Go-Zen Japanese, Spit Rd, Mosman

Go-Zen Japanese, Spit Rd, Mosman
Thursday 30 March, 2006

Tonight my dinner buddy and I decided to do the cheap and cheerful option and selected Go-Zen at Mosman. If you've never been the entrance is actually on Stanton Lane even though the address is Spit Road. There's a carpark behind the restaurant which is really handy.

It's a small space with rather drab looking decor - but let's face it you are not going there for the decor - it's the cheap and cheerful prices that support the delicious food. I'm a fan and it's one of those places that you don't want too many to know about, so this review will self destruct in 5 mins......

I love the fresh taste of japanese food - it just feels healthy eating raw food and it's not filling. We started with some salmon and tuna sashimi - mixing our own combinations of wasabi and soy sauce - sensational. This was followed by prawn moneybags and sweet chilli sauce - they were very good with decent size prawns inside. We finished off with one of their specials - deep fried soft shell crab - it was good, not great.

The size of the restaurant is an issue, especially when you have a couple of large groups inside. We were seated next to the noisiest family with 4 teenagers that were all trying speak over each other. It was like fingernails down a chalkboard...

The staff are pleasant and efficient and it's so reasonable - the bill came to $17 each. For a BYO restaurant this is fantastic. Bookings essential.

Don't tell anyone - OK?

Go-Zen Japanese - 5/142 Spit Rd, Mosman - (02) 9969 8889

Lindt Cafe, Martin Place, Sydney

Lindt Cafe, Martin Place, Sydney
Thursday 30 March, 2006

Did someone say chocolate for lunch? Lindt opened their flagship shop & cafe in November 2004. They sell Lindt chocolates and serve a variety of chocolate-based foods such as cakes, ice-cream, pastries, special deserts and waffles - what more could a chocoholic want?

They don't take bookings for lunch and after several phone calls re: our table of six, they refused to help. I was politely informed that they have a no bookings policy. Gee, how hard is it? Is it the taking of the booking that is the difficulty or is it that people just don't show up when a booking is made and the cafe/ restaurant is left with a vacant table? I personally think a no bookings policy is a deterrent and I tend to steer clear of these places. Higher end restaurants such as Rockpool and Tetsuya have instigated a deposit for tables above 6 - 8 guests so they are not left high and dry by guests that pull a 'no show' and I completely agree with this approach.

Anyway, we arrived at the Lindt cafe around 12.30pm and hardly any tables were occupied out the front and the umbrellas were not up, so we wondered inside and there was also plenty of room. The interior is spacious with high ceilings and plush decor. There is a long white leather lounge occupying the length of the cafe with tables of 2 and 4 along side. The stand alone chairs on the other side have handles as they are so heavy to move.

We perused the menu and contemplated having hot chocolate and dessert for lunch, however the actual lunch options sounded really good. We all splurged on the lindt chocolate milkshake - a real heart stopper - with white, milk and dark chocolate sprinkled on top. Wow!

For lunch I enjoyed the cantina roll with leg ham, tasmanian brie, rocket and mango chutney. I had to ask what the cantina roll was and it was explained to me as a panini - long, thin bread. What arrived at the table was vastly different - a short, fat roll. It was still good but our waitress clearly did not understand the menu options. My lunch buddies also enjoyed their lunches, however the comments ranged from, the vegetable tart was too small (maybe they want you to order dessert?) and the lamb foccacia was toasted but the filling was cold. So, overall the lunch menu is average - maybe next time we'll stick to dessert?

The service is also average - we had to ask how we pay - at the counter or at the table? When we were told to pay at the counter our waitress then said she could bring the bill to the table. So, as we were already on our feet we paid at the counter - they don't allow you to pay separately.

As Easter is fast approaching the theme is carrots - so there's some great visuals throughout the shop and cafe.

Lindt Cafe - Martin Place (cnr Phillip St), Sydney - (02) 8257 1600

Zenith on Booth, Booth Street, Annandale

Zenith on Booth, Booth Street, Annandale
Tuesday 28 March, 2006

Tonight I was catching up with an old friend who I have known for over 10 years but haven't seen for nearly 18 months. Her boyfriend is a chef and recently scored a job at Longrain - this solved our dilemma of where not to go, especially as it was his night off.

Zenith is located in the Camperdown end of Booth St. There are some great local shops here and they have a gorgeous corner location and operate the entire two floors of the building. Zenith have recently bought back the wood fired pizza with about 12 options available including the calzone. This, however is not why we decided to visit Zenith - there are far better pizzerias in Haberfield.

Tonight we sat on the upstairs terrace - it's enclosed with clear, thick plastic blinds and is quite private, especially when you are one of two tables occupied in the entire restaurant. The staff were friendly, welcoming and attentive until dessert...but I'll get to that.

I chose the spiced lamb loin pink eye roast, eggplant, king cous cous and a rosemary jus for main and my dinner buddies selected the linguine di mare al cartoccio with calarmari, mussels, vognole, yamba prawns, QLD saucer scallops wrapped in baking paper finished in a wood fired oven and the spanner crab cannelloni with baby spinach, ricotta, asparagus, tomato and basil. The meals arrived with great fanfare, especially the linguine which was presented then dramatically unwrapped at the table.

The food was surprisingly good and I think we thought we were on a roll because we readily ordered dessert. After ordering it took another 30 minutes for the desserts to arrive - trio of sorbets and icecream and the chocolate torte with grilled figs. This seemed ridiculously long and we wondered how long it would take when the restaurant was a quarter or even half full. Regardless, these desserts were disappointing and we shouldn't have bothered - the figs weren't ripe and the sorbet was in fact trio of icecream, including vanilla - why bother?

For three mains, a bottle of wine and two desserts the bill came to $55 each - that's expensive for an average meal.

Zenith on Booth - 37 Booth Street, Annandale - (02) 9660 6600

http://www.zenithonbooth.com.au/

Beaches, The Esplanade, Balmoral

Beaches, The Esplanade, Balmoral
Sunday 26 March, 2006

Things did not get off to a great start at Beaches. I booked a table for brunch over 2 weeks ago. When I called during the week to discuss a birthday cake, they had no record of my booking. So, I made the booking again and then asked about bringing a birthday cake. I got passed from one staff member to the next before I finally spoke with someone who could assist me. They don't accept cakes so, I asked if they made cakes instead. There was a short delay before he stated they can do a cake for $55 then he said is that too expensive? Yes, was my emphatic reply. How about $45 he stated.

Sunday in Balmoral is always busy - it's a residential area so most of the parking is already utilised by locals. Beaches is located directly opposite the beach in a great location and it has a light and airy feel to it. We had an early booking and I wanted to settle the payment for cake upfront so it wouldn't appear on the bill - well you'd think I just asked them to solve world poverty (such were the puzzled looks I received). I paid as the staff member attempted to serve me and speak with another customer on the phone - no-one is that good and his attempt failed miserably.

We were seated and two different staff members came to the table to ask what name the booking was under. After 5 minutes or so we were asked to vacate the table as they had another table for us upstairs - it's much better upstairs he remarked - the view is better, it's quieter etc. Whatever....

Their breakfast menu is relatively short and surprisingly reasonable. I enjoyed the Poached Eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce for $13.75 and my friends devoured their Blini Topped with Scrambled Eggs with smoked salmon, goats cheese & caviar; Open Omelette with field mushrooms, tomato & truffle oil; and English Breakfast with bacon, eggs, tomato, mushroom & toast. Everything came to the table beautifully presented and on different sized plates according to the meal.

The service was friendly when they were around - but there were three occupied tables upstairs and we were all searching for service at some point. Several times I almost got up and went downstairs to secure service.

When we had finished our main meals I motioned to the waiter that we would be ready for the cake in 5 minutes or so - knowing full well it would take forever, be prepared in the kitchen, brought to the table, Happy Birthday sung, cake cut & returned to the kitchen for plating etc. It took 25 minutes for the cake to arrive and one visit from our waiter with a sorry - it's on it's way.

The cake arrived with great fanfare and all the guests upstairs joined in with our rendition of Happy Birthday. After the candles were blown out and cake cut it was returned to the kitchen for plating - this took another 10 minutes - we were amazed to see they had literally cut the Bombe Alaska into four pieces. We each received a plate with 3 x the amount of cake on it. Not surprisingly, a large amount of cake went to waste.

When the bill arrived I was not surprised to see the cake was still listed - despite the fact I had paid for it earlier. As we deducted this from the bill our waiter came over very embarrassed and blamed the other staff for the over-sight.

Beaches has a great location and yummy breakfast options. The service is ad hoc which unfortunately lets the whole experience down.

Beaches - 51 The Esplanade, Balmoral - (02) 9969 7704

http://www.beachesrestaurant.com.au/

Bistro Lilly, 168 Kent Street, Sydney

Bistro Lilly, 168 Kent Street, Sydney
Saturday 25 March, 2006

The attraction of visiting Bistro Lilly came from one of Matthew Evans (formally SMH) last Good Living reviews. It stated, "Perfect for the price....Bistro Lilly is worth visiting".

So, I booked a table and rounded up the dinner crowd. Once we'd locked in a date, we started to discover all the specials available. If you pay with a Citibank credit card you receive a complimentary bottle of wine and the website www.eatability.com.au was promoting their two courses and a glass of wine for $39 pp. Surprisingly, none of these offers are mentioned on their website.

Bistro Lilly is located on the street level of Observatory Tower (the big green residential tower) on Kent St. Fortunately there was street parking available but it only allowed you to park there in two hour blocks. The entrance to Bistro Lilly is quaint with low hanging trees, dim lighting and the some tables in the courtyard. The interior is wooden floorboards and minimalist decor. The staff were welcoming, if not a little awkward in their approach.

We were provided with menus but only one copy of the chef's special menu for $39. As we all poured over this menu and ignored the a la carte menus, our waiter poured the bottle of mineral water into three out of four glasses. We had to ask for more copies of the chef's special menu and another bottle of mineral water - surely the staff should be on top of these things?

I ordered the hot smoked denver leg (venison) with chipote avocado salsa for entree and the braised lamb shank with pumpkin/ potato mash and sweetbread spring roll. My dinner buddies ordered the tempura soft shell crab with ginger soba noodles and hand made tagliolini with thai chicken curry.

As we enjoyed our entrees the staff began shuffling the tables around in the restaurant - not subtly but noisily scraping the floorboards. Our handbags, jackets etc were located on a spare table next to us and despite the restaurant being only half full the waiter bought the next guests to this table. As guests paid and left the restaurant, tables were not cleared immediately, so we sat next to dirty plates for most of the evening. When the waiter did clear one table he dropped some cutlery which remained on the floor for the duration of our stay. It's the little things like this that add to the experience of dining at Bistro Lilly.

The food was delivered quickly. The entrees were beautiful - my venison was rare and the combination with the avocado salsa was light and refreshing. The lamb shank was delicious and the meat fell away from the bone. My dinner buddies all agreed that the tempura soft shell crab was great but the let down was the handmade tagliolini teamed with thai chicken curry - it seemed an odd match and it was.

We decided to view the dessert menu and three of us succumbed to the ginger cheescake with hazelnut gelato and wild berry couli. It was very decadent and worth every cent.

The total bill came to $50 pp which was sensational value for three courses and a glass of wine.

Bistro Lilly - Shop 6/ 168 Kent Street, Sydney - (02) 9252 1116

http://www.bistrolilly.com.au/

Anna Thai, Enmore Road, Enmore

Anna Thai, Enmore Road, Enmore
Thursday 23 March, 2006

The small strip around the Enmore Theatre has seen a variety of restaurants over the years but there's been one constant - Anna Thai.

I love this place because it's fast, efficient and really cheap. It's one of those places you stop for a quick bite on the way to somewhere else. Tonight we were off to see De La Soul at the Enmore Theatre. As they weren't due to take the stage till after 9.30pm (it was actually 11.15pm...) we decided to have a meal beforehand.

Anna Thai is a family run business and usually the kids are ordering and serving the meals. Tonight it was quiet so only the son was working. The decor is wood - wooden floorboards, wooden chairs & tables, wood paneling on the walls etc - it's a wood lovers dream. To everyone else you are initially taken aback.

We were served prawn crackers with peanut sauce while we sussed out the menu. The good 'ol prawn cracker has never gone away but teaming it up with a bitey peanut sauce is very effective.

We ordered red curry beef with vegetables, coconut prawns with sweet chilli & honey, and chicken chilli basil. It was all bought to the table at once - I wish they had staggered the delivery to allow us time to enjoy the steaming dishes rather than feel we had to eat a bit of everything quickly while it was still hot.

The coconut prawns were delicious - think of a light, crisp batter with coconut and the dipping sauce was delicious - sweet chilli and honey - great combination. The chicken chilli basil had a good kick to it. We had way too much food as usual.

The bill came to $25pp which included 3 mains, rice and drinks - a great place for a quick bite and very cheap & cheerful.

Anna Thai - 154 Enmore Road, Enmore - (02) 9557 0511

GPO Wood Fired Pizza, Martin Place, Sydney

GPO Wood Fired Pizza, Martin Place, Sydney
Wednesday 22 March, 2006

Tonight my wine buddy and I participated in the GPO cheese and wine tasting. For $45 pp you are exposed to four wines and matched cheeses. The wines were all red and we sampled two French and two Australian - the stand out was the Chateau Maucamps, Cru Bourgeois, Haut-Medoc from France. The matched cheeses ranged from a soft goats cheese through to a blue vein.

Afterwards, we sought out some more drinks in the Senate Bar and decided to order dinner too. The options are extensive as you have:

- Prime restaurant
- Post seafood brasserie
- Sosumi sushi train
- GPO wood fired pizza
- GPO oyster bar

We decided to try the GPO wood fired pizza. With two staff working behind the counter, they churn out the wood fired pizzas within minutes. We ordered a Spagnola pizza to share for $17. It had a tomato base, mozzarella, chorizo, spanish onion, basil and chilli - I thought it was delicious but added more chilli or maybe it was the amount I had to drink that made it taste so good....

GPO Wood Fired Pizza - No 1 Martin Place, Sydney - (02) 9229 7700

http://www.gposydney.com/

Belgian Beer Cafe, Harrington St, The Rocks

Belgian Beer Cafe, Harrington St, The Rocks
Tuesday 21 March, 2006

The Belgian Beer Cafe has a wonderful heritage look and feel - from the exterior to the entrance way that displays the original sandstone - it is an impressive building.

Tonight it was busy with a large crowd gathered by the bar and most tables full. I've only been here for lunch so I was curious to see what the dinner menu was like - there's no difference - just one menu that goes across lunch and dinner. The portions are large so bring your appetite.

My bank ball buddy and I had not seen each other for several months, so had a lot of catching up to do. The Belgian Beer Cafe is not the place - it's noisy and the wooden floor boards only emphasise the sound. The restaurant space itself is enormous with a large main area, upstairs seating and further seating out the back near the kitchen that is relatively private. The staff are largely Belgian (surprise, surprise) and some struggle with their command of English especially in a noisy environment where they have to strain to understand your order. Despite this, they are all very friendly.

For dinner I decided to try the steak frite (Porterhouse steak) with salad and chips. My bank ball buddy selected the Flemish beef stew cooked in beer. Within 10 minutes the meals had arrived - what efficient service! However, it was just a little too fast as we'd only just ordered drinks. The impressive selection of beers (over 20 Belgian beers and countless others) makes a decision difficult - however, reviewing the options is half the fun.

The food was good - portions huge and for $35 pp (main meal and a couple of beers) it's not cheap and cheerful but close to it. The atmosphere is loud and fun with a mix of office workers and tourists.

Belgian Beer Cafe - 135 Harrington St, The Rocks - (02) 9241 1775

http://www.belgian-beer-cafe.com.au/

The Apprentice, Harris St, Ultimo

The Apprentice, Harris St, Ultimo
Monday 20 March, 2006

I had heard about the TAFE Sydney Institute working restaurant from a fellow food blogger and was curious enough to look into it myself.

I called the number and spoke with a very friendly staff member who explained there were a series of forms to complete including a credit card booking form before our reservation would be confirmed. All this to dine at TAFE? I filled out the forms and faxed them back only to be informed that the restaurant is only open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday during term - surely this should be stated on the plethora of forms I was sent initially? Anyway, several hours later, we were booked in.

The Apprentice is the name of this working restaurant and it is located on Harris St within the TAFE Ultimo campus. Not too sure about the name - reminds me of the Donald Trump reality TV series and believe me, I wish Donald had appeared throughout the evening to utter the infamous words, 'you're fired' to some of the students/ staff.

Despite not knowing where we were going (we had instructions) my foodie friend and I parked in a neighbouring street and walked over to Harris St. I don't know about you, but it's been a while since I've visited a University campus and is it just me or do all the buildings look the same? Anyway, we found the entrance and followed the signs to the lifts. Upon entering the foyer we were greeted by a man lying face down in a chef's uniform on the black lounge - charming.... or maybe an indication of how hard they work their students? Either way, not the best first impression as we waited for the lift to the 7th floor.

As we disembarked on the 7th floor we were greeting by about 12 smiling staff. All standing, waiting in anticipation for their first guests. We felt we were on show, not them. We were greeted and then led to our table. Shortly afterwards we were introduced to our waiter for the evening, Josh. He was very young, clearly very nervous and visibly shaking as he poured water into our water glasses. We responded by being very friendly and encouraging.

After providing us with menus Josh returned and asked if we'd like a drink to start. The options were beer, white and red wine or as Josh said, 'or there's Coke and stuff'. First I asked if I could have a mineral water (no) and then I asked what the white and red wine were. Josh's response was chardonnay or cabinet.

A short time later Josh appeared to take our orders - he gave no eye contact and mumbled the words, 'do you know what you want yet?'. There were 3 - 4 selections for each - Appetiser, Entree, Main and Dessert. I chose:

- Suppli al Telefono - crumbed arborio balls filled with cheese, peas and herbs (one crumbed arborio ball appeared on a plate and it was very dry and chewy)
- Char-grilled squid with lime, coriander, mint and mizuna (the squid was too salty and chewy and the mizuna was inedible - I don't like bitter lettuce)
- Pan fried loin of pork with apple celeraic puree, snake beans and cumin oil (the stand out dish of the evening - delicious - the pork was cooked just right and the apple celeraic puree was very moorish and a great accompaniment to the snake beans that were also cooked to perfection)
- Campari & passionfruit sorbet (very, light, sweet and refreshing).

My foodie friend selected:

- Seared kangaroo rump carpaccio with roasted baby beetroot, horseradish cream and watercress (OK, but the beetroot was hard)
- Summer Italian salad with mozzarella, mint, peach and pancetta (huge pieces of mozzarella and peach)
- Handmade saffron linguine with grilled asparagus spears, lemon, garlic and parsley (this was my foodie friend's favourite dish)
- Bittersweet chocolate tart (beautifully presented and very nice pastry base with a mild bittersweet chocolate filling).

Over the course of the evening we had some truly cringe worthy moments with Josh e.g. he spilt the red wine on the table; instead of sweeping the crumbs into a napkin, he swept them into my foodie friend's lap (seriously); and when we were offered tea/ coffee and asked what herbal teas they had, he went to check and returned with 'we don't do herbal stuff, just normal tea/ coffee'.

However, it is important to remember that this is a training environment. Josh is a student and is there to learn. The supervising teachers were visible and corrected most of the floor staff in front of the guests (I don't agree with this as the students are already nervous enough). However, for $35 pp including 4 courses and 2 glasses of wine - it's a great deal and the menu changes regularly as do the students.

The one thing we would have liked was to provide feedback (either verbally or via a feedback form) on the experience. We did seek out the supervising teacher towards the end of the evening but to no avail.

The Apprentice - Level 7, Building E, 695-731 Harris St, Ultimo - (02) 9217 5527

Rama King Thai, Mona Vale Rd, St Ives

Rama King Thai, Mona Vale Rd, St Ives
Sunday 19 March, 2006

Rama King is a good local restaurant. Ever since my parents' Chinese takeaway place closed (the fabulous Eddy's Asian Cuisine - formally Lindfield, then Neutral Bay and finally Killara) they have returned to Rama King for thai takeaway on a Sunday. They ate here for a short period when Eddy's was moving premises a few years back.

You think I'm a creature of habit? My parents give new meaning to habit - I hope Rama King realise they now have loyal followers every Sunday night. At Eddy's they didn't need to order, just a quick phone call to request delivery and everything was in hand. I'm sure Rama King will soon catch on.

Rama King is nestled into a corner location beside Video Ezy on Mona Vale Rd. It's a decent size restaurant and has a good following on the North Shore. I'd guess this is largely for it's family friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices.

Tonight's order consisted of thai spring rolls, lemongrass lamb, basil beef, chicken with honey & lemon, pad thai, roast duck curry and rice. The lemongrass lamb was the stand out as the lamb was so tender and it was cut into thick bite size pieces with a sprinkling of lemongrass over the top that was subtle, not over-powering.

I love a place where you ring in your order and they say pick up in 15 mins and they actually mean 15 minutes not 30 minutes or 45 minutes. Rama King is a good local restaurant with fast, efficient service.

Rama King Thai - Shop 1, 237 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives - (02) 9144 2027

Taglio Pizza Kitchen, York St, Sydney

Taglio Pizza Kitchen, York St, Sydney
Friday 17 March, 2006

I was searching for a mid way point between Town Hall and The Rocks for lunch. So, we decided to meet at the corner of York & Barrack to assess our options.

I noticed Taglio as I headed up York St, it looked busy, had a few tables on the sidewalk and some more seating inside. I popped in and asked if they had a table for 2. The first reaction I received was 'no'. The second reaction I received was 'how many people?'. Repeating my initial question I asked 'Do you have a table for 2?'

Finally they agreed to seat us but only on the proviso that we vacate the table 40 minutes later. That we could do. My pregnant buddy and I were seated near the front of the restaurant directly opposite the pizza kitchen and coffee bar. It's small inside and there are more tables up some stairs towards the back but, strangely, they were not being used, despite the lunch crowd.

We ordered immediately, I selected the italian sausage and mushroom pizza and my pregnant buddy chose the anchovy, tomato, olives and mozzarella. We didn't really know how this would be served at the table - would we receive a small pizza, one slice with some salad - there isn't any description on the menu and the staff are too busy to spend any time speaking with their diners.

That said, we were thrilled with our lunches, we received two rectangle pieces of our chosen pizza and then asked if we would like any of the complimentary toppings e.g. pepper, chilli flakes etc. This concept is brilliant as it allows you to create your own. I was first introduced to this in Chicago, where pizza is part of their diet. When you order a pizza in Chicago it is prepared according to your requirements for base (e.g. thick, thin, cheese crust etc) and toppings. The rest is up to you and they provide all the accompaniments - chilli flakes is a must.

There are other lunch items on the menu, such as salads, pastas, turkish & paninis. However, the pizzas are the worth trying.

The downsides were the cutlery provided - the knives were not sharp enough to slice into the pizza and also the service - abrupt, impatient - spring to mind.

I would return for the pizza (cheap and cheerful price of $8.50 for lunch) but would ensure I had a booking, so not to be forced out the door to make way for the next diners.

Taglio Pizza Kitchen - 65 York St, Sydney - (02) 9299 5582

http://www.tagliopizza.com.au/

Tomodachi, Level 2, Broadway Shopping Centre, Glebe

Tomodachi, Level 2, Broadway Shopping Centre, Glebe
Thursday 16 March, 2006

Tonight we were on our way to see 'Boyband' at the Seymour Centre. Instead of heading into Newtown for dinner before the show, we decided to hit Broadway Shopping Centre for some late night shopping and a quick bite.

I'm not usually a fan of Broadway. However, Tomodachi was a pleasant surprise. Located on Level 2 in the Food Court, Tomodachi is a large space with a sushi train on one side and a some lounges/ tables on the other side with an a la carte menu.

The staff do not speak english (well, certainly not the two staff that served us) but thankfully the menu has pictures. So, just point at what you want. This might be a nightmare for some people but at Tomodachi the staff have a really friendly nature and truly do want to serve you. It's service with a smile despite the language barrier.

I ordered a 6 piece salmon sashimi and the chicken udon. My theatre buddy ordered a chicken teriyaki bento box. Within minutes these dishes were served at the table. The salmon sashimi was delicious and I love preparing my own combination of wasabi and soy sauce. The chicken udon was served in a black pot and presented on a wooden stand. It was a never ending pot of japanese soba noodles, bok choy and chicken - very nice. My theatre buddy loved her bento box - it was huge with servings of salad, tempura, teriyaki chicken, rice and noodles.

This feast came to $25 pp - so, consider this place on your way to the movies at Broadway or before you hit the shops on Thursday night.


Tomodachi - Level 2, Broadway Shopping Centre, Glebe - (02) 9281 6000

Restaurant Atelier, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Restaurant Atelier, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe
Tuesday 14 March, 2006

Once a Newtown mainstay, Restaurant Atelier upped and moved to a free standing sandstone cottage in Glebe in 2005. Newtown's loss is definitely Glebe's gain.

My dinner buddy and I are always on the look out for interesting and value for money restaurants - prepared to travel all over Sydney for an experience. Tonight's experience was well worth the trip to Glebe (we both live on opposite sides of the Harbour, so Glebe is as close to half way as we are going to get).

We had both heard that the food at Restaurant Atelier was divine. We were not disappointed. They are currently offering a dinner special of $44 pp for a starter and main. This is seriously good value for money.

The staff are really welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. After drinks we served, we were provided with the list of specials and left alone for a few minutes. It was a difficult decision as all the menu items sounded appealing, however I chose the Assiette of Thirlmere Duck for entree and New Season White Rabbit Cooked Two Ways with Fresh Linguine for main. My dinner buddy selected the Seared Scallops, Pan-fried Suckling Pig & a Green Apple Salad for entree and Fillets of John Dory with a Prawn & Dill filled Zucchini Flower, Pancetta Wrapped King Prawn, Sauce Vierge for main.

My entree was exquisitely presented on a long oblong plate - from left to right was an eggcup with an egg shell and the top cut off. Inside was a delightful duck & egg combination - very light - and over the top of the eggshell was a light biscotti biscuit with caviar. Next along was a terrine, followed by shredded duck and finally duck liver pate with two long thin lavosh biscuits. Wow!

I was really keen to try the rabbit. The thought of cooking this at home just sends shivers up my spine - but there's something very satisfying about a professional preparing it. 'Cooked two ways' refers to the leg being roasted and served on a bed of bok choy and shredded duck served with liver prepared as sushi roles. This dish was a little rich for me.

We were both impressed by the food and the attentiveness of the staff. The cottage atmosphere is wonderful and there is a gorgeous outdoor area out the back. The food is rich, so two courses is more than enough and we didn't even look at the dessert menu. We were, however, tempted by the wide variety of teas and chose the bergamot, orange & lemon to finish off the evening.

Restaurant Atelier - 22 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe - (02) 9566 2112

http://www.restaurantatelier.com.au/

Sandbar, 25 The Strand, Dee Why

Sandbar, 25 The Strand, Dee Why
Sunday 12 March, 2006

Today we were celebrating a friend's birthday. After several attempts to lock in a location, the gang finally settled on Dee Why. Sandbar has a prime location overlooking Dee Why beach. On a hot, steamy day like today, the beach was full as were the surrounding cafes/ restaurants.

I had brought a birthday cake along and the kitchen kindly agreed to keep it until we were ready to launch into 'Happy birthday to you...'.

Sandbar has some of the best looking male staff in Sydney - the guys are very easy on the eye and also good value. The menu is extensive - there are main meals such as risotto, fish, burgers, chicken etc and also a selection of salads and sandwiches. Our gang of five decided on:

- Chargrilled prawn and avocado salad with wild rocket, cherry tomatoes and preserved lemon with a light balsamic dressing
- Shredded chicken salad with fresh mango and grilled haloumi. Dressed with an apple cider vinaigrette
- Chicken club sandwich (Chargrilled chicken breast with bacon, roasted tomato, lettuce and seeded mustard mayonnaise. Served with fries)
- Steak sandwich x 2 (Grilled steak, oven dried tomatoes, portobello mushroom, chilli jam and lettuce. Served with fries)

I thoroughly enjoyed my steak sandwich, it was served tender and the mushroom/ tomato combination with chilli jam was delicious. There were no complaints and everyone really enjoyed their meals.

We were all feeling quite full when we realised that we still had cake to come. Our gorgeous male waiter brought the cake to the table singing 'Happy birthday' and we all joined in.

Sandbar is very reasonable and the service is efficient. We paid $20 pp for lunch, drinks and coffee. What a great way to spend a few hours by the beach.

Sandbar - 25 The Strand, Dee Why - (02) 9984 8444

http://www.sandbardeewhy.com.au/index.htm

Cafe Sofia, Swanson St, Erskineville

Cafe Sofia, Swanson St, Erskineville
Saturday 11 March, 2006

I'd heard about this place from several work colleagues, but Erskineville?? I can barely find my way around Newtown and Enmore.

Well, what a find. Erskineville has a village like atmosphere with great shops, cafes and several pubs. The side streets contain some of the most fabulous, recently renovated terrace houses - this suburb is completely under-rated.

Cafe Sofia was packed this morning. At 10.30am, every table outside was full, so we were led down the skinny corridor leading to the outdoor tables out the back - no luck. Within minutes, one of the staff had secured a table for us - sensational.

As this was our first visit here, my zoo buddy and I didn't know the correct ordering procedure, so had to grab one of the staff to ask how we obtain a menu to order. There are no menus, everything is listed on the chalkboards at the front of the cafe. You order & pay at the coffee bar and are provided with a table number.

My decision was easy, eggs benedict with ham and a skim flat white. My zoo buddy opted for poached eggs and smoked salmon. The service was fast, efficient and they bring everything to your table. The food was good and I had to order a second coffee - it was really good.

Erskineville is a great area, lots of people watching - we saw a well known boy band member locked in a passionate embrace with his partner and another well known gardener plowing into a hot breakfast with friends.

The lunch menu looks equally inviting, so I'll be back.

Cafe Sofia - 7 Swanson St, Erskineville - (02) 9519 1565

Northbridge Bistro, Strathallen Ave, Northbridge

Northbridge Bistro, Strathallen Ave, Northbridge
Friday 10 March

Former Bistro CBD chef, John Evans is cooking up a storm in Northbridge. Did you say Northbridge? Not the place one would expect to find a chef of this calibre but thank goodness - the CBD's loss is the North Shore's gain.

Northbridge Bistro is located inside the Northbridge Hotel and has developed quite a reputation for serving great quality bistro food at reasonable prices. On Friday night the hotel was packed with locals - some acting like they had been there since lunchtime (the day before...). Plus, it was the start of the rugby league season, so all eyes were glued to the screens in the hotel.

The bistro is inviting and there are some tables outside in the courtyard. The only downside is that the courtyard is also a thoroughfare to a small beer garden, so patrons from the hotel stumble back and forth all night.

The staff are friendly, very keen to serve and big fans of John (in the kitchen). I asked for a menu while I waiting and engaged one waitress in a conversation about the 'must have' menu items. Surprisingly, she didn't do the old 'everything's good' but targeted one of two items on the entree and main lists that sounded very tempting.

We kicked off with some garlic and parmesan bread - which arrived at the table fresh from the grill and was absolutely delicious. We then decided to share an entree - salt and sechuan pepper calamari - it was light and the seasoning was just right.

For mains, the decisions were harder, the menu is not extensive however everything sounds very good and is based around seasonal produce. I opted for the Pork belly on a bed of english spinach and my tennis buddy settled on the sirloin with cafe de paris butter and chips.

You know the meals are good when there's not much talking, just sounds like, 'mmm'. The pork belly was perfect and I could still get my knife through the crackle without sending it flying across the room. My tennis buddy also rated the sirloin with cafe de paris butter however the chips were disappointing - plain and looked like they had come straight from a packet - to compliment the sirloin maybe wedges or thick cut fries would have been a better option.

After a bottle of wine and still plenty to discuss we agreed on dessert. I devoured the fig & blueberry tart with caramel ice-cream and my tennis buddy scored with the autumn berry crumble with fresh nuts on top.

For this feast, our bill came to $70pp which I thought was very reasonable considering we'd ordered three courses and a bottle of wine.

Northbridge Bistro - 57 Strathallen Ave, Northbridge - (02) 9958 5228

Asakusa, King Street, Newtown

Asakusa, King Street, Newtown
Wednesday 8 March, 2006

Tonight my movie buddy and I watched 'The Manual of Love' at DENDY Newtown. It's a new Italian romantic comedy that has some good laughs and follows four intertwining stories of love - falling in love, falling out of love, finding more love and finding new love.

After the film we needed a quick bite - it was already after 9.30pm and we were both starving. My movie buddy lives in the area, so suggested Asakusa - Japanese restaurant. You know a place must be popular when it's still 75% full at 9.45pm on a Wednesday.

Asakusa is an open plan restaurant with flags and pictures of Japanese settings. The staff are all Japanese and the tables are set close together. Within minutes of sitting down we were offered drinks and menus. The staff are casual, they didn't balk at our late arrival - we had the restaurant manager doing the books at the table beside us.

We decided to share the sashimi for entree. The menu describes this as an assortment of thinly sliced fresh raw fish. We enjoyed the raw salmon and tuna with lashings of wasabi and soy sauce.

For main I decided to have the Kushiyaki Set - grilled salmon and Japanese mayonnaise on rice. I don't know what it is about Japanese mayonnaise but I can't get enough of it - it goes beautifully with salmon and all the Japanese garnishes. I could eat garnish all night - just think... someone has been dutifully preparing the thinly sliced garnish out the back - it deserves to be eaten. My movie buddy ordered an Asakusa dinner box that typically comes with gyoza, salad, rice and a choice of beef, chicken or fish.

The food was fresh and delicious and the crowd was diverse which is representative of the area, students, professionals etc. Asakusa is cheap & cheerful - for this feast we paid $20 each.

Asakusa - 119 King Street, Newtown - (02) 9519 8530

Sailors Thai, George St, Sydney

Sailors Thai, George St, Sydney
Monday 6 March, 2006

David Thompson has returned! I was a fan for a long time and then he high-tailed it to London to open Nahm (which is the only Thai restaurant to ever be awarded a Michelin star). Since it first opened just over 10 years ago Sailors Thai has become known for it's fresh, authentic thai food - it's no ordinary thai restaurant (don't go their thinking thai decor and stir fries by the dozen).

The decor in the restaurant and canteen is minimal - you wouldn't know it was thai food but for the restaurant name. The canteen doesn't accept bookings and offers long communal tables for about 40 people - personally, I'm not a fan of the communal table but it does ensure quick turnover. If you are lucky enough and the night is pleasant try to score one of the balcony tables (yes, tables for 2,3, or 4).

The canteen is a quick meal location as opposed to the restaurant. Colin Nelson has come on board as Restaurant manager after a stint at Est and should raise the service stakes, sadly this hasn't reached the Canteen.....yet.

We arrived at the canteen early, just after 6pm, and headed straight for the balcony. The view was directly out onto the Overseas Passenger Terminal and there was an ocean liner in dock so there were throngs of people milling around Cruise bar.

Menus were literally thrown at us as the wait staff tried to cope with three tables sitting down at the same time. Drinks were eventually ordered and then we had to seek out their attention to order food.

Tonight my interstate buddy and I decided to go with their special entree of deep fried prawn spring rolls. Did someone say prawn? They tasted very much like samosas (i.e. potato and curry powder) and we had to pull them apart to find the prawns.

For mains we really enjoyed the Spicy salad of green papaya, peanuts, dried prawns, coconut rice and sweet & salty pork plus the Red curry with golden char (fish). The sweet & salty pork was good however it looked and tasted like it had been cooked for too long. The best dish by far was the Red curry - with a side of boiled rice I could have eaten this all night - it had a good kick to it but I could have enjoyed a bit more.

The biggest surprise of the night came with the bill - for an entree, two mains, rice and a couple of glasses of wine - the damage was $100............the main dishes have definitely gone up since my last visit.

Sailors Thai - 106 George St, Sydney - (02) 9251-2466

http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SYDNE/0052/00/21/1.html

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar, Military Rd, Neutral Bay
Saturday 4 March, 2006

I've been fan of this place for a while. Gourmet pizza is a broad term however the team at Melt have got it all sorted. Even though they offer free local delivery I decided to go up there and see what happens on site. In their shoe box size premises they churn out an impressive number of pizzas each evening. The phone just doesn't stop ringing and there is a queue out the door, mainly from the Oaks, who have stumbled across for the pizza.

The staff are incredibly friendly, the phone calls are answered with an enthusiastic welcome by the young, very cool staff. There's a production line of staff who are constantly preparing the pizza bases - all with a smile on their face.

They display their pizza philosophy proudly, 'all of our pizzas are created with a thin base using the highest quality protein enriched flour and are topped with premium mozzarella cheese. Out toppings are fresh and prepared daily on our premises using home made marinades and high quality cuts of meat, fresh seafood and vegetables. What does all this mean? That our pizzas not only taste great but are healthier, while being lower in fat and carbohydrates....so you can enjoy our pizzas more often.'

There's about 4 bar stools in the entrance space and a selection of magazines to read while you wait. I ordered a medium sausage duo - chorizo and italian sausage with roasted capsicum and caramelised onions for $15.

The other pizza offerings include smoked ham, proscuitto, morroccan lamb, sweet BBQ chicken, pesto chicken, garlic prawns, roma tomatoes and roast pumpkin from a list of 25 or so gourmet selections. They also offer calzones, salads and gelato.

Back home, the pizza was still warm and tasted sensational - the capsicum and onion were sweeter in taste and really compliment the chorizo and italian sausage. The best thing? The medium pizza is a decent size so I've got leftovers for tomorrow.

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar - 9/120 Military Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9908 3344

http://www.meltgourmetpizza.com.au/

Bar 333, George St, Sydney

Bar 333, George St, Sydney
Friday 3 March, 2006

Bar 333 is conveniently located opposite Martin Place on George St. Walking up George St from The Rocks on this steamy Friday I was pleasantly surprised to enter Bar 333 and feel like I just landed in the South Pole. It was freezing.

Bar 333 is huge, with a sports bar, the asian inspired Infusion restaurant and Three lounge. We had a lunch booking for 7 - all former work buddies, so took the stairs up to the lounge/ restaurant. We were seated in the lounge (no tables, just small coffee tables) and watched the crowds roll in. It's a popular spot for large group bookings.

The idea is you order and pay for drinks and food at the bar. Despite the crowds and the queue it didn't take that long. The lunch offerings are varied with share items e.g. salt & pepper calamari, dim sims and main meals e.g. chicken burgers, bangers & mash, fish & chips and vege fritatas.

Even though we had put all our meals on the same number, it was all delivered randomly. Some had finished by the time others had started and one of our group didn't get her meal at all. After repeated requests from the passing staff she finally went to the bar to enquire only to find it had been sitting there unclaimed.

I ordered the chicken schnitzel with peppercorn sauce & chips for $14. It was actually pretty good and the peppercorn sauce was a great compliment. One of my former work buddies, a connoisseur of salt & pepper calamari, was pleasantly surprised but mentioned there could have been more salt & pepper. It was delivered to the table on small oblong plates with a great side of chilli mayo. The dim sims were delivered to the table in steam baskets which was a great touch. Overall the food was pretty good.

It's a high turnover location, especially for the Friday lunch crowd. By the time we left it was still packed and the downstairs sports bar was bursting at the seams.

Bar 333 - 333 George St, Sydney - (02) 9299 8333

http://www.bar333.com.au/index.html

Credo, Miller St, Cammeray

Credo, Miller St, Cammeray
Thursday 2 March, 2006

The day before our reservation I received a very abrupt call from Credo. The gentleman introduced himself and then launched into,'You have a reservation for 5 people on Thursday - is this correct?' I replied with 'Yes, that's correct'. He then said, 'It's definitely 5 people?'. Again I replied, 'Yes that's correct'. Then came the clincher, 'Are you sure?'. Talk about first impressions.....

When we arrived for our 7pm reservation there were about four other tables full. We were invited to take a seat in the bar/ lounge first but decided to go straight to our table. Further inside Credo, past the bar/ lounge, are some steps down to the restaurant. The decor is plush dark carpet, dim lighting and the crisp, white table clothes and sparkling wine glasses stand out.

By 8pm the restaurant was full but we still hadn't ordered. Sure, one our group was about 45 minutes late, but it was really hard to attract anyone's attention to even order drinks or obtain menus. When the staff did come to the table they were very friendly but there just wasn't enough of them.

The menu looked great and there is a signature starter, MAT - mezze, antipasto and tapas that is perfect for a group to share with lots of turkish bread. I love menus that offer more than just entrees, mains and desserts e.g. the food philosophy of the chef, some background, seasonal produce etc. Credo delivers on all counts. Not surprisingly, the head chef is another former Banc employee, William Smirnios. The wine list is surprising with a selection of wines by the glass.

We finally received a complimentary starter of cauliflower and bacon soup (very nice) around 8.15pm and our main meals arrived after several visits to the table by different waiters apologising for the delay at 8.35pm. Despite this, the food was fantastic. Everyone at the table went quite as we indulged in our meals - I absolutely loved the corn fed chicken with lime and my old school buddies loved their squid ink linguini and roast lamb cutlets. We all commented that were surprised at how good the food was considering the lack of service.

For the food alone I will definitely return.

Credo - 504 Miller St, Cammeray - (02) 9922 6662

www.credocafe.com.au

Burger Bar, Bridge St, Sydney

Burger Bar, Bridge St, Sydney
Wednesday 1 March, 2006

Always on the look out for a new lunch spot my work buddy suggested the Burger Bar over on Bridge St. I had never heard of it so was more than happy to check it out.

We entered via Dalley St (a small lane way just opposite our building) and then took a pokey staircase into a very small, hidden away food arcade. I had no idea it even existed. There were plenty of people inside (there is another entrance on Bridge St) and the Burger Bar is located at one end.

It's a new, fresh looking place with a decent amount of seating (but get there early if there are more than two of you). You order at the bar and the selections are extensive - approx. 15 different burgers and a range of other meals e.g salads, fajitas etc (for the burger-phobes). Decisions, decisions.......
I liked the sound of each and every burger but settled on the Chilli beef - 100% premium beef, fresh tomato, jalapeno sauce, iceberg lettuce and avocado sour cream dressing. For $8.50 I thought this was pretty reasonable - especially in the city. You can order variety of side dishes e.g. chips, salads but we decided the burger would be more than enough.

The Burger Bar philosophy is fresh, delicious food made to order. Their menu states, 'All beef patties are made from 100% premium low fat beef. Our burgers are served on a large gourmet bread roll with Burger bar mayo and crisp fresh lettuce plus any nominated sauces and relishes. Our chicken breast is chemical and hormone free'.

Our meals were delivered to the table promptly and the chilli beef was delicious - could have been a little hotter for my liking but it was very good. My work buddy enjoyed her spicy pumpkin & zucchini rosti with fetta, minted cucumber yoghurt and mixed leaves. Everything was very fresh and I really liked the fact that chips didn't come standard with the order - it's all about the burgers.

Once finished our plates were cleared from the table and we were asked how we enjoyed our meals. We both agreed they were 'Really good'. They also serve Tiro drinks and I'm currently addicted to the pink grapefruit flavour plus if are still a bit peckish after a burger, they offer a selection of the finest premium ice-cream from Nice Cream.

Burger Bar - Lower Ground Floor, 2 Bridge St, Sydney - (02) 9247 0555