Fooderati Blog

bar bar black sheep

2012-01-27T16:57:00.000+11:00

If we said it one last year, it was said a thousand times: small bars - they're awesome. Also, they're everywhere. And while it does beg the question 'when will the bubble burst', let's tuck that question under the carpet for now and just focus on all the good things they represent: individuality, variety and fun.

Here are 3 new places to check out this Australia Day long weekend:

Tio's Cerveceria

Last year, we went on about The Baxter Inn, that hidden away little gem in a basement somewhere on Clarence Street in the city. Well, the guys that brought you this and their trailblazing first album, Shady Pines bring you more "I don't give a damn"-ness in their latest place, Tio's. A charmingly dishevelled, rough and tumble bar, slotted between interior style haven Spence & Lyda and The Hollywood pub in Surry Hills, it's filled with Mexican Catholic kitsch, loud music, fistfuls of chilli popcorn and a shedload of tequila and beer. The place to visit for a hard drink in a dark bar, where the service is friendly, but the hangovers are not: prepare to get rowdy.

4 Foster Street
Surry Hills
http://www.tioscerveceria.blogspot.com/

The Roosevelt

Those who are serious about their cocktails have had Eau De Vie's address firmly fixed in their hearts and on their credit card bills for quite some time now. Having developed this reputation for knowing their shit, owners Sven Almenning and Graham Ette have created yet another perfectly formed cocktail palace in the shape of The Roosevelt in Potts Point. Featuring all things Forties, you can expect a lot of style and a whole lot of showmanship in this bar-cum-restaurant, where cocktails are matched to food by chef David Leitzen, an import with a world of fine dining experience.

Frock up and step out, Sydney.

32 Orwell Street
Potts Point
5pm - Midnight, 7 days
http://www.theroosevelt.com.au/

Mr Falcon's

Those with less coin or perhaps just a more relaxed approach to going out should check out Mr Falcon's in Glebe. The evening scene has perked up a bit in recent years with a host of bars and quality eats cropping up, and Mr Falcon's fits into the small bar scene with all the relaxed ease of a well loved pair of jeans. Featuring a respectable boutique beer list, as well as cocktails aplenty, there's a lot to love about the thrown-together vintage furniture and chilled attitude. Cheap eats come in the form of classic comfort food - cheese toasties, even more cheese in the form of platters, mezze plates...and we're told (if you're lucky), fairy bread. Magic!

92 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
4pm - Midnight M-F
2pm - Midnight Saturdays
2pm - 10pm Sundays

pedestrian presents start up

2012-01-27T14:33:00.001+11:00

Last week, I had the honour of speaking at Start Up, a series of creative talks hosted by Macleay College in Sydney's Surry Hills. It can sometimes be really hard to find a way to get to your dream creative job and while there's a lot to be said for finding your own way, it's certainly interesting listening to how others have done it.

Alongside an incredibly talented bill of people including John Safran (faint), Kate Waterhouse, Jaime Wirth, Naked Communications, Russh Magazine and The Grand Social (what was I doing there?!), I managed to recount my story so far (I'm not done yet, world) and hopefully give a few bits of advise based on experience.

Thanks to Pedestrian.TV for hosting the event and for having me along.

a very worth cause

2012-01-20T18:56:00.002+11:00

A few weeks ago, the news reported that Alira Restaurant's fearless leader and industry veteran Mikee Collins fell 8 stories from a balcony over Christmas, causing horrific injuries and has left him fighting for his life. After several rounds of serious operations, it's a relief to hear that Mikee is in a serious but stable condition.

Those who have experienced a friend or family member spending extensive time in hospital knows how much of a toll it can take on emotions as well as finances.

To that end, Mikee's friends and members of the food industry have rallied together to raise money to help Mikee and his family get back on their feet after this terrible accident - and all you need to do to help is eat and drink...you can do that, can't you?

On January 30, Cargo Bar will host an amazing evening of food, wine and glittering auction prizes, including a round the world ticket from Flight Centre or dinner at any restaurant of your choice with the dashing Simon Thomsen.

Tickets are just $80 with all proceeds going towards helping Mikee recover from this horrible accident.

Click here to book or hit up Facebook for more event details.

You can also donate what you can here.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

2012-01-20T17:00:00.000+11:00

This Sunday is a particularly important one for the Chinese community: According to the Chinese lunar calendar, it's the New Year on Monday, which means that the eve is traditionally spent with family at what we call Reunion Dinner.

The idea is that everyone including extended family and friends (the more the merrier) come together to celebrate and wish for a prosperous new year. At our gatherings, it's not unusual to find Singaporean pepper crab, Peking duck, and of course, oodles of noodles (these represent longevity, so you should never cut the noodles when you're serving them).

You don't need to be Chinese or have an adopted Chinese family to take part in the festivities. all throughout Sydney's Chinese communities, there will be plenty of firecrackers, food and festivities to go around, so here are some great ideas to join in this weekend:

Chinese New Year Launches: TONIGHT!

The City of Sydney kicks off celebrations for the Year of the Dragon with a huge party at Belmore Park tonight in the shape of the Chinese New Year Markets.

All the cultural trimmings will be there including the dotting of the eyes, to bring the dragons and lions to life, as well as firecrackers to scare away the bad juju to make way for a fresh start to the new year.

There will be a whole bunch of food stalls representing all part of the Chinese region, including Sichuan food from Chengdu - a special highlight of this year's festivities, so be prepared for the spice. There will be plenty of entertainment happening to, so you can bop away while you munch on street food well into the evening.

The markets will continue throughout the weekend from 4pm - 11pm daily and will incorporate cooking demonstrations to boot.

Where: Belmore Park, across from Eddy Avenue, Central Station, Sydney
Cost: FREE to enter the festival
Check out all the info here.

Chinese Tea Appreciation

If you think Chinese tea is 'just' Chinese tea, you're in for a pleasant awakening. Christina and her dad Raymond's beautiful tea shop in Redfern is just the place to get a crash course on the finer points of Chinese teas, from Pu'erh to Iron Goddess and Oolong, it's a very chilled out way to spend the afternoon, and a few steamed dumplings don't go astray either.

When: 14 - 29 January, 11.30am - 6.30pm
Where: Zensation Tea House 656 Bourke Street Surry Hills
Cost: $45 includes dim sum and sweets to match the tea
To book: 9319 2788

Each session takes about 2.5 hours, bookings essential

Spice Temple does Chinese New Year

For a slightly fancier something to do, Neil Perry's Spice Temple is doing a set banquet for just $110pp.

Each element of the menu represents an aspect of good luck to focus on for the New Year, so you can feel confident that The Year of the Dragon will be a mighty one.

Fortune Cocktail: Aperol, Cointreau, Peach & Cava

Cabbage and radish

Sichuan pickled cucumber, shiitake and bamboo shoots (wealth)

White cut chicken with ginger and spring onion oil (happiness)

Shanghai sesame noodles (longevity)

Northern style lamb and fennel dumplings (family unity)

Tea eggs with salted olive and black bean (fertility)

“The most delicious dish under heaven” (money)

Hot, sweet, sour and numbing pork (wishing for a large family)

Chilli, sugar, black vinegar and Sichuan peppercorn

Crispy lucky duck with steamed bread, shallots and hoisin (fidelity)

Steamed king abalone mushroom,garlic stems, chives and ginger (prosperity)

‘Beggar’s Purse’

Where: 10 Bligh Street Sydney NSW 2000
To Book: (02) 8078 1888
Check out more here.

in cider-yer

2012-01-13T17:02:00.000+11:00

We've touched on cider on The Friday Delicious before, but around comes another summer and it really seems like cider is here to stay. Move over beer, the prevalence of more cider brands in the market and more on tap in pubs definitely seems to indicate that consenting adults are choosing cider as a lighter, dryer alternative to beer.

How is it made?

Cider makers take a combination of eating and cider apples, put them through a 'scratting' process (which grinds them down) to form a pommace. This pulp is then pressed and fermented in several stages, the last of which adds a sparkling quality to it and sometimes additional sugar and other flavourings are added. Different varieties form the spectrum from sweet to dry finishes.

Eat it with

Charcuterie and cheese plates - The fruitiness and acidic qualities of cider match well with both cheese (cheddars and semi-hard cheese like Appenzeller as well as Camembert-styles work well) and sliced cured meats (like prosciutto, chorizo and salamis) as the acid cuts through the fattiness and the fruitiness complements brings out the sweeter tones in both.

Spanish food - The Spanish have a long standing tradition with consuming these in tandem...and for good reason. The spiciness of chillies and paprika are tempered by the the flavours and characteristics of cider, which make them best mates.

Pork - Think how well apple sauce goes with roasted pork and you're on the right track. Pork loves things that are a little bit sweet, but acidic enough to cut through the crackling, so pick something with a dry finish to match your next roast or even bangers and mash.

Other appley dishes - Crumbles, cakes, oh my. While it's a bit of a no brainer that apples go with apples, a cider that's more dry than sweet will work well with the sweetness of dessert without sending you into a diabetica coma.

...and things that don't work as well:

- Chocolate
- Cheese that are too strong, like Stilton or more pungent blue cheeses
- Dishes that are overly tomato-based (too much acidity)

A few to try:

Bulmers Original - Ireland
Monteiths - New Zealand
The Hills Apple Cider - South Australia
Henney's Dry Cider - UK

vietnamese dreams

2012-01-06T16:31:00.001+11:00

I'm going to come right out and say it: I like visiting Ikea. Yes, the hoards of screaming children and their tired looking parents dragging their limbs are somewhat offputting, but the upside to driving to Tempe is Marrickville and its many Vietnamese treasures.

Driving down Marrickville or Illawarra Road, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd been transported to somewhere in Hanoi, with its never ending variety of Asian grocers, butchers and eateries. Here are a couple you should know about:

PhD Vietnamese Restaurant

You don't need a degree in gastronomy to get why this is one of the most packed Pho houses on Illawarra Road. An old Marrickville favourite that's had a bit of a spit and polish, this establishment used to live a few doors down, under the name Pho Bac Hai Duong.

There's a comprehensive list of Vietnamese favourites including juicy sugarcane prawns, a respectable Vietnamese pancake (prawns, pork and squid, stuffed inside a crisp pancake with mung beans, mint and a little chilli) but the main event here for most is the Pho. Though it comes in various forms, beef, or any iteration of, is a clear winner with the crowd. The soup stock is a complete assault on the tastebuds - big, bold flavours for such a humble clear broth. The beef is served still pink, cooking in the soup as you eat it and though it looks relatively innocent, the regular size will be enough to conquer the most voracious appetite. All this for $9...not half bad.

Where: 308 Illawarra Road, Marrickville

Banh Mi Thit Vietnamese Pork Roll

Save for the bright red awning (and around lunchtime, the string of people lining up outside), you'd be forgiven for blinking and missing this hole in the wall. There's something to be said for a business knowing what their core function is and doing it well - that's Banh Mi Thit to a tee. There are several variations on the famous Vietnamese pork roll here, including one with tuna, another with BBQ pork and a chicken option, but the true star is the straight up pork roll, with chilli. A freshly baked Vietnamese roll, crusty on the outer, soft on the inner, spread with homemade pate and lard, topped with several different pork products (best not to know), shallots, coriander, pickles, chilli and soy. There's no seating, there'll be a queue, but who cares? It's $4 well spent time and time again. Tip: Pick up a few, and head to the park and enjoy them in the sunshine.

Where: 236a Illawarra Road, Marrickville

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Ricepaper

Ok, so this last entry isn't in Marrickville, but it's worthy of mention as a new venue worth checking out. Taking up residence nearby Newtown stalwart Thanh Binh (legends), this new kid on the block is going to put up a good fight for best Vietnamese feed in the neighbourhood. Slick interiors and friendly service are the precursor to fresh produce, authentic flavours and solid bang for your buck. The caramelised pork hot pot is a real winner and the savoury pancake is also worth a look in. The humid weather of late means the shredded green papaya salad with tangy chilli vinaigrette, coral prawns and crunchy peanuts is a definite pick, too.

Where: 131 King Street, Newtown

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P.s. If you would like anything investigated on your behalf for The Friday Delicious, hit up the contact page and send through your burning questions!

new in town, just in time for summer

2011-12-16T15:06:00.004+11:00

Sydney's weather may not be playing nice, but that doesn't mean you have to haunt your old favourites this summer when there are plenty of amazing new restaurants and bars to check out.

Neild Avenue

Terry Durack says one of the biggest trends of the year is the kebab. It's a bit of a bold statement, but it's definitely obvious that fire, meat, sizzle and spice are all things we consider..er, nice. We're the land of the BBQ after all (aren't we?). So enter Neild Avenue - fronted by Maurizio Terzini (Icebergs, North Bondi Italian) and Robert Marchetti, the idea is a cross cultural blend of flavours, from Lebanese to Greek and Italian, but it's far less confused than it sounds. Start with expertly cured salumi, smokey Afgani flatbreads and kebabs: no, not your average corner store number, but variations including hand-minced meats seasoned with garlic and sprinkled cracked wheat, skewered on an impressively dramatic sword and served with fresh and spicy accompaniments like sumac onions, grilled chillis and cooling yoghurt.

Great for groups, Neild Avenue is tipped to be the 'must be seen' place this summer, so be prepared to queue for your BBQ. Just make sure you do it in Opening Ceremony heels and Alexander Wang threads.

Honeycomb

What do you get when you take a well-regarded Sydney chef, apopular neighbourhood restaurant site and add a new venture? Apparently exactlythe same thing. This may sound odd, butwhen the chef in question is Café Sopra’s Andy Bunn, and the new venturepromises more of the same tasty, unpretentious and uncomplicated cuisine he’sbecome renowned for, this is a very good thing, Sydney. Don’t know who he is?Well if you’ve ever fallen in love with Sopra’s banoffee pie, shredded cabbagesalad with balsamic or one of many killer pastas, guess what? You’re already aconvert. Tucked at the bottom of Liverpool Street in the old Phamish/Koi site,near stalwarts Buon Ricordo and Bill’s, with a bevy of new projects sproutingup nearby, it’s an eating precinct to keep your eye on. Featuring golden-huedlight fixtures and hexagonal wooden touches, this is one chic looking hive inwhich to kick back and enjoy the talents of this Sydney treasure.

354 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst

Breakfast, Lunch

Dinner Thursday – Saturday

The Baxter Inn

Fans of obscure Melbournesque-bars, you may have just met your match. Darlinghurst's Shady Pines boys may just have outdone themselves with their latest bar, The Baxter Inn. Technically a street address should lead you to the right location, however it's much easier to do this: Walk across the road from Redoak microbrewery on Clarence Street, walk down the long lane way which takes you to a seedy spot between some high rises. In the right hand corner, there's a stairwell, which leads to Baxter Inn's front door. Do that, or go with someone who's been before.

Inside, you'll find more of the same cool 'tude we've come to know and love from Shady Pines, along with great cocktails, a strong suit in whisky/whiskey/scotch and bourbon as well as an appropriately old-school atmosphere.

Make sure you bring a GPS, after a few drinks, you might need some help finding your way home.

154 Clarence Street, Sydney

Monday - Saturday 4pm - 1am

www.thebaxterinn.com

Restaurant no-shows should plate up or shut up

2011-12-12T11:21:00.001+11:00

A recent article by Simon Thomsen in The Punch described a restaurateur's dilemma when it comes to no shows and last minute cancelled bookings. What many punters don't understand is that bookings dictate how a restaurant is run. From how many staff to put on, to ordering food stock, the system of booking exists not only so the punter is guaranteed a table, but also so a restaurant can plan how their business will run.

Behaviour such as booking multiple restaurants at the same time and then deciding on the night which one you'll go to, not turning up to a booking, or cancelling at the last minute is not only unconscionable, but impacts on the livelihood of others. For the full article, click here.

3 food books for christmas

2011-12-02T12:18:00.001+11:00

It's December already - a notion that renders people confused as to what the hell just happened with the year and how it could possibly be Christmas in 23 days time. Each year, people make a commitment to getting all their Christmas shopping out of the way early and each year, people are still scrambling to get their shopping done on Christmas eve.

If you're a keen bean and are already powering your way through the 'nice' list, here are a few cookbook ideas for the cook in your life:

Heston At Home

Just dropping in book stores around the country at the moment, it's safe to say not many people have a copy of this new tome by the sultan of strange science-y food, Heston Blumenthal. Don't worry, you don't need a bunsen burner to carry out these recipes, just common sense and a keen palate for flavour. What's great about this book is that it covers the basics beautifully - the kind of things that, if you get right, make a meal great instead of good. Things like how to nail the perfect stock, right through to those famous triple cooked potato fries. Not only that, but it explains why things work the way they do. A brand new kitchen essential.

$65.00, out through Bloomsbury in all good book shops.

Rockpool

Recently, industry legend Neil Perry put out his very beautiful, heavy, sexy looking Rockpool Bar & Grill book. All to often, cook books are beautiful, heavy things to admire from afar, but live more often on a coffee table than in a kitchen. More than a cook book, Rockpool Bar & Grill is a collected tome of essential information about produce, how and why to cook it like it should be cooked but most of all, it makes you want to get into the kitchen and give it a go. The photography is pared back, simple and moody, and, like Heston At Home, it takes the essential information about what makes food good and makes it accessible for the home cook. Yes, the recipe for the famous David Blackmore wagyu burger is in there, but it's the simple things like recipes for anchovy butter, stocks and mayo that'll become kitchen staples for life.

$79.95, out through Murdoch Books

Great, Grand & Famous: Champagnes

The next part in the Great, Grand & Famous series, this bubbly little number is great for anyone who wants to know just what makes Champagne the king of all sparkling wines and why Champagne is only Champagne if it's from Champagne. Curated by a couple of Champagne experts including Twitter's @champagnejayne, it's a journey into the stories of the great Champagne houses, the people who helped make it great and the science and artistry behind it all. A beautiful coffee table book full of vintage art and popular culture moments where the bubbles were the 'the thing'.

$80.00, out through Arbon Publishing

summer wino

2011-11-25T15:02:00.001+11:00

Yes, cider seems the drink of choice among the twentysomething to somethingsomething set, but at some point we need to grow up and at least know a thing or two about wine. Or at least fake it. Here's a cheat sheet to some lesser known varietals that will make summer a whole lot better.

Fiano
Fiano is an ancient white Italian grape variety that comes mainly from the regional of Campania and Puglia in the south of Italiy. As with much produce that comes from the south (olive oil, for example), the flavours are traditionally really full of character. Outside of Italy, Australian producers have been cultivating Fiano for a little while, particularly in McLaren Vale in SA.

Color: Light straw yellow with gold hues
Nose: Fruity (ripe fruits, pear, apple), floral (honey)
Palate: Medium to full bodied
Eat it with: BBQ'd seafood, pasta, perfect for an Italian feast!

Vermentino
While it's not entirely certain where Vermentino comes from, wine historians say that it's most likely to have come from the Spanish Pyrenees and brought into Italy through the Spanish during the 1300s. Others say it's native to Sardinia from around the same time. Regardless, it's one of Italy's most important white grapes and is grown in Liguria, Tuscany and Sardinia.

Color: Straw yellow with green tones
Nose: Fruity (lemon, hazelnut), vegetal, mineral
Palate: Crisp and savory balanced with softness and good alcohol. Medium body and a slightly bitter finish.

Eat it with: Anything from pork to seafood, this is one white wine that can run with some nice strong flavours, as well as antipasto.

Albariño
Albariño is another white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and north west Portugal. Like many amazing alcoholic things, it was presumably brought to Iberia by Cluny monks in the twelfth century. These days, in the new world, it's also produced on the west coast of the USA and in Australia.

Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Soft white stone fruit, green apple, pears and peaches
Palate: Medium weight, crisp, great with food
Eat it with: Tapas! A Spanish wine that's enjoyed when young, it's great with seafood but can stand up to garlic and stronger flavours found in Spanish food.

the future laboratory

2011-11-25T10:42:00.001+11:00

What has the past decade told us about the way we live, operate, consume and create? The Future Laboratory has always set a benchmark for identifying key moments in the evolution of our decisions as consumers, thinkers and creators, so here's what happened to us these past ten years:

The Future Laboratory - Trend Briefing Oct 2011 from Andy Baker on Vimeo.

stop it, you're doing it badly

2011-11-16T10:10:00.001+11:00

The importance of simplicity and specificity when using Twitter

Over the past few weeks, I've attended a few media events who in their preamble, have recognised social media's presence - the fact that people will be checking in, tweeting or instagraming while in attendance. These events were also progressive enough to think of providing social media-savvy guests with the necessary tools (hashtags, handles) in order to generate a parallel online conversation to the offline event.

While it's great to see social media integration recognised for its effectiveness (or at least presence), there is no point doing it if you're doing it badly. Here are a few things I have noticed, Sydney.

Most people still don't know the difference between a Twitter 'handle' and a 'hashtag'. It's really very simple: A 'handle' is another word for 'username'. It's the name by which you are represented and referenced in the Twittersphere. A 'hashtag' is any word or series of words(withnospaces) prefaced by the '#' symbol. The '#' categorises or marks for reference a topic of conversation, like #FoodFilms, or #ShitMyDadSays.

Further to this, there is no point:

Creating a handle that is so long or complicated that nobody will remember it. How can anyone remember @ConfXbitArtSumm2011? Clearly the longer Twitter is alive, the greater the likelihood your first preference will already be taken, but if you have trouble coming up with something memorable, hire a digital copywriter to come up with some options for you. Or ask for feedback from people outside of your ConfXbitArtSumm2011 for their opinion on whether they'd remember it.

Using a hashtag that is too general. For example, #food. You might as well use #forgettable or worse, #untraceable: It's not specific enough to actually register any definable interest or conversation in a space where millions of people will be using that same hashtag to reference or describe a billion other things. Where public events are concerned, if you're looking for effective (and traceable) conversation, pick something simple, but specific. The likelihood of someone using #SydArtSummit (instead of #art, for example) for anything other than a Sydney Art Summit is unlikely. And while you can't own a hashtag, the likelihood of other people using it is slim.

Social media is dynamic, conversational and fun. But if you want to take it beyond those things and actually make it effective, relevant and traceable, simple tips like these will at least steer you in the right direction.

buy meat like a pro

2011-11-04T17:06:00.003+11:00

There's a lot to be said for buying meat properly. No, I don't mean in neat rows of tightly wrapped plastic containers in the supermarket, but from people who actually know where your meat comes from and how it's gotten from the paddock to your plate. A great butcher is someone you want to have a relationship with. Not only will you get great quality, but when it comes to needing something less common, or cut a certain way, you need look no further.

Here's the reality: You may fantisise about restaurants having direct and passionate relationships with producers, going direct to the farm gate for your beef (if advertisements by KFC and a certain 'celebrity' (who?) chef has anything to say about it), but the truth is that no chef or restaurateur has that kind of time.
If you want to shop like a pro (for real), here are three suppliers you need to know about:

Feather & Bone

If you want to know where your meat comes from, the guys from Feather and Bone are the guys to know. Started by Grant Hilliard in 2006, the company have strong relationships with their producers and make a point of knowing everything there is to know about the meat they sell. Supplying restaurants like Rockpool, Red Lantern and Sean's Panaroma, whether it's a whole goat or a shoulder of lamb, pork belly or just a really good chook, these guys can tell you exactly how the animal has lived and been processed to get to you. Based in Rozelle, there are regular open days and delivery to most Sydney areas, you'd be hard pressed to find a more passionate bunch.

Factory 1
2-8 Parsons Street
Rozelle, Sydney NSW 2039
Tel: 02 9818 2717
Fax: 02 9818 3506
http://www.featherandbone.com.au/

Urban Food Market

Tim Elwin is a social media mogul. The transition from mobile marketing guru to sustainable meat supplier to some of Sydney's best restaurants hasn't been an easy one, but the proof, as they say, is in the eating. Urban Food Market sources sustainable, mostly organic meat from small suppliers around Australia, and each Saturday, the warehouse becomes a humming bazaar, using global flavours to showcase the possibilities of the brilliant produce he sources. Not only can you find Thirlmere chickens, Esk River pork and dry aged, organic grass fed beef, but all the condiments, fruit and vegetable produce you need to get the job done once you're at home. A home cook's dream.

1/168 Victoria Road
Marrickville NSW 2204
(02) 9516 0601
http://www.urbanfoodmarket.com.au/

Vic's Meat

Starting in 2006 with a store in Paddington, the Puharich family know a thing or two about meat. With their sparkling jewel of a store on Woollahra's Queen Street and a restaurant supply business that sees them visit most of Sydney's top restaurants, the real secret for consumers is their once monthly Meat Market open days at their head warehouse in Mascot, where you can try as well as buy prime cuts and delicious bits for the barbeque.

Find out more at their website. The next is on November 12.

10 Merchant St
http://www.vicsmeatmarketday.com.au/
www.vicsmeat.com.au/

how to make a vertical pallet garden

2011-10-23T12:28:00.005+11:00

For a lot of us, the urban existence we choose means that there's less real estate for gardens and greenery. Over the past year or so, I've been fascinated with the popularity of vertical gardens and while there are quite a few ready made solutions that are more affordable than the original trailblazers, it isn't too hard to make one yourself. It's a perfect solution for getting rid of pots and creating more ground space, and takes just a couple of hours to assemble. Using a salvaged wooden pallet, some weed mat, a staple gun and a few simple bits and pieces, you can create vertical greenery to turn a balcony or small courtyard into a low maintenance oasis. My pallet garden above, consists of edibles above (sage, oregano, creeping thyme, variegated garlic, plus some pyrethium to discourage pests, a row of grass, and some succulents I've been growing in pots. Here's how you can make your own:

You will need:

1 wooden pallet - make sure it's not chemically treated if you're going to plant edibles
1 piece of MDF cut to the dimensions of the pallet. Your hardware store should be able to do this for you.
Roll of weed mat, a 5m roll is plenty
100kg of potting mix
Small potted plants (enough to compact them in to stop the dirt falling out)
Nails
A box of staples for your staple gun. Longer staples are better.

A basic tool kit:

Hammer
Staple Gun
Sandpaper

1. Use sandpaper to smooth any rough edges, particularly between the spaces where you'll be planting. Nothing worse than splinter rage.

2. Measure a length of weed mat that will cover the back and three sides of the pallet, leaving the top open. Ensuring the mat is pulled taut, staple the edges to seal the mat to the pallet. Trim the edges so everything looks neat.

3. Nail the MDF to the back, over the top of the weed mat, to reinforce the structure.

4. Cut an additional piece of weed mat and staple to the open side, which will be the top of your garden. This will prevent soil from falling out while the pallet is flat on the ground. You'll remove it later, once the pallet is mounted on the wall.

5. Fill the pallet with soil, ensuring it is evenly distributed.

6. Plan the design of your plants and carefully place them into the gaps, making sure that they're densely compacted enough to stop the soil from falling out once you've mounted it.

7. Water everything in with seaweed solution and leave your plants to take root for a few days before you go vertical.

8. Once your plants have had a chance to settle in, carefully mount your pallet garden, using the appropriate fastenings for your situation (remember you're dealing with about 120kgs of weight, so be careful!

9. When the pallet is mounted, remove the weed mat from the top of the structure and you can choose to plant additional greenery on top.

10. That's it! The beauty of a vertical garden is that gravity will feed the water down to all the plants, meaning less water is wasted.

P.s. If you end up making your own, post a picture - I'd love to see what you did!

unusual things to do with usual food

2011-10-14T17:42:00.003+11:00

Occasionally, I like to seek suggestions from friends as to what to talk about on The Friday Delicious. This generally happens when I am a) hungover b) overworked or c) did I say hungover? This week, my friend Danielle, a gal about town who loves to eat out, but is only just getting around to discovering cooking, told me about (in her mind) a strange combination she had been told to try- caramelised balsamic vinegar and vanilla ice cream. It's true, it's great! So this week is dedicated to unusual food combinations that work.

Balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is one of those magical ingredients you should always have in your cupboard. It's great on salads and gives great depth of flavour to marinades, too. Made from a concoction of cooked down (usually Trebbiano) grapes, rather than vinegar, it has a rich, tangy, sweet flavour. Oddly, it does an amazing thing when paired with strawberries - the flavours become more zingy and delicious than the two taste separately. Macerate strawberries in balsamic vinegar by chopping the strawberries into pieces, drizzling with the vinegar, a sprinkle of raw sugar and chopped mint and allow to sit for an hour. And don't forget to try caramelised balsamic on vanilla ice cream... it's a bit like treacle.

Star Anise

While start anise is often thought of as an Asian ingredient, it has the property of being able to intensify the flavour of meat, something Fat Duck chef slash science boffin Heston Blumenthal widely attests to. When braising or stewing meat, use a combination of lightly caramelised onions and star anise as the base and be prepared for rave reviews. Great for Bolognaise or stews. Read more about it here.

Sugar

I was once cooking spaghetti Bolognaise at home with a friend. When I went to put in a teaspoon of sugar into the sauce, he freaked out, thinking I had mistook the sugar for the salt. Fair point, but I did do it on purpose. Sugar and tomatoes are best friends - in fact, sugar brings out and balances the flavour and acidity of tomato, so next time you're making a tomato-based sauce, sprinkle a little sugar and be amazed at the difference.

new generation wine competition

2011-10-14T14:35:00.006+11:00

On Friday 21 October at 6pm, the New Generation Hunter Valley wine guys will be dropping into Sydney and setting up a gigantic pop up bar in a secret location (hint: it's somewhere in the east of the city). Not your usual wine tasting, it's more like the kind of party you wish you were invited to more often.

When: 6pm – 9pm, Friday 21 October 2011
Where: Secret inner Sydney location
How: Location revealed only to registrants in week prior to event
Cost: $30

Thanks to the New Generation guys, there are two double passes up for grabs, worth $60 each.

To enter, simply answer in 25 words or less what your favourite Hunter Valley wine varietal is and why. Leave your answer as a comment on this blog post and you'll be contacted if you're a winner!

sunday night dining in sydney

2011-10-08T17:40:00.004+11:00

People are forever asking me what mid-high end restaurants are open on Sundays, so this post is dedicated to them. Obviously there are others (so don't get your knickers in a knot), but you'd do worse than to start here:

Four in Hand Dining Room
105 Sutherland Street
Paddington New South Wales 2021
(02) 9326 2254
www.fourinhand.com.au

The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay
Ferry Road
Glebe NSW 2037
(02) 9518 9011
Hours: Sun, Thu-Sat 12:00-10:00pm; Mon Closed; Tue-Wed 6:00-10:00pm
www.boathouse.net.au

Bistro Moncur
116 Queen Street
Woollahra NSW 2025
(02) 9363 2519
www.woollahrahotel.com.au

Glass Brasserie
2/488 George Street, Sydney
(02) 9265 6068
www.glassbrasserie.com.au

Icebergs Dining Room
1 Notts Ave
Bondi Beach NSW 2026
(02) 9365 9000
Hours: Sun 12:00-3:00pm, 6:30-9:00pm; Mon Closed; Tue-Sat 12:00-3:00pm, 6:30-10:30pm
www.icebergs.com.au

Ms. G's
155 Victoria Street
Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9240 3000
www.merivale.com

Otto Ristorante
8/6 Cowper Wharf Rd
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
(02)9368 7488
www.ottoristorant.com.au

Quay
Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, 5 Hickson Road
The Rocks New South Wales 2000
(02)9251 5600Hours: Sun-Mon, Sat 6:00-10:00pm; Tue-Fri 12:00-2:30pm, 6:00-10:00pm
www.quay.com.au

Red Lantern
545 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02)9698 4355
www.redlantern.com.au

China Doll
6 Cowper Wharf Rd
Woolloomooloo New South Wales 2011
(02) 9380 6744
www.chinadoll.com.au

Aria
1 Macquarie Street
Sydney
(02)9252 2555
www.aria.com.au

North Bondi Italian Food
118-120 Ramsgate Avenue
North Bondi NSW 2026
http://www.idrb.com/northbondi/

SIFF BBQ Madness

2011-10-08T12:03:00.001+11:00

Last week's BBQ Madness event at Pyrmont Growers Markets for the Crave Sydney International Food Festival was epic. In case you were wondering what $20 gets you, here's a taste. Thanks to Lauren Murdoch for letting me play on her BBQ stall.

Lamb on the spit by David Tanis, Chez Panisse

Alex Herbert (Bird Cow Fish)'s vegetarian converting lamb-ingtons

by Jowett Yu (Ms G's)

Martin Boetz (Longrain) Veal shin in coconut broth

Lauren Murdoch (Felix)'s slow roasted lamb shoulder with mixed grains

sydney in season: october

2011-10-07T17:04:00.005+11:00

"There's no produce like spring produce"...isn't that how the song goes? While it's true that all seasonal vegetables are special in their own right, there's something about supple green tasty things sprouting out of the slowly warming earth that's pretty darn special. Over the past few weeks, we've looked at new bars, tours and restaurants, so this week, it's time to pay homage to Sydney seasonal produce in October. Here are three in season ingredients and how to choose and use them.

1. Artichokes

Globe artichokes can look a little intimidating in their whole, fresh form - it all looks a little hospitable on the outside..and often (unless they're seriously tiny and fresh), they are. A member of the thistle family, the part of the artichoke you're actually eating is the flower.

Look for: small to medium bulbs with tight 'petals'.

How to cook: 1. Peel away most of the outer petals, until you start to reach the paler centre. 2. Chop off the tips of the petals at the top. 3. Halve the artichoke and use a teaspoon to scoop out the hairy looking bit in the middle (the choke). 4. Rub all cut surfaces with lemon juice to prevent discolouration and pop them in a bowl of water until you're ready to cook them. Make sure they don't touch aluminium or iron surfaces as these can make them discolour too. 5. Boil for 20-30 minutes in water, until they become tender.

How to eat them: Great tossed in a frypan with garlic and bacon, and they can also be preserved in jars in brine to be added later to salads.

Stefano Manfredi's tomatos with white bean puree and artichokes at Bell's at Killcare

2. Broadbeans

Like many beans, these little guys have received such a bad wrap over the years for being soggy and tasteless, purely because people tend to overcook them. Prolific through this time of the year, they're a cheap and tasty way of adding colour and interest to pastas, salads and more. And they're super easy to grow, so pop some in your garden!

Look for: Bright green pods that are intact and undamaged.

How to cook: Peel open the pod with your fingers and pop the beans out. If they're young, you can even leave the skin on and just cook the whole thing. Older broad beans, once removed from the pod need to be shelled by using your fingernail to break open the outer skin and discarding. Blanch in boiling water for thirty seconds and refresh in cold water. Add to a pasta or salad.

How to eat: Try a broad bean bruschetta: 1. Rub slices of sourdough bread with garlic and pop them under the grill. 2. Once golden, remove and top with broad beans, mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper and some shaved pecorino (you can add some truffle oil for something a bit luxe).

3. Kaffir lime leaves

Image sourced from here: http://www.uni-graz.at/

Used a lot in Malaysian, Indonesian and Thai cooking, Kaffir lime leaves are brilliant for imparting a unique aromatic citrus zest to savoury foods. The fruit is characteristically bumpy and warty looking and the leaves grown in doubles, making them look like little green hour glasses. Like any aromatic, you can finely chop them when cooking, or leave them whole to impart flavour (just remember to remove them before serving!)

Look for: Bright green leaves with no marks or imperfections. You will be able to find them in most fruit and veg grocers already washed and packed into bunches.

How to: Remove the centre vein from the leaf (too tough to eat) and the finely slice, tear or add whole into soups, stews, curries or sauces for a tasty citrus kick.

Eat it: They're great when steaming fish (pop on in the parcel) and in fish cakes to balance the seafood flavour.

SIFF picks

2011-09-30T19:54:00.001+10:00

It's October (yep, already). This time of the year means several things:

1. Men with various shaped balls, running around on television

2. Slightly erratic weather

3. A whole bunch of food-related stuff happening around Sydney

That's right, it's the Crave Sydney International Food Festival. So here's the pick of the litter this year:

1. BBQ Madness

Every year, the Pyrmont Growers Market presents a cook-off like no other - several of Sydney's best chefs creating delicious dishes while you watch the action from your front row seat. This year, the line up includes The Table Sessions (and TOYS collective member) Darren Robertson, Alex Herbert (Bird Cow Fish), Martin Boetz (Longrain), Kylie Kwong and more...as well as international chef David Tanis from the legendary Chez Panisse.

...and apparently me. Well, that's to say, a bunch of food writers and bloggers including myself have been enlisted as lackies to help out tomorrow...so come down and say hello!

The BBQ madness runs from 8.30am - 12.00pm in 25 minute sessions.

Where: Pyrmont Growers Markets
When: Tomorrow morning!
Cost: $20

More info here.

2. Breakfast on the beach

This one's for you, earlybirds. A brand new event for the festival, we've seen dawn choruses, even yoga, but this year there will be food. Intended to be a community-focused, BYO breaky on the golden sand at Bondi Beach, you can buy your breaky from stalls on the promenade, or your own hamper from home and chill out while enjoying the sunshine, music and celebrity chef appearances by Bill Granger and more.

Where: Bondi Beach
When: October 23 from sunrise
Cost: Free

3. Shoot The Chef

Each year, professional and amateur photographers snap photos of chefs, in a bid to win the now famous Shoot the Chef competition. There have been photos of chefs eating random raw food, chefs covered in flour, naked chefs and chefs shooting journalists! This year, the finalists showcased were beautifully simple, elegant and artfully shot, no trickery here. Check out the finalists at the Chifley Plaza over the next couple of weeks, maybe before heading to the Night Noodle Markets!

Where: Chifley Plaza
When: October 5-28, Mon-Sat; Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm, Sat 9.30-4pm
Cost: Free

More: Click here.

spring

2011-09-23T18:14:00.000+10:00

While the nights are still cool, the mood in Sydney, along with the weather has hotted up, which can mean only one thing (aside from global warming)...Summer is on its way!

It's time to head outdoors, start reaping the best of the spring vegetables, enjoy the sunshine and of course, brilliant food and drink.

This week's FBi segment is a mixed bag of food experiences worth checking out:

Sydney Entertainment Quarter's 5th Annual Spring Food and Wine Festival

If the sound of smooth, smooth jazz, along with delicious food and wine floats your boat, then you had best be off to Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter this weekend. Showcasing some of Australia's favourite wineries including Tamburlaine Organic Wines and Tulloch, there will be tastings as well as cooking demonstrations featuring past Master Chef winners. Regardless of whether you're a reality television tragic or not, entry is free and tasting glasses and tokens are available for purchase once you're inside.

Entry is free and tasting glasses and tokens are available for purchase at the event.

Details:

This Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th from 11am - 5pm on the EQ Showring
Click here for more info

Sustainable Cycle? Ride On

So many great food initiatives are coming from Sydney's youth these days, which is awesome. We know what interests our peers and ourselves, so if you can't find an event you like, why not create it yourself?

The Ride On Lunch program is hosted by the Youth Food Movement and celebrates local produce. Supported by Eveleigh Market, they're conducting a cycle around Sydney's inner city suburbs in which you can meet producers at Eveleigh Farmers' Market, tour a local community garden and a sustainable eco-property. It's about sharing food, ideas, and the city together, so if you have a bike and a helmet, this one is well worth checking out. Apparently you can even learn how to make a smoothie using your bike!

Details:

When: October 15
Cost: $17, click here to book:
For more info, contact Alexandra Girdwood on 0423 175 654 or email yfmsydney@gmail.com.

The Youth Food Movement is a broad-based collective of young people with a strong interest in food and sustainability. For more information, please visit www.yfmsydney.wordpress.com/events/.

Walking Dessert Tour

Saving the best for last, if the idea of an afternoon wandering around Darlinghurst and Kings Cross eating delicious sweets makes you "ooh", then you need to know about Eddie. A bonafide travel tour guide, he's created a dessert tasting experience kind of like a pub crawl (just replace 'booze' with 'sugar').

In around 3 hours, you'll experience 8 amazing dessert dream destinations and best of all, you're walking between them, which has to count for something, right?

From gelato to pastry and Greek sweets, it's all here.

Details:

When: This Sunday, 25 September
Where: Starts in Kings Cross at 1pm
Cost: $39
Click here for more information
Bookings are essential:
eddie@dessertlovers.com.au or call 0406109996

fooderati speaks (perish the thought)

2011-09-20T14:23:00.002+10:00

So apparently I'm speaking this Thursday night at Surry Hills Library on the topic of food writing, alongside my SMH Good Food Shopping Guide cohorts Helen Greenwood and Merelyn Franks (sans the beautiful Carli Ratcliff who is in Champagne writing about...well, Champagne).

With 3 very different backgrounds, it should be an interesting talk..and at the very least, come and say hello before I embarrass myself stupid. Click here for more info.

When: Thursday 22 September from 18.00 to 19.00

Where: Surry Hills Library, 405 Crown Street Surry Hills 2010 Venue details

Cost: Free. Nada.

Website: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/library

More Info:

City of Sydney Library
Library Staff
8374-6230
library@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

New bars and pop up stars

2011-09-16T16:57:00.000+10:00

Sydney's casino grand opening may have caught the headlines week, but if you weren't one of the 250 VIP guests partying with Leo last night, here are some other ways to feel cool about going out this week:

The Drummer

'Miranda Otto' and the 'Sydney dining scene' don't seem like two things that go together, unless you count glamourous restaurant openings and the like. Nevertheless, Otto has teamed up as a mentor on the American Express Room For Thought community ideas project, in which winner Elle Formica (with help from Otto Ristorante) will put together a pop up restaurant from September 14-16. The restaurant will highlight Sudanese and Burmese food, where trained chefs will work alongside refugees from each of those countries to help them gain experience in hospitality as well as to highlight more serious social commentary. This evening is the last night of the pop up restaurant, so check it out by calling 8333 0010.

When: Wed 14–Fri 16 Sept | 7am–10pm
Where: 72 Erskine St, Sydney
Phone: (02) 8333 0010
Details: Look up Room For Thought on Facebook

Hinky Dinks

Serious cocktail lovers should head to Hinky Dinks, a new bar in Darlinghurst, where the only thing serious is the technical know-how to make a damn fine drink. Named after Michael ‘Hinky
Dink’ Kenna, a corrupt Chicago politician who owned a bar and used to give away
drinks to the homeless in exchange for votes, it's a nod to the seedy (dare I say it) underbelly of this part of the world. Gangstas and technically-driven cocktails aside, it's a super cute retro-inspired space that's geared for fun, frivolity and if Leif Etournard (ex Onde, who consulted on the menu) has anything to do with it, some damn fine food, too.

185 Darlinghurst Rd Darlinghurst 2010
8084 6379
www.hinkydinks.com.au

Mrs. Sippy

Double Bay. Not the first place you think of for cutting edge bar culture, but think again. Opening about two weeks ago, Mrs. Sippy brings a touch of vibrant fun back to fading 80's glory that is Double Bay with it's multifunctional cafe/diner/bar space. By day, it's all about Campos coffee, and simple, tasty breakfast and lunch dishes and by night, Mrs. Sippy's laneway and couryard bars open to allow plenty of cocktail swilling and wine toting, as well as a relaxed menu including pizzas, steak frites with cafe de Paris butter and banofee banana splits (YUM). The place is owned by a group of four hospitality industry lifers including Andrew 'AJ' Jamieson, sommellier extraordinare...so you know the list is bangin'.

7 Bay St. Double Bay, NSW Australia, 2028
9362 3321
www.mrssippy.com.au

bread for good

2011-09-05T15:31:00.001+10:00

A few weeks ago, my dear friend Helen Greenwood started a campaign in aid of UNICEF's efforts to help the two million starving children in East Africa. To help is so very simple.

Restaurants: All it requires it to encourage customers to donate $2 or more when ordering bread, for just one week.

Diners, foodies: A donation, passing on the news, or just your support on Twitter is awesome.

Below is a note from Helen, please read, absorb, act and pass it on.

We're so very lucky to have such small worries in comparison to whether our children or friend's children will survive the day, so I hope this communication falls on compassionate ears.

The Horn of Africa is witnessing the worst drought and the worst famine in the world at the moment.

I know that Australians who are living in the horn of plenty can help.

So that’s why I came up with the Bread For Good campaign.

Restaurateurs will ask their diners to donate for their bread for one week and the money will go to UNICEF to help two million children facing starvation in East Africa.

From September 16, diners can donate $2 for the bread they order in a restaurant and that donation will provide a child with three therapeutic meals.

This campaign is an initiative by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and is being supported by editorial and advertising.

Go to www.breadforgood.com.au to register and be involved. Follow the campaign on #breadforgood and twitter breadforgood.

Almost 12.4 million people, more than half the Australian population, are affected by the devastating crisis.

A child is dying every 6 minutes.

We need the support of restaurateurs like you to make a tremendous difference in those children’s lives.

Helen Greenwood

Good Living writer and journalist, The Sydney Morning Herald

father's day 2011

2011-09-02T16:56:00.000+10:00

No, not 'dude food', we're talking about 'dad food' this week. With Father's Day looming (this Sunday), it's time to talk food-related tactics. Whether it's a butchery class or a classic Sunday roast, we've got you covered.

Meat Magic

That palace of all things carnivorous, Victor Churchill is not just an awesome butcher and purveyor of brilliant smallgoods, but a classroom as well. Catering to anyone who's interested in how to butcher, cure, cook and carve, there's a series of classes perfect for dads of all abilities - even those whose idea of a perfectly cooked steak includes a layer of charcoal.

Upcoming classes include sausage making, butchery, as well as how to do your finished product justice with the flames, click here to check it out and book.

Victor Churchill

132 Queen Street
Woollahra NSW 2025
(02) 9328 0402
http://www.victorchurchill.com

Pub Grub

I realise I'm making massive sweeping generalisations about what dads like, but I reckon beer probably hits the nail on the head for most. For dads who don't cook, but like a good pub meal and a beer, The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel will probably fit the bill nicely. Sydney’s oldest licensed hotel, The Lord Nelson can be found in The Rocks and is Australia's oldest pub brewery. Featuring cracking pub food, including dishes like braised milk fed South Australian suffolk lamb shoulder with smashed minted peas garlic mash, to herb-rubbed spatchcock with braised leeks and spinach, it's tasty, hearty food that makes for a great Sunday lunch. Leave time to check out the brewery and taste a few best selling ales, to boot.

The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel
19 Kent St, The Rocks
9251 4044
www.lordnelsonbrewery.com

Talk and Taste

It may be a little while off yet, but if your dad fancies himself a bit of a whisky buff (or wants to be), the Crave Festival is a great place to start. During the month-long food festival, taste makers, McIntosh & Bowman are conducting a whisky and cheese tasting workshop. Yep. Whisky. And cheese. Together. Dad will be guided through an impressive list of single malts, ranging from 10 to 21 years, paired with 10 brilliant international and local artisan cheese. Hosted by Alexx Stuart, booze-guru, and Claudia Bowman, respected cheesemonger, you'll not only learn about what makes a great whisky and cheese paring, but the history and stories behind some of the world's best whisky houses.

When: October 13, 7-8.30pm

Cost: $99

Beverages included: An impressive and independent selection of single malts ranging from 10 to 21 years maturation

Click here to read more and to book.

More about other man-friendly booze and food workshops and experiences here.

DIY

And if all that's a bit too much, pick up a BBQ pack from Urbanfoodmarket in Marrickville, suppliers of meat to some of the best restaurants in Sydney. They're open to the public on Saturdays, so jump in!

[TOYS] collective wins The Age Good Food Guide Innovation Award

2011-08-30T15:34:00.003+10:00

[Press release]

[TOYS] collective is proud to announce their first accolade, at The Age Good Food Guide Awards last night in Melbourne. This is the first year the award has been handed out and the entire team - now numbering just over 40 members in two states - are thrilled to be acknowledged by the industry they are so passionate about.

A culmination of efforts by chefs, sommelliers, front of house, cocktail bartenders and other creative professionals within the food industry, [TOYS] exists to create a community environment in which healthy competition, the sharing of ideas and support can contribute to the positive growth of the food industry.

[TOYS] wishes to thank their friends, mentors and sponsors, including San Pellegrino, Plumm Vintage, Australian Pork, Regal Salmon, Fisheads, Endeavour Beer, Murdoch Produce and many more for their ongoing support of the program, and most importantly, the brave dining public who allow [TOYS] to create, excite and push the culinary envelope.

what's on

2011-08-19T23:00:00.000+10:00

If it's not a new restaurant popping up, there are other new and exciting food experiences popping up around the traps.

1950's Fair

This weekend, Rose Seidler House dusts of its curtains, puts on the kettle and rolls out the carpet for its annual 1950's fair. Think victory rolls, circle skirts, vintage markets, hot looking cars and festival food. This year, the food stakes get raised a notch as the guys from Porteno and Bodega present their wares. There will reportedly be chilli dogs, pulled pork sambos and a little something for the vegetarians, too, so slick back that hair, pull on those seamed stockings and get ready to rock.

Rose Seidler House
Sunday 21 August
10.00am — 5.00pm
General $25 | Conc/member $20 | Family $70 | Tickets available at the gate

Ultimo Science Festival

Mid August hosts the Ultimo Science Festival, geared getting people down with the business of all things geektastic. Next week, Ultimo TAFE gets set to present a dinner of mollecular gastronomic proportions, applying scientific experimentation and principals to your dinner. It may be a passe term where the food industry is concerned, but screw that - it's a great opportunity to see young chef talent having fun playing with their food.

When: Wednesday 24 August: 6:30pm – 9pm
Where: The Apprentice Restaurant, Ultimo TAFE, Building E, Harris Street
Tickets: $75 per person. This includes wines.
Bookings essential email SydneyTAFE.120years@tafensw.edu.au or call (02) 9217 4133

Global food tour: Fairfield

The Benevolent Society might not be the first organiser you'd think of when it comes to food tours, but who cares. Part of their 'growing communities together' initiative, they have created Taste Tours, which focus on highlighting the colourful and multicultural experiences you can find in your own back yard. Next weekend, they're running a gastronomic tour of Fairfield. You'll discover some brilliant food finds from experts in the know including cuisine from Serbia, Burma, Europe, Afghanistan, Assyria, the Middle East and India...all in one day!

When: August 27, 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $80 per adult, $40 for kids
Book here.

nourishing foods

2011-08-12T18:20:00.000+10:00

When it all gets a little indulgent, it's time to rebalance by focus on the kind of food that's geared towards being good to your system, instead of punching you in the gut (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Nourishing Quarter

On a dining strip that's more well known for meat and booze, it's nice to see that Nourishing Quarter is constantly full of people. Like the name implies, it's all about food that's not only ethically sourced and carefully chosen, it's also really good for you. Featuring ingredients like quinoa grains, chia seeds incorporated into Vietnamese wraps, monastic spring rolls and quinoa congee, there's a South American and Asian flavour in the cooking, which sounds like a strange combination, but works surprisingly well.

315 Cleveland Street
Redfern
http://www.bnourished.com.au

The Suveran

The Suv's menu keeps growing, with an extensive list of soups, burgers, craps (that's crêpe with a German accent, apparently), pizzas and stews that are all soy, dairy, gluten, flour, yeast, tap water, sugar..and nightshade (?!) free. Thank god it's not meat free though, their meaty stews (eat in or handily packaged up to take home) are hearty, rich and aromatic. There are also young coconuts (you put the lime in the coconut) a go-go and supercharged smoothies sure to give you a healthy jolt.

244 Oxford Street
Bondi Junction

Bodhi in the Park

21 years later, this vegan, Asian yum cha joint situated in Hyde Park is still going. While 'vegan' and 'yum cha' may sound like a contradiction, the result is a remarkably good one. No, there are no chicken feet or pork products, two of the hallmarks of any truly great yum cha session, but the steamed beetroot and ginger dumplings, Japanese konyaku noodle in spice tom yum sauce and steamed bbq buns are all winners. Think of it as detox yumcha, where most of the ingredients are organic.

Lower Mezzanine Level of Cook and Philip Park
2-4 College St Sydney
Between St Mary’s Cathedral and the swimming pool
Yum Cha 11am-4pm 7 days
Dinner 5pm-10pm Tue-Sun

new new new

2011-07-29T17:06:00.000+10:00

Honestly, what GFC? Regardless of how many chefs and restaurateurs complain about business being erratic of late, it would seem that it doesn't stop more new restaurants and bars from opening in Sydney. Enter three new cabs off the rank.

Izakaya Fujiyama

If the chef behind the bar looks familiar, it's because you've seen him before...behind another bar. Bodega to be exact. While Kenji-san can crank out a mean dessert, it's his native roots that have spurred him onto opening his own joint. As the name implies, it's Izakaya-style dining, which essentially means food that's meant to be eaten with booze. And there's plenty of it. With a cracking wine and sake list put together by much loved Sydney sommelier Charles Leong, and cocktails by Charles (Chino) Ainsbury, last seen at Duke, this new little Surry Hills joint is sure to bring the boozehounds out. There's KFC on the menu (Kenji's Fried Chicken), a take on karage, plus some supremely sliced sashimi to boot (and we're not just talking salmon, tuna and kingfish). Oishii desu ne!

54-56 Waterloo St
Surry Hills, 2010
(02) 9698 2797

Darlie Laundromatic

Rock'n'roll! Small bars these days are easier to come by than tight jeans in Surry Hills, but it's what we wanted, right? We love them because they're personal, unique and so goddamn tiny that they feel like an extention of your living room. Enter Darlie Laundromatic. Yes, it's an old laundromat. No, you can't do your washing while you booze (though that's a good idea). It's not schmancy, but it is cheap. $5 tinnies of Tsingtao, $6 cleanskin wines and a neat 'lil menu of gourmet sambos and mini hot dogs to boot. And there's rock'n'roll bingo on Tuesday nights. Gotta love that.

304 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, NSW
(02) 8095 0129
www.darlielaundromatic.com

30 Knots

CBD dwellers, take heart. Merivale hasn't abandoned you just yet. Yes, they're buying up pubs in Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, but if you're after a post-work drink in the financial district, all you need to do is set your compass due east (or whatever), and speed up to 30 Knots. Sailor fanciers take note, this is your kinda bar. With nautical decoration a-go-go, you'll feel right at home on your sea legs, with plenty of interesting stuff to keep you going while you sip your cleansing ale (there are around 30 to choose from). And yes, there are fish and chips. It's not quite an old-school pub, with just a tiny bit of Merivale polish evident, but it's a nice respite from some of the big, rowdy bars nearby.

The Grand Hotel
30 Hunter St, Sydney
(92) 9232 3755

drink'n'dine

2011-07-24T19:49:00.000+10:00

Sydney's weather is still rubbish. With most of us needing a snorkel to get to work this week, it's no wonder people don't want to actually leave the house. If the thought of too much downtime at home sounds a bit too scary, think about places you can head to where you don't actually have to leave: A return to an old-school night out, it's all about the pre-dinner cocktail, a leisurely dinner and a nightcap....all in the one space. All the better to keep your shoes dry!

Porteño

That favourite rockabilly posse really have a great thing going over on Cleveland Street. The expansive restaurant houses an asador to keep you warm and some of the city's finest toothsome, deliciously roasted meats (and quite a few vegetarian gems, too). Add to this Gardel's Bar upstairs, the restaurant's new(ish) cocktail bar space, run by some of the best cocktail bartenders in the business. There are plenty of lounges and cosy booths to settle in for the night and listen to some rockin' tunes while you sip your old fashioned and have a punt on the vintage foosball table. (tip: listen out for rare live gigs that take place from time to time).

358 Cleveland Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
www.porteno.com.au

Concrete Blonde

Potts Point seems to be the hotspot for new restaurants to open, with Gastropark and the like sprouting up of late. Concrete Blonde is the next in a round of new places on the Bayswater Road strip and it's a doosy. Like, proper dramatic. Chef Patrick Dank's globetrotting ways have created a menu inspired by American, Japanese and Mediterranean flavours, with dishes like Kentucky Fried Quail, to Prawns with banana guacamole, tomatillo, salmon caviar, spiced popcorn and jalapeno: there's no shortage of interesting flavour combinations here. Add to that a serious cocktail and wine list, arrive early for a pre-dinner drink (Try the signature Concrete Blonde: kumquat and pineapple sage muddled with a dash of sugar, shaken with Belvedere vodka and a splash of pineapple juice, topped with a lychee foam and popping candy) and settle in for the night. Need to dance it all off afterward? With no shortage of nearby clubs, that'll be no problem!

33 Bayswater Road
Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9380 8307

The Carrington

A good night out doesn't have to mean putting on your best stilettos though. The Carrington has just reopened in Surry Hills' Bourke Street and it's been a labour of love for owners Jaime Wirth, Mike Delaney and James Miller, who have been working hard to de-chintz this old faitful pub. Replacing it with something more akin to the pintxos bars in San Sebastian and the kind of proper 'old man pub' that Sydney sadly seems to be losing in droves. Befitting of an awesome pub, the grub is pretty damn fine, featuring dishes by chef Jamie Thomas, with a Spanish-slant. There's slow-roasted goat, platters of chorizo in cider and salt cod croquettes as well as three bars for booze, focused on Spanish varietals and other Iberian classic drinks (Kalimotxos anyone?).

563 Bourke Street
Surry Hills, 2010
www.the-carrington.com.au

run, rockpool, run!

2011-07-21T10:01:00.002+10:00

Chefs. Running. Nope, I didn't think it happened either, but in this case, it's nice to be proven wrong. This year, Rockpool's Neil Perry has pledged to raise $150, 000 to support the Starlight Children's Foundation, which grants wishes to sick children and their families. Each wish costs around $6,000 to grant, so if their goal is reached, Rockpool will be able to support 25 wishes to families who really need a bright spark in their lives. The team are currently sitting at $58, 551.80, so every dollar counts!

Click here to read more and donate.

cocktails for charity

2011-07-20T17:49:00.009+10:00

Food industry collectives always seem to be about chefs, and why let them have all the glory? Enter the Front of House All Stars, a collective of Sydney stalwarts when it comes to perfect service, have come together in aid of Street Smart, a brilliant initiative that helps the homeless.

Featuring John Fink of Quay fame, Sam Christie (Longrain), Poppy Gresson (Coast) and more, team have joined forces with some of the city's best sommeliers to present a glittering cocktail party with a conscience.

The money raised from their next event will go towards homeless projects across Sydney. You know how cold it's been this winter (and that's with a roof over your head and a cosy doona), so spare a thought (and some change) for those less fortunate, and drink up!

When: Tuesday August 9th, 2011. 7.00pm – 11.00pm
Where: Quay, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney
Price: $175
Bookings: Poppy at Coast 02 9267 6700

Retro Bastille Day

2011-07-15T17:03:00.000+10:00

With last week's absence (don't ask), we didn't quite get the jump on yesterday's Bastille Day celebrations and where to have them. So if you missed out on celebrating last night, why not go all Francais this weekend? Given how cold it is, I've come up with 3 hearty options to help you get your 'oui' on.

Tastevin

This Darlinghurst bistro darling has been around for a couple of years and continues to crank out delicious French fare without too much pomp and circumstance. On the current menu, check out their cassoulet of confit duck leg with pork sausage and grilled speck, $33. The dish, a classic from the southern regions of France is a hearty bean stew featuring any combination of sausages, pork belly, confit duck and other deliciously slow cooked meats. Its rib-sticking good fun.

Level 1 292 - 294 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
(02)9356 3429
www.tastevin.com.au

La Guillotine

Originally a French omelette house (yes, it happened), La Guillotine has now evolved into a friendly French bistro in the heart of the city. You can get all the quintessential dishes you think of when it comes to classic French bistro stylings - they serve up dishes like snails, grilled with butter and parsley, mussels with garlic, parsley and cream and a hefty side of golden crisp fries. And yes, they still do a mean omelette - have it Lorraine (ham, cheese onion) or go all out with caviar. C'est magnifique.

518 Kent Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9264 1487
www.laguillotine.com.au

La Grande Bouffe

Hear me out. I know offal might be a little hard (or soft) to take, but doubters, consider this. They French are a sexy bunch. In general they appreciate the finer things in life, so if you're going to try offal, you might as well go out in style. The dish in question is a very classic dish - Sauteed calves liver with mash potato, roasted witlof and baslamic jus. If that's too much, you could always try the twice cooked lamb neck with zucchini, tomato and anchovie beurre blanc. A good visit for a leisurely Sunday lunch.

2/758 Darling Street
Rozelle NSW 2039
(02)9818 4333
www.lagrandebouffe.com.au

[TOYS] collective brings in the big guns

2011-07-06T17:03:00.004+10:00

[Press release]

[TOYS] collective is back, presenting not only some of the best next wave culinary talent in Sydney, but also the icons who inspire them to do what they do.

This next dinner promises to be an extra-special event, featuring chef partnerships between TOYS and their mentors, showcasing dishes and drinks that celebrate the magic transferred from one industry great to the next.

Featuring partnerships Hamish Ingham/Damien Pignolet, Thomas Lim/Jeremy Strode, Mitch Orr/Giovanni Pilu, Morgan McGlone/Mark Holmes, Adriano Zumbo/Dean Gibson, Nick Wong and Joel Humphries/Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz, and Darren Robertson/Dave Pegrum, the formidable group will present their wares on the evening of Sunday July 17 at Porteño in Surry Hills.

The event will, as always, showcase the best of the next generation of cocktail bartenders, sommeliers and front of house personalities, including Kylie Javier (Duke Bistro), Louise Tomayo (Becasse), Richard Hargreave (Bilson's), Gabrielle Webster (Bloodwood), Luke Ashton (Duke Bistro) and more.

Thematically, [TOYS] aims to set down a challenging gauntlet for both chef and diner, and this next dinner will be no different: Old Dogs, New Tricks.

Tickets are $220 plus booking fee and are on sale via the TOYS website:

[follow toyscollective.com, @toyscollective]

ham week

2011-07-01T16:59:00.004+10:00

Those of you who regularly listen to my segment on FBi radio are probably aware that I'm reasonably obsessed with pork in all its forms. From a loin roast to pancetta, bacon, lardo and ham, it's all about the pink stuff.

Unfortunately, many people don't realise that over 80% of ham products sold in Australia comes from frozen, imported pig, flown in from places like Denmark where the ethics of farming pig is a lot less stringent than here at home.

This Australia Ham Week, (yes, like bacon, there's a whole week devoted to it), from July 3-8, if you decide to ham it up, look for the square pink Australian pork sticker below, so you know it's true blue, er pink.

To celebrate ham week, here are a couple of places you should check out:

1. The Cafe: Gnome

No not 'Noma', 'Gnome'. This Surry Hills cafe is steadily gaining popularity for its cracking coffees and substantial sandwiches. Last we checked, they do a freshly baked baguette, filled with leg ham, boiled egg, pickles, rocket and cheddar. Yum.

536 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9332 3191

2. The Deli - Olympic Deli

Worth visiting if it's not your local, Olympic Deli really is a winner when it comes to their awesome selection of deli goods, many of which they smoke and cure themselves right there in the store. Somewhat hidden away between a series of Vietnamese grocery stores in Old Bankstown Square, its a truly family owned and run business, first with Peter and now his daughter Joanne Karpouzis. Sausages and hams are made in the old European way, but you can be guaranteed the pork is freshly (and proudly) Australia. Don't leave without a string of Greek Cypriot red wine sausages...and the ham!

Shop 41 Old Town Centre
Bankstown Plaza
9790 1669

3. The Butcher - Stapleton's Meats

Ok, so it's in The Shire, but if you happen to be down south, head to Stapleton's Meats. Arguably Sydney's oldest butcher (it's been here since 1896), they're part of a dying breed of proper butchers who actually know how to carve a carcas, stuff a sausage and evidently make a great ham. They're the NSW winners for their boneless ham at 2011's recent Australian Ham Week judging.

71 Gymea Bay Road
Gymea
9525 1019
www.stapletonmeats.com.au

more hidden gems

2011-06-24T16:55:00.002+10:00

You know the deal. You live your life in routine: Work, your favourite neighbourhood wine bar, the pub, your favourite place in Chinatown for dumplings. Before you know it, you're in a rut and you haven't tried anywhere new for a while. And though staple favourites are a lifesaver from disappointing food, isn't it time you checked our something different?

Sydney Uighur Cuisine

Uighur cuisine just might be one of the most perfect winter cuisines. There are rich stews, spicy shish kebabs of spiced lamb or chicken, rubbed with cumin, coriander, garlic and chilli and cooked over hot coals, handmade dumplings and noodles. Most of these brilliant little places are found in Chinatown and mostly on Dixon Street. Sydney Uighur Cuisine isn't. It's on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills (so we'll call this 'hidden in plain sight), right near The Norfolk and just down from Porteno. Owned by the brother of the guy who owns Uighur Cuisine in Chinatown, everything is made fresh on site, and it's brilliant. So now you don't even need to venture into the city for your next dumpling smash...and the best bit? You can always drop into The Norfolk for a beer afterwards.

314 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills
Open 7 days 11am-11.30pm
Cash only

10 William Street

Now that Sydney has woken up to the fact that small, cosy spaces equal good times, we're really starting to see some amazing ones. The guys from Potts Point's Fratelli Paradiso opened their Paddington side street venture a couple of months ago and it's showing zero signs of slowing. It's an Italian wine bar, so expect plenty of great pours by the glass, as well as the bottle, and a couple of cracker cocktails. And because Italians love to eat while they drink, there's a selection of shared plates, including some of their hits from Fratelli Paradiso, like the kingfish carpaccio with pomegranate, a take on their Potts Point swordfish version with fennel and pomegranate. Dig into more substantial gnocchi, or pick on olives and mozzarella, too. Tip: It gets packed in here...come early or be prepared to wait.

10 William Street, Paddington
9360 3310

Dai Wan Lai, The Poets

Another hidden in plain site restaurant, Dai Wan Lai, The Poets is tucked away in the outdoor eating precinct at Top Ryde Shopping Centre. That's right, it's in a surburban mall. These days though, we all know that good food and shopping centres is more than possible, it's a happening thing. Showcasing a heap of dishes from the Shandong region in China, which means lots of stir frying, steamed buns and crunchy onions. Start with a plate of ridiculously huge steamed Pacific oysters with soy dressing and move onto barbequed prawns with their sweet, sticky glaze, before diving into a pot of Sichuan chilli oil poached fish, or beef with bean starch noodles. Worth the trip out to the burbs.

Shop F12, Top Ryde Shopping Centre
Corner Devlin Street and Blaxland Road
Ryde NSW 2112

Mon, Tue, Wed 11.00 - 21.00
Thursday 11.00 - 22.00
Fri, Sat, Sun 11.00 - 22.00
Telephone: 9808 3868

caf-fiend fix

2011-06-17T17:05:00.000+10:00

Whether you think it's a legal drug or not, coffee fans are generally pretty hooked. Make it strong, from somewhere exotic, not to mention RIGHT NOW!

With the launch of the Good Food Cafe Guide, coming out tomorrow, we take a look at some of the award winners, so you can discover your next fix.

Best Coffee Innovator - Campos Coffee, Newtown

Awarded to this Newtown favourite for contributing to lifting the general standard of coffee across the board in Sydney, this hotbed of all things coffee contains an upstairs cupping room so that you can learn about the flavour profiles of coffee from around the world. Campos are also quick on the uptake when it comes to new coffee trends, and were one of the first to champion reusable coffee cups as viable option for daily addicts.

193 Missenden Road
Newtown NSW 2042
(02) 9516 3361

Best Breakfast Cafe - Three Blue Ducks, Bronte

Surfers, good food, great coffee - there's not much more you really need in the morning, is there? And I mean, really good food. Chef and co-owner Mark Labrooy is part of the haute chef crew leaving the ranks of the hatted world, for a more balanced lifestyle. Labrooy previously worked at Tetsuya's and you had better believe the food here is exceptional. The egg and bacon roll is one of Sydney's best: Served on a toasted panini, with crispy bacon and runny egg, topped with hollandaise, capsicum relish and herb oil. Perfectly suited to the relaxed Bronte location, this is one worth heading to for your next weekend brunch session.

143 Macpherson Street
Bronte NSW 2024
(02) 9000 0000

Best Cafe Life - Four Ate Five, Surry Hills

Some people tend to spend their lives in cafes and if you're one of these, you had better make it a good one. Dappled with sunlight, with plenty of places inside and out, to sit (or lean, if you're hungover), Four Ate Five is one of those cafes you feel infinitely comfortable in from the first time you visit, and never really want to leave. There are comforting foods like homemade creamed corn, pulled pork sandwiches and fresh baked goods, and yes, the coffee's cracker, too.

They may have only been around for a short while, but this Surry Hills destination feels lived in and with any luck, will become an establishment in no time.

485 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9698 6485

The Good Food Cafe Guide is $14.95, but is available for just $5 with tomorrow's Sydney Morning Herald. Read more here.

the bird is the word

2011-06-11T13:55:00.000+10:00

When it comes to ordering off the menu, its highly unlikely that I'll order the chicken or the fish. Mainly because I'm generally more interested in things with deliciously fatty layers, like pork belly or a really marbled piece of beef. The tides are changing, however, with a greater variety of poultry on menus these days...there's duck of course, but more interestingly, quail and pheasant, too.

Here are a couple of dishes around town you should try, if you want to get your bird on:

Bistrode

Surry Hills diner Bistrode has long been known for rustic dishes, bold flavours and a cute dining space with a tonne of character and brilliant service. On the winter menu, you'll find a starter of tea-smoked quail with black bean and ginger, as well a main of duck leg with water spinach, bean curd and noodles.

Bistrode
478 Bourke St
Surry Hills New South Wales 2010
(02) 9380 7333

Grasshopper Eathouse and Bar

Pheasant is really rare on menus...mostly because it's hard to get, expensive and super lean, making it a more challenging bird to cook. City small bar and food gem Grasshopper is part of the new breed of CBD restaurant fighting the good fight and creating intimate, fun spaces to hang out in. Pheasant regularly features on the blackboard specials menu, especially throughout the cooler months, and they also do a cracking quail dish, too.

Pheasantly speaking...

Glass Brasserie and Est. also feature pheasant on occasion as a special, so look out!

Grasshopper Eating house and bar
Temperance Lane
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9947 9025

Spatchcock. Ok, so in most cases spatchcock in Sydney is a small chicken rather than another small game bird, but what makes it a spatchcock is the method of taking out the spine and flattening it for the grill or bbq. Bar H in Surry Hills does a great one with radicchio, bread, parsley & anchovy vinaigrette.

...and if you really want a chicken dinner, you had better make sure it's a good chook. Redfern's Eathouse Diner uses Barossa Farm chickens for their Southern-style fried chicken which is steamed then coated in a spiced flour mix, then fried and served with slaw and salad cream. Yum!

Bar H Surry Hills
80 Campbell Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9280 1980

The Eathouse Diner
306 Chalmers Street
Redfern NSW 2016
(02) 8084 9479

vivid food

2011-06-03T16:52:00.001+10:00

It's been a huge week of controversial, creative and classic music at the Vivid Festival. Taking inspiration from the week that was and those yet to come, here's some vivid food:

The Cure

Props to restaurants and cafes that take the time to cure their own fish. It's quite a straightforward process, but the results can be fantastic. Sugar and salt cured salmon (gravlax) pops up from time to time, but there are a heap of great places also curing their own trout, too. Cronulla's Alleybreak cafe serves theirs up on the breaky menu. Closer to the city, Le Monde regularly cure their own fish and win my vote for best breakfast in the city right now.

Alleybreak Cafe
2 Kingsway
Cronulla New South Wales 2230
(02) 9527 6119

Le Monde
83 Foveaux Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9211 3568

Tame Impala

Ok, so you can't really get impala on the menu here, but coming into winter, it's the perfect time to eat a similar game animal - venison. Best eaten when slightly rare, the dark colour of the meat might freak a few people out, but it's really quite a beautiful thing. Because it's so lean, the general rule is to cook it quickly or very slowly so that it doesn't get served up tough as nails. Lotus in Potts Point is doing a venison tartare, preserved lemon, black olive, horseradish. Otherwise, word on the street is that on the other side of the city, Glebe's Restaurant Atelier is doing a cocoa-roasted loin with swede puree and "unforgotten vegetables": Heirloom carrots, white asparagus, garlic chive flowers and liquorice powder and sauce.

Lotus
22 Challis Avenue
Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9326 9000

Restaurant Atelier
22 Glebe Point Road
Glebe NSW 2037
(02) 9566 2112
www.restaurantatelier.com.au

Cut Copy

Cold cuts! It may be a very American term, but the sentiment (and saltiness) remains. More often referred to as charcuterie or salumi plates, if it's cured meats you're after, then you're in luck, there are plenty of great Sydney wine bars featuring sliced deli goodness. 121 BC, Vini and Berta's little brother is a perfect place to pull up a stool at the bar, order a glass of what's good on the day and enjoy a salumi plate including salsiccia sarda (a Sardinian sausage), chargrilled mortadella, prosciutto San Daniele, bresaola, truffled salami and more. Rockpool bar and grill does a great selection of charcuterie - if you can look past that epic burger. Grab a seat in the bar and dig in.

121 BC
Shop 4
50 Holt St
Surry Hills 2010 NSW

Rockpool Bar & Grill
66 Hunter Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 8078 1900

ugly/beautiful

2011-05-27T17:06:00.002+10:00

There are some bits of produce that always seem to get a bad rap. Mostly, it's because along the highway of life experience, someone illegally dumped a bad experience in your path. Ignore these bad experiences and give these poor things a second chance:

Brussels Sprouts

Soggy, farty, slightly brown: The way most people remember the Brussels sprouts of their youth. Like many vegetables screwed over by nan, these beautiful vegetables have been mistreated for decades. Cooked properly, they're crunchy, nutty and take on other flavours really well. Right now, they're in season, so buy baby sprouts, and try this simple recipe:

Ingredients:

2 handfuls of Brussels sprouts (bottoms cut off, unless they're babies)
1 tbs butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat an oven to 220 degrees centigrade.
2. In a saucepan, par boil the sprouts for 30 seconds.
3. Heat butter in an ovenproof pan. Once it starts to melt, add the caraway seeds and garlic.
4. Once the seeds start to smell aromatic, add in the sprouts and stir fry them for 2 minutes.
5. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

The result is crunchy, caramelised outsides, still green and firm on the inside. Nans are not compulsory.

Restaurant tip: Porteno does brilliant Brussels sprouts.

Chokos

Also called 'Dunny fruit'...mostly because once upon a time, every suburban outhouse and backyard was covered in them, this member of the gourd family fell into the unpopular category for its bland taste and (again) for being overcooked. After a few chef discussions online recently, I reckon they're due for a comeback. Chef Neil Perry recalls his dad's recipe from childhood: Lightly boil them, saute them in heaps of butter and lots of black pepper.

Restaurant tip: Chef Hayden McFarland from Melbourne's Jaques Reymond is doing a fantastic pheasant and choko dish: Pheasant with mild curried chokos, toasted brioche, lemon and mushrooms and a tamarind sauce.

Felix's chef Lauren Murdoch suggests doing them beer battered with aioli, cooked with lots butter, garlic and parsley (and don't we all love beer battered ANYTHING with aioli?).

Okra

We really don't eat enough of this very cool podded plant. Popular in African, Indian and the Caribbean. People generally get put off because of the unfamiliar texture, which can be soft and sort of slimy when cooked, and tastes somewhere between an eggplant and asparagus. It's great in soups and stews, for its thickening properties, otherwise, like most vegetables, the less you cook it, the better.

road tripping for pies

2011-05-22T12:20:00.000+10:00

Call me provincial, but one of the great joys in life when you're on a road trip is the humble pie*. From quality basics (beef pie) to the sublime and ridiculously good (and sometimes not so much), there are plenty of great pies to be found up and down the NSW coast. Here are a few you should check out:

Fredo's Famous Pies

Just 5kms from Kemsey on the Pacific Highway in Northern NSW, you'll find the tiny town of Frederickton and its famous pie shop, Fredo's. Established in 1993, this little shack should be part of every Splendour in the Grass pilgramage road trip and offers over 50 types of pies, pasties and rolls, 364 days a year.

Highlight flavours run the gamut between classic to gour-met, and include steak and pepper, apricot chicken, mongolian lamb, chilli beer & beef, and venison.

Bring a pen and make your mark on the awning - it's tradition.

www.fredopies.com.au
75 Macleay Street, Frederickton, NSW
Open 7 am to 7 pm - 364 days a year

Hayden's Pies

If you're headed down the South Coast of NSW, there are few roadside food finds that are better than Hayden's Pies, on the outskirts of Ulladulla. Discovered during a camping trip at Meroo Head, Hayden's is favoured by truckies, holiday makers and locals alike for their vast selection of cracking pies, all made with buttery pastry and quality ingredients. Aside from a solid beef pie, there's slow cooked kangaroo with roasted beetroot, butter chicken with a side of minted yoghurt, several respectable vegetarian options, and on Fridays, Atlantic salmon and prawn mornay with creamy leek sauce.

166 Princes Highway
Ulladulla NSW 2539
(02) 4455 7798

Berry Sourdough Bakery and Cafe

Ok, so while this place isn't strictly a pie joint, if you happen to be in the Southern Highlands, the Berry Sourdough Bakery and Cafe provides solace from bad coffee, refined white bread and hokey danishes. Run by Joost and Jelle Hilkemeije, this cute little joint lives just off the main road running through Berry, meaning it's slightly less touristy and a bit more chilled in vibe. Drop by early if you're after loaves of brioche or sourdough for the road, but the real gems are in the traiteur cabinet in form of delicate mushroom pithiviers (well, it's kind of like a fancy pie), and other savoury pastries as well as chocolate or lemon curd tarts and other sweet hits for the road trip playlist.

23 Prince Alfred St
Berry 2535 NSW

Honorable mentions:

The pie shop, Buladelah (Mid north coast, NSW)
Robertson Pie Shop, Robertson (Southern Highlands, NSW)
Trinity Bakery, Bathurst (Central West, NSW)

Something missing? Send me your suggestions on your favourite road trip food stops!

*Also, pastie, sausage roll, quiche and generally any savoury baked good.

korean

2011-05-16T10:55:00.001+10:00

Korean food. There’s plenty of it in Sydney, but it seems that it’s yet to have its heyday, the same way Japanese, Vietnamese or Thai has had in the past decade or so.

Far from the less popular cousin of Chinese or Japanese food, Korean cuisine is full of brilliantly bold dishes, destined to make an impact on Australia’s cuisine culture, thanks to champions like Korean American chef David Chang, who have brought dishes like Ssam bo to the fore in the past few years. Here are a couple of great places to check out if you want to get the 411 on Korean.

The gu-E

A brand newcomer to the Dixon (eat) Street quarter, The gu-E is the little brother and next door neighbour to Arisun, the home of cracking Korean fried chicken, Arisun. Specialising in a degustation-style format – it’s perfect if you’re not sure what to order …just pick a price point and let them feed you. There’s everything from potato starch noodles to Korean BBQ of Wagyu beef – it’s chic modern Asian dining in the best way.

Shop 34, 1 Dixon St
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: 9261 0888  

Madang

This place should read ‘for a good time, call..’ It’s party town here every night, with hoards of cool young Koreans and savvy city dwellers hitting Madang for fun, casual Korean. Madang’s Pete Jo tells us the seafood pancake is a popular choice here, as is the BBQ at-the-table menu of seafood, beef and vegetables. There are spicy kimchi accompaniments, noodles a-go-go…just make sure you wash it all down with plenty of makguli..a kind of milky looking Korean rice wine.

BCD Tofu House

With the weather so cold right now, soup is the ticket to keep your toes warm. Specialising in authentic tofu soups including
Organic tofu, served with a heap of fresh ‘ban-chan’ (side dishes) of pickled vegetables and noodles…just decide on how spicy you want it to be.

There’s also speciality dishes of marinated raw crab in garlic red pepper sauce, bimbimbap (hot stone combination rice dish), bulgogi (marinated bbq meat) and more.

4 Rawson Street
Epping NSW 2121
(02) 9868 4300
http://bcdtofu.com/

ozharvest has a f*&^ing point

2011-05-10T14:49:00.005+10:00

This morning, some of you may have noticed a leaked video that I put out on the interwebs. It featured chef Matt Moran losing his sh*t at a kitchen hand for throwing away perfectly good food in between takes on a TV set:

As it turns out, I have some apologising to do: I was in on it. Sorry.

It was for a good cause though:
As a way of highlighting the amount of food waste that happens in this country, OzHarvest enlisted Matt Moran to play a part in getting people to pay attention (...swear words included):

Says Matt: “I was more than happy to be involved in something so controversial if it meant that the message of food waste would be brought to the top of Australians’ minds. REAP is a simple concept started by leading food charity OzHarvest, who have already rescued millions of meals from going to waste and who have provided millions of people with fresh food that they normally would not have access to. It’s an F***ing great cause!”

Ronni Kahn, CEO and founder of OzHarvest said: “The issue of feeding those in need goes well beyond the areas we currently service which is Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong and more recently in Adelaide. We have been working hard to create ways to help regional areas where our yellow OzHarvest vans just don’t have the capability to reach on a day-to-day basis.”

Kahn said: “REAP provides regional areas with all the necessary tools that they need to rescue food and deliver it to the disadvantaged. On top of that, it also serves to stop good food from ending up as landfill.”

... so it seems this dummy spit was a worthwhile one, and one I'm really happy to have been asked to be involved in, too.

Check out the full TVC here.
For more information on REAP please visit www.reap.org.au and for information on OzHarvest please visit www.ozharvest.org

art vs food

2011-05-10T12:39:00.002+10:00

Sydney’s iconic restaurant Claude’s presents Liminal Space, an immersive installation by Berlin-based Australian artist JORDANA MAISIE.

The exhibition will run from June Tuesday 7 - Saturday 19, during which guests can dine within this unique work and experience Claude’s new a la carte and tasting menu.

DINNER WITH THE ARTIST
Guests are invited to support Jordana’s next work Close Encounters, by attending an intimate fundraising evening hosted by Claude’s Chui Lee Luk and Jordana Maisie.
Sunday June 12, 6.30pm
5 courses, matched wines $250
RSVP by Friday June 10: bookings@claudes.com.au

A special menu will be available throughout the exhibition period at exhibitionist prices:

5 courses ($110) or 8 courses ($135). Click here to book or find out more.

[client news]

old man pubs

2011-05-06T17:09:00.000+10:00

The end of an era happens tonight. Much loved booze hang, live music venue and old man pub The Excelsior in Surry Hills is set to have its last hurrah tonight before handing over the keys to the Merivale Group, which plans to give the venue an overhaul, with TOYS Collective member and all-round star chef Dan Hong taking over the reins in the kitchen, giving it a Mexican fiesta flavour later this year.

Featuring $3 bubbly all day, jugs of beer at firesale prices and meat trays (yes, meat trays), supplied by none other than Hudson Meats, it's likely to be one hell of a shindig.

The Excelsior Hotel (for one last night)
64 Foveaux Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9211 4945

Other old man pub institutions that should be celebrated:

The Nelson

One of Australia's most famous pubs, but most wouldn't know it. Featured in almost every television commercial featuring a 'quinessential Australian pub', The Nelson features a huge oval-shaped bar, a ridiculous number of beers on tap and a classic pub food menu including a chicken parmie and great chips. Atmosphere like this takes a long time to cultivate. Soak it up.

232 Oxford Street
Bondi Junction NSW 2022
(02) 9389 6032

The Glenmore Hotel

An Australian institution since its inception in 1921, The Glenmore Hotel's old world charm and olde Sydney towne locations has meant that everyone from the original working class, to tourists and todays locals have appreciated this slice of pre World War II harbourside gold.

You'll find everything from hearty burgers to Australia's national pub food, salt and pepper squid, as well as bangers and mash and steak sambos here, plus a shedload of beers on tap..and don't forget that priceless rooftop real estate at sunset.

96 Cumberland Street
The Rocks NSW 2000
(02) 9247 4794
www.glenmorehotel.com.au

[TOYS] collective in the(sydney)magazine

2011-05-04T19:50:00.004+10:00

Being in the(sydney)magazine is kind of like officially being part of Sydney's public life. This month, the [TOYS] collective crew are excited to join the club, with an article on how we got started, what we've been up to and what happens next.

Pick up this month's issue, or to get started, click here.

claude's restaurant set to be transformed this june

2011-05-03T13:11:00.001+10:00

Media Release

An iconic fine dining institution, filled with a foot of soil? Believe it.

Forget what you think about this Woollahra dining institution. Claude’s will be transformed this June, with the help of Berlin-based Australian installation artist Jordana Maisie. Together with Claude’s head chef and owner Chui Lee Luk, the pair is set to embark on a project that crosses creative boundaries, presenting a visceral experience unlike anything seen before in a restaurant space.

The work invites those who have always been curious about what lies beyond the locked door at 10 Oxford Street Woollahra, to let themselves in and see the space with new eyes, a move reflected in an evolution in Lee Luk’s cuisine, as well as the doing away of the locked door and buzzer.

Amplifying the concept of dining as an exciting, sensory experience, the work, Liminal Space, sees the audience enter an environment housing an amalgam of the electronic and the organic. Scattered LED light bulbs, connected by an intricate circuit of wires protrude from a carpet of soil that powers the work. Maisie designed this work to gently reframe the way we perceive, interact with and understand natural materials such as soil. The space encourages a calm, meaningful experience that underscores Chui’s new direction in cuisine.

While ushering in a new era of exciting, accessible cuisine, the work is also part of a fundraising effort to fuel Maisie's new work, Close Encounters, which will be unveiled at this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival.

Experience this unique creative partnership from June 7-18, when the public are invited to dine within the work, or to treat Claude’s as a gallery space, providing a platform from which to appreciate Lee Luk’s evolution in Claude’s cuisine.

For gallery opening hours, please check the Claude's website closer to the exhibition opening.

Claude’s Restaurant

10 Oxford Street

Woollahra

www.claudes.com.au

Jordana Maisie

http://jordanamaisie.com/

Liminal Space, 2010, shown in Berlin

Image courtesy of the artist

180 x 800 x 200 cm

Electronic Installation

1300 Litres of soil, LED lights, copper, zinc-plated steel,

conduit wire, alligator clips, plastic pots, black plastic sheeting, timber.

mothers day sorted

2011-04-29T17:06:00.000+10:00

Just in case you had forgotten, with all this Royal Wedding pillava, it's Mother's Day next week. And yes, while it's true that you shouldn't have to wait for one day a year to show your mum that you care, it's kind of fun to spoil the old lady from time to time.

High Tea at The Gunner's Barracks

Nothing says 'posh' quite like tiered cake stands, finger sandwiches, tiny cakes, tea and Champagne, frankly. Get frocked up or suited and booted and take mum to high tea with a view at Mosman's Gunner's Barracks. Served on 'the good china' (that is, Royal Albert), the view from the barracks is pretty extraordinary, even for a jaded Sydneysider.

Featuring homemade scones, jam and clotted cream, in addition to the aforementioned terribly cute sandwiches and cakes, prices start at $40 per person. Bookings essential.

The Gunner's Barracks
End Of Suakin Drv
Mosman NSW 2088
(02) 8962 5900

Cloudy Bay Fish Co.

They didn't have food courts like this, when I was growing up. If you're taking mum shopping for Mothers Day and you happen to be in the city, make time to stop, refuel and recharge at the very chic Cloudy Bay Fish Co. in Westfield's growing CBD fashion slash food mecca. Tucked away in the corner, grab a seat at the bar (where it's licensed) and sip on a glass of chilled rose while you tuck into a seared sashimi of marlin, with white mustard, a few oysters and a clam chowder. The produce is sourced mainly from the pristine waters of Marborough Sounds in New Zealand, although there is some cracker local produce to be found too.

Paddock to Plate tour - The Essential Ingredient

Who says you have to leave the city to get a bit of paddock to plate experience? The Essential Ingredient are running a cooking class and tour on Saturday the 7th of May, featuring a special guided tour of Pyrmont Growers Market, meeting local producers and farmers. There are tastings along the way, and then you get to take what you know (and buy), back to The Essential Ingredient's HQ in Rozelle to cook it. Chef de jour is Robert Hodgson, head chef at La Grande Bouffe, just across the road - so you know what you learn to cook will be tasty.

Bookings essential. Find out more here.

san pellegrino world's top 50 restaurants 2011

2011-04-19T08:43:00.013+10:00

It's that time of the year again. All bets are in, and the winners of the San Pellegrino World's Top 50 Restaurants were announced last night in London. Denmark's Noma maintains its spot as Number One restaurant in the world, with a fair bit of shuffling around the Top 50 in general this year.

Expect it to continue to be impossible to get into Quay - it's Australia's top ranking restaurant this year, at #26 (up 1 place), our only top 50 restaurant, with Tetsuya's slipping out of the top 50:

Attica: #53 (Up from #73 in 2010)
Tetsuya's: #58 (Down from #38)
Marque Restaurant: #70

World, here are you top 50 restaurants for 2011:

1	—	Noma	Denmark	The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in the World. The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant in Europe
2	Up 2	El Celler De Can Roca	Spain
3	Up 2	Mugaritz	Spain
4	Up 2	Osteria Francescana	Italy	The Chefs' Choice sponsored by Electrolux
5	Down 2	The Fat Duck	England
6	Up 1	Alinea	USA	The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant In North America
7	Up 11	D.O.M	Brazil	The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant In South America
8	Up 1	Arzak	Spain
9	Up 2	Le Chateaubriand	France
10	—	Per Se	USA
11		Daniel	USA
12		Les Creations de Narisawa	Japan	The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant In Asia
13		L'Astrance	France
14		L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon	France
15		Hof van Cleve	Belgium
16		Pierre Gagnaire	France
17		Oud Sluis	Netherlands
18		Le Bernardin	USA
19		L'Arpege	France
20		Nihonryori RyuGin	Japan	Highest Climber Sponsored by Lavazza
21		Vendome	Germany
22		Steirereck	Austria
23		Schloss Schauenstein	Switzerland
24		Eleven Madison Park	USA
25		Aqua	Germany
26		Quay	Australia	The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant In Australasia
27		Iggy's	Singapore
28		Combal Zero	Italy
29		Martin Berasategui	Spain
30		Bras	France
31		Biko	Mexico
32		Le Calandre	Italy
33		Cracco	Italy
34		The Ledbury	UK	Highest New Entry Sponsored by Silestone
35		Chez Dominique	Finland
36		Le Quartier Francais	South Africa	The Acqua Panna Best Restaurant In The Middle East and Africa
37		Amber	China
38		Dal Pescatore	Italy
39		Il Canto	Italy
40		Momofuku Ssam Bar	USA
41		St John	UK
42		Astrid Y Gaston	Peru
43		Hibiscus	UK
44		Maison Troisgros	France
45		Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee	France
46		De Librije	Netherlands
47		Restaurant de l'Hotel De Ville	Switzerland
48		Varvary	Russia
49		Pujol	Mexico
50		Asador Etxebarri	Spain

It's fantastic to see several new entries in the Top 50, including the much loved Ledbury, run by none other an our very own Aussie, Brett Graham, as well as entries from Peru (Astrid Y Gaston), China (Amber), Mexico (Pujol) and Russia (Varvary).

Click here for all the news, as well as the 51-100 list.

head on festival food photography

2011-04-13T20:31:00.004+10:00

Whether you're a major foodie, blogger, or just a fan of great food photography, this year's Head On Photo Festival has you covered, with a session on how to take great photos of your breaky, lunch or dinner:

The workshop will include hints and tips on:

•    lighting techniques indoors and outdoors and when you travel
•   how to build up your sets and being adaptable in all locations
•   using props, styling techniques for photographers
•   camera angles and lens selection, how to work in all environments

The details:

When: Friday 13 May, 5.30-8.15pm
Where: The Muse, Building C, Ultimo College, Harris Street, Ultimo
Cost: $60 including tuition and refreshments

Click here to find out more and to book.

The session is hosted by Penelope Beveridge, whose work can be seen in publications like Vogue Living + Entertainment, Delicious and Gourmet Traveller. She is also an international multi award winner, including being a former winner of the Professional Division of Sydney Morning Herald's Shoot the Chef.

gourmet easter feasting

2011-04-08T16:58:00.000+10:00

About the time a certain gooey chocolate egg starts flinging itself at the television screen, you know Easter is about to..er, explode with all manner of ovular-shaped confectionery, Jeebus-themed baked goods and the like. There's a lot that's good, bad and ugly about the season, but here are a few food items well worth checking out:

Maple Cinnamon Bacon

There's bacon and then there's bacon. From the guys who make Australia's best bacon (that's Schulz to you), Barossa Fine Foods have launched a special bacon for Easter: Maple Cinnamon Bacon. Not just a Canadian thing, if you're lucky enough to be in Adelaide, they are doing tastings at Adelaide Central Markets, but you can contact them through their website to find out how to get your hands on some.

Obsessive fans may also be interested in the launch of Bacōn, a new bacon-scented fragrance that has taken the interwebs by storm this week.

Haute cross buns

It started this year with killer lamingtons, but Bird Cow Fish have done it again with hot cross buns sure to blow pale interpretations out of the water. Featuring organic flour and a 24-hour proof before baking, a blend of secret herbs and spices, sultanas and raisins, they'll be bigger than Ben Hur at 150g each, sold individually or in packs of 6.

Available for one day only - next Saturday at Everleigh Market, Redfern.

Chocolate Eggs

If you're going to indulge in chocolate this Easter, make sure it's great quality. Forget the cheap stuff and head straight for something like Kennedy & Wilson's chocolate eggs, hens and fish, made especially for Easter. Chocolatier Peter Wilson's dream of making luxury chocolate using ingredients like cocoa from South and Central America, Asia, New Guinea, the Carribean and Africa; milk and cream from New Zealand and vanilla from Vanuatu and Madagascar, resulted in a super smooth chocolate with a brilliant mouth feel and a proper cocoa taste. Available through Gersh Goods and other high end delis and providores.

seasonal greetings

2011-04-01T16:57:00.001+11:00

Summer is SO OVER. While the hotter months are all about pretty colours and big, sexy, flavours...it's time to move onto slightly more interesting fresh and earthy flavours: Autumn well and truly about upon us, and that means a whole host of beautiful new produce.

Pears

Given that they come in every shade from bright green to yellow and russet red like deciduous leaves, it seems fitting that pears are an autumn fruit.

While varieties like Packam's Triumph generally stay bright green and are good for everything from eating fresh to baking, poaching or pairing with savoury flavours (hello, blue cheese!), other varieties are more geared towards a more culinary end (Beurre Bosc, Winter Nelis), while some are best eaten fresh (Williams, Corella).

Mussels

On the seafood front, fish like red emperor, and wild barramundi come into season, as do mussels from Port Lincoln in South Australia.

While newbies might find mussels a bit intimidating, those savvy fishermen in SA have got your covered, with bags of live, vac sealed mussels, already cleaned and washed, ready for cooking. As they start to get bigger and juicier, the best way to eat mussels is to make a simple white wine and herb or tomato based broth, and once it's nearly ready, just pop in the mussels and put the lid on. In about 5-10 minutes, once most of the mussels have opened slightly, just be ready with a hunk of good bread and butter and dive right in.

Here's a simple recipe (to serve 4)

Ingredients

50g butter, diced
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 small clove of garlic, finely diced
1/2 cup of parsley, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 generous cup of white wine
1 pack (or 2kg) mussels, cleaned and scrubbed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat half the butter in a heavy based pan to medium and fry off onions and garlic until transparent
2. Add the wine, bay leaf, thyme, pinch of salt and pepper, cover and simmer
3. Once the liquid has simmered for a few minutes, add the mussels, put the lid back on and allow to cook for 2-5 minutes.
4. As mussels start to open, remove them from the pan and reserve them in a bowl.
5. Stir in the remaining butter and season the liquid to taste and return mussels to the pan, or put them in a bowl to serve
6. Serve at the table with the chopped parsley and plenty of crusty bread

Pine mushrooms

Those little creatures that grow at the base of pine trees are popping up all over the place...and they're delicious! They have orange-coloured caps and have a nutty flavour. Be careful: If you don't know what you're looking for, be careful if you go foraging...there are some nasty imposters out there that are not so friendly when eaten. Alternatively, you can always forage for them at your friendly green grocer: They're delicious when simply pan fried with butter, garlic, a touch of cream and some parsley.

little sheep, small bars

2011-03-25T17:17:00.001+11:00

We've covered small bars before, and it's not a concept...but they're just so darn cute, and great ones seem to be popping up everywhere in Sydney lately:

121 BC (as covered by me in this week's Daily Addict)

Hidden in the alleyway between big sister Vini and Jared Ingersoll’s Cotton Duck, the latest addition to Surry Hills’ Holt Street food scene is a wine shop slash enoteca that ain’t no slacker when it comes to celebrating interesting wines, liquors and digestives from every region of Italy.

Named after the finest vintage of Falerian wine, from the region between Latium and Campania, you don’t need to be a wine buff to appreciate Surry Hills’ latest vino digs, but those with an eye will find plenty to like.

One half is a walk-in wine fridge, defined by Italian wine regions – buy by the bottle and have it cracked open for you at the bar, or choose from the by-the-glass menu, with the help of the very charming Giorgio de Maria.

Featuring custom hand-blown glass decanters by artist Brian Hirst, intimate seating for 23, and a slimline seasonal menu by Vini and Berta’s owner/executive chef Andrew Cibej; if you like your food simple and sexy, you’re home.

The silky carpaccio of Spanish mackerel is perfect with a glass of Maquè Perricone rosé, the marinated bocconcini with chilli crumbs is a classy winner, and make sure you soak up the earthy pine mushrooms with borlotti beans with plenty of bread.

4/50 Holt Street (via Gladstone St)
Surry Hills, 2010
(02) 9699 1582

Timbah

Glebe natives love Different Drummer. It's kitchy and a little daggy, and for the better part of a two decades (originally opened in Darlinghurst in 1971), the only proper bar in Glebe. Not anymore, if newcomer Timbah has anything to say about it. A converted garage beneath Glebe's best vino bottle shop, Glebe Liquor, the bar is run by the same crew and is satisfyingly 'off the beaten track', just off Forsyth Street at the quieter end of Glebe Point Road, and a stone's throw from Glebe Point Diner.

Cue the sound of falling trees: As the name suggests, there's a fair bit of wood panneling as well as twine-esque partitioning, which gives the space an organic, un-done feel, just don't be lighting any matches indoors.

It's a wine bar, so expect regular changes to vinos by the glass, and some interesting ones at that.
It's not all about drinking though, with a chalkboard menu of seasonal shared dishes like fried school prawns with aioli, kingfish carpaccio with grapefruit, fennel and mint, as well as heftier mains to boot.

A welcome addition to the inner west drinking culture.

Stitch

They say a stitch in time saves nine, but (perhaps more nobly) this Stitch has joined in the effort (with bars like Grasshopper and Grandma's) to save the CBD from being void of cute, interesting places to scurry to, after dark.

Reminiscent of New York's many off-street-level establishments, this basement bar's street-level calling card is a tiny tailor's shop front, that gives way to a downwards set of stairs, opening into the bar. Blink and you'll miss it kinda stuff.

Like Grandma's, there's a kitchy-cool vintage vibe going on, with the bar constructed from stacked sewing machines, sheet-music wallpaper and saloon-style barrel tables. Given the old-fashioned feel, you'd expect classic cocktails to be done with panache, and there's certainly a good Negroni to be had here.

On the food front, it's encouraging to see more hotdogs in Sydney, especially with names like French Poodle, and Mack Ducky Dog. They ain't no basic NYC street dawgs either, featuring schmancy (not just a little bit fancy) bangers like duck, orange and pistachio, as well as fillers of brie, truffle sauce and the like. Top it off with curly fries and you've one solid city bar experience.

61 York Street
Sydney, 2000
www.stitchbar.com

seriously good restaurant desserts

2011-03-18T16:55:00.001+11:00

Everybody knows (especially women) that a great meal out at restaurant isn't complete without dessert. It just wouldn't be right. And, from a gastronomic point of view, it balances the palate and rounds out the dining experience.

Here are a couple of great desserts around town you should know about:

1. The Devonshire's Earl Grey Brûleé

Brand new restaurant The Devonshire brings a bit of polish to this neck of the woods, with its sleek interiors and Franglo-style bistro fare (their Bangalow pork loin, bell and shoulder with pumpkin, prunes and apple is a mega win). When it comes to dessert, their Earl Grey brûleé is a classic in the making.

Think of it as a sort of deconstructed Devonshire (geddit?) Tea. The basis of any good Devonshire tea is always a great scone, and in this case, it's in the form of ice-cream. Scones are baked off, and then cut up and dried out in the oven, before being crushed and churned with vanilla bean ice-cream, to really ram in that essence of scone. This is served with cherry jam, whipped cream..and the crown jewel - a delicate teacup of earl grey-flavoured créme brûleé. Clever, cute and beautifully executed.

204 Devonshire Street,
Surry Hills NSW 2010 Sydney
Telephone: 02 9698 9427
http://thedevonshire.com.au/

2. Red Lantern's Banh Cam Man Cau

You all remember my cousin Luke, innit?

Ok, so we're not really related, but it has been fun to tell drunk people at parties that we are. Aside from being my fake cousin, and spending time making television shows and writing books in Vietnam, his restaurant with chef Mark Jensen and Pauline Nguyen serves up some cracker takes on Vietnamese cuisine, including their sesame and rice flour dumplings filled with sour sop served with black sesame ice cream. As Luke puts it, sour sop is kind of the more awesome cousin of the custard apple. A member of the pawpaw family, it's simultaneously sour and sweet. Here, it's caramelised and stuffed inside glutenous rice flour dumplings, rolled in black and white sesame and flash fried. The result is golden-crisp on the outside, sticky on the inside, with a sweet and sour explosion in the middle. Served with black sesame ice-cream, it's one of the more interesting desserts around town.

545 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9698 4355

3. Lotus' Choc chip cookie

You've tried the Lotus Burger (arguably one of the best burgers in Sydney), and then there is the warm choc chip cookie. There's something about a desserts of your childhood that makes people come over all kid-like. No matter how rich, old, high-brow or cool you are, nostalgic food is the ultimate fountain of youth. Dan Hong's choc chip cookie at Potts Point's Lotus is indeed that: featuring a from-the-oven warm chocolate chip cookie, vanilla ice cream, raspberry and butterscotch, it's a brilliant combination of childlike enthusiasm and grown-up indulgence.

22 Challis Avenue
Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9326 9000

4. Bodega's Banana Split

In a similarly nostalgic vein, Bodega's banana split, consisting of a cream flan, carameltastic dulce de leche ice cream, ginger biscuit and fresh banana is a perfect storm of flavours and textures that seem familiar, yet presented in an entirely different way than you ever had it as a kid. There's a reason this dessert has been on the menu from the beginning - it's a total winner. Boys, take note: This is the ultimate girl-pleaser, a date-night must order, if you fancy a crack at the prize.

216 Commonwealth St
Surry Hills New South Wales 201
(02) 9212 7766

let me egg-tertain you

2011-03-18T14:09:00.007+11:00

Every so often, the internet presents pure genius. Cooked up by YouTube in 24 hours, no less, Egg Watchers isn't some bizzare form of weightloss program, but a brilliant way to boil an egg. Simply tell the site the size, desired softness and current temperature (fridge/no fridge)..and GO! You'll then be shown a crazy YouTube video, the exact length it takes to boil your egg to perfection. How's that for distraction cooking?

Oddly enough or not, it's quite accurate and thoroughly entertaining (Try: Large egg, from the fridge, squidgy...totally disturbing.) Points for using music from Twin Peaks soundtrack - claymation will never be more disturbing. Amazeballs.

6 hour beef rendang

2011-03-16T10:14:00.007+11:00

Like many classic dishes from The Straits that my mother cooked when I was a kid, I've been putting off cooking beef rendang for years because I was paranoid about not being able to nail it the way it should be. Fortunately it's actually pretty easy and now I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. Also...can't find 6 hours? Start this sucker off before bed and let this baby cook in your sleep!

This recipe is ridiculously easy, provided you have two things:

1. A blender/food processor
2. A slow cooker

I highly advocate owning these appliances if you don't already have them - it's like a collection of seriously good knives...suddenly life becomes a whole lot easier in the kitchen.

A word of warning: I cook like an Asian (wtf?). What that means, is Asian cooking is all about tasting and adjusting on the go, so while this recipe will provide the right quantities and ingredients, use your own judgement to modify to your taste.

Ingredients

Curry Paste

1 tbs coriander seeds
2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh tumeric
1 generous knob of galangal, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, halved
3 red chillis (de seeded if you prefer a milder curry)
1 thumb sized piece of young ginger
1/2 stalk of lemongrass, coarsly chopped
1 stalk of shallot
1 tsp white mustard seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 candlenut

4-500g of beef oyster blade, chopped into large cubes
1 tbs ketchup manis
1/2 tin of coconut cream

To serve

steamed white rice
sliced cucumber
nasi lemak chilli sauce, available at all Asian groceries
ikan bilis

Method

1. Blitz the paste ingredients in the blender until you achieve a rough mess, and all ingredients are partying together. Add a small amount of water if the paste if having issues combining.

2. Turn on the slow cooker and set for 6 hours

3. In a pan on medium heat, stir fry the paste until it becomes aromatic

4. Push the paste to one side of the pan and brown the beef cubes

5. Mix the whole lot together, adding half a can of coconut cream and the tablespoon of ketchup manis

6. Pour into the slow cooker and pop the lid on

7. Warning: un-authentic twist coming up:

About two hours in, you can choose to add some okra and a handful of cherry kumatos

8. Stir it when you remember, season with sugar and salt to taste

Serve with steamed rice, ikan billis, sliced cucumber and nasi lemak chilli sauce

taste of sydney festival 2011

2011-03-11T17:07:00.004+11:00

It's like the Big Day out for adults and the general food-loving public at large. In its third year in Sydney, the festival has become synonymous for giving Sydney an opportunity to taste food from some of the city's best restaurants and chefs, for a fraction of the price...and all in the one space.

Restaurant Balzac's seared regal king salmon with a salad
of pomegranate, mint and feta

This year's festival features an array of different food experiences, including Chefs Table QA sessions, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, market stalls from amazing producers like Gundowring Ice Cream, Bitton Gourmet and Victor Churchill Butcher and a heap more.

The stylish ladies from Monday Morning Cooking Club

With around 21 restaurants taking place this year, including Assiette, Cotton Duck, Bird Cow Fish and Four in Hand, like any good gig, it might be worth studying the guide to plan our your day before you get there.

Alex Herbert from Bird Cow Fish shows off her wares

Here are some of the top picks for Taste this year:

Berowra Waters Inn

Unless you have access to a seaplane or boat and a stack of cash, Berowra Waters Inn might be 'out' of many a diner's budget. Hit up their stand for their chilled vichyssoise, oyster beignets and salmon roe, or the slow cooked fillet of ocean trout, with 'French onion soup' puree and pepper oxtail croustillant.

Four in Hand

This Paddington pub dining room is no ordinary bistro - it has two hats, for starters. Chef Colin Fassnidge and his team offer up clever, beautifully balanced dishes using seasonal ingredients in unexpected combinations. Case in point, their dish of Confit pork belly, squid, chorizo and chickpea at this year's festival. Sweet lovers, take not also, his famous version of a Dark Chocolate Snickers (a deconstruction of the milkbar classic, comprising of caramel peanut ice cream, caramel nougat, chocolate ganache and crisps and a scattering of herbs.) is also on offer this year.

Flying Fish

Having just come back from Sri Lanka, Flying Fish's offering floats the boat, with a refined take on the paradise island's cuisine. Check out the black pepper and curry leaf prawn skewers with lime and fresh coconut as a killer starter, and one of the stand out desserts at this year's festival has to be The Wattalapam - a Sri Lankan version of creme caramel, with (kithul) palm treacle and roasted cashews.

Wattalapam

Other must haves:


Bird Cow Fish's tiramisu with caramel sauce

Bird Cow Fish's Tiramisu...her's features caramel sauce, which may not be traditional, but what it is, is killer.

Cotton Duck's Nigella and jerky-crustyed Hiramasa kingfish with heirloom vegetables and basil flowers.

Restaurant Balzac's Crisp Wagyu with mushroom and truffle foam make man-friendly snacks.


Crisp Wagyu beef with mushroom and truffle foam

For the full menu at Taste and all the details, click here.


Markus Gerlich from NZ Regal Salmon

nigella lawson: kitchen

2011-03-09T17:40:00.015+11:00

It's fitting that with International Women's Day just wrapped up, that one of the most inspirational female foodies in the world is about to grace our shores with a visit. That favourite kitchen minx, Nigella Lawson is back again with a new book. Aptly titled 'Kitchen - Recipes from the Heart of the Home', this time around, the book is about making everyday cooking situations easier and more interesting: What to do with leftovers, how to pull together a last minute dinner for 4...and more. From clams with chorizo to Guinness gingerbread, there's simple food with a twist, plus plenty of handy hints to get things done with style.

The domestic goddess will be signing books and meeting fans next Wednesday in Sydney:

Wednesday 16th March
12.30pm
David Jones Sydney

..and thanks to Random House, Fooderati is giving readers a chance to WIN a copy of Nigella's new book! Simply tell us, in 25 words or less: What is your handiest cooking tip?*. Email your entry to gimme@fooderati.com.au.

*One entry per person, competition closes Monday 14th March, 2011, 5.00pm

australian bacon week

2011-03-07T11:48:00.001+11:00

It's officially National Bacon Week - a festival of all things pork pink, smoked...and delicious. Australian Pork Limited searched high and low throughout the country to find and celebrate the bacon producers, in an effort to showcase why Australia bacon, and indeed pork, is better than imported, often reared under suspect conditions.

The 2011 National winners are:

Overall Best Bacon: Barossa Fine Foods, Schulz Butchers, Elizabeth West, SA

Full rasher: Metcalf Quality Meats, Evan's Head, NSW

Low fat: Barossa Fine Foods, Schulz Butchers, Elizabeth West, SA

parched march

2011-03-04T16:52:00.000+11:00

You've heard of Dry July and Feb Fast, now there's Parched March...but don't worry, it doesn't mean you need to spend yet another month of the year abstaining from your favourite alcoholic beverages - this one actually encourages you to actively get out there and celebrate Sydney's vibrant drink culture...in moderation of course!

Started by SMH S section writer Amy Cooper and egged on by drinks writer extraordinare Simon McGoram, the pair created the annual event, in part, to buck the trend for an all-or-nothing approach to drinking, and instead to promote a charitable aspect - and the industry- at the same time.

During the month of March, while you can sponsor teams (or create your own) to hit 30 bars in 30 days, the easiest way to support the cause is to head along to any participating bar, order the specially-created Parched March cocktail, and drink up. This year, proceeds from these bespoke bevvies Sydney Dogs & Cats Home and the Animal Welfare League of Queensland - helping displaced and abused animals.

Parched March cohort Simon McGoram shared some of his picks with us on where to head if you feel like helping the cause. It's thirsty work, after all.

Eau De Vie - Bloomsbury Bitter $19

A frosty mix of Tanqueray No. TEN, amaro, honey, white grapefruit & spiced Lager syrup, topped with soda. A brand-spanking new addition to Eau de Vie's already killer cocktail list, bartender Luke Redington wone the World Class Best Seasonal Cocktail Competition this year with this baby, so you know it's good.

www.eaudevie.com.au
229 Darlinghurst Road
Darlinghurst, Sydney
0422 263 226

The Rum Dairies - Twist(er) on The Hurricane

The Rum Diaries' own take on iconic New Orleans-born drink, created during a time when you took your recipes to the grave. This version is a mix of Appleton vx & Coruba rums, grenadine, flamed passion fruit, lime, pineapple & orange juices.

288 Bondi Road
Bondi 2026
02 9300 0440
www.therumdiaries.com.au

Grandma's Bar - Mug'o'Punch

Self-described 'retrosexual' bar, this kitch wonderland abounds in crotched rugs, needles (of the knitting kind) and a charmingly warm atmosphere. Tucked away in the basement of 275 Clarence Street in the city, like that blanky your nan made you, once you find it, it's always treasured.

Grandma's is offering a cute enamelled mug of their house-made punch (rotating daily) as their Parched March offering. If all that booze gets your tummy grumbling, the kitchen also makes a mean jaffle to cure what ails you.

Basement 275 Clarence Street,
CBD
02 9264 3004

A full list of participating bars can be found here.

everyday eats 2011 launches

2011-02-25T17:03:00.000+11:00

Having been so busy doing a whole bunch of PR and marketing lately, it's really nice to come back to the reason why I got into the food industry in the first place - food writing. Everyday Eats (formerly known as Cheap Eats) is a total bible for any Sydney-sider who wants to get the best from this city...without dropping a bomb everytime.

Us contributors were sent on a fantastical journey through Sydney by our fearless editor Angie Schiavone, in search of the best to write home about when it comes to affordable bang for your buck. The criteria for an 'affordable eat' is two courses for under $30...and in one of the most expensive cities in the world, a guide to these kind of gems is nothing to sniff at.

Here are three award winning establishments you should know about, and why (for the rest of the line up of winners, check out the book!

Best Bargain - Pondok Buyung

If you're starving, hangry even, this Indonesian treasure has you covered. It might not actually be 'all you can eat', but it's pretty close. The serving sizes are larger than life and sure to sate even the most voracious of appetites. Just $9 will get you a huge plate of rice, a couple of curries (there are about 20 to choose from, including winners like rendang, fish or eggplant)..and the tea is free. A low key dining win.

140 Anzac Parade, Kensington
9663 2296
Fri - Wed 10am - 8pm, Thurs 10am - 7pm
Cash only

Best Culinary Theatre - Chef's Gallery

The name don't lie. Set up so you can see into the kitchen, it may feel a little like a goldfish bowl for the chefs, but as a punter, it's modern dinner theatre. Watch all the action happening in the kitchen, like noodles being made by hand. Winners include the slow-roasted beef shin, but the steamed black sesame-filled buns with little piggy faces are too cute for words.

Shop 12, Regents Place
501 George St, Sydney
9267 8877
Daily 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 10pm
www.chefsgallery.com.au

Best View - The Crabbe Hole

There aren't many views more quintessentially Sydney-stunning than looking out over Bondi Beach from Bondi Icebergs. The Crabbe Hole is Icebergs' own little hole-in-the-wall cafe, serving up simple cafe pleasers like the P.L.T (Prosciutto, lettuce and tomato cemented together with a generous schmear of aioli) and cracking Little Marionette coffee, served up by baritoned barista with theatrical aplomb.
Try heading here during the week to avoid the Saturday morning crowds and pretend the view is all your own.

1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach
(part of the Bondi Icebergs building)
Daily 7am - 5pm

Thanks to Everyday Eats, we gave away 5 copies of the book to lucky FBi supporters on the show. To take part in FBi promotions in the future, make sure you sign up!

bar round up: february 2011

2011-02-18T16:59:00.000+11:00

2010 was the year of the small bar. With so many cool little things opening up all over the place though, it can be difficult to wade through the list, so here's a few you should check out.

The pop up bars: Greenhouse, The Island

Pop up bars generally inhabit filthy back alleys and disused inner city haunts..so one of the things that makes this latest pop up so special is a million dollar Dawes Point view.

As the name implies, the idea behind the bar isn't just pop-up cool though, but a project driven by the challenge to become as green as possible. Architect Joost Bakker and Jason Chan's amazing project features as many salvaged, recycled and reusable elements as possible...and it isn't lip service:
Greenhouse mills its own flour, grows its own herbs and composts all organic waste, amongst a laundry list of inspired green processes. The food menu includes pleasingly simple food including pizza and pasta, as well as killer coffee to boot. Greenhouse will stick around Sydney for just a few more weeks, so be sure to check it out, before it uproots and goes on tour.

Monday - Saturday 7:30am - Midnight
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Sunday 10:00am - 10:00pm
(Brunch, Lunch and Dinner)

Where: Dawe's Point, Sydney
More here: Greenhouse by Joost

The Island

If you haven't already jumped on a ferry to check out the latest and greatest from that little island in the harbour that brought you the Biennale and the Cockatoo Island Festival (or as it was endearingly labelled 'Cockfest'), until April 10, the island plays host to an island paradise in the form of a bar. A great place to order a few expertly mixed cocktails by 2010 Bartender of the Year - Marco Faraone, the shipping container bar also features shared plates for al fresco dining.

Open: Tuesday - Sunday 12.30pm - 8.30pm
Where: Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour
More here: The Island Bar

Hunky Dory Social Club

Darlinghurst locals have been waiting for this baby to open for months. Standing dormant, with the promise of 'the next cool bar', Hunky Dory Social Club is finally open, and suffice to say, it was worth the wait.

Featuring exposed brick walls, contrasting with fancy light fixtures and a rooftop garden, it's a multi levelled bar adventure, starting with food on the ground floor at Bruno's...expect simple, rustic Italian favourites including pizza and pasta, then head upstairs to the middle level - cosy corners made for sipping Aperol and orange juice - and further north to the rooftop terrace for comfy Chesterfields and a fantastic view of our fair city. Hunky Dory indeed.

When: Tues-Sun, 12pm-12am
Where: 215 Oxford St, Darlinghurst

Ultimo's Coffee Mecca

2011-02-14T15:43:00.003+11:00

[press release]

Ultimo’s growing café scene is set to add another member to the fold, with CBD coffee masters Mecca Espresso, moving into the neighbourhood this February.

MECCA ESPRESSO HARRIS STREET offers an all encompassing coffee experience from fine rich espresso made using Mecca’s signature Dark Horse blend, to direct-sourced single origins brewed via Clover, siphon or pour over. A wide range of beans to take home and expert advice. In this new space, owner and purveyor of the dark arts, Paul Geshos has created an allencompassing coffee experience for aficionados and novices alike:

Introducing a coffee education and demo space, which will host regular master classes and tastings that pair the unique and unusual with coffee, including raw milk cheese, charcuterie and single origin chocolate, amongst others.

Coffee enthusiasts can learn how to get the best out of their coffee at home, using the latest brewing techniques: Whether it’s pour over, siphon, Aeropress or plunger (French press), Geshos and his talented team will show you how to get the best out of your single origin custom roast. The in-store hardware includes La Marzocco Espresso machines; a Clover, Hario (Japan) siphons, as well as a pour over bar, so caf-fiends can get their fix on the latest and greatest. The beans on offer are selected by Geshos, himself at the source - a result of regularly bouncing around the globe, from Ethiopia to Panama, Kenya to Colombia and back, searching out the best in the business.

Soak up the caffeine with something seasonal from the café menu, or pick up a freshly harvested bag of single origin beans for home, as well as the accoutrement (including Hario siphons and kettles, Kone drip filters and the unique Aeropress) to get the job done.

The new space on Harris Street showcases Mecca’s seed to cup philosophy and commitment to excellence, serving the world’s finest coffees, brewed the finest equipment by baristas passionate about their craft.

Mecca Espresso, 646 Harris Street, Ultimo. Monday – Saturday 7am – 4pm. P: 9280 4204 W: meccaespresso.com

V-Day

2011-02-11T16:54:00.000+11:00

As if Monday's weren't hard enough, this Monday has the added bonus of toting the date 'February 14' this year. And while plenty of restaurants will be doing Valentines Day specials, why not try making something yourself?

Sri Lankan Love Cake

After spending Christmast travelling around Sri Lanka, I was introduced to their version of love cake. Sweet, sticky and spicy, it's a hangover from the Portuguese settlement history. Featuring citrus, cardamom, all important cinnamon (there are cinnamon plantations everywhere in Sri Lanka), rosewater and honey - it's an aromatic piece of baking that's sure to make your kitchen smell pretty special.

125g room temperature butter
500g caster sugar
250g semolina
10 eggs
185g finely chopped nuts (traditionally, this recipes calls for cashew, but try a combination of macadamia, cashew and pistachio)
2 tablespoons rosewater
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon lemon or lime zest

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
2. Line or grease your cake tin (traditionally, this is baked in a square tin)
3. Place the semolina on a baking tray and heat in the oven for 5 minutes
4. Pour into a mixing bowl with the butter and mix
5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and caster sugar together until the texture becomes light
6. Add the semolina mixture and mix until combined.
7. Add the nuts, honey and spices and give it another good mix
8. In a clean dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
9. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake mixture - careful not to over mix.
10. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes.
11. After the cake is done, allow it to cool and dust with icing sugar.

Heart (of Palm)

If you're going to serve up your heart on Valentine's Day, it might be better received if you feed the object of your affection this very simple, sexy finger food.

Hearts of palm are literally the core of the palm tree, tinned for your convenience and available at most good grocers these days for about four bucks.

Once removed from the can, julienne the hell out of them and wrap each stick in a piece of proscuitto or jamon (jamon brings out a slightly nuttier flavour ).

Simple. Sexy.

Getting figgy with it

A time-honored classic and near impossible to stuff up. Cut a cross into each fig and squeeze from the bottom so they open out like little flowers. Sprinkle a little blue cheese on each fig, wrap the based of it in proscuitto and stick it under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt and the proscuitto begins to crisp at the top. Feed to said object of affection.

Happy hunting!

[TOYS] collective does Ms. G's this March

2011-02-04T09:14:00.002+11:00

Issue #5: Ballz Deep

Announcing our first event for the year, in partnership with March into Merivale.

Introducing Nic Wong (Bodega), Jowett Yu (Ms. G’s), and Thomas Lim (Duke Bistro)…

…alongside Dan Hong (Lotus, Ms. G’s) in an all-Asian crew extravaganza at Ms. G’s this March.
Issue #5 also showcases the talents of Charlie Ainsbury (Duke Bistro), cocktail bartender extraordinare.
Date: Sunday March 27, 6.30pm
Venue: Ms. G’s 155 Victoria Street, Potts Point, Sydney NSW
Book: www.toyscollective.eventbrite.com, or click here from Friday February 4
Cost: $120 including matched wines*
More about our new members soon, but until then: Love you long time!

food as art

2011-01-28T17:00:00.002+11:00

With chefs like Rene Redzepi (Noma, Denmark), Andoni Aduriz (Mugaritz, Spain) and Alexandre Gauthier (Grenouillere, France), and in Australia Mark Best (Marque Restaurant), Dan Hunter (The Royal Mail Hotel) and Brent Savage (The Bentley Bar) in the world, the line between what is food and what is art gets really fuzzy. It looks great, but but does it taste good? In most cases the answer is a resounding 'yes', though there is the question of whether you're substituting 'art' for 'soul'.

Regardless, here are a couple of instances where you can decide for yourself:

Food Networks Exhibition

When you think of art exhibitions, you probably think of free booze, but not usually food. Presenting a show, curated by Sydney artist Michelle Helene, in a brand new exhibition space, the show features works by directors and founders of well known galleries in Sydney like Locksmith and Verge. This group show presents the idea of food as art featuring real food installations and multi medium art to convey social commentary about popular culture and food...and the opening night (tonight!) also includes an edible live performance (hellooooo fairy bread!).

PSH@Anyplace Gallery, 118 Terry Street, Rozelle, 28th January 6-8pm.

...those unfamiliar with this space will quickly work out that it's several doors down from Adriano Zumbo's HQ, so why not drop by on your way to the show?

Food on the web

It's interesting to see how such a sensual medium can be so popular on the web - while a great forum for sharing ideas, is largely divorced from the senses that we relate to when it comes to food.

There are a heap of websites out there showing off the work of artists who use food as their sole medium, for example the butter sculpture above.

Jim Victor is a sculptor from Philadelphia, USA, whose site shows off a selection of his work and work by colleagues, using mediums like butter, chocolate, cheese and vegetables to create amazing works of (edible) art.

I doubt many of you spend as much time making your lunch to take to work as Sakurako Kitsa. Despite not being Japanese, Sakurako is a writer and artist who creates work...in her lunchbox.
Featuring everything from blue rice to green-tree frogs made out of apple, this is edible art at its cutest.

Designious Times also has a great link to food art photography, too.

Bacchus Newcastle

You know about The Bentley Bar, Quay and Marque, but just north of Sydney, there's Bacchus. Headed up by chef Tim Montgomery, who has done time behind the burners at The Bather’s Pavilion in Sydney and The Manse in Adelaide, Bacchus treads the fine line between art and food with balance and poise. With dishes like Yellowfin tuna, remoulade, quail egg, lemon and green olive (pictured), this food is testament to the fact that just because something looks pretty, doesn't mean it lacks depth or flavour conception. Worth the drive.

141 King Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300
www.bacchusnewcastle.com.au

Australia Day foods

2011-01-21T17:06:00.001+11:00

With the silly season under our belts (and in some cases, spilling over said belts), it's time to celebrate the next great ~~bludge day~~ public holiday, Australia Day. Forget the politics for a minute and think about the food. There's the great Aussie barbecue, there's Vegemite...and of course, there's beer.

In the lead up to Australia Day, here are a few iconic Australian sweets we couldn't live without, and why.

1. Lamingtons

With or without cream and jam? The jury’s still out on whether the humble lamington should contain that squishy layer of cream and raspberry jam, but whichever way you look at it, there’s always golden sponge, dipped in chocolate and coconut. Bird Cow Fish’s owner and head chef Alex Herbert thinks simple is best; with her combination of old school sponge cake, real cocoa-based icing, a layer of strawberry jam, and long thread coconut. Find her treats at Eveleigh Markets this weekend.

Everleigh Markets: 243 Wilson Street, Redfern.

2. Monaco Bars

When these babies were discontinued, people were outraged. There were tears. There were recriminations. There was more than one petition to bring them back. Americans have been familiar with the ice cream sandwich for decades, but Monaco Bar was really the first of its kind to charm Australians, with its chewy biscuit exterior and creamy ice cream centre. Like all classics, it's the simplicity of ingredients that makes it such a wonderfully elegant classic. Thank god they brought them back.

3. Tim Tams

When it comes to comfort food, there are few Australians who would knock back the offer of Tim Tam, especially when living overseas. In cold weather, these are best consumed in the style of the 'Tim Tam Straw', where you take a bite out of diagonal corners and use it to sip tea (English Breakfast, white) through. In summer, they're best stored in the fridge (and consumed standing in front of it).

Honorable mentions:

Golden Gaytime, Redskins, red ~~and green~~ frogs, Iced Vovos and Bubble-O Bill

floodlight the way

2011-01-20T12:42:00.006+11:00

To say that Queenslanders have had it tough lately is an understatement.

In aid of the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal, the Sydney restaurant community has come together to host a one-off charity dinner on Monday 31 January.

FLOODLIGHT will feature a star-studded line-up of chefs, with all proceeds going to the Queensland flood victims.

FLOODLIGHT is the initiative of Four In Hand’s chef/owner, Colin Fassnidge. The idea snowballed in the ‘Twittersphere’, picking up chefs, sommeliers, waiters and other members of the hospitality industry along the way. What started as a simple idea to help Queenslanders has culminated in Neil Perry offering Rockpool as the venue to host this gala dinner by chefs Fassnidge, Phil Wood(Rockpool), Alex Herbert (Bird, Cow, Fish), Warren Turnbull (Assiette, District Dining), Matt Kemp (Restaurant Balzac), Jared Ingersoll (Danks Street Depot, Cotton Duck), Morgan McGlone (Flinders Inn), Darren Robertson (The Table Sessions) and Monty Koludrovic (Becasse).

The evening will be MC’d by ABC 702’s Simon Marnie and Iron Chef Australia’s Simon Thomsen. The price includes champagne, canapés and a six-course degustation with matched wines.

A raft of silent auction prizes has been donated, including dinners for a year (from restaurants including Quay, Sepia and Bodega), along with a selection of ‘money-can’t-buy’ experiences to be released on the night.

Strictly limited tickets are now on sale through Rockpool Sydney.

When: Monday, January 31, 6.30pm

Where: Rockpool, 107 George Street, The Rocks 2000

Cost: $350 per guest

Dress code: Cocktail

Bookings: Email reservations@rockpool.com or call +61 2 9252 1888

Web: floodlightdinner.tumblr.com

[TOYS] nominated for a SMAC!

2011-01-16T22:35:00.010+11:00

The [TOYS] Collective has been nominated for a 2011 SMAC Award! After a year of amazing ups and more ups, the [TOYS] crew are excited to be recognised by Sydney's premier arts and culture awards.

twas the week before christmas...

2010-12-17T16:51:00.015+11:00

...and all through the city, people wondered what the hell to I get their foodie friend this Christmas.

With just a week to go before Xmas descends on our heads, here are a few last minute gift ideas for food peeps in your life:

Cheap & Cheerful

From the guys that brought you ice-cube bone triceratops and the babushka measuring cups we loved lat year, get all stealth with their new range of cookie cutters. Not 'gingerbread men', but 'ninjabread men' (geddit?), $15.95 from here.

Check out the whole range here.

Simmer Mat

Slow cooking can be hard on a stovetop, especially in your home kitchen. These handy mats are great to place on your cook top to help you control a low, even heat so you can get that slow braise perfect, every time. $24.95, get it here.

iPhone Aps

There are a couple of seriously handy iPhone apps for food lovers, including a brand new one by Australian food royalty, Margaret Fulton. Containing over 60 of her famous recipes and a heap of handy tips, it's a snip at $8.99. If you're stuck for which restaurant to make a booking at, The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2011 app contains all you need to know to make your dining dilemmas a thing of the past, $9.99.

Hookturn coffee cups

For the caffeine fiend in your life, to them, and the environment a favour by buying them a reusable coffee cup. Looks like the real deal, but it's made out of heat-resistant silicone, so you don't singe your fingers, plus it keeps your cuppa joe piping hot. Starts at $10.95 here.

Middlin'

More books than you can poke a spatula at come out at this time of the year, so it's a bit of a no brainer gift idea if you're really stuck. The lovely folks at Phaidon pointed me in the direction of two interesting reads:

For beginners: What To Cook And How To Cook It, by Jane Hornby. Aside from looking awesome, it's a 'fear not' how-to guide for beginners who want to stop burning water and learn how to master the basics with ease. It's broken down into chapters that cover the everyday, to entertaining and dinner party pleasers.

Given where I'm headed for Christmas, I'm also loving India, by Pushpesh Pant, which contains a thousand Indian recipes, all cutely packaged within a cover that looks like a sack of rice. It's Indian kitsch to the max and contains useful tips on regional Indian cuisine, Ayurveda and simple instructions to make plenty of subcontinental treats.

Another one I'm putting on the wishlist is Heston's Fantastical Feasts. A documentation of Heston Blumenthal's quest to master mythical, magical and fanciful food from literature, history and beyond, this isn't just a recipe book, it's a window into the crazy mind behind some of the world's most imaginative chefs.

Other great ideas: Cooking classes at Sydney Seafood School are a hands-on way to indulge masterchef aspirations. You may even find your class taught by a celebrity chef, too. Click here for the full schedule, starting at $85. Fratelli Fresh do some great classes, showcasing simple, pleasing Italian food, too. Check it out.

Exy but Sexy

Tojiro knife sets

If someone you know fancies themselves a bit of a pro in the kitchen, Tojiro is pretty much one of the best knife brands out there. Their Flash series of professional knives can be seen in some of the best kitchens in the world, but their gift sets for at-home use, while still expensive, are a knee-weakening gift for kitchen afficiandos. Not for cutting cans. Gift sets start around $190.

Macaron bling

If you didn't realise it the International Year of the Macaron, then you've been living under a rock this past 52 weeks. Thanks to Laudrée, Pierre Hermé and our own Homme, Adriano Zumbo, this pastel-hued sweet treat is regarded as le patisserie item du jour. Boucheron have created a range of jewel-encrusted versions with tiny bites taken out of them - and for the cashed-up friend of a foodie, this is a pretty awesome place to grab kudos. Starting at around $6, 500, this one's so sweet, it might give you a toothache.

Thermomix

It can slice, dice, make sorbet in 2 minutes, leap tall buildings in a single bound - The Thermomix has become a commercial kitchen staple, but more and more households are giving a half-dozen other appliances the flick in deference to this one, extremely handy kitchen tool. Its ability to mix while heating and cooling, blend, steam and chop, makes it a seriously handy addition to your kitchen stadium. Find out more, here. Costs $1939 plus shipping.

xmas tips(y)

2010-12-10T16:59:00.002+11:00

Christmas day and summer lunches are usually associated with a glass of chilled Marborough (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc on the table, next to the cold seafood platter, ham and turkey. But if you're thinking of trying something a little different on the tipple front this festive season, give these guys a go:

Sparkling Red

Sparkling Burgundy...or 'spurgle', as some like to call it, with it's big, fruit bomb flavours and soft red fruit overtones make great mates with the richness of a roast turkey, but work equally well with spicy flavours and other meats. This style of wine contains a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz grapes and you'll pick up notes of currant and blackberry fruit and clove, so it's no surprise it works so well at Christmas.

Try Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red NV, McLaren Vale.

Brachetto

Brachetto is a red Italian wine varietal grown mainly in Piedmont, in northwest Italy. The most notable wine from this varietal is Brachetto d'Acqui (DOC), which is made in both a still and sparkling (spumante) style. One made in the dolce style is perfect for Christmas dessert with mince pies and short breads.

Try Paola Sordo Brachetto d'Acqui 2008, DOC

Falanghina

Named after the ancient Greek method of growing vines, tied to a pole (or 'Phalanga), this varietal is becoming more known in Australia and is originally produced in Campania in Southern Italy. Aromatic and fresh, with flavours that resemble green apple and citrus fruit, as well as aromas of banana and pineapple. Like most Italian wines, it works beautifully with food including grilled seafood and fresh salads.

Try Cavalier Pepe Falanghina 2008

Cider

The last few years have seen plenty of ciders flood into the Australian market, a popular alternative to the old brewski, they're fresher, fruitier and less heavy, but still maintains casual cool, while you lean against your fixy or adjust your Wayfarers.

Not just restricted to apple varieties, there are some interesting options out there including some great versions from NZ and Sweden, like pear or strawberry. Semi-sweet on palate with strong fruit hit up front, a good cider should finish with a slightly-tart back palate and low acidity. Serve over ice to reduce sweetness, add lemon for a more tarty twist.

Try Rekorderlig Pear Cider, Monteith's Crushed Apple Cider

sydney salads

2010-12-03T16:57:00.000+11:00

Homer Simpson may have said "You don't win friends with salad", but perhaps if he'd tried a few of the absolute gems going around Sydney, he mightn't have been so quick to jump to conclusions where the humble insalate is concerned. And it doesn't need to be meaty to become substantial, just look at Fratelli's Cafe Sopra version for starters. All you need is a few interesting textures, a great dressing and of course, the produce better be fresssssssh.

Cafe Sopra, Fratelli Fresh
Potts Point, Walsh Bay, Waterloo

Chef Andy Bunn's cabbage salad may be simple, but it's a favourite throughout the year for its simplicity and elegance. As a side or the better part of your lunch, it's a consistent winner. Featuring sweet, shaved baby cabbage leaves, parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar, and a custom lemon vinaigrette, it's simple enough to do at home, too.

Click here to find the recipe. Want to learn from the master? Check out the Fratelli Fresh cooking class schedule. Our mate Michael from Gosstronomy attended one recently, and the resulting Banofee Pie was pretty damned impressive.

Tropicana Cafe
227 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, 2010
www.tropicanacaffe.com

As far as iconic salads go, this one's a doosy. From the cafe that spawned one of the largest short film festivals in the world, the Tropicana chicken salad's fans are many and varied. This ain't no fancy salad, it's served in a metal mixing bowl with a basic bread roll as company, but it's the perfect combination of Cos lettuce, thin slices of freshly grilled chicken, wedges of roasted potato, tomato, smokey grilled eggplant, avocado, and Tropicana's house vinaigrette and mayo that makes this salad great. Like Cindy Lauper said, time after time, this salad is consistently good, and with that much meat and vegetable protein, a meal on its own.

Bistrode CBD
Level 1, 52 King Street Sydney, 2000

Since Jeremy Strode took over this well-known dining space, which forms part of the Merivale empire, there are a few dishes that have stood out as favourites among regular diners and reviewers, but none has captured more imagination than the lamb 'hearts and minds' salad. Little globes of crisp-fried outer, creamy-centred lamb's brains sit atop a salad of witlof, watercress and grilled slices of lamb heart.

It's signature Strode in it's rustic simplicity and matter-of-fact employment of offal. Forget what you think it's going to be like and dive right in. You won't be disappointed.

Honorable mentions:

1. Flinders Inn's Tete a porc; brawn slow cooked over mire poix, reduced and served with pickled radishes

2. Yellow's fetta, pomegranate and mint salad.

bell's at killcare

2010-11-28T21:30:00.018+11:00

Now that the rumours are true - that Stefano Manfredi is officially on the high calibre list of celebrity chefs opening a restaurant in the new Star City development, does it mean there'll be a little less sparkle at central coast gem Bell's at Killcare? Not likely, if this closely knit team have anything to do with it.

There are pros and cons to working in food, and receiving invitations to fantastic food-related experiences are definitely a perk of the job. So when one arrived a few weeks ago, inviting me to check out what's happening at this secluded central coast gem, who's complaining, really?

Polpettine di melanzana

This past weekend, a handful of unfortunate food peeps, including Inside Cuisine's Rebecca Varidel, Good Living's Carli Ratcliff, Gourmet Rabbit's Denea Buckingham, Open House's Ylla Wright, Gosstronomy's Michael Shafran, the guys from Tasted By Two and myself journeyed to the central coast to check out what Stefano and his team have been up to in Killcare.

Pomodorino primavera, carciofi, crema di cannellini

2 hours, a car crash on the F3, a few newspapers and a very patient driver later, we arrive in the lush coastal surrounds of the Bell's property and greeted by gracious host Julie Manfredi-Hughs. We're told that a tour of the grounds with Mr Manfredi is in order, but not without sampling the menu and some spectacular Italian wines first.

Calamaretti insaccati, polenta di Storo

8 acres of property means that unlike urban restaurants, Bell's can grow a large proportion of the produce that ends up on the table right there on the grounds, thanks to plenty of sunshine, lush soil and a group of dedicated gardeners and chefs who gather fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs within steps of the kitchen's back door.

Sacchetti d'agnello

We start with polpettine de melanzana - tiny, crisp-crumbed globes of eggplant and melty pecorino, served with salsa verde, and pomadoro primavera, carciofi, crema di cannelini - a dish of fragrant spring tomatoes, braised artichokes and cannellini cream, all a testament to the beauty of fresh produce and the fact that vegetarian dishes can be substantial, flavoursome and entirely whole without meat.

Petto d'anitra arrosto, rapa all'agro, cime in padella

Next, a little frutti di mare - calamaretti insaccati, polenta di Storo - soft calamari tubes stuffed with minced prawns, fresh tomato and creamy polenta, sacchetti d'agnello - parcels of tender lamb, encased in pasta, as well as roasted duck breast with pickled turnips and braised turnip tops, the latter extolling that the nose-to-tail philosophy can (and should) extend to vegetables.

Torta di ciliegie, gelao di pioli e rosmarino

Before we head to the garden, the baked cherry custard tart with pine nut and rosemary gelato tops off our seasonal Italian meal - the richness of the custard tart, offset by new season cherries and praline crumbs topped with the herbal tones of rosemary in the gelato.

Steve shares some gardening tips

A spare set of chef whites, for safe keeping in the garden

Stefano's keen to show us what's happening outside of the restaurant though - plans for the kitchen gardens are in action, with everything from onions, asparagus, garlic, rainbow chard, radishes, zucchini and other Australian and Italian varietal crops grown from seed and harvested in view of hotel guests each morning. We're told a new greenhouse is in development to nurture seedlings, as well as a series of new guest houses down by the new garden site.

Artichokes

In the garden, the artichokes and onions are flowering and we're invited to pick our own radishes and onions to take home...if we can handle the array of bugs hanging out in the veggie patch (we can). As with any garden bed, there are plenty of new bug friends to find, including several thousand snails, but they seem to be pretty happy to be picked off and popped back in the foliage (although we're told they make great canapes for the ladies in the chicken coop).

Onion flowers

The ducks by the dam were not harmed in the cooking of our lunch

Ladies in the hen house

The Bell's chicken coop is slightly larger than your average studio apartment back in Sydney, so it's no surprise to hear it provides the kitchen with over a dozen eggs daily, and with a protein-rich diet including the vegetable garden's resident snails, they ought to be pretty good.

Italian garlic, rudely awoken by our mid-afternoon harvesting effort

Several hours in the bus, a case of Peroni and a few sleepy foodies later, our day trip to the coast is over, but probably not without a few personal notes to return with friends to share this weekender escape sometime soon. I wonder if the team will exchange a few hours work in the garden for room and board...

food with a view

2010-11-26T16:48:00.005+11:00

Blue skies, great company, food and wine...what more could you need? An unparralelled view of the ocean and the possibility of the all important post-lunch dip, of course. There are plenty of beachside dining options to choose from, and there's nothing wrong with a good old fish'n'chips session (only if followed by gelato), but if the sound of suckling pig panini or crisp salted cod fritters and a killer negroni sound more your speed, here are a few places to check out.

Pilu at Freshwater
On The Beach Moore Rd
Harbord 2096
(02) 9938 3331
piluatfreshwater.com.au

As far as chefs go, you'd have to be pretty happy to be Giovanni Pilu. Take an acclaimed chef, known for his modern, fresh approach to Italian cuisine and a landmark restaurant location, perched above Freshwater beach and you have dining synergy. There's the more formal restaurant, boasting a menu that includes Sardinian-spiked dishes of quail wrapped in a blanket of pancetta, stuffed with chicken livers, potatoes and tarragon, served with figs, and Pilu's signature slow-roasted suckling pig with its delicate crackling....but if you're after something more casual, Pilu's kiosk boasts the same million dollar views, with a shoestring budget menu. Grab a suckling pig panino, a blanket and chow down, picnic-style on the headland, or sit in at the cafe's beach-chic digs.

North Bondi Italian
118-120 Ramsgate Ave,
North Bondi NSW

(02) 9300 4400

northbondiitalian.com

Any closer to the beach and you'd be dining waist-deep in the brine. Wedged beneath North Bondi RSL, North Bondi Italian has become a summer afternoon ritual for locals and a must-do for visitors to the area. Balmy afternoons in the summer see the balcony crowded with punters sipping prosecco or the restaurant's killer version of the negroni before tucking into a seasonal menu of relaxed Italian dishes including dad's zampone (pig's trotters stuffed with cottechnino, marjoram, celery and spinach), baccala (deep fried salted cod fritters) or a seriously good steak.

Honorable mentions in the area: Sean's Panaroma, Icebergs Dining Room

Jonah's at Whale Beach

69 Bynya Rd
Palm Beach NSW 2108
(02) 9974 5599

jonahsatwhalebeach.com.au

If you're up for the drive, nothing quite says 'summer by the beach' than Whale... Beach. Past the weekender homes, you'll find Jonah's at Whale Beach - home of one of the best renditions of pannacotta in the state, with its pointy boob-jiggly texture, crowned with burnt lavender honey and pomegranates (who care's aboutt the passage of food trends, when it's this good?). Preceed it with a plate of seared Palmer's Island mulloway, lobster, scallop and prawn boudin, served with ruby grapefruit and crunchy school prawns and enlightenment can't be far away.

Breakfast is nothing to snip at either, check out the huevos con chorizo: fried eggs with chorizo, capsicum, tomato salsa, corn tortillas and sour cream. Worth the drive, and then some.

Other visits worth the drive: Stefano Manfredi's Bells at Killcare, Rick Stein's Bannisters in Mollymook.

new sydney eats

2010-11-19T17:28:00.005+11:00

Sydney's seen a slew of new, exciting places open up in the last few months. So it's time to recap where's hot to trot at the moment.

Porteño
358 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills 2010
(02) 8399 1440

Sydney's favourite rockabilly chef duo, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate have done it again, working their own brand of cool on the old Dimitri's restaurant on Cleveland Street, Surry Hills - it's only claim to fame was a sign that sat outside for years saying 'official wrap party location for Moulin Rouge'. Um, ok.

Abrahanowicz's Argentinian heritage and the duo's ballsy style has transformed this sprawling location into hacienda cool, with marble-topped tables, rendered walls and black accents. The crowning glory here is the asador, a South American torture chamber-looking device that's responsible for the toothsome, smokey, bbq smells that pervade the restaurant.

Order the suckling pig: the head of which is served to the table with a knife through the eye. Other wins include veal sweetbreads - sticky, salty and tender pieces of goodness, fried Brussels sprouts - caramel golden on the outside, with a nutty texture that dares you to rethink everything you know about this largely misunderstood vegetable. Wash it all down with a jug of sangria or a Spanish apple cider.

Bar H
80 Campbell Street, Surry Hills 2010
(02) 9280 1980

Hamish Ingham and his partner in crime Rebecca, have taken over the well known location that once was The Wall, on Foster Street, Surry Hills. Not just a place to grab a great coffee, the entire site has been overhauled, all moody and dark blue with it's long bar and cosy booths and golden vintage sourced features.

When it comes to the food, Ingham's deft hand and elegantly subtle style pervades the menu, highlighting the quality of the produce. There's an oyster menu and these guys need to be tasted to be believed, so start your meal by throwing a few of these babies back.

There's a degustation option which will allow you to sample the best of the hard-to-choose menu, but if you're going ala carte, the picks here would have to be the Mulloway sashimi with pickled beetroot salad - fresh, light, perfect for this time of the year. Fashion plate ox tongue makes an appearance here too, with cute lil' breakfast radishes and zingy touches of ginger and citrus.

Love Tilly Devine
91 Crown Lane, Darlinghurst 2010

There are small bars and there are small, awesome bars. This is the latter. The namesake may have been a razor-toting gangland mama from the bad old days around these parts, now, Tilly represents an appreciation for great wine and atmosphere. Loved by wine industry peeps and locals alike, this blink and you'll miss it new comer has been scoring points with Sydney for its winning combination of shabby chic, great service and a cracking wine list...300 wines. Yep: read it and weep with happiness, vino overs.

Here, there are salumi plates and a highly rated brushetta, in the company of other solid bar staples. and with a wine list this big, you'd better order something to soak up the alcohol.

[TOYS] collective does melbourne

2010-11-16T22:09:00.006+11:00

[TOYS] collective Issue #4: Water

Announcing our plans for world domination expansion: [TOYS] is heading to Melbourne in early December.

Introducing Nic Poelaert (Embrasse), John Paul Twomey (Cutler & Co), Daniel Wilson (Huxtable) and Aaron Turner (Loam).

Date: Tuesday December 7, 6.30pm
Venue: Embrasse Restaurant 312 Drummond Street, Carlton, VIC
Cost: $180 (plus booking fee). Includes matched wines and cocktails

…alongside Morgan McGlone (Flinders Inn) & Darren Robertson (The Table Sessions)

Issue #4 also showcases the talents of Sonia Bandera (Donovan’s), Hannah Green (Attica), Kirsikka Herrald (Embrasse), Liam O’Brien (winemaker) and Dante Ruaine (Huxtable), Kylie Javier (Duke Bistro), Luke Ashton (Duke Bistro, The Ivy) & Banjo Harris-Plane (Est.)

You can follow us on twitter: @TOYScollective or join our mailing list.

shopping centres go gourmet

2010-11-12T16:56:00.003+11:00

If you haven't heard about the latest developments rocking the Sydney City shopping district, then you've probably been living under a rock for the past few weeks. With phase one of Westfield's uber shopping complex just open, it's not just shopping that's lifted its game in this part of town.

Last night, I was lucky enough to be asked to MC the re-opening of one of Sydney's favourite yum cha restaurants, Sky Phoenix (gentlemen, prepare to queue), but that's not all that's worth visiting. Here are three places you should check out if you happen to require retail refreshment.

Charlie & Co

Justin North - he of Becasse, Etch and Plan B fame, has opened his latest food venture, Charlie & Co. We already know this many knows his way around a good burger (Plan B's version winning hearts and stomachs across the city), and now he's branching out.

Selling over 600 burgers in its first weekend, you'll not only find his famous Wagyu version but an entire range of gore-met varieties including a Hand-crafted Chilli Crab Burger, featuring a Thai infused crab cake with Asian salad, lime mayonnaise and sweet chilli jam on a sesame bun. You can also meet Hamburger Charlie, filled with Italian meatballs, tomato salsa and olives on a toasted Parmesan bun. They're not cheap, but with produce this good, it's worth the $13-17 price tag. Read up on the menu here.

Cloudy Bay Fish Co

The 'Co's don't stop at Charlie. Seafood industry legend John Susman brings his own brand of humble fish & chippery to the people, with flippin' fresh seafood sourced from quality Australian and New Zealand sources, prepared simply so you can appreciate the calibre of the produce. Try the plank-roasted New Zealand king salmon or go all retro-like with a classic prawn cocktail.

Sky Phoenix

Back in its lofty perch at the top of the new retail mega-mall, everyone's favourite city yum cha hang is back, with a brand new 500 seater restaurant (Less waiting? Or will it just be more popular than ever?).

Grab a table by the window and watch shoppers scurrying around below, while you chow down on dim sum like nobody's business. All the regular favourites are here, including plump steamed har gao and crisp, salty spiced squid. It's good to see an old friend return.

Check out the schmick website.

brasserie bread giveaway

2010-11-12T15:04:00.004+11:00

Christmas Puddings, Fruit Mince Pies and Gingerbread – yep, X-mess is looming on the horizon.

Want to lean how the pros do it?

Thanks to Brasserie Bread, fooderati has 2 places to give away for a special Christmas baking workshop on Fri 26 Nov, 10am -1pm.

Details:

Learn how to prepare and bake these scrumptious and ever-popular seasonal treats just in time for the holiday season. To spice things up, we’ll show you how to decorate your own Gingerbread, which makes for a great gift to that special someone. Take a guided tour of the Bakery and Brasserie Breaducation accompanied with a wine and cheese tasting to finish off your experience. From rolling, baking, filling and finishing – this class is the perfect Christmas activity to kick-start the merry season!
Valued at $130/person

Simply email gimme@fooderati.com.au with the subject header 'Brasserie Bread Competition' and tell us in 25 words or less, which Christmas dessert you're most like and why.

Other Workshop dates:
6.30 – 9.30pm: 2 Dec, 9 Dec
1.30 – 4.30pm: 18 Dec

omertà gets porked

2010-11-10T22:38:00.016+11:00

Omertà has joined forces with Urban Food Market to present a 7-course degustation of piggy proportions. Eugenio will create a nose-to-tail feast showcasing one of the only true free range pork producers in the country, Esk River Free Range Pork, from Tasmania.

Degustation de Maiale

Crostini, lardo, figs, chestnut

Trotter jelly, braised stuffed pigs head, caper berries, fresh almonds, dragoncello

Shoulder -8 hours slow cooked in milk “encassata” , peppers, polenta ,marsala

Confit cheek triangoli, cherry, sage, poppy seeds

Luganica “alla brace”, radicchio, mustard pear

Porchetta, faro, celeriac, heirloom carrots, salsa verde

Sorbeto di mela

Cremino al cioccolato nocciola

Where: Omerta 235 Victoria St Darlinghurst NSW 2010

When: Monday 6 December, 7pm

How much: $69, $95 with matched wines

Secure your place by booking here.

fried chicken

2010-11-05T17:05:00.000+11:00

Sydney is most definitely not on a diet. At least, that's what the chefs of this great city intend for us, if they have their way. With dishes like fried chicken coming back into fashion and on the menus of some of the coolest eateries in town, it's time to pick up the pace on your weekly run or add a few extra laps in the pool...because it's finger-licking good (and we even hear THAT purveyor of fried chicken made The Bentley Bar change the name of one of their bite-sized chicken dishes).

There's pretty much a fried chicken in every cuisine, from karage to southern-fried, ayam goreng tulang lunak and more, so here are three great examples to try. BYO defibrillator.

ATL Maranatha
61 Todman Ave,
Kensington NSW 2033
(02) 9663 3410

A favourite with the local Indonesian population, 'ATL' is famous for its deep fried soft bone chicken.
$8 will buy you a plate of Oscar golden, juicy chicken, with a crunch any sound stage foley artist would be proud of. And yes, the bones are so soft you can eat them - courtesy of overnight pressure-cooking that happens before the poor sods are deep fried the following day. When it comes to fried chicken, there's no doubt the maryland is best (fat = flavour), that that's just what you'll get at ATL. Choose from original recipe, salted egg batter, or turn up the heat with chilli sauce for extra bite.

District Dining
17 Randle Street
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
www.districtdining.com.au

We hear District Dining's co-owner and head chef Warren Turnbull is not adverse to indulging in a bit of junk food from time to time. A contrast from his fine diner Assiette, the bistro serves up shared dishes including a wooden breadboard of crisp fried chicken pieces served with coleslaw and lime aioli, $24. More heavily breaded than ATL, DD's chicken is more Southern USA style in flavour, but the fundamentals remain: golden crunch outside, tender inside.

Arisun
1 Dixon Street
Haymarket, Sydney
(02) 9264 1588

'K' may normally stand for 'Kim Chi', but at this Korean joint in Dixon Street, it stands for 'Korean Fried Chicken'. Arrive early to nab a spot in the courtyard and order a beer while you wait for your basket of golden-fried bite-sized pieces of chicken joy to arrive. Choose between original deep fried or the spicy version (resplendant in sticky glaze), either way, the batter is crisp, the meat is tender and really, the only downside is having to wait until it's cool enough to consume. $30.

Honorable Mentions

- Duke Bistro (L1, 63 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst) - served with coleslaw milk and hot sauce spray, $10
- The Eathouse (306 Chalmers Street, Redfern) - ok, so it's Jamaican jerk-style, but it's still lip-sticking, aromatic and moreish..all valid criteria when it comes to this kind of food.

duke bistro arrives in darlinghurst

2010-11-04T00:37:00.003+11:00

A new member of Darlinghurst’s Flinders Hotel family has moved in. A contrast to the grungy, L.A dive-bar style of the downstairs pub, Duke Bistro is about shared plates and global flavours.

Offering bistro dining in a relaxed environment, the atmosphere takes cues from British colonial style, pulled together in a way that only Melbourne designer Michael Delaney (Honky Tonks, Sorry Grandma! Third Class), can create.

Kylie Javier (Tetsuya’s, The Bentley Bar) heads up a motley crew including chefs Thomas Lim (previously at Tetsuya’s) and 2010 Young Chef of the Year Mitch Orr, who have been busy developing an eclectic tasting menu that hone their diverse culinary backgrounds. Self-admitted fans of culinary humour and irony, expect to see dishes like kingfish G&T, tater tots, oxtail and bone marrow gravy with edamame and tendril as well as fried rabbit with celery, thyme, malt and mayo among the seasonal menu.

Cocktail bartenders Charles Ainsbury and Andy Penney bring over twenty years of local and international experience to the game and they take their craft seriously, so you don’t have to. Sip from an evolving list of seasonal cocktails, as well as a wine list spanning a moving feast of alternative varietals, artisan producers and natural wines, orchestrated by Joel Amos.

Whether it’s cocktails and snacks at the bar, or a more substantial bistro experience, Duke is open till midnight most nights, and 2am Fridays and Saturdays, making this newcomer a welcome addition to Sydney’s late night dining scene.

Open Tue-Thur 7pm – Midnight, Fri-Sat 7pm – 2ish

Book 9332 3180, reservations@dukebistro.com.au

Interwebs: www.dukebistro.com.au | @dukebistro

aids trust food and wine fair

2010-10-29T23:11:00.003+11:00

It's almost the end of the Sydney International Food Festival, which means one last hurrah of food and wine, for a great cause. The AIDS Trust Food and Wine Fair is the largest fundraising effort for the charity each year. So dig deep, eat up and show your support tomorrow.

Drop by the MSC Sustainable Seafood stand and say hi - I'll be flipping fish with Tom Kime from the Sustainable Seafood Cafe and his team. Look forward to meeting you!

There'll also be stalls by Guillaume at Bennelong, Longrain, Lucio's, Otto, Catalina, Quay, Café Sydney, Buon Ricardo, Wildfire and Icebergs nestled up beside Bourke St Bakery, Brasserie Bread, Lisa McGuigan, Allpress Espresso, Parker’s Organic Juices, Ben & Jerry’s, Abbott Village Bakery, Australian Mushroom Growers, Batlow Apples, Yellow Tail Wines, the Wine Society, Tempus Two, Scarborough Wine Co., James Squire, De Bertolli Wines, David Hook Wines, Brown Bros. Wines, Adina Vineyards, the Midnight Shift and Ferrero Roche...just to name a couple.

EVENT: SYDNEY FOOD & WINE FAIR 2010 – celebrating 20 years of giving
DATE: Saturday 30 October 2010
FOOD: 12pm – 2pm
ENTERTAINMENT: 12pm – 5pm
WHERE: HYDE PARK NORTH, SYDNEY
COST: FREE ENTRY TO THE PARK

Find out more here.

top 5 cookbooks you should get this season

2010-10-29T16:08:00.008+11:00

It's fast approaching Christmas and for foodies, there humble cookbook makes a pretty perfect gift to receive. With literally dozens of new cookbooks flooding the bookshelves in stores at the moment, here's the fooderati pick of the bunch, for the cookbook collector in your life:

1. Noma, Rene Redzepi (Phaidon Press)

#1 restaurant in the world, Noma's owner/head chef Rene Redzepi is responsible for pushing Nordic cuisine into the spotlight on the world food stage. At the age of 32, Redzepi is one of the most influential chefs in the world - his first book showcases the inspiration, creativity and how the concept of 'time and place' is central to the way this man works. Beautiful photography, too.

2. Quay, Peter Gilmour (Murdoch Books)

In Australia's own stable of top chefs, Peter Gilmour sits pretty at the top. Here's another stunning example of nature-based philosophy and organic presentation that echoes in modern haute cuisine. For sweet lovers, there's incredible eight-textured chocolate cake as well as a few signature dishes that the restaurant is known for. There's lots to build on here - from simple to show stopping.

3. Bentley, Brent Savage (Murdoch Books)

The skills behind Surry Hill's own Bentley Restaurant & Bar, for your take-home pleasure. Dropping the curtain on Savage's kitchen secrets, this book is as good for at-home masterchefs, through to bonafide professionals. There's handy step-by-step photography and instructions on modern cooking techniques used in Brent's kitchen, including sous vide, as well as food and wine flavour pairings.

4. Rockpool, Neil Perry (New Holland)

Our very own Iron Chef, Neil Perry opened his award-winning restaurant "The Rockpool" in 1989. This collection of over 100 recipes covers everything from canapes to desserts and includes some of Rockpool's signature dishes. The book is a collection of simplified-for-home recipes that encapsulate Neil's east/west style, technique and understanding of balance and flavour.

5. 365 Good Reasons to Sit Down and Eat, Stephane Renaud (Murdoch Books)

Wordy titles aside, this book from Stéphane Reynaud is based on a recipe for every day of the year, including breakfasts, one-pan wonders, succulent roasts, salads, cocktails and everything in between. It's an irreverent selection of dishes to inspire every meal. There's also a handy seasonal calendar and a series of time-saving cooking tip, making this book a home-kitchen staple.

Read on..Mitch Orr's tip on one of the best cookbook sites for aspiring chefs and those who have already arrived.

bentley book launch

2010-10-28T14:13:00.008+11:00

One of the most hotly anticpated cookbooks of the season, The Bentley Bar's book is finally upon us.

To celebrate the launch of the book, The Bentley Bar is hosting a launch event at the restaurant, with a dinner featuring dishes from the book, matched with wines by Sydney uber sommelier and other half of The Bentley Bar, Nick Hilderbrant.

The 411:

When: Monday 1st November, 7pm
Where: The Bentley Bar, 320 Crown Street, Darlinghurst
What: 5 courses plus matched wines and a copy of Bentley cookbook

Ticket options:

Single ticket: $180 including a copy of the book
Double ticket: $300 including a copy of the book per couple
Food and wine: $130 (still an bargain!)

Book via Arial Bookstore: (92) 9332 4581 by 6pm Friday October 29.

upstairs downstairs

2010-10-22T17:05:00.000+11:00

Pubs in Sydney have made an art out of becoming a little more than waterholes for post-work refreshment. We've talked about gastropubs before, but there's also a collection of Sydney pubs that offer not just great pub fare, but a more dressed-up option should you decide to go (dare I say it) a little bit fancy. Either way you look at it, ze food? Is good.

The Woollahra Hotel/Bistro Moncur
116 Queen St
Woollahra NSW 2025
(02) 9363 2519

A Sydney institution, The Woollahra Hotel is perfect for catching up with mates for an afternoon gin and tonics or tucking into substantial salads and crisp fries, while overlooking the well-heeled shopping precinct. Since the pub opened in 1993, Bistro Moncur - shaped and overseen by executive chef and Australian food industry icon Damien Pignolet - has paid homage to chic Parisian bistro atmosphere and great food. Back with one-hat status in the SMH Good Food Guide 2011, expect classic modern French bistro eats like Yellow fin tuna carpaccio and scallop tartare with avocado cream, baby coriander and chives, served with a seaweed and eschalot vinegarette or a classic sirloin, Cafe de Paris style.

The Four in Hand Pub/Bistro
105 Sutherland St
Paddington NSW 2021
(02) 9326 2254

Ex-Banc enfant terrible Colin Fassnidge's little slice of Paddington pub gold continues to be a winner, whether you're in the bar to watch the game and a few beers with the boys or styling it up in the bistro. The pub itself is a historic gem, tucked away a the bottom end of Paddo. There's plenty of original charm left in this old gal and you'll continue to be impressed by the bar menu. There's black pudding with apple sauce (trust him, he's Irish) to share, as well as corn beef (Wagyu) and tempura scallop balls with aioli. The only pub in Sydney to have a 2 hat restaurant - you can be sure that while the pub food is good, the dining room is great. You can order a whole suckling pig for 9 of your best mates (a snip at $80 per head including accompaniments), but if you're after ala carte, give the sashimi bonito and tuna with pickled cucumber and snow or spring lamb two ways, with herb gnocchi and braised baby fennel a go.

The Central Hotel/District Dining
358 Elizabeth St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9212 1068

Warren Turnbull is best known for his fine-diner Assiette in Sydney's Surry Hills, but further down the road, on Randle Street you'll find his newest project District Dining. Opening this week the marble-topped tables and sleep dark wood interior make a great place to have share plates of crispy quail eggs with tarragon and anchovy mayonaise, veal tongue with pickled turnip, salsa verde with almonds or the cracking fried chicken with coleslaw and lime aioli. There's a brilliant wine list, interesting presentation (jam jars, mini paella dishes and chopping boards) and of course, great produce on show.
Downstairs at The Central Hotel, you can expect great pizzas and other, more casual fare - but when you know it's been made by Turnbull, value-for-money doesn't even begin to cover it.