Battle of the Pizzas

Some experts will have you believe that the secret to a healthy relationship is being adventurous in bed, having a drawer full of sexy lingerie and taking advice from sealed sections in magazines. Other experts will cite making time for each other and pencilling in "date nights" as they key. I have also recently seen a young lass proffer advice that making home-cooked meals for your partner, such as lasagne will get that rock on your finger ladies. Did she mean to set the feminist movement back to cave dwelling times by assuming that is the only goal in a female's life?! Whilst I do believe cooking for your partner makes for romance, I doubt lasagne will be the glue that holds you together... Unless your partner is Garfield.

I scoff at these notions for delivering romance. I offer an alternative which comes in the form of some healthy competition. Junior and I have been having regular "Pizza Offs" for sometime now. It's a game we play where we try to outsmart, outwit and outplay the other through our pizza making skills. Nothing keeps the fire of romance burning like some competitive "Battle of the Sexes" banter over pizza making and then sitting down to enjoy the spoils together!

When we have time (a la up at the farm with an authentic woodfire pizza oven), we make our own dough but sometimes on a weeknight, you don't have the time so we use ready made bases. And before you brand me a heathen, may I remind you we do this for the same reason we all resort to take away sometimes... I really despise thick crusts so the Bazaar pizza bases do a pretty good job.

We each get a pizza base, tomato sugo and the delicious Paesanella Fior Di Latte (Mozzarella)- then the rest of the toppings are up to the individual. On a side note, do yourselves a favour and visit the Paesanella cheese store in Haberfield. Not only will you find an amazing array of cheeses but the this family-owned business has great service and will offer tastings to help you make your choice.

Back to the Battle of the Pizzas. In the red corner- triple smoked ham, spanish onion, pumpkin, chilli flakes and topped with fresh rocket once out of the oven. (Mine was slightly charred after I left it in a smidgen too long- whoops!)

In the blue corner- leftover homemade meatballs with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and spanish onion.

Verdict: Junior won by a nose with the Meatballs. I concede that using my own meatballs to beat me in the pizza battle was a genius strategy. Well played Junior, well played. Until next time...

Paesanella
88 Ramsay Street
Haberfield NSW 2045
(02) 9799 8483

Decadent Breakfasts Are the Best

Life is definitely too short to be worrying about rolled oats and bran for breakfast and whilst I appreciate the Heart Foundation  might have something to say about the effects of overindulgence, I think you should spoil yourself a little but often ;-)

Junior often goes for an early morning surf on a Saturday and heads home via Strawberry Cream Continental Patisserie in Darlinghurst to bring me one of my fave breakfast treats- a freshly baked croissant with ham, cheese and bechamel sauce.

As much as I delight in being treated to breakfast in bed, I don't recommend you attempt it with all the flaky pastry flying about. Not on the Egyptian cotton for crying out loud!

The fresh croissant is buttery and moist on the inside with layers of deliciously flaky pastry on the outside. The classic combination of the ham and cheese is perfectly matched with the thick, cheesy and velvety bechamel. Toasted under the grill it gives a fantastic texture contrast of the smooth and creamy bechamel with the crusty cheese and pastry. Heaven...

If you choose to dine in, be warned that the coffee is not that great and neither is the service. Whilst the authentic Gallic touch of only hiring native French girls may delight some of the males amongst us with Amélie fantasies, for the rest of us back here on Earth, it can be a little frustrating when their broken English gets in the way of a croissant reaching my mouth in a timely fashion. And my automatic reaction is almost always "No monsieur, I did not know that Petit Miam is 'IGH in calcium" and I almost always keep it to myself.

As a Savour Tooth it's not really my thing but if you are into Continental pastries and sweets, their selection will more than make up for the lack of coffee making skills. There is a solid selection in this tiny shop ranging from Tart Au Citron to Crème Brûlée and macarons.

Verdict: Oui to lovely take away delights. Non to a dine in experience to remember.

Strawberry Cream Continental Patisserie
336 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2011
(02) 9356 3122

Summer if definitely a time to Rosé

With the beautiful weather upon us, I am looking forward to many a chilled glass of rosé whilst sitting outside, looking at the ocean. We are very lucky that Australia makes world class rosés especially our friends down in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Did someone say road trip?!

In the spirit of celebrating my love of rosé, I thought I'd make a few recommendations. Would love to hear any of your faves too so feel free to comment.

Turkey Flat- Rosé (Barossa Valley, SA)
http://www.turkeyflat.com.au/

Of all the rosé drinkers around, most will agree that Turkey Flat's Rosé is up there with the best. This wine has complexity with sweet berry-liciousness and a lovely dry finish. It is a grown up rosé with many elements on the palate and would satisfy even the non-rosé drinkers amongst us. Made from Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Dolcetto, this wine is a beautiful bold reddy pink and oh so very drinkable.

I would recommend this refreshing wine to be enjoyed on its own or with light meals like salads, antipasto plates and perfect with seafood.

Verdict: When you find it on special, stock up and stock up good. You will be very popular if you bring this little gem along to dinner or a party with friends- that's if you can bear to share it!

Langmeil- Bella Rouge Rosé (Barossa Valley, SA)

http://www.langmeilwinery.com.au/

My Dad is the Mr Miyagi of Wine and my wine mentor. He has a freakishly good palate which amazes me constantly. Over the years he has introduced me to many different wines but this is definitely a stand out. I have such a soft spot for it that in some ways no rosé can compare.

Made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes this rosé is a gorgeous deep and velvety red colour and darker than most rosés. It is a fuller bodied rosé and I always get a 'kir royale' kinda feeling when I drink it.

Verdict: Yum num num num num. Online purchasing recommended.


Tin Shed- All Day Rosé (Barossa Valley, SA)
http://www.tinshedwines.com/



True to its name, you can drink this drop all day, everyday, 24 hours a day. I first discovered this drinkable gem when living in Manly and visited the Bavarian Bier Cafe one sunny Sunday afternoon. Since that day there has been some intense abuse of this wine by my friends and I.

The wine itself is a dark blush as a result of extended days in barrel. There is a combination of Grenache, Sangiovese, Mourvedre and Shiraz in this wine. There is a lolly like sweetness that can be on the sweet side for my palate but the wine itself is well rounded enough for the sweetness not to take over, with a nice clean finish. Not incredibly complex but a very pleasant drop to enjoy with almost anything food wise- red meat, chicken, fish or even a nice dessert.

Verdict: Good all rounder for all occasions

Going Down to Chinatown

Here is a back dated post from a few weeks back...

Being half Chinese and born in Hong Kong, my version of fast food normally comes in the form of a steaming hot bowl of noodles from Chinatown. There are some great little food courts in Chinatown and which one you chose depends on what you are craving. As I was craving a good laksa, Junior and I decided to head to one of my favourites, Sussex Centre Food Court for a quick bite to eat before a movie. Whilst there are many places in Sydney to get a great Laksa, I'd have to say the Happy Chef at Sussex Centre Food Court is a consistent deliverer of quality flavoursome Laksas and they have never let me down in the years I have been going there.

This particular instance, I chose the Spicy Beef, Tendon and Tripe Laksa. Offal tends to be poo poo'd by most Westerners but it's is a real treat when it's done right. The spicy beef is a slow braised brisket which melts in your mouth, with the soft yet firm texture of the tripe to balance out the bitey tendon. Mmmmmm...

Junior's new favourite noodle dish is a old fave of mine and my family's. I know it as Gohn Chow Ngau Hor but I think in English if you order Stir Fried Beef with Rice Noodle, you 'should' get the same thing. I say 'should' because I tend to order Chinese food in Cantonese as that's is the only way I can articulate what I am after. When translated into English it's all over the shop especially at Yum Cha... drives me nuts! The only thing you need to make sure is the type of Rice Noodle they give you- Hor Fun in the thick, flat rice noodle. Like many great Chinese dishes, this is super simple and satisfying and so easy to get wrong in the execution.

 

The noodles are skillfully tossed in a dark soy sauce so that it achieves a slight caramelisation just before getting burnt. Tender, thin slices of marinated beef are added to the noodles with onion, garlic chives, bean sprouts and topped with sesame seeds. Devour with some chilli paste and it is so so sooooo good. My Dad's version is always a crowd fave and I can assure you that if you snooze, you are sitting there with an empty bowl. It's that simple!

Satisfied with a belly full of oodles of noodles, we saw this on display in Sussex Centre. A GIANT mooncake. Mooncakes are part of the celebrations of the annual Moon Festival (also commonly known as Mid-Autumn Festival). Moon Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar (this year it was 3rd October 2009).

Mooncakes are typically round and about the size of your palm. Inside the pastry is a lotus seed paste encasing a salty duck egg yolk to represent the moon. The lotus seed paste is very sweet and I can assure you that the duck egg yolk is an acquired taste. One I have not managed to get my head around to be honest.

As you can see from the size of Junior's hand, the Mooncake was HUGE indeed!

Verdict: Definitely go to Happy Chef next time you are looking for a soothing, satisfying laksa and unless you can convince my Dad to fry you some noodles, then most of the wok noodle places in the food courts in Chinatown will do the Gohn Chow Ngau Hor justice!

Sussex Street Centre Food Court

401 Sussex Street

Haymarket NSW 2000

Breakfast of Champions

After a little hibernation over the past month, I owe this blog some much needed attention. Lucky I have some post ideas and photos banked up so time permitting I hope to get my blog on more regularly from now on.

As my weekend breakfasts with Junior are amongst my most favourite things, it seemed fitting to return to the world of blogging with what could potentially be our new favourite local breakfast joint. I had been meaning to give Forbes & Burton a whirl for quite some time now and I am glad I did.

 For us double macchiato drinkers, the quality of the coffee is a crucial element to our brekkie reviews and the fine barista at Forbes & Burton did a fantastic job with the first coffee, however the second had a bit too much milk going on but at least made for a great pic!

Our food arrived very promptly even though the place was full which was a welcomed surprise as one becomes accustomed to having at least 2 coffees and read a whole section of the SMH for weekend brekkie at popular places. Another big tick.

As you can see the servings are generous and I can attest not at the expense of the quality. My scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked as was the wilte spinach and the Sonoma sourdough was divine (mmmmm... sourdough). The bacon was ever so slightly undercooked for my liking as I like it cooked just short of crunchy. Having said that, I managed to get MAJOR food envy when Junior's arrived.

How good can poached eggs with roasted mushrooms, bacon and sourdough toast be, I hear you ask. Damn good when the egg is cooked like this...

Verdict: I am on a mission to get all Eastside City dwellers to try this place at least once. It is definitely my new favourite. May well see you there this weekend. Lunch menu also looks divine so look forward to checking it out!

Forbes & Burton

252 Forbes Street (corner Burton Street)

Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Phone: (02) 9356 8788

www.forbesandburton.com.au

An Expected (and Welcome) Moroccan Party in my Mouth

Unlike my horrific experience with the Lamb & Harissa sausage roll (recalled in a previous post in September), I happened to have an out of this world Moroccan experience right in the comfort of my own home. As much as I enjoy a dining out experience, I especially enjoy whipping up a gastronomical storm in my kitchen- much to Junior's delight. This is why I am going to try and include more recipes in this blog.

The following is a recipe for a Moroccan Beef dish, as I had chuck steak on hand but it will definitely be more authentic with lamb. Having said that, the meat can be easily substituted for chicken and even firm white fish, such as snapper or blue eye cod- depending on your preference. My Mum has my tagine currently so I used a large pan on the stove top instead.

Before I start I am going to have to have a good old rant about Ras Al Hanout because I LOVE it so. Ras Al Hanout is a classic Moroccan spice blend and means "Top of the Shop" because traditionally it is a blend of the best spices from the local spice merchant. As a result, Ras Al Hanout can vary from place to place but kudos to Herbie's Spices as they have come up with a scrumptious version. At $9.80 for 40g, it can seem pricey but I can attest that the depth of flavour and aroma is well worth the money. You can buy Herbie's blends from Herbie's Store in Rozelle or online at Gourmet Shopper. I found mine at my local Fratelli Fresh.

Moroccan Beef with Sweet Potato, Herbed Cous Cous & Mint Yoghurt
750g Beef chuck steak- cut into 2.5cm cubes
1 large Sweet Potato- cut into large chunks
1 large Onion- chopped
2 Garlic cloves- finely diced
1 knob Ginger- grated (I used a Microplane- they are the best!)
2 tbs Ras Al Hanout
2-3 cups Beef Stock
1 can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1 can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed well to get rid of "tinny" taste)
2 tbs Tomato Paste
Handful chopped Coriander and Flat Leaf Parsley
Zest of 1 Lemon (again Microplane Magic!)
Olive oil

Herbed Cous Cous
1 cup instant cous cous
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped herbs (coriander, mint, parsley)
Olive Oil

Mint Yoghurt
1 cup Greek Style Yoghurt (to cut down the fat you can substitute with Light Yoghurt but I tend to find the texture is not as nice)
Handful chopped Mint
2 tsp Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper
Pinch White Sugar (caster sugar mixes in and dissolves easiest)

Method
1. Make Mint Yoghurt by combining all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Season to taste. Mint yoghurt is best made a couple of hours to a day in advance to let the flavours permeate. It also keeps well in the fridge so you can make extra to use as a dip, use in wraps or add to Indian style dishes- super versatile and tasty.

2. In a large frying pan, heat up some olive oil and brown the beef cubes with some salt & pepper. Make sure the beef is browned well as it adds to the flavour of the dish. Set aside in dish.

3. In the same pan heat a little more olive oil and add onions and garlic. Be careful not to have on a too high heat as you do not want it to brown but go translucent, stirring occasionally. After a couple of minutes add grated ginger, Ras Al Hanout and season with salt & pepper. Cook further to release flavour of the spices and be careful to make sure it doesn't burn. Feel free to add more oil if it looks like it's sticking.

4. Add beef back into the pan with juices and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then add sweet potato chunks and chickpeas.

5. Add tin tomatoes and lightly crush with back of spoon so it remains chunky then pour in stock so it's just covered, add lemon zest and season really well with salt & pepper. Turn up heat until you bring to boil.

6. Reduce heat in pan and cover to simmer for about 1.5 hours. Stirring occasionally- as the sweet potato will soak up liquid you may need to add stock from time to time.

7. After about 1.5 hours add tomato paste and simmer uncovered for another 15-20 mins to thicken the sauce.

8. In the meantime boil 2 cups of water and add to 1 cup of cous cous in heat proof bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and cover for 5-8 minutes. After this time stir in chopped herbs.

9. Serve with blanched broccolini. Bon Apetit!

Verdict: Lip-smackingly delicious!

Herbie's Spices
745 Darling Street
Rozelle NSW 2039
Ph: (02) 9555 6035
www.herbies.com.au

Fratelli Fresh
www.fratellifresh.com.au

New and Improved Rocky Road...

Right people. I have made some tweaks to the Rocky Road recipe ingredients, method still the same as Rocky Road post in August.

Enjoy!

Rocky's Rocky Road

• 350g Dark Chocolate
• 150g Milk Chocolate
• 200g Marshmallows (I prefer Pascalls pink and white ones)
• 2 x 55g Fry's Turkish Delight
• 1 x Cherry Ripe
• ½ cup Dessicated Coconut
• ¼ cup Peanuts

Verdict: 

All hail Matt Preston

I really adore Matt Preston. Only he could review Noma, named as one of the Top 5 restaurants in the world, and recalling one particularly memorable course, says "Damn, it's good, in a 'rolling in the trough' sort of way".

Prest is best.

Grease is the Word

I would like to preface this post with a self imposed "I told you so". As a rare diner at McDonald's, I found myself strangely allured by promises of real Angus beef, how Maccas is so committed to making their burgers taste great and murmurs of how it tasted distinctly un-Maccas like... With hope in my heart and a desire to believe in the power of good over evil, Junior and I headed off to meet Angus in his new home of the Golden Arches.

Uh... how you say... er... FAIL!

I know, I know- I have already done the "I told you so's"- let's move on.

Working as a team, Junior and I ordered a Mighty Angus and a Grand Angus each to sample the flavours of both Angus cousins.

I foolishly opted for the Grand Angus, thinking that the "gourmet" salad would be a nice inclusion to my meal. The "gourmet" lettuce must've been running out the door this particular day, as it was replaced by the dependable but limp iceberg understudy. It was also disconcerting when I picked the burger up to take my first bite and grease trickled down my hand. All I could smell was that distinct Maccas fake cheese before I even took the first bite. Lo and behold, it was all I could taste for the remainder of the meal and for hours afterwards. Hmmmph!

It was only then did I recall my colleague Browny, telling me about the time he ate an unmelted piece of that orange plastic they call cheese at Maccas and not only was he nearly sick, he tried to eat raw onion in the hope that its pungency would overpower the evil cheese but alas, the evil cheese proved too powerful and it lingered for days.

Junior's Mighty Angus, sans anything green, avec caramelised onion was a marginally better effort but I suspect this was due to only having one slice of the cheesus vomitus whereas my Grand (and I do use these terms very loosely) was lucky enough to have two.

So kids what have we learnt from this experience? You can never trust Maccas for anything except a guaranteed greasy meal that will repeat on you for days to come.

I also learnt that I should know better than to fall for gimmicky marketing even if the top bun does fall on a cute and jaunty angle.

Grand? Mighty? Why yes, if these words precede DISAPPOINTMENT.

Bang Bang...

OK, I am the first to admit that I am not the most demure and shy person around the traps however, I wasn't brought up by a pack of wild wolves and therefore know how to behave when in a dining establishment. Yes, we have all experienced a time where we've had a few too many bubbles and started to laugh hysterically at nothing in particular but that usually happens on a weekend, with a crowd of equally drunk, loud and hysterical friends and in a venue where the general level of noise is an equaliser for the decibels exuding from your corner of the universe.

Try telling that to Miss Squawk-a-Lot and her band of very merry men and a camper than Christmas, David Brent doppelganger. Clearly a bunch of social misfits that individually would have no friends on Facebook therefore decided to band together, a la Revenge of the Nerds and rise against the cool kids by being uber loud and talking over each other with gusto.

I have enjoyed the ambience of Il Baretto a number of times and whilst it can get noisy from chatter, it usually is a din of conversation that is audible but not pronounced.

I took Junior to Il Baretto for the first time last night as I knew he would love the Duck Ragu Papardelle and enjoy a nice romantic dinner out on a Thursday.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the friendly staff and seated straight away, on a lovely table near the back of the restaurant. Normally I enjoy a nice red with my Italian but the unseasonally balmy 25+ degrees and my selfish decision to have the Spaghetti alla Vongole led me to bring a Zilzie Rose 2006 along for the ride.

Everything was going along swimmingly until Miss Squawk-a-Lot and pals turned up, with their glass shattering guffaws. When the first thing they did was ask for a bottle opener for their Coronas by shouting at the waiter, in case he was hearing impaired, I gave Junior that knowing look of "Holy crap. If these bogans keep it up, I am going to stab the nearest one with my fork- after I finish my delicious meal for fear of ruining the experience (interestingly it would've been Campy David Brent)." He responded with an oft seen "Holy crap. Must eat quickly and leave before there is violence."

Anyway, Junior and I did our darndest to enjoy our dinner which was accompanied by a lovely rocket & parmesan salad, with fresh, peppery rocket leaves; crumbly, salty parmesan and dotted with slivers of sun-dried tomatoes. The rocket and dressing were divine but to be honest 2 shavings of parmesan is not enough for a $9.50 salad.

My Spaghetti alla Vongole has all the right flavours going on, onion, garlic and chilli coating the al dente pasta perfectly but the vongole were a little on the small side (I know they're supposed to be small but the size of a Tic Tac probably is a little too small) and to be honest, I did experience moments of grit. Overall the flavours were enjoyable so it wasn't a complete loss.

Junior's Duck Ragu on the other hand was rich and flavoursome, perfectly paired with the ribbons of papardelle. I am glad he chose that dish as his introduction to Il Baretto.

I would still recommend Il Baretto for the masses despite an overall disappointing experience as I have been there previously and really enjoyed myself. As for the menu, I would suggest sticking with the staple menu (with the exception of the Duck Ragu) to ensure the likelihood of a more consistent dining experience.

And as for Squawky and Friends, forget Il Baretto, just pass me a Beretta...

Il Baretto

496 Bourke Street

Surry Hills NSW 2010

(02) 9361 6163

A food blog worth reading

I really like Jill Dupleix. I find her food writing to be down to earth and approachable whilst being very knowledgeable- certainly something to aspire to.

Her latest post talks about Eating With Your Eyes which is something I feel very strongly about. Being a Savour-Tooth, I have a great appreciation for the joy that desserts, pastries and sweets can bring through pure aesthetics. I remember the first time I visited Brunetti in Carlton and how I was swept away by the vibrancy of the sweet morsels on display. So much so that I try to visit it at least once whenever I am down in Melbourne, much to my Father's delight as I always bring him back a treat.

Put Brunetti on the list of foodie places to visit on your next trip to Melbourne and make sure you head to the one in Carlton for an original and authentic experience:

Brunetti Carlton
194 - 204 Faraday Street
Carlton Vic 3053
Phone: (03) 9347 2801
www.brunetti.com.au

Good Food Guide Awards 2010

The Good Food Guide award winners were announced last night and as usual there was some controversy with the dishing out of hats (or in some cases the taking away). Biggest shock of the evening was Claude's demotion from 3 hats to 2.

Check out the live blog chat with the editors Joanna Savill and Simon Thomsen. Simon and I rarely see eye to eye and I think the exchange below from today's live blog chat is a good example of why.

"Mark - September 08, 2009 12:40 PM Suprised to see Yoshii drop to 1 hat. I was there the other night and the quality was great. I think it still deserves 2 hats.

Simon says: Fair enough. We didn't this year Mark, but you keep eating there."

In fact what it sounds like Simon is really saying is: "Yeah you keep eating there and get back in your box."

Come on Simon. I think Mark is entitled to an opinion and surely you know that any list of winners of any sort will attract controversy. Sheesh!

An Unexpected (and Unwelcomed) Moroccan Party in my Mouth

I know that may seem like a rather absurd title with dodgy connetations but that is exactly what I got at Bourke Street Bakery.

Having excitedly read Good Living's review of the Top 3 Sausage Rolls (for more info see previous posts), I convinced Junior to join me in sampling the flaky pastry goodness, starting with Bourke Street Bakery in Marrickville.

As we had many an errand to run during the day, we weren't able to get their until early afternoon. I pretty much figured that the selection may be limited as a result but remained hopeful. I spotted the lead singer from Faker sitting on a table outside, talking rather animatedly to his coffee companion but what really struck me was the fact that he looked like he needed a really good wash. Perhaps that is a rock star thing...

Anyway as we entered, I noticed there were only a few pies and two kinds of sausage rolls left. I was keen to try the Lamb & Harissa as well as the Pork & Fennel on Random Pear's recommendation and that's exactly what they had so I took it as a sign. FYI- the ones with poppyseeds on top are the Lamb & Harissa.

Excitedly Junior and I tucked into the Lamb & Harissa ones and WHOA NELLY... All of a sudden we found guest ingredients exploding in our mouths and like people who gatecrash parties, ended up taking over the party and ruining it for everyone else.

HMMMMPH!

I just want to get it clear upfront that I don't expect for every single ingredient to be listed in a description when they are base flavours such as onion, garlic et al but this was pushing the friendship. Almonds and currants are exotic enough to warrant a mention and if anything to act as a warning for those like myself who do not enjoy currants of any kind... especially currants who jump out of sausage roll screaming SURPRISE with sparklers and party poppers. I am sure there are foodies who would fall over themselves at this Moroccan gem and rightfully so but I was not given the chance to choose. Miffed? You betcha!

Thankfully we heeded Random Pear's advice and shared the Pork & Fennel number (doubly thankful the sausage roll excursion ended on a good note). Great pastry and a delightful combination of sweet pork with aniseed notes from the fennel. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Would certainly return to try out more flavours and perhaps a pie as well but make sure you enquire about the ingredients in your baked good... Once bitten and all that...

Bourke Street Bakery

2 Mitchell Street

Marrickville NSW 2204

(02) 9569 3225

Eatability gets it right again

For what it's worth, I think www.eatability.com.au is a very reliable source of dining info and would highly recommend it to all lovers of food out there. Stuck for an idea as to where to have breakfast on Saturday morning, Junior and I decided to consult eatability and it led us on an adventure to Strangers With Candy.


Strangers With Candy is a quirky little cafe off the beaten track in East Redfern which got consistently great reviews for their food so I just had to give it a try. Admittedly, Junior was more trepidatious about the move but let's just say it was all worth it in the end.


Both of us started with the obligatory double macchiatos. They use Neoma Coffee which I have not had previously. It was well made and very drinkable but I found the actual roast was not strong enough for my personal taste.


The breakfast menu is very small compared to the broadsheet sized options you can get in many cafes these days however they obviously stick to what they know and do it damn well.


It was a difficult decision between the Bruschetta with San Marino Proscuitto and Beetroot Relish or the Smoked Salmon with Horseradish Cream and Eggplant Caviar but the latter won in the end.

Junior enjoyed the scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage and mushrooms on the side.

I would highly recommend the bruschetta option as it offers a nice alternative to the usual eggs and toast combos. I suspect that my salmon may have been wild salmon as opposed to farmed as it was really flavoursome and the texture was nice and firm. The horseradish cream had just the right amount of zing and the dish was balanced nicely with the rocket, capers and a lovely eggplant caviar. Altogether a very satisfying combination and the portion was generous enough to feel full but not overly full. Will definitely order that again but next time I definitely want to try one of the other bruschetta options.

Junior enjoyed his breakfast with the highlight being the baby button mushrooms which were left whole and sauteed with distinct rosemary and thyme (isn't there a song somewhere in that?!)- extremely more-ish indeed. His chorizo sausage was also fantastic but he found the scrambled eggs to be ever so slightly overcooked and not as fluffy as others he has previously tried. The toast options available were white, multi-grain or Turkish and whilst you may think I am biased towards sourdough (mmm sourdough), even Junior would've preferred it to the options available.

Verdict: All in all, the high quality produce and no fuss plating plus friendly service, lets good food do all the talking. Also worth checking out their lunch/dinner options.

Strangers With Candy
96 Kepos Street
East Redfern NSW 2016
(02)9698 6000
www.strangerswithcandy.com.au

Do you Wagyu?

I certainly do so last night we had a little crew head over to Rockpool Bar & Grill to see if their Wagyu Beef Burger really is the best burger in town. Simon Thomsen of SMH and I don't see eye to eye all the time but if Heston Blumenthal is a fan then that's good enough for me.

Rockpool Bar & Grill is in a beautiful art deco building with the restaurant featuring high ceilings and grand marble columns. The adjoining bar was all dark wood and glass with candles on the table to create a very nice ambience indeed. Pity the blasts of wind coming through the door were so cold.

So there we were with a great table with a view of the bar which has a gravity defying and rather impractical application of glass hangers.

We ordered a bottle of 2006 Bress Shiraz which was divine. Bress is a winery in Heathcote, Victoria which has received a coveted five star rating from James Halliday's 2010 Wine Companion. Surprisingly Bress also make their own cider which I would be very interested in trying. The 2006 shiraz has a delightful nose and I found to be very well rounded on the palate. It is packed with berry flavours and a hint of oak and spice. Yum!

I did note a tone of disdain as the waitress put down our 'tap' water. Not cool.

So Random Pear and her pal Grinder (it was the quickest nickname I could find!), Junior and I all ordered the Wagyu Beef Burgers and Taxman decided on the Steak Sandwich. Luckily Random Pear asked if they came with chips or we would've been chip-less without the two bowls of chips on the side. Taxman did suggest a third bowl to which I was all for when Random Pear exercised a rare show of restraint and stuck to the two. Drats!

Much food talk ensued including debating the merits of gelato vs ice cream, smooth vs crunchy peanut butter and Grinder's upcoming one on one cooking session with Matt Moran. We also did decide that we need to do Friday lunch at Marque and Chef's Table at Aria very soon.

We were also lucky enough to see Neil Perry walk the floor a few times. I have eaten at a number of his restaurants over the years and have only seen him in the restaurant one other time.

Then they arrived...

And I had to giggle at the waitresses suggestion it was accompanied by a salad. This started a debate as to what constitutes a side salad... You be the judge.

The wagyu beef patty was topped with Gruyere cheese, bacon, tomato, pickles and chilli relish all on a brioche bun made on the premises with a sheen on top that gave it a familiar fast-food feel to it. It was indeed delicious. The Blackmore wagyu beef was the rightful star of the show and there was a distinct lack of conversation whilst we feasted.

Taxman's steak sandwich looked great. The steak cooked perfectly with salad on a sourdough baguette (mmm sourdough). Not normally a fan of chunky chips, these chips were deliciously crispy and golden and rather more-ish.

A good time was had by all and coffees were enjoyed with the Haigh's chocolate hearts I brought along as a special treat.

Here is another shot of the 'glass' bar taken by Junior complete with mood lighting.

Verdict: Definitely the best burger I have had thus far and would recommend you go try one for yourself. At $22 it's an affordable way to enjoy the ambience of this beautiful restaurant. I do think there though the pompous switch should be dimmed with the waitstaff in the bar. And for the record, tap water is highly acceptable.

Rockpool Bar & Grill
66 Hunter Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 8078 1900
http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/bar-and-grill/

Who doesn't love a baked good?

This week's Good Living in SMH has proven to be a really good read  As much as I enjoy 'hatted' restaurant dining, I also appreciate the simple things in life... like a good sausage roll. There are some things that just make life better by being in it and puff pastry is one of them. Anything is improved if it's enveloped in golden, flaky, buttery puff pastry.

The Top 3 places to find the best sausage rolls as follows:

BERRY SOURDOUGH

Like me you may be fooled into assuming the list would be Sydney metropolitan centric but when Berry Sourdough was at the top of the list, it took me a second to realise we weren't talking blue, black or even straw but the actual town of Berry, about 2 hours drive south west of Sydney.

I can't very well miss out on an almost perfect sausage roll and fabulous sourdough (mmm sourdough) combo. 

Check out their ratings at eatability: http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/berry_woodfired_sourdough_bakery/

SUMMER HILL VILLAGE PATISSERIE

Much closer to the city lights is the Summer Hill Village Patisserie. There is a pastry chef called Juan, you just know there's going to be no skimping on the buttery goodness of the puff.

Junior will undoubtedly be able to find a tasty sweet morsel to follow the sausage rolls.

BOURKE STREET BAKERY

Now the Marrickville operation is the centre piece of the sausage roll showcase. With classic options on offer, there is also Lamb & Harissa or Beef, Veal & Olive, to tempt the sausage roll lovers who want try more gourmet interpretations.

A local opportunity for a top quality sausage roll and sourdough (mmm sourdough) combo.
You can read the whole article here:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/hot-sausage-rolls/2009/08/25/1251001894941.html

Verdict: Looks like Junior and I are going on a road trip.

Speaking of eggs

Whilst waiting for my double macchiato this morning, I spotted the cover of today's Good Living in the SMH which said How To Pick A Good Egg. Further proof that this is indeed a topical blog and that Junior is onto something with his weekend egg binges. Perhaps I can make "Junior's Thoughts on Eggs" as a regular blog topic. Sydney cafes be warned. We are coming to check out your eggs.

Junior will be pleased to see that I used a brown egg in the picture because he has a strange phobia about white eggs. If you see a weirdo in the egg aisle of your local supermarket, re-arranging cartons of eggs, it me making sure our dozen is all brown.

A panel of experts got together to wax lyrical about eggs and rate them out of 100. I won't go into all the detail but suffice to say there are many factors that make a "good egg". One thing to note in particular is the viscosity of the white because I love that word viscosity.

I was particularly chuffed that Jared Ingersoll of Danks Street Depot was on the egg judging panel as I am a big fan of not only his food but his passion for produce and bringing sustainable practices to the forefront of his industry. And quote "Ingersoll was particularly excited when he picked up a ''lovely herbaceous or green taste in the white and the yolk''. How can you not like the guy? I really look forward to when he is on Ready Steady Cook. I could rabbit on about that show forever so I shall save it for another post. The producers of Ready Steady Cook did the right thing by putting Peter Everett at the helm to host the show as without him it would not be half as entertaining. So many accidental double entendres!

Anyway, back to the eggs. And the winners are:

1. Farmer Browns Pastured $8.95


2. Glenrose Biodynamic $11.95
3. Cornucopia $9.50
4. Coles Free Range $4.49
5. Woolworths Select Caged $3.99
6. Woolworths Select Barn $4.69
7. Pace Farm Cage $4.62
8. Pace Farm Free Range $5
9. Clarendon Farms Organic Free Range $7.50
10. Coles Barn Laid $4.79


I am surprised to see caged eggs feature prominently and was also surprised to learn that without packaging guidance, sample tasters could not distinguish between a free-range, barn-laid or cage eggs. ''There were no significant differences in the overall liking of the three different types of eggs,'' it says. ''However, overall, the cage egg was directionally more preferred".

You can read the whole article here and learn many more fun facts about our little yolky friends:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/how-to-pick-a-good-egg/2009/08/24/1251001848564.html

Verdict: Eggs are where it's at. And as an aside, visit Jared at his restaurant and sample his ever changing menu. Don't be put off by the giant Hillsong centre diagonally across the road! If you are lucky enough to get the Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs, Capers, Anchovies and Chilli as an option- do yourself a favour and order it. Delicious.

Danks Street Depot
1/2 Danks Street
Waterloo NSW 2017
http://www.danksstreetdepot.com.au/

ZUMBO ZUMBO ZUMBO

As a gastronome with a very savoury slant to my palate, it surprises even me, to have two posts out of four dedicated to sweets. This however was an almost spiritual experience...

Apologies for my crap photography not doing it justice but take my word for it that it was incredible.

Many of you may remember being introduced to the magic of Zumbo during Masterchef. Just seeing the contestants freak out over the task of remaking his croquembouche was TV at its best. The final four contestants had the daunting task of recreating his Chocolate Mousse Cake and after the show ended there was a ballot for 100 of these cakes made by Zumbo himself.

Random Pear, aka Food Blessed, managed to win cake no.3 and was kind enough to invite Junior and I over for the cutting ceremony. Random Pear's husband Taxman wasn't so sure he needed more food zealots in the house but he let us in the door anyway!

Random Pear and I commenced the ceremony by taking many many photos of each stage whilst ooh-ing and aah-ing the whole time. I did let slip that I took more photos of the cake than at their wedding and I am pretty sure Taxman and Junior just wanted to eat the damn cake already. Note: Where were the macaroons?

There were so many elements within the one cake and despite my non-sweet tooth, I had to have a piece of the magical cake. There was salted caramel, apples, blackberry, jaconde et al and all of them married so well together.

I believe one can attempt their own version by clicking recipe here but be warned, it is a big task.

Verdict: Zumbo is a genius and you should go visit him and you just may convert a fellow Savour Tooth like myself.

Adriano Zumbo Patissier

296 Darling Street

Balmain NSW 2041

(02) 9810 7318

http://adrianozumbo.com/patisserie.html