Pat and Stick, Chauvel Cinema, Paddington

Pat and Stick, Chauvel Cinema, Paddington
Wednesday 28 November, 2007



For several weeks I've been attending 'Movies Now' at the Chauvel Cinema on Wednesday nights. It starts at 6.15pm so dinner has been a variety of candy bar cuisine. Fortunately, the Chauvel Cinema offers a selection of Pat and Stick ice cream - so, each week my movie buddy and I have indulged in a different flavour.

Pat and Stick has been in existence since 2004 and positioned itself as 'world famous' ice cream - what ever that means. What they do offer is unique - an ice cream sandwich.

The flavours are enticing and delicious. The only downside is that the Chauvel does not stock all the flavours listed below - but I have tried most of them.

• Vanilla Lace (The 'Original') - Classic vanilla bean ice cream with a crunchy oat and almond lace cookie
• Double Chocolate - Rich Belgian couveture chocolate ice cream with a choc-fudge cookie
• Vanilla Choc - Classic vanilla bean ice cream with a choc-fudge cookie
• Espresso Lace - A crunchy oat and almond lace cookie with a seductive espresso ice cream
• Caramel Pecan - Caramel ice cream with a nutty pecan cookie
• Mochaccino - Our renowned choc-fudge cookie paired beautifully with rich espresso ice cream
• Chocolate Lace - Our famous almond and oat lace cookie with rich Belgian chocolate ice cream
• Strawberry Choc Chip - Yummy strawberry ice cream and our new choc-chip cookie

Pat and Stick dedicate themselves to creating the finest quality gourmet ice cream sandwiches, using all-natural, premium ingredients for the ultimate in indulgence. They are a Sydney based company and have a presence at the premier gourmet food markets each week and are also stocked in a handful of delis and cafes.

I'm a fan.

http://www.patandstick.com.au/

Fig & Feast, Clark Rd, Neutral Bay

Fig & Feast, Clark Rd, Neutral Bay
Sunday 25 November, 2007

This site has changed hands again......about 3 months ago it was Vacca Bianca and prior to that it was Lazars. The site occupies a fantastic corner location in Neutral Bay and I've often thought it would be a great site for a mixed business. Recently, the site has had a facelift and has been introduced as Fig & Feast - is a restaurant or a shop - why not both?

The promotion for Fig & Feast states,

"When Katharine Lee Martin opened Fig at Roseville two years ago, the store was rated by Australian House & Garden as “one of Australia’s top ten” new homeware stores. Now Fig & Feast at North Sydney has become a combined ‘urban lounge’ for feast and second showroom for Fig.

Together Katharine and head chef, James, are creating a fresh new example of “glocalisation” – bringing a world of good taste to North Sydney, with the youthful energy and flair of a pair of stylish young entrepreneurs.

Guests arriving at the new-look restaurant are greeted by elegant outdoor couches and rattan armchairs, and a wonderful semi-circular sofa made from water hyacinth. It is clear that Katharine -- who has lived in Italy and has just been to Paris in search of next year’s inspiration -- has a flair for putting diverse and unusual pieces together to create interest and harmony simultaneously."

So, a mixed business has moved in and it's beautifully decked out with comfortable lounges inside and out plus several gifts and homewares on display inside. We arrived without a reservation for lunch today and as all the tables outside were taken we opted to sit on the large rattan armchairs outside under an umbrella. Our waiter was lovely but seemed a little overwhelmed and it took her a while to deliver our menus.

The menus were extensive with plenty of specials on offer. We discovered that James, the chef, was James Richards, who served his apprenticeship with Damien Pignolet and was sous chef to Maggie Beer at the age of 21. There were lounge, restaurant and specials menu to review and it was such a stunning day and incredibly relaxing to sit back in sunken lounges and enjoy the atmosphere.

I opted for the Sardegna pizza - sopressa salami, ham, bacon & prosciutto with chilli & pesto and my lunch buddy ordered the creamy conchiglie with pan-fried chicken breast, pancetta, semi-dried tomatoes & basil plus a side of kumera fries with aioli. The food arrived and looked impressive. My lunch buddy devoured his pasta however the kumera fries were large cut and soggy. My pizza was a little oily and I didn't think the pesto was necessary as it was strong in flavour and took away from the mild saltiness of the prosciutto and salami.

Whilst the food didn't overly impress me today we thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside this afternoon and I think this addition to the Neutral Bay dining scene is long overdue as it provides something different. I'd be happy to return and try their breakfast menu.



Fig & Feast - 62 Clark Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9955 9711

http://www.figandfeast.com/

Our Place, Darling St, Balmain

Our Place, Darling St, Balmain
Saturday 24 November, 2007

After enjoying a very entertaining life drawing class at the Artful Hen with our model, Rodney and several glasses of champagne we made our way across to Balmain for a late lunch.

Our Place is located on Darling St next to the church where the markets are held every Saturday. We had booked the upstairs courtyard overlooking the church for our lunch today and it was decked out with fantastic photos of our hen as place settings. To get to the courtyard you walk through the cafe on the street level and take the stairs to the right of the bar. The stairs are narrow and old and at the top you turn right and head down the ramp, past the toilet block to the courtyard.

Our owner/ waiter was very slow in organising drinks, music and menus and as we had been drinking since 11am we needed to eat. The large group menu included an entree and main and we had a choice of 3 options for each course. The snail pace of the service meant that after we arrived at 2pm it took until 3.30pm for us receive our entrees.

I ordered the house made spanner crab ravioli, cherry tomatoes & manchego cheese sauce for entree and the marinated pork with salsa topped whole potato and green salad. The spanner crab ravioli was a real disappointment - it was basically cherry tomatoes and a minuscule amount of crab inside the large, flat ravioli with cheese drizzled across the top. This entree was served first and by the time the other entrees were served the cheese had hardened and the ravioli had lost its heat. The pork was OK and served a little overcooked.

The highlight of Our Place is definitely the courtyard. It's covered and is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Darling St. The toilets are in need of a refurbishment and could be cleaned more frequently. The food was average and whilst the service was well meaning - it was far too slow.


Our Place - 225 Darling St, Balmain - (02) 9810 4677



http://www.ourplaceondarling.com.au/

Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour

Bayside Lounge, Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour
Thursday 22 November, 2007

The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour has recently launched a new bar/ dining experience called the Bayside Lounge.

Commanding great views over Darling Harbour and the back of the city skyline, the lounge offers floor to ceiling glass windows and a variety of seating - lounges, tables & chairs and bar stools. It's very relaxed and today I was set to experience their lunch menu.

My lunch buddy and I arrived and were directed to row of tables & chairs - one side offering chairs and the other side offering deep lounge seating. My lunch buddy explained that the deep lounge seating was a little uncomfortable if you were not used to sitting there and were more suited to very tall people. I opted for the chair.

The staff were warm and welcoming and kept their distance when they observed my lunch buddy and I deep in conversation. Our waiter relayed the daily specials with ease but I was quite taken with the Bayside lounge tasting box - a variety of tasting samples served in a traditional bento box. This consisted of:

- black sesame crusted atlantic salmon on a bed of Japanese noodles
- marinated cuttlefish with fennel salad
- goats cheese tart with beetroot
- japanese mizuna and osaka leaves with marinated tear drop tomatoes & lemon vincotto dressing

My lunch buddy ordered the Beet salad with whipped fresh goats curd with avocado & baby lettuce.

When the meals arrived they looked outstanding. The presentation was first class and my bento box was so enticing I just didn't know where to start. The standout dish was the marinated cuttlefish - it was so flavoursome and the fennel salad complimented it really well. For $25 I thought this was very reasonable.

My lunch buddy couldn't look at my cuttlefish as it reminded her of the cuttlefish she use to pick off the beach and place in her bird cage - gross! Believe me, it was fabulous and I would definitely return to enjoy some more.

As we were leaving I noticed a flyer for their latest offering - High Tea! I'll be back.

Bayside Lounge - Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour - (02) 9282 5916

http://www.scec.com.au/services/details.cfm?objectID=160

Viva Goa, Scott St, Pyrmont

Viva Goa, Scott St, Pyrmont

Monday 19 November, 2007

Portuguese influenced Goan food from the west coast of India? The blackboard out the front summed it up nicely - 'It's bloody different' and with that we entered the small federation home that has been converted into a Goan restaurant offering spicy delicacies.

Located at the far end of Harris St, past the Point Hotel but not as far down as Sugaroom, Scott St is located on the right hand side. There is a small group of old federation buildings, many which have been transformed into restaurants. The interior is bare with wooden floorboards and a mixture of outdoor furniture that is uncomfortable to sit at or smaller tables for 2. Our group of 5 required a larger table and this meant the outdoor furniture setting.

Chef and host, Gus D'souza, prepares such divine food that we literally rolled out of the Viva Goa tonight. He was there to greet us and continued to smile at us as he cooked up our Goan feast - what a find. The menu is enticing and a good read with some background to Goan cuisine and a holiday snap from Augustine's childhood home in Goa.

As everything sounded good, we asked for the assistance of our friendly & very polite waiter. What are your 'must have dishes'? As our goan feast was made up of 3 entrees, 4 mains and 1 dessert we decided on the following dishes with expert advice from our waiter:

- BBQ octopus
- Lentil rolls
- Marinated chicken with yoghurt

- Goan fish curry
- Lamb shanks
- Beef with potatoes
- Chicken slices with yoghurt

When the entrees arrived we were like kids in a candy store. The entrees were presented on a large platter with sauces on the side - the selection and variety were seriously good and the BBQ octopus was so spicy it almost cleared the head cold of one of our dinner buddies.

The mains commanded just as good response and the highlight was the Goan fish curry - it was light and had hints of mango. We couldn't get enough of it. Each meat dish fell apart and offered a mild, delicate spice with flavours that exploded in your mouth. The food was outstanding and although we were hungry - we just couldn't finish off the mains - doggy bag! As our waiter cleared the near empty bowls from the table we remembered dessert. God help us.

I couldn't go past the steamed banana pudding with coconut ice cream while my dinner buddies tried the cherries with cinnamon ice cream and fennel pancakes with vanilla ice cream. Good comfort food that really hit the spot.

It took us a while to contemplate leaving and it was an effort. Viva Goa is a relaxed dining experience with lovely, polite staff, sensational food and bare, uncomfortably furnished decor. Viva Goa is worth a visit.

Viva Goa - 2 Scott St, Pyrmont - (02) 9566 1311

http://www.vivagoa.com.au/

Cafe Belle Fleur, Old Northern Rd, Glenhaven

Cafe Belle Fleur, Old Northern Rd, Glenhaven

Sunday 18 November, 2008

This morning we ventured over to Glenhaven to have breakfast at Cafe Belle Fleur within the the Flower Power Nursery. Located along Old Northern Road, the Flower Power Nursery has a massive site set alongside a large lake.

The Flower Power promotion of this site states,

"A lot has been said and written about Flower Power Glenhaven. Until you visit the expansive facility you will never really appreciate just how wonderful Garden Centres can be.

Subject to recent extensive renovations, experts describe Glenhaven as the “best garden centre” in Australia. Start with the huge landscape centre with its eight themed display gardens and work your way through a beautiful nursery. Cascading water features, rest areas and stunning shrub and plant features are located everywhere.

Then visit the massive indoor plant, gift and accessory shop before you travel down to a stunning lake- side café and native garden display. A state of the art children’s playground provides the final touch to a magnificent garden and entertainment centre."

We were lucky to arrive and score a great park outside. The entrance takes you through the flower shop, gifts or nursery before walking down a sloped pathway to the entrance of the cafe. We were surprised at how few people were there, however it didn't take long to fill up. As many of the tables were reserved we were initially led to a table near the entrance of the outdoor dining before our waitress deciding that she could offer us a table by the lake - thank you.

The outdoor seating of the cafe showcases several water features however the main aspect is the kids playground. The cafe is so geared around this that they reserve tables alongside it for families. So, if you go expect lots of families and kids running around in super hero costumes.

The view across the lake is stunning with the overhanging trees however the right side of the lake exposes an unsightly area of the nursery - this could easily be covered with lattice, bamboo or something else to complete the picture.

We ordered coffee, well, I ordered a mug of coffee and the girls ordered ice chocolates in these massive tall glasses. The menu offered a range of breakfast items from fresh fruit & yoghurt to waffles and eggs. I couldn't go past the eggs benedict and the girls ordered the Belgian waffles with maple syrup and ice cream and scrambled eggs and bacon on toast.

When the meals arrived they looked pretty good however they hadn't delivered the waffles to order. We had specifically requested them with maple syrup and ice cream however they came to table as their standard order topped with fruit etc. We called the waiter back and she disappeared with the plate stating that she would have the chef prepare another plate. This meant we ate our eggs and had almost finished by the time the waffles returned to the table.

My eggs benedict was good however the spinach was a little watery which meant the English muffins were soggy - not good. The waffles looked fantastic and their delighted owner described them as 'sugary & delicious'. Cafe Belle Fleur is a relaxed place - go when you have plenty of time to spare and enough time to walk off breakfast around the nursery.

Cafe Belle Fleur - 609 Old Northern Rd, Glenhaven - (02) 9634 3411

http://www.flowerpower.com.au/glenhaven.html

Cupcakes with Zoe, Castle Hill

Cupcakes with Zoe, Castle Hill

Saturday 17 November, 2008

This weekend I am camping out in Castle Hill....literally. My cousins daughters have constructed a bed in the middle of their lounge room and this is where we will sleep until Monday. A weekend in Castle Hill means a trip to Castle Towers for supplies i.e. lollies, ice cream and ingredients for cup cakes as we planned to bake!

The recipe was simple:

CUPCAKES

250g unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ cups self-raising flour

1 ¼ cups plain flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING

4 cups icing sugar

125g unsalted butter

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

We arrived home and sorted out our supplies before switching on the oven. The recipe called for an electric mixer, however we couldn't find all the parts so had to resort to some good 'ol elbow grease. This was a lot easier than we thought and our mixture was smooth with no lumps before we knew it.

We made 12 cupcakes and they only required 15 mins in the oven before cooling on the rack. After all this hard work we had to cool off too........in the pool before deciding how to ice the cupcakes. Zoe did a fantastic job icing the cupcakes and decorating them with the sugary designs - what fun!

Club Café and Bar, Acer Arena, Homebush

Club Café and Bar, Acer Arena, Homebush
Tuesday 13 November, 2007

Tonight we were bringing sexy back courtesy of Justin Timberlake. What a show!

I'm not a fan of Acer Arena however our experience tonight was effortless. We left the city around 5.30pm, had pre-paid for our parking and parked by 6.30pm. The concert was due to start around 8.30pm so we had plenty of time to sit down and eat. The choices? According to the Acer Arena website,

"Acer Arena offers a range of dining options to patrons visiting the venue. From pre-show dining to al a carte restaurants to bars and fast food, there is something that appeals to everyone. Acer Arena has an award winning in house catering team whose high standards guarantee the highest level of commitment to service, quality and variety for patrons.

Acer Arena's catering team has vast experience in both the Australian and international hotel and hospitality industry and is led by our award winning Executive Chef. From our kitchens we ensure that patrons leave every event having been catered for with our hallmark style.
Acer Arena has in excess of five restaurants and bars located throughout the venue. Boulevarde Café and Terrace, Club Café and Bar, Club View Bar and Club Grill offer a range of meals and beverages catering for a variety of tastes and budgets.

In addition to these restaurants, a wide selection of fast food items and beverages are offered via the fast food concession and bar outlets located throughout the venue on all levels.
Please note that not all concessions, cafes and restaurants are open for every event and unfortunately Acer Arena do not take reservations in their restaurants."

We took the stairs up to Level One and decided to grab a table at the Club Café and Bar which was directly opposite our entry door. Too easy. Our choices were limited but more than adequate and ranged from beef & chicken burgers to salt & pepper calamari and Italian meatballs. To order you went to the bar and paid and provided them with your table number. This sounded simple enough however I got our table number completely wrong and it wasn't until I returned to our table that I realised. So, back up to the counter I went and explained the issue - this was handled with ease and a few laughs all round.

I ordered the beef burger and we also ordered a garlic bread to share. When food arrived and we were impressed by the potion sizes - they were enormous and can only be described as hearty. Each plate was served with a side salad and fries and my burger was pretty good with plenty of fillings including beetroot, pineapple, lettuce, onion relish and tomato.

Overall, you don't go to Acer Arena to eat - so you get what you pay for. The food was adequate for the venue and the concert was brilliant.

Club Café and Bar, Acer Arena, Homebush


http://www.acerarena.com.au/default.asp?flash=1&p=1

Est, George St, Sydney

Est, George St, Sydney
Monday 12 November, 2007

This is a special place and I always enjoy coming to Est. With its high ceiling, commanding columns and crisp white layout it screams elegant. Tonight we were celebrating - before dinner we had been to the Whitehouse School of Design finale fashion parade and it was also a welcome home celebration.

I've never had a bad meal at Est and it doesn't get any better than kicking off the evening with a glass of Dom Perignon. The menu at Est is a little oddly set out and although I've experienced it before I still need the staff to walk me through it. So, here goes:

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.

As we were sitting down for a later meal we launched into our orders of entrees and mains. I ordered:

- Grilled white scallops and leather jacket cheeks on jerusalem artichoke puree, shimeji and white soy
- Crisp skin twenty four hour suckling pig on kipfler potatoes, glazed shallots and carrots

The staff were courteous and knowledgeable and when our meals arrived they looked exceptional. Served on large, different sized plates my scallops were lined up and looked so plump and juicy. The suckling pig was easily the best pork I have ever tasted - it was served in a generous portion in a square with a crisp top layer that got progressively more tender underneath - just divine.

As our evening continued on the restaurant slowly emptied and by the time we had finished even the downstairs bar was thinning. Est is an experience not to be missed.

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

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

Delante, Waters Rd, Neutral Bay
Sunday 11 November, 2007




Is this the best breakfast in Sydney? For my money it is. Delante is a local gem located in Neutral Bay. The last time I visited Delante I thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast and was wowed. Today's experience was no different.

As a neighbourhood cafe/ deli Delante is a relaxed place. Locals stroll in and are more than happy to wait on the pavement for a table to become available. We strolled up at just the right time with one table spare...outside. This was just what we were after - there are only a handful of tables on the sidewalk and the weather was perfect.

The staff seemed to have changed hands again and were a little green e.g. wobbly hands with the coffee and clearing plates before both of us had finished. We ordered coffees straight off the bat and were not disappointed - they were sensational. So, much so that I had to order another after breakfast. For breakfast I took my breakfast buddies suggestion...again and went with his order - Blue swimmer crab scrambled eggs with potato rosti, spinach leaves in balsamic and a side of sausage & bacon. Bring it on!

After a short-ish wait during which we got to enjoy our coffees our breakfast was delivered to another table - oops! This was annoying more than anything and they were promptly retrieved and given to their rightful owners....us. The presentation was superb and we couldn't look at them a second longer.

The taste? Truly magnificent. The softness of the eggs embedded with blue swimmer crab was outstanding and I want the serving to be never ending (just like tim tams). However, my eyes were bigger than my belly and by the time I had eaten my way through the sausages, bacon, potato rosti and spinach leaves I only managed to eat about 75% of my eggs. This was a blessing for my breakfast buddy who happily finished them off.

I could easily swing by Delante every weekend for breakfast.

Delante - Shop 1/12 Waters Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9953 1789

Bar Milazzo, Bridge St, Sydney

Bar Milazzo, Bridge St, Sydney

Friday 9 November, 2007

The last time I visited Bar Milazzo I had gripes about the service (nothing new there). Bar Milazzo has a great corner location on Bridge St that offers plenty of outdoor dining under large canvas umbrellas.

We arrived to find the staff casually leaning against the long bar deep in conversation i.e. they had no intention of welcoming any lunchtime patrons. I find this unacceptable in a city cafe - it's Friday lunchtime and you have guests wanting to spend their money. We chose a table and looked around for menus or a menu board. There were specials outlined on a menu board but we couldn't see any menus. Just as we were about to jump up and grab some from the bar a staff member appeared and provided them to us. Our friendly staff member welcomed us and seemed oblivious to the fact we had been there for 10 minutes already.

Our waiter had left the menus open at the light lunch and mains page which was odd considering there were starters/ entrees on the previous page. We decided to order some garlic bread to share while we looked over the menus. The meals are varied in style and also in price ranging from $14 - $30. They offer a selection of salads, fish, burgers, risotto etc and all a step up from your typical cafe fare.

I decided to go with the salt & pepper calamari salad and my lunch buddy ordered the chicken & fruit salad - yes, that's correct.....chicken and fruit salad. The garlic bread was delicious and generously dripping in butter and when our mains arrived we were impressed. The portions were huge and each salad was piled high on a round plate. My salt & pepper calamari was good and the salad underneath was doused in a lemon & herb mayonnaise - a little too much for my liking. My lunch buddy really enjoyed the chicken and fruit salad and commented on how well it worked....who would have thought?

The place had filled up since we first sat down and we wondered how the two floor staff were going to cover it after our experience. After trying to flag down someone to get our bill we decided to go directly to the bar and pay.

The food was good, service bad and I could only recommend this if you are not watching your time.

Bar Milazzo - 21 Bridge Street, Sydney - (02) 9252 7355

http://www.barmilazzo.com/

Simple & Irresistible Thai, Miller St, North Sydney

Simple & Irresistible Thai, Miller St, North Sydney

Thursday 9 November, 2007

Promoting a restaurant under this name is setting yourself up for disaster, however I was curious. I had driven past this corner location opposite North Sydney oval many times and the signage didn't stand out so I had no idea what the place was called.

We arrived to celebrate a friend's birthday and was given a pile of menu to distribute ourselves. On the ledge behind our table were several candles - this almost proved disastrous as one of our dinner buddies lent back and almost had her hair go up in flames! Nice start. There was no drinks menu included in our pile of menus so we asked a staff member if the restaurant was BYO/ licensed. It was BYO.

There is a bottle shop attached to the North Sydney Hotel just a little further down Miller St so a few of us traipsed down there to purchase some wine. We had all agreed to order the banquet for $30pp which allowed us to try several different dishes and the entrees were being delivered just as we returned with the wine - great timing!

The entrees were a mix of the old favourites - Thai fish cakes, satay sticks, curry puffs and spring rolls. Theses were served with two sauces and we were all impressed by the portion sizes and flavours.

Just as we had finished the entrees and sat back to pause for a minute the mains arrived in quick succession - Chicken with cashews, tofu stir fry, massaman curry, garlic prawns and a generous serve of steamed rice. Each dish was presented on a different sized plate and the rice was dished out by a staff member. The food was pretty good but I couldn't go as far as irresistible. My favourite dish was the chicken with cashews - it was simple, the soy sauce provided a great kick and there was a generous serve of cashews throughout.

There was a rowdy group of 8 at the table behind us which made any conversation difficult and after 10pm when most of the guests had left the staff starting sweeping the floors and tidying up around us - we got the message! The service was average - many of the staff just went through the paces and didn't engage in any conversation.

Simple & Irresistible Thai - 283 Miller St, North Sydney - (02) 9929 6696

Bar Bello, Cnr Phillip & Bridge Sts, Circular Quay

Bar Bello, Cnr Phillip & Bridge Sts, Circular Quay

Wednesday 7 November, 2008

I have walked past this cafe several times as it shares a corner site with Wagamama. Bar Bello offers indoor/ outdoor seating and an open plan kitchen that you walk past on entry.

The published description of Bar Bello is, "Bar Bello is very popular, because the coffee is excellent and the food delicious at very reasonable prices! You wont be disappointed. Bar Bello offer dine in and takeaway, they have a variety of cafe style food. The staff are friendly and the set up is very hip."

I think someone might be telling porkie pies (and the services of an editor)! We arrived for lunch and were ignored. So, wandered a little further inside before a staff member stopped us and directed us to a table that had a 'reserved' sign on it. With drinks orders taken we looked over the menu - a variety of cafe fare ranging from $10 - 20 including salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers, risottos, fish & chips and calamari. Surprisingly, Bar Bello is a licensed venue and the interior of Bar Bello is sparse with concrete floors and wooden chairs and tables - there is nothing hip about it.

It took us a while to gain the attention of a staff member to order. One of my lunch buddies mentioned this was a similar experience to her previous visit. For a venue that was half full and had three staff working the floor it was very slow. However, we persisted. I ordered the beef burger and my lunch buddies ordered the chicken burger and chicken & avocado turkish melt.

The food was presented well and was very nice. The burgers came to the table in open halves with a side dish of fries and another side dish of BBQ sauce. A bonus would have been if they had asked us if we wanted BBQ sauce or some other condiment for the fries. The beef burger was little under-done for my liking but still very nice and the fries were well cooked. I love beetroot so was thrilled to find beetroot on the beef burger along with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and melted cheese. We all enjoyed our meals and the chicken & avocado turkish melt was so large that my lunch buddy had to take it away in a doggy bag.

Overall, the food was good, the prices OK, the service average and the decor sparse.

Bar Bello - Cnr Phillip & Bridge Sts, Circular Quay - (02) 9251 0105

Wharf Restaurant, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay

Wharf Restaurant, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay
Monday 5 November, 2007

I thoroughly enjoyed my last visit to the Wharf Restaurant so was very much looking forward to returning - this time for lunch. Today's event was the Sydney Theatre Company Pier Group lunch with guest of honour, Cate Blanchett.

The Sydney Theatre Company Pier Group is a dedicated group of theatre lovers who organise a regular program of events to raise funds for special projects. Each year the Pier Group raises vital funds for Sydney Theatre Company by staging a range of signature events throughout the year, providing friends of the Company with opportunities to contribute funds while at the same time engaging with STC and its artists. Pier Group fundraising supports specific STC projects and in the past funding has been provided for disabled access to the Wharf theatre, the commissioning of Australian works and the long-term preservation of historic props, costumes and production drawings.

If it wasn't for Cate Blanchett today's experience would have been a blazing disaster (as one of my lunch buddies so aptly described it). Let me explain.

We had organised a small group to attend today's lunch several months ago. Trying to obtain confirmation on the venue or time was like pulling teeth....repeatedly. My emails and voicemails over the past 8 weeks were left unreturned and to summarise the pain involved let me share with you that I only received acknowledgment/ confirmation from the STC on Friday.....for the lunch today. Hopeless.

We arrived for the 12pm lunch to find at least half the restaurant already full. We gave our names to at least 3 staff before we were directed to a table. There were no menus on the tables so were were not sure what the lunch involved however at $60 pp we assumed the lunch would be worthwhile. Never assume. We were served bread about 12.30pm and sat there for another 30 minutes before lunch was served. So, after being seated for an hour our lunch arrived. For a lunch during business hours with corporate tables this was unnacceptable. At least they were consistent with their lack of organisation.

The restaurant was under-staffed so it took at least 20 mins for each person to be served. Then, they ran out of food. It was extraordinary to us that this could happen and we were incredibly unimpressed with the way the staff served each table. They placed food in front of half the table then disappeared for another 10 mins. What they served for lunch was shocking - tinned tomatoes in a shallow dish with overcooked fish and a dollop of pesto. It was bland and bordering on embarrassing for a restaurant of this standard.

Just as we thought things could not get any worse, we noticed a staff member retrieve the tiered cake stand of cupcakes from the display table in the middle of the restaurant and we burst out laughing. They had run out of cupcakes for dessert! Sure enough, as they neared our table the staff slowed down and tried to disguise that they had run out of dessert. Unbelievable.

If it wasn't for Cate Blanchett talking effortlessly about her passion for the theatre, plans for STC and motherhood the lunch would have been a complete utter waste of time. The Pier Group should get their act together.

Wharf Restaurant - Pier 4 Hickson Road Walsh Bay - (02) 9250 1761

http://www.thewharfrestaurant.com.au/

Restaurant Balzac, Belmore Rd, Randwick

Restaurant Balzac, Belmore Rd, Randwick

Saturday 3 November, 2007

I visited Restaurant Balzac for the first time many, many years ago when it occupied it's former location at The Spot. I was so impressed with the value for money and innovative food. Since then, Matthew Kemp and his partner Lela Radojkovic have upgraded into the stunning sandstone building which suits their style, food and service perfectly.

There are many descriptions of Matthew Kemp's experience and journey to Restaurant Balzac - this is one of the most concise,

"Matthew Kemp is one of our best young chefs. After arriving in Sydney in 1992, he worked with Dietmar Sawyere at ‘The Park Lane Hotel’, then with Liam Tomlin at ‘Brasserie Cassis’. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1996 and worked for Philip Howard at the two Michelin star restaurant ‘The Square’. It was during this time and under the influence of Philip that Kemp really began to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of cookery. With this experience, he returned to Australia and worked at ‘Banc’ as Chef de Cuisine. During his time as Chef de Cuisine the restaurant won every accolade possible from ‘Best New Restaurant’ to ‘Restaurant of the Year’. In Matthew’s vision for Restaurant Balzac he wanted to create a restaurant his Nan, Mum or his best chef mates to be able to walk into his restaurant and all choose something off the menu without feeling any apprehension."

Tonight, our party of 4 were ready for the Balzac experience. We had booked several weeks ago and I thought the phone service then and the friendly confirmation call earlier today very impressive. We arrived ready for an experience and were warmly welcomed and shown to our table in the upstairs dining room. The decor is subdued to fit the stunning sandstone exterior - the white linen tablecloths, dull lighting and the dark wood floorboards all add to the atmosphere.

We reviewed the degustation menu and the a la carte - decisions, decisions. It was really hard especially when our engaging waiter (who had just graduated from NIDA) shared the specials with us. What to do? The trouble is everything on the menu sounds so enticing however we agreed to try the a la carte menu. For entree we ordered:

- New Season Asparagus with Baked Goats Cheese, Truffled Honey and Pain de Mie x 2

- Ballotine with quail, squab and foie gras x 2

After we ordered an amuse bouche was promptly delivered and we asked to see the Sommelier for guidance on the wine. The amuse bouche was a cauliflower soup served with a sprinkle of cous cous in a charming white china tea cup - it was smooth, creamy and very, very good.

The Sommelier arrived and we were very impressed with his suggestions - he offered a variety of choices of all different $$ values and steered us towards a cheaper red. Thanks! One of my dinner buddies just wanted a glass of white so without hesitation the Sommelier took her preferences and then said, 'Leave it with me' and disappeared.

Just before the entrees arrived we received a plate of large white crusty bread rolls and a small dish of butter. I don't know about you but a small dish of butter just doesn't cut it - everyone should be served a dish of butter to be as generous or as lean as possible. The wine served was superb however the glass of white came to the table with no explanation - it would have been nice to have this explained.

We were bowled over by the presentation of the entrees - actually we were for every single course. The ballotine was presented in small piles with delicate toast slices strategically positioned alongside each one. It was truly delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful.

For mains we had ordered:

- Shank of Aurora Lamb with a Warm Salad of Crisp Belly, Broad Beans, Chick Peas and Ras el Hanout x 2

- Pig trotter stuffed with pork belly and foie gras x 2

Again, we were seriously impressed. The food at Balzac is outstanding. The shank was incredibly tender and the mix of broad beans and chick peas soaked up the mildly spicy sauce.

The restaurant was full and as we were seated in a nook we weren't distracted by other guests or the noise. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the friendly nature of the staff and all agreed that dessert was a must. That said, we ordered:

- Hot Chocolate Fondant with Cappuccino Ice Cream x 1

- Bread and Butter Pudding with Mandarin Ice Cream x 1

- Banana and Hazelnut Strudel with Roast Hazelnut Ice Cream and Banana Milkshake x 2

Before our desserts appeared we were provided with another complimentary dish. Presented in a large shot glass was coconut tapioca topped with fresh mango. It smelt and tasted like summer - which was ironic considering the mother of all storms had just started outside.

As a fan of bananas I was seriously impressed by the Banana and Hazelnut Strudel. This was a truly innovative dessert and the first upright strudel I have ever seen. The banana milkshake came in a large shot glass and was rich and flavoursome. There was a streak of chocolate across the bottom of the plate that kept the rolled strudel upright and the wonderfully warm banana & hazelnut strudel was a stand out! WOW!

Restaurant Balzac is a must - it is really affordable. For three courses, pre dinner drinks and a bottle of wine our bill came to $100 pp. Loved it.

Restaurant Balzac - 141 Belmore Road, Randwick - (02) 9399 9660

http://www.restaurantbalzac.com.au/

International Diethnes Cakes & Coffee, Lonsdale St, Melbourne

International Diethnes Cakes & Coffee, Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Friday 2 November, 2007

Today I was in Melbourne for a whistle stop visit. I flew in early and out late - joy! My driver from the airport shared a wonderful story about this fabulous cake shop on Lonsdale St that was in walking distance to the office that I simply had to try.....well, if you insist! I certainly don't need my arm twisted to try a cake shop.

With a Greek theme and offering a large glass case of cakes, sweets etc down the right side and plenty of seating down the left, including a few tables & chairs outside - this place is a find! It is open from 8am - midnight daily which is impressive, so it's no wonder it is a favourite with taxi drivers all over Melbourne.

I wandered in early morning and was overwhelmed by the selection of cakes and sweets. There were so many to choose from! I made some small talk with the staff and enquired about their specialities which included,

• Kataifi (a pastry that looks like it is wrapped in shredded wheat with nuts on the inside and soaked in a sugar),


• Dipples (deep fried Greek pastry which is a cross between a doughnut and a funnel cake), Glykismata (made with a combination of honey, nuts, custards and filo),


• Baklava (Greek pastry made with honey, nuts and filo dough),


• Loukoumades (greek version of the doughnut),


• Koulourakia (a plain, lightly sweetened Greek cookie twist),


• Kourambiethes (a wonderful Greek cookie covered in powdered sugar) and


• Amygdalopita (Greek Nut Cake).

I decided to buy morning tea for the team - a selection of baklava - pistachio, walnut and almond. It was an enormous sugar fix and heart stopper but deliciously good and whilst everyone admired the baklava only a few indulged - including me.

The only online description I could find for this gem was,

"Champions of 'the bigger, the better' slogan, this cake house offers many old favourites, including large serves of tiramisu, ginormous eclairs, cannolis, pecan tarts and savoury pastries."

During my visit I also indulged in a coffee and I have to say it was one of the best coffees I ever had. I'll be back.

International Diethnes Cakes & Coffee - 185 Lonsdale St, Melbourne - (03) 9663 2092

212 on riley, Riley St, Surry Hills

212 on riley, Riley St, Surry Hills

Thursday 1 November, 2007

Today I was attending a public workshop held at the Quality Hotel Cambridge in Surry Hills. This groovy little hotel looks very slick & hip inside however outside could easily pass as a housing commission building.

There is one restaurant at the Quality Hotel Cambridge - 212 on riley. As the hotel website states,

"212 Restaurant was Sydney’s first 5 star restaurant known as “Cyranos”. Now known as, 212 on riley. When the restaurant opened in 1979, Sydney’s finest Chef Rolf Widmer introduced a cuisine to Australia never seen before except in France, known by the French as “Nouvelle”. This was to the liking of some of Sydney’s most prominent business people and local residents, such as Mr Paul Keating (former Prime Minister of Australia) and Mr Lionel Murphy and his entourage of Judges. This cuisine carried on until 1990. Our famous cuisine was launched in France by a gentlemen by the name, Mr Paul Bocuse."

I wish restaurants wouldn't set themselves up for failure like that. With PR like this you would expect 212 to be a find. Sadly, it is a colourful interior offering little more than cafe fare. As workshop participants we dined here over lunch and received morning & afternoon tea on platters.

The most challenging aspect of 212 on riley was the service....or rather lack of. It seemed to be an exercise in avoidance. The staff avoided all eye contact with you and any attempt to engage verbally with them was met with a blank stare, no acknowledgment and a quick exit. Bizarre.

For lunch we arrived to find two tables set up for us but not enough chairs. This was promptly fixed by our group, not the staff. The interior of 212 consists of many colourful chairs that are cosy, not comfortable. There is a feature wall that changes colour and has a large 212 printed on it and sheer grey curtains that can be drawn across to make a portion of the dining space private.

The food was laid out for us and comprised of:

- a large bowl of hand cut fries with side bowls of sweet chilli sauce and sour cream

- two large platters of thick cut bruschetta type bread topped with varieties of ham, cheese, tomato, salami, lettuce, tuna etc

- a large platter of fresh fruit

The food was OK and we had approx 45 mins to eat. This place has the potential to be so much better - it's located within walking distance to Crown St - so if you were staying at the Quality Hotel Cambridge....where would you dine????

212 on riley - 212 Riley Street, Surry Hills - (02) 9212 1111

http://www.cambridgeinn.com.au/default.aspx