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Pilu at Freshwater, Freshwater

6:33 PM | Labels: chocolate, fig, Giovanni Pilu, Italian, Sardinia, veal

A couple of days ago, a nice little drive north of the city with my friend brings us past Spit Bridge and on towards Pilu at Freshwater. Prized for its strict adherence to head chef Giovanni Pilu's Sardinian origins, we're keen for the nice deviation from the guilty blind carb load that other Italian eateries usually present.

There's a kiosk for casual dining at the front and a entrance on the side for their fine dining. Entrance through their side brings you through their well pruned garden that's versatile enough to be the background of the wedding later on that night.

Set against the back drop of Freshwater Beach, our seats beside the window provide ample enjoyment. The restaurant is reminiscent of what one would imagine to be a retiree's beach house with modern and befittingly fading soft colour palate, quirky lights and not a set of stainless steel in sight besides the bar.

Soft and gentle waves across the beach bring us to peace and it makes kicking back and ordering from their very very extensive menu so much easier. Seriously, our table was flooded with sheets before anything else.

Their thick apperitif list is puzzling but efficient and warm service aids you along. We still had a little trouble however, chucking between the degustation or the a la carte but we ended up deciding on picking our own dishes due to our limited stomach capacity.

Passione 19

From what I hear, the passion fruit cocktail is eye-puckeringly sour but still enjoyable.

Chewy crust, warm fluffy inside, good olive oil, needless to say we asked for more. 3 servings of bread later, we were still going onto our fourth plate to help mop up the sauces.

Fontina, Polenta, Concasse Tomatoes

We begin with a little amuse on the house. Creamy fontina and polenta cubes are great vehicles to carry out the tomato flavour.

Pane frattau 27
'Carta di Musica' layered with tomato, Pecorino and a 61°C soft cooked free range egg

The theme of good tomato flavour also continues on with my entree. Paper thin slightly crisp 'Carta Di Musica' and creamy soft-cooked egg really brings up the intensity and allows the texture and flavour of the robust tomatoes to shine.

Spaghettoni, noci, calamari, Carasau e bottarga di Pilu 28
Spaghettoni, walnuts, calamari, crispy Sardinian bread and Pilu Bottarga

For our other entree with get a calamari spaghettoni. It's quite clever how they miggle the strands of calamari and pasta which really creates an interesting texture contrasts. There's a lot of flavour in there but feels unspectacular. I must also comment about the cooking of pasta at fine dining eateries which is always tends to be slightly 'undercooked' so I got a little more chew than I'm used to but I'm still undecided on what I think of it.

Culurzones di patate, menta, Pecorino e burro ai pomodori secchi 28
Ravioli of potato, mind and Pecorino with tomato butter

One of their most popular dishes is their quite commonly coined 'carb on carb' dish. It's a potato puree wrapped within four delicate little parcels of raviolli. It's really interesting; being able to carry on rich tomato butter quite well while still being a standout.

Controfiletto di vietello in crosta di carasau, acetosella e cavoletti di bruxelles 45
Holstein veal backstrap in 'pane carasau' crust, sorrel and brussel sprouts

Two pieces of veal for my main honestly feels incredibly meager. Probably not my usual choice of protein and although it was difficult to cut and didn't have a lot of marbelling, it was surprisingly tender. Slightly bitter brussel sprout leaves and sorrel puree rounds out the flavours but it still feels insubstantial in the end.

Dentice alla Vernccia di Oristano e olive verdi 44
Whole baby snapper oven baked with Vernaccia and green olives

The fish on the other hand was outstanding. This is a must have dish. A gorgeously silky, eggy butter sauce, infused with a light Vernaccia, wonderfully coats the generous serving of the snapper's yielding flesh. It's just utterly amazing how much depth they got into the sauce and one would never think to use salty olives but it works wonders to counteract that richness.

Insalata di patate, cipolle e prezzemolo 10
Warm potato salad, onion and parsley

The additional side of potatoes and caramelised sweet onions helps on sucking up a lot of that delicious Vernaccia sauce.

Fichi, biscotto all'oili d'oliva, gelatina al pecorino e gelato di fichi e mirto 18
Black figs, olive oil crumble and fig and mirto gelato

Beautifully presented, well balanced and lightly refreshing; the figs were used masterfully so that they weren't overpowering. The olive oil flavour wasn't that prominent but I do like how the crumble is more sandy then crunchy which is quite nice for this dish.

Affogato Sardo al caffe 18
Vanilla bean gelato wtih espresso and miro (Sardinian myrtle liqueur

The kick of liquor wasn't that prominent but they've nailed the espresso; bitter (not to everyone's tastes) and aromatic is balanced with smooth and slightly more neutral vanilla bean gelato. Bravo.

Seadas di ricotta con miele di mille fiori 18
Sardinian pastry with fresh ricotta and sultanas, served with warm mille fiori honey

We get all excited about the crispy blistered sardanian pastry encasing a fresh mild ricotta and little bursts of sugary sultanas simply drizzled with some warm honey, a dusting of icing sugar and a candied circle or orange. It's very simple and well executed but it feels like it could be better served as a petit fours instead rather than an actual dessert course.

Italian Hot Chocolate 7
Traditional, thick Italian hot chocolate served with whipped cream

Their thick and heartwarming hot chocolate warms up our cold bodies. That and their airy scottish biscuits and macaroons are a wonderful finish to the day and a reminder of why this place is so good.

Pilu at Freshwater holds a special place in my heart. My friends know why and you, dear readers, might even know why in the future. Just know that this place is magical. Prices are dear but the food is up there with the best of them; inspired, vibrant and classic. It doesn't push boundaries but it does things right. Bellissimo.

If you're feeling stressed, just travel down north and be ready to forget all about your worries. Time comes to a stand still, and nothing matters except the view and the food in front of you. As we say our goodbyes, we realise we're not ready to re-enter our high-octane lives again.

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City Hotel, CBD

12:19 AM | Labels: Antipasti, crab, pasta, quinoa, salmon

Thursday night sees me attend a 10 dollar for every main special, open to the public, at City Hotel featuring their revamped menu.

It's located where all the buisness goers are. Featuring a much darker room, sleek and accompanied by plush leather lounges and chandeliers, it's classy without being too intimidating. Definitely not what you would expect from the outside. There's also an acoustic band that plays at the back at 7pm.

Antipasto Platter 18

Their antipasto plate comes staked. You get eggplants, sweet and charred red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, olives, grilled turkish bread, marinated fetta, artichoke hearts, slightly crispy chorizo and thin proscuitto. It's nice although the salt on salt on salt on salt from nearly every element starts become a little too much. Maybe use boccocini removed from its brine instead of the feta and an additional exciting zingy unseasoned salad and that's probably a good start.

'Singapore Style' Chilli Crab 19

It's sweet and slightly spicy with a decent amount of crab and it's got a pleasant noticeable ginger aroma around it. It does taste nice although it in no way near evokes the sort of memories I have of sitting in the blistering hot sun, tucking away at a steaming pile of proper Singapore chilli crab.

Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon Fillet 20

On the other hand, their salmon on the health conscious menu is a standout. Crisp salmon skin and moist flesh. Quinoa. Roasted sweet beets on a bed of chunky pea puree. Magic. What more can I say? What more can you ask for?

Whilst the food isn't that amazing not particularly memorable, it is certainly good valued and what you'd expect from a pub. When Rachel (events manager) emailed me about the 10 dollar special and promised we'd be rolling afterwards, I was skeptical. They nearly needed a stretcher to bring me out of the bar honestly. You should probably factor in the 10 dollar special for every main that happened only for that particular night but even without it, it's priced decently especially when you rock up for their 2 4 1 (2 for 1, took me a while too) cocktail nights on Thursdays or their specials.

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Grill'D, CBD

5:46 PM | Labels: beetroot, burger, lamb, steak

I've been on a burger craze of late. I'll begin this post with one of my favorites quotes of How I Met Your Mother:

" Marshall: Just a Burger? Just a burger. Robin, it's so much more than "just a burger." I mean...that first bite—oh, what heaven that first bite is. The bun, like a sesame freckled breast of an angel, resting gently on the ketchup and mustard below, flavors mingling in a seductive pas de deux. And then...a pickle! The most playful little pickle! Then a slice of tomato, a leaf of lettuce and a...a patty of ground beef so exquisite, swirling in your mouth, breaking apart, and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savor so delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin. This is God, speaking to us in food.
Lily: And you got our wedding vows off the Internet!? "

So pretty much that justifies my burger craze. I've had my fair share; from the recent Chur's, to the new Excelsiors, Rockpool's famous always reliable wagyu, still missing on the lotus one, Plan B's, Fish Shop's crumbed fish burger. Yeah the typical places. Of late, my adventure brings me to Grill'd courtesy of my brother's UNSW buy one get one free voucher. Needless to say, I took him that day for burgers.

It's a nice while unimaginative set out. It's dark and groovy with the slightly overused wood furniture, stools, communal tables, typical dim lighting being the summation of it all. I park myself on the outside seating area where the temperature is cooler.

Goats Cheese and Hummus 13.5

If this is healthy, it tastes pretty darn good. The hummus and goats cheese gives it this wonderful unapologetic creaminess that just makes it feel as if it's unhealthy. That's the star, in my opinion, which paves the way for a meaty portion of lamb patty.

Front Bar 15.5

Steak sandwich comes as a generous portion with a knife suitably stabbed through it because steak, no matter what you do with it, isn't as remotely bite-able as a mince patty. Each bite was quite a mouthful with a good slab of steak, some sweet beetroot action, spicy onions and fried egg going on. I'm interested to know what mesculine tastes like because it was lost on me.

Chicken, Pomegranate and Goat's Cheese 13.9

Round 2 sees me order a salad. I know right? A salad at a burger joint. Must be a first. It feels complete eating it; there's a little moist chicken in there for protein, some quinoa to fill you up, assorted salad leaves, crunchy, tart and sweet pomegranate seeds and some brilliant goats cheese which gives it a salty and mild flavoured softness that's just wonderful. Almonds, while appropriate, feel rather non-existent in the midst of everything else, maybe toast them to give them a little more character.

Almighty 13.5

We also get a beef burger aptly named the 'Almight'. It's got pretty much everything to fill you up. Pack to the brim with a fried egg, lettuce, beetroot, relish, bacon, tasty cheese and of course a slab of lean beef patty.

Regular Hot Chips 4.5 w/ Herbed Mayo 0.7

Chips here come highly recommended. They're thick and fluffy although not all crisp but the really flavourful chunky herb mayo makes it a real winner.

While undeniably delicious and healthy, it doesn't induce the How I Met Your Mother burger episode sort of feeling:

" Lily: This burger is so good, its like Christmas in my mouth. Meat Christmas.
Ted: Its like an angel from heaven landed in the kitchen of McClaren's... where the chef killed it and ran it through the meat grinder.
Barney: I love this burger so much I want to sew my ass shut "

That's a feeling that only unctuous burgers, I'd be happy to be disagreed with, sadly can lay claim to. It's still pretty darn tasty and has got my tick of approval (not sure how qualified I am) when it comes to health however; over-laden with assorted vegetables and lean meats, although that's what's probably stopping it from being 'the best'. The bandana sporting staff are brilliantly energetic and hospitable although the paying lines system could certainly do with a revamp which becomes especially evident during peak lunch times. It's a definite collision course for the uninitiated. I definite must visit if you're in the need for an above average lunch meal without the guilt. You'll have no trouble finding it with 11 NSW locations. Where is your favourite burger at?

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Lorraine's Patisserie Part 2, CBD

8:51 PM | Labels: date, Merivale, tarts

Quick post this week. As you know, big fan of Lorraine's Patisserie down Wynyard and I've been there a couple of times before. Her cheesecake there is probably the best cheesecake I've eaten in Australia. You may have recognised it as being part of Neil Perry's Rockpool menu since 1984. The original is still currently being served out as part of their two-four course tasting at night (100-$155). If you were to divide the pricing with the amount of courses (which you obviously can't), I'd imagine it would cost a fair bit at Rockpool. Needless to say, her elusive famous date tart has a cult following and many others swooning. Elusive because at Lorraine's, she only makes 2 in one batch and only ever makes them once in a blue moon.

Date Tart 15

When she announced on Facebook, after not-so-'subtle' hinting, that she was making a batch this week, the comments went crazy. I called in at 8:30 (opening time) and I was probably the last person to purchase it. One man, I hear, tried to order 6. Lorraine wouldn't let of course.

Yes, it's a tad more expensive than most tarts and you are paying slight because of the hype but mostly because of the technique. It's slightly cakey on top, filled underneath with the most luscious and creamy custard, the right amount of mashed up dates all on a buttery and flakey shortcrust crust. It's balanced. It's understated. It's perfect and it's impossible to fault. Top 3 tarts easily along with the banoffee pie at Sopra (still a tart in my eyes) and the caramel chocolate one at Flour and Stone.

What are you waiting for? Get a slice now! Oh wait, it's not always available. Nevertheless, stay sharp. It'll inevitably pop up again.

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Momofuku Seiōbo, Pyrmont

4:49 PM | Labels: David Chang, degustation, marron, pork, radish, shoulder, Wagyu

You know the drill. Or at least have heard of it. Many a time has it been remembered and revised by keen diners before me. Make an account through the Momofuku Seiobo website the night before. Write all your credit card details and booking details somewhere the night before. Wake up at 9:50 with the aid of 3 alarms going off simultaneously. Turn your computer on. Log in by 9:58 Momofuku time. Frantically press refresh until the word enter becomes available. Don't panic, you're nearly there. Pray some early bird hasn't gotten your time slot mere seconds before. Input all your details in as precisely as you can within the time frame. Phew. Job done. Grab a towel and bucket to drench all your sweat and tears. Go back to sleep.

I was so nervous I was having practise runs the week before. It is quite ridiculous the effort that goes into having to book a restaurant but I suppose that's the price for falling into all that hype. And about time as well. It's been open since late October in 2011 but it doesn't even remotely show signs of slowing down. Boy are we special in the land down under. Listed in Time's 2010 most influential people of the year, this is radical 'bad boy' chef (a ridiculous title if you ask me, it pains me as much to say it as you to hear it) David Chang's first international foray with all his other restaurants in the states. A degustation only menu runs every night at 175 dollars with the option of wine pairings or interestingly juice pairings. If you're after something smaller, best you join the bar area where there's little snacks on offer.

smoked apple, eel

No bread and butter sadly; this is Momofuku after all. We start off with a delicately smokey eel mousse piped into a round tuille with freeze dried apple shaved over it. It's a delectable combination that invites you to use your hands and hence the warm towels that come with it.

steamed bun, shitake

This pork bun is seen so often that it's been brought up to be a cultural classic. The flavours are very similar to a duck pancake. It's a mouthwatering combination of impossibly light steamed bun, hoi sin, sliced spring onions and a pork belly so tender, it's a texture akin to the bun itself. I had mine with shitake mushrooms which was quite nice although no where near as good and melting as the pork I hear. With sriracha hot sauce or not, it's definitely a winner.

striped trumpeter, celery, mustard

After the initial set of snacks, we're ready to begin. The mustard oil gives it a sort of wasabi-like twang that just sings beautifully with trumpeter sashimi and the subtle piquant notes of celery.

potato, roe, parson's nose

Classic and controlled paves way to the more unorthodox. It was dude food refined. That's how I saw this. You get a bit of confit potato going on, throw in a surprisingly not so fatty parson's nose (the little tail part of a chicken), season it a little with the little bursts of salty roe and you've got a good thing going.

beef, radish, fermented black bean

Here we see diced beef marinated in a deep fermented black bean sauce hidden under a bed of beautifully arranged sliced radishes. For some it's oysters, others it's olives, readers you all know my aversion to anything radish. I can't say I enjoyed it too much.

tongue, watercress, fennel

We get some quality rolled tongue next that sits on top of a slick of watercress puree that has some sliced fennel drapped around it. There's a wonderful marriage that exists between the three ingredients and a balance achieve with pepperiness of watercress that works wonders with the fatty beef and the liquorishy fennel.

cauliflower, mushroom, smoked yolk

Florets and slices of cauliflower are artfully arranged on a bed of a deep and silky mushroom emulsion that's finished off with a prized shaving of smoked egg yolk. It's a wonderful dish that's only beaten by...

marron, broccoli, lemon

A grin erupted from the corner of my mouth as soon as I saw this. Marron. Wow. The superb tail is cooked beautifully with that subtle bit of firm resistance a wonderful sweetness. It's accompanied simply with a brocolli stalk and puree, a lemony vinaigrette and peel. It's wonderfully light and just such a joy to eat.

squab, burnt eggplant, onion

Squab leg just dangling lifelessly out of the plate? David Chang for you? Wonderful flavours of the smoky eggplant puree and sweet caramelised onion are good partners for the texturally delightful breast and crispy confit squab leg.

We spy a giant slab of sugar-roasted pork shoulder, dark and caramelised and taken out from the oven to be purposefully placed in the middle, tantalizing eyes around the kitchen. It gleans and glistens in the light and just teases everyone for the final course to come.

curd, blackcurrant, mint

A palate cleanser of sorts, it seems like this is one of the polarising ones. I found it quite nice, with the potent goats curd and similarly powerful black currant competing against each other for your attention but in a way that you can taste the two well. There's the subtle background of mint that just elevates the two together.

pineapple, lime, sesame

'A' really liked this and it's hard not to see why. A sweet slice of pineapple is grilled which ups the flavour and loses the acidity. It's served with shards of lime meringue jutting out that just dissolves in your mouth and sesame crumbs for a bit of texture.

pear, jerusalem artichoke, sunflower

We spot our chef plucking away at a giant sunflower and we think it's a little odd only to find it was our dish! The sunflower petals as well as seeds garnished pear 'petals' which underneath hid the salted caramel which we get all giddy from. It's a well balanced dish that's not too heavy.

pork shoulder

And of course the meal wouldn't be complete without a savoury course in the form of a slow roasted juicy pork shoulder. They've cooked it down so it's wonderfully tender and sweet and dressed simply with it's own drippings. Unleash the inner caveman as you use your hands to pick up the trembling deliciously marbeled strands to eat.

pink lady, caramel

Instead of pork I opted for a light little finisher. A light and fresh pink lady apple granita is interestingly juxtaposed with a gutsier caramel ice cream underneath and it's a brilliant finish to our meal.

The 'Best New Restaurant of 2013' is run by a group of assured Gen Y'ers, complete with a green baseball caps and white button ups. The pass is manned by head chef Ben Greeno, a reliable and strong force that's capable of running the remote empire of David Chang's that is Momofuku Seiobo. It's unnervingly efficient and free from any Ramsayesque chaos and it's really nice having the person who's plated up your dish bring it to you rather than a waiter.

Whilst I always do appreciate the lack of a physical barrier between chefs and diners (Sixpenny, Buon Ricordo), there's a mental one that exists which begs for a little... life. Quietly confident gradually feels a little conceited and steely as the dinner progresses. A little smile at the presentation of a course, a 'how was your day?', the little things, that's what's needed.

It's easy to see why Seiobo isn't everyone's cup of tea. You might call David Chang's Momofuku Seiobo many things: avant garde, progressive, controversial, loud, rushed, irritating, over-hyped, a little try-hard but the word boring will rarely ever pop up in a conversation involving Seiobo. And honestly, besides an irritating booking system, I thought it was pretty much great. I'm not head over heels over everything but it presents a surprisingly nice change from other fine diners.

Unusual to be saying this but it's the uncluttered nature of the pairings, with no more than 3 core ingredients on a plate, where you'll find the ingenuity and complexity. Some juxtapose, some lift. That's where the fun lies. Service needs a little animation but food is where it shines as it should be. Like it or not, Momofuku Seiobo is here to stay.

Momofuku Seiobo, The Star

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Pilu at Freshwater, Freshwater

City Hotel, CBD

Grill'D, CBD

Lorraine's Patisserie Part 2, CBD

Momofuku Seiōbo, Pyrmont