Category: Brunch

Salmon and Bear

Review:

There were a few distractions around the area that prevented me from trying Salmon and Bear. The restaurant is located in one of the newest shopping precincts in Sydney, Zetland – and I had a few places I wanted to try. I also thought that it was a chain restaurant that I have never heard of.

When I eventually went to the restaurant, I was surprised that the restaurant was 100% seafood restaurant. I thought the ‘bear’ bit refer to meat. So, yeah no other meat but fish here!

Salmon Poké – 21 – Raw cubed salmon in a soy and sesame dressing served with corn salsa and avocado on coconut rice

I ordered poké out of curiosity as this was my first time ordering it. The description resembles chirashizushi with a little twist of tropical influence. Poké is said to be the next big food trend according to Business Insider. It is originated from Hawaii.

It was quite a colourful plate! The salmon was already dressed in soy and sesame so you don’t need to add more soy (a la sushi). To top it off, the dried seaweed garnish gave us the crunchy texture.

One of a few salads that I actually enjoyed eating!

Fish and chips – 18 – crisp battered hoki served with chips, lemon, and tartare sauce

It was quite a simple-looking fish and chips. The portion was quite generous that my friend couldn’t finish it.

Tacos – 6 –come in a soft corn tortilla with cabbage, salsa verde, pickled pink onions, corander, lime and sriracha mayo

They have three different tacos that looked pretty similar with only a slight difference in the filling. On this occasion, I tried the sticky soy glazed salmon. It was nicely done.

The other two are: Crispy fish (hoki NZ) and Crispy prawn and corn

Salmon Bearger – 18 – A smoked and fresh salmon patty with cos lettuce, tomato, pickles, salsa verde and aioli

This is the only menu that has salmon and bear on its title. It was quite big and came with sweet potato fries (they are very nice!). The burger itself was pretty good, but clearly overshadowed by the poké.

Grizzly plate – 28 – choose your fish, your sauce and any 2 sides/salads

This is supposed to be the main attractions at salmon and bear. However, I wasn’t quite convinced. It was clearly the third wheel behind poké and salmon bearger.

The first time we were there, my boss got a really small salmon and tuna. But in our second visit, the size of the salmon was more decent.

Individually, the grizzly plate is priced as follows:

$18 fish– Ora King Salmon, Barramundi, Tuna, Catch of the day

$2 sauce – Salsa verde, lemon herb butter, yogurt & dill, peri peri, tartare, oyster & sesame

$5 Sides – Chips, Chive mash, sweet potato fries, coconut rice

$8 Salad – All beans, asian greens, slaw, corn salsa, Moroccan salad, roasted beg, corn cob, garden salad

The final verdict for Salmon and Bear

Salmon poké was the clear winner for me at Salmon and Bear.

Did you know?

Salmon and Bear sourced all of its fishes from a certified fisheries with sustainable practices.

Rating for Salmon and Bear:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.5 / 10

Price: $18+ for main

Place: 7.5 / 10

Details:

6 Defries Avenue, Zetland 2017

+61 2 9662 8188

http://salmonandbear.com.au/

Mar 8, 2016
Komune Beach Club

Review:

In our last leg of our holiday at the end of last year, we went to an area in Bali (possibly) least visited by tourists called Candi Dasa. It was a very nice and peaceful area where divers love to visit. However, the place has a huge drawback: food. There was practically none that’s worth mentioning.

Luckily one day we went a bit out of the area and was recommended to this restaurant by my cousin who live in Bali: Komune Beach Club. It was a pretty modern beach club with beach-side pool and a nice bar area. The menu sounds very Australian with Australian slang such as chook.

Super club sandwich – 85k – Grilled chicken tomato lettuce avocado fried egg and bacon

It was quite a regular club sandwich that you can find in Sydney (I guess it can be considered ‘super’ in Indonesia). They also give you wavy potato chips.

‘Island of the Gods’ salad – 80k – Freshly seared sliced tuna on a bed of mixed greens, sesame seeds and mushrooms, with A special Asian dressing.

I am not going to talk about the mixed greens salad because… well… it’s just a mixed greens salad. I’m more intrigued with the seared sliced tuna. For a country not known for fresh fish eaten semi-raw, the tuna was actually pretty good!

Fish and chips – 55k – Fresh local fish delicately crumbed served with fries and salad

The fish and chips that we ordered was from the kids menu section. It was quite a decent portion for a kids menu. I also love that they actually gave salad for the kids!

Cheese burger – 70k – Homemade 180gram juicy beef pattie with sliced cheese topper

Cheese burger was the one that I actually ordered in Komune Beach Club that day. I would normally think that 180gr is a bit small but I had to take what’s available. It was quite a decent burger with (interestingly) pasta-like sauce, crinkle cut chips and a curious side of pickled gherkin and salt.

It wasn’t the most amazing burger ever, but it was quite an antidote for our deprivation of good quality food.

The final verdict for Komune Beach Club

Komune Beach Club menu is heavily influenced by Australian cuisine. The portion is quite big when compared to regular Indonesian dishes.

Did you know?

I later found out that Komune also has a hotel in Gold Coast. I guess that explained the Australian theme.

Candi Dasa, and its surrounding area like Padang Bai, is actually a well-known diving area.

Rating for Komune Beach Club:

7.0 / 10

Taste: 7.0 / 10

Price: $5 – $10 per dish

Place: 7.5 / 10

Details:

Keramas Beach, off Jalan Prof Dr Ida Bagus Mantra Bypass, Bali

+62 361 3018888

http://www.komuneresorts.com/

Jan 28, 2016
Daisy’s Milkbar

Review:

For a few months before we finally managed to visit this restaurant, its signboard ‘milkbar’ had caught my attention. There was that sense of old-fashioned / retro look to the restaurant. The restaurant’s name is Daisy’s Milkbar.

On a Sunday afternoon, the restaurant was buzzing with people. One thing that made us happy was that the staffs were all lively and cheerful even when the wait was actually quite long.

Salted Caramel Milkshake – $7

Being in a milkbar won’t be complete without actually drinking milkshake. As an added bonus, the milkshakes from Daisy’s Milkbar were said to be one of the best ones in Sydney… and it was spot on! As a comparison, we tried three salted caramel milkshakes for the last couple of months, and this was the best one!

Pot of Sticky Chai (brewed with milk) – $5

It is a drink that I ordered out of curiosity. The sticky chai latte had a very strong taste. It is only recommended for people who are passionate about chai!

Avo Toast – $9

Seasoned smashed avocado served with garlic toast and grilled cherry tomatoes. I am actually not a big fan of the ingredients’ combination, especially savoury avocado – I am used to Avocado being juiced with condensed chocolate milk and coffee. However, my partner seemed to be loving the dish.

Pesto Eggs – $15

Scrambled eggs served with pesto and Persian feta on toast. This pesto eggs is the dish that I actually ordered.

It was quite a heavy breakfast dish and was the perfect size for my brunch.

Breakfast Burrito – $12.50

The breakfast burrito might look pretty simple, but the fillings really packed a punch: scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo, potato, chilli, coriander, jalapeno, chipotle sauce and cheese.

This is the breakfast dish that looked the most attractive from the ones we ordered. You can also have the vegetarian option by swapping bacon and chorizo for beans.

Toastie – $8.50

It was a simple sourdough toast with cheese, ham, tomato and mustard mayo

The toastie is almost as simple as the egg and soldiers below.

Egg and soldiers – $5

For the kiddos… toasted slices of bread dipped in soft-boiled egg.

The final verdict for Daisy’s Milkbar

Daisy’s Milkbar has quite a simplistic presentation for their dishes. Their milkshakes were one of the best ones in Sydney.

Did you know?

After talking to some people, apparently Daisy’s Milkbar is famous for its desserts as well. Unfortunately we did not order them this time around.

Rating for Daisy’s Milkbar:

7.0 / 10

Taste: 7.0 / 10

Price: $9 – $15 for main dishes

Place: 7.0 / 10

Details:

340 Stanmore Road, Petersham 2049

+61 2 8065 3466

http://daisysmilkbar.com/

Jul 3, 2015
Wilbur’s Place

Review:

Welcome to our second brunch review in as many weeks as this month we caught up with quite a lot of friends! We went to Potts Point for a small café in an alley called Wilbur’s Place.

The menu is the usual modern rustic dishes with quite a long name. In Wilbur’s Place, the name isn’t quite as long!

Mushrooms, Poached Eggs & Crispy Pancetta – $18

I actually did not order (and try) the dish and it looked pretty monochromatic. However, I was told that the Pancetta was delightfully crispy.

Crispy Polenta, Soft Egg, Slippery Jack Mushrooms & sage butter – $18

This is the dish that you MUST choose if your next visit to the café is your first one. It was probably the yummy-est polenta I’ve ever tasted especially when combined with the mushroom and butter!

I love everything about this dish even when this was not actually the one I ordered! (Luckily my wife liked the dish that I will talk about next so we traded off).

Flatbread, Pickles, Runny Egg, Flaked Trout & Avocado – $19

This dish is perfect for those of you who like brunch that feels light and refreshing. I think this dish portrays what the word ‘rustic’ is all about. It was plain and simple but packed a lot of punch!

Brussel Sprouts, soft egg, Parmesan, Bacon & Anchovy – $15

This is the only dish of the day that actually have green vegetables on the plate. However, the bacon and anchovy were barely visible because it blended perfectly with the colour of the bread. I think it would be better to see bacon sticking out on the plate when it’s on the menu.

Sourdough toast w Vegemite, Butter & Jam – $6

This is just a plain and simple vegemite toast for your children. The bread might not be suitable for younger kids as toasted sourdough can be too tough for them.

Toasted brioche ice cream sandwich w salted caramel – $13

Salted Caramel Milkshake – $7

Looks like salted caramel is the craze these days. It feels like everywhere we go we see salted caramel milkshake or dessert. In Wilbur’s place, you get both milkshake and dessert!

The final verdict for Wilbur’s Place

Wilbur’s place is probably one of the better brunch cafes that we have ever tasted in Sydney.

Did you know?

The name ‘Wilbur’ was taken from the pig in Charlotte’s Web.

Wilbur’s place is owned by Bourke Street Bakery.

Rating for Wilbur’s Place:

8.0 / 10

Taste: 8.0 / 10

Price: $11 – $19 for big dishes

Place: 7.0 / 10

Details:

36 Llankelly Place, Potts Point 2011

+61 2 9332 2999

http://www.wilbursplace.com/

Jun 12, 2015
West Juliett

Review:

One weekend, my friends took me to a café that I was not quite aware of (it was out of my area). When we arrived at the café, I noticed that it was the café that was always busy when I went past it a few times. The name of the café is West Juliett.

The café described itself as making simple rustic food and coffee. At first I was quite afraid of the queue, but apparently it moved along quite quickly. Since there were three of us, we only ordered three items on the menu.

Breakfast plate of leg ham, ricotta, avocado, poached egg, tomato, toast – $16.90

You got each one of the items stated in the menu in a fashion that reminds me of children lining up their food on the plate. The description on the menu can also serves as a check box: poached egg…tick! Well, butter is not on the list but it was on the plate!

It is obviously rustic… but it is way too simple!

Soft scrambled eggs, cured salmon, sorrel, yoghurt, fennel on toast – $18.90

The soft scrambled eggs dish was more fitting to the rustic description in my imagination. It was simple, yet well presented!

On a side note: the yoghurt was pretty sour to eat on its own.

Poached eggs, avocado, feta, parsley, cress, lemon, dukkah on toast – $16.90

The dish was the best looking out of the three that we ordered on the day. It was full of green vegetables with the poached eggs and toast hiding underneath.

All elements in the dish also married up perfectly.

The final verdict for West Juliett

It felt like your typical weekend brunch at West Juliett. I love the fact that despite the queue we actually got the seat quite quickly. The dishes were pretty big. The taste was also there.

Did you know?

We also ordered the coffee but it was quite so-so. The milkshake was also quite ordinary especially when compared to similar restaurants around the area.

Rating for West Juliett:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.5 / 10

Price: $11 – $19 for big dishes

Place: 6.5 / 10

Details:

30 Llewellyn Street, Marrickville 2204

+61 2 9519 0101

https://www.facebook.com/westjuliettcafe

Jun 5, 2015
El Topo Mexican

Review:

Before I decided to write about it, I have been to El Topo Mexican restaurant twice: The first one was a small lunch with colleague and the second one was a bigger lunch with friends and family. El Topo Mexican is located on the rooftop of The Eastern in Bondi Junction.

Without further ado, lets get on with the food!

Chapulines – Roast Crickets, Chile Garlic & Lime – $7

It is not a typo from carrots nor the name of an Australian sports. It is really a bowl of roast and crispy crickets for you to enjoy. I asked a Mexican friend of mine who happened to have lunch with us that day. He confirmed that it was a genuine dish from Mexico although it might not be as common in Mexico City.

I must say it’s quite challenging for my friends to try these out.

Chapulines

Taco

For lunch time, they have a deal of any 3 tacos for $15. They have several tacos to choose from and individually they are $6 – $8.

The tacos were quite small but they had nice fillings. Most of us chose the cochinita pibil (i.e. roast annatto pork) which apparently was the most famous toppings.

Taco de cochinita pibil

Taco de pollo en mole amarillo, taco de pescado frito

Ensalada de nopales y garbanzos – Cactus, chickpea, corn, tomato & parsley – $10

The second exotic dish of this restaurant is cactus salad. The texture and taste were pretty similar to pickled paprika in a salsa. It was very refreshing even for a non-vegetables eater like me!

Ensalada de nopales y garbanzos

Ceviche de pez real – kingfish ceviche, achiote, watermelon, radish & finger lime – $16

The ceviche had a gorgeous presentation. Unfortunately, I think there were way too many other items but the ceviche on the plate. The squid ink watermelon provided an interesting colour to the dish.

Ceviche de pez real

Barbacoa de costilla de res – 12 hours beef short rib, barbacoa sauce, pickled cabbage & baby onions – $32

This dish was the main reason why I decided to come back. I was very tempted to order this on my first visit but $32 and a giant beef rib would not do well for my after-lunch work.

However, I can tell you that the beef rib was very yummy. You don’t even need to use your knife to cut through the meat!

Barbacoa de costilla de res

Flan roto de coco con chocolate y cajeta – Flan of coconut, single origin Mexican chocolate hazelnut & goats milk caramel – $14

I was interested in ordering the flan because of its glowing review in Jugernauts. I think I was over-expecting it a bit too much. It was a nice dessert, but not for $14.

Flan roto de coco con chocolate y cajeta

Bunuelos con chocolate – Mexican doughnuts & chocolate sauce – $12

I love doughnuts… any shapes and sizes! I love them even more when they were freshly made!

Bunuelos con chocolate

The final verdict for El Topo Mexican

I’m pretty sure El Topo Mexican is the only place in Sydney (or Australia) that has crickets and cactus on the menu.

Did you know?

There are two El Topo in this premise: El Topo Basement and El Topo Mexican (on the top floor).

Rating for El Topo Mexican:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.5 / 10

Price: $15 – $32 per main dish

Place: 7.5 / 10

Details:

Level 3, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction 2022

+61 2 9387 7828

https://www.theeastern.com.au/venues/

Mar 6, 2015