I adore burgers and although I know they’re not good for me, I sometimes have to sate my cravings with McDonalds or Hungry Jack’s / Burger King (all the other times I can hold out, but just barely).

When a couple of my friends recommended Paul’s Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania, I was pretty excited, but somehow I never got to actually go. Eventually the stars and planets aligned and I finally ended up visiting Paul’s, despite the terribly cold and windy night.

Inside

With their brazen claim of “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!”, I have to be honest and say that whenever I see places (or books or anything else for that matter) that claims to be the “best”, I get a bit wary but at the same time slightly hopeful. Maybe this time around, it will be the best I’ve ever tasted/read/seen.

Pineapple Crush - 1L ($4.50)

We sipped on some awesome Pineapple Crush (pineapple juice with quite a lot of pulp) as we waited for our burgers. It was so refreshing, not overly sweet or had that too-sour after taste, that I had to refrain myself from gulping the entire beverage down. The only downside of the drink was you could end up having a small string of pulp unwittingly hanging off your lip after taking a sip (yes, it did happen to me) – funny but a bit embarrassing.

The Works Burger (Tomato, Lettuce, Onion, Egg, Bacon, Cheese, Pineapple) with BBQ Sauce ($7.20)

The Works Burger (Tomato, Lettuce, Onion, Egg, Bacon, Cheese, Pineapple) with BBQ Sauce ($7.20)

Yes, the Works burger is most probably as gigantic as it looks.

The freshness of the ingredients used was definitely the highlight of the burger, though what really shined through was the deliciously juicy pineapple – not the patty as I would have thought.

My foodie friend was a bit disappointed that the buns were a bit soggy from the excess water on the lettuce (perhaps it was too fresh! Ha ha) and that it was a bit under-seasoned and under-sauced.

Hamburger with Tomato, Lettuce, Cheese and Tomato Sauce ($5.50)

While I can’t dispute the fact that it’s a pretty darn good burger and as you bite into the burger its freshness just pops out at you, I also can’t dispute the fact that I found myself wishing I had a bit more sauce on my bun and that it was missing something – some oompf that would make me wish it would never end. Maybe my expectations were subconsciously set on high.

Large Chips with Special Sauce ($4.50 + $1)

The crisp-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside chips, on the other hand, were perfectly seasoned.

My foodie friend loved the tangy special sauce, but the taste seemed a bit too strange for me; the flavour of the special sauce was kind of a mixture of ranch, tartar, and sweet mustard sauce with a hint of barbecue. Or something like that, we couldn’t really agree on what we thought it tasted like. It was really odd.

2007 Winner

Seeing the award made me wonder what was the difference between the burgers then from now. Perhaps it was the missing oompf that I wish it had, as it really has so much potential to be a really spectacular burger.

So, it wasn’t the Best Burger Ever, but it was very decent… and super fresh. And I think sometimes, that’s enough. It doesn’t have to knock your socks off every time you eat it, but you know you’re guaranteed a pretty darn good feed, leaving you quite full, and service from friendly, laid-back staff who most probably will know your name by your third visit.

I noticed that their small but steady stream of customers mostly ordered take away or quickly scoffed their meal down before rushing off somewhere. It made me wish that Paul’s were a bit closer, despite my nitpicking, so I could also satisfy my burger craving as easily without feeling like I was being too unhealthy (and for some more of that awesome pineapple crush).

Just a word of caution: street parking is a bit difficult, as Paul’s is right on the busy, busy Princes Highway – just after Tom Ugly’s bridge. We had to park on the other side of the road, in a side street, after waiting for what seemed like an age at the lights to turn right.

Paul’s Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania
12 Princes Hwy
Sylvania, NSW, 2444
Ph: (02) 9522 5632
Fax: (02) 9150 4947
Web: http://www.paulsfamoushamburgers.com.au/

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The celebrations were held at Aria, and a brisk walk across Circular Quay soon found us at the restaurant, walking inside we were offered a glass of the winning Sauvignon. This is going to be terrible but I’m about to use every phrase I’ve ever mocked for wine descriptions… The white was light and bursting with a fruity flavour which made for lovely drinking. In my estimable glory I may have mentioned to Suze that it smelt like wine. Connoisseur I am not.

2008 Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc

The crowd tonight seems a mixed group of Nepenthe employees, restauranters, wine critics and bloggers and I soon spot Helen, Lorraine, Mel and Suze. My glass of white is more than enough to get my empty stomach tipsy and Suze and I keep an eye out for the entree platters floating about the room, the entrees for the night are being prepared by Aria and the sight of all the platters soon has me starving.

Smoked Salmon Rolls

Cockle Bay Oysters

We soon realize that the best thing for us to do is to situate ourselves at the far end of the room to intercept the plates before they are decimated by the masses or ourselves. I don’t think bloggers are commonly at wine events as the waiter staff are initially startled when the cameras come out but after a few rounds are pros at assuming the outstretched arm position, even going as far as moving into better light for us.

Deep Fried Prawns

The prawns on the night have been deep fried and are served in individual cups and I found them great fun to eat. Deep fried things are often overly oily or still soft but the prawns give a great crunch in a tiny mouthful, head and all!

Agadashi Tofu

The crowd tonight a decided interested one and seem more amused than anything else by our food blogger antics and flash happy hands. Suze soon finds herself a fan as Sean, the manager of Jonas comes over to proclaim his love for her pannacotta video and for the dessert. He confesses that the sight of the pannacotta moving over the restaurant floor always results in a 10 minute flurry of, ‘I want what she’s having!’.

Lamb Rolls

I have to confess that I may have had 3 of these mini sausage rolls… Wonderfully nutty they were like a balm to my stomach.

Cheesy Profiteroles

I personally find it very easy to be quiet in situations like this but people in the crowd are genuinely interested in what we do and more than a few come up to introduce themselves to us and to ask just us just what is a Blogger? In return I ask for a couple of tips on how to develop my wine palate and am cheekily informed by Michael from Nepenthe to refer to the cheat sheets provided. The sheets list out berries, forest floors and chocolate. I’m smelling the berries at least!

Maguro Tuna

The tuna is easily my favourite dish of the night, done up very simply sashimi style with a choice of Soy sauce or a mild curry sauce. I find myself going for the curry each time as it adds a nice kick to the flavour.

Blue Swimmer Crab Cake

The wine is flowing freely throughout the night and we partake of a glass of the Shiraz, Pinot Gris, and the Pinot Noir. Somewhat over enthusiastically I twirl my glass to the point that it twirls out of my fingers and crashes onto the ground (spilling a fair amount onto Suze on the way! Sorry Suze!). I’m tipsy and embarrassed but my blogger instincts get the better of me and I find myself taking a photo of the damage. The waiter cleaning things up does not look impressed at me. Oops!

It is here that I finally make the acquaintance of Prue, whom we have communicated to various times but never had the opportunity to meet in person. She teasingly mentions that Matt Moran is indeed about the premises but may not make it to the celebrations as he is currently filming the Masterchef finale! Matt does manage to make it to the celebrations towards the end of the night and is gracious enough to take us into the kitchen (cue fangirl cries) and poses for a few photos.

Matt Moran

Super thanks to Prue and Brett for the invitation for the night. Wines are a part of the foodie world which I am still woefully ignorant of, the Sauvignon Blanc is definitely one of the best white wines I’ve tried and one I’ll be looking out for next time I go to a dinner party.

Eat Show & Tell was a guest of The Mint Partners at the Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc Wine Celebration at Aria on the 2nd of July, 2009.

ARIA Restaurant
1 Macquarie Street
East Circular Quay
Sydney 2000

Ph: (02) 9252 2555
Fax: (02) 9252 2666
Web: http://www.ariarestaurant.com/
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On our way down to Kiama for the long weekend, we stopped by Thirroul to check out the ‘Princess’ Pashley bike at one of the few stores in New South Wales that stocks that brand. It also happened to be lunch time and afterwards we hungrily prowled the streets for a place to eat.

Well, okay, that’s not quite true.

We ambled along the road and a couple of stores down from the bike shop, we found ourselves at a pretty big sit-down, take-away corner store called Kings Charcoal Chicken (imagine your average kebab store and multiply that space by 5).

Southern Fried Chicken Burger (Chicken Fillet, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo)

Two of the guys ordered the Southern Fried Chicken Burger and I was told that it was generously sauced and the chicken was cooked almost to perfection.

Box of Fried Chicken

Large Chips with Fried Chicken

Minh and I had a hankering for a deep fried chicken and so split a 7-pack, complete with large chips. The batter was fried to an awesome crisp, the chicken was deliciously fleshy, tender and juicy.

As much as we loved the chicken, we struggled to finish the pack and had to enlist the help from one of the guys, who was all too happy to comply.

Large Chips

The chips were okay, but tasted better with lashings of the gravy. I still can’t get over how big the servings were though. We also struggled to finish the chips and again the guys happily helped out (what would we do without them?).

Portuguese Chicken Burger with Cheese, Lettuce, Chilli & Mayo

The Portuguese chicken burger had the perfect ratio of chilli sauce and mayo to the rest of the burger. The guys said that tasted like an Oportos burger, which I take to be a good thing because everyone I know who loves chilli loves Oportos. Kings Charcoal Chicken seemed pretty consistent with their wonderfully moist and tender chicken, no matter if it was in a burger or a box of 7.

I kind of have a love-hate relationship with KFC: I love the idea of deep fried chicken, but I hate the bloated, greasy feeling I usually get after eating a 2-piece meal. I was kind of surprised to find that I didn’t get that here (and I had about 3 pieces!), I was full but content. Minh had KFC to sate her fried chicken cravings several days later and sighed that “it just wasn’t the same”.

Thirroul, it would seem, is more than meets the eye – hiding a gem of a fried chicken place.

Kings Charcoal Chicken
Lawrence Hargrave Drive
Thirroul, NSW, 2515
Ph: 02 4267 4759

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Couldn’t find any snails

Amuse Bouche: Salmon Tartare with sweet red onion cornet

This was supposed to be a monthly cooking event for the est blog crew. As with most things which are planned, things get in the way and it was hard to get all the EST crew together on the same day for a cook up. Instead, my girlfriend and I decided to cook up a french meal for her family. Most the cooking was her, I was enjoying the life of being crippled by laying in front of the couch but chiming in when required.

The French cuisine is amongst the most highly regarded in the world. Deciding on a couple of dishes from millions was the most difficult task. In saying that, one thing we did want to do is aim for a couple of classics and possibly choose dishes that would challenge our cooking abilities (or lack of in my case).

After coming up with at least 5 things we wanted to try, it was obvious that this was going to be alot more difficult than we had expected.

Amouse Bouche

Salmon Tartare cornet

My girlfriend has never stepped foot on to the good US of A, however I think she knows more about the famed chef Thomas Keller than most Americans. Thomas Keller was first brought to her attention after following French Laundry at Home, and then reminded once again whilst reading a particular post on whiteonricecouple, one of our favourite blogs. Inspired by the post, Linda decided to attempt Keller’s version of the cornette.

The ingredients required were widely available, so that was not a problem. The recipe to follow was also very manageable, so that was good. The biggest hurdle for the dish was actually making the cornette itself. Initially, she did not have the necessary stencil to create a perfect circle, with a little improvisation, she used the piece of plastic that’s usually placed at the bottom of enviro bags which keeps the bottom of the bag flat. she used the lid of a container to trace the circle, and finally cut out the hole. Thomas Keller in his French Laundry book did not mention what a bitch it would be to actually fold the cornets over the mold. After throwing away half a dozen of failed cornets and burning her fingertips, she finally got the hang of

Once all the individual components were assembled, all the pain and frustration was so worth it. Each mouthful of flaky buttery cornette was accompanied by rich salmon belly tartare and tangy onion creme fraiche mixture. What a great way to start off our meal.

Entree

French onion soup with gruyere cheese

Besides frogs and snails, what could be more french then French onion soup ? The result of a broth consisting of beef shanks which had been simmering for about 4 hours, and the final inclusion of caramelised onion resulted in a robust soup. Topped with freshly baked crusty bread and plenty of Gruyere cheese which quickly melted under the grill just before serving made this soup belissimo, or should I say délicieux.

Melted cheese atop a piece of soup soaked bread.

Pre Main

Salmon confit with caviar

Pre-main: Citrus-Marinated Salmon with a Confit of Navel Oranges, Beluga Caviar and Pea Shoot Coulis

To prepare us for the main, we once again referred to our bible, The French Laundry. The next dish was chosen due to the inclusion of beluga caviar. As we couldn’t afford Beluga caviar, we substituted it for a cheaper black caviar ($8!) which was available at the Fish markets. The end result of the dish is a citrusy piece of salmon confit served with some sweet/sour white wine vinegared orange segments and a light pea shoot soup. The salmon was very tender despite retaining it’s shape.

Main

Grilled Quail packages with Chicken liver and herbes de Provence, Onion Soubise, & Braised Witloof

Main: Grilled Quail packages with Chicken liver and herbes de Provence, Onion Soubise, & Braised Witloof

Our main for the night was grilled herb marinated quails stuffed with chicken liver, served with onion soubise (bechamel based sauce), braised witloof and parsnip chips. By dipping the grilled quail in the verjus immeditaely after the cooking process ensured that the cooking process was halted, thus preventing the quail flesh from drying out. This reminded me of a sexier version of the usual grilled chicken and chips. I’m not one for offal, thus was quite apprehensive about the liver. One bite into the liver, I was hooked and it kinda reminded me of the meal I had at Ash St Cellar. I don’t know what it was about this liver but it is much more tastier than ones mum had forced me to eat in the past. Possibly it’s due to the fact that the liver was cooked to perfection as opposed to over-cooked. The best way to describe the taste of the liver was creamy and gamey.

Palette cleanser

Chilled rockmelon soup with creme fraiche

Palette cleanser: Chilled rockmelon soup with creme fraiche

After such a flavourful meal, the best way to prepare ourself for dessert was a refreshing palette cleanser. Our wonderful experience at Assiette was so memorable that we decided to emulate what of our favourite meal. A puree consisting of rockmelon, orange juice and nutmeg accompanied by creme fraiche and a mint leaf helped cleanse the palette, preparing for the next onslaught. You know, you can pretty much use anything for a palette cleanser as long as it’s light and fresh. It’s a rather elaborate name for something so basic.

Dessert

Lemon Pudding & Basil Sauce and Vanilla Souffle with strawberries and creme fraiche

Pre-dessert:Lemon Snow Pudding with Basil Custard

In continuation of our theme of pre entree and pre mains, we decided to introduce a pre-dessert. The lemon pudding consisted of soft fluffy egg white, gelatine, lemon rind, sugar and lemon juice. The tartness of the pudding harmonised the slightly sweet creamy basil infused sauce. Half a champagne glass full was just not enough, most of us knowing that we had dessert to come requested for seconds.

Dessert: Grand Marinere Marnier Souffle with strawberries and creme fraiche

For me, Souffle had always been one of those elusive desserts. They look too pretty and therefore too difficult to make. Unfortunately our souffle did not rise as much as expected, however the soft and fluffy texture more than made up for it. The creme fraiche and macerated strawberry mix helped break the richness of the dessert.

So another month passes and another challenge is complete, what should we try next month ? I just hope we can get the entire EST crew next month, and it’s slowly creeping round in a few days.

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I apologise for taking so long to blog about our gastronomic Easter long weekend journey, but there’s just one more restaurant to blog about before this series comes to a close. Well, two if you include this one.

I also would like to apologise for the photos. The restaurant wasn’t horrendously dark, but the ceilings were high and the candle slyly played havoc on the white balance. Ugh, so frustrating!

I’ve seen a couple of episodes of the Fifteen show where Jamie Oliver teaches disadvantaged kids cooking skills (and inevitably life skills), but I never thought much of his restaurant in Melbourne. That is until my fellow foodie, with eyes aglow, stated that we’re going to Fifteen and that’s final.

Fifteen’s entrance is in a small alley, which gave off the vibe of some secret food joint only the privileged knows about. The vibe was strengthened by glossy, dark wooden stairs taking you down into depths unknown. And then you notice the brightly coloured spray painted decor on the walls, which made me wonder if we had gone through the right door.

Wall decor

Almost at the same time that I noticed the spray paint, I saw the kitchen. I was intensely curious and transfixed by the sight of chefs going about doing their thing, seemingly totally oblivious to those coming down the stairs peering into their world. Being the big klutz I am, I almost tumbled down the stairs from trying to see more of the kitchen and what they were cooking.

Through the looking glass

We were a bit early and was asked to wait at the funky designed bar table with equally funky lights hanging overhead. Although I don’t normally drink, the fact that they had Monteith’s beer and one that I haven’t tried before, I ordered the Summer Ale, while my fellow foodie also ordered a beer for himself. Looking around at the clientele, sipping on our beverages, I noticed that it was a mixed crowd of the young and old. I also noticed with some surprise that some people were eating at the bar too even though there were tables available. I didn’t realise how casual it was until that moment.

Finally we were ushered to our table (with drinks in tow) and ordered the degustation almost straight away.

Amuse Bouche - Tomato Risotto with Lemon, Olive Oil, and Aioli

Amuse Bouche - Tomato Risotto with Lemon, Olive Oil, and Aioli (halved)

I remember watching Top Chef and one of the judges said that an amuse bouche is technically a dish eaten in just one bite. Somehow that’s stuck with me (be it right or wrong, someone correct me?) and when I eyed the round morsel in front of me, I doubted I could easily fit that in my mouth let alone chew it.

To be honest, I didn’t mind too much that it wasn’t technically an amuse bouche (supposedly). I quite liked the perfectly crisp, crunchy outer shell contrasting with the soft zesty tomato risotto inside. The aioli sauce added a creamy texture that complimented the two mouthfuls quite well.

Cured, Smoked, and Salted Duck with Figs and Honey

I found this dish to be a bit difficult to eat, only because we were provided with an ineffectual knife to cut the cured salted duck. The meat actually reminded me of a beef jerky, only much thinner… and made of duck; it was just as tough though (and I think it’s meant to be?).

None of the components in the dish were unnecessary, everything had a reason to be there – adding or balancing the flavour and texture. I found the figs and greens refreshing, but I think what really made this dish pop was the honey. It was light but made the duck ever so flavoursome – sweet (but not cloying) and bringing out the saltiness into perfect harmony.

Smoked Salmon with Capers and Dill Crème Fraîche

I love smoked salmon so it wasn’t too surprising that I practically inhaled this dish. The salmon was so fresh and as always, the creme fraiche was the perfect partner-in-crime – with dill no less.

Pumpkin and Mascarpone Ravioli with Sage and Fresh Parmesan

The ravoli was a tad bit cold by the time it got to us, but that was quickly overlooked as its taste proved to be much, much better than it looked. The pasta was perfectly al dente and I adored the sage – I’m not sure what technique was used, but the sage was crisp and dry, very similar in texture to that of the Japanese roasted seaweed.

Spicy Chorizo with Seared Tuna Steak and Chick Peas Salsa Salad

“Be careful with the chorizo, it does have a bit of a kick,” warned our waiter, as he placed the dish in front of us. Heeding his caution, I nibbled on a tiny portion of the chorizo. Initially, I didn’t think it was so bad – the flavour was bold and quite scrumptious – but then the spiciness kicked in and I gave a small cough, reaching for my water; my eyes tearing up just a bit. Holy moly, the spiciness was totally understated. Even my chilli-loving fellow foodie had problems finishing it. I know it’s a bit mean, but we had a bit of a giggle at some of the other diners as they tried the chorizo – coughing and spluttering to varying degrees, all of whom reached for their water.

Despite the intense heat of the chorizo (which I secretly thought was akin to a nuclear explosion and numbed the tongue in its fallout-like effect), the rest of the dish was well balanced in flavour and texture. We agreed that this was most probably the outstanding dish in the degustation.

The tuna steak was seared to perfection – entirely soft, moist and wonderfully seasoned. The salsa brightened up the flavour and the chick peas gave the dish that contrast in texture. It’s the tuna steak that’s been haunting me though – so craving for another one.

Orange and Peach Sorbet

There was a sense of bitter-sweetness as we were served our palate cleanser – we knew this degustation was coming to its end.

The sorbet was denser than I had anticipated and seemed more like an ice cream, lying thick on the tongue. Not that I minded with the delicious flavours languishing in my mouth. Both flavours were easily discernible and none over-powered the other.

Frozen Chocolate Semi-Freddo with Candied Mandarin

The candied mandarin was a gorgeous accomplice to the rich frozen chocolate semi-freddo. Although I don’t have much to say about it, this was another dish I adored.

Cheddar with Dried Grapes, Strawberry Conserve (?) and Nut Bread, Lavosh, and Bread Sticks

I love cheese, but I think I prefer to not have a cheese platter during a degustation. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but for me personally I would have liked to end the dinner on a high than on a dish that I thought was middling-ly nice.

What we came to think of as The Garnish Station

While we were at the bar, we couldn’t help but notice the wide open space where the waiters picked up the dishes to be served. We watched the dishes come out from the kitchen, the tall man would sprinkle some garish on to the dish, maybe meticulously wipe the dish clean if needed, and call out, “Service please”. Once, he had to call it several times and you could hear the frustration in his voice as none of the busy waiters had dropped by to pick up the dish.

Ornate Private Room

Just to the left of the entrance steps lies the bathroom (walls and doors generously decorated with the colourful spray paint) and this ornate private room. I loved the chandelier and how one of the walls is covered in its entirety with equally ornate framed paintings. Maybe it was just me, but I thought it gave off that old English aristocrat opulence feel and it made me wonder how much it would be to hire it out for a cozy dinner with friends. Perhaps I should have asked.

I quite liked Fifteen’s air of casualness and its creative modern decor (there were what I think are herb plants in glass globes hanging from the ceiling, complete with soil!!). The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and most of the time quite efficient; service got a bit slow when the restaurant started to fill to capacity, but they held up well.

On leaving the restaurant, I felt a pang of regret. Why does it have to be in Melbourne!? We need a Fifteen in Sydney.

Fifteen
Basement, 115-117 Collins St
(Enter via George Pde)
Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Ph: 1300 799 415
Web: http://www.fifteen.net/restaurants/fifteenmelbourne/Pages/default.aspx

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Merivale has launched another promotion involving it’s highly regarded range of restaurants. One of them which seems to be attracting quite a healthy urban and chic crowd is Ash St Cellar. It is the brain child of Lauren Murdoch, serving up Spanish tapas in an outdoor street style setting with an extensive wine list. I decided to give it a go after being impressed with what they had to offer at the launch night.

I feel that Sydney has been lacking an outdoor food scene. Even during summer, we often have to host our bbq’s at home to enjoy eating out doors. Ash St Cellar’s outdoor seating has the potential to address this issue, if you don’t mind the smokers.  Hidden inside a lane way called Ash St, it is a decent spot away from the hustle and bustle of George St. But how about the food ?

The current winter feast promotion involves 3 courses for $35 with a glass of wine or beer , prices vary between different Merivale restaurants. We end up trying everything on the menu. The weather was shocking on Friday night, it was freezing cold and raining but the waiter did a great job in accommodating us and moved us under an umbrella with a heater. I’m not sure how the evening would have panned out if it was pouring rain all night as seating inside was a bit cosy.

If you ever visit Ash St Cellar, keep in mind that it is best enjoyed by sharing all your plates. Order a few dishes and share them over a beer or glass of wine while sitting outside and watching The Ivy crowd roll in with bling bling, cleavage and botox included.

Entrees

crisp raw vegetables with salsa verde

The first of our selection of entrees was a plate of sliced fresh vegetables. I’m not sure what it was about the vegetables, but it tasted different from ones I get from the fruit markets, I suspect these were of the organic variety. Dipped in a beautiful herb mixture, a clean and crisp way to start off our meal.

herb crumbed anchovies with caper mayonnaise

A welcoming crunch is what you can expect with each bite of these anchovies. The batter was a tad overwhelming but it was light enough for the true anchovy flavour to strut it’s stuff. The caper mayonnaise lacked the salty punch you would expect from capers, but I sense that if it was any stronger it would of over powered the anchovies.

snapper broth with prawn dumplings

I was a bit dissapointed with this. At the Merivale Winter feast launch I had the most amazing broth I’ve tasted in a while, so naturally I was expecting something similar on the winter feast menu because it had the word ’snapper’ in it. Instead we were given something resembling more of a mixed vegetable soup with prawn dumplings. Since it was freezing cold, there was not much left of the warm snapper broth despite it’s shortcomings.

edit : My bad, it turns out that I had a spanner soup at the Merivale Winter Feast launch party and not a spanner broth. Thanks to grabyourfork for pointing it out

Mains

pan fried chicken livers with thyme croutons

Liver is a bit like licorice, you either love it or hate it. The chicken liver dominates everything in the dish, it is the dish. It is strong and leaves a harsh after taste, but the thick sauce and crunchy thyme croutons do a good job in masking some of the strong flavours of the liver. This is a dish which definitely needs to be shared and perhaps eaten with some crusty bread. I love it and had no trouble finishing it.

front : grilled cuttlefsh with aioli , back : greek salad

The most simple dish of the night was perhaps the highlight. The cuttlefish was simply grilled, but perhaps the natural sweetness and tenderness of it was why it was such a winner. A squeeze of lemon, cracked pepper and a dollop of aioli was all that was needed to bring a smile to our faces on this rainy night. The greek salad on the otherhand was nothing spectacular, more of your run of the mill salad which you would expect at a cafe.

Desserts

fresh pear, walnuts and parmesan

Hard, sharp and dry … yes it’s the parmesan I’m referring to. The flavour was very rich which made the walnuts and pears a welcoming addition. All the elements of good contrasting textures are here, with the crunch of the biscotti balancing with the hardness and strength of the cheese. The pear adds sweetness whereas the walnuts help dilute the strong flavours of the parmesan.

spiced cream with chocolate biscotti

I’ve tasted Lauren Murdoch’s desserts before at the Merivale Gala Dinner so I know what she is capable of. The spiced cream was nothing short of amazing, with subtle hints of spices hiding within the fresh creaminess of the cream (worst description ever I know).  Honey also added a bit of sweetness to the cream. They could have been a bit more generous with the biscotti though, 2 pieces is no where near enough.

shaved gruyere with apple jam

In contrast to the parmesan provided in the previous cheese platter, the gruyere was much smoother and creamier. Taking this into account, an accompaniment of mild apple jam with slices of soft fruit loaf easily balanced the saltyness of the cheese.

Ash St Cellar is a hip and happening restaurant which is a nice place to relax after work, sharing a few dishes of tapas with a nice glass of wine. But if the Merivale Winter feast menu was meant to give me a taste of what Ash St Cellar has to offer then I think it fell a bit short.Simon Thomsen said the same thing in his review on SMH, Lauren Murdoch is capable of punching above her weight and churning out more impressive food. I’ve seen it in her desserts and I’ve seen it with her creations at the Merivale launch parties which left me constantly wanting  second servings. Perhaps it was just the selection on the winter feast menu which was lacking ? But for $35 for 3 courses and a glass of wine or beer, the value for money is very impressive.

I’m keen in trying the rest of the menu as it looks pretty good, the restaurant is filled with potential and oozing with urban chic and there were people lining up to get in despite the rain. I’m no Matt Preston when it comes to judging food, so give this place a try and let me know what you think ?

Ash St Cellar

1 Ash Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9240 3000
Web : http://www.merivale.com/#/ivy/ashstreetcellar

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Having somehow managing to miss most of the previous Merivale events I was pretty excited when the launch fell on a night when I was available. We were graciously invited by Melissa from Merivale to come in 15 minutes before the general opening to the public, just enough time to rush around a grab shots of most of the plates. However, I managed to get myself so lost I ended up at the Ivy and doing a dash in the drizzle to make it over to Establishment with barely 5 minutes to spare.

Avocado, king crab and mint on lavosh

Tuscan beef stew and braised beef cheek tarts

Arriving at Establishment the majority of my fellow bloggers were already making the rounds snapping away and it became 10 minutes of camera, coat and bag juggling. The atmosphere for the chefs seemed just as frenzied as many of the stands were still plating their canapes as we rushed past each of the displays.

Gougeres - cheesy choux puffs

When the doors were opened I was rather glad to see that the crowds were staggered in, rather than all let in at once, despite the weather the crowds were still a crush once everyone was inside. The staff coped well with the demand with the canapes and alcohol flowing freely, though still balancing all my gear I decided to retreat to the side to take a breather and enjoy a glass of white.

By no means did I manage to grab a shot of every canape on offer during the night. My favourites would have to be the Snapper and Fennel soup offering by Ash Street Cellar (I was disappointed to find out that this soup isn’t part of their Winter Feasts menu) and the cheesy poux puffs!

Prosciutto San Daniele and grissini

White chocolate tartlettes

While battling the high ceiling and a flash that just wouldn’t co-operate I was more than a little surprised at the groups of slightly drunken women who would tap me on the shoulder and request photos. It was a novel experience, however I think I’m better at taking photos of things that don’t move! I’d post the photos here but I’m somehow don’t think would have expected to pop up on es&t of all places (that and they weren’t very good).

Our brave (or is that foolhardy) waiter

Finally tiring of my social photography I once again retreated to the side to join my fellow bloggers. I’m giving major props to this unknown waiter who must have been assigned to our side, as he kept coming back and back for more. Every time the plate came back with a new dish he was inevitably inundated with flashes from 5-6 cameras all the while trying to hold his pose. While somehow bemused at first he quickly saw the humour in the situation and was a good sport about it all.You rock random waiter!

One last look at the crush before we go

Despite the free flowing wine we managed to drag ourselves away to go support Billy at the opening of his first solo photography exhibition, The Red Balloon.  The exhibition runs until the 27th of June, so go check it out!

The Merivale Winter Feasts will be running over the next three months (until August 2009). Merivale will be offering lunches and dinners starting from $35, the menu offerings vary per restaurant and go from 1 to 3 courses including a glass of wine or a James Squire. Along with the menus, cocktail, sushi and master classes are also being held.

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If I was asked to name a suburb starting with B, Banksmeadow probably would be the last one I would think of. To many, it is also an unlikely destination for a very popular bakery and cafè which knows a thing or two about making good bread. The queues don’t lie though, however when I got to Brasserie Bread at 8am on a Saturday morning with my partner there was only one other person sipping away at her coffee while reading the paper. Fast forward 30 minutes at 8.30am and the place is packed to the rafters and you would be hard pressed to find a spare seat in the cafè if you arrived any later.

On first look, Brasserie Bread attracts a wide demographic. I see new Mum’s and Dad’s sitting down with a coffee and reading the paper, with pram on the side with their new love and joy. I also see middle aged couples still dressed in their gym gear, buying freshly baked bread for a breakfast back at home while dodging kids which are running into the cafè. Next to our table is an elderly couple wondering what I am doing with a big camera at this time of morning taking photos of my food, life as a food blogger is tough. It seems Brasserie Bread appeals to the masses, they make bread cool again.

The shop is split into two sections, with the bakery on first entrance. There are copious amounts of freshly baked bread varieties and various cakes and pastries. I like the fact that you can try before you buy with different olive oils. I was working up quite an appetite despite it being only 8am so I went straight for the breakfast menu.  We ordered coffee and hot chocolate, sourdough pancakes w/ honeycomb cream and berries, omelette w/ gruyere cheese , prosciutto and sourdough and finally some slow cooked lamb w/ potato  and Spinach hash served with a fried egg. Let me also say that this goes down as a pretty good hangover brekkie as well.

The cafè menu

top : hot chocolate bottom : cappucino

I drink cafè coffee every day (though I should cut down) so I’ve developed a decent appreciation for a good coffee. Brasserie use Allpress coffee beans which are pretty good, but at the end of the day it’s the Barista that counts. My partner is halfway to finishing her hot choc before I even start on my coffee, so hers must be good. I am very impressed with my cappucino, the foam is perfect and the coffee is strong and aromatic while retaining some smoothness.

slow cooked lamb w/ potato and Spinach hash served with a fried egg ($15)

My partner opts for the slow cooked lamb dish which was given two thumbs up. A generous portion of tender lamb sat on a bed of spinach and potato hash. The runny yolk of the organic fried egg perfectly tied everything together. With a little bit of cracked sea salt, the dish was complete.

internal - plenty of lamb

The sourdough was bloody terrific, I wish we had more pieces as I am addicted to the texture of it especially the crunch.

Sourdough pancakes w/ honeycomb cream & stewed berries ($12)

It’s been a long time coming but I popped my sourdough pancake cherry here, and it was worth the wait. The pancakes were perfect with the stewed berries which had a contrasting sweet and sour thing going on. The highlight here is the honeycomb cream which is made with fresh organic honey, sugar & water, mixed with sour crème and orange syrup. I wonder if I could buy a jar of this from them so I can eat it in the car on the way home ?

Daily Special : Egg omelette filled with gruyere cheese w/ prosciutto & sourdough ($10?)

I opt for the omelette as I was lured by the gruyere and prosciutto. It was a tad overcooked and could of done with a bit more gruyere cheese, but it was tasty with the sourdough toast none the less. It was a nice touch that the prosciutto was served at room temperature too. I still remember an epic fail instance where I had prosciutto at a restaurant and it tasted as if it just came out of the fridge.

One for the road, a pistachio chocolate brownie dusted with icing for the cool price of $3. It is everything a brownie should be, rich and moist.

I might have just started a new love affair with Brasserie Bread and I haven’t even tried the bread yet apart from their delicious sourdough. I was going to be out all day and didn’t want to keep the bread in the car, so it’s a good excuse for me to plan a trip back in the next couple of weeks. Next time, I have my eyes on the field mushrooms and ricotta on sourdough and the croque monsiuer. The breakfast menu is good value too, with everything ranging from $8 to $15.

The Botany area in general is lacking some good cafè’s, but Brasserie Bread is an exception.

Brasserie Bread Cafè

1737 Botany Road, Banksmeadow, NSW
Ph: 9666 6845
Web : http://www.brasseriebread.com.au
Open 7 days

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Yes, I’m the biggest groupie. After seeing the egg net salad on Masterchef, I went through a phase of “ hey it’s on Masterchef, it must be good … let’s go there! “. A week later, I find myself at Longrain and seeing Martin Boetz in the comfort of his own kitchen making copious amounts of the infamous egg net.

Ping Pong: Lemon, Vodka, Lychee Liquer, Lychee, Passionfruit and Lime

I’ve always maintained a love hate relationship with modern interpretations of traditional cuisines. They have not always lived up to expectations as it sometimes seems the chef is trying too hard to be different when it is the simplicity of the original dish which already makes it unique. Naturally I was sceptical of Longrain, after my first visit I should probably never judge a book by its cover.

From the outside, Longrain looks very mundane, nothing special. Once you pass through the front door, it’s a whole different atmosphere. The warehouse type setting is separated into two sections, one side is transformed into a hip bar with trendy crowds sipping on fantastic cocktails chattering away accompanied by music played by the house DJ in the background. Divided by the open kitchen, the opposite side houses two long communal tables packed with patrons gleefully enjoying their meal.

Stickmata: Sole berry vodka, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, Lime

Asia carera: Pear Vodka, sake, pineapple, mint, falermum syrup, cloudy apple juice, fresh lime juice

Rose Porteous: Lemon vodka, watermelon liquer, fresh mint, watermelon, cranberry juice

The next of our cocktails were named after the famed Asia Carera and mega wealthy woman Rose Porteous. The Asia Carera is quite exotic with the inclusion of falernum syrup. Trusty old wikipedia suggests that falernum “contains flavors of almond, ginger and/or cloves, and lime, and sometimes vanilla or all spice”

The richness of the Rose Porteous is how I would actually imagine Rose to enjoy her cocktails, a mix of all the good stuff.

At the bar

We were told that the wait could be at least an hour, disappointed we moved to the waiting side and ordered a couple of cocktails and nibbles while thinking how glad we were to be escaping from the torrential downpour outside. One thing led to another and we ended up with a few entrees.

Freshly shucked oyster with red chilli lime juice & deep fried eschalots $4.00

Fresh briny oysters with a slightly sour chilli sauce accompanied by crunchy eshalots was a great start to our meal. This reminded me of the oysters served at Assiette.

Betel leaf topped with prawn roasted coconut mint & chilli $5.50

Despite the utilisation of the same chilli sauce that had been used on the oysters above, the inclusion of the betel leaves and toasted coconut helped differentiate the flavours between the two dishes, with this one imparting a more fragrant flavour.

Grilled beef pieces with a peanut dipping sauce

Tender pieces of beef marinade in a chilli peanut sauce then quickly grilled. A great accompaniment to our cocktails. I recall eating a similar dish on my last trip to Singapore and Malaysia, chargrilled pieces of meat dipped in a peanut satay sauce while knocking down a few ice cold beers.

Time for the mains

Coincidentally as we finished our bar dishes and cocktails, our seats were ready. Walking past the fish tank, peering into the kitchen, I spotted Martin calmly cooking away. After a quick 15 minutes, our first dish arrived, it was the eggnet, made famous my Martin’s celebrity chef challenge on Masterchef.

Eggnet with pork prawn peanuts bean sprouts & sweet vinegar $28.50

Laces of fine threads of egg encasing a plethora of pork, prawn and bean sprout pieces, garnished with coriander and basil with a sweet and sour sauce. This colourful and fresh dish was as tasty as it looked. I’m embarrassed to say that I had the dish to myself. A beautiful light salad with fresh crispy vegetables, fish sauce and crunchiness, encompassing everything that is Thai food.

Caramelised pork hock with five spice & chilli vinegar $29.50

Next up was the infamous caramelised pork hock. One of the most addictive things that I have had the pleasure of eating. A crispy slightly exterior pork skin aligning soft tender meat. Dipped in the accompanying sweet vinegar chilli dipping sauce, served with fragrant warm rice, my favourite dish of the night by a country mile.

Slow cooked curry of pork with thai basil & coconut cream $38.00

Despite the pull apart softness of the pork, I found this dish too spicy for my tastebuds, thus requesting the aid of chopped iced cucumbers. The perfect ailment for a burning numbing mouth.

I was about to desert the dessert

By this stage I was stuffed to the rafters but after spying the desserts our neighbours were having, I had to give them a whirl as well. As usual, our ambition combined with 2 bottles of wine and four cocktails between two people made us order the dessert platter.

Centre: Passionfruit pulp and young coconut jelly

The slightly sour passionfruit pulp helped neutralise the rich coconut jelly. I did notice that the juice/flesh of the young coconut was much more fragrant than the more mature ones which are often utilised.

Black sticky rice, custard apple and sweet coconut cream

I can’t recall this dish having a great impact on my tastebuds, however looking back at the picture, I’m pretty sure I would have appreciated it much more had I been sober.

Middle : Vanilla flavoured Tapioca, Top Right: Duck egg custard, Bottom Right: Sorbet

A very common dessert in most South East Asian countries which is simple in aesthetics but delicious. The tapioca balls add texture to the creaminess of the coconut milk.

At this point, I was just too full, and so the thought of sorbet and custard was daunting. I had a small bite of each, I can’t remember what flavour the sorbet was, but it was quite sour compared to the overly sweet custard. In saying that, it’s the perfect contrast of flavours. The duck egg custard was extremely thick and rich, it would have gone down well with a cup of tea.

Toasted coconut with palm sugar ice cream with banana fritters

I’m glad we left this till last. It was one of my favourite dessert of the night, beautiful creamy ice cream atop crispy gooey banana fritters. I loved coating my tongue with the cold ice cream, and then biting into the hot fritter, quite a novelty.

Prior to attending Longrain, I was quite sceptical of the quality and authenticity of the food that I’d be served relative to the price. However, I can safely conclude that the food at Longrain not only retains the authentic flavours that is specific to Thai cuisine, but through the inclusion of Martin’s creativity has actually enhanced it without compromising the basic flavours of Thai cuisine. The queue was long, the price a little steep, but the food and alcohol more than made up for it.

Longrain

85 Commonwealth Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Phone (02) 9280 2888
Fax (02) 9280 2887

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What’s up with Thai restaurants and funny names ? Thai-riffic, Thai-na-town, Thai-tanic and the list goes on. It seems there is an infatuation with this naming convention and it’s almost weird seeing a Thai restaurant with a normal name such as Lao Village. But of course, Lao Village is Lao and not Thai. Yet you often find the food can be quite similar, a bit like Middle eastern food.

'Local' feel in this restaurant

Coconut juice

I’ve been to Lao Village a lot in recent years. It’s a testament to how good it really is if it’s still operating after 15 years. Not much has changed, the food is traditional, it’s cheap and it has the ‘local’ feel to it. You won’t see this place with Ikea furnishings or scented candles that’s for sure. But that’s the beauty of this restaurant and it’s appeal to the Lao and Thai locals of Fairfield and it’s surrounding suburbs such as Cabramatta. You know the food will taste awesome, your more than likely to see a few familiar faces dining there, yet if it was your first time there you wouldn’t feel intimated either.

Complimentary salad

Finding this place is easy for the regular, but it’s actually behind the renovated Fairfield RSL which looks like the Las Vegas of the West. Lao Village is hidden behind a dodgy looking door with a fly screen, but once you walk in to the packed restaurant (on a Saturday night) you know your in the right place.

bbq marinated ox tongue ($7.50)

Grilled ox tongue is one of my favourite thai and lao dishes regardless of which restaurant it is. It is grilled until brown and crispy yet it retains it’s softness inside. There is a slight unique taste, it’s hard to explain in words. You know your not eating ‘meat’ but in fact another organ. First timers should not think about and just eat it because it tastes delicious.

Fried quails ($12)

For $12, we get an extremely generous serving of crispy fried and tender quail. It’s a refreshing scene as these are often dry and tough in a lot Chinese restaurants as they are usually served as part of a discount banquet. The salt and pepper with lemon juice dip gives it a little bit of kick.

Fried rice with seafood ($8.50)

Lao and Thai style fried rice is a bit different to normal fried rice. The usual ingredients are there but it is usually served flat on a plate with the top part crunchy.

Fried noodle with seafood ($8.50)

The thick pieces of rice noodles are a favourite due to the copious amounts of seafood. It isn’t outstanding, as you can only do so much with fried noodles.

paw paw salad thai style ($7.50)

There are two types of paw paw salads. we opt for the Thai as opposed to the Lao. The main difference is that the Lao version is prepared with brined crabs whereas the Thai use more of a fish sauce and shrimp paste base for it’s flavour, that’s from what I can gather anyway from various trips to Thai and Lao restaurants.

The salad is fresh and pungent, with a tasty variety of flavours and textures. You have the paw paw and tomato providing the base elements of a salad, the fish sauce and shrimp paste providing flavour and saltiness and the peanuts and dried shrimp introducing a bit of crunch and texture.

chicken feet salad ($7.50)

The chicken feet salad was gobbled up in no time. Sadly, I can’t find much about it on Google. It’s base ingredients are chicken feet and onion with a spicy sauce. Once again, it’s the contrasting textures of ingredients that win me over.

Sticky rice $2.50

I always go for the sticky rice as it’s perfect for absorbing all the sauces from the various salads. A $2.50 is enough for 1 person, or 1 between 2 if ordering fried rice and noodles.

Lao Village is one of the best bang for buck restaurants you will find. Each dish is enough to be shared between 2 people. The food is traditional, cheap and delicious. They keep the menu small but do it very well. You’ll see families of all walks of life there, young couples, groups of Thai and Lao teens going for a feed as well. If you ever get sick of the modern varieties of Thai food, you should try the Thai and Lao restaurants out in the Suburbs for something a little different. The flavours are less bold, but at least it gives you an indication on what you would get if you visited Lao.

Lao Village

1-3 Anzac Avenue
Fairfield NSW 2165
Opposite Fairfield RSL
Phone (02) 9728 7136

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