Piato, Pizza, Pasta and Panini, MetCentre, Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Wynyard

Piato, Pizza, Pasta and Panini, MetCentre, Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Wynyard
Friday 30 June, 2006

Zucchini Bros. have been operating in several locations across the country for ages. Many years ago when I worked near the MLC Centre in Martin Place, we used to pop down to enjoy their garlic bread & pasta in winter. More recently, they been operating under different names in other locations, for example Piato, Pizza, Pasta and Panini in the MetCentre.

On this wet & cold winter day we were looking for inspiration in the MetCentre. Not really knowing what we wanted for lunch, we did a lap or two of the MetCentre food court to see if anything jumped out at us. The crowds were large due to the wet weather and many shopfronts had queues three to four people deep.

Piato, Pizza, Pasta and Panini operate out of a corner location on the Mezzenine level. They offer a wide variety of Italian food and have a number of efficient staff working behind the counter.

We decided to order some pasta to warm us up. I ordered the veal tortellini and my lunch buddy ordered the spaghetti with bollonaise sauce. There were 2 sizes on offer - small and large. The small is more than adequate, in fact at any other takeaway joint it may be considered a large. The servings were scooped into plastic takeaway containers and presented in brown paper bags. Unlike most takeaway joints, they don't pack serviettes and plastic cutlery in the paper bags, so don't forget to do this before you walk away!

We managed to find seats in the large open plan food court. My tortellini was served with mushroom, bacon and drizzled in a light cream sauce - it was above average and certainly filled the spot. The spaghetti was also quite good and the bollonaise sauce was rich red.

If I was to return I'd definitely try their garlic bread.

Piato, Pizza, Pasta and Panini, MetCentre, Cnr George & Margaret Sts, Wynyard

http://www.metcentre.com.au/home.amx

Top Choice, Market City, Haymarket

Top Choice, Market City, Haymarket
Wednesday 28 June, 2006

In need of some cheap & cheerful tucker before the Coldplay concert at the Entertainment Centre, we decided to hit Chinatown. After walking through Chinatown we ended up at Market City Shopping Centre - above Paddy's Market.

The best thing about Market City is the shops stay open till 7pm every night - even later on Thursdays. So we had a browse around and took in all the factory outlets on L2 before arriving on L3 - the Food Court. Don't be put off by the Food Court scenario - this is not your average shopping centre food court - it has some real finds and I can highly recommend this one.

Top Choice was the only outlet consistently busy during our visit and Mr Delivery arrived to collect several home delivery packages. The display pictures are huge and are a true reflection of the size of the dishes. The choice is impressive with categories including omlettes, seafood, pork, vegetarian, lamb, beef, chicken, noodles, soups and entrees. The choice is......Top Choice!

You order and pay at the counter and it is written in Chinese for the kitchen. It's authentic Chinese cuisine and I could not go past the Szechwan Prawns (Hot) and Eggplant & Minced Pork. Within 10 - 15 minutes I was called back to the counter to collect my steaming plate of prawns resting on a hot plate in the shape of a cow. They looked so good I almost wanted to tuck into them then & there!

Not long afterwards I was waved back to pick up the Eggplant & minced pork. Equally as impressive and served in a gorgeous little terracotta pot. Both dishes were hot and spicy and were served with complimentary bowls of rice. For less than $20 this was a great meal and filled the spot before we danced and sang our way through the Coldplay concert.

I'll be back the next time I am heading to the Entertainment Centre or Capitol Theatre.

Top Choice - Market City, Cnr Hay & Thomas Sts, Haymarket - (02) 9212 3190

http://www.marketcity.com.au/

Alio, Baptist St, Surry Hills

Alio, Baptist St, Surry Hills
Tuesday 27 June, 2006

Alio is located in a part of Surry Hills I have never visited before. Picture this.... you are driving down Crown St away from the city, cross Cleveland St and it becomes Baptist St. Did you know this? Alio is situated in a building directly opposite Coles. Despite the frantic pace of Cleveland St and the hustle & bustle of Crown St, Alio is quiet & refined. It has an elegant feel about it.

As you enter you are greeted by a fabulous floral display, a dramatic red wall and a long bar. The actual restaurant is not as dramatic - it has white walls and dim lighting with a long lounge running the length of the far wall. On arrival we were asked if we wanted a drink at the bar first or were happy to go the table. Table thanks...I don't trust myself going the bar first (maybe on Fri/ Sat night but not during the week).

I recently discovered that Alio offer a 5 course degustation menu for $55 per person (excluding drinks) and the chef, Ashley Hughes, alters the menu daily. What a fantastic deal! Our waiter delivered the menus to the table but made no mention of the special degustation menu. We ordered drinks and then quietly enquired about the degustation menu. Yes, they have it but not sure of the dishes - be back shortly. Within moments our waiter returned to talk us through the degustation menu. It was not printed up as it changes daily. A minor gripe but I would have preferred it to be typed up and offered as separate menu.

Each of the degustation items were also listed as part of the a la carte menu offering and included:

- Complimentary smoked cod soup served in a miniature tea cup
- Complimentary foccacia with olive oil
- Crab salad wrapped in cucumber with toasted Alio brioche
- Squid ink linguini with a cuttlefish, chilli and ginger sauce
- Herb crusted barramundi with roasted fennel & rosemary and achovey dressing
- King Island sirloin with cavolo nero
- Pineapple sorbet
- Tiramisu

Each dish was beautifully presented but our waiter could have done a more effective job of sharing the intricacies of each dish instead of just stating the basics e.g. crab salad, linguini, barramundi, sirloin, sorbet and tiramisu.

I thought the food was wonderful, very simple, not rich in any way and the degustation portions were ideal. However, by the tiramisu I was getting full and of all the dishes this was the let down. It was like sponge cake with cream.

The absolute highlights for me were the squid ink linguini and the herb crusted barramundi. The linguini paired with ginger and chilli was spectacular - the ginger added a real zing and the barramundi was light and fell apart but it was the herb crust that was incredibly more-ish.

I will be returning.

Alio - 5 Baptist St, Surry Hills - (02) 8394-9368

http://www.alio.com.au/

Strangers with Candy, Kepos St, East Redfern

Strangers with Candy, Kepos St, East Redfern
Sunday 25 June, 2006

I decided that I liked this place before I had even been there. Everything I had read about 'Strangers with Candy' included a comment about the great service. Well, this is absolutely true. I called mid week to reserve a table for Sunday lunch. Justin (who I later discovered is one of the owners) called me back with his wonderful, friendly manner to confirm my reservation and also with a few suggestions re: parking, no credit cards accepted so bring cash etc. I was floored, this is taking service to the next level - they really do care about their customers.

We arrived for lunch after finding plenty on parking on Kepos St and were greeted by Bret (Maitre d'). Even though most tables were full and they had left a table set aside for us - they were more than happy for us to choose another table and settle in for the afternoon. It's that kind of place - you feel like you are at a friend's house. The deep red vinyl lounge seats with the fluffy pink cushions are a sight but it's this mismatched arrangement with shelves stocked with tomato relish and marmalade that feel homely.

The menu is fabulous making any decision very difficult - we pondered the menu for ages & heard the specials a few times before agreeing to share the duck liver & brandy pate with red onion jam & cabiatta toast. Wow! What a great way to start a meal. The combination of the red onion jam and pate was sensational. The sweet flavour of the jam with the savoury pate was delightful and without asking they delivered another bowl of cabiatta toast so we could finish off every last mouthful of the pate & jam.

We ended up chatting to our fellow diners at the next table to discuss the food. They had ordered the spagettini and salmon for mains and highly recommended both. Strangers with Candy is that kind of place - strangers become friends for a brief moment as you share the joys of good food in an intimate setting.

I ordered the chicken and leek pie with side salad for main and my lunch buddy ordered the spagettini with chilli, pine nuts, blue swimmer crab and black mussels. Without asking the staff bought out a bowl for the mussel shells and refilled our water - the service was discrete but attentive and Bret makes it look so easy. The pie was real comfort food - the light pastry on top rose high covering the chicken and leek that spilled out onto the plate once pierced mixing into the side salad. It's a messy dish and one where you want to pick up the plate and lick off the remainder of the sauce but restrain yourself because you remember you are in public -- oops!

The small restaurant space filled quickly, so book to avoid disappointment. There is also some seating out the back in an enclosed space - but I love the front part - it's warm & homely. We ordered more coffees and chatted away before deciding that the dessert menu was too good to pass. We ordered the warm vanilla poached pears with toffee ice cream and lemon pancakes and vanilla creme brulee with rhubbard. Again, wow!

I'm a fan & I'll definitely be going back soon.

Strangers with Candy - 96 Kepos St, East Redfern - (02) 9698 6000

http://www.strangerswithcandy.com.au/

The Cooks Larder, Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon

The Cooks Larder, Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon
Friday 23 June, 2006

The last time I visited The Cooks Larder was for lunch (Feb 06). It was a great experience but I didn't think I would return so soon, especially for dinner. I didn't even know The Cooks Larder was open for dinner, so it was pleasant surprise when family friends (who live in Avalon) suggested we dine there. There's no denying you feel like a million miles out of Sydney in Avalon - it has a small, village atmosphere and feels very laid back. The other bonus is you can easily park out the front of the restaurant.

I love the look & feel of The Cooks Larder. There is a dramatic red wall on one side with a row of old fashioned egg beaters hanging from the exposed beams. It's a quirky look that works. The interior is warm, inviting and packed full of gourmet delights - teas, jams, utensils, deli goods, etc. It's a foodie's paradise. The glass display cabinets in the deli section offer a fabulous selection of cakes, pastries, tarts and cheese - there's also an impressive array of spices.

The Cooks Larder only opens on Friday evenings for dinner and is BYO. Bookings are essential as this is one of the few decent places to eat on the Northern Beaches. Our party of 9 were warmly greeted like old friends and seated. The winter menu offers 3 - 4 selections for entree and main and there is also a specials board.

It didn't take us long to decide what to order - I selected the sweet corn & crab chowder with chilli jam and the majority of the table ordered the grilled figs wrapped in bangalow sweet pork prosciutto with marinated goats fetta, walnuts and caramelised balsamic. The entrees were absolutely delicious - everyone was extremely satisfied.

The small dining space filled and some tables had 2 seatings - it's a popular place. One great feature is the strategically placed mirror hanging above the food preparation area that allows you to watch the kitchen team led by Susie Doran and Linda Irvin.

For main I ordered the chicken wrapped in prosciutto served with leeks and goats cheese as did many of us at the table. It was beautifully presented but my chicken was a little undercooked. The rest of the table ordered the grilled beef rib eye with rosemary potatoes and tarragon anchovy butter.

The meals are comfort food served as though you are at a friend's place for dinner. There's a warmth here that you don't get in the city restaurants. The final touch after we ordered teas/ coffees to end the meal was delightful bowls of crushed lindt chocolate placed on the table. Who needs dessert??

I won't wait so long for my next visit to the Cooks Larder.

The Cooks Larder - 21 - 23 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon - (02) 9973 4370

http://www.thecookslarder.com.au

Pyrmonts, L1 Star City, Pyrmont St, Pyrmont

Pyrmonts, L1 Star City, Pyrmont St, Pyrmont
Thursday 22 June, 2006

Tonight an old work buddy and I were off to see 'Stomp' at the Lyric Theatre, Star City. Looking over the casino website, I had no idea there were so many restaurants within the complex - 7 by my count. Pyrmonts is located on Level 1 and the website advertises a pre-theatre menu from $42.

On arrival we were greeted by 3 staff who stumbled around trying to locate our booking and find enough menus and a wine list. Things did not get off to a great start. We ordered drinks and watched as the large groups of tourists entered and sat at the long tables set up beside us. Our waiter appeared twice in an attempt to take our order however we weren't ready......too busy talking.

We decided to look over the menu and discovered there is no pre-theatre menu after all. Then, when we were ready to order there were no staff in sight. We waited.....and waited and a good 15 minutes passed before we stood up and waved down a waiter.

Pyrmont's is described as a casual steak and seafood restaurant serving fresh and simple meals at great value prices. My work buddy ordered the tasmanian salmon with tomato ragout and I ordered the sirloin with pepper sauce and potato mash. We wanted to order a glass of wine with our meals and asked to see the wine list. Our waiter said he would order for us if we just told him what we wanted i.e. red or white - what the?!*@ I found this approach incredibly rude and we asked for the wine list again so we could choose our own wine. This seemed to be a serious inconvenience for him.

Both meals were between $28 - $32. I don't believe this is great value. Sure, the size of the meals were large but for this price I would expect to see great produce cooked well. Instead, it is mass produced food - the restaurant has capacity for 180 guests. The food was average - the tomato ragout was a pile of onion with a miniscule amount of tomato, the potato mash was lumpy and the steak had more fat than meat. It was disappointing.

Next time I visit the casino to see a show, I won't be dining at Pyrmonts.

Pyrmonts - L1 Star City, 80 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont - 1800 700 700

http://www.starcity.com.au

Walsh Bay Cafe, Hickson Rd, Dawes Point

Walsh Bay Cafe, Hickson Rd, Dawes Point
Monday 19 June, 2006

Tonight we were off to see the bizarrely named musical, 'Urinetown' at the Sydney Theatre. Instead of going to the Sydney Dance Cafe (our usual pre-theatre meeting point) we decided to return to the Walsh Bay Cafe.

A short stroll from the Sydney Theatre, the Walsh Bay Cafe opened 9 months ago. One of my theatre buddies and I dined there during it's opening week - the service was appalling, they bought out the wrong order and the food was average.

Tonight however, we were impressed with how far things have come. There is still a tacky red canvas sign hanging out the front advertising it as a 'Chinese restaurant' but there are now tables outside and the decor inside has improved with a gorgeous wallpaper print of Chinese characters and framed pictures of Chinese women from the early 1900's. There are red tables clothes on the low dark wood tables and box seats that you pull out from under the tables.

We were the first to arrive for dinner and were met by a friendly waiter who welcomed us in and offered us menus. The menu consists of a handful of starters e.g. spring rolls and sang choy bow, vegetables & noodles, chicken, seafood and meat dishes. It's a simple laminated menu with food on one side and drinks listed on the other side.

We asked our waiter to describe the Shanghai fried noodles and she explained they were large round noodles served with pork mince and vegetables. We also asked for a recommendation and she indicated that many guests order the fish with ginger & shallots or any of the prawn dishes. We opted for the Shanghai fried noodles and King prawns with snow peas and XO sauce.

Both dishes were delivered promptly and when the Shanghai fried noodles arrived it was served with thin slices of chicken. Our waiter simply stated the kitchen had run out of pork mince and replaced it with chicken. Interesting....it would have been nice for the kitchen to consult us before going ahead and replacing the pork with chicken. That said, the noodles were very good and the King prawns were fabulous. Most dishes are between $14 - 19 each and the servings are ideal for 2 - 3 people.

I think we may have found a new pre-theatre venue.

Walsh Bay Cafe - 16A Hickson Rd, Dawes Point - (02) 9241 4365

C1 Cafe & Brasserie, Chatswood Chase, Chatswood

C1 Cafe & Brasserie, Chatswood Chase, Chatswood
Saturday 17 June, 2006

The slogan attached to Chatswood Chase is 'Beautiful on every level'. Today it felt like Christmas Eve - it took 30 minutes to enter and find a carpark, one lift (of the two operating) was broken so there were people, trolley's and prams backed up on the ramps, escalators etc - it was chaos. 'Beautiful' doesn't come close to describing my thoughts about Chatswood Chase.....

However, you can find some sanctuary away from the crowds. I was meeting a friend for a late lunch/ coffee at C1 Cafe & Brasserie. It's located on the Ground floor just opposite the Country Road homewares store and near Mecca Cosmetica (a place every woman must visit).

C1 is a large, open space in the middle of the shops with entrances on both ends. Upon arrival we were told we could sit anyway but when we walked over to sit at a table we were asked to choose a table in another section - well, that's not sitting anywhere is it??? I ordered a coffee to start and was delivered a flat white with full cream milk (I had asked for Skim).

We decided to order a mix of garlic bread & bruschetta to share - this took sometime to reach the table but when it did both serves were massive. I couldn't taste the garlic on the garlic bread and the bread wasn't toasted enough - the bottom was semi-warm. The bruschetta was OK - there large chunks of tomato scattered across the bread but it was too oily.

The service was random - some staff were courteous but one of our waiters was very nervous and dropped the cutlery as he set the table. He apologised and informed us he was having a bad day.

There was an impressive display of cakes and C1 offer a great deal of coffee & cake for $5 after 2pm most days. If I ever returned it would be to take up this offer.

C1 Cafe & Brasserie - Shop C1, Chatswood Chase, 91 Archer Street, Chatswood - (02) 9410 0700

http://www.chatswoodchaseshopping.com.au

Ocean Room, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay

Ocean Room, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay
Wednesday 14 June, 2006

I had made our reservation 2 days earlier via voicemail. A stern woman called me back from Wildfire to confirm my reservation. I explained that I was trying to make a reservation for Ocean Room, not Wildfire. At no time did she explain to me that Wildfire and Ocean Room were owned by the same people or that, yes I did in fact have a reservation for Ocean Room. I was confused and I hadn't even made it through the front door!

As we walked down towards the Overseas Passenger Terminal we wondered whether we entered via the Wildfire entrance. But no, just past this restaurant is the entrance to Ocean Room. We were met with several staff standing around the entrance and the team behind the bar trying to figure out how to change the channel on the huge flat screen TV (for the State of Origin or World Cup). The restaurant was empty but it still took the maitre'd a good 2 minutes to check and find our reservation. We stood twiddling our thumbs in the entrance whilst he scanned through the reservations book. Surely, they would be prepared enough to know that their first guests were arriving at 6.30pm?

Another staff member walked us to our table past the enormous live aquarium that she made no mention of. This would have been a great talking point as we were led through the restaurant to our spectacular table by the window (and the view). The decor is interesting with bizarre but intriguing light fixtures, small curved tables, a long stretch of tables for 2 and a cute looking pod table in the corner past the sushi bar with a low hanging light. We were seated and prompty asked,'what do you want to drink'? Not... can I offer a pre dinner drink or would you like to see our cocktail menu?

Ocean Room has a prime location within the Overseas Passenger Terminal with views across to the Opera House and East Circular. The menu is described as 'fresh Australian seafood inspired by the techniques and flavours from Japan creatively mixed with classic Mediterranean methods'. Within moments of sitting down we were delivered 5 menus - 2 food menus, 1 specials menu, 1 wine list and 1 cocktail list. The menu was smaller than I imagined and the condition of the menus were poor - frayed pages, stains etc. It was a bit overwhelming to receive so many menus at once.

Another staff member came back twice to take our order (sorry, we haven't even looked at the menus yet...too busy talking). The menu is divided into small chunks - Sea Bar, Tapas, Entrees, Mains from the Oean, Mains for the Land and Coastal Cuisine - Today's Catch. The entrees sounded very tempting and I chose the Squid - spiced green curry salt, pepper with fresh mint salad and lime vinaigrette and my dinner buddy selected the Chef's tasting plate - a selection of daily tapas.

The restaurant started to fill up with a mixture of business people and tourists and our entrees were delivered on fabulous plates - the shapes, colours and sizes were a real talking point. My squid was sensational and it was presented with a small pile of squid next to the fresh mint salad (that was actually red onion) and a banana leaf wrapped up as a cone with squid stuffed inside. The Chef's tasting plate looked really great with about 6 different offerings - the standout was the crab dim sum with ginger pedro ximenex wine dipping sauce but the most intriguing was aptly named Tomato, tomato, tomato - which comprised tomato jelly foam, marinated cherry tomato stuffed with sun-dried tomato cream. As great as it sounded, it was a dissapointment.

For the main meal I selected the Organic Spatchcock - pan roasted with truffle, chestnut mushrooms, soft polenta and thyme infused pan juices - it was absolutely delicious - the portion size was enormous. My dinner buddy selected a main portion of the entree Scampi - grilled fresh scampi with seven spice vinaigrette, avocado, cucumber and cherry tomato salad. For a winter menu it was surprising to see such a fresh, light summer-ish salad offered. There was no indication where the scampi was sourced from so we asked another waiter and he said he would confirm this with the kitchen - not longer afterwards he returned with 'WA'.

The service was very ad hoc, we had one or two pleasant waiters but it's the ones with attitude that you always remember as they can ruin the experience. The only downside of where we were seated was the constant chopping noise coming from the sushi bar and the loud Japanese chatter from the sushi chefs. After a while it started to grate on you.

It's not a cheap night out - you are looking at $100 minimum per head. For this, you do expect alot more than what Ocean Room can offer. The staff, for one, need to learn the basics of service.

Ocean Room - Ground floor, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay - (02) 8273 1277

http://www.oceanroomsydney.com/

Thai Tha Hai, Cleveland St, Chippendale

Thai Tha Hai, Cleveland St, Chippendale
Tuesday 13 June, 2006

Looking desperately for somewhere to eat before the theatre, we tried 2 places unsuccessfully before stumbling across this surprise package. The bistro's attached to the Rose & Crown and Duck & Swan do not open till 6 - 6.30pm and our play commenced at 6.30pm, so we needed to eat....and fast!

Fortunately, Thai Tha Hai was open & had several tables of early diners (they must have been going to the same play at the Seymour Centre). We were warmly welcomed and had the pick of tables. The decor is basic and it has a cheap & cheerful look and feel about it. The seats downstairs are benches (not sure what is on offer upstairs) but we were comfortable.

The menu offered all the old favourites and we made a special mention to our waitress that we needed to be out of here by 6.15pm to get to the theatre by 6.30pm. She giggled and indicated that the kitchen was fast. So, we ordered some vegetarian spring rolls to start followed by Red chicken curry, Pad thai with pork and the GST special with tofu (the name was so intriguing we just had to order it).

To our surprise the waitress had just taken our order, quickly popped back to check if it was OK to bring everything out to the table at once and then returned with the first dish followed by the second, third and fourth in quick succession. Believe me, this gives new meaning to 'the kitchen is fast'. We started to wonder if there were hidden microphones on our table so the kitchen could start cooking the minute we gave our waitress the order!

The spring rolls were lightly fried (even though this wasn't indicated on the menu) and were sliced into bite size pieces with chunks of avocado and cucumber. The red chicken curry was delicious and there was plenty of sauce to scoop over the steamed rice and pad thai - yum! The rice was served with a huge serving paddle which was ideal (I want one for my kitchen). The GST special wasn't a plate of MSG as we had jokingly guessed but a plate of vegetables and tofu with a tamarind & sesame sauce.

Between the 3 of us we had some leftovers so asked for it to be transferred into a takeaway container. Our waitress politely explained that would cost 30 cents - seriously....

Thai Tha Hai is cheap & cheerful - the total bill came to less than $50, the staff are very polite and friendly and they gave us complimentary minties on the way out. This experience was definitely a case of third time lucky.

Thai Tha Hai - 101 Cleveland St, Chippendale - (02) 9319 1222

Yings, Pacific Highway, Crows Nest

Yings, Pacific Highway, Crows Nest
Friday 9 June, 2006

Yings was awarded one chef's hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2006 and has been on my list of 'must visit' restaurants for sometime. Tonight I was catching up with an old friend who shares my passion for great food, so I knew we would order up a feast.

On arrival I realised I had been there several times, but hadn't recognised the name or address. There are gawdy orange signs out the front and upon entry you walk past several large tanks of seafood - crabs, fish, lobsters etc. It's not the most impressive entry as the tanks look old and are mouldy. There were also plastic tubs stacked up on the floor - nice. Just past the entrance is a long bar where most of the staff were standing.

The staff were pleasant and once we were seated we engaged the staff in a conversation about some traditional Chinese food. The Manager explained to me that they don't serve Shanghainese food - so that meant they didn't serve one of my favourite starters, cucumber with garlic & chilli.

My recommendation is go to the 'Home Style Cooking' section of the menu first - don't muck around with the 'typical' Chinese menu that is largely tailored for the western palate and in no way represents authentic Chinese food. The Home Style Cooking section offers some wonderful dishes and I was keen to try their Grandmother's beancurd (seeing as though it is my absolute favourite Chinese dish).

We ordered San Choy Bow to start, followed by spicy salt & pepper squid, grandmother's beancurd and chicken with XO chilli sauce and fried rice. The San Choy Bow was OK but it tasted a little oily. The highlight dish was the spicy salt & pepper squid - it was sensational - the best I've ever had (so much so that we contemplated ordering another plate). The beancurd was good but needed more kick and the chicken was bland.

The restaurant filled up and we noticed some partitions that separate the private banquet areas towards the back. After dinner we were presented with a plate of fresh fruit that was on dry ice, so the vapour dramatically spilt out onto the table. Whilst it was interesting for a minute, it just looked tacky.
Overall, Yings didn't live up it's reputation as the best Chinese restaurant in Sydney.

Yings - 270 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest - (02) 9966 9181

Acacia restaurant, George St, The Rocks

Acacia restaurant, George St, The Rocks
Thursday 8 June, 2006

A work buddy and I were on our way to lunch at an old favourite in The Rocks when we noticed the '$10 lunch special' sign outside The Russell Hotel. This sparked our curiousity, so we decided to check out the menu options.

I did not know the Russell Hotel existed, let alone their restaurant, Acacia. The Russell Hotel is described as boutique, however it looks a little tired from the exterior and it doesn't help that The Rocks end of George St is undergoing a serious re-vamp e.g. the pedestrian paths are being widened so there is the 'pleasant' buzz of jack-hammers in the background.

The interior of Acacia is yellow with wooden floor boards, tables and chairs and crisp white tablecloths. The chairs have yellow velvet seats and padded backs that are starting to look and feel as if they need to be replaced. We were invited to sit wherever we pleased as there were only 2 other tables occupied. The staff were friendly and provided us with the lunch menu which included salads, fish & chips, lamb, steak and a range of pastas. I selected the crumbed calamari with hand cut chips, salad and garlic sauce and my work buddy selected the lamb with pide bread, salad and a dish of Middle Eastern sauce (Baba ganoush - I think).

The service was relatively fast however one meal was served before the other. With only three tables occupied in the restaurant, surely they could have bought our meals out together? That said, we were both pleasantly surprised with the food. My calamari was really good, however I wanted the garlic sauce to have more kick to it. The hand cut chips were great and you could almost visualise a staff member out the back peeling the potatoes and carely cutting them into perfect chunky fries.

After we finished our meals, the owner/ chef/ waiter (everyone is on the floor) shared a story with us about the gentleman that had eaten at the table next to us. Apparently he had found a mobile phone at the Sydney Fish Markets that belonged to one of the chefs. So, today he travelled from his Wollongong home to hand deliver the phone to its rightful owner. The restaurant offered him a complimentary meal and drinks to say thanks. Restores the faith........

For $10 Acacia is a bargain.

Acacia restaurant - 143 George St, The Rocks - (02) 9241 3003

http://www.therussell.com.au/

Darbar, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Darbar, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe
Monday 5 June, 2006

I had heard this was the best Indian restaurant in Sydney so was pleasantly surprised when some friends suggested it for dinner. Darbar is located in the premises formally occupied by Darling Mills. For those who remember, Darling Mills was a lovely restaurant that was right at home in the stunning old sandstone building. As far as I'm concerned Darbar is distinctly out of place here - the tacky paintings hanging crooked on the walls and the flat screen TV playing Bollywood musicals are just wrong.

On arrival for a 7pm reservation, we walked into an empty restaurant with no staff in sight. We walked further inside and waited. Finally a staff member appeared and we were informed we could have any table we wanted. We were provided with menus and it was 15 minutes before a staff member came near us again. It's not like they were busy - where were they???

Fortunately for us our menu choice was easy - the Darbar Special Banquet which included 4 Entrées and 4 Mains plus an assortment of extras:

- Starters: Raitha, Cucumber Yoghurt Raitha and a basket of Papadums
- Entrees: Sheesh kebab, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Chops and Mysore Masala Dosa
- Mains: Butter Chicken, Darbar Sagwala, Beef Vindaloo and Aloo Gobi
- Extras: Naan & Rice

The food was absolutely fantastic and we all agreed that the Butter Chicken (we requested a second dish) and the Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower) were the standouts. We devoured each offering but found the service really amusing. For example, we polished off a bottle of wine and before asking us if we would like to order another bottle, our waitress informed us she would bring another bottle to the table, then when we had finished our main meals we had to pack up the plates ourselves and pass them to our waitress as she just stood there. At the time it felt like we were incredibly lucky to even have someone at our table as the service had been so lax.

Whilst the food was great, I'm not convinced this is the best Indian in Sydney but for $35 per person including food and wine it is great value.

Darbar - 134 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe - (02) 9660 5666

http://www.darbar.com.au/about_us.html

The Malaya, Lime St, King Street Wharf

The Malaya, Lime St, King Street Wharf
Saturday 3 June, 2006

Tonight I was having dinner with some old Uni buddies who were visiting from Canberra. They had selected the restaurant and I was thrilled with their choice - the last time I had eaten at The Malaya it was located on George St.

The Malaya offers views over Darling Harbour and serves contemporary asian cuisine. The restaurant space is large with dark carpets and quirky chairs and you can sit outdoors on the balcony or inside.

On arrival the first thing you notice is the noise - you almost need to shout to be heard. We decided to order some cocktails to start and our waiter had to stand next to each person ordering drinks so that she could hear the order. From the extensive menu which comprises set menus, signature dishes and the usual entree, mains etc, we opted for the Vegetarian set menu for $39 pp. This included:

- Samosa (A mixture of potato, carrot, onion and spices wrapped in a light pastry skin and deep fried)
- Vegetable San Choy Bow (Water chestnut, onion, mushrooms, carrots and shallots stir fried and served in a lettuce leaf)
- Sayor Otak (Silken tofu topped with a blend of eggplant, mushroom, tomato, lemongrass and chilli paste, wrapped in a banana leaf and barbecued)
- Salt and Pepper Cauliflower (Cauliflower lightly battered, deep-fried and tossed in fresh chilli, salt, cracked black pepper and shallots)
- Szechuan Eggplant (Marinated eggplant stir fried dry style with shallots, cashew nuts and dry chillies. Served on a bed of English spinach)
- Vegetable Singapore Noodles (Vermicelli rice noodle stir fried dry style with Asian green vegetable, beansprouts, onion, shallots and chilli)
- Fresh Seasonal Vegetables (Asian green vegetables stir fried with garlic, soy sauce and fresh chilli)
- Sayor Masak Lemak (Malay style vegetable curry cooked with fresh chilli, lemongrass and coconut milk)

It was a feast and everything was very good. My favourite dishes were by far the salt & pepper cauliflower and the szechuan eggplant.

The restaurant was packed and the noise levels continued to raise over the course of the evening. To compensate for the cold weather outside the restaurant was toasty warm inside - so much so that most people were removing their layers down to t-shirts and singlets. You would have thought it was the middle of summer....

The Malaya, Lime St, King Street Wharf

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

Bistro Moore, Moore Park Rd, Paddington

Bistro Moore, Moore Park Rd, Paddington
Thursday 1 June, 2006

I had visited Bistro Moore last October for a friend's birthday and remember it being a great experience - the food was brilliant. Tonight I was meeting an old school buddy for dinner and we had lots of catching up to do.

Bistro Moore chef, Giovanni Spinazzola, was awarded one chef's hat in the SMH Good Food Awards for 2006 and serves modern Italian food in a bistro setting attached to the Olympic Hotel. It offers a private dining room near the front entrance, lounges directly opposite the bar and seating on a raised platform at the rear. It also has a separate entrance from the Olympic Hotel entrance. The interior is intimate with dark painted walls, wooden floorboards and fabulous framed prints.

We arrived for a 7.15pm reservation and were shown to our table along the side. One long leather seat runs the length of the wall with tables set up for two. When our waiter offered us menus she accidentally bumped a glass on the next table and it went crashing to the ground. She was apologetic and immediately left our table for the kitchen. We assumed she was going to obtain something to sweep up the broken glass, but no. She returned to another table with their main meals and made several trips to do this.

We waited and discussed how so many restaurants/ cafes squeeze in too many tables so that you are nervous you will bump a glass or plate as you suck in everything and attempt to pass. Finally, she returned to sweep up the glass. I found this staggering as there were only three tables occupied in the dining room, so what was she doing?

The menu is a good read - you really need to study and digest every menu item as they are all described in great detail. There was a lot I didn't understand, not that it means anything. I ordered the galleto alla diavola - chilli and lemon marinated roast de boned spatchcock with grilled polenta and a pepperonata salad with king cous cous and olives and my school buddy ordered the calamari fritti - lightly fried baby calamari with rocket.

Our main meals arrived and looked fantastic. I attempted to slice into my de-boned spatchcock and it was riddled with bones. It was challenge to eat but was very good. When I mentioned this to a staff member she indicated she would take it up with the kitchen but never returned. The calamari was also very good.

We debated whether to order dessert and agreed to look at the menu. Wow! It didn't take us long to decide, I ordered the pannacotta - coconut and vanilla bean pannacotta served with chocolate sauce toasted coconut flakes and biscotti and my dinner buddy ordered the semifreddo crocante - Italian nougatine and caramel parfait with butterscotch sauce and crushed pistachio nuts.

We were both in awe of the desserts - they were absolutely delicious and the perfect way to end the evening. It's a shame the service let us down.

Bistro Moore - 308 Moore Park Rd, Paddington - (02) 9361 6315

http://www.olympichotel.com.au/pages/