The Oaks, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

The Oaks, Military Rd, Neutral Bay
Wednesday 31 January, 2007

The Oaks is my local, so I'll probably be a little bias here. The last time I wrote about it was in November.

Tonight I was catching up with a great group of old school buddies, so I'm sure you can imagine there was a lot of laughing, stories.....and drinks. The Oaks is a relaxed place, it attracts a diverse crowd and is unpretentious.

There are several different bars to choose from and dining experiences. As it was raining outside we decided to meet in the Bistro. It was not overly crowded so it easy to order drinks and when we were ready order pizzas and salads. The Oaks offers a range of gourmet pizzas and we ordered a Thai Chicken and a Seafood to share between three of us. The others opted for the salad bar where you can pile your plate high for a reasonable price.

Our pizzas arrived at the table and looked fresh and delicious. The only downside was they weren't cut through so trying to take a slice was a challenge. The toppings, however, were great - the Thai Chicken was topped high with sprouts, shredded carrots and a mildly spicy sauce. The Seafood looked impressive with mussels and prawns and a decent tomato base. It didn't take us long to polish these off.

There were plenty of pots of mussels coming out of the kitchen and the self-cook BBQ was in overdrive. The staff are good and make a point of clearing your glasses and plates at regular intervals. It's very relaxed and we sat there for hours having a good old catch up.

The Oaks - 181 Military Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9953-5515

http://www.oakshotel.com.au/

King 143, 143 King Street, Sydney

King 143, 143 King Street, Sydney
Tuesday 30 January, 2007

Tonight we were off to see our first Belvoir play of the year - The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie at the Theatre Royal. We had to think long and hard about a place to eat beforehand......then my Belvoir buddy came up with King 143.

I had heard of this French/ Japanese restaurant but had never dined there so was pleased to add another place to my ever expanding list or was that waist! King 143 seems to be a hidden gem as a few people indicated it was hard to find - it's not really, the only area of confusion is that it is not located on street level but the first floor of the building directly opposite the Theatre Royal.

The best description I discovered online is,

"Japanese chef and owner, Toshi Ishihara has over 20 years of experience as a restaurant proprietor and has also worked at the Hotel Connaught, London, as well as the Hotel Eyler in Basel.

His French dishes have now been enhanced by Australia's multicultural influences. At King 143, light classical French cuisine is complimented by a great wine list."

We arrived for an early dinner as the show started at 7pm. We were warmly greeted and shown to our table in the almost empty dining space. The disappointing aspect to this is that only two tables were occupied during our visit (this is a hidden gem if you are looking for somewhere fast, cheap and cheerful before the theatre).

Their pre-theatre menu offers 2 courses and a glass of wine for $45. I selected the Sashimi salmon with cucumber salad for entree and the Lamb shank on a bed of mash for main. My dinner buddies ordered the French Onion Soup and another Sashimi salmon for entrees and the Beef with hand cut fries and the Tasmanian salmon for mains.

The meals were served promptly and the wine was lovely (there is a choice between chardonnay, reisling, pinot grigio, shiraz, cabernet etc). The sashimi was delightful - fresh, light and just what I wanted. The lamb shank was tender and the mash was creamy.

For a quick meal before a show at the Theatre Royal I don't know of a better offering.

King 143 - 143 King Street, Sydney - (02) 9231 - 0143

http://www.king143.com.au/index.htm

ARIA, Macquarie St, Circular Quay

ARIA, Macquarie St, Circular Quay
Saturday 27 January, 2007

The last time I visited ARIA was during Gordon Ramsey's promotional tour - I loved it. Tonight, we were off to see Kaiden at the Opera House - Meryl Tankard's choreography with Taik Oz - the Japanese/ Australian drumming group.

Whilst ARIA are not offering Fast Festival Feasts, like many restaurants during the Sydney Festival - they do have a Pre-theatre menu that is very reasonable. One course for $38, two courses for $60 and three courses for $75.

We arrived really early - 5.45pm for dinner - it seemed like the time for a late lunch but the show started at 7.30pm so we wanted to have plenty of time to enjoy our meal at ARIA and not feel rushed.

We arrived just as a large group of 8 did, along with another group of 2. However the Maitre'd handled it well and we were warmly greeted and shown to our table overlooking the Harbour and West Circular Quay. Unfortunately a thick concrete pole was blocking our view out to the Harbour Bridge. The Pre-theatre menu is lean and offers about 5 dishes for each course.

I couldn't go past the Salad of fresh figs with mozzarella and Spanish jamon iberico for entree and the Chargrilled scotch fillet with feuillette of mushrooms, anchovy & bone marrow butter for main. We also shared some creamy, truffle infused mash.

My entree was divine - the light, fresh taste of the figs coupled with the enormous, creamy mozzarella ball and slight saltiness of the Spanish ham was exceptional. The perfect summer dish. The chargrilled scotch filet was also very good and size of the scotch filet was impressive.

My dinner buddy ordered the entree special, Red Mullet soup that came beautifully presented in a white bowl with lid and a small selection of sides including large garlic croutons. The lid was dramatically removed at the table to reveal a wonderful aroma of fish and spices. They also ordered the the Chargrilled scotch fillet with feuillette of mushrooms, anchovy & bone marrow butter for main.

After dinner we enquired about the Kitchen Table - the purpose built table that sits within the kitchen to provide guests with an up close and personal visit to ARIA. Our waiter was more than happy to show us inside (it wasn't being used tonight). You enter the Kitchen Table just off the main entrance and it's all deep maroon leather seats around a small, intimate table of no more than 8 people. The cost is $2,000 regardless of whether you have 2 - 8 people.

The ARIA experience is fabulous - the perfect venue before a night at the Opera House. Kaiden was incredibly moving, engaging and emotional - I loved it. For me, the standard out performance during the Sydney Festival.

ARIA Restaurant - 1 Macquarie Street, Circular Quay - (02) 9252 2555

http://www.ariarestaurant.com.au/main/index.php

Fox & Lion, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park

Fox & Lion, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
Friday 26 January, 2007

Australia Day...and what better way to celebrate than to catch up with friends at the pub. Today, we all met up at the Fox & Lion located in the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park. It was a happening little place as the markets were on, there was soccer game at Aussie Stadium later that night and also a concert (The Killers) at the Hordern Pavillion.

The Fox & Lion is a relaxed place and very family friendly. We grabbed a large table outside in the beer garden under shade. After we ordered drinks at the bar and settled back to enjoy the atmosphere our hunger got the better of us. There are menus on each table that offer a range of burgers, steaks, salads etc.

You order and pay at the bar before receiving a table number. You also collect your cutlery, napkins, condiments etc at the bar. I ordered the Chicken Schnitzel and chips which came with a choice of mushroom or peppercorn sauce. Peppercorn please.

My lunch buddies ordered the fish of the day (barramundi), beef burger, lamb souvlaki, green salad and another chicken schnitzel. Within 20 minutes our meals arrived all together and they were enormous. The schnitzel was at least double the size you would expect and came served with plenty of chips and good serve of peppercorn sauce. Everyone's meals were huge ensuring we didn't go hungary.

The chicken schnitzel was very good - the chicken was tender and the schnitzel was golden. The chips were thin, stringy and limp but covered in peppercorn sauce were average at best. After lunch we made the mistake of ordering coffees - terrible. The coffee was bland, luke warm and too milky for my liking.

During lunch we were entertained by three roving actors. One dressed as a convict and two dressed as British captains. They had us in hysterics with their banter.

Around 3pm the staff fired up the BBQ outside to start the sausage sizzle. The smell of the Aussie BBQ was sensational.

Fox & Lion Hotel - Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park - (02) 9380 7020

Alchemy 731, Military Road, Mosman

Alchemy 731, Military Road, Mosman
Thursday 25 January, 2007

What an incredible disappointment. We were really looking forward to dinner here - especially after reading several reviews and receiving many recommendations. It's recent awards include One Chef’s Hat - SMH Good Food Guide 2007 and One Wine Goblet - SMH Good Food Guide 2007.

Alchemy 731 is located in a small group of shops near the Mosman RSL - there's plenty of parking around and it has a local feel.

Our night did not get off to a great start....we were late for our 8pm reservation however I did call and explain. The Maitre'd thanked me for calling but when we arrived his attitude was unnecessary.

The small dining space upon entry was full so we were led upstairs to another room. There were only two other tables occupied and it was incredibly quiet. So quiet that you didn't want to talk as the two tables could hear your entire conversation. Even stranger was that both table's occupants did not talk at all....throughout the entire evening. You could have cut the air with a knife. We did not let this stop us and chatted animatedly all evening.

The windows at the front of the room had frosted contact film over them, there were high ceilings and wooden floorboards and minimal artwork on the walls. There was no music playing so it was deathly quiet until a waiter arrived to service one of the tables.

After 20 minutes without any service we were convinced that our table had been forgotten about. We were finally served bread but then had to wait again to order drinks and obtain menus. Things were not going well.

The menu is minimal and offers two degustation menus and several a la carte offerings. Two courses for $48 and three courses for $63. I ordered the Aubergine tortellini, ratatouille, basil foam for entree and the Twice cooked Tinder Creek duck, honey glaze, aromatic cabbage for main.

After waiting another 45 minutes for our entrees our food was average at best. The tortellini tasted bland and looked like it came straight from a packet and the duck was fatty with hardly any meat. My dinner buddy ordered the sardine salad for entree and the Almond crusted Mirror Dory,polenta pont neuf and tzatziki for main. Words cannot express ourdisappointmentt.

There was no way we were going to stay for dessert...there was nothing special about this experience at all.

Alchemy 731 - 731 Military Road, Mosman - (02) 9968 3731

http://www.alchemy731.com.au

Golden Tower, George St, Sydney

Golden Tower, George St, Sydney
Wednesday 24 January, 2007

Today was wet & windy in Sydney and for a moment it felt like winter but it was actually 25 degrees. For lunch I decided to visit Golden Tower one of the shop fronts within the Grosvenor Place food court.

There are about 6 food court offerings here (including the fabulous Bar Bene where I get my coffee every day) along with a newsagent, tailor, chemist and dry cleaner.

Golden Tower offers a range of Chinese food from pre-made noodle dishes, stir fries and meat dishes to a noodle bar where they will make your lunch from scratch. It is here that you get to select what noodles you want e.g. egg or rice and what meat you want e.g. beef, chicken or pork and then how it is prepared.

Today, I selected the BBQ pork, wonton and rice noodle soup. You order and pay at the counter and then get handed a very sophisticated hand written number. Within minutes your number is called and they package up the soup to take away or eat within the food court.

They also provide small takeaway containers that you can load up with fresh chilli, hot chilli sauce, sweet chilli sauce etc. I took some hot chilli sauce and collected my soup before returning to the office.

Back at my desk I opened the lid and released the wonderful aroma - my work colleagues all look around and comment how great it looked. One jumped up and went to get a BBQ pork, wonton and rice noodle soup herself.

The soup has a decent amount of green vegetables, BBQ pork and three large wontons floating on top that taste so much better laden with hot chilli sauce. Then I used the Chinese soup spoon provided and make my way through the rice noodles the rest of the hot chilli sauce - it's very hot (spicy), delicious and only $9.

Golden Tower - 1/225 George St, Sydney - (02) 9251 7833

Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain

Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain
Tuesday 24 January, 2007

Tonight I was fortunate enough to receive a free ticket to a corporate event at the Art Gallery of NSW. I really couldn't tell you the last time I have visited this gallery so it was a pleasant surprise to return and have access to a free cocktail event and entry into the Goddess: Divine Energy exhibit.

We arrived promptly at 6pm to be met by rows of waiters offering Taylors white & sparkling wine - yes please! Shortly afterwards the nibbles came out:

- mini fritatas with tomato relish
- shredded duck rolls
- Thai chicken sticks
- salmon roe shells
- mini steaks

Like most events you had to position yourself near the kitchen or stalk a waiter carrying a tray to receive any food. But, we did OK. There were some speeches to stand through and then they opened the exhibit. The promotional blurb stated,

"Countless images of Hindu and Buddhist goddesses depict her variously as seductive, benevolent, malevolent: a loving mother, a compassionate saviour or rage personified. With her male counterpart she can be the compliant consort, the passionate lover, or a symbol of blissful Awakening.

This exhibition surveys the innumerable, imaginative expressions of the divine female found in the art of India, Tibet and Nepal through over 120 paintings and sculptures, dating from the early centuries CE through to the 20th century. Major public and private collections of Asian art around the world are lenders to the exhibition."

It was a fascinating exhibit and the text that supported each display was well written to assist a novice. After we finished each room of the exhibit we returned to the Gallery foyer where there were still drinks available and trays of individual Lindt chocolates.

I think I could get used to this....

Art Gallery of NSW - Art Gallery Road, The Domain - (02) 9225 1700

http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/

Glass Brasserie, George St, Sydney

Glass Brasserie, George St, Sydney
Monday 22 January, 2007

This evening we were off to see Madeleine Peyroux at the State Theatre. During the day it occurred to me that we might be able to get into one of the Fast Festival Feasts restaurant partners. I fished out the brochure I had acquired and looked up the restaurants in the vicinity of the State Theatre - one stood out - Glass located inside the Hilton.

I had dined at Glass last year and loved it. But the dinner was wasted on my date that night. Tonight however my Italian travel buddy and I welcomed the fabulousness of this great place. Upon entry (we were at least 20 minutes early) we were welcomed to have a seat at the bar or go directly to our table.

We opted for our table that was positioned in front of the floor to ceiling wine cases - very impressive and looking across to the bakery. Let's just say I would have eaten anything at that point! We chose a granache from the wines by the glass menu and also enjoyed the full bread basket that was delivered to our table. Unfortunately, the bread basket was served with rock hard butter. As regular readers know this is a pet peeve of mine - how can anyone spread rock hard butter?

The Fast Festival Feasts offering was Confit duck leg, cauliflower puree, pickled papaya and cucumber salad with star anise plus a glass of wine for the princely sum of $25 - serious bargain. After my disappointment at Wildfire over the weekend, I was a little dubious as to how Glass would handle the influx of bargain hunters. But, they handled it with the utmost professionalism and made every single guest welcome.

The duck was sensational - it fell off the bone and had a small amount of crispy skin that was just perfect. The puree was creamy and the salad was such a lovely accompaniment - it offered a mildly bitter taste to compliment the creamy, sweet flavour of the puree. Look, I loved it as did my dinner buddy.

We were having such a great night that we succumbed to dessert. I sought advice from our waiter for a choice between the Strawberry souffle with soya ice-cream and the Vanilla creme brulee with vanilla shortbread. Without hesitation he recommended the souffle. Done.

My dinner buddy ordered the Chocolate assiette: dark chocolate fondant, white chocolate raspberry mousse, milk chocolate parfait and was not disappointed. The souffle was exceptional - I've never really been a fan of anything strawberry but tonight's dessert was truly brilliant and everything you could want from a souffle - raised top, spongy, moist middle and light, soya ice cream that captured the sweetness I was craving.

This was a great experience and we left with 10 mins to spare before Madeleine took the stage.

Glass - L2, 488 George St, Sydney - (02) 92856068

http://www.glassbrasserie.com.au/

Wildfire, West Circular Quay

Wildfire, West Circular Quay
Saturday 20 January, 2007

The last time I visited Wildfire was during Good Food Month - our team enjoyed a great lunch here at a great price.

Tonight we were off to see 'Lost & Found' another offering from the Sydney Festival - this one in the Concert Hall of the Opera House. One of the perks of the Sydney Festival is that they have lined up special deals at a range of Sydney restaurants. We chose to dine at Wildfire where they were offering a main meal and glass of wine for $25 - bargain!

The Fast Festival Feasts booklet describes Wildfire as,

"With legendary views, a spectacular state of the art kitchen and glamorous, ambient interiors. Wildfire is a complete sensory experience."

We were greeted by the surly, uninviting Maitre'd. How hard is it to be greeted by a smile and friendly welcome? We had arrived early as the Fast Festival Feasts are available between 6 - 7pm so it was still light and we could enjoy the view across the Harbour to the Opera House - gorgeous.

Upon seating we were asked if we were here for the Fast Festival Feasts. Yes. It was almost like the waiter's manner changed and he considered us as freeloaders. He put the Fast Festival Feasts menu on the table and enquired whether we wanted any bread (not complimentary). Yes please.

Another waiter swung by and picked up our menus sharing a condescending 'we'll get that started then...'. Tender slow cooked chicken thigh with a summer herb crust, ratatouille and basil oil with a glass of Preece white wine.
Within moments our original waiter returned with a bottle of Redbank chardonnay. He was about to pour when I mentioned we were having the Preece. He gave a 'tsk tsk' sound and glossed over the fact they had run out of Preece so we could have this instead. OK then.

Our meals arrived and looked very nice on a large oval shaped plate. However, the chicken was dry, the herb crust was too thick and dry to enjoy...the only saving grace was the ratatouille - it was flavoursome, hearty and fresh.

Looking around the restaurant it was apparent that many tables were taking advantage of the Fast Festival Feasts special. Why the staff aren't properly trained and briefed on this is beyond me. Why the staff insist on having unnecessary, pretentious attitudes is also lost on me. You'd think the service industry would ensure they have the basics right before they even contemplate developing an attitude about it.

I am heading back to see another Sydney Festival performance next Saturday night and you can be assured that we won't be dining at Wildfire. The best thing going for Wildfire is the view.

Wildfire - Ground floor, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay - (02) 8273 1222

http://www.wildfiresydney.com/

The East, Macquarie St, Sydney

The East, Macquarie St, Sydney
Friday 19 January, 2007

Tonight we were on our way to see' Kiss of Life' as part of the Sydney Festival at the Opera House. This is one of their about an hour offerings and a great way to experience the festival without seeing a long, drawn out performance.

The East is a Chinese restaurant located along the east Circular Quay strip of shops & restaurants. They offer indoor & outdoor seating and on this spectacularly warm evening we couldn't help but sit outside (in the shade) and take in the amazing views. Tonight it felt like all of Sydney was out - it was great people watching and we had prime seats.

The East has usually offered us a great night out but tonight the food was incredibly disappointing. I'm not sure if this was because we ordered badly or the service was just shocking.

We decided to kick off with salt & pepper tofu and a couple of beers. Our tofu was delivered promptly and was steaming hot but the salt & pepper flavour that we craved was completely lacking. Next up we ordered wasabi beef (extra wasabi) and what we received was satay beef. Our waiter had already served up our bowls of steamed rice and just left them there going cold as he laughed and disappeared back to the kitchen.

As we waited we decided to order the Eggplant supreme - big mistake. When it arrived, along with our correct order of wasabi beef (that was not served with extra wasabi) it tasted like sweet & sour eggplant. I was really disappointed and it didn't help matters that the wasabi beef was served in large pieces that we couldn't cut with chopsticks so had to chew apart.

The staff tonight were shocking - they looked jaded and uninterested. We won't be back.

The East - 8/ 1 Macquarie St, Sydney - (02) 9252 6868

Saffron Thai, Brooklyn Hotel, Cnr George & Grosvenor Sts, Sydney

Saffron Thai, Brooklyn Hotel, Cnr George & Grosvenor Sts, Sydney
Friday 19 January, 2007

Saffron Thai is located inside the Brooklyn Hotel - walk through to the main bar and a small counter on the left houses Saffron Thai's ordering post. Their kitchen is housed down the small flight of stairs.

I can't recall ever having a great meal at Saffron Thai - so, you can imagine my surprise today as the food was really, really good. The last time I visited Saffron Thai the food had improved a little and was a surprise but today's effort was ten times better.

We arrived without a booking for Friday lunch - bad move as the place was packed. We decided to queue to order our lunch anyway in the hope that a table would become free. We had been talking about laksa's all morning and were disappointed to learn that the laksa has been taken off the menu. So, then we decided to scan the menu board for other offerings.

The menu offers a range of curries, noodles, stir fries and vegetables however a work buddy and I decided to order and share:

- salt & pepper calamari (served with a side salad and lightly peppered, not much salt)
- curry puffs (thick pastry outer packed full of curried vegetables)
- red beef curry (sensational, the meat fell apart and the sauce was deliciously good, especially over rice)

You can sit anywhere in the bar or beer garden to eat your meal and order your drinks from the bar. After we ordered it become very apparent that there were no tables free so we pulled together a few high tables from the bar to create a makeshift table.

Like many places where you order at the counter our food arrived at varying intervals. Bizarrely, our meals arrived before several of our colleagues - it was a little ad hoc and we all ended up starting and finishing our meals at different times. That said, we enjoyed our lunch.

The Brooklyn is a casual, laid back place - there's sport televised on the large TV screens and a front window where you can sit & watch the world go by.

Saffron Thai, Brooklyn Hotel - Cnr George & Grosvenor Sts, Sydney - (02) 9247 6744

http://www.brooklynhotel.com.au/

Hairy Canary, Little Collins St, Melbourne

Hairy Canary, Little Collins St, Melbourne
Tuesday 16 January, 2007

This became our home away from home during our brief stay in Melbourne - breakfast on Sunday and Tuesday mornings and drinks on Sunday and Monday nights. This relaxed, casual space is a major find and I loved everything about it.

Enter via Little Collins and walk up the stairs into an open rectangle space. There's the bar directly in front of you and this runs almost the entire length of the wall. There's an open, light space to the left with lounges and small stool seats and benches to accommodate your drinks and meals. The rest of the space offers a smattering of tables and chairs that are basic, slightly wonky and not that comfortable. In the background is some of the best lounge music I have ever heard - think Chillout sessions, Cafe del Mar etc.

The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff are laid back and friendly and the menu is excellent ranging from great breakfast offerings, sensational cocktails, tapas inspired tasting plates and good coffee! What more could you ask for?

On Sunday morning my Melbourne buddy and I ordered the Eggs in Purgatory - two poached eggs served on top of a tomato, onion and fetta crumble served in a black iron pan. Wow! It was hot, spicy and the eggs were runny - for a breakfast-olic this was my dream breakfast - I've never experienced anything like it and the two thin slices of sourdough provided an opportunity to scoop up the mushy sauce of tomato, onion and fetta - yum.

On Sunday night we returned for cocktails on our way to Taxi Dining Room. We were frocked up but the staff remembered us from that morning. I ordered an Eve's Delight - Apple, basil, Mt Gay rum and Absolut vanilla. If you like the fresh taste of apples you would love this drink - I did.

On Monday night we returned again for another round of cocktails with friends. This time I ordered the M3 - Sloe gin served with lime, mandarin and a splash of frangelico and Good Evening Vietnam - passionfruit, Vietnamese mint and bacardi anejo over ice. Both were sensational and we could have easily stayed there all night.

This morning, whilst I was tempted to order Eggs in Purgatory again, I caved and ordered their eggs benedict. This was fabulous with thick creamy hollandaise drizzled over two poached eggs, salty jamon and a decent dollop of spinach on two small pieces of ciabata.

Next time I visit Melbourne you know where I'll be.

Hairy Canary - 212 Little Collins St, Melbourne - (03) 9654 2471

http://www.hairycanary.com.au/hairycanary/welcome.html

Chill On, Russell St, Melbourne

Chill On, Russell St, Melbourne
Monday 15 January, 2007

After dinner at SOS Melbourne we were walking back down Russell St when we spotted the rather non-descript entrance to 'Chill On'. This is Melbourne's first ice bar (it opened approximately 3 months ago) and according to the staff - it's larger than Sydney's Minus 5 bar.

We entered the small reception area and paid our $30 (this included one cocktail) before realising we were in dresses and strappy shoes - oops! Must have been all that wine at dinner and the excitement of our last night in Melbourne! We laughed as the staff attempted to fit us out in ugg boots, ski jackets and gloves. We laughed even harder as this didn't cover our legs - we had exposed legs but our hands, body and feet were nice & toasty.

We were given a very laid back drill before they put timers around our necks - 30 minutes maximum and then we had to exit. We didn't think we would last the 30 minutes but entered anyway to be met by three tourists enjoying the final minutes of their stay. They were absolutely freezing and at this point jumping around and dancing to stay warm. It was hilarious and we made our way to the bar to order.

The interior of the ice bar is spectacular with dozens of large ice sculptures, a throne, lounge chair and walls all carved out of ice. There were lights on that rotated between blue, pink, orange and green that provided a nice change and something else to focus on from the cold. The current temperature was -10 degrees but we hardly felt a thing (at first).

I ordered the summer cocktail of vodka and berries and had it presented to me in a large ice tumbler - our barman shared that they have a local company that maintain the look/ feel of the ice bar and also prepare the ice tumblers. The staff at ice bar prepare the ice shot glasses when it is not that busy using ice moulds.

Whilst we found the staff pleasant I felt they could have done more to enhance the experience - share some stories, discuss some interesting facts & figures and ensure your 30 minutes was memorable. I even thought they could have employed a line up of charismatic bar staff to achieve this - the staff we had, whilst pleasant enough, only spoke when spoken to.

The ice bar has a license till 5am, however they have not remained open that late since they opened three months ago. We entered around midnight and lasted the full 30 minutes (it was getting very cold at the end) which we were very impressed with. I took lots of photos however be warned you have to take your gloves off to operate your camera!

I haven't been to Minus 5 in Sydney yet but I think it would be a fun thing to do with a group of friends.

Chill On - 296 Russell Street, Melbourne - (03) 9663 3877

http://www.chillon.com.au/

SOS Melbourne, La Trobe Street, Melbourne

SOS Melbourne, La Trobe Street, Melbourne
Monday 15 January, 2007

I had received so many recommendations to dine here that it had gone to the top of my list of 'must visit' places in Melbourne. As their promotional blurb states,

Entrepreneur Paul Mathis has taken protecting marine life and the ocean environment to heart. His latest culinary concept SOS, located in Melbourne Central, is a restaurant with soul.

With a menu that showcases sustainably produced and ethically harvested seafood and seasonal produce, SOS is a labour of love for the dynamic Mathis. Signature Mathis design elements like floor-to-ceiling windows, combined with polished concrete surfaces, carpets with intense pink and red motifs and a row of poplars, make the restaurant an impressive setting in which to enjoy Italian-inspired cuisine.

Actually locating SOS is a challenge. We entered Melbourne Central and took the escalators up to the 3rd floor. There was no signage so we wandered around aimlessly until we spotted a boarded up entrance...or so we thought. As we stood there pondering whether the place was even open a secret door was revealed and slid open before us. It startled us a little and we were hesitant to step inside. A long dimly lit corridor took us past three velvet curtained 'doors' and a feature garden before we arrived in the restaurant.

A large open space greeted us but no staff. There was a kitchen to the right, large bees screen printed to the walls and long communal tables. I'm not a fan of the communal table so was pleasantly surprised when a staff member did discover us and invited us outside on the large open deck. The restaurant was empty except for four tables outside.....how disappointing.

Our waiter had also been to the tennis today so we spoke about this at length before she thought to provide us with the menu and wine list. The wine list and menu are dotted with bees next to certain items. We had no idea what this meant but later learnt this indicated organic wine or produce.

We were served an amuse bouche of beetroot & goats cheese that was delicious - the strong taste of beetroot had my mouth watering for more. I ordered the layered eggplant, tomato, basil & mozzarella for entree and the SOS Fish & chips for main. The eggplant dish was sensational - it came to the table in a small black skillet and was very hot but very tasty. The blend of flavours from the thinly sliced eggplant, small chunks of tomato, basil and generous serve of mozzarella was really very good.

The SOS Fish & chips was promised as different and it was. It came to the table as two grilled fillets of fish and finely shaved potato wafers placed strategically across the top. It was a light dish and pleasant but I was expecting more. In hindsight I wish I had tried something else.

We contemplated dessert and then both settled on the SOS Violet Crumble - white chocolate ice-cream layered with a milk chocolate granache served with pieces of honeycomb. It was beautifully presented, rich and a delicate portion - any more would have spiked my sugar levels.

I couldn't help but feel there was something missing here - maybe it was because it was Monday night and there were only a handful of dinner guests, the service was lacking and the food was great in parts. It certainly did not live up to the recommendations we had received but it has so much potential.

SOS Melbourne - Level 3, Melbourne Central, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne - (03) 9654 0808

http://www.sosmelbourne.com.au/

Fifteen, Collins St, Melbourne

Fifteen, Collins St, Melbourne
Monday 15 January, 2007

Fifteen now occupies the former site of MoMo. I loved that place - you entered via some dark stairs into a basement underneath the rear of the Grand Hyatt hotel. It was reminiscent of a Middle Eastern bazaar.

Fifteen has now transformed this space into a colourful Italian restaurant and turned their young chefs into minor celebrities. After spending several hours at the tennis we were walking back to our hotel mid afternoon when we decided to have a sticky beak at the Fifteen site.

We wandered down the stairs, past the colourful graffiti and were met with a busy, happening restaurant that was still relatively full from lunch. We looked around and saw all the kids working away in the kitchen before deciding to have a drink at the bar. We then realised there was a bar menu on offer so decided to indulge in a late lunch.

Our waiter was young, hip and friendly and more than happy to chat about the Fifteen concept of transforming disadvantaged kids into competent chefs under the guidance of Executive Head Chef Tobie Puttock (he now sports a shaved head). As their website states,

The purpose of Fifteen is to inspire disadvantaged young people to believe that they can create for themselves a career in the restaurant business.
In November 2002 Jamie Oliver opened Fifteen London - a restaurant that put a training programme for young people experiencing tough times right at its heart.

The Fifteen program is now running in Amsterdam, Cornwall (South West UK) and as of September 2006 in Melbourne. The Fifteen programs in London and Amsterdam have seen over 60 young people graduate from the program, many of whom have gone on to continue their careers in the restaurant industry.

Beautiful food requires top quality seasonal ingredients. Victoria, blessed with more than its fair share of fabulous food and talented producers, is heaven for food lovers. The menu at Fifteen Melbourne will be making full use of this abundance, creating fresh, simple Italian-inspired dishes that allow the ingredients to speak for themselves.

I couldn't go past the tagliatelle with rabbit ragu, green olives, thyme and marscapone and my tennis buddy ordered the Bruschetta with fresh crayfish, salmon roe and summer leaves. Both serves were entree size and cost $17 each. I was pleasantly surprised - the tagliatelle was very good - it was cooked al dente and the rabbit ragu was generous with a great smattering of green olives that gave it a salty kick.

After our late lunch we popped over to the kitchen and the kids were happy to talk with us and explain what they were doing - as they had finished lunch they were now preparing for the dinner service. There is a large open window into the kitchen near the entrance of the restaurant and if you visit I encourage you to have a chat with one of young chefs occupying the space - I'm sure you will be impressed.

I'm really pleased we chose to visit Fifteen on the spur of the moment.

Fifteen Melbourne - Basement, 115-117 Collins St (Enter through George Pde) Melbourne - 1300 799 415

http://www.fifteenmelbourne.com.au/

Cafe Vue, Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Cafe Vue, Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Tuesday 16 January, 2007

I cannot express my disappointment enough for not being able to secure a dinner reservation at Vue de Monde over one of our three nights in Melbourne. As many of you know, Vue De Monde is my absolute favourite restaurant in Australia.

It came as little consolation that Shannon Bennett has since opened two extra dining spaces - Bistro Vue (open Monday to Friday) and Cafe Vue (open Monday to Saturday) all located in Normanby Chambers alongside Vue de Monde. But, you take what you can get so we had breakfast at Cafe Vue this morning.

Firstly, what an interesting space - if you are facing the entrance of Vue De Monde it's on the left up a small ramp. To the left of the ramp is outdoor seating - think dark grey concrete tables and bench seats covered with a thin pillow and to the right is a shoebox sized glass cafe with red leather lounge seats and timber cube tables. Secondly, there are no menus - just three large blackboards inside hung high on the walls.

The small space is commanded by two staff members - one almost permanently on the coffee machine and the other manning the orders and food delivery. There was a queue of people waiting for coffee so we grabbed the only spare table and helped ourselves to the pile of newspapers and magazines on offer.

Not long afterwards we ordered - I went with the Housemade bircher muesili with figs, raisins and orange topped with yoghurt and honey, sourdough with vegemite and a skim flat white. Wait a minute - no skim? Did I hear correctly? They have run out? No, they don't serve it....it's full fat or nothing. Wow! I've never heard of that before.

My breakfast buddy ordered the egg & bacon jaffle, fruit salad and latte. Our breakfast was fabulous - my muesili was to die for - every mouthful was a gift and they provided French burre with the sourdough so I was in heaven.

Our entire bill came to $22 - are you serious? We had them check it again - it seemed too cheap. But no, it was correct....what a bargain!

Cafe Vue - 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne - (03) 9691 3899

http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/

Gin Palace, Lane, Melbourne

Gin Palace, Lane, Melbourne
Sunday 14 January, 2007

Stylish and seductive.....Gin Palace is the ultimate late night haunt. It is open daily until 3am. We stumbled in here after dinner at Taxi Dining Room and drinks at Transit Lounge - it was well after midnight but you'd never know this walking into Gin Palace. The place was full, not packed and there were only 2 lounges left so we grabbed them.

The staff are very laid back here, friendly and accommodating - there are 4 different menus offering wine, beers, cocktails and of course, gin. As we had seen Casino Royale with the gorgeous Daniel Craig earlier that day I couldn't go past the Casino Royale martini.

We settled into our lounge chairs, or was that sunk into our lounge chairs and contemplated staying there all night...it's that kind of place. The crowd is mixed and a little, in the know, as there is no real signage for Gin Palace. Unless you have been there before or been taken their before you would not recognise the small 'gp' sign above the non-descript door in the alleyway off Little Collins Street.

The decor is Moulin Rouge with lamps, velvet lounges and an eclectic mix of armchairs and chaises. There is an interesting mix of portraits hung on the walls - the young Sophia Loren photo was stunning - and also oil paintings. The bar, however is the drawcard, it's an array of bottles which makes it hard to decide what to have.

My cocktail was 'blow your head off' good so I could only sip it. It tasted a little like 100% proof at first but once I acquired the taste for it I was just fine.

Gin Palace is my kind of lounge bar. I wish Sydney had a similar offering

Gin Palace - 10 Russell Pl, Melbourne - (03) 96540533

Taxi Dining Room, Transport Hotel, Federation Square

Taxi Dining Room, Transport Hotel, Federation Square
Sunday 14 January, 2007

We had tried to secure a booking at booking at Taxi last January & August with no luck, so this time we booked so far in advance they didn't even have a diary set up yet!

Taxi is located on L2 of the Transport Hotel in Federation Square. It's a happening space with plenty of attractions, bars and galleries in the vicinity. We walked down to Federation Square after drinks at the Hairy Canary. It was a hot, balmy evening and we needed sunglasses to counter the glare outside and inside the Transport Hotel.

Taxi Dining Room is located on Level 2 of the Transport Hotel - due to the bright sunlight we had no idea where we were walking but as we approached the entrance to Taxi we were greeted by an overly friendly staff member who commented on what a fantastic day it was. His enthusiasm was a little over the top and took us back a bit. He led us to our table and left us to take in the view.

The design of Taxi is unique - there is the main dining space which looks out over Flinders St Station and Southbank, the bar in the centre and more seating around the side and rear (also a private dining room) that commands views across to Melbourne Park and the Yarra River. The use of glass is abundant and with the bright sunlight it's almost tacky but there are splashes of colour around the room, sheer bronze fabric to separate the walkways from the dining space and large globe size lights that hang from the ceiling at differing lengths.

We were left alone for ages and then suddenly we were greeted by our waiter and shortly afterwards another staff member offering bread who also commented on how fantastic the day was. This was getting ridiculous....I'm all for positivity but forced, insincere positivity is excruciating.

The menu is a blend of Japanese sushi bar and international fare and once we had decided on our meals the sommelier arrived at the table with the bible size wine list. He explained that the wine list is too large to read so he would assist us with our choice - after leaning towards a pinot he suggested the most expensive bottle on the list. No thanks and right then I decided I didn't like him. Seriously, with a wine list offering bottles ranging from $40 - $540 - why would he recommend the most expensive bottle on the list? We politely declined and asked for another suggestion of less $$$ value. His second recommendation was accepted and we were not disappointed.

I couldn't go past the Steamed Atlantic scallops with abalone and Taxi XO sauce for entree and the Pork tenderloin with apple & cauliflower puree. The scallops were served in the shell (4 large scallops on a round dish) with slithers of abalone on top and thick XO sauce drizzled all over the plate. They were absolutely delicious and the serving was very generous.

The pork tenderloin was good - nothing spectacular but again, the serving was enormous. We ordered a side salad of Rocket, baby spinach, pear & blue cheese dressing that we hardly made a dint in as we were too full! There was no way we could have even considered dessert however, we were keen to have a after dinner drink so we asked our waiter if we could re-locate to the bar. We sampled a few different sticky wines (complimentary, of course) before deciding on a Pedro Ximenez sherry - now we're talking!

We struck up a conversation with the bar staff who shared with us that there was a lounge bar on Level 3 of the Transport Hotel that we should check out. So, after settling our bill we walked upstairs to discover this groovy, deserted lounge bar with sweeping views across Melbourne. Inside it's an aladdin's cave with leather lounges, rugs, lamps etc and outside it's a large open beer garden but the service here was atrocious - think, young, hip bar staff who are too concerned with flirting with each other than doing their jobs.

Taxi Dining Room, Transport Hotel, Federation Square - (03) 9654 8808

http://www.transporthotel.com.au/

Three, One, Two, Drummond Street, Carlton

Three, One, Two, Drummond Street, Carlton
Saturday 13 January, 2006

During our last trip to Melbourne we dined at Circa at the Prince Hotel where Andrew McDonnell was the Executive chef. Whilst he still holds that title he is now also the head chef at Three, One, Two which recently picked up the following awards,

The Age Good Food Guide 2007-:
- Best New Restaurant
- Chef of the Year

Gourmet Traveller Australian Restaurant Guide-:
- New Restaurant of the Year
- Two stars

This dining space used to be known as Mrs Jones but has been remodelled to house Three, One, Two - not surprisingly located at 312 Drummond Street, Carlton. We arrived for our 7.30pm booking, were confronted by a large black velvet curtain beyond the front door (which you enter through) and were warmly greeted.

The front room is very small & intimate and we were seated along the wall near the bar. We later learnt that there is minimal seating past the bar (chef's table) and a private dining room upstairs (the toilets are also located upstairs and after a few drinks it is a challenge to navigate the steep, small staircase).

The decor is minimal with landscape oil paintings lining the walls and a very bizarre netting hanging in the front window. Not sure what this is representing other than slightly disguising the view from the street. There are wooden floor boards, wooden chairs and tables and a bar along the rear of the front dining room that is propped up at one end by the leg of a hoofed animal (goat?). Regardless, it is an intriguing, mis-match of decor, colour and offers many talking points.

Our waiter left us with the degustation menu to review while we enjoyed our cocktails - White peach bellini's. We wondered why she had left us with the degustation menu only but didn't question it - the cocktails were lovely so we were happy!

She returned a short time later and asked if we had any questions about the menu. It became obvious at that point that the degustation menu was the only menu on offer. So, 6 courses for $90 plus a few supplements was what we ordered. This comprised:

1. Cigar - fabulously presented in a cigar box - this was a thin roll of wafer filled at one end with a clear balsamic jelly and a fig & olive tepanade at the other end. This was spectacular - not only was it innovatively presented but it was also an explosion of flavours in your mouth.

2. Chilled almond milk soup with Pedro Ximenez jelly - three small cubes of jelly arrived at the table in a large dish. Our waiter placed these on the table and then poured the milk soup over the top. Wow! The soup tasted like sweet cauliflower and the jelly tasted like raisins and currents.

3. Crab cocktail, cured kingfish and avocado - this was my favourite dish of the evening - the crab was served in small round pieces and the cured kingfish was presented alongside the avocado in a thicker, mayonnaise type cream. The flavours were fresh, summery and incredibly more-ish.

4. Aromatic seafood braise of snapper, scampi and clams - presented with thick chunks of seafood and a delightful sauce.

5. We had a choice here of (a) Roast chicken & bread salad with bacon sauce, braised lettuce, peas and mint or (b) Slow cooked grain fed striploin with sauce ravigote (with fresh black perigord truffles - $15 supplement). Without hesitation we decided to go with the grain fed striploin and the supplement. Unfortunately, the black truffles did not enhance the dish in any way (if anything, they were miniscule shavings that hardly rate a mention)

6. La Petit Chervot, a semi mature French goats milk cheese with fresh pear ($15 supplement). Yes, please! Gorgeous, creamy cheese served with shaved, toasted wafer thin crisp bread.

7. White peach & champagne granita - a light, welcome break - refreshing and great use of stone fruit.

8. Fig, caramelised pastry & chocolate granache with Armagnac cream - rich, generous dollops of granache & cream - incredibly naughty but very, very good.

As this was a degustation menu the servings were small but adequate - we certainly didn't leave hungry. The service was good (minus the lack of explanation about there being only one menu on offer) and the staff were knowledgeable and friendly.

At the end of the evening Andrew McDonnell came out into the dining space and by sheer luck swung past our table and enquired about our night - we enjoyed a brief conversation with him before he ducked back into the kitchen. I thought this was impressive and always get a buzz when any chef comes out into the dining room as it is probably the last thing they want to/ feel like doing.

I was impressed by Three, One, Two - it's a shame they are located away from the hustle & bustle of Carlton and the building interior needs a makeover but overall it was a great experience.

Three, One, Two - 312 Drummond Street, Carlton - (03) 9347 3312

http://www.threeonetwo.com.au/

Gourmet Girl, Salisbury Ave, Blackburn

Gourmet Girl, Salisbury Ave, Blackburn
Saturday 13 January, 2007

Located in a surburban, quaint shopping strip Gourmet Girl is a find. I was not familiar with Blackburn but former Sydney-sider friends have relocated here - about 20 minutes from Melbourne city.

Gourmet Girl is your quintessential local - there's a large outdoor area that is protected by trees and provides a safe space for the kids to run around and play. Inside it's your typical, local cafe - toybox in one corner, large windows, menu specials on the large blackboards and a bar where you order and pay. The menu is varied and offers the all day breakfast (a massive winner in my book) and many gluten free items.

Within moments the kids had found new friends and were pre-occupied, so we ordered coffees first and settled back for a good catch up. I scanned the breakfast menu for eggs benedict - bingo! My decision was easy and my lunch buddies ordered an Italian salami foccacia and the chicken sandwich. The kids enjoyed jam sandwiches and babychino's - I always think it's hilarious when kids pretend to be grown up and sip their steamed milk with froth.

The food was just what you expect from a local cafe and reasonably priced. What I mean here is the food was decent served with a few homemade relishes etc and very much 'get what you pay for'. The service is somewhat slow and the staff are young - they messed up one order but it wasn't a big deal as we weren't in any hurry.

My eggs benedict was good - there were two poached eggs served with a slightly runny hollandaise sauce on thick slices of ciabata bread. There was also a thin slice of ham on top of each peice of bread. Overall, it was good - not the best eggs benedict I've ever had and certainly not the worst.

Gourmet Girl is relaxed, laid back and friendly with a diverse clientelle ranging from families with small children, groups of friends and couples. I wouldn't go there for a intimate meal or serious discussion as the buzz is loud with the wooden floorboards, coffee machine and kids.

Gourmet Girl - 21 Salisbury Ave, Blackburn - (03) 9894 8417

http://www.gourmetgirl.com.au/cafe.html

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

Pony Dining, Cnr Argyle St and Kendall Lane, The Rocks
Friday 12 January, 2007

I first visited Pony Dining just prior to Christmas after reading lots of reviews about it being the current hot spot in Sydney. The food was impressive but the service was lacking.

Today we were celebrating a combined 40th and 30th birthday. We were informed that 40 is the new 30 and 30 is the new 20, so that meant we were 'actually' celebrating a 30th and 20th birthday.

Nine of us arrived at 12.15pm for lunch. We were greeted warmly and seated at the very end of the long communal table on the deck. This end of the deck also houses the small, intimate outdoor bar area with lounges. The bar itself extends back indoors.

As we were seated we noticed the treasure chest full of rugs at the side of the deck - as the temperature was in the high 30's this looked a little odd - but Pony Dining have set up the deck to accommodate all weather conditions with outdoor heaters too. How thoughtful.

The menu is a mix of small, tapas style plates and larger, more substantial meals. I couldn't go past the Crisp skin ocean trout with a baby beetroot, orange and goats cheese salad and shared a bowl of thick cut chips with one of the birthday buddies.

The presentation of each of the meals that arrived at our table was excellent - the trout arrived on a rectangle shaped plate and looked like summer - it was fresh, vibrant and very, very appealing. The trout was delicious - it fell apart in sections and the skin was crisp. The accompanying salad was very special - the flavours combined really well with the citrus, beetroot and creamy goats cheese. I loved it.

There were no disappointments with the meals - everything was really, really good. The service today was also good - our waiter was very competent and anticipated our needs well. We all agreed that we would return again and sit on the deck for hours making our way through the wine list. Bring it on!

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

http://www.ponydining.com/

Burger Bar, Bridge Street, Sydney

Burger Bar, Bridge Street, Sydney
Thursday 11 January, 2007

Burger Bar is one of my favourite lunch haunts - it's a clean, slick looking joint hidden away from the hustle & bustle of George Street. I'm really surprised to learn that my last visit to Burger Bar was May 2006 (I'm sure I've been there more recently).

Today we decided to pop over there for an early lunch (tip: get there around 12 - 12.15pm and you have the pick of the tables - any later could mean you miss out on a table altogether or have to stand around waiting). As we scanned the white menu boards and attempted to make a decision my eye caught the waiters bright green grasshopper tattoo on the upper part of her arm but underneath her bicep. It was striking and the colours were incredibly vibrant so we started talking about the tattoo as a line steadily formed behind us.

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

I ordered the BLT - which is a premium low fat beef pattie, bacon, avocado, tomato and their special BLT sauce. Every burger is made to order, so once you order and pay at the counter you are provided with a table number. We chose a table along the wall and within minutes our burger arrived and our small dish of chips to share. The burger are delivered with silver skewers in the top to keep them stable.

The BLT was deliciously tasty - I took the top bun off and kept that to one side with the thick slices of avocado, one rasher of bacon and the special BLT sauce. The other half had the beef pattie, tomato and the other rasher of bacon. The beef pattie was cooked medium so still had some juice in it making it succulent - yum!

We only picked at the chips - I think our eyes were bigger than our bellies. I always enjoy coming to the Burger Bar - it's reasonably priced, clean & quiet (if you go early).

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

Longrain, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Longrain, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Saturday 6 January, 2006

Longrain is hidden away in Surry Hills in a non-descript street with not much in the vicinity i.e. your only option for drinks afterwards once Longrain has closed is the Hollywood across the road.

Tonight we celebrated a friend's 30th birthday in the Private Dining Room of Longrain. We kicked off with pre-dinner cocktails in the bar then moved into the private area hidden behind a wooden slat wall. It's a great space to celebrate something as you can still hear the buzz from the main dining room and the sounds of the DJ from the bar. However, as private as it is there was a trickle of staff walking through to get to their staff room or lockers down the stairs. I thought this was odd but it doesn't take away from your enjoyment of the private dining room.

We were extremely fortunate to have one of Longrain's chefs join us at dinner (he had a night off and is also the birthday buddies partner) so was able to give us the inside goss on the food, preparation etc. I loved it.

We had a special banquet that is different to their typical banquet offerings and it was sensational. We kicked off with freshly shucked oysters with red chilli, lime juice and deep fried shallots - they were huge enough to tip straight into your mouth. This was closely followed by betal leaves topped with smoked trout, chilli, garlic, galangal and trout roe. What an explosion of flavours in your mouth - this was close to being my favourite dish but we had only just started - the food just kept on coming!

The next dish to arrive at the table was intriguing - eggnet with pork, prawn, peanuts, beans, sprouts and sweet vinegar. This looked kind of like a thick spider web over the dish and wasn't overly eggy as the sweet vinegar gave the entire dish a fresh, light texture and flavour.

Soft shell crabs with pomelo, green chilli and a caramelised peanut nahm jim followed and these were crisp and very tasty. The next few dishes to arrive at our table took the meal to a whole new level and were just brilliant:

- Red curry of duck with siamese watercress, kafir lime and red chilli
- Braised beef shin with a mint, coriander and chilli salad
- Caramelised pork hock with five spice and chilli vinegar

I honestly couldn't pick a clear winner here - these final three dishes were absolutely delicious. The red curry duck was incredibly more-ish and the rich sauce was lovely over steamed rice; the braised beef shin just fell apart, was wonderfully tender and swimming in a pool of chinese oyster like sauce; and the pork hock was a heart stopper but gee, it was good.

Just when you thought the food had finished dessert arrived. We received three large platters of dessert that consisted of banana fritters with banana ice cream, tappioca pudding, sticky rice, caramel sauce and coconut and lime jelly. We were all so full that it was hard to fit any more food in but the banana fritters were the stand out.

It was a great night and as we finished up there was a minor hassle with the bill but we were the last to leave this fab place. I really enjoyed it.

Longrain - 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills - (02) 9280 0888

http://www.longrain.com.au/

Firefly, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Firefly, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Friday 5 January, 2007

Firefly is currently my favourite place in Sydney to eat/ drink. Please don't spoil it by telling too many people! Today, I bought back the long lunch with my China buddy and we enjoyed every moment.

We arrived on this spectacular 30 degree day to take our table in the raised section. Our waiter, Amanda, recognised me straightaway and welcomed me back like a long lost friend (I have dined at Firefly twice - Dec 06 and Nov 06 - so this was very impressive). We kicked off with a glass of pinot gris (deliciously cold) and took in the view. It is magnificent looking out over the exclusive residential apartments, marina and harbour to Milson's Point. Wow!

This was the first day Firefly had re-opened for 2007 and they have a new menu. We decided to try one of the meals to share and ordered the paella with saffron rice and crispy chicken, chorizo and char-grilled prawns. It came served with a margherita bread dish that arrived at the table first. This was a solid/ hard-ish bread base with melted provolone cheese & cherry tomatoes - it was very good.

The paella arrived and it looked sensational served in a large bowl with two side plates. The crispy chicken pieces were huge there was a drumstick and several large chunks and the crispy skin was overwhelmingly good. The prawns were char-grilled perfectly and there was two different types of chorizo - one spicy and one not. The saffron rice was tender and complimented the chicken, prawns and chorizo.

We sat back and enjoyed the meal and our view. After another wine we decided to splurge on dessert and ordered the homemade tiramisu and coconut & Macadamia semifreddo. I wouldn't usually order the semifreddo but it came recommended. It was deliciously sweet but there was a really salty, crunchy praline inside that tasted really odd with the sweetness of the coconut. We shared this with our waiter and she took the comments back to the kitchen. She returned to the table concerned and asked if it tasted OK - it was fine but the contrast of salty and sweet was just odd.

As we sipped coffee we realised it was after 5pm - time flies at Firefly. I could have stayed there all night!

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

http://www.fireflybar.net/

Golden Century, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park

Golden Century, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
Wednesday 3 January, 2007

We were on our way to see the new Brad Pitt & Cate Blanchett film, Babel, at the Entertainment Quarter and couldn't past our favourite Chinese for dinner beforehand. Even though the rowdy cricket crowd had made their way into the Entertainment Quarter we were able to secure a table by the window easily.

Our waiter Johnnie was pleasant if a little difficult to locate at times. I have always wanted to order something that is selected from the tank. So, we decided to splurge on a lobster. It's a little confronting to have the lobster bought to the table in a plastic bag for approval and even more confronting to have the price stated out loud, but we were up for it.

Tonight we decided to alter slightly from our usual Golden Century feast and ordered the following:

- San choy bow
- Salt & pepper tofu
- Wasabi beef
- Lobster with ginger & shallots
- Fried rice

They delivered the San choy bow first even though we asked for the San choy bow and Salt & pepper tofu to be bought out together. It was delicious - I love the crispness of the lettuce leaf with the pork mince & water chestnuts.

The Salt & pepper tofu was cut in thick chunks and had the perfect balance of salt & pepper. The wasabi beef was great - it didn't have the usual WOW factor kick to it but was very, very good. The lobster came to the table on a large platter and contained a mixture of crab claws and half shells - it was a challenge to dig out all the meat but thankfully there was an abundance of crab meat coated in ginger & shallot. It was delicious.

We sat back and watched the crowds line the stairs - it's a well oiled machine at Golden Century and is all about the food.

Fox Golden Century - Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park - (02) 9358 4488

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

You've got to love Anthony Bourdain

You've got to love Anthony Bourdain
Tuesday 2 January, 2006

For Christmas I received the 'Les Halles Cookbook' from my brother & his girlfriend and I was thrilled as I love Anthony Bourdain. He's the first chef I ever truly enjoyed reading and have been addicted to his books, especially 'Kitchen Confidential' and 'The Cooks Tour' for years.

My first impression of the cookbook was that it contained so much more than recipes. The beginning of the book contains notes from Anthony and how he came to work at Les Halles in NYC then it goes into how to prepare your kitchen etc for cooking and the importance of lists. I love this as I am a devoted list taker. As he states,

"I am a list fanatic. Write it down on a list, I believe, and there is far less chance that you will ever find yourself beginning a sentence with the pathetic excuse, 'sorry.....I forgot to......'"

I was searching around on the net and discovered an interview with Tony by eater.com where they discussed food bloggers etc:

BL: There are now a dozen restaurant critics, or more, with clout in NY, DailyCandy and a half-dozen influential online publications that track openings (and can get a restaurant’s reservation books filled for the first four weeks), hundreds of online food “journalists” who record, photograph and report on their every bite; plus thanks to outlets like the Food Channel everyone’s an “expert” on how a piece of salmon should be prepared. Has any of this changed the way you run your restaurant? If not, how do you stay above it?

TB: First of all, I no longer run my restaurant. I’ve been traveling nearly 10 months out of the year since 2001--so I’m a “chef” in only the most notional, figurehead, bobble-head, casino-greeter kind of a way. Clearly, the dining public are better informed and have higher expectations than they once did--a nice side effect of the oft-annoying “celebrity chef” phenomonen. You can’t get away with being mediocre--or doing the same thing everyone else is doing (unless you do it better). And yes--the advent of the food nerd means that should you open a new high end, fine dining restaurant, there will be people photographing every course, taking down notes on every mouthful, and blogging about it the next day. This raises the stakes for every plate of food a chef sends into the dining room--as one bad order could well be the one to get splashed all over the net as evidence that you are “sooo last week” or “not as good as you once were”. However troubling that might be--and potentially unfair, I think it’s on balance, a good thing. Anything which raises expectations, places more value on consistent excellence, which pushes chefs to be better and encourages diners to be more knowledgable and to try new things--is good for the world.

So, a little validation for us food bloggers from the man himself has made my first few days of 2007. It's going to be a great year.

NYE Sydney 2006

NYE Sydney 2006
Monday 1 January, 2006

Sydney knows how to celebrate and there really is no better way to see in the New Year than to see the fireworks on Sydney Harbour. I was fortunate enough to receive an invite to a friend's family home in Dover Heights that had sensational, uninterrupted views through to the Harbour Bridge. The minute we stepped out onto the enormous balcony all I could think was 'WOW!'

I know I am bias but we really do live in the best city in the world - Sydney Harbour is magnificent. We watched the boats fill the Harbour from 5pm onwards and as the sun set we were in awe - the Harbour came alive with large sailing boats, yachts, ferries, cruisers etc - it was just magical and as the lights sparkled we sat down to enjoy our NYE feast.

First up were calamari rings char-grilled on the BBQ and prawn skewers served with lime & coriander mayonnaise - delicious.

The 9pm fireworks commenced and the theme was listed as 'A Diamond night in the Emerald City'. None of us really knew what the theme was about so just took it all in and tried to piece it together as the night wore on. There was a question mark, the coat hanger to represent the 75th anniversary and the diamond on the bridge. A few days earlier a young friend had shared with me that the Emerald City was in the Wizard of Oz i.e. OZ as in Australia. Tonight another friend divulged that she had never known that the coat hanger was the affectionate term for the Harbour bridge - it was night of fun facts!

After the 9pm fireworks we started cooking the main course - BBQ chicken & vegetable skewers and sausages, we also had a lovely green salad and plenty of champagne, wine & a mystery punch. As we sat back enjoying the view our gracious host surprised us all with individual chocolate souffles and double cream plus a fruit platter - YUM!

The midnight fireworks were colourful, engaging and bigger & better than the 9pm fireworks - the accompanying soundtrack was also interesting with a mix of old & new songs that we had belting out from the stereo. The most impressive sight was the green fireworks/ emeralds lining the foreshore under the Bridge - it was absolutely stunning.

What a great night - we had great food, wine and company and we staggered home in the early hours of 2007.

With a sore head after the NYE celebrations I got online and looked up the City of Sydney website to find out what the theme was really all about - here's the blurb:

Last New Year’s Eve we proved that Sydney was a city of Great Heart. In 2006 it’s time for the city to shine as we celebrate A Diamond Night in Emerald City. The diamond, of course, refers to the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and on New Year’s Eve we usher in the great coat-hanger’s diamond jubilee year.

Emerald City derives from David Williamson’s 1985 play of the same title, which itself borrowed its imagery from the children’s classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and compared Sydney to the glittering, seductive city at the heart of the Oz books and films.

So what will 2006 New Year’s Eve bring? What will the Bridge Effect be? Well, we’ll give you a hint…

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The celebrations will also comprise the return of last year’s successful innovation: Every Hour on the Hour. Devised as a giant Countdown for the crowds assembling around the Harbour from early afternoon, the action begins at 1pm with the firing of the Harbour cannon on Fort Denison and provides punctuation - on the hour, every hour: usually aerial – as we move through the afternoon to the evening’s big events: the 9pm Family Fireworks & the Harbour of Light Parade, the 10pm & 11pm Warming Up of the Bridge, and the piece de resistance, the world-renowned Midnight Fireworks.

Our theme allows us to ‘paint the town green’ for one night only and to prove to Sydney-siders, as they watch the magnificent fireworks, lighting and music spectacular, that ‘there’s no place like home.’ And we’re sure the millions of viewers watching from around the nation and overseas will concur: as far as New Year’s Eve is concerned, ‘There’s no place like Sydney’.

I have a great feeling about 2007 - it's going to be a cracker of a year!