Sushia Izakaya and Bar (Casual Dining Review)

Sydney based entrepreneur Danny Kim, and owner of Sushia Izakaya & Bar, launched his modern twist on traditional Japanese in food areas of regional NSW, in order to establish and refine the overall brand, giving country diners a totally new and more diverse experience. With Sushia Roll and Fresh Bars in Taree, Orange, Bathurst and Port Macquarie successfully implemented, award-winning JNP Architects were commissioned to complete a stunning yet versatile fit-out for the more elaborate Bond Street location in Sydney’s financial hub. The innovative timber fins dominate the aesthetic of the main room, with the nuance of the more subdued lighting suspended above the sushi train providing a nice counterpoint.

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2013 Australian Bacon Week Launch (Events Review)

The launch of Australian Bacon Week (12-19 May) held at Colin Fassnidge’s restaurant 4Fourteen was headlined by the possibly the most decadent bacon & egg roll ever conceived. The thought of all my guilty pleasures lavishly applied in one roll was simply too much to resist when I received the invitation from Whiteworks PR, who thankfully are never involved in half measures. Seductively crispy and flavoursome award-winning Slade Point Meat Specialists bacon, duck egg cooked in truffle butter (no less), roasted foie gras, punchy 18 month quality cave-aged cheddar, shaved truffle, semi-dried smoked gourmet truss tomato with a crème fraîche and caviar dressing, all served in a brioche bun ticks all my indulgence boxes. You know it is decadent when Chef Carla Jones is not sure she would even eat one, but that’s clearly what I yearn for in my dreams, and I am more than happy to be of assistance. 

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What’s on my plate

That’s hot:

Melbourne Hospitality

National Bacon Week (12-19 May)

The refreshing passion and enthusiasm of young Chef Dylan Carter http://wp.me/PEpb9-16c

that’s not:

Wait staff who think casual dining equates to a hipster wardrobe endorsement

The Mexican Revolution

The general demise of the artisan restaurant

Dylan Carter’s pop-up Wombarra Restaurant (Events Review)

It is said if you are good enough, you are old enough. The success of young Chef Dylan Carter’s first pop-up restaurant certainly adds credence to that expression. Only just having turned fourteen, he has already staged at Ormeggio, Flying Fish, Biota Dining, Becasse, Pier, Assiette, Cutler and co, Vue de monde, Jacques Reymond, Attica, and Four in Hand. Clearly, his rare talent has been both recognised and nurtured by key figures within the Industry, and all things being equal, his future looks immensely promising. I have always maintained that an understanding of balance of flavours is a very intuitive skill, and there is no doubt that this gift underpins the quality of his food, even at this formative stage

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Feature Dish from Bistrode CBD

Jane Strode’s honey tart stands as one of the timeless pillars of Australian pastry next to Lorraine Godsmark’s sublime date tart. It is a testament to her persistence and patience in the search for perfection that proves “smoke and mirrors” always plays second fiddle to the elegance of simplicity underpinned by technique. The concept evoked by the comfort of her childhood peanut butter and honey sandwiches is given sophistication, without losing the playfully nostalgic element that inspired the dessert. The device of using savoury pastry and the  salty characteristics of peanut butter ice cream to offset the natural sweetness of the local organic honey used in the tart is crucial to its overall balance. The rich biscuit-like casing counterpoints the perfectly set filling, which is swoon worthy. The good news is that this iconic dessert is still available on the Bistrode CBD menu, and will never lose its charm. This is a classic dessert we do not want to surrender for good reason… 

Bistrode CBD, 1/52 King Street, Sydney

Mon-Fri 12-3pm, 6pm-10pm Bookings: 92403000

Billy Kwong (15.5/20)

Billy Kwong, the food temple of celebrity chef Kylie Kwong, is the quintessential example for any local restaurant wanting to ethically source its produce. Take time to read the menu and you will be hard pressed to find many restaurants that are more accountable in every facet of their operation. This drives not only the restaurant on Crown Street, but also their weekly presence at Eveleigh Farmers’ Market, and the Chef’s affiliated media “spinoffs”. While such integrity clearly impacts on the pricing of dishes, the success and longevity of Billy Kwong proves that diners will be supportive; providing the motives are transparent and genuine.  

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3 Weeds (14.5/20)

In the testosterone fuelled environment of male-dominated kitchen brigades, it takes a very resilient female Chef to not only earn respect, but to break out and establish their own foothold within the industry. Lauren Murdoch, whose distinctive style of flavoursome and uncomplicated produce-driven dishes, emerged under the legendary Janni Kyritsis at Concourse and MG Garage. Lauren subsequently headed up Lotus, Ash Street Cellar and Felix for the high profile Merivale Group to much acclaim. The subsequent move to 3 Weeds, a boutique gastro pub in Rozelle, was an ideal opportunity to express her vibrant personality, and style on the plate at a far more intimate level.

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The Sweet Spot (Julie Niland), March into Merivale (Events Review)

The realisation of talent is often triggered by the applied composite of a Chef’s food journey and experiences. Sometimes, however it is simply undeniable from the first time one of their plates is placed in front of you. I first encountered Julie Niland’s exceptional insight as a Pastry chef at Sixpenny, which sensibly allowed her the creative space to express and explore her imaginative vision. No surprise then that the sour lemon with citrus leaves, honey mead sorbet with bitter cocoa, and Jersey milk ice-cream with burnt butter, all wowed in Stanmore. Her evolution in the pastry section at Marque, with subsequent stages at The Fat Duck and Waterside Inn, were clearly an integral part of Julie Niland’s development, marking the arrival of one of the most talented prodigies in Sydney pastry kitchens. 

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Restaurant Como (15.5/20)

Opening a regional restaurant of substance, which fronts a village car park, requires a fair deal of vision, courage and persistence to make it successful. The owners (Chef Grant Farrant and partner Rachel McNabb) of Restaurant Como in Blaxland, the lower Blue Mountains, not only embraced this challenge, but in doing so have earned the trust of the locals who have been integral to its longevity and development. Clearly, it has a loyal following of serious Sydney food lovers, who recognise its evolving and cutting edge food techniques, and are comfortable in the knowledge that the service aspires to same level of excellence.  

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Feature Bar Menu Dish from Bishop Sessa

Bar menu food in the last five to ten years has certainly been elevated, and dishes like this at Bishop Sessa are exactly the reason why. Textbook pan-fried dumplings, with the absolute dreamy textural combination of Mulloway and Salmon as you bite in is complimented by a lovely heat note from a garnish of fresh chilli. Chef Paul Cooper has a gift for balance and flavour, and this little bar gem showcases that beautifully. Washed down with a Trumer Pils, this lazy afternoon is off to a very good start methinks…

Bishop Sessa, 527 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Mon-Sat midday-late Bookings: 8065 7223

Feature Dish from My Chinese Kitchen (Burwood)

Occasionally you order a dish that unexpectedly delivers the wow factor in spades, and the pork ribs in special shallot sauce ($18.80) at Lisa Wang’s My Chinese Kitchen in Burwood is most definitely one of those. Presented in foil, the aromatics seduce you, before the depth of flavour and indulgent texture; induce more than just one sigh.  Whilst not all the dishes hit that lofty mark, it is most definitely worth a visit for…

My Chinese Kitchen, 195a Burwood Rd, Burwood

Mon-Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm (Tuesday open for dinner only) Phone: 97156699

Culinary quotation posted for the day

I saw the golden age of gastronomy. I saw that beautiful, romantic period. And then the world changed.

Chef Marco Pierre White

The Sydney Cove Oyster Bar (14/20)

The Sydney Cove Oyster Bar is a case in point of perception often blurring reality from a restaurant perspective. With prime position in  Circular Quay East, uninterrupted views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and only a stones throw from both the Opera House and the Botanical Gardens, it is all too easy to assume that the restaurant might be a potential tourist trap. However, two polished experiences identify the Oyster Bar as a very credible and flexible dining option for locals, whom may want for a more casual experience than Quay, Aria or Guillaume at Bennelong in the dress circle of Sydney dining.

 

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