Intermezzo Ristorante: Italian, CBD Sydney (29 Sept 2016)

GPO Grand, 1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.gpogrand.com/intermezzo-italian-restaurant-sydney-cbd
https://www.instagram.com/intermezzo_ristorante/

Italian dining in the GPO Grand

Loving the space and natural light backed up by good switched on service here. Seems like a very popular place for business meetings — suits everywhere. Started with the Sea Scallops Wrapped in Pancetta served in a Light Gorgonzola Sauce and topped with Caviar ($25) — loving this dish. Happiness on a plate for me with very yummy flavours makes it a new Simon Favourite. Not quite sure what the black lace is but it adds a lovely delicate crisp texture — I assume something using squid ink. The Linguine Scampi ($38) comes with two Western Australian Scampi. Heads are cleaned out and the meat easy to peel away from the body. Fresh Vine Ripened Cherry Tomatoes and Chilli add to the yummy flavours. For dessert it had to be the Tiramisu - ‘Pick me up Dessert’ of Mascarpone Layered with Biscotti, Espresso Coffee and served with a Coffee Sorbet ($16.50, although website says $15.50) — I'm a sucker for a tiramisu when I see it on the menu. Lots of flavour and lovely texture from the wafer shards and a new Simon Favourite as well. I'm never keen on brown smears though for presentation — any colour but brown works for me. A very pleasant dining experience overall and hope to return again.

Zilver Bondi, Westfield Bondi Junction (17 Sept 2016)

Level 6, Westfield Bondi Junction
500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
http://www.zilverbondi.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/zilverbondi/

Salt & Pepper Lobster Love

When my awesome brother @plus1guest wants to take the family out for a Salt and Pepper Lobster treat it's happy days. But in the true traditional of how my family works it also comes with my dad doing a mini research trip of at least 5 restaurants in advance to check the price of the live lobsters, the state of the tanks and the ease of parking — and I think he sometimes even enquires whether there's a Seniors Discount available just in case. It's also a drawcard if they can do a good crispy shredded beef and we take into account past experiences as well. So after the countless emails, suggestions and change of minds we finally decide on Zilver Bondi.

For our table of five (minus the 2 kids which thankfully are being looked after by a very kind friend) we choose a 2.008 kg Salt and Pepper Lobster ($477.90, $238/kg). We've found 2 kg+ is a good size to provide decent chunks of meat in the tail. They've done us proud here and we're happy. The 2014 Rock Bare The Clare Riesling ($40) seems to have been a good choice to enjoy with the lobster with some nice buttery notes and not being overly sweet. Steamed oysters with soy sauce, ginger, shallots ($8.50 each) are huge. Maybe a little too large as they're bigger than a mouthful to try and eat but flavours were good. We've had the Peking Style Shredded Beef ($24.80) here before and happy again with it. Nice amount of crispy batter without being to thick and a tasty sauce. Stir fried scallops and vegetables with xo sauce ($42.80) have plump scallops in a tasty sauce that goes well with the Zilver special fried rice with crab meat, fried scallop, crab roe and egg ($24.80). We had to get nicely made Steamed BBQ Pork Buns ($8) for the Mrs as this is one of her favourite yum cha dishes. Fruit platter ($18) ended up being served complimentary and we had to get a Deep fried ice cream with caramel sauce ($9.80) for some nostalgic dining.

Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining: Molecular Cocktails, CBD Sydney (19 Oct 2012)

82-88 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.rabbitholebar.com.au

Cocktail & dining wonderland

“Cocktails at the Rabbit Hole are a culinary and alcoholic institution. Extensive research and a genuine passion for flavours and textures on the palate have resulted in a list that captures the imagination and caters to the most discerning of taste. We have created a vast array of house made syrups, spice mixes, flavoured sugars and only use the freshest produce.”

Thanks to Georgie Dodds from Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining for inviting me to sample a few cocktails and dishes. I fondly remember it used to be Bar Europa and how things have changed. You won't just find your usual selection of beers, wines and spirits behind the bar but a creative menu of molecular style cocktails designed by Doug Laming who was an AHA Bartender of the Year finalist in 2011. His passion and skill level is quickly evident as I watch him make the New + Old School Sparkling Cocktail ($18). Spherified Cointreau Caviar are made to order adding a lethal extra kick with Remy Martin VSOP and Jansz NV. A couple of these will soon help make you forget about your tough office day and put you in gear for a fun night. The Jellied G&T ($11) is made with Hendricks gin and served on a cucumber slice with a rose crystal. Enjoyable but less cucumber skin would have been my preference and the one mouth wonder comes at a price that's quickly consumed. Everyone loves their grandma and a Boozy Grandma ($16) is even better. Sophisticated flavour, easy to drink and noticeable alcohol content makes it a favourite. Tea Smoked Apple ($18) made with Laphroig scotch is an acquired taste with its peaty overtones. You'll either love it or not. I quite enjoyed the The White Cloud above Mt Gay ($18) not only for the double pour of Mt Gay XO but its pineapple caramel and marshmallow foam makes it more of a dessert. To experience a few techniques the Texture Taster ($21) will be your best friend. Caffeine addicts will enjoy the coffee hit in The Babycino ($11). I thought the side of toffee should be just a bit thinner to best avoid any dental accidents.

Executive Chef Tomoyuki Usui shows off his creative flair in the menu with nice dish presentation and some flavour challenges thrown in for the palate. The Seared scallops, celeriac two ways & buckwheat ($16) are nicely cooked although I'm not a fan of tiles as plates. They present well but unfortunately make a terrible chalkboard scrapping when you use a knife. The egg is perfectly cooked to mix amongst the Tiede wagyu tartare, onsen egg & truffle meringue ($14). I would have liked more seasoning and ingredients though in the tartare and generally prefer firmer crackers to spoon the tartare on like the one at Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse. The Caramelized Bass Groper, burnt butter, anchovies & almond ($28) was my favourite dish of the day. Fish cooked just right and flavour combo working well. I was surprised the passion fruit worked quite nicely with the Sous vide chicken breast, roast thigh, potato three ways & passion fruit ($25). Meat was tender and would have loved more of its crisp skin which was so good. The Melon, crisp pancetta, cognac ice cream & botrytis gelee ($15) was a challenge for me. I enjoyed the sweet components but struggled to appreciate the crisp pancetta — perhaps others will see the light. Strawberry mousse, compote, pink pepper & pistachio ($13) added some mystery and fun to crack the surface to reveal the enjoyable flavours underneath.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Quality cocktails with a difference, Interesting menu, Nice decor, Cocktails and dishes well-presented, White Rabbit beer on tap

CONS: Making special cocktails can take a while, A bar like this would suit Surry Hills and Darlinghurst but might be a challenge to attract the schooner drinking city crowd, Menu could be a little too creative for those just wanting a beer and bowl of wedges

MUST TRY: Boozy Grandma
VERDICT: A place to discover cocktails with a difference and deconstructed dishes which still retain some familiarity of what you'd expect to taste with not too many elements on the plate which might leave your palate otherwise confused.

—

New + Old School Sparkling Cocktail ($18) 
"What, a lava lamp? NO! It’s a sparkling cocktail. Spherified Cointreau Caviar float through the bubbles of the glass while Remy Martin VSOP, orange bitters and demerara syrup highlight the Jansz NV."
WORTH TRYING :-)

Jellied G&T ($11)
"Eben Freeman of NYC created the original recipe for this. We use Hendricks gin to elevate this recipe and serve it on a cucumber slice with a rose crystal. Take a bite and let this solid alcohol fizz on your tongue like its original namesake."

Boozy Grandma ($16)
"Ode to our Grandmother’s rum balls. We have recreated this with MT Gay XO rum infused with muscatels, cooked SousVide, stirred down with Fee Brother’s Xocolate bitters, Joseph Cartron white crème de cacao, vanilla syrup, Fee Brother’s Creole bitters and lime."
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Tea Smoked Apple ($18)
"Laphroig scotch and Joseph Cartron pomme verte is shaken with house-made Ceylon tea infused cinnamon syrup, Fee Brother’s rhubarb bitters and cloudy apple juice. This cocktail is carbonated with fresh cider and the lightest dusting of smoked salt finishes it off."

The White Cloud above Mt Gay ($18)
"A double pour of Mt Gay XO is showcased in this cocktail by highlighting the subtle flavours of this rum. It is shaken with a house-made black pepper and pineapple caramel, fresh lime and pineapple. It is poured through marshmallow foam to let the drink take on this flavour and give the drink the white cloud on the top. Some toasted coconut tops this off."
WORTH TRYING :-)

Texture Taster ($21) — mini caprioska foam

Texture Taster ($21) — lava lamp containing spherified Cointreau Caviar and Pama Pearls

Texture Taster ($21) — alcoholic lemon jelly

Texture Taster ($21) — mini caprioska foam

"A Rabbit Hole Bar sampler of some of the techniques we use. Enjoy the alcoholic lemon jelly, savour the mini caprioska foam and sip on your lava lamp containing spherified Cointreau Caviar and Pama Pearls."

The Babycino ($11)
"Mozart Clear is infused with coffee beans cooked Sous Vide. Joseph Cartron crème de cacao is added and topped with house-made maple foam. A dusting of chocolate powder and it’s all yours."

Seared scallops, celeriac two ways & buckwheat ($16) — nicely cooked scallops although not a fan of the tiles which grates when using a knife on them

Tiede wagyu tartare, onsen egg & truffle meringue ($14) — egg very good but would have loved more seasoning with the tartare and firmer crackers to put the tartare on top to eat together

Caramelized Bass Groper, burnt butter, anchovies & almond ($28) — fish cooked nicely, flavours work well on plate, nice presentation 
WORTH TRYING :-)

Sous vide chicken breast, roast thigh, potato three ways & passion fruit ($25) — tender meat, flavours work well on plate, passion fruit surprisingly seems to work

Melon, crisp pancetta, cognac ice cream & botrytis gelee ($15) — was a challenge for me to appreciate the crisp pancetta in the dessert and would have preferred without

Strawberry mousse, compote, pink pepper & pistachio ($13) — interesting presentation, enjoyable flavours

Table water poured out of Cointreau bottles

Executive Chef Tomoyuki Usui and Licensee-owner-cocktail guru Doug Laming AHA Bartender of the Year 2011 finalist

Front bar area

Back bar area

Clean toilet but unfortunate placement of hand paper towels between urinal and cubicle rather than conveniently located closer to sink

Decorative table supports like this can look nice but I find them ergonomically awkward for resting my feet comfortably

Down the rabbit hole literally

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