Happy Chef, Sussex St, Haymarket

Happy Chef, Sussex St, Haymarket

Monday 30 April, 2007

Tonight we were off to see P!nk in concert at the Entertainment Centre. My concert buddy and I needed a good feed before the high energy show so decided to meet at the Sussex Centre food court.

Taking the escalators up from the Sussex St entrance......what a hive of activity for a Monday night! This place was packed. Eager concert go-ers, friends, students, families - there's something for everyone in the food court. I was told that Luke Mangan, formally of Salt and currently Glass, has listed The Happy Chef as a personal favourite. This sounded pretty good to me but I took a wander around the food court to see what other delicious Asian food was on offer. Not intentionally I found myself back at Happy Chef and couldn't go past their BBQ Pork Wonton Rice Noodle soup.

The food court system works like this, you order your food at any of the shop fronts but drinks can only be ordered at one location - bizarre. Anyway, after paying for my soup I walked over to the other side of the food court to purchase a bottle of water. I just don't get this system. Anyway, the soup didn't take long and I met my concert buddy back at our table.

As we eating we watching an interesting scenario unfold. A guy had left his meal on the table (bowl of rice and main dish) to go purchase a drink. By the time he returned to the table the cleaning staff had swept up his meal and tossed it in the bin. Well, he gave the staff a real serve and demanded a new meal to replace his tossed meal....which they did after a long, drawn out argument.

My rice noodle soup was really good - the BBQ pork was thick cut and tender enough, the green vegetables were in abundance, the wontons were soft and meaty and the rice noodles were perfect to saturate in hot, hot chilli sauce. Loved it - cheap & cheerful!

Happy Chef - Sussex Centre Food Court, Sussex St, Haymarket - (02) 9281 5832

Lenotre High Tea, Phillip St, Sydney

Lenotre High Tea, Phillip St, Sydney

Sunday 29 April, 2007

My last visit here was so good that I vowed to return - sooner rather than later. Today's occasion was a pre-Mother's Day outing. I knew this venue would be a winner so was very confident that Mum would love every minute of it............and she did!

We arrived in the refurbished Sofitel Wentworth foyer and wandered past the shops, art gallery, stunning yellow flowers on display and enormous chandeliers in the reception area to the Lounge Bar. It was almost empty and we were led to our table near the window. The decor in the Lounge Bar is warm in dark chocolate, cream and beige colours and offers a range of deep sunken lounge chairs, low rise lounges and dining chairs. Our chairs were so comfortable we almost sank into them and didn't want to leave.

Eager to share this experience with my Mum we read the small cards placed on each table that explain the Lenotre experience and the brief on Mark Stone (pictured).

"French haute cuisine, Lenôtre, now at Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. Sofitel Wentworth Sydney is thrilled to launch the French haute cuisine brand, Lenôtre, in Australia, through its much-celebrated Chef Pâtissier, Mark Stone. Sydney is one of only a select number of cities, outside of France, to offer Lenôtre.

Mark spent three months at the Lenôtre professional culinary school, earning his certification to produce the cakes, pastries and desserts exclusively for Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. Mark is currently the only chef in Australia to have accredited Lenôtre certification. He will return to France annually for new product development.

The Lenôtre experience is heightened through the attention, which is paid to every detail, from the delicate cakes and pastries down to the beautifully designed, tiered perspex display tree, in Lenôtre signature colours, on which the afternoon tea is served."

We ordered coffee then sat in anticipation of the delivery of our Lenotre experience. After about 30 minutes the tray arrived and looked really impressive. As was to be expected my Mum asked the staff if there were any low fat options, fat free etc. This is always said in good humour as my Mum has a sweet tooth but does throw some staff off as they are unsure of how to answer (e.g. no, it actually full of fat and the calories are through the roof or........ of course, everything on display is fat free - enjoy!).

The tiered perspex tray consisted of:

- Cone au Chocolat - A rich dark chocolate cone filled with luscious berries and served with cream

- Macaronades - Macaroons made of soft almond meringue filled with fresh raspberries and lemon curd

- Tarte au Citron - The classic French lemon tart, sweet pastry filled with almond and lemon cream, topped with lemon meringue

- Opéra - Chocolate pastry with layers of almond biscuit, decadent chocolate ganache with coffee butter cream and topped with gold leaf

- Camaïeu - Layers of chocolate sponge flavoured with marzipan in between layers of dark and milk chocolate mousse topped with ivory Chantilly cream

- Ambiance - Layers of vanilla Bavarian cream, with fruits of the forest jelly and caramelized hazelnuts

- Scones Jam & Cream - Traditionally baked scones with homemade jam and cream

- Assorted Finger Sandwiches

- Mariage Frêres Tea & Vittoria Espresso Coffee

We enjoyed every mouthful and I'm pleased to share that we both agreed that the Opera cake was the most spectacular offering. Yum! I'll be back.

Lenotre High Tea, Sofitel Wentworth - 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney - (02) 9228 9104

http://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/sydney_hotel/lenotre.html

Sushi Salon, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Sushi Salon, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Thursday 26 April, 2007

Tonight I was having drinks with some old school buddies at The Oaks. We started off in the front bar - nineteenthirtysix which is designed to have a comfortable 1936 feel. After a short while we were getting peck-ish so tossed up where to eat. Stay at The Oaks or wander across the road?

We walked across Military Rd to Koume Japanese House. There were only 2 tables occupied and the flooring was noticeably wet underneath. We sat down at a table near the rear before the smell of wet carpet was overwhelming. They were flooded by the rain the previous night but tried to stay open nonetheless. It was too much for our party of 6 so we left.

Unsure of where to go we decided to keep walking until we stumbled across the next Japanese restaurant. It arrived sooner than we thought - just 3 or so doors up from Koume is a new Japanese place called Sushi Salon. Entering via the sliding door you are confronted with a large dining space with wooden floor boards and minimal Japanese themed art work. At the rear of the restaurant is a sushi bar that was full so we all sat down at one of the tables.

They must have opened recently as the staff were wearing hand written names badges and there was a lack of attentiveness with their service. The food, however was fantastic. The menu was laughable with entrees numbered from 1 - 15 then the numbers jumped to 101 - 135 then back to 16. It was all over the place. We started with a selection of entrees to share:

- Vegetable tempura - lightly battered vegetables e.g. eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin

- Negimaki - rolled beef with shallots

Following these starters we all chose our own main meals. This was a really difficult decision as everything sounded so great. But we did see the table in front go for the hot pot and it looked really, really good. I couldn't go past the beef and vegetable hot pot and neither could 2 of my dinner buddies. The others opted for a sushi platter and teriyaki chicken dish.

The hot pots arrived at the table steaming. They were a decent size and filled with beef, noodles and vegetables as well as a broth. The broth had a sweetness to it and was just delicious, kind of like miso soup with the beef and vegetables gave it a meatier flavour.

We were all impressed by the food.

Sushi Salon - 87 Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Garden Bar, George St, Sydney

Garden Bar, George St, Sydney

Tuesday 24 April, 2007

The last I visited Garden Bar I had an encounter with the Maitre'd that did not impress me. I have returned twice since then and avoided him at all costs. But today's experience bordered on surreal.

I arrived to meet an old work buddy at 12.30pm and was greeted by the Maitre'd like an old friend. He welcomed me back and for a moment I thought he was almost going to hug me. Even though there weren't any free tables inside the Garden Bar area he was going out of his way to try and secure something for me. I told him not to bother as we were happy to sit at the high tables with stools in the main bar area.

Once settled we checked out the lunch menu that offers a range of Thai and Aussie meals e.g. curries, pad thai, burgers, steaks and fish & chips. I opted for the Chicken schnitzel - crumbed chicken breast schnitzel with chips, coleslaw with peppercorn jus for $13.50 and my lunch buddy selected the Steak sandwich - grilled minute steak with roasted tomato, rocket, herb mayonnaise with chips for $14.50. After ordering our meals at the bar we were handed a buzzer to take back to our table.

Within 10 minutes the buzzer sounded and I jumped up to collect our meals from the kitchen just beyond the Garden Bar. The staff who man this section have a good system in place. They already have large trays out for the meals and direct you to collect cutlery, napkins and complimentary Minties from the side bar. Once you do this the meals are waiting on the tray. The plates are large and you will not go hungry at the Garden Bar.

My chicken schnitzel was very good - the chicken breast was thin and the schnitzel coating was light and crisp. The peppercorn jus came served in a small dish on the side. The schnitzel was laid on top of a bed of thin chips which also benefited from the peppercorn jus and the coleslaw was presented on a lettuce leaf.

Our experience at the Garden Bar today was very good.........let's hope it stays that way.

Garden Bar, Establishment - 252 George St, Sydney - (02) 92403000

http://www.merivale.com/establishment/gardenbar#

Bread Story, Sussex St, Chinatown

Bread Story, Sussex St, Chinatown
Monday 23 April, 2007

Just when you thought it was not humanly possible to eat anything else, we wondered into Bread Story. I have admired this place from afar for ages and after enjoying our feast at Yee King we couldn't resist popping in for a look.

I knew this had danger written all over it as I've never just popped in for a look at anything........especially when it is food related. The corner location offers an in store bakery that churns out an array of breads and pastry treats. It's hard to know where to start. In the centre of the store is a large plastic display case with dividers separating each delicacy ranging from chocolate hero's to mango and cream cheese sticks. Some of the items on displays are just bizarre and the combinations are interesting to say the least - yam & taro buns, green tea buns and hot dog buns.......don't ask.

We walked around the display cases taking in all the offerings and tried to work out how to order. Then we saw some locals grab a white tray and tongs hanging from the bench top and pull out a drawer from the plastic display case. Each display had a drawer underneath that you opened to retrieve a treat. I just couldn't go past a Chocolate hero ( $2.80) - a large Chinese sweet bread bun coated in chocolate with soft chocolate inside. Once you have your treat picked take it to the counter where the staff will transfer it into a clear plastic 'Bread Story' branded carry bag.

At the counter is another display case offering an array of individual cake and large cakes. My eyes went straight for the Opera Cake. The classic Opera Cake is a work in six acts. There are three thin layers of almond cake, each soaked in a potent coffee syrup; a layer of espresso-flavored butter cream; one layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache; and a topping of chocolate glaze. As this was a little expensive the staff transferred the individual cake into a 'Bread Story' branded box.

Once home I couldn't wait to sample my treats. The chocolate hero sounded great but was actually really disappointing. I was expecting it to be moist but it was dry and the chocolate was sickly sweet. On the other hand the Opera Cake was seriously good. The combination of almond and espresso was wonderfully delicious.

Bread Story - 396 Sussex Street (corner of Goulburn Street) Chinatown - (02) 9281 2313

Yee King, Sussex St, Chinatown

Yee King, Sussex St, Chinatown
Monday 23 April, 2007

I knew tonight was going to be a laugh before we even set foot in Chinatown. For almost 2 months my China buddy and I have been attempting, I'll say that again, attempting to learn Mandarin. This has all been in aid of an upcoming trip to China that we are incredibly excited about. Our teacher, Jing Jing, has been incredibly patient with us and by way of incentive, promised to take us out for a meal once we completed the term.

So, tonight we met Jing Jing in Chinatown for our Chinese feast. The instructions were to meet her under the Golden Water Mouth tree in Chinatown. I had no idea where this was and we weren't provided with a street name or point of reference. However, that's what made it all the more hilarious. We wandered around until we found our fellow Mandarin students.

I absolutely love Chinese food so was thrilled to have Jing Jing lead us into the unknown. We weren't told what restaurant we were going to so just followed her aimlessly through the crowded streets. We ended up on Sussex St directly opposite Golden Century at a small restaurant called Yee King.

The entry level dining space was small with low wooden tables and wooden box seats. We sat near the kitchen and were offered large plastic covered menus with pictures of their main dishes on one side and a complete listing of their menu on the other. Hanging on the walls was another lists of specials and chef's favourites. The staff were young and spoke English and also Mandarin - so they were very accommodating as we attempted a mix of Mandarin/ English to order. Our table of 9 ordered Tsing Tao beers all around and:

- Cucumber & garlic (this is a dish I have yet to find on any Sydney menu and the staff highlighted that it was a traditional Northern Chinese dish that you would typically have at home - not in a restaurant)
- Spicy tofu (also known as Grandmother's bean curd & delightfully hot & spicy)
- Salt & pepper calamari (very light and mildly spicy)
- Kung po chicken
- Sweet & sour fish
- Chicken fried rice
- Vegetable dumplings (the outer dumpling layer was a little thick for my liking)
- Vegetable noodles (Yee King are known for their handmade speciality noodles)
- Deep fried pork ribs with shallots (deliciously tender but very light on the meat)

The food came in quick succession and was surprisingly good. We passed each dish around and polished off everything on offer. Yee King is not a flash place rather a cheap & cheerful restaurant offering good, fresh food at very reasonable prices. The lighting is bright and felt almost fluorescent on this dark and wet evening. For this feast we paid $18 pp.

Yee King - 408 Sussex St, Chinatown - (02) 9211 1138

Radii, Parliament Square, Melbourne

Radii, Parliament Square, Melbourne

Friday 20 April, 2007

This morning we were treated to a feast. After staying the night at the Park Hyatt (just wonderful with the best beds and pillows I have ever experienced) we re-grouped for a celebration breakfast at Radii.

Radii is located in the Park Hyatt and is their flagship restaurant. It is also the location for guest breakfast. The grand sweeping entrance screams opulence - it's all marble and sweeping staircases. The description they offer is,

Radii is located in the Park Hyatt Hotel, and spills over several levels. The open plan kitchen allows you to watch your meal being prepared, and there is a separate Cuban room for smokers. Radii is an over-the-top dining experience, where the extravagant decor is matched by audacious culinary creations. For the full effect, try the degustation menu. The service is world class and the wine selection is distinguished.

We were seated in the rear of the dining space and ordered tea/ coffees. The breakfast buffet is quite overwhelming with a range of hot and cold options. From the cold options we had cereals e.g. bircher muesli, yoghurt's, fruits, cold meats, cheese, freshly baked breads and juices. From the hot options we had a selection of eggs, bacon, sausages, roasted tomatoes, hash browns and grilled mushrooms. We were able to request our eggs to order so most of us went with poached eggs on sourdough.

I commenced with some fresh fruit and bircher muesli - it was absolutely delicious, sweet and creamy and I could easily have eaten a whole bowl but I wouldn't have been able to finish my eggs! During this we were surprised by the arrival of a bottle of Moet & Chandon. WOW! Five champagne flutes appeared and we watched in awe as it was poured.

After a celebratory toast our eggs arrived. We returned to the hot buffet to pile up our plates with sides - I tried a bit of everything - bacon, hash browns, mushrooms. My breakfast buddies and I enjoyed every mouthful and made the most of the experience. I mean, how often do you get to live it up at the Park Hyatt?

The downside? I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record here but it was the service. We had a seek out a staff member to order tea/ coffee and eggs. There seemed to be void around our table.

Radii - Park Hyatt, 1 Parliament Square, off Parliament Place, Melbourne - (03) 9224 1234

http://www.radiirestaurant.com.au/about_philosophy.htm

Harts Pub, cnr Essex and Gloucester Streets, The Rocks

Harts Pub, cnr Essex and Gloucester Streets, The Rocks

Monday 16 April, 2007

When we ate here last May is was a disaster, so it was some trepidation that we returned today. Would it be as bad? Had they improved?

We arrived on this slightly overcast day and smelt the BBQ immediately. Mmmmm. We walked outside and were pleasantly surprised to find a table set aside for our group. The outdoor area is hidden behind the Shangri-La Hotel and is a sandstone lovers dream. One menu was provided between the 6 of us so we had a quick glance and shared it around. There were no staff to be seen so we decided to go inside and see what happened.

From the outdoor seating area we walked into the top floor bar and surprise, surprise it was closed. However, inside was a large chalkboard advertising the $10 BBQ lunch. We had to go downstairs to order food and purchase drinks from the 2nd floor bar. Then, we were provided with plates. There was no explanation of what to expect, where to go to collect our meals or how the lunch BBQ worked. Not to worry, we figured we would go back to our table and smell the BBQ cooking.

Harts Pub is described as being fully restored to its c.1800 splendor but is a little tired looking in 2007. There were a total of 2 staff working three floors of the pub and one was supposed to cook the meals on the BBQ too. Once we could smell the BBQ cooking away I wandered over to enquire about our meals and was assured that everything was AOK by the mumbling waiter. He also motioned to the salad bar inside which I took to suggest that we could help ourselves to once the BBQ was ready.

A short time later another waiter appeared and indicated that our BBQ was ready. Plates in hand we lined up to pick out our BBQ steaks and burgers along with toasted buns. Then it was inside for salad. There were bowls of beetroot, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, greek salad, potato salad, cheese and an array of mustards. With plates piled high we returned to our table to tuck in. Overall, everyone enjoyed their meals - it was relaxed, not busy and the food didn't take long. The only downside was the service..............

Harts Pub - cnr Essex and Gloucester Streets, The Rocks - (02) 9250 6022

http://www.shangri-la.com/sydney/shangri-la/restaurants/en/index.aspx?ID=1609

Firefly, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Firefly, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Saturday 14 April, 2007

Firely is a favourite of mine. The last time I visited was for a very long lunch. Tonight we were off to see 'Pippin' the first production from Kookaburra - the National Musical Theatre Company at the Sydney Theatre.

We arrived on this balmy still evening and it's hard not to be impressed by the outlook. Overlooking the long wharf apartments and marina out to the Harbour, Firefly is the perfect venue to spend a few hours. We immediately went for the wine list as they have a wonderful selection of wines by the glass. We both opted for the 05 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio Alto Adige, ITALIA described as Lemon, tropical fruit, herbal with a clean crisp finish. This has recently made a return to their menu and is noted as 'back by popular demand'.

The beauty of Firefly is that you can try a variety of dishes due to their tapas menu. However, if you just want your own meal you can also choose from the larger tapas plates. We ordered some small tapas plates to share:

- Twice baked potatoes, stuffed roast veg
- Prosciutto wrapped haloumi, asparagus & tomato

- Pork medallions, caramelised pineapple and grilled lime
- Chilli chicken chorizo, maple mustard

As the plates are delivered at different times you can really sit back and enjoy the flavours. The standouts for me were the Pork medallions and Chilli chicken chorizo. The staff are fabulous and also took the time to keep us up to date with the time knowing that we were off the theatre. We left with 10 minutes to spare and easily made it into our theatre seats about a minute before the lights went down.

Firely is a must.

Firefly - Pier 7, 17 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay - (02) 9241 2031

http://www.fireflybar.net/

Lenotre High Tea, Phillip St, Sydney

Lenotre High Tea, Phillip St, Sydney
Saturday 14 April, 2007

After experiencing the '30 minute lunch special' at the Sofitel Wentworth recently I was determined to go back to indulge in the Lenotre High Tea.

This French indulgence is truly an experience not to be missed. As the hotel explains, "The Lenôtre Afternoon Tea experience includes a beautiful selection of cakes and tarts, assorted finger sandwiches, Mariage Frêre tea and espresso coffee. Lenôtre is available at Sofitel Wentworth Sydney in The Sofitel Lounge from 2pm daily, The Bistro Garden Court and the Banqueting department. Lenôtre Afternoon Tea $38 per person."

We arrived at the Lounge for our 3pm booking and were directed to our table for 5. After settling into the plush surrounds and viewing the exquisite tiered trays that were being delivered to the tables around us we wondered what Lenotre was all about. The menu provided this description for us,

"French haute cuisine, Lenôtre, now at Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. Sofitel Wentworth Sydney is thrilled to launch the French haute cuisine brand, Lenôtre, in Australia, through its much-celebrated Chef Pâtissier, Mark Stone. Sydney is one of only a select number of cities, outside of France, to offer Lenôtre. Mark spent three months at the Lenôtre professional culinary school, earning his certification to produce the cakes, pastries and desserts exclusively for Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. Mark is currently the only chef in Australia to have accredited Lenôtre certification."

It definitely feels special to experience the delights of a chef that is the only one of his kind in the country. We ordered our teas and coffees and sat in anticipation. The staff were lovely, if a little lax at times as we had to request refills several times before they were delivered and our quest for water took over an hour. However, what was delivered to our table was exceptional........and quite overwhelming. Here's a run down:

-Cone au Chocolat - A rich dark chocolate cone filled with luscious berries and served with cream
-Macaronades - Macaroons made of soft almond meringue filled with fresh raspberries and lemon curd
-Tarte au Citron - The classic French lemon tart, sweet pastry filled with almond and lemon cream, topped with lemon meringue
-Opéra - Chocolate pastry with layers of almond biscuit, decadent chocolate ganache with coffee butter cream and topped with gold leaf
-Camaïeu - Layers of chocolate sponge flavoured with marzipan in between layers of dark and milk chocolate mousse topped with ivory Chantilly cream.
-Ambiance - Layers of vanilla Bavarian cream, with fruits of the forest jelly and caramelized hazelnuts
-Scones Jam & Cream - Traditionally baked scones with homemade jam and cream
-Assorted Finger Sandwiches
-Mariage Frêres Tea & Vittoria Espresso Coffee

We sat in awe of the three trays and had no idea where to start. It was completely overwhelming. We enjoyed every minute of the experience and my absolute favourite was the Opéra - Chocolate pastry with layers of almond biscuit, decadent chocolate ganache with coffee butter cream and topped with gold leaf . I could have eaten an entire tray of these!

This is great experience and I can highly recommend it.

Lenotre High Tea, Sofitel Wentworth - 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney - (02) 9228 9104

http://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/sydney_hotel/lenotre.html

Musica E, Beissel St, Belconnen

Musica E, Beissel St, Belconnen
Friday 13 April, 2007

Tonight was dinner on the northside with some old & new friends. The setting was Lake Gininerra in Belconnen and the promise was music and food.

The promotional blurb states,

"Mario Gamma (owner, pictured) was involved in film and television for many years. He was on Heartbreak High, Home & Away etc, and has alot of friends that frequent Musica é Restaurant Bar Pizzeria.

Set across from the Lake Gininderra Musica é Restaurant Bar Pizzeria provides the perfect lookout location. By night, you could be mesmerised by beautiful melodies from our live musicians with delicious food from our very own professional chef."

The dining space is small and spills into an outdoor courtyard - the doors were kept open so Mario ( and his staff) could easily move between each area. We ordered an entree of rosemary, salt, garlic pizza bread for the table to share and just as it arrived so did the evening's entertainment. Mario put on a headset and backing track and started wandering through the dining space as he sang. He's got a half decent voice and did a few numbers from Dean Martin, Andrea Bocelli and John Travolta. It was entertaining and he invited some of the chefs from the kitchen to come out and join him. There's some banter, humour and audience participation required.

For mains we all got stuck on what to order as the menu is so extensive offering pastas, salads, pizzas, chicken & veal dishes - the menu goes on and I had to ask our waiter for a recommendation. She steered me in the direction of the marinated chicken with avocado, sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and caramelised pineapple and not towards the house speciality - woodfired pizza.

The mains arrived......except mine. Our waiter disappeared and seemingly forgot that we had another dish to arrive so I encouraged my dinner buddies to start. A few minutes later mine arrived and looked sensational. In fact, every main looked sensational, served on large white plates and beautifully presented. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the sweetness of the caramelised pineapple was offset by the avocado - whilst it sounded a little sickly sweet it was absolutely heavenly - I loved it as did my dinner buddies with their selections which ranged from Penne with Balmain bugs to Veal medallions.

We polished off our mains and were presented with dessert menus - yes please! Just as we had ordered the entertainment started us again. This time around more audience participation was required and a congo line was formed. I hadn't had enough wine to make me want to join in and it was hilarious watching a young couple at the next table who obviously didn't know there was entertainment and clearly wanted the ground to open up and swallow them whole!

For dessert most of our table ordered the Choco Ozzy Bozzy - a chocolate pudding with warm chocolate interior served with vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate syrup. This arrived as a warm chocolate muffin with a side of Street ice cream. It wasn't what we had expected but it didn't stop us from eating every mouthful - it was warm, chocolate and gooey inside.

The music occurs every Friday/ Saturday night so be prepared. The best advice I can provide is get involved - if they invite you to sing along - go for it - if they encourage you to stand up and participate in Grease Lightning - start moving. It's fun if your table is into it but otherwise be warned there is no place to hide.

Musica E - 62/1 Beissel St, Belconnen - (02)6251 0410

http://www.musicaewaterside.com/about.htm

Cream, Cnr Bunda and Genge Streets, Civic

Cream, Cnr Bunda and Genge Streets, Civic
Friday 13 April, 2007

I had been told that the hottest new place in Canberra was Cream. So, this morning I dragged myself out of bed (after a celebration the night before) and walked into Civic for breakfast.

Open for only 5 weeks, the look is sleek and opulent whilst having a relaxed, welcoming feel. The owners describe the place as,

"In a huge, open-plan block on the corner of Bunda and Genge Streets, Cream is a venue that will become an integral part of Canberra's CBD life - offering early-morning take-away coffee, through to breakfast, lunch, dinner, functions and after-work drinks and tapas. Late at night, after dinner guests are invited to enjoy Cream's transformation into an inner city cocktail bar.
The menu offers the classic staples to create, internationally inspired dishes for the most discerning foodie. The food is light, broad-ranging, fresh and affordable.

Securing the future as an enduring favourite, Cream designers have created a 'timeless' art deco fit-out. The fun but conservatively used art deco design was inspired by a bar creators Soc and Omar fell in love with on the Spanish island Majorca, on a reconnaissance trip looking for ideas for their newly-secured restaurant space. A feature custom-built ceiling light is based on a design seen in an art deco-era New York building.

As well as a love of art deco - and food - Soc and Omar share a desire to 'push the boundaries' in regards to hospitality venues in Canberra - raising local standards to meet innovations found in the northern Hemisphere, and in Sydney and Melbourne."

I entered and started flipping through one of the complimentary papers at a raised table. Shortly afterwards I was invited to sit along the side wall and take the paper with me. There was a long cream leather lounge that ran the length of one wall with a range of tables for 2 and more. There was a decent breakfast crowd and I found my place and got settled. The trouble with tables for 2 is that the morning papers are far too large and spill over the sides. I had people on either side of me so had to carefully fold the paper in order to read it.

I was left alone for ages and was starting to think I was invisible before a diner at the other end of the dining space walked up to the barista and asked if was possible to get some service.........this century. Ouch! He did a quick scan of the dining space, called over the wait staff and pointed out 3-4 tables that needed service ASAP. Mine was one of them.

Not surprisingly I couldn't go past the Eggs benedict - free range poached eggs on toast with ham & hollandaise plus coffee. The coffee was seriously good and I ordered another straight away. I got talking with the barista who explained he had moved from Sydney after working at Cafe Clovelly for years (no wonder he knows how to make a good coffee!).

The Eggs benedict was OK. Don't get me wrong I ate it all, however, the eggs were not runny and the toast was a little burnt. Maybe I've had one too many serves of eggs benedict in my time to be objective but I was disappointed. I think I picked badly as nearly everything else that came out from the kitchen looked fabulous.

The service was good and it was fun to watch one of the staff train a new staff member in the art of carrying 3-4 plates at once. The crowd was diverse with plenty of business people, students and tourists. I would definitely return for the coffee and to try something different on their menu.

Cream - Cnr Bunda and Genge Streets, Civic - (02) 6162 1448

http://www.creamcafebar.com.au/

Meeting Place, Cnr Northbourne & Flemington Rd, Lyneham

Meeting Place, Cnr Northbourne & Flemington Rd, Lyneham

Thursday 12 April, 2007

Tonight was a birthday celebration - two April birthdays and a catch up with long time friends. It's been over two years since I visited Canberra and I was very excited.

By sheer coincidence I had literally bumped into one Canberra buddy earlier in the day at the fabulous shopping mecca known at the Canberra Centre - this would rival Westfield Bondi in size and variety. So we laughingly decided to call this a teaser for our dinner celebrations.

The Meeting Place is located at the northern end of Northbourne Ave, just as you come into town and sits within the premises of the Kamberra Wine Centre. The setting is large, the wine collection is extensive and the dining space overlooking the lilly pad pond is just lovely.

We arrived for dinner and noticed that there was only one other table of diners. Was this a good sign? We stood at the reception desk and politely waited for a staff member to appear. What the staff failed to realise was that we could actually see them in the kitchen due to the reflection of the windows. We waited. A staff member appeared and was very casual in his approach. He directed us to our table and then disappeared to get menus.

The dining space was large but with only 2 tables occupied it felt enormous. Our waiter returned and tried to engage us with his banter to no avail - he was not funny and his attempt at dry humour was lost on us. I asked about the menu and if there were any specials, what was the house speciality and what do their regulars keep coming back for. I was met with a blank look and the standard, 'everything is good'. I was disappointed with his response and prompted further - anything you could personally recommend. Again, completely disengaged and the standard rattling off of everything on the menu.

He left us all alone to ponder the menu and wine list after delivering some thinly sliced bread and a combination of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. This is where he did actually come in handy. I ordered the Scotch fillet rossini, on herbed crouton, duck liver pate with parsnip mash & Madeira jus and as most of my dinner buddies had ordered red meat I asked our waiter to recommend a good red. Without hesitation he suggested the Pialligo Estate Sangiovese 03. Brilliant - it was actually the stand out of the evening! However, with this came more disappointment. One of our dinner buddies opted not to drink and our waiter almost berated her, asking why and going further by stating, 'I would go outside and shoot myself if I couldn't drink'. I found this completely inappropriate and I think he got the message that our table was unimpressed.

The food arrived and looked great - the servings were large and presented on huge white plates. My food was better than average - the scotch fillet was a little undercooked but not enough to send back, the duck liver pate was very good but the herb crouton was inedible - it was so hard that I feared cracking a tooth.

As this was a celebration we all splurged with dessert and I couldn't go past the cake special which was a trio of chocolate mousse cake with vanilla bean ice cream and raspberry coulis. The desserts arrived and again, the presentation was first class. However, my cake was swimming in coulis and icing sugar.

Just after our desserts arrived the kitchen packed up and everyone, except our waiter, went home. If this wasn't a hurry on I don't know what is. Our waiter then proceeded to switch lights off around us but we still finishing dessert and had ordered teas/ coffees. I appreciate we were the last guests in the restaurant however it didn't feel very accommodating. When we asked for the bill our waiter's eyes lit up with glee!

Overall, we had a great night but I do believe this had far more to do with the company than the food and service.

Meeting Place Restaurant, Kamberra Wine Centre - Cnr Northbourne & Flemington Rd, Lyneham - (02) 6262 2144

http://www.meetingplacerestaurant.com.au/

Papaya, Spofforth St, Cremorne

Papaya, Spofforth St, Cremorne
Wednesday 11 April, 2007

The first time I visited Papaya I raved about it. Papaya is a real find and I've been waiting for an opportunity to return - sooner rather than later. My foodie friend who has recently started a role in the industry hadn't been to Papaya so was more than happy to try it out.

We arrived and the place was packed. This has to be the hardest working kitchen in Cremorne. The Maitre'd, who has taken to wearing a headset due to the amount of phone orders coming in, welcomed us and directed us to a table on the raised level in the corner. It felt a little cramped and our seats were of different heights which was odd but we managed.

The decor at Papaya is engaging - there are colourful cushions, a variety of seats e.g. square cubes, bench seats, fabulous light fixtures and very interesting wooden slat roofing. The atmosphere is frantic with staff almost running between the kitchen and two levels of dining.

We decided to kick off with chicken pieces wrapped in banana leaves - they were tender, lightly crisp and served with a lovely tamarind sauce. For our mains we opted to share a fish stir fry with loads of fresh vegetables and chilli and a mixed seafood salad with BBQ scampi. The beautiful fresh flavours came through in both dishes and we enjoyed every mouthful.

Papaya is BYO, there is a bottle shop next door and there's free parking underneath (as the ticketing booth shuts off after 8.30pm and the gate remains up) - too easy!

My next Thai takeaway will be coming from Papaya.

Papaya - Shop 7, 307 Military Rd, Cremorne - (02) 9953 8992

http://www.papayathai.com.au/

Est, George St, Sydney

Est, George St, Sydney

Tuesday 10 April, 2007

I knew I was in for another great evening - family, friends (one visiting from the UK) and birthdays! The last time I visited Est was for a birthday celebration and tonight was no different. It's been just over a year since my last visit here and I was really excited, the anticipation........

Est is a fabulous restaurant and it's all about the experience. We started with pre-dinner drinks on L1 and the staff were friendly, courteous and more than happy to accommodate us at the lounges. When we were ready to dine we relocated to our table in the middle of the dining space. The decor is white, elegant and plush with deep chocolate carpet to offset the starkness and it works. It feels decadent and this continues with the food, service etc.

The Est dining experience involves three dining options;

1. The seven course tasting menu for $140, available with matched wines $235. Whole table only.

2. The Chef's menu, $120. A five course a la carte menu designed so that one choice is made from each section, consisting of smaller sized dishes.

3. A la carte dining is also available from the Chef's menu for those that want one, two or three courses.

The choices! Our table of 6 poured over the menus to decide what to. Half decided to go with the 5 course a la carte and half decided to go with the standard a la carte offering. I ordered:

- Seviche of south australian kingfish, jalapeno chilli, mint and coriander (delightfully presented, finely diced with a side of lavosh, the taste was light and fresh)

- Salad of warm quail breast, duck foie gras, william pear and baby beans, hazelnut oil (two decent serves of quail that were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside - very, very good)

- Twenty four hour suckling pig on glazed fennel, confit grape tomatoes and baby beans (WOW - I'm a massive fan - the pork was was achingly good with just the right amount of saltiness)

- Mature goats cheese, fresh fig, salted almonds and green sultanas (rich, decadent, very more-ish and a wonderful pairing of goats cheese and fig)

- Passion fruit souffle (the speciality that seriously melts in your mouth - words can hardly describe how unbelievably good this souffle is)

Everything about Est is impressive. We had a fabulous evening and I definitely do not want to leave it another 12 months before I return.

Est - L1, 252 George Street, Sydney - (02) 9240 3010

http://www.merivale.com/establishment/est

Le Petit Creme, Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst

Le Petit Creme, Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst

Sunday 8 April, 2007

The best eggs benedict and bowls of coffee in Sydney - this I had to see for myself! Le Petit Creme is located in the heart of Darlinghurst and is a fabulous French cafe with great staff, service and most importantly, food.

Today was Easter Sunday and whilst many places were closed it was relief to discover that some places remained open. My brunch buddy and I had planned a day of fun - brunch at Le Petit Creme, movie at Dendy Opera Quays (Priceless) and visit to the Art Gallery to see the Archibald, Sulman and Wynne Prizes and Art Express. To achieve all this we needed a hearty breakfast.

The staff were really laid back at Le Petit Creme, they were attentive, courteous and funny - taking their time to assist you chose the perfect meal. For me it was a no brainer - eggs benedict all the way. My brunch buddy opted to design her own omlette opting for Gruyère cheese, bacon, tomato and mushrooms. The coffee was ordered (no bowls for us - we would awake until Christmas!) and was very good but they forgot to bring my second cup. I didn't follow them up and they didn't charge me for it.

The only downside to Le Petit Creme is that the meals are delivered to the table as they are prepared - so my eggs arrived a good 5 mins before the omlette. I guess this isn't such a biggie however it would be nice to have the plates delivered together. The eggs were sensational and came served on top of French brioche that was deliciously sweet and almost pastry like - I loved it but I know this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. I chose the ham option (they also offer salmon) and the eggs were large and served runny. The hollandaise was seriously good and the brioche soaked it up. Mmmmm.

Le Petit Creme is a great local cafe - it's the kind of place you could for hours undisturbed and read the papers/ magazines but equally the kind of place you could pop into for a quick bite on the way to somewhere else.

Le Petit Creme - 116 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst - (02) 9361 4738

Pony Dining, Cnr Argyle St and Kendall Lane, The Rocks

Pony Dining, Cnr Argyle St and Kendall Lane, The Rocks Saturday 7 April, 2007

I've enjoyed lunch here on two occasions. So, tonight was an opportunity to see what dinner was like - would it be as good, had I talked it up too much??

I love the look and feel of Pony and as designer Michael McCann states,

"The concept of Pony entails a unique, cutting edge exterior lounge and grill restaurant designed to take advantage of its stellar location in a former bond warehouse in a secluded cobblestone laneway, arguably Sydney’s first laneway restaurant and bar. The interior features a dramatic open kitchen with pony hide clad kitchen counter, heritage brick walls, commissioned woven art hangings on a mesh-clad side wall, black japanned recycled plank flooring and custom goat skin pendant lights hung from the original timber ceiling. The kitchen provides a fascinating theatrical attraction to passers-by with the flames of the wood-fired Argentinean inspired grill in one set of windows.An exterior timber deck features an 11 metre communal dining table and outdoor bar and lounge."

We arrived on this wet and windy evening for our 7pm reservation and were warmly greeted by the Maitre'd. He kindly took our umbrellas and offered to hang them out of the way before leading us to our table. The wonderful smell from the wood fired stoves and ovens was delightful and definitely got the taste buds working overtime. We were seated inside along the narrow passage with exposed brick on one side and fascinating rope wall hangings on the other side.

As we were eager diners we had already looked at their online menus and pretty much knew what we wanted to order. We kicked off with some Grilled Italian flat bread, Grilled chorizo & chilli jam and Meredith goats cheese, tapenade, marinated globe artichoke and crostini. WOW! It's a great idea to share some starters up front, not only because you get to try a variety of dishes but because it's so hard to decide what to order! The goats cheese was creamy, slight firm and we lathered it on the flat bread with glee. The chorizo offered a wonderful spicy accompaniment - off to a sensational start.

For mains we both decided to go with the house speciality - 120 day grain fed sirloin, béarnaise, hand cut chips, watercress. We requested it medium rare and it was done to absolute perfection. It was smokey from the wood fire, tender and easy to slice and tasted like butter - just delicious.

We pondered dessert and after a much needed break decided to go for it. I couldn't go past the Apple galette baked with frangipane, sauce anglaise. I had actually experienced this once before and there was no way I could choose anything else. My dinner buddy joined me with the same selection. It arrived on a charming oval plate with a thin layer of puff pastry and very finely sliced apple layered on top. A small pot of anglaise came on the side which I gladly poured all over it.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming - there was quite a crowd and many tables around us did two sittings while we were there. The staff were attentive and friendly and I really think Pony offers value for money and a great night out.

Pony Dining - Cnr Argyle St and Kendall Lane, The Rocks - (02) 9252 7797

http://www.ponydining.com.au/home.html

Dinner in Bilgola

Dinner in Bilgola

Friday 6 April, 2007

Tonight my beach buddy cooked up a storm & it was sensational. I love receiving invites to stay down at the beach - it really feels like you are a world away from the city and the dress code is far more casual. The smell of salt off the ocean, the deep green colour of the ocean and the orange tinge to the sand were incredibly calming.

The only hint I had been given about dinner tonight was that the entree would be seafood and the main would be pork. I drove to my local Vintage Cellars in Ben Boyd Rd for advice on wine selection. These guys are legends and deliver every time. For the seafood they suggested a Blind River sauvignon blanc from the Malborough in New Zealand and for the pork they highly recommended a Fox Gordon shiraz from the Barossa. Both were perfect.

My beach buddy followed three recipes from noted chefs for our feast:

- Bill Granger scallops served in the shell with herb butter and bread crumbs

- Jamie Oliver pork belly with roasted fennel

- Peter Doyle passionfruit souffle

The scallops were large, plump and coated with a generous dollop of herb butter and toasted bread crumbs, They only needed a short while under the grill and were succulent and delicious.

The pork belly was unbelievable - it fell off the bone and was so tender. The crackle was mildly salty and gave the jaws a good work out. The roasted fennel was divine - it offered a sweetness to the pork that was incredibly more-ish.

The passionfruit souffle's were delightful - they rose beautifully and were so soft and fluffy. The passionfruit flavour was sweet but not overpowering.

Overall, this was a magnificent feast and now I'm really worried about how I can return the favour!

Anna Thai, Enmore Road, Enmore

Anna Thai, Enmore Road, Enmore

Tuesday 3 April, 2007

If there was a graveyard for restaurants Anna Thai would be near the top of the list. This place has lost its mojo and is so far beyond caring about everything..........the decor, staff, customers, food etc. Just over 12 months ago I gave this place a wrap. Tonight, I take it all back.

We were off to see Joss Stone at the Enmore Theatre (bloody brilliant) and needed somewhere cheap & cheerful for a quick bite. It had to be quick as we had driven around for 20 mins trying to find a park! Anyway, we arrived in the small dining space and the place just look distraught. Four tables still had dirty plates piled high and no-one seemed the least bit concerned about clearing them, Christmas decorations were still hanging from the bar and there were pieces of sticky tape stuck to the wooden panelled walls where an old poster used to hang. The atmosphere was old, tired and really over it.

We were 'greeted' by the only waiter who set our table by slamming plates and cutlery down along with glasses and a water bottle. I asked for menus and he looked at me as if it should have been obvious he was going to get to this.........next century. We ordered drinks and he came back with something else and said, 'this is all we have' like it was perfectly acceptable to serve something a paying customer had not asked for.

We ordered some Spring rolls to start followed by Beef penang curry, Chicken, chilli & vegetable stir fry and steam rice. A snail would have had more get up and go than our waiter, he shuffled towards the kitchen with our order and we watched other customers painstakingly try to catch his attention so they could order........this month.

The food arrived in quick succession and was average - the Spring rolls were so god damn hot that we had to let them sit and cool down whilst dousing them in sweet chilli sauce, the Beef penang curry was watery and the beef was undercooked, the veges were good though :) but thankfully the Chicken, vegetable and chilli stir fry was delicious - the ginger gave it a lovely fresh flavour.

We didn't linger and my dinner buddy had me in hysterics explaining the trip out to the bathroom - the corridor at the rear of the dining space had fake bunches of red and green grapes hanging from the ceiling - what the!#&#@!

For this experience we paid $15 each. Was it worth it? No. Would we return? Definitely not.

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

Garden Court Bistro, Phillip St, Sydney

Garden Court Bistro, Phillip St, Sydney
Monday 2 April, 2007

The Garden Court Bistro is currently offering a '30 minute lunch' special. That's right, you read correctly, served in 30 minutes or a money back guarantee. For $38pp (not including drinks) this is an absolute bargain - the setting is lovely, the decor is new and the food is very, very good. I can only sum this up by saying............make your lunch reservation today!

The Accor Hotels brief states,

"Accor’s Sofitels in Australia will this month launch an innovative “30 Minute Lunch” that will provide a quality four-course meal with the order taken and the meal fully served within half an hour. And the lunch comes with a Sofitel guarantee – if you don’t get your meal within 30 minutes it’s free!

The refined four-course lunch will provide guests and diners from local businesses a sophisticated, beautifully presented meal within half an hour, while not compromising on quality. This complete dining experience will include four courses – appetizer; soup or salad; entrée; and dessert – all beautifully presented and served simultaneously on special crockery, with the dishes highlighting the best local produce.

Menus will change seasonally and dishes will vary to showcase the finest ingredients. The lunch will be complemented by an extensive list of wines by the glass or bottle. Available Monday to Friday, the 30-Minute Lunch menu will be offered in the restaurant/café only (not available via room service) from 12 noon until 2.30pm. The prix-fix (fixed price) meal will range in price from approximately AUD$25 to $38 per person depending on the seasonality of produce.

“Time may be a challenge for today’s busy executives and travellers, but that shouldn’t mean they have to compromise on quality,” said Thomas Van Vliet, Vice President Sofitel Asia Pacific. “The Sofitel 30-minute lunch offers a four-course ‘tasting plate’ that fits into the busiest schedule and offers a new alternative to lunches that leave you too full to concentrate on work afterwards.” “The food may be fast but there is no way you could compare it to ‘fast food’ and I think people will be surprised at the high standard of food they can get at this price and in such a short timeframe.” “This is a fine dining experience that can be served efficiently and with minimum fuss.”

To give an example of the quality of food available, the menu might include such dishes as tropical hot smoked salmon fillet with caper and tomato salsa as an appetizer; duck consommé with wild mushrooms for soup/salad selection; eye fillet of beef with exotic mushroom pie or north Queensland barramundi fillet with baby leeks and lemon myrtle beurre blanc for entrée; and cointreau-infused crème caramel with orange zest or a rhubarb brulee for dessert. Most Sofitels will offer three choices of each appetizer, entrée, soup/salad selection and dessert."

Our party of 4 arrived for lunch and were shown to our window table overlooking the garden outside. It really felt like we were far, far way from the hustle bustle of the city streets below. The decor is minimal and you really get a sense of space - the tables are well spaced apart, the gorgeous silver framed mirrors that line the walls are a wonderful touch that bounce light from the outside, the soft pink/ grey tomes of the furniture are welcoming and the table settings are impeccable.

We were delivered bread sticks and artichoke dip and then another basket with thick sliced bread and a selection of olive oils while we viewed the menu offerings. I ordered the following:

- Grilled scallops
- Caesar salad
- Beef sirloin with potato gratin
- Lenotre lemon tart (Lenotre - the most famous Parisian patisserie was established over 50 years ago by Gaston Lenotre. The Sofitel Wentworth has it's very own Lenotre pastry chef - Mark Stone)

The presentation was first class - imagine a large square platter with four smaller plates placed on top. Each smaller plate housed one course - so everything was delivered together. We were all seriously impressed with the presentation and didn't know where to start. The food was seriously good, the scallops were large and plump, the beef sirloin came to the table medium - maybe a little over cooked for my liking but still very good, and the lemon tart was achingly sweet and just delightful. The best part was the portion size - the servings were small, like tasting plates so we were not full after eating just satisfied.

The staff were attentive and really meant well with their extra touches e.g. individual dishes with lemon & lime slices for your water and a selection of olive oils for our bread - we chose the lemon myrtle and it was delicious.

Make your booking today!

Garden Court Bistro, Sofitel Wentworth - L5, 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney - (02) 9228 9104

http://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/sydney_hotel/bistro.html