Simon Food Favourites

Follow Me Foodie: 'Shit Foodies Say' video (1 Feb 2012)

2012-02-02T02:16:00.002+11:00

http://www.followmefoodie.com

It's a bit scary when it's so true

Thanks to a tweet I saw by Belly Rumbles I was curious to watch this video called Shit Foodies Say by Follow Me Foodie which was apparently inspired by another video called Shit Girls Say. I simply loved it so I had to post about it to share. It made me laugh so much because I've felt like I've said and done at least 50% of what was shown in the video at one time or another. It was like I was watching a female version of me dining out and taking photos. It's a bit scary when it's so true. Especially when taking photos of food and looking for the best source of light on the table or near a window. I've often said So what's the best thing here or What's your signature dishes. I've asked Do you make that in-house like for ice cream and cakes, What would you order? I can relate to I need a picture of that or I say Can I take a picture of that? And of course all foodies want to try everyone elses dish just to make sure they can then decide which dish they preferred the most. We certainly don't want to miss out on anything or is that just me.

I look forward to seeing more Follow Me Foodie videos and hope they're just as entertaining and professionally made. By the way if you didn't know Follow Me Foodie is currently the second most viewed food blog on Urbanspoon in the world.

Shit Foodies Say

Shit Girls Say

Alice met Charlie Dessert Factory, Randwick (29 Jan 2012)

2012-01-31T00:15:00.002+11:00

51 Perouse Road, Randwick NSW 2031
http://www.alicemetcharlie.com.au

Sweet spot for desserts

It looks like the owners of Bondi Pizza are expanding their dessert empire and hitting The Spot hard with their pizzette desserts, swirls and homemade ice cream. The Alice's Chocolate Fondue ($13.90 single) comes with warm melted Belgian chocolate with fresh bananas, strawberries and marshmallows. All the classic ingredients that go so well with chocolate although Max Brenner includes banana bread and melted dark chocolate as well. The Apple Crumble Oven-Baked Dessert ($9.90) has nice flavour and a good home-made crumble making it my favourite. It goes so well with the ice cream and is probably small enough to finish by yourself if you're not a sharer. The Banana and Chocolate Oven Baked Dessert ($9.90) comes with fresh bananas, honey ricotta and chocolate hazelnut sauce although comes with powdered chocolate rather than chocolate shavings as seen in the menu picture and only 2 scoops of ice cream rather than three as shown. Unfortunately not as impressive looking as its promotional picture but still very nice.

The Reece's peanut butter swirls ($11.90, 6 pieces with 1 scoop of ice cream) had a chocolatey peanut flavour as hoped although I think an extra scoop of ice cream would have been appreciated to help balance the amount of scrolls. Don't bother getting extra Warm Belgian Chocolate ($2.90) as we did unless you're a chocolate fanatic, I found it rich enough. My Mocha ($3.40 regular) had a nice balance of flavour and came with a small Kit Kat — how cool! It's a nice surprise touch although sometimes they run out so best to ask them in case they do or have forgotten to give you. I'm not sure if other coffees also get them but it would be great if they did. For ice cream lovers check out the display counter. With 12 tempting homemade ice creams and sorbets to choose from you'll be stuck for choice. I had a taste sample of the Lemon Sorbet, Yoghurt Berry, Tiramisu, Passionfruit Sorbet, Chocolate, Hazelnut and Salted Caramel. They were all good so just choose your favourite.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Homemade ice creams made onsite, Seems reasonably priced for the taste and quality, Something a bit different from your usual desserts, Good location next to all the restaurants as an option for dessert or after a movie at The Ritz

CONS: Service counter area can get a bit squashy when busy, Outside tables are smallish and sometimes slope due to angle of path, Doesn't really seem to be table service and they're finding their feet

MUST TRY: Apple Crumble Oven-Baked Dessert, Ice cream and sorbet, The Mocha just for the Kit Kat alone

BABY ON BOARD: No change table available in the disabled toilet, Too squashed inside for a pram

—

Where Alice in Wonderland mets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Alice's Chocolate Fondue: Warm melted Belgian chocolate with fresh bananas, strawberries and marshmallows ($13.90 single)

Apple Crumble Oven-Baked Dessert: Apple, cinnamon, raisin, honey ricotta & home-made crumble on a thin pastry base, served with vanilla ice cream ($9.90)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Banana and Chocolate Oven Baked Dessert: Fresh bananas, honey ricotta, chocolate hazelnut sauce on a thin pastry base, served with chocolate shavings and vanilla ice cream ($9.90)

Reece's peanut butter swirls: A light pastry base rolled into a scroll ($11.90, 6 pieces with 1 scoop of ice cream), Warm Belgian Chocolate ($2.90 extra) although not really required

WORTH TRYING :-)

Mocha ($3.40 regular) - comes with a Kit Kat if you're lucky, be sure to ask in case they've run out

12 ice creams and sorbets to choose from — apparently all made onsite

Menu board

Menu slideshow

Awkward trying to fit large wooden boards on a small round table

Would be even better if they add a parent baby change table in the disabled toilet — there's plenty of room to do so against the wall

Inside seating and decor — sort of more a nightclub than a dessert shop

Seating outside although the slanted footpath makes most of the tables unfortunately slant also

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Noseys Wine Tasting Event at Sol Lounge, Darlinghurst (22 Sept 2011)

2012-01-30T01:27:00.001+11:00

239 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

http://www.solloungebar.com.au

A nose for boutique wines

“Hi, I'm Bas. I select the wines we sell at Noseys. I love all of our wines, but my favourite categories are Rich, Blush and Deep. We believe in being Nosey about where our wines come from, how they were produced, and who produced them. We believe in promoting lesser known varietals.”

Thanks to Daniela Penno from Polkadot PR for inviting me to this very intimate wine tasting event hosted by the online boutique wine retailer Noseys which use a unique categorisation system. The 9 categories of Bubbly, Fresh, Mellow, Rich, Rosy, Blush, Smooth, Deep and Sweet aim to make it much simpler to work out what you might like without getting too swept up into the multitude of wine varieties to choose from. You probably won't find these wines in your general supermarket liquor shops and prices start from around $20 so they seem quite reasonably priced if you're looking for a boutique wine that's different from the mass produced norm. Wines were matched with canapés and the Le Colture Prosecco went well with the Oysters Natural although I love a good oyster on any occasion. Catering was provided by Simmone Logue Fine Food Company and I was a fan of their Cocktail Vietnamese Roll and Cocktail Chocolate Ganache Tart. I found the Narkoojee The Athlestan Merlot 2005 and especially the Patina Mudgee Shiraz 2005 very drinkable which would go nicely with a juicy steak.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Supports smaller wine growers, Customer feedback is encouraged, If one of the wines gets consistently bad reviews it's out, Intimate PR event, One handed canapés suited holding a glass of wine in the other hand, Easy to navigate website

CONS: Need to order online so you need to plan ahead to purchase

MUST TRY: Remembering Noseys for something a bit more special

—

Personal wine tasting notes

Intimate event for guests

Noseys 9 wine categories

Grab a glass to start the tasting

Le Colture Prosecco, Valdobbiadene, Italy - apple and earthy; Geoff Weaver Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - fruity

Man O' War Pinot Gris 2010 - honey texture; Patina Chardonnay 2007 - buttery smooth

Krinklewood Francesca Rose 2010 - bio dynamic, low in sulfate; Derwent Estate Pinot Noir 2008 - smooth

Narkoojee The Athlestan Merlot 2005 WORTH TRYING :-) - good nose, not too much tannin; Patina Mudgee Shiraz 2005 WORTH TRYING :-) - nice nose, would go well with steak, little bit of body, easy to drink

919 Classic Muscat - quite strong, distinct, sugary, more porty than Noble One

Oysters Natural with Fresh Lemon

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Tartlet of Curried Crab Mayonnaise and Mango Salsa

Roulade of Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche & Salmon Pearls

Cocktail Vietnamese Roll - Chicken, Cashew Nut, Coriander & Soy Dipping Sauce

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Peking Duck Crepe with Cucumber, Spring Onion & Hoi Sin

Bean Burrito with Mint, Creme Fraiche and Sun Dried Tomato

Cocktail Chocolate Ganache Tart

WORTH TRYING :-)

Bas Hegge and wife

Daniela Penno (Polkadot PR), Shanshan (Food is our Religion), Geoff (Get Big Little Kid)

Adeline Er (Through Beauty Eyes), Ms Critique

Bloggers love taking photos

Guests enjoying a tipple

Dionne Taylor (centre) and guests

Hair emergency — flower required

Shanshan (Food is our Religion) and Adeline Er (Through Beauty Eyes) with new found drinking friend

Bas Hegge eating jelly beans while holding nose and then releasing nose to demonstrate how much we rely on smell to taste

Daniela Penne capturing the moments

Goodie Bag of Delamere Vintage Rosé, Tasmania

Love the 3D embossed lettering on the business card

Simmone Logue Fine Food Company catering

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More More Cha: Malaysian, Darling Harbour (25 Jan 2012)

2012-01-27T21:23:00.004+11:00

1 Dixon Street, Darling Harbour NSW 2000

http://www.moremorecha.com.au (doesn't seem active)

Clams finally found in Sydney

I've certainly had my fair share of Char Kway Teow in Sydney but one thing has always eluded the dish and that's the absence of clams — until now. After reading posts by Ramen Raff and The Heart of Food on Nonya by Ginger & Spice my intentions were to visit but soon found out they'd closed their doors for further kitchen renovations after only just opening which seemed a bit weird. So failing a visit I noticed More More Cha downstairs — now that's pretty close for competition. Apparently same owners as Mamak Village in Glebe. I was a little worried seeing so many menu signs outside advertising the place which for me can also be Signs of Desperation. There was plenty of seating, 90% of the customers were Asian, it was new for me, it was raining and I needed to eat so I ventured in with my work colleague to check it out. At first the menu prices looked expensive for a casual lunch but thankfully we spotted the 3 lunch time specials of $9.90 and add a Teh Tarik (hot or cold) for $1 instead of $3.50.

Of particular interest was the Penang Koay Tewo Kerang ($9.90 lunch special, normally $14.90), swapped for the More More Noodle which was unavailable, which listed as including clams — WOOHOO! I actually had to double check with our friendly service lady Saptu if it did actually include clams and she confirmed. When it arrived there was visible clams in the dish although we suspected they were canned ones rather than fresh which is a pity because they're not as juicy and plump. The dish looked a little luke warm when it arrived as if it had been sitting somewhere for a while before being served so I'm not sure what happened to it. We saw another dish come out which was steaming hot. There was some decent char factor and it had three decent sized deveined prawns, more would have been good though. Overall maybe a little dryish but it had potential to be better. The Penang Hokkien Har Mee ($9.90 lunch special, normally $12.90) was the other dish chosen. The serving was a bit on the small side and the broth a bit light on taste. Nothing like the flavour punching version from Singapore Shiok!* across the road, although you have to contend with the food court seating. It could have done with some extra kangkong instead of the single piece provided and perhaps slices of fish cake but the prawns were a decent size. Definitely not the best I've had but also not the worst.

Other places tried for Char Kway Teow:
• 25 Jan 2012 - More More Cha (includes clams)
• 2 June 2010 - Wong Kee Fast Food
• 20 Jan 2010 - Yummy Cuisine
• 19 Oct 2009 - Sayong Curry & Laksa Malaysian Cuisine
• 2 Sept 2009 - Chili Hub
• 16 Aug 2009 - Albee's Kitchen
• 13 Aug 2009 - Jaya Malaysian
• 29 April 2009 - Malay-Chinese Takeaway
• 17 Nov 2008 - Little Singapore Restaurant
• 19 Oct 2008 - KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine

Other places tried for Har Mee:
• 25 Jan 2012 - More More Char
• 6 Oct 2010 - Singapore Shiok!*
• 24 Sept 2009 - Laksa House
• 16 Sept 2009 - Laksa King
• 12 Aug 2009 - Jaya Malaysian
• 23 April 2009 - Lee's Malaysian
• 24 March 2009 - Malay-Chinese
• 19 Oct 2008 - KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Decent amount of seating and nicer than a food court, Service seemed friendly but still finding their feet, Lots of classic Malaysian dishes on the menu, Clams in Char Kway Teow

CONS: Seems expensive except for lunch specials, Not too sure about the decor of the hanging glass balls from the ceiling, Can't really sit outside when raining

MUST TRY: Returning to try a few other dishes like the roti and butter prawns

—

Table cutlery and spare share bowl

Teh Tarik, Hot (left) and Cold (right) (Normally $3.50 or $1 with purchase of lunch special)

Penang Koay Teow Kerang ($9.90 lunch special, normally $14.90)

Clams found in the Char Tway Teow albeit canned ones though

Great to finally see clams listed on the menu albeit probably canned ones. Would have been good if it also included Chinese sausage perhaps.

Penang Hokkien Har Mee ($9.90 lunch special, normally $12.90)

Bowl size for Har Mee a bit on the small side

Menu cover

Lunch special menu

Appetizer, soup and roti menu

Rice, Noodle, Curry, Vegetable menu

Seafood and Ayam menu

Tempted to try #25 Butter Prawn to compare to Omah's

Rice, Beverages and Dessert menu

Sister restaurant Mamak Village in Glebe

Outside seating

Inside seating

I'd hate to be the one in charge of dusting and cleaning these chairs

Video of chef making roti — quite impressive skills

Reflective ceiling mirrors and hanging balls — perhaps it might look better at night?

Individual toilet cubicles for men and women — I like!

Outside street entrance

Nonya Malaysian Cuisine closed for renovations — located on level 1 above More More Cha

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Hendrick’s Gin: 'Gold Rush Tea' cocktail to celebrate Australia Day (26 Jan 2012)

2012-01-27T02:09:00.003+11:00

http://www.hendricksgin.com

Floral tones of elderflower

Thanks to Amanda Porter from Weber Shandwick for organising a bottle of Hendrick's Gin and small bottles of St Germain's Elderflower Liqueur to help me try and make the Gold Rush Tea cocktail created for Australia Day by Jamie Terrell (Hendrick's Gin Ambassador, Australia). I'm a big fan of Hendrick's Gin & Tonic with a slice of cucumber so was interested to try this cocktail to compare. I searched high and low for mango tea in Coles, Woolworths and David Jones Food Hall but could only find a tea with mango in T2 Tea. The helpful Jennifer in the Westfield Bondi Junction store provided a little sample of the Sencha Mango while I bought a kids tea of the Magic Mango ($8) to also try. The Sencha Mango had a nice scent on the nose although I wasn't so keen on the Magic Mango which smelt quite overly sweet and overpowering. Taste wise I also preferred the more natural tasting Sencha Mango tea so would recommend this over the Magic Mango even though it wasn't as strong in the actual mango taste.

Mixing the ingredients is relatively easy as long as you prepare the tea in advance to allow it to cool down. I learnt very quickly it's not particularly fun trying to measure and pour hot tea — lesson learnt. My first attempt was shaking all the ingredients and then pouring it into a cup with ice. The St-Germain had quite a strong taste and the mix could have done with more mango for my liking. On it's own St-Germain tasted rather like a sweetish port. I also tried shaking the ice with the ingredients and then pouring into a glass which provided a more distinctive mango flavour which I preferred and thought helped round all the flavours together. I sort of felt the cocktail still needed something to help balance the strength of the elderflower so I then mixed everything with some fresh panama passionfruit which I thought added a nice note to compliment the elderflower. I think the recipe would probably work with a rose flavoured tea with maybe fresh strawberries instead of mango perhaps. For me the cocktail has a bit of an acquired taste and I still prefer the classic Hendrick's Gin & Tonic which works so well.

'Gold Rush Tea' recipe

Ingredients
30ml Hendrick’s Gin
2 one-inch cubes of ripe mango
50ml pre-made Mango Tea
15ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Method
Shake all ingredients together and finely strain. Serve in a teacup or suitable glass drinking vessel with ice. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: An interesting alternative to using Hendrick's Gin if you're a mango lover

CONS: Make sure you prepare the tea in advance so it has time to cool down before using, Mango tea isn't readily available

MUST TRY: Discovering other Hendrick's cocktails and making the St-Germain Cocktail with champagne

—

St-Germain and Hendrick's Gin

The St-Germain Cocktail I might have to try as well

Gold Rush Tea recipe notes

T2 Sencha Mango (my preference) and T2 Magic Mango

T2 Sencha Mango

T2 Magic Mango ($8)

T2 Magic Mango and T2 Sencha Mango (my preference)

Ingredients to make a Gold Rush Tea cocktail

Cutting up the mango

Gold Rush Tea cocktail served in Hendrick's Gin tea cup

Gold Rush Tea cocktail served in cocktail glass

Gold Rush Tea cocktail shaken with ice then poured

Gold Rush Tea cocktail shaken with ice and fresh passionfruit

The Coach and Horses Hotel: Beer Garden & Pub Bistro, Randwick (5, 22, 23 Jan 2012)

2012-01-26T00:42:00.002+11:00

147 Avoca Street, Randwick NSW 2031

http://www.coachandhorseshotel.com.au

Bistro gets a positive makeover

The renovations of the bistro in The Coach and Horses Hotel are looking a lot better these days and it's good to see the menu has also stepped up its game. Formally quite a basic pub grub place the new look and thankfully reasonably priced menu is much more enticing. The Buffalo Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Sauce ($8) was quite tasty and reasonably priced on the limited tapas menu. They're more fried than the ones at York Lane and a bit less spicy but would still pair well with a beer. Piri Piri Prawn Skewers ($8) came with a tasty sauce which wasn't overly hot and decent sized prawns which were properly deveined. Was expecting them to be served on a long skewer but the mini serving sticks work well. Barramundi fillets in Crispy Beer Batter ($18) came with two decent sized fish pieces with crispy batter as hoped. My King Prawn Chilli Spaghetti ($18) had about 7 decent sized prawns and a well-flavoured sauce of white wine, tomato, basil and parmesan. The Baked Atlantic Salmon ($23) was served on steamed Asian greens and better value than having grilled fish from A Fish Called Coogee which is just served on its own.

I'm always tempted when I see Home Made Tiramisu on a dessert menu but didn't have enough stomach space this time around. I'm already hoping to visit again to try more dishes on the menu as I was quite impressed with the quality and value for money on this visit. The Smoky BBQ Marinated Pork Spare Ribs and Sizzling Pot of garlic King Prawns in Olive Oil & Shallots is calling my name. With baby Isabelle on board in a pram the disabled toilets got a baby review. With no table available it was a challenge to change a nappy and there was also no bin available for disposal. Something I've mentioned to management and hoping the next visit will be more baby friendly with a few minor improvements.

Other visits to Coach and Horses Hotel:

• 23 Jan 2012 - Lambs Cutlets, T-Bone, Surf n Turf Rump

• 22 Jan 2012 - Oysters Kilpatrick, Chicken Pie, Beef & Cheese Burger, BBQ Pork Ribs, Cheesecake, Tiramisu, Chocolate Mudcake

• 15 Jan 2012 - Simon's 41st Birthday in The Red Room, Function platter food

• 5 Jan 2012 - Octopus Salad, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Piri Piri Prawn Skewers, Barramundi, Atlantic Salmon, Prawn Spaghetti, Beer Garden

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Reasonably priced menu, Decent menu variety, Plenty of seating in beer garden, Friendly staff, Quite nice decor upstairs, Function space available

CONS: Not all tables are non smoking around bistro

MUST TRY: Buffalo Chicken Wings with a beer on a sunny day, Home made tiramisu next time

BABY ON BOARD: Lift available to level 1, Use ramp entrance on Avoca St for pram, No baby changing table or bin available in disabled toilet, Be aware smoking allowed on some tables in beer garden

—

5 Jan 2012 — Visit #1

Char-grilled Octopus Salad tossed with Rocket, Tomato, Cucumber & Spanish Onion served with Hummus ($15) - ordered without onion

Buffalo Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Sauce ($8)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Piri Piri Prawn Skewers ($8) — could be even a touch spicier

WORTH TRYING :-)

Barramundi fillets in Crispy Beer Batter served Chef's Salad, hand cut chips and House Tartare Sauce ($18)

Baked Atlantic Salmon served on steamed Asian greens, crispy shallots & light soy sauce ($23)

King Prawn Chilli Spaghetti tossed with White Wine, Tomato, Basil & Parmesan ($18)

22 Jan 2012 — Visit #2

Oysters Kilpatrick ($28, dozen) - quite nice, lots of flavour and bacon on top

Chicken, Tarragon and Vegetable Pie with Chips and Salad ($16, specials board) - pretty decent size

Grilled Free Range Chicken Breast with Lemon Thyme ($18) - was well liked

Deluxe Beef & Cheese Burger with Hand Cut chips ($14) - pretty decent size although to be a deluxe burger perhaps some bacon would be good too, and maybe an egg!

Smokey BBQ Marinated Pork Spare Ribs ($22) - could be a bit more smokey in flavour, pretty tender meat though

My ribs side salad didn't have any dressing making it a bit plain and dry. I think this might have been missed in the kitchen.

Blueberry cheesecake with ice cream ($8) - ice cream was unfortunately a bit icy in parts, would have been nice with some berry coulis too to counteract the cheesecake

Chocolate mudcake with ice cream ($8) - fairly moist and rich

Homemade tiramisu ($8) - pretty good, had noticeable alcohol, nice flavours

The polite left over pieces of dessert

Bistro service counter and specials menu board

23 Jan 2012 — Visit #3

Herb-crumbed Lamb Cutlets with Creamy Mashed Potato, Sweet Peas & Tomato Relish ($22) - nice cutlets and relish

Tender T-Bone 400g ($22)

Surf n Turf 400g Rump with Pan Fried Fresh Green Prawns ($24) - for $2 extra you get prawns compared to just the rump steak meal which is pretty good

– – –

Gin & tonic served in a tall glass but I prefer short glasses for my G&Ts. Had to ask for some fresh lime.

Most tables are reserved for No Smoking in the beer garden although unfortunately some are also for smokers near the bistro seating which is a bit unfortunate.

I spy with my little eye something beginning with 'Home Made Tiramisu' — hopefully will try next time.

Bistro service counter

Bistro menu

Beer garden seating

Beer garden lounge seating

Red Room on level 1 available as a function space

Level 1 decor and seating

Level 1 pool tables

Level 1 beer garden

Disabled toilet near bistro on ground floor. Would be better if a small table and bin was available so nappy changes can be done. Had to place the baby changing mat on the floor.

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Zigi's: Launch of WineCheese Bar, Chippendale (19 Jan 2012)

2012-01-25T22:50:00.002+11:00

86 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale NSW 2008

http://www.zigis.com.au

Smallest bar in Chippendale

Thanks to Zigi Ozeri for inviting me to his casual launch of the Zigi's WineCheese Bar. Sporting a humble smile he treated his guests to platters of different cheeses, olives, roasted nuts and some tasty homemade crisp bread. A small selection of beers and wines were available to purchase for $5 after you used your complimentary drink token/s. The bar downstairs is pretty tiny and would fit perhaps 15 at most while level 1 provided a private room and larger dining room to spread your wings a bit more. The decor was simple and included a display of old comics, newspaper clippings and retro packaging found during the renovations although I think some art from the local galleries would suit the space well. There was plenty of room in the training kitchen at the front to swing a cat or kangaroo for that matter where team building cooking classes are held. At the moment the bar is only open Friday and Saturdays between 4 til 10 pm with a glass of wine starting at a reasonable $5.50. Cheese platters are apparently suited for two people to share and contain 4 styles of cheese, each piece around 55 grams.

Current cheese list:

• Beaufort, AOC Ete Meule
• Brie, Grand Rustique
• Cheddar, Dorset Drum, Black Wax
• Washed Rind, Munster, Le Rustique
• Blue, Milawa
• Chevre, Saint Maure Bougon

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Cheese and wine — what more could you ask for, Bar snacks seem reasonably priced and house bottles of wine are only $25, Cooking classes available

CONS: Located in the middle of no mans land so unless you're a local you probably wouldn't be passing by, Limited drinks menu, Limited space near to the bar

MUST TRY: Cheese platter with a glass of wine

—

Zigi sharing some cheese love

Olives, roasted nuts, cheese and crisp bread

Very tasty crisp bread with sunflower seeds and salt

Range of drinks on offer for the launch at $5 each

Bar area

Old newspapers and comic books found under the floorboards during the renovations

Drinks menu

Bar snacks menu

Zigi's Olive Oil and Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar I assume is for sale

Upstairs private room

Upstairs seating

Mirror mirror on the wall

Presented to Judge Zigi Ozeri in appreciation for refereeing the Defence Catering Excellence Award Competition 21-22 August 2007

I'm wondering if these pictures are the ones that came in the frame?

View from upstairs window

Stairwell lighting

Downstairs kitchen area

Good things happen in the kitchen — love the slogan

Zigi's Personal Chef Services

Is that picture frame supposed to be crooked in the toilet?

Friday and Saturday nights open for cheese and wine

Entrance via the side lane

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Porteño and Gardel’s Bar: Argentinian, Surry Hills (10 Dec 2011)

2012-01-24T22:59:00.001+11:00

358 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Phone: (02) 8399 1440

http://www.porteno.com.au

http://www.gardelsbar.com

More than just a restaurant

The Gardel's Bar and Porteño restaurant was probably one of the dining highlights of 2011 for me. I felt it was more a dining experience than just another bar or restaurant. The fashionably beautiful host Sarah Doyle may have also swayed my opinion along with the lethal Don the Beachcomber Zombie cocktail which is limited to one per customer but our table of nine all had a lovely time of enjoying the set menu overall ($70). The Porteno Pimms Cup ($16) was a refreshing start and for those who want a bit of passive smoke in their cocktail you might like to try the Thank You For Smoking ($22). The good thing about having the set banquet is you don't have to worry about ordering and I think it gave us a pretty good idea of the range of dishes available and left us wanting to return to try more. The Spiced Eggplant and Grilled Tuna with Asparagus and Charred Jalopeño & Garlic Dressing were flavoursome along with the BBQ Calamari with Pickled Green Tomato & Chilli — simple yet tasty. I didn't think I'd like the Blood Sausage with Red Peppers in Garlic but the taste wasn't as strong and bloody as I feared making it fairly pleasant.

The Pork Sausage aka chorizo was very good becoming a table favourite and one I'd definitely happily order again. It seemed many enjoyed the Crispy Fried Brussel Sprouts with Lentils and Mint which might please those who generally don't like eating brussel sprouts. The Grill selection I believe included some 8 hour woodfired pig and grass fed angus beef inside skirt but I can't quite remember. The steak went well with the homemade accompanying sauces for an extra flavour burst but I wish the pork came with more crackling which I missed out on trying. The South American Style Pavlova was an interesting dessert but I do prefer the Aussie/New Zealand version with cream and fresh fruit. We were pretty much full by the time the Burnt Milk Custard with Cumquat Jam & Chocolate Ice Cream was served which had popcorn on the side which didn't quite work for me but I guess it gave that slight salty edge which is popular these days with chocolate. I'd definitely love to revisit and try other dishes on the menu like the beef short ribs, lamb ribs and citrus marinated seafood with cucumber, grapefruit and yellow chilli paste. It wasn't a cheap night but it was a fun night of drinking and eating all under the one roof in a buzzing atmosphere.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Interesting decor, Service was accommodating and friendly, Tasty dishes and a fair amount served for the set banquet, Nicely made cocktails that didn't really hold back on the alcohol

CONS: 10% service charge for group bookings of 8 or more, Set menu required for group bookings, Seating times allocated to groups, Bottles of wine are not cheap but they are pretty good

MUST TRY: Don the Beachcomber Zombie because you're only allowed one

—

Sarah Doyle (host) and me

Porteno Pimms Cup - Pimms No. 1, Cointreau, fresh lemon & cucumber juices, ginger ale & seasonal fruit ($16)

Thank You For Smoking - Buffalo Trace bourban, house smoked vermouth, house smoked maple syrup & chocolate bitters ($22)

Don the Beachcomber Zombie - A secret blend of house rums, pimento dram, apricot brandy, absinthe, real pomegranate grenadine, Angostura bitters, a trio of citrus & pineapple juice ($25)

Apparently this means we'll be back — obviously they've gone for a smoke

Bar area

Seating

Decor

Christmas tree

House baked bread with olive oil and pork pate

Spiced Eggplant

Marinated Olives

Empanadas

Grilled Tuna with Asparagus and Charred Jalopeño & Garlic Dressing

Accompanying sauces

BBQ Calamari with Pickled Green Tomato & Chilli

Blood Sausage with Red Peppers in Garlic

Pork Sausage

Crispy Fried Brussel Sprouts with Lentils and Mint

Braised Green Beans, Borlotti, Ricotta and Oregano

Grill selection Pork

Shaved Fennel Salad with Apricot, Black Olives and Amontillado Dressing

Grill selection Steak

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

South American Style Pavlova

Burnt Milk Custard with Cumquat Jam & Chocolate Ice Cream - not sure about the popcorn though

2010 Pinot Grigio Jed Uco Valley Mendoza ($51)

2006 Sauras Select Pinot Noir, Patagonia Argentina ($79)

Desierto Pampa Late Harvest Viognier 2007 ($68)

View of restaurant looking down from Gardel's Bar

The open kitchen — I love a good BBQ

A maze of seating

Old school toilet decor

Bill $1058.20 for nine set menu includes 10% service charge

While taking photos I came across the guys from My Little Cupcake having their Christmas work dinner and one of them recognised me — small world hehe

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Porteño
Gardel's Bar

World Square Shopping Centre: Chinese New Year Free Food Fair, CBD Sydney (23 Jan 2012)

2012-01-23T23:05:00.004+11:00

World Square Shopping Centre, 644 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.worldsquare.com.au

Foodless Food Fair

Thanks to Keri Kitay from Niche Marketing Group for giving me a heads up about the Free Food Fair happening at World Square to celebrate Chinese New Year. Unfortunately it seemed most of the stalls actually ran out of food within the first hour or less of the two hour lunch session (12–2 pm) making it a bit of a foodless food fair for many. The first rule of Food Club is you must provide food. There were plenty of people queuing up to sample the food although the queue was very slow moving and there didn't seem to be anyone managing the line allowing cut ins to certain stalls. I think I now know what it's like to line up at a soup kitchen. Noodles Your Way served up a pretty nice tasting Braised Beef Noodle Soup. Sea Square failed to keep up with demand so resorted to handing out $5 vouchers for a fish and chips instead. Chatime served up a refreshingly sweet Lychee Black Tea which I didn't mind and a Blue Mountain Green Tea I favoured less.

Fuku Sake & Wine Bar ran out of food just before I got there but thankfully a fresh load of Crispy Pork Belly canapes arrived while waiting in the queue which was snapped up by the crowd like seagulls in a frenzy. These were actually very good but sadly undercatered for the large crowd. Taste of Shanghai provided the largest tasting sample of 4 items. The top up of freshly cooked dumplings that just arrived when I got to the stall were pretty good. Nuts Galore resorted to serving nuts in your hand due to running out of serving cups which was a bit unfortunate but I guess saved the environment of plastic waste. Other stall fails of the day were Mirchi Indian, Pie Face and Taste Baguette that all seemed to run out of food within the hour and there was no sign of Mother's Crepe and New Malaya as advertised. Apart from the Crispy Pork Belly canapes the Jin Wu Koon's stilt jumping Lion Dance Troupe was the highlight of the day. I fondly remember them performing last year. It was generous of World Square Shopping Centre to provide a free food fair but hopefully if they try it again next year they'll actually make sure the stalls know how to cater properly and efficiently.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Free food samples were available, Lion Dance entertainment

CONS: Some stalls unfortunately ran out of food very quickly, Queuing was long, slow and a little disorganised, Bins weren't freely available to discard your used cutlery and plates (should have been placed next to each stall perhaps), Perhaps serving containers could have been more environmentally sound

MUST TRY: Perhaps checking out Fuku Sake & Wine Bar

—

It's time to queue for food that really wasn't all there. Nice idea but I think could have been done better.

Hosts Claudia Chan Shaw, Fashion Designer and Wendell Sailor, St George Illawarra Dragons Ambassador

Noodles Your Way - Braised Beef Noodle Soup. Actually quite nice and they seemed to keep up with demand.

#fail - Sea Square. Thanks for the $5 voucher although I was expecting a free sample instead

Chatime — I didn't mind the Lychee Black Tea

Fuku Sake & Wine Bar - Crispy Pork Belly but was very lucky to get one

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Taste of Shanghai — It probably would have been better to just serve up dumplings to keep it simple and quick

Nuts Galore - nothing special

#fail - Mirchi Indian

#fail - Pie Face

#fail - Taste Baguette

Time for the Lion Dance

Whoopsy daisy — one of the performers fell off the stilts but thankfully was OK

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Product Sample: Chobani Greek Yoghurt (20 Jan 2012)

2012-01-21T17:15:00.001+11:00

http://www.chobani.com

Greek culture from the USA

Thanks to Emily Schildt (Chobani) and Laura Krusza (Fleishman-Hillard) for sending me a few samples of the Chobani Greek Yoghurt range to try. With nearly 400K likes on Facebook it certainly seems to already be a very popular yoghurt in the USA. It's definitely more creamy than the usual yoghurts I get from the supermarket and it's nice to see it has real fruit inside. I believe there are a few Australian and New Zealand packaged yoghurts that also include real fruit so Chobani will be up against some existing competition I suspect to try and crack the market. For me I sort of like seeing the fruit through a clear container rather than being hidden inside the packaging so I know where to dip my spoon to get at the tasty bits. I'm still in two minds if I like the creamier and thicker texture to what I'm used to eating. I'd generally use Greek yoghurt to make tzatziki but not generally eat on its own. The fruit does tend to help break down the creaminess, especially if you mix it all up from the bottom.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Only natural ingredients, No preservatives, No artificial flavours, Apparently twice the protein of regular yoghurts, Low in fat, So far available in NSW Woolworths

CONS: Made in the US instead of Australia, Can it also be organic? I don't think all flavours are available in Australia?

MUST TRY: Other flavours to work out which one I prefer — The VerryBerry sounds like it might be my preferred one to try with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.

—

Chobani Greek Yoghurt samples

Passion Fruit or Passionfruit in Australia

Mango

Pineapple

Blueberry — fruit is down the bottom

No artificial sweeteners and preservatives

Around 10% sugar although less than 2% fat and high in protein

Secret Foodies 'The Medieval Feast' at Studio Neon, Underground Restaurant, Waterloo (16 Sept 2011)

2012-01-20T02:29:00.003+11:00

136 Raglan Street, Waterloo NSW 2017

http://www.studioneon.com.au

http://secretfoodies.com.au

A secret foodie rendezvous

Thanks to Ms Darlinghurst from Secret Foodies for inviting me along as a guest to The Medieval Feast ($95) located at the underground restaurant of Studio Neon (which is actually located upstairs). The decor of the venue certainly provided an interesting backdrop for the themed dinner and I was captivated by all the retro furnishings around the place. Chef Rebecca Chippington was in charge of creating the dishes who coincidently does a great job at Revolver Café. The main attraction was probably the huge chunks of Braised venison with elderflowers with its tender meat falling off the bone. Eating it while holding the bone was perhaps not the most elegant way to enjoy it but it did the job. The Crispy pork belly with cider apple relish and honey garlics seemed to be another crowd pleaser with its golden crackling and moist meat. I really liked how the Black bird pie for dessert visually followed the dinner theme served in a heavy pot like the good old days in perhaps a castle or hobbits lair perhaps.

The event was supported by Wine Selectors which I first learnt about at an event at Flying Fish. Wine educator Michael Quirk was on hand to explain the wines chosen which were readily available on the tables for guests to try. I can see the attraction of a secret foodies event for discovering new places around Sydney where everything is organised for you except getting to and from the venue. It would definitely suit a group of friends going together or if you're comfortable on going solo there might be opportunity to also meet a few new ones. If you're someone that likes to plan ahead on what you want to eat and where you want to go then events like this might not be suitable but if you're happy with a few surprises then place your trust with Ms Darlinghurst who has her finger firmly on the foodie pulse.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Great event to meet new people or have good times with your own friends, Very interesting decor, Function space available, You get to meet the chef

CONS: It might be more fun if you go with a friend to keep you company, You won't know where you'll be going until one hour beforehand

MUST TRY: Getting a group of friends and letting Secret Foodies manage everything else for a fun night out

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Instructions for rendezvous received via sms. Suburb revealed 2 hours ahead then final venue revealed 1 hour ahead.

The Medieval Feast

Mingle before dinner

Dining table

The menu ($95 per person)

Duck terrine, confit salmon and champagne and cherry pickled carrot

Pickled vegetable, Mount Eyre Neptune Sparkling Semillon Chardonnay 2009, Hunter Valley

Lavender, nettle, sorrel and parsley salad

Toasted chestnuts and porcini soup

Service ladle soup into tea cups, crooked painting just for the hell of it

Crispy pork belly with cider apple relish and honey garlics

Persimmon and Jerusalem artichoke salad

Braised venison with elderflowers — OMG these were huge

Roasted vegetables

Black bird pie (pastry crust filled with fresh berries, aniseed) Whipped mascarpone

Chef Rebecca Chippington (left) in charge of the dishes

The wine

Wines sponsored by Wine Selectors with Michael Quirk (wine educator) on hand to discuss

Pipers Brook Pinot Gris 2008, Tasmania; Petersons Chardonnay Semillon 2010, Hunter Valley NSW, Grant Burge Barossa Vines Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV, Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Chrismont La Zona Moscato 2009, King Valley, Victoria

The decor

The organisers

Ms Darlinghurst and Miss Freakie

Studio Neon owner Matt and Ms Darlinghurst

The Secret Foodies

The location

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Revolver Café: Café, Annandale (13 Aug 2011)

2012-01-18T18:23:00.002+11:00

291 Annandale Street, Annandale NSW 2038

Phone: (02) 9555 4727

http://www.revolver.com.au

Brunching with the locals

“Our aim was to create a space that was like no other. To offer more than your typical cafe style food and coffee. To create a space that was in every inch and detail in some way a piece of me and what I love and to bring it all together in a timeless warm environment that makes people feel like they are at home not at a cold or clinical cafe.”

A casual brunch catchup with friends organised by Madam Wu from Music Munchies Review brings me to the popular Revolver Café nestled in the leafy suburb of Annandale. I was happy about all the free street parking in the area and the cafe seemed to have a nice community local feel. The decor was interesting and homely and the service friendly even though being very busy. The down-to-earth owner Rodney Jones was on service organising tables for customers and seemed to keep his cool and smile even under pressure. The Coffee ($3.20) and House made spiced chai ($4) were pretty good and the refreshing Watermelon and passionfruit juice ($5.50) was a nice combination — I wished the chai was bigger though. All the dishes ordered seemed quite reasonably priced for the quality.

The Lemon myrtle cured, house smoked ocean trout on sweet corn rosti ($15.50) flavours were enjoyed along with the Scrambled eggs, roast tomato, avocado & danish fetta & toast ($14.5). My Ricotta hotcakes with berry compote & maple ricotta ($14.50) were nice and plump in size although I had dish envy as I gazed at the Revolver Big Brekkie ($16.50) which came with everything you'd want to fill an empty stomach including crispy bacon. Perhaps throw a hash brown in there like Baffi & Mo to make it even more awesome. Chefs Eliot Richy and Rebecca Chippington seem to be doing a great job in their tiny open kitchen space and if you're interested learning more about the making of the Revolver Café then check out the Journey album floating around for some historic photos and newspaper clippings of how it came to be. There definitely seems to be a bit of heart and soul about the place that keeps the locals coming back for more, I certainly can't wait to return.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Friendly service, Interesting decor, Lots of street parking, Tasty dishes, Pretty good coffee, Prices seem reasonable for the quality

CONS: Expect to wait for a table when busy, Limited space on the small tables

MUST TRY: Revolver Big Breakie if you're hungry

DAMAGE: $76.90 for four

—

Coffee ($3.20), House made spiced chai ($4)

Watermelon and passionfruit juice ($5.50), Coffee ($3.20)

Lemon myrtle cured, house smoked ocean trout on sweet corn rosti with chilli capsicum relish & avocado ($15.50)

Scrambled eggs, roast tomato, avocado & danish fetta & toast ($14.5)

Revolver Big Breakie: Two eggs baked in our housemade beans, honey cured bacon, roast tomato, mushrooms, pork fennel sausage & toast ($16.50)

Ricotta hotcakes with berry compote & maple ricotta ($14.50)

Whoopsy daisy — that's what happens when you try and share some of the hotcakes

Table water, Bill $76.90 for four people

Chefs Eliot Richy and Rebecca Chippington — amazing what they achieve in such a small kitchen

Homely decor

Lots of tempting cakes on display

Decor and cutlery

Framed saucepan and retro salt and pepper shakers

Every café should have a mantlepiece for the crystal ware

Fireplace inside and community notice board outside

Cute tea cups

Toilet decor and window

Journey album

It's all in the name

Owner Rod Jones (right) greets one of his favourite customers

Dog friendly (outside)

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Simon's 41st Hawaiian Birthday at the Coach and Horses Hotel, Randwick (15 Jan 2012)

2012-01-17T19:24:00.007+11:00

147 Avoca Street, Randwick NSW 2031

http://www.coachandhorseshotel.com.au

Celebrating another year older

After having a casual lunch at the Coach and Horses Hotel I was inspired by the improved menu to have my 41st birthday in The Red Room function space on level 1. Sundays usually incur a $1000 minimum spend on the bar for private functions but since my event was held during the day and I knew it wasn't going to be a big drinking affair I was able to convince management to thankfully waive the minimum spend. A $200 refundable security deposit was still required and I organised five different platters of food for guests which were brought up by Barry who was friendly and accommodating along with Hiro who looked after the bar area. The theme for my birthday has been Hawaiian for many years now — how else would I get to wear my Hawaiian shirt and lei. Bar prices for drinks was pretty reasonable with the cheapest bottles starting at $23. Making it affordable enough to order a few Mt Lawson NV Brut ($23 bottle) at the very start. The private function space worked out really well and was separate enough from any public thoroughfare so security of the area could be maintained. The decor and seating was comfortable and roomy enough for 48 adults and 9 kids.

The Vietnamese Vegetable Rice Paper rolls ($50, 25 piece platter) were very good and I was impressed to see the flavoursome dipping sauce was homemade. The decent sized Moroccan Lamb Skewers ($50, 30 pieces platter) were better than I expected with nice flavours and tender meat. Prawn Wontons ($50, 40 pieces platter) were tasty and cooked with a nice crispy outer wonton shell. The Vegetarian Arancini ($50, 30 piece platter) had nice flavours too except the packaged grated parmesan used was really smelly which could be easily fixed by using freshly grated parmesan. You could smell it from across the room when it arrived — I even thought it might have been baby Isabelle needing a nappy change. The Vegetable Cocktail Spring Rolls ($50, 50 pieces platter) were crispy and tasty as hoped — I'm such a lover of spring rolls at parties. The Wedges ($8) were hot and crispy as expected and a good way to fill any hungry stomachs at the end. Chef Anthony did a great job in providing above average platter food and hopefully freshly grated parmesan will be used in the future for the arancini to make it a winner. My birthday cake was made of mini cupcakes from Coles ($30, 72 pieces) which came in two flavours, chocolate and vanilla — with a tonne of sugar. They're probably not the healthiest cupcakes in town but they suited my requirements to be affordable, bite-sized and not needing cutting or cutlery. I could also spell out '41' on the platter.

Other birthdays for Simon:

• 15 Jan 2012 - Simon's 41st Birthday - Coach and Horses Hotel

• 8 Jan 2011 - Simon's 40th Birthday - Centennial Hotel

• 10 Jan 2010 - Simon's 39th Birthday BBQ

• 4 Jan 2009 - Simon's 38th Birthday BBQ

Other visits to Coach and Horses Hotel:

• 15 Jan 2012 - Simon's 41st Birthday in The Red Room, Function platter food

• 5 Jan 2012 - Octopus Salad, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Piri Piri Prawn Skewers, Barramundi, Atlantic Salmon, Prawn Spaghetti, Beer Garden

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Decent platter food, Friendly staff, Nice decor, Reasonably priced drinks, Function space suits around 50 people and sectioned off from public access, Easy access to bar area

CONS: Packaged grated parmesan used on Arancini making it very smelly — hopefully fresh parmesan used in the future, Minimum spend conditions may apply

MUST TRY: Vietnamese vegetarian rice paper rolls, Prawn wontons

BABY ON BOARD: Lift available to level 1, Plenty of space in function room and separated from main bar so pretty good for security of area

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41st birthday cake made with mini cupcakes from Coles ($30, 72 pieces)

Vietnamese Vegetable Rice Paper rolls ($50, 25 piece platter)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Moroccan Lamb Skewers with Yoghurt & Mint Dipping Sauce ($50, 30 pieces platter)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Prawn Wontons with Nutty Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce ($50, 40 pieces platter)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Vegetarian Arancini ($50, 30 piece platter)

Vegetable Cocktail Spring Rolls with Sweet Chilli ($50, 50 pieces platter)

Wedges ($8)

Mt Lawson NV Brut ($23 bottle)

Drinks menu

Function room — plenty of comfy seating and easy access to bar

Babies on board

Poker and Thai boxing next door on level 1

After party drinks with an Aperol Spritz

After party munchies with Doughboy — really like their Malabar pizza (right) with prawns at the moment

$41 for 41st birthday — clever idea!

Hang loose

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Blue Monkey Thai: New Thai on the block, Randwick (14 Jan 2012)

2012-01-16T23:43:00.001+11:00

39 Perouse Road, Randwick NSW 2031

Monday – Sunday, 5 pm – 10 pm

Phone: (02) 8021 2160 or (02) 8021 6120

Thai-spotting at The Spot

Just when you thought The Spot in Randwick couldn't have any more Thai restaurants along comes Blue Monkey Thai. Obviously the locals must love their Thai and the competition doesn't seem to worry them. Upon arriving for some take-away the restaurants was pretty much full and buzzing. The service was friendly and efficient and the decor looked like a nice place to dine. The Steamed dim sim ($6.90, 4 pieces) was quite nice and decently sized. The Chicken wing ($5.90, 4 pieces) had nice flavours with a crisp coating although I'm still a bigger fan of the chicken wings from Taste of Thai. The Chilli and basil sauce stir fry with deep fried tofu ($11.90) was full of fresh ingredients and plenty of tofu. The chilli was really hot so be careful — my mouth was on fire at one stage. I'd definitely be interested to try again and possibly dine in. I got a 20% discount due to their promotional Grand Opening special for take away orders over $20 which made it a bargain.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Friendly and efficient service, Nice decor, Plenty of menu choice, 20% grand opening discount, Looks popular, Dishes looked good, Reasonable prices

CONS: Limited parking in the area, No seating available to wait for your take away order

MUST TRY: Revisiting to dine in and sample more dishes

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Take away packaging

Time for dinner

Steamed dim sim ($6.90, 4 pieces)

Chicken wing ($5.90, 4 pieces)

Chilli and basil sauce stir fry with deep fried tofu ($11.90) — watch out for the hot chillies

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Sydney Food Bloggers Picnic, Centennial Park (14 Jan 2012)

2012-01-15T01:40:00.010+11:00

Corner of Parkes and Hamilton Ave, Centennial Park NSW 2021 http://www.centennialparklands.com.au

#sydfbpicnic

For the love of food, let's eat!

Mother nature was thankfully very kind for the Sydney Food Bloggers Picnic organised by Chocolatesuze and Grab Your Fork providing a miraculous break from the wet weather. Having minimum cooking skills I resorted to bringing the one thing I knew I could do — making cocktails. With the kind donation by Steve Stammers (Weber Shandwick) and Cida Wen (William Grant & Sons) for 3 bottles of Hendrick's Gin and Charlotte Ferrand (Burson-Marsteller) for 3 bottles of Maker's Mark I was set to make two of my favourite drinks I discovered in 2011. The Simon Food Favourites Pop Up Bar was created with two small tables and served the Hendrick's Gin & Tonic with fresh cucumber and the Maker's Mark punch known as Samuels Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice (recipe below) which even the non-whisky fans admittedly enjoyed once they tried. I think the most inventive eat of the day goes to the Candy Bug (pictured above) made by Sara and Joshua from Belly Rumbles. Banana lollies, mint chews and jaffas have never looked so cool. It was a fun day to catchup with lots of bloggers and put faces to new ones I haven't met before. I hope everyone had a good time and I look forward to meeting you at the next meetup.

Other events enjoyed with Hendrick's Gin:

• Pop-Up Drop-In Surgery for Refined Courtship Clinic

• Adventurists Afternoon Tea with Jon Muir

Other events enjoyed with Maker's Mark:

• Rochefort Christmas Party

• Zoolander NYE 2011 Party

Simon Food Favourites Pop Up Bar

Hendrick's Gin & Tonic with fresh cucumber

Maker's Mark Samuels Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice punch

Samuels Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice recipe

1.75L Maker's Mark

300mls Lemon Juice

3L Ginger Beer

300mls Spicer Port Syrup*

3 Oranges - Sliced in thin wheel for garnish

5kg bag of ice

*Spiced Port Syrup

Peel of 6 lemons and 6 oranges

1 kg Castor Sugar

6 cracked cardamon pods, 1 cracked whole nutmeg, 6 colves, 6 star anise, 4 cinnamon quills

700mls Port (Your preferred choice)

Combine citrus peel, sugar & spices in an airtight container for 24 hours, shaking a few times throughout. Add the Port and leave for a further 12 hours, stirring well.

Strain the finished compounded syrup through cheese cloth, bottle and refrigerate.

Service – combine all the ingredients in a large punch bowl, stir well and serve.

Schiacciata was really nice — first thing I tried made by Mel (Crunchy Tiger)

This yummy quiche was my lunch — thanks Shez (One More Bite)

This cupcake was so good — loved it! Christmas Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing by Swah (Love Swah)

A yummy pandan cupcake from Lay's Kitchen Explorations

OMG, how cool! Candy bugs by Sara and Joshua from Belly Rumbles

Bacon makes an appearance

These were popular

Fresh is best — such a great idea, if I had a blender I could have made a cocktail out of these

So many cakes, so little time

I wanted to try this but missed out

Great childhood memories with fairy bread — so who got the one with the fly on it?

Paella was very popular

I think it's a savoury roll?

I'm suspecting a tiramisu? — Great decoration on top

Most awesome painted fingernails by April (Polkadots & Chopsticks)

Chocolatesuze's multicoloured nails goes well with a Maker's Mark

Gianna's sparkling fingernails offset nicely with a Hendrick's Gin

Two drinks Suze and Dee (Food In Hand) with an old school film camera

Dedication to the blog

Lola (Figs & Brie) and me

Paul and Joseph (Up For A Feed) with me

Laura (StarLoz) and me

Richard (Richard Elliot's Blog) and me

Anyone for a cocktail?

Potential Ambassadors for Maker's Mark and Hendrick's Gin

Food bloggers enjoying the cocktails — Betty (Sugarpuffi), Annie (The Random Foodie), Swah (Love Swah), Felicity (Flick Your Food), Sophie (The Stick and Sweet)

Penny (Jeroxie) and me

Michelle (M(i)s Ch(i)ef™), Maryanne (Dressed and Eaten), JB (j.b.josé) and me

Tina (bitemeshowme), Shanshan (Food is our religion) and me

Food bloggers say grace by photographing before they eat

Simon (the heart of food) setting up for a group shot

Group side shot

Group front shot

Group back shot

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City Tattersalls Club Showcase Event, CBD Sydney (12 July 2011)

2012-01-13T00:43:00.003+11:00

194 - 204 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.citytatts.com.au

A world within to discover

Thanks to Tania Purdy from City Tattersalls Club for sending me an invite to this Showcase Event held in the Omega Lounge. I fondly remember visiting their Taste of Sydney stall in 2010 and 2011 so it was a perfect opportunity to actually check out the establishment for the first time. The energy of the service team was just as impressive in their natural habitat as they provided a tasty selection of canapés in the comfy lounge area. The event was quite intimate and there was plenty of opportunity to chat with the friendly guys from De Bortoli Wines or chap from the Balmain Brewing Company serving up three styles of beer from his kegs. The Freshly Shucked Oyster with Cab Sav Vinaigrette was a clear favourite for me but I do love oysters followed closely by the Soft Shell Crab with Pickled Ginger and Lime Mayonnaise which they also served up at the Taste of Sydney.

The bite sized Mini Waygu Burgers with Spicy Tomato Relish was also good and I'm sure the freshly cooked Mini Lamb Kofta with Indian Mint Yoghurt would be a crowd pleaser for any function had. Their Pineapple doughnuts with White Choc Sauce is an interesting dessert worth trying and the Frozen white chocolate and Raspberry Truffle was a nice little treat that didn't leave you feeling too guilty. I had a quick tour around the City Tatts and discovered the Lime Bar, Zest Restaurant, Cocktail Bar, Esperanto Restaurant, Cafe 2, Lower Bar and the decent sized swimming pool in the Men's fitness gym. I never would have thought all this existed inside from just looking at the front of the building. I wasn't too keen on the tiled floor in the Zest Restaurant which I thought made it look a bit cold but the Cocktail Bar and Esperanto Restaurant was like a step back in time complete with pianist playing and the Lower Bar could very well be an easy place to relax after work in the deep set leather chairs.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Cosy lounge area, Function spaces available, Lots of different bars and restaurants to choose from, Pretty cheap happy hour every Friday in the Omega Lounge, Centrally located in the city

CONS: I assume you need to be a member to enter the club if you live within the 5 km radius

MUST TRY: Revisiting for cheap happy hour drinks

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Bellini cocktail

Balmain Brewing Company

De Bortoli Wines, Lemon, Lime & Bitters

De Bortoli Wines dessert wine

Freshly Shucked Oyster (Narooma South Coast NSW) with Cab Sav Vinaigrette

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut dipping Sauce

Peking Duck Salad with Crisp Won Ton

Soft Shell Crab with Pickled Ginger and Lime Mayonnaise

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Mini Waygu Burgers with Spicy Tomato Relish

WORTH TRYING :-)

Pumpkin ravioli

Scallops with Leek and Brioche Pudding Crisp Jamon

Mini Lamb Kofta with Indian Mint Yoghurt

WORTH TRYING :-)

Pumpkin, Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini with Pumpkin and Sage Butter

Vegetarian curry puffs

Pineapple doughnuts with White Choc Sauce

WORTH TRYING :-)

Frozen white chocolate and Raspberry Truffles

WORTH TRYING :-)

Mitch Rose (left) and Andrew Campbell (right) from De Bortoli Wines with the City Tattersalls Club team

Fitness club stand

Omega Lounge

Dining setup examples

Singles in the city promo, Gym available

Flowers with Essence arrangement

Lime Bar

Zest Restaurant

Function room

Cocktail Bar

Esperanto Restaurant

Cafe 2

Lower Bar

Men's fitness gym

Men's swimming pool

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