove complex.

The coffee is good as is the selection of breads, muffins & pastries. If you have time, or rather make time for the breakfast offerings. I've enjoyed the poached eggs on turkish (steer clear of the spinach on the side, unless you are a massive fan), scrambled eggs, museli, fruit salad. A friend of mine swears by the avocado & tomato on turkish - I'll be trying that next time.

The space is large with exposed beams and a concrete floor. There's a general buzz & it's noisy, especially when the chairs are moved. There's even broadband wireless internet access for those that can't go anywhere without their laptops.

Brew - 121 Harrington Street, The Rocks - (02) 92511577

I would not recommend going overboard like this, but let me tell how good the food was.....

Breakfast at Danks St Depot, Danks St, Waterloo @ 10am

I enjoy Danks St, it is not busy every weekend (you can be lucky..) however if it full of kids/ prams it is virtually unbearable - tip: kids and floorboards do not mix, the noise carries. Anyway, the food is consistently good and I am a fan of the basil & goats cheese omelet, the creamed eggs with truffle oil and the coffee. Request - please bring back the simple but delicious egg & bacon roll! Here's a tip for future guests ask for the garlic bread (yes, for breakfast) it is not on the menu but ask for it anyway, they will prepare it and also sell it so that you can take it home for later. It comes with whole garlic pieces and is dripping in butter - naughty but very, very good. The artwork next door is worth a look and the Lucky beer picture at the far end is a welcome addition. My only real gripe is the spacing of the tables - they are way too close - the staff can't squeeze in between so how can you expect the guests to?

Danks Street Depot - 1 Danks Street, Waterloo - (02) 96982201

Lunch at the Oaks Hotel, Military Rd, Neutral Bay @ 2pm

The Oaks is my local, so I am probably a little bias. I love the outdoor beer garden, it is a great people watching area, place to drink away the afternoon and catch up with friends. The food is also a surprise - there is the cook your own (where only you are to blame..) or try the pot of mussels (served with chips and variety of toppings) or go a gourmet pizza. This is the option me & my friends took - thai chicken, Oaks deluxe and seafood. Maybe it's the amount you drink that makes the food taste so good?

Oaks Hotel - 118 Military Road, Neutral Bay - (02) 99535515

Dinner at Golden Century Seafood, Sussex St, Sydney @ 8pm

This place is fantastic. If the queue out the door from 8 - 10pm doesn't tell you something I don't know what will. The service upstairs is 10 times better than downstairs - book & request a table upstairs - the airconditioning is on upstairs and they don't try and move you on quickly (like they do downstairs). The food is very hard to fault and having visited China earlier this year, I spent some time talking with the waiters about some dishes that were not on the menu - ask and you will receive - water spinach with garlic (only when it is in season from September) and chilli chicken (served with whole chillis and only for lovers of hot dishes). From the menu we ordered an absolute feast - chicken with ginger and shallots, black pepper beef, honey king prawns (the biggest prawns I have seen), salt and pepper squid and my all time favourite dish - you have to try this - grandma's bean curd - fresh tofu served in a bowl of thick paste with chilli and shallots - unbelievable.

Golden Century - 393 Sussex Street, Haymarket - (02) 92123901

http://www.goldencentury.com.au/

This was an extraordinary day - I don't do this regularly but god it was good.

Golden Century Seafood, Sussex St, Sydney

Golden Century Seafood, Sussex St, Sydney
Saturday 12 November, 2005

This place is fantastic. If the queue out the door from 8 - 10pm doesn't tell you something I don't know what will. The service upstairs is 10 times better than downstairs - book & request a table upstairs - the airconditioning is on upstairs and they don't try and move you on quickly (like they do downstairs).

The food is very hard to fault and having visited China earlier this year, I spent some time talking with the waiters about some dishes that were not on the menu - ask and you will receive - water spinach with garlic (only when it is in season from September) and chilli chicken (served with whole chillis and only for lovers of hot dishes).

From the menu we ordered an absolute feast - chicken with ginger and shallots, black pepper beef, honey king prawns (the biggest prawns I have seen), salt and pepper squid and my all time favourite dish - you have to try this - grandma's bean curd - fresh tofu served in a bowl of thick paste with chilli and shallots - unbelievable.

The food is outstanding and I can't wait to return.

Golden Century - 393 Sussex Street, Sydney - (02) 92123901

http://www.goldencentury.com.au/

Danks St Depot, Danks St, Waterloo

Danks St Depot, Danks St, Waterloo
Saturday 12 November, 2005

I enjoy Danks St, it is not busy every weekend (you can be lucky..) however if it full of kids/ prams it is virtually unbearable - tip: kids and floorboards do not mix, the noise carries. Anyway, the food is consistently good and I am a fan of the basil & goats cheese omelet, the creamed eggs with truffle oil and the coffee. Request - please bring back the simple but delicious egg & bacon roll!

Here's a tip for future guests ask for the garlic bread (yes, for breakfast) it is not on the menu but ask for it anyway, they will prepare it and also sell it so that you can take it home for later. It comes with whole garlic pieces and is dripping in butter - naughty but very, very good.

The artwork next door is worth a look and the Lucky beer picture at the far end is a welcome addition. My only real gripe is the spacing of the tables - they are way too close - the staff can't squeeze in between so how can you expect the guests to?

Danks Street Depot - Danks Street, Waterloo - (02) 96982201

Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Notts Ave, Bondi Beach

Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, Bondi
Friday 11 November, 2005

Having dined there late last year for dinner I was keen to try it for lunch and give them the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, they are way too cool for school...

My experience last year was awful. I arrived at the swanky entrance after watching the valet parking attendants almost crash a car as they watched a group of very attractive women (models?) enter the restaurant. I was ignored as the reception staff fawned over and ogled the models, even though I had arrived before them. Standing there for 5 minutes I decided to find my group within the restaurant and was accosted by a very pretentious waiter who beckoned me back to the entrance. I explained the situation & assured him that I did not need an escort to my friends/ table. Things continued to go down hill as the menu is not an easy read and the list of specials is almost another menu itself. The waiter spilt wine at the table, forgot to bring one of my friends dishes & then the bill was incorrect. OK, enough with the rant, the food was above average but hardly justifies the ridiculous prices attached. What an overrated experience.

Anyway, almost a year has passed and after reading several flattering reviews, including the SMH & LA Times article I agreed to lunch.

This time the experience was marginally better. It was a beautiful day - bonus - but the staff still think way too highly of themselves. Seriously, isn't the key to service - to serve??? Again I was ignored at the reception. I wandered into the restaurant to see if my friend had arrived and was again beckoned back to reception where I was informed I could wait in the bar while the table was being prepared. Come on, at 12pm on a week day in an almost empty restaurant why make guests go to the bar first when you have another booking on the table for 1.30pm? This just makes the lunch rushed, the waiter embarrassed when they have to ask you to vacate the table mid dessert and is just another ploy to get you to spend money. So, I go to the bar and have to endure the 2 staff behind the bar talking about their escapades during the week - a little service people.....

However, the table service improved but the menu specials are still as long as the menu itself. This time I indulged in the fish stew - 'Cacciucco alla Livornese' which was lovely - think bisque in a huge round dish filled with scallops, mussels, prawns etc with a lovely moderately spicy sauce with 2 pieces of bread soaking up the sauce underneath the seafood. Thumbs up and also for dessert - tiramisu (one of their specials) that is served at the table out of a big bowl from the kitchen fridge - in a local Italian I would find this endearing but at Icebergs I found this embarrassing - some of the bowl contents had already been served to other guests, so it looked like mash that was plopped onto my plate with no style whatsoever. It really did taste good though...and I do appreciate the vast wines by the glass list.

At 1.30pm we were quietly asked to vacate the table even though several (at least 10 tables were still completely empty) and moved to the bar to finish up. By this time the bar was a little busy and it took ages to secure anyone's attention to get the bill - yes, we did consider walking out. Overall, the food was good, the venue on a beautiful day is stunning but the service just lets the whole experience down.

Total cost $145 for two people.

Icebergs Dining Room & Bar - 1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach - (02)93659000

http://www.idrb.com/index2.htm

Cafe Sydney, Customs House, Circular Quay

Cafe Sydney, Circular Quay
Thursday 10 November, 2005

This is a beautiful setting. I have been waiting for an opportunity to return here and I found it. An old friend had returned to Sydney after living in the US for many years. How does a long lunch sound? Perfect...

Refreshingly, they don't take 2 bookings on the table for lunch, so there is no fear of being turfed out to make way for next guests. Our 12pm lunch reservation continued through to 2.30pm and we were not rushed in any way.

Surprisingly, I knew the waiter - long story but our fathers are good friends and we haven't seen each other for over 10 years. Bonus. Not that I wanted special treatment, but it was really nice to see an old friend in action and I'm really pleased that she didn't offer us any preferential treatment - I would have been disappointed if she had.

Cafe Sydney was busy but this didn't impact the attentiveness of the staff or the food. Our meals were really, really good - I started with the seared cured ocean trout salad with baby beetroot, blood orange, white asparagus, shisho, and lemon creme fraiche that came to the table as big as a main serving and was absolutely delicious - very light and the flavours were well matched. For main I had the woodgrilled tuna with melitzano, fried zucchini flowers, anchovie, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. I cannot complain about the food - it was excellent. As much as I would have loved to indulge in dessert - it was not physically possible.

The wines by the glass were very good and the ambient buzz of the cafe is great - you are not seated too close to other tables, so it is good for a business lunch and equally for a long lunch with a friend.

Cafe Sydney - Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay - (02) 92518683

http://www.cafesydney.com.au

Phuong, Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest

Phuong, Willoughby Road, Crows Nest
Saturday 5 November, 2005

This restaurant is awesome - it's a local gem and bookings are a must. From the front it doesn't look like much - but it is very authentic Vietnamese food at its best. The restaurant itself has been there for about 25 years but has changed ownership several times. The latest owners are a family who are passionate about their food and enjoy sharing it with their patrons. The sons who work the floor are great value - very helpful to the uninitiated and on one previous visit in August, sat with us during their down time to share some tips on Vietnamese words that would come in handy for my holiday there in September - how impressive...

The food is sensational - soft sell crab that is so good on 2 previous visits we had to order more; stuffed squid with pork, shallots and lightly fried; and sizzling beef that must be their speciality as every second table orders it. It is one of those restaurants where everyone looks at what everyone else has ordered, guests chat openly about the food and recommend dishes, the staff greet regulars like family and it is BYO.

I haven't been to a better Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney.

Phuong - 87 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest - (02) 94392621

Yellow Bistro & Food Store, Maclay St, Potts Point

YellowBistro & Food Store, Maclay Street, Potts Point
Friday 4 November, 2005

I gave my foodie friend an opportunity to pick any place in Sydney and she picked a place I had never heard of - in Potts Point! Come on, I said, surely you can do better than that?

Well, I ate my words literally. This is a real find and I have been back since to double check it was really that good. The location is fabulous - the trendy end of Maclay St and the building is gorgeous. Terrace like building painted bright yellow and each balcony is closed in with steel images of Picasso's Nude Boy - well, that's what it look like to me....I asked the waiter and he informed me that the balcony images were modelled on Picasso's work and the entire building mirrors a building in Paris. Wow!

For lunch (what impressed me was that each lunch offering was a smaller size than a main, so that you could indulge in something naughty afterwards) I chose the crab and mango stack - piled high with greens and a delicious tangy lime dressing. Very nice and light which meant that I would definitely indulge in something else - chocolate, caramel and macadamia tart - bring it on! Beautiful crust, simple and just so good.

The staff are all good - everyone is friendly, down to earth and happy to chat. I usually sit outside but the indoor area is cosy and spills into the deli/ pastisserie section where you can browse the wonderful quiches, sandwiches, tarts etc. And...the coffee is great too.

Yellow Bistro & Food Store - 57 Maclay Street - (02) 93573400