Fouad the mastermind behind a couple of secret dinners and SIFF dinners wanted to do something a little more challenging, so he enlisted the help of Billy, Karen and myself. We were told that the idea of the Food bloggers dinner would be each of us individually coming up with a meal to be served in a 5 course meal at Bistro CBD. With this in mind, we were instructed to have a meal plan ready by our next meeting/taste testing session.

Prepping in the Kitchen

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Read the rest of “This and That” Dessert, My Bistro CBD Experience (2,260 words)

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We’ve been meaning to get together for a feed here for a while now, I’m still adamant that Lao Village is ‘better’. But after eating at Star Laos, it’s clear that both restaurants are different and have are excellent in their own little way.

Green curry, tom yum soup, bbq duck

I arrive late and the boys have already ordered and the first dish comes out even before I sit down. I should arrive late more often!

Grilled ox tongue

What a great way to start my meal too, good ox tongue.Eating tongue can be intimidating for some, but like a wise man once said, you must try everything at least once. Laos style tongue is marinated and then grilled on a BBQ. I think the key is not to overcook the tongue otherwise it becomes too chewy, something which star Laos chefs have avoided. The tongue is tender and a tad undercooked but I think I prefer it that way.

Lao papaya salad

The Lao papaya salad is hot, a good array of contrasting textures and most importantly a pungent shrimp based sauce with a bit of kick. Bits of crab are there too, but I always find that I take them out of my salad, not a fan of crunchy shells.

Deep fried pork belly

My girlfriend reckons dessert is a must order on every menu, for me it’s pork belly instead. It’s a relatively cheap cut of meat, yet tastes awesome regardless of the way its cooked. Here, it’s deep fried till crispy and served with a home made chilli sauce. All the components are here, a bit of meat, a bit of fat and a bit of skin.

Grilled lao sausage

If there is one dish which falls short , it’s the Laos sausage. It’s a bit tasteless and is missing the juiciness and fattiness of better ones I’ve had. Flavourwise, it’s there, plenty of lemongrass, garlic and fatty pork but definitely lacks the distinct robust flavours of a freshly made and grilled laos sausage.

Duck laap

This is the first time I’ve had duck laap, usually it’s pork. Surprisingly the duck salad is refreshing, with minced duck meat and giblets tossed in chilli, mint , coriander and a house made dressing. It goes great with the crunchy pieces of cabbage on the side, which is a common side dish at most Thai/Laos restaurants. You might find a plate of cabbage, lettuce and various Asian herbs at your disposal.

Lamb pad thai

Token order, pad Thai. I’ve had so many that they all taste the same at most restaurants. However it’s the first time I’ve seen lamb pad Thai and it’s kinda grown on me. Having had $1 pad thai in Bangkok and the smokey flavours it has due to the hot outdoor woks they have, nothing quite compares in Sydney.

Star Laos is another one of those restaurants who have stood the test of time in Fairfield. While it lacks the character and home style feel of food which my favorite Lao village offers, it makes it up with a cleaner dining atmosphere and competitive prices. One things for sure, in my opinion Fairfield is the undisputed king of traditional Thai and Laos food in Sydney. For every Sailors Thai and Longrain success, there is a dodgy looking version out in the west somewhere churning out food which is just as good minus the cocktails and leather lounges.

Star Laos Thai Restaurant
195 Hamilton Road, Farfield. NSW 2177
(02) 9723 9988

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It’s a hectic journey from Malaysia to Thailand, a 5 hour drive from Penang to Kuala Lumpur before running off to the Airport to make it in time for our flight. It’s our last day with Brian, who has decided to head up to the northern border of Malaysia and is staying in the country to meet up with family, and a reunion with The Pom who has been exploring the Philippines and is eager to show off his naughty purchases. It’s a late flight into Thailand, and by the time we check into our rooms we simply collapse after a long day of commuting.

(...)
Read the rest of Malaysia Mondays, Phuket, Thailand (1,970 words)

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I’ve always wondered what restaurant was situated in the Opera House itself, where the brown-tinted glass allowed both inside and outside parties to view each other – like a fish bowl, but with more angles… and with an enormous sail on top. When we arrived at the top of the stairs, it struck us quite suddenly that we did not know how to get into the restaurant.

We circled around once, trying not to peer into the glass windows in an attempt to see if we could spot the entrance from the outside. Feeling a bit ridiculous, I thought perhaps we should see if we could enter the restaurant from underneath.

Bingo! We managed to stumble into an elevator that took us up to the floor, where taking a sharp right took us through a narrow vestibule – its walls decorated with Guillaume’s achievements and awards. Being suitably impressed and awed, we stepped further into Guillaume’s domain and were quickly seated.

Guillaume at Bennelong

We were presented with a choice of an a la carte menu and the degustation. Taking a quick look at both, we quickly came to the same decision. I think we love degustations a bit too much and at $180, though we barely battered an eyelash at the price, our wallets cried a little.

Cornet of Yellow-Fin Tuna with Wasabi Mayonnaise

The cornets were so tiny and adorable – almost too adorable to eat. Almost, but not quite. The cornet was beyond wafer-thin, super crispy and a perfect accompaniment to the wonderfully fresh tuna. The ratio of wasabi, mayonnaise and tuna was perfect, leaving us both wanting more and made us even more excited for the rest of our courses.

King Salmon Sashimi with a Brunoise of Cucumber, Apple and Finger Limes on a bed of White Peach Puree

The sashimi was incredibly fresh with the right amount of acidity from the apple and finger limes and a delicate, sweet after-taste from the white peach puree. The cucumber, meanwhile, added a refreshing element to the dish.

I found it really hard not to scoff all the wonderful flavours down at once, and I really did try, but I found myself finishing before F and was punished by watching him savour his dish (serves me right really).

Veloute of Globe Artichoke with fresh Chestnut, Parmesan Emulsion and Manjimup New Season Truffle

Never having seen what a whole truffle looked like (always have had it shaved or infused in some way), this dish looked quite interesting. I actually didn’t realise that it was truffle at first until F enlightened me.

F was a bit worried that the truffle would be over-powering in its flavour, but was surprised at how subtle it was and really enjoyed its earthiness. It was amazing how thinly the chefs had sliced the truffle; it was almost as thin as the cornet. I personally loved how it added depth to the creamy veloute, while the parmesan emulsion threw into the mix a strong (though not overwhelming) cheesy flavour without the sharp bite.

Scallops with Jerusalem Artichoke Puree, Shiitake Mushrooms, Spinach and Chicken Jus

Oh! These scallops were absolutely divine; we have been so lucky to have had perfect scallops twice in a row. The scallops had a wonderfully scrumptious crispness on the outside, but utterly soft all the way through. I thought it was really cute that each scallop (blessed with three no less!) looked like it was wearing a dainty potato crisp hat.

We loved the different flavour profiles each component brought to the dish and marvelled at how they harmonised with each other. There was the salty, savouriness from the chicken jus, matched with the creamy, almost-but-not-quite sweet artichoke puree, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the freshness of the spinach.

Heaven on a plate… though I had once again eaten too fast and was left watching F finish his scallops (and feeling slightly tortured by now). I don’t really seem to learn, do I? Sigh.

Sealed John Dory with Carrots and Ginger Puree, Coriander and Pomme Allumette

Dory always, always, always remind me of Dory from ‘Finding Nemo‘ and I always seem to have a pang of guilt when it’s on the menu. She’s one of my favourite Pixar character… and I’m eating her! (Well, of course I’m not really, but you know what I mean). Sadly, the dory was delicious; it had a lovely, crisp sear and was well-seasoned.

I was ready to dislike the carrot and ginger puree, to be honest, as ginger is one of my arch enemies (possibly The Arch Enemy), but I was completely shocked at how much I loved the puree. It was slightly sweet, had a warming depth and it matched unbelievably perfect with the fish.

For me, it was the sweet Dutch carrots drenched in creamy tarragon butter that made this dish go from great to amazing. F, on the other hand, thought it was the puree that made the dish pop.

Braised Oxtail rolled with Green Cabbage, Tapioca, fresh Horseradish and Nameko Mushrooms

This was a table-side service dish, where our waiter poured the rich oxtail consomme onto our plates with a slight flair.

The braised oxtail was incredibly soft, literally falling apart at a touch – so much so that I totally disregarded my knife for this course. What really made this dish, on top of the sharpness from the horseradish and earthy mushrooms, was the consomme. It was so robust and hearty that it made a relative small dish feel much larger with its heaviness.

Deboned Rib Eye of Mayura Wagyu Beef with a Tombé of Field Mushrooms, Baby Spinach, Confit of Shallot and Merlot Sauce

The Wagyu was full blood with a 9+ grade and boy, could you tell – the fatty meat just melted in your mouth.

This was a simple dish, but I think simplicity speaks for itself, having not the need to overly complicate what’s already perfect.

When our waiter dished out our serving of mashed potatoes with a professional flick of his wrist from a bowlful of the stuff, I refrained from (but really wanted to) asking for at least two more spoonfuls. It didn’t seem like it was enough mash (you should see just how much mash we normally have when we make it at home), but of course he knew what he was doing and it was the right amount – even for mashed potato crazies like us.

Soup of Seasonal Fruit with Lime Marshmallows and Pineapple Sorbet

I wasn’t expecting much when I saw this dish on the menu, though I should know by now that I should never judge until I’ve seen and tasted the dish.

It. Was. Awesome.

The soup (mostly made from pomegranate) was sweet with a hint of sourness, which were boosted by the sweet and sour fruits in the dessert. The pineapple sorbet was gorgeous in its ambivalence and the whole dish was topped off by the slightly sour lime marshmallows.

Argh. Reading back on what I’ve written, the descriptions doesn’t do justice to the flavours we experienced. Sorry about that, it’s getting to that time where the brain stops functioning as well as it could be.

Sigh. It doesn’t even look like it could be awesome, but it was. Honest.

Chocolate Soufflé with Sour Cherry Ripple Ice Cream

I adored the chocolate soufflé and I loved that it was baked and brought out in a small pot. The soufflé was deliciously fluffy and quite chocolate-y (I mean more chocolate-y than I thought it would be). The sour cherry ice cream was a beautiful, contrasting touch to the dessert and near the end I was grateful for it, as there may have been just a bit too much chocolate soufflé… just a bit… maybe.

Passionfruit Jube, Pistachio Macaron, Salted Caramel, Liquorice Macaron, Strawberry Tart and Chocolate Truffle

Both F and I abhor liquorice – I don’t know why, but I personally find its flavour quite disagreeable. Despite this, we were willing to give the liquorice macaron a go… and once again, we were surprised that we quite liked it (though I don’t think we’d try liquorice candy any time soon). Our favourites were the strawberry tart, passionfruit jube and salted caramel.

Oh! This came as a bit of a surprise to us, but tea and petit fours aren’t included in the degustation (we’ve been too spoiled in this regard I think) and cost $8 per person.

Inside Guillaume at Bennelong

While it was quite dark inside the restaurant, there were strategically placed spotlights to illuminate each table (you can imagine how grateful I felt – shooting in dim lighting makes me cry).

Guillaume's Awards

Walking back out, past all the awards and achievement plaques, we were reminded again at Guillaume’s brilliance. We loved the fabulous and surprising degustation with its amazing flavour combinations. It was interesting to see that while our first couple of dishes were a bit slow in coming out, it picked up and steadied to a good pace, as we ploughed through the menu. Our wait staff were lovely and quite attentive, which is always nice.

We found ourselves watching people on the outside inbetween courses. Tourists, joggers, theatre-goers; it was interesting to watch them walk by (or in the case of the joggers, they also hopped up the stairs… hectic) and be watched in return if they noticed the diners inside the fish bowl restaurant. Hours of fun.

Guillaume at Bennelong
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9241 1999
Web: http://www.guillaumeatbennelong.com.au/

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Post tags: beef, Dessert, Seafood

Bayon Noodle looks like a new Chinese and Cambodian restaurant. Cambodian food is difficult to find in Sydney, however if you are in Cabramatta, there are atleast half a dozen decent ones.

Green papaya salad

This is the Vietnamese version with a generous array of fresh papaya, mint and basil, fresh prawns, crushed peanuts, pork belly. The best way to eat this is to pour in the bowl of fish sauce and toss the salad altogether. In terms of taste, it wasn’t too bad, lacking a bit of ‘kick’ but then again I am comparing it to Thai/Lao papaya salads which are extremely pungent and flavoursome.

Khmer bbq herb beef w/ pickles

Tender beef grilled with unidentified herbs and spices and a side of cold pickles, what more could you ask for ? It’s the perfect contrast of smokey warm beef with the cold and crunchy pickles.

Nom Ban Jok (Khmer herb fish paste w/ vermicelli noodles)

This was surprisingly one of my favourites. A spicy coconut based soup with copious amounts of pungent fish paste and other ingredients touched every one of my taste buds. What makes the dish is probably the side of salad with it’s different textures. Off the top of my head I spotted cabbage, cucumber, bean sprouts, and chives.

Salt and pepper squid

A very light batter compared to other versions I’ve eaten, which is great. I could spot and taste huge bits of freshly cracked black pepper, definitely putting the ‘pepper’ in salt and pepper calamari. Though one thing I did notice was a few prawns on the fish, maybe they ran out of calamari ? But I’m not complaining too much. This was another dish served with a side of their house pickles, great combination. The sourness of the pickles offsets the saltyness of the calamari perfectly.   

Chive dumplings

I don’t have a picture of the internals, but imagine a sea of green chives and not much else. Being of Teo Chew descent, we live and breath chives (literally). While they are detrimental to our breath, they are bloody good. Pungent chives are encased in a dumpling and then lightly pan fried to give it a bit of crunch and texture.  

Salor Gor Gor (Khmer hot pot)

 This was another traditional khmer dish and one of my favourites as well. It’s a soup based dish with braised vegetables such as eggplant, tender pork belly and some berries/beans which I’ve seen in some Indian dishes. It’s a hard dish to describe, but flavourwise it’s full of different herbs and spices which touched every corner of my taste buds. It’s a dish you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere apart from a Cambodian restaurant.

Stewed duck noodle soup

The perfect winter dish, fall off the bone stewed duck in an amazing soup full of duck flavour. The duck leg is braised in different herbs and spices, I can taste star anise, cinammon and 5 spice amongst others. On the side is a crunchy piece of prawn cracker, it’s all about the textures.

Bayon Noodle is the new kid on the block in Cabramatta. There are about 2-3 very good Chinese Cambodian restaurants within the vicinity and you’ll see locals dressed in their home clothes slurping away at noodles or hearty rice dishes. It’s going to be tough for Bayon to differentiate themselves, but I think they are on the right track. The decor inside is a lot cleaner and modern than the other places and they have the advantage of Merrick Watts and his family eating there a few months ago!

Bayon Noodle
233 Cabramatta Road, Cabramatta NSW 2166
Tip : It’s in an alleyway off John St, on the same side as Commonwealth Bank and Gloria Jeans.

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However, once it had some time to sink in, I thought that maybe it wasn’t such a daft idea after all. I mean, it would mean there would be two Christmases in the one year… that’s two sets of presents!!

Well no, not quite (as I found out), but it is definitely another excuse to stuff ourselves with food that would make us forget about the chilly temperature not at all helped with an equally chilly wind.

And that’s how we all came about to Löwenbräu Keller to taste-test their perfect-for-winter dishes.

Garlic Bread

The garlic bread came out first, thick and dripping with melted butter. I don’t know if you were supposed to, but I ended up dipping my slice into my mushroom soup. Bliss.

Mushroom Soup

My eyes goggled when the soup bowls came out – it was huge! The soup was super creamy and it made think of Minh: she would have totally loved it!

Great big plates and Short Logs of Wood... all part of your everyday dinner table

The now-empty bowls were replaced by even larger plates… and oddly enough, stumpy logs too. We looked at each other and giggled, perhaps inappropriately.

Venison Stew with Sauteed Mushrooms and Servietten knoedel steamed bread dumplings

The venison stew was hearty and delicious with a generous helping of mushrooms and steamed bread dumplings.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Mashed Potato

The lamb shanks were quite tender and flavoursome, made even better by sitting on a massive bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

Franziskaner Bier Goulash

I quite liked the goulash with its tender beef cubes and crunchy deep-fried onions.

Slow Roast Beef Short Ribs with Mashed Potato and Sauerkraut

The meat from the short ribs was wonderfully tender and simply fell off the bone when we cut into it. I realised that I’ve missed the combination of beef, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes… sooooo scrumptious!

Wine Marinated Slow Braised Beef Cheeks with Mashed Potato

The slow braised beef cheeks were incredibly succulent and soft; it was a sure hit with everyone at the table.

I was quite gleeful with the large portions of mashed potatoes on each of the plates, which meant there were more to share around… and on my plate! Hehe.

Garden Salad

I always am glad for the obligatory garden salad that accompanies such hearty dishes, as it never fails to bring a refreshing component to the meal.

Schweinshaxn - Oven Roasted Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potato

If all those special Christmas in July dishes weren’t enough, we also ordered the pork knuckle. Yum yum.

Eeep!

Chocolatesuze was kind enough to divvy up the goods. Teehee

Some time during the dinner and the night’s hilarious entertainment, several rounds of delicious schnapps were ordered. Always being the default designated driver ever since I earned my license meant that my alcohol tolerance isn’t as… hmm, robust?… as most people’s. Which meant I was quite merry during the night and may have been tipsy-texting. Oops.

Heheh

Darcie and Chocolatesuze volunteered to be part of the cow-bell rendition of Edelweiss, while Lisa came a close second in the (alcohol-free) beer skulling competition!

Marco Jacobs, Head Chef

I felt quite honoured that we got to meet both the executive and head chef of Löwenbräu Keller, who popped out from their busy kitchen to briefly greet us.

Lowenbrau Kaiserschmarrn with Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream

As our massive dessert plate came to the table, most if not all of our eyes lit up. We were informed by Marco that it’s Bavarian-style pancakes with rum raisins and honey, served with a cup of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon. The pancakes on its own was a bit dry (I would have personally loved to have more honey on mine), but with the cinnamon on vanilla ice cream – it was the perfect way to end such a hearty and robust dinner.

Christmas in July at Löwenbräu Keller has a couple of different traditional speciality dishes each week with the Kaiserschmarrn, soup of the day, Gluehwein and Alte Witte available throughout the month.

Eat Show & Tell was a guest of Zing Australia and Löwenbräu Keller.

Löwenbräu Keller
Corner of Playfair & Argyle Streets
The Rocks, NSW, 2000,
Ph: (02) 9247 7785
Web: http://www.lowenbrau.com.au/

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Post tags: beef, Dessert

Me : ” Damn another dumplings place in Ashfield ?? Yeah sounds awesome we can do Friday if that’s cool ?

Mate : ” Yep, I’m free … call a few of the boys over too so we can try most the menu “

Me : ” No worries I’ll let them know, we’ll bring over a few drinks too. Just a warning we may be a bit rowdy from Friday night drinks before hand “

It’s quite funny when a quiet Friday night with dumplings turns into a twenty five person birthday party. My mates and I were planning on turning up in our comfortable bogan attire on this cold Friday night, only to receive an email saying that my mate has organised an impromptu birthday party for his girlfriend with their friends. Somehow, our three bottles of cider wrapped in paper bags wasn’t quite going to cut it as a gift. Either way, we rocked up to what turned out to be a pretty good night at a restaurant which exceeded our expectations. You can never have too many dumplings, right ?

For anyone who has been to Ashfield, in particular just outside the train station on Liverpool road, you would know that there is a high concentration of Chinese restaurants (not the sweet and sour pork variety). The restaurants in particular specialise in food from Beijing and Shanghai, with the odd Northern Chinese variety popping up too. Dumplings Noodle Plus (very creative name right there) is one of these Northern Chinese restaurants where the food is more hearty and wheat based. Historically this has been the case, due to the harshly cold weather experienced in Northern China. Hearty stews, hand made noodles and buns are not uncommon in these areas and this restaurant is no exception.

It was the perfect weather for this type of food too, it was the week where Sydney had freezing temperatures in the morning and evenings. Fortunately, we had our good mate Richard who is from Northern China to order for us.

Spicy chicken served w/ handmade noodles

We kick off proceedings with two massive braised meat dishes. As soon as we were comfortably seated, the waitress started bringing out our pre-ordered food. First up was the braised spicy chicken. At first thought, the dish did look a little underwhelming, pieces of boney chicken in a thickish sauce with pieces of potato. I was a little reluctant to dig in, however after seeing a couple of the boys happily mopping it up, I followed suite. The pieces of chicken was actually not as boney as it appeared, it was surrounded by soft melt in mouth meat. When served with their deliciously slightly chewy home made noodle, it really made this dish one of the stand out of the night.

Lamb stew

Next up was the lamb stew, this was quite similar to the chicken however the sauce in which the meat was braised in was predominantly cummin based. Once again, the lamb was superbly tender. The steamed bun was a great accompaniment to the dish, they were not just there for show, they acted like sponges for the delicious gravy like sauce.

Pork & chive dumplings, mixing the hand made noodles, chili prawns, twice cooked beans w/ chicken mince

Of course it wouldn’t be a Northern chinese restaurant without an order of dumplings. I am a huge fan of dumplings, there’s something about the sweet chives that does it for me. We were given pan fried dumplings which had a very thin shell layer, encasing a generous pork and chive mix.

To satisfy the seafood lovers we also ordered a serving of chilli prawns which consists of king prawns stir fried with red and green capsicum topped with a handful of dried chilli. Unfortunately, this was the low light of the night. It was quite plain in flavour, nothing wrong with the dish in itself, however it was just not spectacular.

To give us the illusion that we are also eating healthy, we requested the twice cooked beans. Personally I am not a fan of twice cooked vegetables as it renders the vegetable quite soft, leaving no crunch. Despite this set back, I did enjoy the slightly salty flavours of the mince chicken which is offset by the naturally sweet beans.

Beef & trip w/ chili and sesame

As most of our dishes were braised or stir fried, we decided to finish off the night with some cold dishes. The beef and tripe salad like many of our other dishes contained quite abit of dried chilli, but what set this dish was the addition of the sesame paste in the sauce. Strange enough, after this dish, I’m now a big fan of sesame, chilli and cold meats combination.

Cucumber sticks tossed w/ sichuan chili sauce

In hope of alleviating our now numb tongue we ordered a plate of cuccumber tossed in their special sichuan sauce. As the plate arrived to our table, my immediate thought were ” oh no, not more chilli.” However this sischuan sauce was not spicy at all. I found myself munching on the refreshingly cold cucumber sticks, dipping them in the vinegar and chilli oil sauce. It was very addictive.

Cold bean thread noodles in spicy chili, garlic & hot bean sauce

I saw this dish on the menu and was quite intrigued to see what it was or how it would taste. The bean noodle tasted like vermicelli noodles, only thick jelly like. Paired with the garlicky bean sauce. With the thick sauce coating each piece, this was another stand out dish of the night. It’s quite simple in flavour, but it just hits the right spot.

Lamb w/cumin sticks

Just when I thought I couldn’t eat any more, the waittress presented us with the lamb with cumin. Usually they are served on a longer kebab stick and cooked on an open flame, however because the shop is quite new, they haven’t had the opportunity to install the appropriate equipment.

left to right : Dì Sān Xīan (eggplant and mixed veg), our cider of choice (byo), happy diners, birthday girl

A trip to Ashfield can often be intimidating due to the sheer number of Chinese restaurants on Liverpool Road. I’d love to one day try every single one of them to find out what my favourite is. I find the food at Dumpling Noodle Plus a bit more ‘home cooked’, which is right up my alley. I remember seeing on the menu a ” no msg is used” disclaimer, I’d back them on that statement.

If you are after a bit of variety on your next quest for dumplings, give this place a shout. It’s a bit off the beaten path, more towards the City end of Ashfield but well worth the effort.

Dumpling Noodle Plus

215 Liverpool Road Ashfield
Menu : http://www.eatshowandtell.com/wp-content/uploads/2209_001.pdf

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Day 8 – Where things are hot hot hot but durian is not not not

We’re in Little India this morning, perhaps spurred by our early night the day before we’re up and out of the hotel by 8. Like most of Asia, Little India isn’t truly awake until at least 10am and the famed colourful stores are all closed as we wander down the streets.

Breakfast – Kassim Mustafa

Kassim Mustafa is one of the few open restaurants, there are a few locals scattered about the various tables but it’s mostly empty as we take our seats. It’s surprising, but we haven’t had Indian food on this trip since our visit to the Cameron Highlands, I find myself craving some roti and strangely enough – Ayam on this fine morning.

Tea Tarik

(...)
Read the rest of Malaysia Mondays – Penang, Part 2 (2,051 words)

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Stepping into Zeta Bar I immediately remember just how much I adore the interior designing. It’s a space not afraid of dark rooms and bright lights, intimate curtained areas alongside a brightly lit bar. It’s only 6pm but the bar is packed with the corporate crowd who have come out to play after work, drawn by the drinks and more importantly, dry setting.

Zeta’s winter concept is inspired by the European style of celebrating winter – mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, hot toddies and even roasted marshmallows are all on offer at the bar. I take a moment to try some of the mulled wine, it’s been spiced with cinnamon and orange zest, the scent is intoxicating and the resulting wine is sweet to the tongue, with hits of spice towards the end. It’s a addicting drink, at first I’m not quite sure what to think but before I realise, my entire glass is empty.

The atmosphere kept lively with buskers roaming about, a live band and even a juggler complete with fake chickens, spinning plates and even a complementary shoe shiner on site, ready to polish up your shoes in a matter of moments!

Grant Collins preparing the eggnog

It’s a familiar face behind the bar, Grant Collins is one of the primary people behind this concept and has come up with many of the spectacles offered. The liquid nitrogen is back out to play, creating Nitro Eggnog - the classic beloved drink in frozen form, it’s a quick mouthful that explodes on the tongue sending trails of smoke out of my nose and makes me burst into laughter. More than one curiouser punter comes up to me afterwards, and I find myself explaining multiple times just what the heck I was doing.

Chestnuts roasting on an open... gas stove

My favourite part of the menu is without a doubt the freshly roasted chestnuts. A small wait awards us with a bag of piping hot chestnuts and for a few minutes I’m engrossed in just peeling the chestnuts without burning my fingers, they’re perfectly cooked and combined with a hot toddy it’s the perfect way to spend a cold Friday night.

The crowd at Zeta Bar

Looking around at the bar I recognise a few of the bartenders from the Summer Concept, I take a moment to mourn the loss of the summer uniforms but I have to admire their matching outfits complete with berets, scarfs and fingerless gloves! I’m definitely a summer girl, but maybe winter has a few things going for it after all!

The Zeta Bar Winter Concept runs on Fridays from 6pm, it will run all throughout Winter 2010.

Eat Show & Tell was a guest of Horizon Communication Group & Hilton Hotel at the Zeta Bar Winter Concept.

Zeta Bar
Level 4, 488 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9265 6070
Web: http://www.zetabar.com.au/

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When we finally booked it, we asked them what was good to order (or to avoid) and their advice wasn’t as much of advice as more raving about how good the dishes were and how full they got: “We had the five course degustation and oh man, we were so full… and then the desserts came out! We were expecting small dishes, but there were four full-sized ones! We practically died… but man, it was just soooo good!” … and so on and so forth.

Both did warn us that the marina car park was a little hard to find in the dark, but since we were going during the day, it should be easy as pie to get to.

Berowra Waters Public Wharf

Excited and a little nervous, we set out two hours before our booking time and arrived at the marina area with 30 minutes to spare. We were advised to call the restaurant to send the private ferry out, but we didn’t really need to, as the ferry makes quite frequent trips to and from the public wharf to the restaurant (this may be a different story for dinner reservations).

On the Hawkesbury

Although it was short trip from the wharf to Berowra Waters Inn, riding on the small ferry in the gently sunny afternoon on sparkling water really set the mood for a quiet and lovely lunch.

The menu has a range of light to heavy dishes to choose from, followed by some cheese and desserts. We opted for the 6 course degustation at $175 (the 5 course is $150) and, as you can choose your dishes, found that we could order everything on the menu bar one dish (which I felt slightly embarrassed in saying, “May we have everything except for the quail dish please?” Such gluttony!).

Cured Ocean Trout, Aubergine, Toasted Tortilla

We were surprised with a pre-lunch dish / amuse bouche as we were working out what to order. The cured salmon was delicately salty, which paired nicely with the eggplant underneath, and the toasted tortilla added a really nice crunchy texture to the delectable morsel.

Sour Dough Roll with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, Monteith's Golden Ale (?)

While we waited for our light dishes to arrive, we chatted over some crusty sour dough roll and I think I’ve finally mastered dipping the bread into the oil to get to the balsamic! I normally end up with oily, soggy bread and precious little balsamic, but I’ve discovered that with a decisive dip into the oil will guarantee balsamic goodness on your bread.

White Asparagus, Green Asparagus, Slow Poached Organic Egg Yolk, Fresh Black Winter Truffle From Manjimup

The first thing I noticed was that the egg yolk wasn’t runny; rather it seemed to be on the verge of being runny and solid at the same time, which I thought was pretty impressive. The juicy asparaguses were perfectly cooked, adding a slight sweetness to the dish, tempered by the saltiness of the truffle underneath. I was amazed at how simple the dish was and be so rich in flavour.

Chilled Vichyssoise, Oscietra and Salmon Caviars, Beignets of Hawkesbury Oysters

I didn’t realise that the oysters would be deep-fried! But I guess now I know what to expect when I see beignets hehe. I’ve noticed that whenever an oyster dish is presented to us, I’d wait til F eats his then ask: “Should I swallow or chew?” His answer this time was a resounding “chew”.

The meaty oyster, that raw would normally have me make a face and endeavour to swallow as quickly as possible, was utterly delicious in its crispy outer shell. Some oyster purists might be horrified to see deep fried oysters, insisting that oysters must be consumed raw, but I’ve discovered that I quite liked them like this.

However, the chilled vichyssoise I think outshone the oysters, if barely (both components were so good!). There was something about its smooth creaminess hiding minute crunchy bits of croutons and caviar (bestowing tiny bursts of saltiness into the mix) that just appealed to our taste buds. What I thought was rather astounding about the vichyssoise was just how light it was despite being rather creamy.

Buffalo Mozzarella, Espelette Pepper, Potato Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, Sage Butter

A while ago, Minh told me that she used to dislike gnocchi, but after an awesome gnocchi dish she was converted. I remained unconvinced that gnocchi could be nothing more than some weird, soft, chewy, boofy pasta… well, that is, until now. I still haven’t figured out what about it made me realise that gnocchi could actually be very good. Perhaps it’s something to do with its softness that isn’t too soft, retaining a slight firmness but isn’t al dente, or perhaps it had the right amount of chewiness without feeling like I was eating some overripe, soggy chewing gum. All I know is that this dish made a convert out of me.

I loved the robust earthiness that the wild mushrooms brought to the dish and the accompanying tastily stringy mozzarella. There was the vaguest hint of heat to the dish, but if I barely registered it I doubt anyone else would have noticed it.

Murray Cod Fillet, Cauliflower, Leeks, Pickled Salsify, Salted Walnuts

The perfectly cooked cod was well-seasoned and we were delighted to find that the skin was utterly to crispy perfection. I loved how well the tangy pickled salsify and salted walnuts combined together and with the fish; a flavour combination I don’t think I would have ever thought would fit so well in a million years.

By this dish, we were amazed by how simple-seeming the dishes have been and still have so many different flavours so harmoniously balanced and different textures being played against/with each other.

Grilled Sea Scallops, Roasted Smoked Eel, Alsace Bacon, Celeriac, Pear

It’s no secret that we both adore scallops and are always looking for the perfect grilled or seared ones. During our time with es&t, we’ve been to a few places where we believe we’ve had scallop perfection and this would be one of them. The scallop was succulent, tender, juicy, well-seasoned and had a little crispness on its surface. The pear and celeriac brought out its sweetness while the smoked eel and bacon added a heartiness and robustness to the dish. Honestly, it was absolutely pure heaven on a plate.

Butter-Poached Western Australian Marron, Fermented Garlic, Sweet Green Peas

We didn’t know what a marron was and though we found out it was a crayfish via Google, we weren’t expecting it to come out looking so cute and curled up! I almost felt bad eating it and equally felt as bad for loving its juicy meatiness.

The marron was delicious with either or both of the two sauces: the creamy-coloured sauce that was akin to a tangy hollandaise and the dark-coloured one that was an intensely sweet garlic (which I guess was the fermented garlic?). The little dumpling-like parcel of semi-mushed green peas was a surprising but lovely addition to the plate.

Pumpkin Soup with Amaretti

When the little tea cup arrived at our table, I slightly panicked, thinking, “Oh crap! I don’t think we ordered this!” My panic subdued when our waiter introduced the dish as a pre-main course, compliments from the kitchen.

The pumpkin soup was thick, full of flavour and smooth. It was so simple, but it was intensely satisfying and also seemed to cocoon me in its flavour and warmth. Again, the chefs at Berowra has taken something rather simple and have made it extraordinary.

Grilled Wagyu Sirloin, Braised Cheek, Sauteed Sweetbread, Jerusalem Artichoke, Deep Fried Aioli

While the wagyu sirloin was scrumptiously seasoned and well-grilled, it was the braised, slow-cooked wagyu cheek that had us in gastronomic bliss. Wonderfully tender, yet still succulent and I was surprised it stayed on my fork as it practically fell apart at a touch.

I found the sweetbread a bit challenging to eat and though I tried, and though I like the flavour, I can’t seem to get over just how soft and (for me) odd the texture is. I surrendered my half to F, much to his delight.

We both wondered how one would fry aioli, now we know and it paired quite well with the meats in the dish.

Lamb Shank, Steamed Bone Marrow Dumpling, Spinach, Roast Shallot Jus

I was a bit worried about the bone marrow dumpling, thinking that it was a dumpling with bone marrow inside – something I’ve had before and also struggled to appreciate. However, all was for naught as it would seem that they incorporated the marrow into the “dumpling” (which was wrapped around the shank).

The utterly tender lamb itself was gorgeously cooked and seasoned, without a hint of that lamb-y after taste; the accompanying onion in two ways (whole and as a puree) added a deliciously sweet tone to the dish.

St Agur Blue Cows Milk Cheese, Tallegio Washed Rind, Holy Goat 'La Luna', Ossau Iraty Sheeps Milk Cheese, Raw Milk 'Alpage' Cheese

Our waitress offered us a variety of crackers and bread to go with the cheese and on sensing our indecision, she hastened to add, “You could also have a couple of each.” Bless… and so we did, having a couple slices of olive bread, fruit loaf, wheat crackers, water crackers and oat crackers. She recommended that the oat crackers went very well with the blue and tallegio cheeses, not doubting her word, but we were pleasantly surprised at just how well they went with it. Before she whisked away, she added that if we would like more crackers we only need to let her know (which I guess is a given, but it was nice to hear, as we’re always short and for some reason never ask for more).

Going from left to right, we have the blue cheese, which was actually quite mild for a blue though still had a bit of a punch to it, and was paired with a lightly sweet poached pear. The tallegio was creamy and strong in flavour and was accompanied with a black cherry conserve. We’ve had the Holy Goat before and it was interesting to see that it was also paired with a fig (though this time a fresh one) and blanched almonds. The Ossau Iraty was quite smooth and rather mild (with a hint of a sharpness) and went quite well with the poached apple and beetroot oil. Finally, we have the Alpage cheese, the mildest of them all, paired with quince paste.

I’m always surprised at how much cheese restaurants serve you on a tasting platter; invariably, I end up feeling guilty for not being able to finish them. This time was different: we managed to finish both of our cheese platters (amazingly), much to our waitress’ delight. I’m not sure how we did it, but I’m sure F had a lot to do with it.

Citron Custard, Caramel Mousse, Pop Rocks, Almond Tuille

Our pre-dessert was the lovely citron custard topped with a light, surprisingly not-so-sweet caramel mousse and pop rocks. I love pop rocks (I totally reckon it appeals to the kid in me that lurks too close to the surface) and when our waitress mentioned pop rocks, I unthinkingly echoed her (loudly and rather too enthusiastically): “Pop rocks!!!” I think I embarrassed F and our waitress, but they continued on as if I didn’t say anything (thank goodness). Although I wanted more of this delightful pre-dessert (me = pig, yes I know), I thought it was actually spot on with its serving size – not too much to make one feel sick of it nor too little to make one feel like one’s missing out.

Raspberry Soufflé, Raspberry-Mascarpone Sorbet, Chantilly Cream; Braised Pineapple, Coconut Mousse, Semolina Dumplings, Aged Rum Syrup; Dark Amadei Chocolate Tart, Strawberries, Yoghurt Cream; Quince Tarte Tatin, Calvados Ice Cream

My friend wasn’t kidding about the size of the dessert platter! I was a bit concerned that we wouldn’t be able to polish off the platter, but somehow we managed to eat everything (well almost, only we left behind half a semolina dumpling) and managed to impress our waitress again (with our gluttony no doubt haha).

The raspberry soufflé was so airy and light, yet infused with so much flavour, and I thought the raspberry-mascarpone sorbet was a divine accomplice. The braised pineapple was better than expected (and a lot juicier) and I loved its sweetness tempered by the lighter-than-air coconut mousse. The quince tarte tatin was super flaky and sticky from its thick glaze, where its calvados ice cream helped cut through the heavy sweetness. We were advised that the chocolate tart should be left til last as it is quite rich – and boy, was it decadently rich. The richness of the tart was helped by the strawberries, sorbet and yoghurt cream (yes all three), though even with all that, it was a bit too much for F to handle and I happily finished off the rest.

'You can have as many as you want.'

The service has been pretty constant and it felt like we didn’t have to wait for long between courses, so we were glad for the relatively long reprieve between our dessert course and the petit fours with tea.

When our waitress came out with the petit fours tray and saying, “Which one would you like? You can have as many as you want.” My eyes bulged and my sensibility fought with my already burgeoning and utterly greedy stomach to answer. “One of each?” she persisted after a short silence. I could only manage to nod and emit a small “yes please”.

Basil and Lime Macaron, Dark Chocolate Truffle with Amaretti, Peach Jube, Lemongrass and White Chocolate

My favourite out of the petit fours was the soft and gently sweet peach jube, while F adored the lemongrass with white chocolate.

F needed to go to the bathroom, but didn’t want to miss the chance of ordering another round of petit fours. He made me promise that if he went, I would order the jube and white chocolate for him. I duly promised and almost broke it when our waitress came to take away our plate, thinking that we were done. Hastily, I asked if we could have some more (rather embarrassedly), but she was happy to comply.

Travel by Seaplane... Posh!

I read on the website that you could travel to Berowra Waters Inn by seaplane. Seaplane! I didn’t think we should see that happening, but much to our surprise, we did and the customers were ferried to and from the plane with that flat looking boat to the right of the wharf.

Berowra Waters Inn

Sadly, it was time to go, but all good things must come to an end, no? We left feeling utterly content and satisfied with our lunch and gently sighed as the ferry pulled away from the restaurant.

The food was fantastic and we loved its bright, bold flavours, while the service was perfect. Our main waitress was the most sweetest waitress we’ve had the pleasure of having and I was meaning to tell her how much we appreciated the attention (and with a smile too!), but I was too shy and missed my chance.

We would be hard-pressed to pick our favourite dishes, as they all were so very strong in their own way, and I realise now why we got such vague answers from our friends; it is indeed too hard to say what’s good, as they all are.

Sigh. Pretty sunset

While the location of Berowra Waters Inn might be out of the way for some, the experience, the fabulous food and the view is definitely worth it. Especially for sights like this to farewell you on your way home.

Berowra Waters Inn
Via East or West Public Wharves
Berowra Waters, NSW, 2082
Ph: (02) 9456 1027
Web: http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/

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Post tags: beef, Dessert, Seafood, vegetarian