Rubyos, King St, Newtown

Rubyos, King St, Newtown
Saturday 30 June, 2007

Tonight we were off to see Keating! at the Seymour Centre. This fabulous production has returned to Sydney after sell out seasons around the country. Looking for somewhere to dine beforehand a friend had tipped me off about Rubyos.

On arrival you are met with these fabulous chandeliers and African themed (well, kind of)artwork that is captivating. I loved it. The open plan design and wooden floorboards make for an inviting dining space but once the place is full you can't hear a thing - so be prepared to shout. Rubyos is described as,

Newtown’s newest concept in casual dining featuring an exciting grazing menu, designed to be shared i.e. “to graze - to eat a variety of appetizers as a full meal” (dictionary.com).

We arrived for our early dinner and we asked to take a seat at the bar whilst the waiter assisted a gentleman who wanted to make a dinner reservation later in the week. Am I being unreasonable to say that surely, we could have been seated first? It seemed really odd to me that they would choose to serve him over paying customers who were already there. Anyway, we were seated shortly afterwards and provided with menus.

The menu looked great but my dinner guests were not keen on the whole concept of sharing plates. In fact, they made it quite clear that they did not want to share. OK then. So, we all ordered a few plates each which we did end up sharing - well, sort of. These were:

- Antipasto plate - assorted marinated and roasted vegetables, cured meats, fresh cheese, zucchini frittata, homemade dip and turkish bread
- Smoked salmon cups - shredded smoked salmon in hollowed out cucumber chunks
- Baked scallops with pistachio mash
- Mediterranean meatballs filled with pecorino cheese in a roasted tomato sauce
- Pumpkin ravioli with kumera chips
- Sirloin steak served with garlic bread

The dishes arrived in no particular order and were placed in the middle of the table despite us explaining that we weren't really going to share. There was no explanation of the meals as they were placed on the table or any suggestion when we had ordered as to the size of the dishes. Needless, to say we had far too much food and much of it went to waste. This was disappointing.

The food was average - there were highlights with the pumpkin ravioli (deliciously creamy inside and al dente) and baked scallops but the majority lacked flavour and some dishes were bordering on bland e.g. meatballs. The tables were far too small to accommodate their 'grazing' concept so we were left juggling glasses, bottles, side plates, cutlery etc all evening.

Around 7.30pm the place was packed with a diverse crowd. Rubyos has so much potential however they need to get some basics right first. Staffing is critical - namely staff that know how to engage with customers or more importantly want to engage with customers and understand what they are serving - and the food. The dishes sound great on paper but need more much more flavour to sustain them as a restaurant of choice.

Rubyos - 18-20 King Street, Newtown - (02) 9557 2669


http://www.rubyos.com.au/

Jimmy's Recipe Malaysia, Tank Stream Way, Sydney

Jimmy's Recipe Malaysia, Tank Stream Way, Sydney
Friday 29 June, 2007

I was introduced to this little gem within the last 2 weeks and have been back several times since. Jimmy's proclaim to serve the best laksa in Sydney - not sure if I can categorically endorse that, but it's damn good.

Located in a lane way off Bridge St, you honestly wouldn't know it existed. I've walked up Bridge St for years and never knew about it. As you approach around lunchtime you can see the tacky fluro coloured sign hanging just above the entrance. You'll either notice that or the steady stream of eager diners.

To enter you walk up one of two small sets of stairs to the counter. Aside from lasksa there are a range of Malaysian dishes served with rice and plenty of other soups to pick from. The speciality? Laska and it's only $7. Bargain.

The dining space is minute with only 8 small low tables & bench seats on offer. It's cramped, over-crowded but the smells coming from the packed kitchen are sensational. Here's a tip - if you would like to eat in go early e.g 12pm or late 1.3pm to guarantee a seat. Here's another tip - if you arrive and there are no tables available don't order your food yet. The food comes out so quickly that you should ensure you have a table first.

Each time I've visited over the past 2 weeks we've been lucky to score a table with minimal wait. At the counter - there is typically a queue so be prepared to wait - the idea is to order, pay and move aside. It can get a little congested at the counter but things do move especially as there are so many staff working behind the counter and in the kitchen.

You are provided your meals on a tray with a non stick mat (smart move) and cutlery. There are also condiments e.g. extra chillis, hot sauce etc available. It's definitely not a place to linger over lunch - the idea is to eat and go - which may explain why so many people come in for takeaway.

Jimmy's is a find and while the weather is cold I'll be a frequent visitor.

Jimmy's Recipe Malaysia - Shop 3, 17-19 Bridge Street, Tank Stream Way (Singapore Airline House), Sydney

Enjoy the celebrity - Food Candy

Enjoy the celebrity - Food Candy

Thursday 28 June, 2007

Imagine my surprise this evening when I checked my email and received the following message:

Dear Steph,
Your syndicated blog has been featured on the front page of FoodCandy - enjoy the celebrity!

Food Candy

How cool is that? I've only recently discovered Food Candy but am enjoying the variety of information available - recipes, other foodie blogs, restaurant reviews etc - I could spend hours trawling through this site.

As the 'What is this Food Candy thing?' page states,

What's a foodie?

This definition is from foodies.com.
"On the curriculum vitae of a foodie, "eating" is listed as a hobby. The foodie lives to eat, and to eat to live is definitive boredom. A true foodie clings to all things culinary." But basically, if you like food, this is for you.

What are the top five things to do here?

Join, upload a picture and complete your profile.
Recommend your favorite restaurant and discuss your cooking.
Make new foodie friends in your city and around the world.
Let the world know you exist by syndicating your food blog.
Invite your friends to join.

I will take their advice and enjoy the celebrity.........for tonight!

Glebe Point Diner, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Glebe Point Diner, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Wednesday 27 June, 2007

Second night in a row in Glebe? Last night I experienced Osteria dei Poeti (avoid) and Cafe Otto (great desserts) and tonight it was Glebe Point Diner. A foodie friend had read about it in this months Gourmet Traveller so we decided to give it a go.

Only 6 weeks old Glebe Point Diner is situated at the Blackwattle Bay end of Glebe, away from the hustle & bustle and offering plenty of on street parking (bonus). I must admit I was a little put off by the name as years of watching our Americanised TV have me envisaging waitresses in starched uniforms running the floor with pots of perculated coffee and offering large serves of blueberry pie. I was sorely mistaken.

This little gem is the brainchild of Alex Kearns, former chef at Sean’s Panorama and Bourke St Bakery and now the owner of the Diner.

You enter via a large heavy sliding door past a small-ish balcony of outdoor seating. On this wet, cold evening these seats were bare and inside it was glowing with heaters pumping to keep the diners warm. The staff were very friendly and extended a warm welcome as we entered. Directing us to our table for 3 we were invited to leave our umbrellas in the large wicker basket by the coffee bar and magazine bench. Just above this were two large chalkboards - one displaying the lean menu of 6 entrees and mains plus 3 desserts and the other highlighting drinks.

One of my dinner buddies and I could not go past the Roast chicken with oregano & butter rubbed beneath the skin served with zucchini flowers and celery salad whilst our other dinner buddy opted for the Jewfish served with potato puree. We also ordered a side of veggies (that never arrived). The meals were simple yet very good - like comfort food. I know other foodies who would turn their noses up at this type food stating that they could easily reproduce it at home and probably could...........but for my money there is a return to simple, uncomplicated meals using fresh, organic produce that tastes great...........and there are plenty of people out there prepared to pay for it too.

With mains up around $30 it's not cheap but it's great, homely food that is ideal during our current wet season. Smart move for them to open during this freak weather. Tonight was booked out and with another article coming in next months Gourmet Traveller it's sure to be busy for sometime. The Maitre'd was charming and very personable and the other staff were polite & discreet. They also have a great wine list with plenty of offerings by the glass.

Like any new joint there were teething issues but these will be ironed out and I'm certain that Glebe will experience a revival with this gem.

Glebe Point Diner - 407 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe - (02) 9660 2646

www.glebepointdiner.com.au

Cafe Otto, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Cafe Otto, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Tuesday 26 June, 2007

After our disappointing dinner we walked a few doors up to Cafe Otto. We were looking for a great selection of desserts......and we found them.

I was still hungry as I hadn't enjoyed or eaten much of my main meal at Osteria dei Poeti. From the street we viewed the Cafe Otto menu well lit in the menu box out the front and blocking the view into the gorgeous, shaded and heated outdoor area. It was far too cold to sit outside so we tried our luck inside. It was really busy but after some discreet maneuvering by the staff we landed on the vibrant red lounges chairs at the rear. Most of the wooden chairs seen in the photo have been replaced by plush red high back chairs adding a splash of colour to the muted dining space.

The dessert menu is impressive and there is an option for ice cream and/ or King Island double cream with each offering. As a closet Cherry Ripe fan I was hooked on the Cherry Ripe sundae whilst my dinner buddies opted for the Rocky Road sundae, Caramel fudge ball and Apple crumble. Well, we would have forgone dinner entirely with the size of these desserts! There were many stares and double takes as our desserts made their way from the kitchen to our table.

I sunk back into the lounge and enjoyed every rich, chocolate, diabetic coma, mouthful. There wasn't much talking amongst our group. The sugar rush was sensational. The Cherry Ripe sundae had large chunks of homemade cherry ripe and plenty of fudge, ice cream, cream and strawberries. I was one very happy chocoholic. Equally so, my dinner buddies were impressed - we'll be back.

Cafe Otto - 79 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe - (02) 9552 1519

http://www.cafeotto.com.au/

Osteria dei Poeti, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Osteria dei Poeti, Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe

Tuesday 26 June, 2007

This place has so much potential..............from the kitsch interior with a wall size map of Italy, art deco lamps, candelabras, place mats with foodies quotes, Italian chef/ owner, Italian speaking staff and a menu full of recipes from family in Sicily. What happened???

The restaurant owners describe the place as, 'An 'osteria', meaning inn or tavern, is the Italian version of a French bistro, where locals can go to eat good, hearty food and not pay the equivalent of three months' mortgage. Osteria dei Poeti has bought this great tradition to the inner west so that poets, and those less able to rhyme, have somewhere to hang out and eat well. They're all coming for the simple, rustic fare, such as handmade cannelloni, pickled sardines, and lamb stewed with prunes to warm the soul and fill the stomach.'

Our experience tonight was so disappointing. We poured over the menu reading out the enticing descriptions and labouring over the choices. From the specials to the stock standard Italian dishes everything sounded great. Our Italian waiter charmed us with his accent and we forgot for a moment that we were on Glebe Pt Rd and it was raining outside.

After ordering some garlic bread for the table I couldn't go past the Timballa alla Siciliana - Aurelio's (owner) sister who lives in Sicily prepares this dish for special occasions - oven baked pasta with egg, peas, meat ragu, eggplant, tomato, pine nuts, raisins, mozzarella & percorino cheese. My dinner buddies went for the Flathead fillets rolled in gremolata & parmesan; baked veal and tube pasta with meatballs.

Once 15 mins had past we asked our hovering waiter for the garlic bread. He disappeared for a short minute then returned to the table and in his charming accent explained that the kitchen had forgotten. We really were in Italy and we were being served on Italian time............ it took me back to my Italian trip last year where the staff would just shrug their shoulders and casually explain that the chef was very busy and our meals would be out shortly. This could mean anything from 15 mins to one hour.

Thankfully the garlic bread arrived within another 5 mins but what we received was very poor. One plate was browned and crispy with garlic paste on top and the other was barely warm with more garlic paste smeared over the top. This was quickly followed by our main meals.

By sight they all looked fantastic and were piping hot. However, the reality was very different. My dish was placed in front of one of my dinner buddies and passed off as the veal. Shortly afterwards the waiter returned and explained that this dish was actually my pasta - oops! To give credit where credit is due the flathead fillets were the standout - they were lightly crumbed and the fish was light and incredibly tasty. By comparison my Timballa alla Siciliana was barely edible - it was cold-ish towards the middle and the tomato sauce around the side was steaming hot indicating that it had been prepared in the microwave. My other dinner buddies described their veal as tough and overcooked and the tube pasta as really average. What a shame! We had such high hopes for this cute little tavern.

To apologise for the delay with the garlic bread our waiter delivered four shots of Limoncello to the table which we gladly accepted. After requesting the bill our waiter tried to entice us to stay and order dessert but we already had a plan in place.....let's ditch Osteria dei Poeti and make our way to Cafe Otto.

Osteria dei Poeti - 73 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe - (02) 9571 8955

Belgian Beer Cafe, Harrington St, The Rocks

Belgian Beer Cafe, Harrington St, The Rocks

Sunday 24 June, 2007

The last time I visited the Belgian Beer Cafe I felt it had redeemed itself. So, this week I experienced it twice - not intentionally. On Monday I organised a catch up dinner with a buddy from interstate and on Wednesday a work colleague organised a spontaneous birthday lunch. Each visit was very good and by coincidence I was served by the same waiter.

On Monday night it was raining (yay!) and there was a large group blocking the entrance to remain dry - good one guys....our party of 3 had to push our way through to enter. We were directed to the rear of the large open dining space past the wooden booths and long bar with an impressive collection of beer bottles.

Our friendly, knowledgeable waiter welcomed us and distributed the huge laminated menus. Whilst the speciality is mussels I've never actually tried them before. Not sure why I guess it's because I keep finding other menu items to try. Tonight I decided to go with some iron and ordered the Chargrilled Beef Rib Eye (350 Grams) served with roasted rosemary & garlic potatoes and béarnaise sauce. To accompany this our waiter recommended I try the Delirium Tremens 330ml - a prize winning beer developed with a relatively low alcohol content. It was described as having a delightful hint of malt and spice with a sweet dry after taste and an Alc.Vol.9%.

My dinner buddies ordered the Ricotta & Spinach Cannelloni - filled with roasted walnuts served with spicy tomato compote and three cheese bechamel; and Belgian Style Meat Balls Charcutière - with wholegrain mustard and shallots served in a chasseur sauce and parsley potatoes. The meals arrived and were enormous - you definitely do not go hungry here. my steak was cooked well and the potatoes were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and the bearnaise was deliciously rich. It was great comfort food for a cold, wet evening and we enjoyed every mouthful.

After a break and good chin wag we reviewed the dessert menu. Instead of ordering one each we decided to share two - Belgian Chocolate Mousse (which is described as, need we say more...) and the Belgian Waffle - served with 'Callebaut' warm chocolate sauce, mixed berry coulis and vanilla bean ice-cream. With three spoons we attacked the desserts. As a chocoholic I found both desserts delicious - the mousse was incredibly rich but the ice cream balanced it out. After 10 mins each plate was a mix of chocolate, cream, ice cream and berries and looked like a work of Pro Hart.

On Wednesday our party of 6 arrived (again it was raining - yay!) and were directed to the rear of the dining (not the same table as Monday night - but right next to it). The same waiter arrived after we had already perused the menu and had us all laughing with his relaxed, easy going manner.

I ordered the Heritage Herb & Pork Scnhitzel - served with mashed potato and a spring cress salad. My lunch buddies ordered 2 x Belgian Style Meat Balls Charcutière - with wholegrain mustard and shallots served in a Chasseur sauce and parsley potatoes; 2 x Mussels Provencale - cooked with tomatoes, herbs and garlic; and Vegetarian Monk's Tart - an old recipe from the middle ages with leek fondu, button mushrooms, eggs and spices, all cooked with Leffe Blonde.

Our hungry bunch devoured our meals. The schnitzel was good - it was a massive serving but a little on the dry side. The herb crust was lovely and the accompanying mash and salad were just right.

The next time I visit I will finally try the mussels.

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

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

BBQ King, Goulburn St, Haymarket

BBQ King, Goulburn St, Haymarket

Friday 22 June, 2007

Tonight we were off to the Sydney Film Festival to see 'Black Snake Moan' starring Samuel L Jackson, Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake.

Beforehand we headed down to Chinatown for dinner at BBQ King. This is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants - it's fast, fresh and the food is fantastic. However, with the good comes the not so good - loud, drunken groups looking for a feed, meals being delivered to the wrong table and uncomfortable furniture designed to move people on quickly.

Tonight we were seated upstairs - the steep staircase doesn't instill any confidence in the building safety and at the first landing is the entrance to the bathrooms which, again, don't instill any confidence. However as soon as you are seated, review the menu and watch the plates of food travel past the focus becomes firmly on the food.

After reading through the menu we ordered:

- Peking duck pancakes

- Noodles with ginger & shallots

- Salt & pepper calamari

- Chinese vegetables with hoisin sauce

The pancakes were delivered first and we were bowled over by the large, juicy slab of duck meat laid on the small pancake. Clearly too large to wrap we attempted as best we could and enjoyed every fabulous mouthful. The duck meat was tender and the accompanying chilli and shallots added a great kick. After enjoying 2 pancakes each we could have easily ordered some more but had other dishes on their way.

Next up, we saw the calamari walk past and the plate was almost placed on another table before our waiter retrieved it and delivered it to our table. At this point we requested some very hot chilli sauce. This didn't last long after arriving at the table so another was requested. Shortly afterwards the noodles were delivered. The fresh smell of ginger was wonderful, the noodles were light and had a clean taste - the ginger also helped clear the sinuses. Finally the vegetables doused in hoisin arrived but we were incredibly full at this point.

BBQ King is a great place to go if you are on your way somewhere. It's quick and the food is excellent.

BBQ King - 18-20 Goulburn Street, Sydney - (02) 9267 2586

Indomato, Young St, Neutral Bay

Indomato, Young St, Neutral Bay

Wednesday 20 June, 2007

Tonight's dinner was to welcome home the happy couple from Italy - so it was fitting that we chose a local Italian.

Indomato is an Italian seafood restaurant located on the corner of Young & Grosvenor Sts and has a large interior. The decor is tacky with a fountain on entry, tiled floors, white/ blue washed walls and wooden furnishings. There is a dining area downstairs along with the kitchen and then a set of stairs leading up to further seating, a lounge bar and big screen TV. I got the impression this venue was packed during the World Cup soccer.

Indomato describe themselves as, "Indomato Restaurant, not to be missed, specialising in modern Italian and fresh seafood cuisine. Set menu is available to suit any budget for group bookings so is a degustation menu. All ingredients are handmade on the premises including the pasta, biscotti, ice cream and sorbets. High ceilings, a cocktail lounge / private room / bar / plasma and service that are friendly and focused on customer satisfaction create the ambience." [This is taken directly from their own website with no editing from Steph]

We were seated and offered menus by our incredibly charming (if a little overdone) Italian waiter. His accent purred through the specials but I found his suggestions a little pushy - bread? wine? entrees? dessert? coffee? - it seemed to go on and on. Don't get me wrong, he was polite but his open white shirt and hairy chest with gold cross was too much for me.

We kicked off with some Roasted garlic ciabatta bread and a variation on bruschetta with avocado, fetta and roasted tomatoes. It was very good and the avocado bruschetta was a winner - the avocado and fetta was crumbled not sliced and the chunky consistency worked really well. It was a meal in itself.

For main I couldn't go past the dinner special - roast rabbit (aka Georgie) with garlic, rosemary & lemon polenta. My dinner buddies opted for the linguine marinara - mussels, vongole, prawns, calamari & scampi infused with basil & tomato; risotto with scampi, prawns & octopus with lemon-olive oil and parsley dressing; and the scotch fillet crushed kiphlers & olive tapenade with butter sauce.

When the meals arrived we were overwhelmed at how big they were. My rabbit was enormous however the meat was still on the bone and it was served on a large pile of polenta. As the waiter placed it in front of me he indicated it would taste like chicken. Did I look worried? It was delicious. There were halved roasted lemons on the side that complimented the polenta.

My dinner buddies all enjoyed their meals and we were so full that none of us even looked twice at the dessert menu. Sadly, we were the only guests in the restaurant all night. This was painful as there were 4 staff working while we were there and there was no way our meal would have covered their wages.

Hint - make sure you remember to BYO as this local Italian is a little $$. Our table of 4 ordered 2 x bread, a main meal each, a bottle of wine and it was $50pp.

Indomato - 24 Young St, Neutral Bay - (02) 8969 6900

http://www.indomato.com.au/

Steph's flickr photos from Tuscany

I'm really impressed by this flickr tool so thought you may be interested in my foodie photos from Italy last September/ October. Enjoy.

Clareville Kiosk, Delecta Ave, Clareville

Clareville Kiosk, Delecta Ave, Clareville
Saturday 16 June, 2007

This weekend we re-grouped in Bilgola to reminisce on our recent trip to China and discuss the next one. Bilgola Beach is stunning and it felt like we were a million miles away from Sydney.

Tonight we took the recommendation of our Bilgola buddy and dined at Clareville Kiosk. Nestled amongst the residential homes on Pittwater (just behind Avalon) Clareville Kiosk looks like someones home from the outside. There's a small public car park opposite and you walk up a bricked pathway to the entrance. We were welcomed inside, had our umbrellas and coats taken for safe keeping and were led to our table in the middle of the dining space in front of the wood fire. Charming.

Clareville Kiosk promote themselves as, " an intimate and cosy restaurant located in a unique position near the shores of beautiful Clareville Beach on Sydney's Northern beaches. It has been consistently rated one of the Best BYO's in Sydney by The SMH Good Food Guide."

We had come prepared with 2 bottles - god love BYO restaurants - and asked for the white first. After reviewing the menu and deciding on our meals we were served an amuse bouche of Green asparagus, roasted garlic and truffle oil in a shot glass with a Chinese spoon on the side offering finely diced ocean trout, chilli oil and chives. As I'm not an avid fan of asparagus this did not thrill me but it was beautifully presented and the ocean trout was divine.

For entree I opted for the Sweet roasted spatchcock breast, with salt & pepper squid whilst my diner buddies chose the Pan seared scallops with chorizo & tomato pine nut tapenade, truffle sauce and Open squid ink ravioli with Morton Bay bug tail, ginger & shallot dressing. My spatchcock was sensational - the crispy outer was seasoned and the meat was tender and succulent. The salt & pepper squid was lightly fried and perfectly seasoned giving it a wonderful, lip smacking bite.

As we finished off our entrees the wood fireplace went a little nuts and a mass of smoke went through the dining space. I love the smell of an open fire but this was bordering on a fire hazard. One table was evacuated and the rest of us just went with it whilst the waiters ran to the doors and flung them open to let the smoke escape.

After this event we opened our red wine and got ready for the main meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the Angus tenderloin of beef with truffle hollandaise, potato puree & jus and my dinner buddies loved their Confit of duck with an aromatic corella pear, spinach & drunken almonds & muscatels and Basil crusted rack of lamb with mash potato and garlic & thyme jus. My main was very good - I had requested the meat medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. We also ordered a bowl of salt crusted chat potatoes that were incredibly good and came with a very spicy harissa.

Our Bilgola buddy has ordered the same meal each time she has visited i.e squid ink ravioli and Confit of duck. If this isn't a glowing recommendation I don't know what is. The Clareville Kiosk is very homely and despite it's proximity to the water there are no water views. The bathrooms are located outside the restaurant - you take the front door back out onto the street and go up a side path to find the single male & female toilets. It's well lit but on a cold, wet evening it wasn't fun.

The restaurant was 95% full, there was gentle buzz throughout and the two staff had their work cut out for them meeting the demands of each table. We were on a roll so decided to go with dessert. I ordered the Baked chocolate fondant with white chocolate sorbet & dark chocolate disc and my diner buddies ordered the Cardamom & candied orange brulée with mulberry compote and Caramelised lemon curd tart with clotted cream & raspberries. We hit gold with the desserts - my fondant was incredible - very rich and I placed the entire white chocolate sorbet into the ramekin to cool it down. WOW! I loved every mouthful - it was over the top & decadent.

Clareville Kiosk is a solid experience. I'd like to return for lunch.

Clareville Kiosk - 27 Delecta Ave, Clareville - (02) 9918 2727

http://www.clarevillekiosk.com/index.htm

The Ginger Room, Wycombe Rd, Neutral Bay

The Ginger Room, Wycombe Rd, Neutral Bay

Thursday 14 June, 2007

If my memory serves me correctly this dining space was known as Temple until recently. A quick makeover by the crew who bought us Blue Ginger in Balmain and chef/ author Les Huynh and presto....The Ginger Room has arrived.

Located just off Military Rd on the corner block of Wycombe Rd, The Ginger Room is a simple, inviting restaurant. Upon entry there is a small ramp, large bucket for umbrellas (tonight was wet, wild & windy so everyone had their massive golf umbrellas out) a large communal table down the centre and a handful of tables on either side. Large mirrors dominate one wall and also house the nightly specials handwritten in a thick white texta. It's a little hard to read but you can make out the dishes.....just.

The exposed, open kitchen at the rear of the restaurant is a hive of activity and out wafts the wonderful aroma of coriander, chilli and garlic. We were seated at one end of the large communal table and as three of us had arrived early we decided to kick off with some Vietnamese chicken rice paper rolls. These came served on a rectangular dish with two dipping sauces and we polished these off like ducks to water.

A quick chat to our lovely waitress revealed that The Ginger Room has been open for 2 months and chef/ author Les Huynh is selling copies of his cookbooks, 'Blue Ginger' and 'Takeaway' if we are interested. When the entire gang of 8 had arrived we left the ordering to one of our dinner buddies who delivered the goods:

- Vietnamese chicken rice paper rolls

- Steamed vegetable dumplings with chilli black vinegar sauce

- Chicken wontons with plum sauce

- Braised chicken with chilli and coriander

- Salt & pepper tofu

- Salt & pepper squid

- Asian greens with garlic & oyster sauce

- Spicy beef with green beans and hosin sauce

We were incredibly impressed with the food - for our chatty group of 8 there wasn't much talking as each dish was passed around along with recommendations such as, 'you have to try this one', 'make sure you get some of this' etc. My favourites were the Braised chicken - it had all the freshness of your typical Vietnamese dish along with plenty of chilli, light amber fish sauce and crisp, tender chicken pieces and the Salt & pepper tofu - it was perfectly cooked, crisp with the lip smacking slat & pepper on the outside and melt in your mouth good on the inside. Delicious.

I've been on the lookout for a great Vietnamese restaurant for ages since my disappointing experiences at Trans and Phuong. The Ginger Room is worth visiting.

The Ginger Room - 165 Wycombe Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9904 0688

Forbes and Burton, Cnr Forbes & Burton Sts, Darlinghurst

Forbes and Burton, Cnr Forbes & Burton Sts, Darlinghurst

Wednesday 13 June, 2007

State of the what???? I know there was some football match on tonight but we definitely made the right choice. Tonight we dined at Forbes and Burton for their special event dinner held in conjunction with the Ultimo Wine Centre. This was aptly called 'Wines of the South of France'.

Owner Adrian Hobbs and chef David Pegrum (formally of Tetsuya) prepared a wonderful degustation menu to accompany each French wine. Well, truth be told, there was actually one course to two - three wines. So for a 6 course degustation we really sampled thirteen wines. Spectacular.

But, let me backtrack for a minute. Before we arrived at Forbes and Burton we met up at Will & Tobys on Oxford St for a pre dinner drink. This place is fabulous - take the stairs to the top floor and enter a warm, cosy environment complete with full size horse statue masquerading as a lamp and several open fireplaces. It kitsch, it works and it's known as the Polo Club.

Now back to Forbes and Burton......we arrived for the special event and walked into a sandstone mecca. I recall this place was once known as Dov. The interior is complete with concrete floors, exposed sandstone walls, simple chairs & tables covered in butchers paper and a sheer chiffon curtain that can cover the windows. As the event was hosted by Ultimo Wine Centre there was a little confusion as to who was charge. We just wanted a drink and found it a challenge to acquire one within the first 10 minutes. After this was dealt with the night ran very smoothly.

Being a special event dinner everyone was placed on tables with other guests. So, there was an initial getting to know you phase. Fortunately, we had a great table of 6 that was there to enjoy all the food & wine and make the most of the evening.

So, what was on offer? The menu looked like this:

On arrival
2002 Castapianne Sparkling red (loved it - light, drinkable and perfect for Christmas in July)

Amuse - Soup au Pistou (finely chopped veggies and soup served in a shot glass)
Entree - Tuna Nicoise (the deconstructed tuna nicoise - very Fernando Adrià Acosta)
2005 Chateau Paul Blanc - Roussanne
2005 Mas des Bressardes 'Cuvee Excellence' Roussanne
2004 Chateau Laffitte-Teston, Pacheranc du Vic - Bilh

Fish - Dorod with confit eggplant (excellent - light, delicate and the richness of the eggplant created balance)
2004 Laurant Miquel Chardonnay / Voignier
2005 Parc St Charles Voignier
2004 Lafran Veyrolles Bandol Blanc

Meat - Roast lamb fillet and braised neck with olive oil jus (just delightful, perfectly cooked and the braised neck was stunning)
2003 Lafran Veyrolles Bandol Rouge
2002 Tempier Bandol Migoua
1995 Chateau de Pibaron

Cheese - Tomme de Chevre (or white mould and young goats log rolled in herbs)
2001 Domaine Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape
1995 Santa Duc Gigondas Haut Garrigues

Warm poached pears with goats cheese sorbet and salted caramel (goats cheese sorbet???? - it was very good and married the salted caramel perfectly)
2004 Jurancon 'Clos Uroulat'

The food was delicious, the wine was served in abundance and the company was fantastic. Complimented by the attentiveness of owner Adrian Hobbs who outdid himself and ensured we had everything we needed (although he was suffering with a head cold) - the entire evening was a journey through Southern France. Ultimo Wine Centre had even prepared a map of the regions so we could envisage driving through the vineyards.

Overall, we had a great night. I'd definitely return to Forbes and Burton for dinner and have already begun a list of wines that I'd like to acquire from Ultimo Wine Centre.

Forbes and Burton - 252 Forbes St, Darlinghurst - (02) 9356 8788

Steph's flickr photos from Shanghai

I've had several foodie friends ask if I took any photos of the exquisite food we enjoyed in Shanghai. Well, the answer is yes and I'm thrilled to share them below. Enjoy.

Now that I am learning how to use this groovy flickr tool to share my foodie photos - watch out!

SHANGHAI, CHINA

A few of my favourite foodie quotes!

A few of my favourite foodie quotes!

Sunday 10 June, 2007

"There are four basic food groups, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles." -- Anon

"Well, dinner would have been splendid…if the wine had been as cold as the soup, the beef as rare as the service, the brandy as old as the fish, and the maid as willing as the Duchess." -- Sir Winston Churchill

"Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body." -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

"To eat is a necessity. To eat intelligently is an art."-- La Rochefoucauld

"Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." -- Mark Twain

"Before eating, always take a little time to thank the food." -- American Indian Proverb

"I hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I can't stop eating peanuts." -- Orson Welles

"I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick - not wounded - dead." -- Woody Allen

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention." -- Christopher Morley

"The proof of the pudding is [in] the eating." -- Miguel de Cervantes

Meals with Steph 2 - Camperdown

Meals with Steph 2 - Camperdown

Saturday 9 June, 2007

I love a good home cooked meal as I rarely do it for myself. So, it was with great delight that I accepted a dinner invitation from Meals with Steph. On this wet, wild & windy evening we were kept warm & toasty inside Steph's pad.

On arrival a glass of the very smooth Grant Burge red was waiting and the wonderfully rich small of home made beef pies in individual ramekin dishes. As we sat and enjoyed the wine Steph revealed her cooking efforts during the day - chicken satay and beef & burgundy pies had been tried and tested. But, the piece de resistance? Each pie had our initials baked into the top! Gold.

The taste? Absolutely delicious. The pastry was light and spilled over the top of the ramekin dish. Once you cracked open the pastry lid the heat just flowed out. I was amazed at how well they retained their heat. Inside thick chunks of meat in a burgandy sauce. Served on the side was probably some of the best mash I have ever tasted and green beans. They tasted even better by being dunked inside the ramekin dish first. Yum.

After we settled in and savoured the taste of the pies Steph announced there was dessert too! Sensational. Not that we needed any more food......but I was up for it. Prepared earlier that day Steph had cored and sliced some apples, added cloves and cinnamon and created a spiced apple crumble that was so good. Served with the crumble was a very creamy custard that is a family recipe.

I love getting invited to Steph's for dinner and the best part? We all left with take home packs of pies and crumble. So, you know what I'll be having for dinner on Sunday.

Yellow Bistro & Food Store, Maclay Street, Potts Point

Yellow Bistro & Food Store, Maclay Street, Potts Point

Saturday 9 June, 2007

It's been over 12 months since I've been to Yellow. Located in Potts Points and surrounded by plenty of competition - it holds its own.

This morning I was meeting an old work buddy for a good catch up over brunch. It was still wet & windy after the shocking storms the day before so all the outside tables were empty. I walked inside and the smell of fresh coffee, eggs and pastry hit me. There were still a few tables free so I grabbed one by the fireplace and ordered my first coffee of the day. Within moments every available table was taken.

Yellow Bistro & Food Store is a fabulous place to visit - the staff are knowledgeable and friendly and you can browse through their food offerings for ideas/ treats to take home. George Sinclair from Yellow Bistro has worked with the best in the industry. He was apprenticed to Franka and Steve Manfredi giving him a solid grounding in Italian cooking. He worked at the Blue Water Grill alongside Perry, specialising in seafood and Damien Pignolet gave him his experience with classic French cooking. In 2000 he teamed up with Lorraine Godsmark, a renowned pastry chef and opened Six Seven Ate. Before he and Lorraine opened the Yellow Bistro & Food Store in Macleay street, Potts Point.

For those who know their history, the Yellow Bistro & Food Store came about back in the late 60’s when a group of artists headed by Marin Sharp and including Tiny Tim, Luna Park, Arthur "Eternity" Stace, Bruce Goold, Brett Whitely and George Gittoes bought the elegant Edwardian building … they painted it the original Van Gogh yellow and added Martin Snape balconies representing the Age of Aquarius.

To the right of the food store is an eye-catching pink-upholstered wall feature, abstract canvases and more wooden floor boards. The menu is lean for breakfast, lunch & dinner and this morning I needed some real comfort food. After enjoying my first coffee I ordered the Spanish chorizo sausages with cannelloni beans & tomatoes. My brunch buddy ordered the Croque madame which is basically a ham, egg & cheese fried sandwich.

We enjoyed every single mouthful. It's a little on the $$$ side but worth it.

Yellow Bistro & Food Store - 57 Maclay Street, Potts Point - (02) 93573400

The Cafe, Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

The Cafe, Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

Friday 8 June, 2007

The weather in Sydney today was wet, windy and unpleasant. If we didn't need the rain so desperately I would have complained out loud. The venue for lunch today was the Four Seasons Hotel which is just a hop, skip and jump from our office. So, thankfully we didn't have far to travel.

Kables is the only venue within the Four Seasons I am familiar with having enjoyed lunch there last October for Good Food Month. Also located on Level 2 is The Cafe. Up the main stairs from the lobby take a right turn (instead of a left turn for Kables) and The Cafe is situated on the open space overlooking the foyer.

We arrived for our 12.30pm reservation and were directed to our table. There is a long velvet lounge along one wall with tables and chairs alongside it. The decor is minimal, understated and comfortable. The menu is really varied with everything from quiche, salad, club sandwiches, steak, fish & chips and pasta - with the most expensive lunch offering at $28. Each week day they also offer a lunch special with includes soup of the day plus the lunch special for $27.50.

I couldn't go past the paper baked fish served on a bed of saffron rice. I've had a mild fascination with saffron since I learnt it is the most expensive spice in the world. Interestingly it takes anything from 70,000 to 250,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron and the flowers have to be individually hand-picked in the autumn when fully open. Fortunately, only a little needs to be added to a dish to lend it colour and aroma; too much makes the food bitter and large quantities of it can be toxic.

Records detailing the use of saffron go back to ancient Egypt and Rome where it was used as a dye, in perfumes, and as a drug, as well as for culinary purposes. It reached China in the 7th century and spread through Europe in the Middle Ages. The town of Saffron Walden, where it was once grown commercially, takes its name from the plant. Now, however, most saffron is imported from Iran (southern Khorason) and Spain which are recognised as producing the best quality, but it can also be found in Egypt, Kashmir, Morocco and Turkey.

But enough of the history lesson - how did it taste? The fish just fell apart and was served on a generous bed of saffron rice that did not taste bitter or medicinal - the amount of saffron must have been spot on! Sprinkled on top of the fish was a mini salad of finely chopped tomato and cucumber that added a lovely freshness.

The service was a little hit & miss. Our waitress mixed up the wine orders and got herself in quite a fluster. That said, we had a lovely lunch in one of Sydney's best hotels.

The Cafe - Four Seasons Hotel, 199 George Street, Sydney - (02) 9238-0000

http://www.fourseasons.com/sydney/dining/the_caf_.html

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar, Military Rd, Neutral Bay

Tuesday 5 June, 2007

What do you do when you just arrived home from holiday and have absolutely nothing in the fridge? Well, I know what some of you are thinking.....she doesn't have anything in her fridge when she is at home! That's true as one of my recent posts revealed. I plan to change all that tomorrow but first I ordered pizza.

Melt is my local pizza place and they deliver. So I jumped on the phone and ordered the trusty favourite - Sausage duo - Italian sausage, chorizo sausage, roasted capsicum, caramelised onions & buffalo mozzarella. Little did I know but this selection is a National Award Winner and I liked it long before it won any accolades.

The team at Melt are serious about their pizza as their three word mission statement reveals - INNOVATION - FLAVOUR - QUALITY. Their website shares a little more about the team:

We have spent years researching pizza flavours and ingredients to provide our customers with a fresh, innovative, quality product using today’s most popular ingredients.

We aim to exceed all expectations of flavour while striving to create the healthiest type of pizza. Our dough is made from protein enriched flour which is the ultimate quality flour and the lowest in carbohydrate. We have many healthy pizza choices and low fat cheese is available on request.

We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service. All of our staff are motivated friendly individuals who have been fully trained in all aspects of making you a consistently high standard of product.

What more could you want from a pizza place?

After I had ordered I was informed there was a 45 minute wait. No worries. Within 30 minutes I had one piping hot pizza delivered to my door. Melt prepare all their pizzas with a traditional thin crust base using the best quality flour and mozzarella cheese. The toppings are generous without over doing it.

The taste? Well, for my money this is the best pizza on the northshore.

Melt Gourmet Pizza Bar - 9/120 Military Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 99083344

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

Steph's in Shanghai, China

Stay tuned for more posts from Shanghai.... I'll be eating lots of those pork & crab dumplings (called xiaolongbao).

Jade on 36, Fucheng Rd, Shanghai

Jade on 36, Fucheng Rd, Shanghai

Saturday 2 June, 2007

What an incredible night! This is without a doubt the best restaurant I have ever dined in. Words will not come easy to describe this experience other than to say French chef Paul Pairet is a genius.

Jade on 36 screams elegence and offers a spectacular view from Pudong over to The Bund. Last year's experience was fantastic and I was excited to share it with my travel buddies tonight.

Jade on 36 (located at the top of the Pudong Shangri-La), is a superb restaurant with amazing views. Designed by American architect Adam Tihany, who designed Le Cirque in New York, the restaurant offers a futuristic interpretation of Chinese traditions.

Taking the express lift from the hotel foyer to the 36th floor you walk through a dramatic outline of a rice bowl on entry, down a corridor of rice bins that serve as wine storage into the main dining space. Along the rear wall are 5 enormous jade green snuff bottles and the dining area is elegant. We were accompanied on this walk by the Assistant Restaurant Manager who proudly shared the tradition behind the design.

We were seated at a fabulous window table and provided menus. It's fascinating as the menu is all degustation and divided into 3 sections - Small, Medium and Large with four offerings within each section - Mohogany, Rose, Indigo and Jade of Jade. Their signature menu is the Large - Jade of Jade and as it was our last night in Shanghai we decided to go for it.

The table next to us were from the US but living in Shanghai and were celebrating their daughter's 7th birthday. We spent most of the evening speaking with them, learnt about some new restaurants we must try next time and sharing our disgust at a table of Chinese men at the rear of the restaurant who were loud, disrespectful and offensive. Our new friends had already complained to the delightful German Maitre'd so we also expressed our dissapointment. Within 20 minutes they left the restaurant so we could enjoy the rest of the evening.

Our menu comprised:

- Sardine mousse with brioche served from the sardine tin

- Fois gras lollipop with herbal tea, honey & champagne foam shot

- Finely sliced beef tenderloin, tuna & yellowtail with dandelion sashimi and mint leaf topped with champagne foam on a long stick served as 2 flowers sticking out of a florists base

- Fois gras with passionfruit-chocolate and fois gras opera

- Bread - truffle soup infused bread

- Jumbo shrimp in citrus jar

- Black cod from Hong Kong served in the bag and prepared at the table

- Beef short rib - rib terriyaki served on the bone

- Lemon & lemon tart served inside a 3 day slow cooked lemon

- Mango, liquorice and dill

- Toffee shot with green apple foam

We were completely overwhelmed by the food - the presentation was extraordinary and we sat on the edge of our seats as each course was delivered to the table as we just didn't know what to expect. ust when we thought we had seen it all something even more impressive arrived at our table e.g. the jumbo shrimp was served in a large jar infused with orange juice and peel presented on a wooden board with a side dish of soy, corriander and mint.

We asked to meet the chef to thank him for such an incredible evening and he was just lovely. He happily spoke with us and thanked us for enjoying his food - he seemed genuinely impressed that we had loved everything on offer. We shared what other restaurants we had dined in during our time in Shanghai and all agreed hands down that this was the best restaurant experience we had ever had.

Jade on 36 is an absolute must.

Jade on 36 - Shangri-La, L36, 33 Fucheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai - T: (86 21) 6882 3636

http://www.shangri-la.com/shanghai/pudongshangri-la/en/index.aspx

Cloud 9 Bar, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Shanghai

Cloud 9 Bar, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Shanghai

Friday 1 June, 2007

I've been raving about this place since our visit last year and have highly recommended it to many friends and work colleagues.

The Grand Hyatt Hotel is located on 53rd to 87th floors of the Jin Mao Tower, in the heart of Pudong, Shanghai's financial and business district. With a total height of 421m (1,380 ft) the Jin Mao Tower is the third tallest tower in the world, and the tallest building in the People's Republic of China. However, this is soon to change with the rate of construction occurring in Shanghai. Just a short distance from Jin Mao Tower is a newer, taller building that is set to break the record books again.

Jin Mao Tower is designed to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 6 on the Richter Scale, as well as the strongest typhoon and the building's shape draws on traditional Chinese forms. You take 3 elevators to reach the sky lounge on the 87th floor of the Jin Mao Tower. Known as Cloud 9 Bar, the sky lounge has spectacular views of the Bund, Huang Pu River and the city. Our ears only popped once on the way and it is all forgotten when you step out into the main floor of Cloud 9 and see the spectacular view. WOW!

We had arrived without a reservation but it was not a problem and we were very lucky to secure a window table. The menus are great offering a mixture of Asian bar food, desserts, a great wine list and extensive cocktail list. I decided to start with a cocktail called the After Party - which comprised of Absolute Vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale and sugar. It was so easy to drink that I questioned if it actually had any alcohol in it. But after enjoying two over several hours I can confirm that they definitely have alcohol in them!

We decided to order some Spicy tofu nuggets to snack on and they were so deliciously good that we ordered another serve immediately. They were beautifully presented in a miniature wok resting on a wooden stand and came with an aioli sauce. Yum.

The staff are very polite and oddly they allow spruikers of flowers, profile cut outs and tacky souvineers to roam the bar. The view is the drawcard at Cloud 9 and at night The Bund comes alive with all the old colonial buildings lit up. It is a spectacular city and I love everything about it.

Cloud 9 - 88 Century Boulevard, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai - T: (86 21) 5049 1234

http://shanghai.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/lounges/index.jsp