Saturday, March 27, 2010

Bills

Nut & I went to Victor churchill, Woollahra and first planned to have brunch there cuz we thought there is a dining area but we were wrong. So the quick decision was made when we walked pass by Bills. I dined at Bills, Darlinghurst once in 2007, had the awesome ricotta hotcakes and famous scramble eggs.




Lucky we were there early enough (around 11.50 am) after we sat down a few mins, people were started to queue up waiting for tables.



Small orange juice for Nut $4.50


Sweet corn fritters, roasted tomato, spinach and bacon + avocado salsa $18.50 + $4.00


It looked pretty but i was a bit disappointed. The fritters were quite oily and taste axactly the same as street food deep fried corn fritter we have in Thailand. Taste was not bad just not worth for money. The bacon was too dry and we were laughing when saw the amount of Avocado salsa for $4.00 ....



Wagyu beef burger with beetroot and zucchini pickles and fries + heidi gruyere $21.50 + $4.50

I know it looked amazing but again... more disappointed than the corn fritter... nothing special about beef. I much perfer the one at Plan B in term of taste and price ! However, I still miss there ricotta hotcake, definitely have it again if got chance.


Bills
5/118 Queen St.,
Woollahra NSW 2025
Tel : (02) 9328 7997

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Quay

One of the restaurant in my wish list, Quay, one of the best restaurant in Sydney and top 46 World's best restaurant (due to Heidi's info).

Awards

2008 - The SMH Good Food Guide - Awarded three chef's hats
2009 - The SMH Good Food Guide Awards - Awarded three chef's hats
2009 - The SMH Good Food Guide Awards - Restaurant of the Year
2009 - Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide - Restaurant of the Year
2008 - Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence - Restaurant of the Year & Fine Dining Restaurant
2008 - Restaurant & Catering NSW / ACT Awards for Excellence - Best Fine Dining Restaurant
2008 - Restaurant & Catering NSW / ACT Awards for Excellence - Best Restaurant of the Year
2010 - The SMH Good Food Guide - Restaurant of the year
2010 - The SMH Good Food Guide - Awarded three chef's hat
2010 - Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards - Restaurant of the year

Finally we (Heidi, Stella, Kimmy and I) made it ! 4-course dinner for $150 might seems pricey for others but for food lovers, its a great experience and educational meal. Let you guys enjoy our wonderful meal. (some of portait picturs are from Heidi's)


Every times I walk pass by the restaurant or read from other bloggers, I always dream about sitting there enjoy such a beautiful view of harbour.

First impression for me since I walked into the restaurant is the professional service.


Heidi, Ja, Kimmy and Stella


Polenta & Sunflower seed sourdough, Malt & wholemeal sourdough. I like their utensils.


About the wine, we asked for recommendation. Heidi gave the waiter our criteria, sweet and below $100. Absolutely satisfied, we really like the wine.


Amuse Bouche: Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, horseradish creme fraiche, tapioca cultured caviar infused with smoked eel


I love this ! Beautiful in both flavour and look !


Course 1 : Sea Pearls $20 supplement

This is the dish I have been dreaming about.


Tuna & caviar


The smokey octopus, egg white and smoked eel.

My most favourite.. very smoky and nice texture.


Mud crab with tapioca pearls


Sea scallops with wasabi flower.


Abalone suspended in dashi consumme

I like this one the least since I think the dashi flavour was too strong for my liking.



Ja, Heidi, Stella and Kimmy


Course 2: Crisp confit of pig belly, braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers.

I tried a bit of each in this dish. Pork belly was a little bit dry (maybe only piece I tried), the tofu was nicely soft, as nice as tofu can be, the cutterfish got interesting texture. I like the mushroom since it has such a familiar asian home cooking flavour. Kimmy said that it tasted like her mum cooking only as her mum will give more mushroom..hahaha. ( I was not sure if I got try abalone)


Course 2: Butter poached quail breasts, pink turnips and onions, white lentils, morels, truffle custard, bitter chocolate black pudding, jamon de bellota, milk skin

My dish, the quail breast was cooked to beautiful medium rare, soft and tender. The bitter chocolate black pudding was a highlight, crisp outside while very smooth inside, it was salty which was very well balanced with the subtle silken truffle custart (I was not really notice the truffle flavour).


Course 3: Roasted John Dory, Button squash, leek seedlings, lemon confit, fennel pollen, elder & corriander flowers, currants, melon seeds, brown butter

I had tried a bit of Heidi's dish, the fish was fresh with a hint of indian spice which I think it is from fennel pollen and corriander flowers. Interesting dish !


Course 3: Crisp pressed duck confit, kabu turnips, winter melon, hasuimo, sea scallops, duck juices

I was surprised when the dish was served. Chef Peter Gilmore won't serve you a normal duck confit you have seen in other places. The duck meat was lovely and the skin was tasty and crispy. However, the scallop quite was nothing to me. I would have enjoy the dish without it. I tried the duck before my lamb dish and I would love to order it for myself.


Course 3: Slow cooked pure bred Suffolk lamb loin, young vegetables, garlic custard, roasted quinoa, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts

After I had my dish, I was please with it. The lamb loin was perfectly cooked but I love the condiments more. The garlic custard, and all nuts were such a nice harmony in my mouth.


I really like the custard and all seeds, love the dish !

Here we come to dessert ! (I felt very full by this stage)


Course 4: Eight texture chocolate cake featuring Amedei 'Chuao' Chocolate

I first experienced this dish at the food and wine festival in Hyde park but it was 7 textures and it was very hot that day, the chocolate mousse was melting and of couse it couldn't be compared with the one we had tonight. After the waiter brought the dish on the table, another one poured the hot chocolate ganache into the center of the cake, too quick for me to take photo ^ ^'' The tempered chocolate top layer immediately melted. Every spoons we had, as a pastry student, we tried to think what are the 8 textures. We notice there were the chocolate biscuit base, 2 types of chocolate mousse, the crunchy thing, the tempered chocolate at the top layer and the hot chooclate ganache. Until we almost finished it, still can count only 6 textures so we asked the waiter what the 8 textures are. As like Jenny said and I am agree, we should keep it as a secret and let you find out yourself at Quay. lol


Course 4: Nectarine snow egg

Not my dish since I am not a fan of soft meringue but I had to admit it was a well-made dish. The soft meringue covered with the crisp toffee-like layer and centered with nectarine anglaise, which I felt it was a bit eggy for me. The nectarine granita did help clean the palate. We were thinking hardly about how they make the meringue. I was thinking about they used the blowtorche to burn the meringue ball?


Course 4: Organic Fraises des Bois, fresh raspberries, strawberries & cream jelly, sugar crystals, violets

This was the dish I planed in my mind before went to the restaurant and it was really beautiful, just like art.


The strawberry jelly was quite normal but the sorbet was the star ! I have never had the sorbet this velvelty smooth. And it was the first time I tried the fresh wild strawberry, such a deep intense flavour.



For the entire experience, I was very pleased, satisfied and impressed by the restaurant in term of presentation, quality of food, service and especially my company !

Quay,
Overseas Passenger Terminal, Level 2
The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Tel : (02) 9251 5600

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Danks Street Depot

P'Ta and I were craving for a good breakfast, then I told her this time we should go somewhere we have never been... then we went to Danks Street, Waterloo.

Danks Street Depot
is located at the corner of the Danks Street which attracts our eyes.

I like the atmosphere; arts blocks design and the open kitchen.


My skimmed mocha was beautiful, just enough chocolate taste yet not too sweet. P'Ta also liked her flatwhite as well.

That day was very hot and humid, we were looking for something light.


Creamed Eggs with Truffle Oil - 2 eggs cooked with cream and butter, served soft with chopped chives, truffle oil roasted field mushrooms, herbed tomato and sourdough toast $19.50

I know this one is quite rich and heavy but can't help, its the famous dish that I have been wanted to try for long time. And we were absolutely satisfied. The eggs were super creamy yet light which was beautifully seasoned with aromatic chives and truffle to give the dish more lively flavors, oh my, now I am a fan of truffle (which I wasn't).



Today special : Chicken Sandwich - Biodynamic Chicken stuffed and roasted then mixed with roasted Corn and Mayonnaise. Served on Rustic Loaf with Rocket $15.50

We had no idea what else we should order since the hot weather made us not so hungry. When the waitress recommended this dish, why not ? The chicken was lovely moist and seasoned well, the bread was delicious but it was nothing special from other good cafes.



The second time I was here alone after finished working. I really wanted the toasted reuben sandwich but it wasn't on the menu. I asked the waitress, she had no idea about the dish and nicely said they served only things on the menu, fare enough.


Being so disappointed, I still had to make decision what to order.


Slow cooked broccoli and eggs - slow cooked broccoli with chilli, garlic and white wine served on scrambled eggs and sourdough toast, topped with Capparis farms goasts feta and pasley $18.50


Again, Danks Steet Depot have done such a great job on their egg dishes. The egg was creamy, the broccoli were cooked with all those herbs made it not just a boil broccoli we make at home.




My photo with Chef Jared Ingersoll at Taste of Sydney... Now he is another my favourite chef, so polite yet funny :D


Danks Street Depot
1/2 Danks St Waterloo 2017
Tel : (02)96982201
Mon-Wed 7.30am - 4pm
Thurs-Sat 7.30am - 10pm
Sun 9am - 3pm

Cafe Sopra

Being one of the best cafe in Sydney, Cafe Sopra is in my ''a must go'' list. We went there 2 times in 2 weeks and the 3rd time in the following month.

The first time I came here was after breakfast at Danks Street Depot. Actually we were quite full but couldn't resist to try some dishes there.


The huge black board is so charming. (can we use this word for the black board? lol)


Zucchini flowers stuffed with five Italian cheeses $4.50 each


This was my first time had the stuffed zucchini flower which I was looking forword to. And I was not disappointed at all. The batter was so light and the cheeses were so deliciously creamy.


Being Simon's fanclub, of course I have to try his favourite Affogato !

It was very good, one of the best since their vanilla ice cream is packed with vanilla seeds ! Funny enough, let u look at the first affogato we had and I will tell you more.


Chocolate Souffle with vanilla bean ice cream $14


Happy shot !


Not bad but it didn't ''wow'' us.

The second time P'Ta and I took another 2 girls, P'Maam and Ping.


Antipasti Misti $14.50 (but they charged us double..maybe for 4 people -_-'')

We were like this dish, many small things you can pick :D


Field mushrooms $8.50 Not as nice as the one at Danks Street Depot


Risotto with chicory and gorgonzola $22

The cheese was so strong smell, rich and intense in flavour, a bit too salty though.



Fritata with goat curds and baby basil $14.50

I really like this... so soft, creamy yet light, especially the goat curd part (which normally I am not a fan of goat cheese). The let down thing only was the bread underneath which should have been toasted. Too chewy.



P'Maam


Yummmm


This time was the 2nd time we had affogato....the best... The glass was full of ice cream...

and look at below, the latest time we had affogato.


Our affogato and Ping hot chocolate...

Look at the amount of ice cream compared to the first one and the 2nd T_T

Since that time, my winner of Affogato is still the one from Campos.




Cafe Sopra
Upstairs level of Fratelli Fresh,
7 Danks Street, Waterloo NSW
Tel : (02) 9699 3174