The Food Book

Bay Nine Omakase, Circular Quay

noreply@blogger.com (retrodaze) — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:57:00 +0000

When I went to Bay Nine Omakase, it was an intimate lunchtime affair - there were only four diners sat at the chef's counter and no one else in the restaurant. Unexpectedly intimate!

We were there to try the 11 course omakase menu, priced at $215 AUD. The food is meant to change daily based on what the head chef has been able to source, so what I show here may not be what you get.

It was a warm day so we started off with some cocktails that were refreshing.

First we were offered uni with caviar - it was my first time trying uni and I was pleasantly surprised. The mouthful was both salty and fresh, it truly tasted like the sea. It was so creamy and I could have happily eaten another.

The next courses were a series of small plates, I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Before I knew it, we were up to the sashimi portion of the omakase. The chef showed us what had been selected that day at the fish market.

Each piece of fish was carefully presented on a small plate and brushed with soy before being offered to each of us at the counter.

We were also given an interesting take on miso soup, with a bean curd stick that was meant to be stirred inside the soup until it melted slightly and softened.

At this point, we were absolutely stuffed to the brim but there was one last dish and that was dessert. This was my least favourite of the meal - the flavours just weren't hitting it for me and given how full I was, this was left mostly untouched.

Okami All You Can Eat Japanese Ala Carte, Marrickville, Sydney Inner West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 10:23:00 +0000

✦ To our Melbournian friends you would be very familiar with Okami, and to our Sydney readers, welcome to the latest in all you can eat Japanese Cuisine!

✦ Okami has a number of restaurants in Melbourne but has just recently expanded to Sydney with their first location in Marrickville (with around 4 more opening very shortly)

✦ Unlike all you can eat bbqs or buffet style offering, Okami actually provides all you can eat ala carte items for you to indulge in for a period of 2 hours! The all important price is $35 for adults and half of that for children over 4 years old. Under 4 years old there is no charge and there is actually a number of items that would toddlers can munch on (udon, chuwamushi, rice and of course ice cream!)

✦ Service is quick and attentive and there is no tardiness in getting your dishes to your table and you wondering if you need to pre-order in advance to take into account this delay. For almost all items, you just flag the service staff, place your order and it would be with you within minutes (there are a few items that do take slightly longer to prepare).

✦ Drinks are not included and you will have to purchase this separately but there is indeed enough food to satisfy even the hungriest patron. The menu selection is online for you to peruse but I found that there was a decent and varied selection of offerings that covered the traditional Japanese cuisine. Some missing dishes which would have been great to have were: Unagi, Ramen , Sukiyaki and probably a few more seafood options, but given the price point I think this is understandable.

✦ Highly recommend checking this place out!

Sushi and sashimi - good selection of nigiri and rolls - salmon was very fresh!

Udon with vegies - great one for the kiddies but probably not one you want to fill up on

Seaweed salad - one of the largest mounds of seaweed salad I have seen - went perfectly to balancing some of the other richer flavours

Mushroom salad - another hit with the kiddies - soft mushrooms in a sort of sweet soy-ish sauce

Beef carpaccio - really nice dish and worth ordering a few of these

Kaarage chicken with Japanese mayo - perfect for kids and adults alike

One of a few steak options - this one was miso sauce and was tender and delicious - again worth ordering a few!

Classic takoyaki - I was getting a bit full at this stage!

Grilled squid - took a while to come out and not my favourite though worth a try if squid is your thing. Did remind me of the grilled squid on the streets of Japan though

And last but not least - homemade green tea and black sesame icecream (limit 1 scoop per person), vanilla ice cream (unlimited) and mochi (1 per person). Very satisfying end to the meal.

Malaysia Small Chili Restaurant, Campsie, Sydney inner west

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 11:15:00 +0000

✦ The ever popular Malaysian cuisine has another contender for best laksa and char kway teoh in Sydney

✦ Ho Jiak has got to be one of my favourites in Sydney in terms of the best tasting dishes though they are not the cheapest by any means and you can definitely get a decent Malaysian feed in a number of other joints around town

✦ Malaysia Small Chili Restaurant just opened up on Beamish St in Campsie and I must say it does offer up quite a challenge in terms of tastiness

✦ Better yet, as an opening special they were giving everyone 20% off their bill - winning!

Beef laksa - we had to get the beef as they had run out of the chicken laksa which seems to be the favourite. Not too spicy which was perfect for me with tender chunks of stir fried beef just the way i like it - $15.90

Char Kway Teow - this dish was bursting with 'heat of the wok (wok hei)! Decent in serving size it was a tad lacking in chicken/prawn though but the noodles were cooked to perfection - $13.90

No zomato page at time of writing (they don't even have a webpage yet!)

Public Dining Room, Balmoral Beach, Sydeny North

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 10:05:00 +0000

✦ Amazing lunch at the picturesque Balmoral Beach

✦ Seafood was extremely fresh and tasty

✦ Price takes into account the location and the quality of the products and service so is more on the higher end

✦ A real nice place for a special occasion

Ripples, Chowder Bay, Sydney North

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 02:34:00 +0000

✦ Great views of the harbour bridge and perfect if you're going to Luna Park

✦ Mostly outdoor seating which is great on nice days, but not for a cold blustery winter day. The outdoor heaters and cafe blinds do help but still not very pleasant - at the very least the dishes get cold much quicker

✦Apart from the setting, the dishes are also quite tasty with the beef cheeks super soft and succulent, the greens fresh and crunchy and the dessert topping it off with a nice sweet (but not overly so) hit

Calamari Fritti - with Aoli and lemon - $20

Beef cheeks with mushroom and jus - $35

Mixed greens with fried onion - $12

Fish pie - $30

Creme Brulee with pistachio ice cream and pomegranate - $16

Bookmark us on Zomato

Bar Luca, Sydney CBD, Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 10:12:00 +0000

✦ In my mind one of THE BEST burger places in Sydney. Big call I know, but there is a reason it is packed out every lunch time!

✦ Bar Luca is both a bar but also serves as a specialty burger establishment with a number of fine burgers to choose from - each as delicious as the next (two examples are below).

✦ Make sure you book a table if you're coming with friends as the place will be full.

✦ Fries cost extra with each burger but they are not to be missed. Shoestring sized and sprinkled with herbs and spices they are simply delicious

✦ Lastly, nothing beats a burger than a cold cider or beer so grab one of those on tap - my choice would be a refreshing cider, particularly on a warm summers day.

Blame Canada burger - beef pattie, American cheese, maple glazed streaky bacon,

maple aioli, & poutine on a milk bun - $17 and fries - $3

BL Chicken karaage fried chicken, oak leaf, cucumber, red radish & miso mustard mayo on a milk bun - $16 - add fries $3

Lawsosn Bistro, Wentys

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 09:49:00 +0000

✦ Inside Wenthorthville leagues club (Wentys for short) is a number of eateries that not only serve delicious food, but also is family friendly (except the pokies area).

✦ On this occasion we tried Lawsons Bistro which serves food from the bain-marie such as the Sunday roast + veg, but also do a from the grill style menu

✦ Here we ordered 'from the grill' and whilst it does take a bit long, it was certainly worth the wait

✦ Be warned that this place does get super busy (they're actually building a massive car park at the moment just to cater for the sheer number of patrons they get at the club).

✦ Prices are not cheap, but reasonable if you are a meember.

English style fish & chips beer battered market fresh fish of the day, cooked to order, served

with mushy peas, chips, malt vinegar and chunky homemade tartare sauce - $20.60 (members price)

Steak & prawns char grilled sirloin steak with grilled queensland king prawns, steak fries, salad and béarnaise sauce -$31.40 (members price)

Fich, Petersham, Sydney Inner West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 04:02:00 +0000

✦ Petersham is becoming more and more trendy with a number of hip eateries opening up along side the usual Portuguese chicken shops

✦ Opened by two ex-Bennelong chefs here they serve fresh cooked to order seafood both dine in and takeaway. FYI they are also fully licensed.

✦Dining in the service is great and the atmosphere far removed from your local fish and chip shop, though the prices are a tad higher for dine in vs takeaway

✦ Get in early on Fridays and Saturday evenings as the place does fill up

School prawns with dill, radish and lettuce salad - prawns deep fried to perfection so that you can eat it head and all. The salad provided a nice balance to the dish -$18

Potato scallop - modern take on the Aussie favourite - two golden brown medallions of pure potato flesh $2 each

Popcorn fish - a special of the day - basically like fish nuggets but coated in a spicy sauce that is very much like the sauce you find on Korean fried chicken. Tasty but the sauce overwhelms the fish flavour. - $15

Classic fish and chips with fresh New Zealand ling fish in a crispy batter. Hand cut fries and a slice of lemon - $18

Ho Jiak, Haymarket, Sydney CBD

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 02:17:00 +0000

✦ Ho Jiak is a Malaysian Restaurant with a branch in Strathfield as well as Haymarket

✦ We went to the Haymarket branch which is located across the road from Market City

✦ I can safely say that I have a new favourite Char Kway Teoh place in Sydney! Albee's, Mamak etc - you might need to step up!

✦ Ho Jiak serves all your favourite Malaysian dishes but with additional twists - KFC chicken rendang anyone?! They also serve main style dishes.

✦ Prices are a tad more expensive than some other similar restaurants but the taste is fantastic - plenty of 'Wok hei'

Chay Kway Teoh with salted duck egg - such a subtle change to the traditional dish buts adds that extra level of flavour to the dish

Char hor fun - egg gravy with hor fun and a medley of toppings including fried shallots, vegetables, fish cakes, chicken and prawn

Yan Restaurant, Wolli Creek, Sydney South

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 09 Sep 2018 00:41:00 +0000

✦ Yan is a restaurant in the burbs that I've been wanting to go for a long long time

✦ Located under an apartment block it doesn't get a lot of throughfare but the place is always busy because people know the food here is good

✦ Prices are not cheap, but the taste is amazing.

✦ The open plan kitchen means you can watch the chefs prepare your meals whilst you wait

Deep fried prawns in Singapore chili crab style sauce served with steamed Chinese buns - the prawns are fried to a crispiness that means the entire prawn can be eaten - head, legs, tail and all. The buns are the perfect accompaniment to mop up that lovely sauce.

The meat at this restaurant is the real star of the show though. We got both the pork ribs and the beef ribs and both are amazing. Succulent, smokey deliciousness. If anything, the meat was too flavoursome and it would have been nice to have some plain steamed rice to go wtih it

Brocollini was our side dish of choice and it was cooked Asian style with soy, ginger and chili. The serving here is quite generous.

Olive rice is another of Yan's signature dishes. Whilst I didn't mind the taste, it does take some getting used to. As mentioned before, because every dish is so flavoursome you almost want a plain steamed rice to reset your tastebuds.

KFC, 24 nuggets for $9.95, Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 06:04:00 +0000

Quick post on the current KFC offer of 24 hot and spicy chicken nuggets for the bargain price of $9.95.

The nuggets are bright orangey red in colour with a hint of spiciness, but the real bonus are the sauces - especially the super charged one.

Get in whilst it lasts - goes well with $2 hot chips and $1 freeze as well!

You might have to hit the gym pretty hard afterwards though, haha

The clean treats factory, Alexandria, Sydney Inner

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 06 May 2018 02:25:00 +0000

✦ Probably the most hipster cafe I've been to - in a good way!

✦ The decor is based on Kate Moss if that gives you any idea - basically very chic

✦ All the food is healthy based (hence clean treats) - no choco milkshakes or chicken burgers here

✦ Even the coffees have a healthy twist - think tumeric and beetroot lattes

One of the vegie plates - I felt healthier just looking at it

Beetroot latte and Blue dream latte - no spoilers here - taste for yourself and let me know your thoughts in the comments below

Myeongdong Korean Restaurant, North Strathfield, Sydney West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 04:48:00 +0000

✦ Korean restaurant in the Bakehouse quarter in North Strathfield

✦ THE MOST side dishes I've ever had outside of Korea

✦ Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) and Bibimbap also top notch

✦ Can get very busy and they do BBQ as well

✦ Price is not cheap

Look at all those sides dishes!

KFC - better than the Colonels- thought serving size is small :(

Beef Bibimbap - has to be in the stonebowl

The Taste Italian Grill, Kingsgrove, Sydney South West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 00:24:00 +0000

✦ Next to Kingsgrove station in the precinct where Wooolies is located is called 'The Pottery'. Here there a number of restaurants and cafes that actually provide a decent feed if you are in the area.

✦ Taste Italian Grill is one of them. It's changed owners a few times, but the cuisine and feel of the restaurant remains, providing wood-fired pizzas and other Italian dishes.

✦ Prices are decent, service is good and there is plenty of seating.

Salt and pepper calamari with squid ink aioli - calamari rings fresh and plentiful though a tad too salty for my liking

Meat lovers pizza - wood fired and thin based - toppings were delicous though the base was a bit soggy - perhaps needed a few more minutes in the oven

Seafood pizza- toppings included calamari and prawns on a tomato base.

Lamb ragu

The Good Filo, Ramsgate, Sydney South

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 01:15:00 +0000

✦ A relatively new cafe down south serving Greek cuisine primarily focusing on pastries

✦ The place is very very busy - if you don't need to dine in you can walk in and order takeaway straight from the counter. Otherwise get in early or be prepared to wait

✦ There is a heap of pastries and dishes to choose from in the display counters - if you don't know what they are like me - just choose a random selection and go for it!

✦ Drop by for an early breakfast, or takeaway snack.

Open air seating plan - it can get a little noisy!

Greek coffee - like a concentrated shot of caffeine

Nutella milkshake

Selection of pastries - the one with the sausage inside is like a gourmet sausage roll.

A slice of cake for the road

I forgot what this was called but I think it had spinach inside?

Chefs Gallery, Hurstville, Sydney South West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 07:35:00 +0000

✦ Chefs gallery in Hurstville is relatively hidden away in an underground location at one of the entrances to Westfields - blink and you will miss it. Being underground it does feel a little bit claustrophobic but the room itself is plenty big.

✦ Foodwise - it is your standard Chefs gallery menu but with the benefit of it being served quickly as its usually not too busy.

✦ If you have a Citibank rewards card this is one of the participating restaurants for a free wine with your meal (subject to certain criteria being met)

✦ Overall, delicious Chinese food, a bit pricey for Hurstville but it is packed full of flavour and of good quality.

Sweet vinegar pork ribs

Prawn wontons in chili sauce (5 pieces)

Hong Kong Typhoon style soft shell crab (similar to salt and pepper style)

Peking duck wrapped in roti - absolutely delicious!

Black bean pork ribs on claypot rice - takes a while to make but totally worth it in taste. The sauce and juices penetrate through to the rice infusing it with flavour

Vegetables

Free bottle of wine (courtesy Citi Dining program) - very nice wine actually.

Platform 82, Concord West, Sydney West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 01:38:00 +0000

✦ Platform 82 has become a bit of an institution for Sydney brunchers - especially if you have a big group

✦ The place itself is relatively small, so be prepared to wait if you haven't booked a table. It's not uncommon to see a queue outside of this place

✦ It's famous for its breakfast platters which include a savour and sweet option, but they also have a mean lunch menu and do good tea, coffee, milkshakes and juices.

✦ Gather your friends and check this place out - it is a must go if you're into brunching - just remember to bring an empty stomach!

El Alseel, Alexandria, Sydney Inner

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 11:01:00 +0000

✦ El Alseel located around the corner from The Grounds in Alexandria is a great place for lunch or dinner. It is large and spacious, with parking on site, great food and great service.

✦ On this occasion we went there for an early dinner and really stuffed ourselves silly

✦ Word of advice - there is bread and olives that come before dishes are served - do not fill up on these!

Eggplant entree - a cold entree with eggplant and capsicums cooked till soft with a tomato-ey sauce. Very tasty.

Falafel - you cannot eat Lebanese cuisine without ordering some of these bad boys - so crunchy and delicious

Chicken shish kebabs with garlic sauce - I could literally eat these all day. Juicy succulent pieces of chicken marinated and cooked over coals until golden brown.

Beef sharma - not as good as the chicken but yum nonetheless. The meat is a tad dry but nothing the delicious sauce couldn't fix!

Jamies Italian, Sydney CBD, Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 05:09:00 +0000

✦ The famous Jamie's Italian opened up to quite the fanfare many years ago when Jamie Oliver decided to bring this chain down under to Sydney.

✦ Lines used to be out the door with no reservations taken unless you had 10+ group, but nowadays you can even book online for just 2 people.

✦ A few times a year they offer $10 pasta where selected pasta dishes can be had for $10 for a period of 2 weeks. As I hadn't been in years and so decided to check it out.

Prawn tagliatelle - $10 - this dish normally costs ~$24 dollars for a main size and so the offer is definitely a big saving. Taste wise the sauce was pretty nice and the pasta cooked al dente, however the prawns did not seem fresh and were a bit tough.

Ume Burger, Barangaroo

noreply@blogger.com (retrodaze) — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 21:22:00 +0000

Ume Burger has been making the rounds on Instagram and generally, the reviews have been positive. When my friend suggested catching up there, I readily agreed.

The restaurant is located in the strip of Barangaroo food outlets. We visited on a Monday night and it wasn't overly busy, there were a lot of empty tables. There are strict signs up at the tables for each outlet saying that only food from that place can be eaten at the table - and they enforce this strictly!

You order at the counter and also get your cutlery, table water, napkins by yourself.

Ume Burger - $14.60

Signature Beef Pattie, Cheese, Lettuce, Onion, Rice Vinegar Pickles and Ume’s Special Sauce

I've included the inside shot of what is inside the burger so you can get a full picture.

We also ordered the chips with umami seasoning and I can confirm that the seasoning is yummy!

Chips & Onion Rings Combo with umami seasoning ($6)

Overall I was pleased - it is a bit pricey and over all too quickly in terms of sizing but I would go back again.

Flour, eggs water, Glebe (Tramsheds), Sydney Inner West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

✦ With a few exceptions, we've pretty much tried all the restaurants at Tramsheds after going for Flour, eggs, water.

✦ Here the menu is simple, a few entrees, a handful of mains and two desserts. All Italian based with top notch service

✦ Prices are a tad on the expensive side, but is to be expected for this sort of real estate. The restaurant itself is spacious and open with long wide tables.

✦ Would go again but not a regular customer given the price range.

Complimentary focaccia with chili olive oil - House made bread to start, was so soft and delicious could have definitely ate a few loaves of this

Slow cooked lamb shoulder, carrot puree - $34 - The special of the day - I don't normally go for lamb as it is quite gamey, but when it is slow cooked I find it loses the gamey-ness and becomes soft melt in the mouth piece of meat. This was the case here and it was literally falling apart on my fork. The carrot puree went surprisingly well with the lamb as did the picked vegies on top which provided some acidity.

Scallop , asparagus and broccoli spaghetti - $34 -It was either this special of the day or the seafood marinara. In hindsight I think I would have preferred the marinara as I'm not sure the combo of pasta and broccolli and asparagus works that well. In any case the pasta was cooked al dente and the scallops fresh.

Niji sushi bar, Kingsford, Sydney East

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 23:45:00 +0000

✦ A popular Japanese restaurant for the local population of uni students and other Kingsford neighbours.

✦ Lucky we made a booking as on a Friday night it was literally packed with a crowd of people waiting outside.

✦ Inside its run as a sushi train as well as ala carte operation. The sushi plates are different prices depending on the plate colour (not as good value as somewhere like Sushi Hotaru in Galleries).

✦ The ala carte menu is broad and includes a variety of Japanese cuisine including, ramens, yaki soba, sushi, sashimi and rice dishes. It is also fully licensed for your alcoholic needs

✦ 1 line summary - decent Japanese but not outstanding. prices are reasonable given the area.

Seared Salmon Belly - lightly seared salmon belly with daikon and citrus sauce - $15 - Melt in the mouth salmon belly...mmm...only grip here is they could have sliced it thinner and have more pieces to really accentuate that soft belly flesh

Spider roll -soft shell crab, cucumber, chives and lettuce roll, topped with tobiko, wasabi mayo - $14.5

Pork Ramen -miso based ramen noodle soup, pork belly, bean sprouts, onsen tamago shallots - $15.5 - a bit disappointing for me, but perhaps that is because I've been spoilt with Ippudo and Ichi ban Boshi amongst others...

Niji roll - prawn, avocado and cucumber roll, topped with avocado, salmon, tuna and kingfish - $15 -A strange medley of flavours and sashimi slices which seemed to work well together!

Butcher and The Farmer, Tramsheds (Glebe), Sydney Inner West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 09:24:00 +0000

✦ Tramsheds is a great place to visit for lunch or breakfast and has a good selection of places to eat, ample parking and plenty of room for kids and prams.

✦ On this occasion we wen there for breakfast at the Butcher and the Farmer.

Salmon home cured with dill, poached eggs on miche toast with rainbow chard - $22 - Their take on the traditional salmon breakfast. Taste was nice, salmon smokey, eggs poached perfectly.

Butcher’s Breakfast grilled tomato, duck and orange sausage, confit mushrooms, fried eggs, ‘Nduja and bacon with sourdough toast - $24 - The traditional 'big breakfast' option. Highlights for me where the sausage - housemade and super delicious as well as the crispy bacon strips. The Nduja was interesting and added a spicy kick.

The Garden (West leagues club), Ashfield, Sydney Inner West

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 11:04:00 +0000

✦ This is a newly renovated eatery within the leagues club which is really awesomely designed. Basically feels like you are eating in a rooftop garden with local suburban views.

✦ Seats are plentiful, the staff are attentive and service is quick. I can really see this place as a competitor for the likes of the other Inner West hipster cafes - if it weren't for the food!

✦ Don't get me wrong here - there is nothing wrong with the food, definitely edible and cooked nicely. It's just that it is almost like the things you can make yourself at home - see my comments below!

The views and setup is amazing. Really good job done here (my photo doesn't do it justice)

Grass-fed beef burger $16.2 - House-made beef patty with pickles, relish, lettuce, tomato, cheese & the Garden’s mayo blend - the fries were the highlight here - double fried and super crispy. The burger lacked seasoning and is similar to something you could make at home with some Tip Top hamburger buns

Grilled baby octopus with pico de gallo - Lightly chargrilled octopus with a touch of chilli, salsa, handpicked leaves, vinaigrette & toasted sourdough - $22.50 - sounded really nice on paper and the octopus itself was plentiful but the texture was rubbery and not that appetizing.

Beef nachos - Grass-fed beef mince infused with Mexican spices, corn chips, guacamole, mozzarella, sour cream & salsa - $16.20 - not good, not bad, just average.

Steersons, King St Wharf, Sydney CBD

noreply@blogger.com (kogepanman) — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 10:10:00 +0000

✦ Many years ago I went to Steersons at King st Wharf. I remember the food we had at this steak house was amazing. Probably the best steak I've had at that time and the entrees an explosion of new taste sensations.

✦ I went there again looking for that same experience, however it wasn't as great as I expected.

✦ Perhaps it has been me that has changed, perhaps my tastes have evolved over the years, or perhaps my memories fail me as a I get older, but whatever the reason, this visit didn't bring me the same highs

✦ Service was a hit and miss with attentiveness mixed with wrong orders and overcharging.

✦ Nice views over King St Wharf

Seared Scallops with butternut squash, chestnut & bacon crumble - $22.90 - for our entree we had the scallops. Lightly seared on top of a slice of pumpkin with a cauliflower foam. The bacon crumbs provided the seasoning. The flavours all went well together but it was just average to me.

Salt & Pepper Calamari with lemon aioli - $18.90 - as you can see, the number of calamari pieces here are quite pitiful. The pieces themselves had the crumbing flaking off as you cut them and the seasoning used was much to salty. Has nothing on Golden century or any other Asian Salt and Pepper dish.

Angus Rump (MSA) 150 Day Grain Fed 300g - $29.90 (peppercorn sauce +$3.50). The cheaper of the two steaks we had. Lovely char marks, but we ordered medium and this was somewhat overdone. Not what you would be expecting from a restaurant specialising in steak!

Rib-Eye (MSA) 300g 38.90 - Pasture fed steak, again ordered medium but this time was OK (except around the edges where the steak is naturally thinner). The fattier of the two steak cuts which meant it was a bit more juicy.