Category: Modern Australian

The term Modern Australian arises when the influence of globalisation, mainly the exotic flavour of South East Asians, is fused with contemporary food.

Majestic Harvest

Review:

Majestic Gourmet Grocers is a pretty interesting place. It is located in an old cinema building in Petersham that have been refurbished. The restaurant side of the place is called Majestic Harvest. They also have the grocer/gourmet market next to the restaurant.

Kids Spaghetti – $8

The kids spaghetti is a pretty good-valued meal with quite a big portion. It is not on the dinner menu, but you can request one.

Seared beef fillet carpaccio – $18 – with button mushrooms, a la Greque, rocket, parmesan and truffle oil

This has got to be the most generous serving of beef carpaccio I have ever seen. It is also full of things that I like!

The beef was cut a lot thicker than the usual beef carpaccio.

Zucchini flower – $18 – w/ ricotta, pine nuts, basil, burnt butter muscatel, lemon

It was a stark contrast to the carpaccio in terms of serving. However, the zucchini flower delivered a better-tasting dish.

Roasted Spatchcock peri peri chicken – $24 – with kale, green beans, chickpeas and tomato, lemon & mint yoghurt dressing

I ordered this menu because there seemed to be a confusion whether it was a spatchcock or a chicken. I think it ended up being spatchcock with peri peri sauce.

The spatchcock was surprisingly spicy! It also had the reigning healthiest vegetable in the world, kale.

Braised lamb gnocchi – $21 – with rosemary, olives and preserved lemon & pepper

I think the lamb gnocchi was the hero dish for the night. It was everything I expected it to be!

Rocket salad – $8 – with pear, walnut, snow pea and blue cheese

I quite like this salad. It was quite rich and multi textures.

Roasted fig feuilletine – $15 – with pistachio nut mousse, pomegranate syrup

We ordered the dessert because we had such a lovely dinner. However, the dessert was sort of a letdown. Despite the interesting description, the elements did not go well together. The overall dessert was warm and I think it could be better with a scoop of ice cream.

The final verdict for Majestic Harvest

It is always uplifting when a restaurant gives you a great service. Majestic Harvest also had a pretty good lamb gnocchi.

Did you know?

Midway through the dinner, one of the attendant actually came to our table to excuse himself. It seemed that his shift had ended and we started to have a little chitchat. I’m pretty sure he went to every table he attended before finally departing. It is quite an interesting experience and we were quite appreciative of the gesture.

Rating for Majestic Harvest:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 7.0 / 10

Price: $50 per person

Place: 7.5 / 10

Details:

49 New Canterbury Road, Petersham NSW 2049

02 8097 2222

Majestic Harvest on Facebook

Nov 4, 2015
Boilerhouse

Dining Experience:

A pretty unusual dinner invite arrived in my inbox from esPoiR Communications. It was a themed dinner titled ‘Rich Man, Poor Man: Food Through the Classes´. The dinner is based on the food offerings served to the different classes of passengers that stayed at the Quarantine Station back in the late 1800s/1900s.

Having seen Heston Blumenthal’s themed dinner on TV, I was pretty psyched in going to my very first themed dinner! The dinner was prepared by Chef Matt Kemp who has worked in and owned some of the best restaurants in Sydney.

There was an MC dresses as a crooked captain guiding us through the dinner with a story of disease spreading in the dining room. He then tried to pinpoint which class was infected.

Canapes – Oysters Rich Man Poor Man Style – Oyster with Caviar & Leek and Potato Oyster Shooters

Drinks of Class – Beer, G&T, Bubbles

The canapes were actually served on the other side of the restaurant near the wharf. The three different drinks represented the three typical classes of passengers arriving at the quarantine station: Bubbles for first class, G&T for second class and Beer for the third class.

There were only two types of oysters: The upper class with Caviar and the lower one as shooters. I prefer the shooters than the ones with caviar as the latter was too dry and pretty warm for oysters.

Poached Smoked Haddock Fish Cakes with Wild Weeds with matching Bella Riva Pinot Grigio

The first course was the dish historically served for first class passengers. It had all of the elements of expensive entrée with sophisticated name and salmon roe at the top of the fish cakes.

Beef Braised in Ale with Cabbage, Carrots & Suet Dumplings with matching De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Shiraz

It was meant to be a third class dish. However, I’m pretty sure back then it was served and presented nowhere near this dish. The ingredients actually illustrated the difference in class. They used ale-based sauce and suet, or some might know it as beef or mutton fat.

Whole Saddle of Mutton, Neeps & Tatties, Garden Mint Sauce with matching Bella Riva Sangiovese

The third dish was designed as a share plate (I am wondering why it is not being done for the third class) for second-class passengers.

This dish was my personal favourite for the night. The fatty and crackle-like edge was so good when enjoyed with the garden mint sauce!

The chef asked us to plate our own dish… so here it is!

Pimms Jelly with Cream & Fruit – Middle Class Sweets

Again, it might not reflect a true ‘middle class’ back in the days with its presentation and edible flower. However, you would see how simple it was when compared to the desserts for the upper class passengers.

High Tea – Selection of Traditional & New Idea Sweets – with matching wines Deen De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis

High tea is the custom observed by the wealthy classes in England in the 1800s. It represented the upper class delicacies perfectly with the matching Botrytis.

The final verdict for Boilerhouse Harbourside Restaurant

Although it was not in the same stratosphere as Heston Blumenthal’s themed dinner, Boilerhouse’s was pretty amazing!

Did you know?

Boilerhouse Harbourside Restaurant is part of Q Station Sydney Harbour National Park in Manly. This place

There are a whole range of activities that you can do at Q Station, including Ghost Tours for every age… and for your bravery level!

Details:

Q Station, North Head Scenic Drive, Manly 2095

02 9466 1511

http://www.qstation.com.au/boilerhouse-restaurant–bar.html

Oct 28, 2015
The Bridge Room

Review:

One of the perks of having a birthday at the end of September is that you get to wait until Good Food Guide is released for the year. You can then book one of the winning restaurants. This year, we went to the ‘double winner’, The Bridge Room. In addition to getting their third hat, they were also crowned Restaurant of the Year in 2016.

We came in for lunch on Friday and the restaurant was decently filled. Without further ado, let’s talk about the food!

Children’s Beef Steak – $25

Well, the fact that they have a kid’s menu still amazes me. On top of that, this has got to be the best kid’s menu dish I have ever seen and tasted in my life. Our little one is also a pretty good ‘reviewer’ – i.e. he wouldn’t hesitate saying ‘yuck’ if it was a crappy dish. In this instance, he devoured everything on the plate.

Fraser Island Spanner crab, pickled and shelled, new season asparagus – $34 – artichoke butter, basil, celery leaf salt

Our first entrée looked so light and simple yet it was elegant and sophisticated! The soft crab meat combined with the delicate seasoning created such a rich dish. When you add artichoke butter and asparagus into the mix, you got yourself a very unique dish!

It is perfect for people who wanted to start their lunch on the lighter side.

Robata grilled raw beef, pickled greens, shiitake mushrooms, puffed jobs tears – $33 – dried mushrooms, miso, roasted peanut oil

I have always known robatayaki to be a cooked beef satay. So, looking at the description of raw robata beef, I was very intrigued. Presented in a dark-themed plate, the raw beef was exquisite!

The beef was rather obscured by the dried mushrooms and was perfectly complemented by shiitake mushrooms and miso!

Wild caught Snapper, burnt celeriac, celeriac softened in butter – $48 – Cipollini onions, sticky chicken sauce

Our first main course was a snapper. The fish was cooked perfectly with crispy skin. It was enhanced by crunchy celeriac and sweetness of onion. The black sauce was the icing on the cake. It bound the dish into a perfect experience!

Ocean Trout, crisp skin, silken eggplant, roasted tea broth – $45 – sesame, puffed rice, organic soy sauce, grilled rock kelp.

This is not a dish that I would normally order in a fine dining restaurant as I would really hate my fish to be overcooked. When the dish came, it looked perfect. The taste? The meat was beautifully cooked and the skin was extra crispy.

There was also another surprise in this dish. They put hot and spicy stuff (I’d guess something like chili seeds!) on the silken eggplant! It added a whole level of complexity to the ocean trout. It was an exciting surprise!

Steamed broccolini, smoked onion puree, sweet pickled onions – $11

Steamed broccolini was the side dish that accompanied our main courses. There was actually quite a lot of them on the plate! I actually loved mixing the smoked onion puree with my ocean trout. It gave that extra sweet taste to the fish.

Burnt caramel cream, candied Packham pear salad – $18 – pistachio crumb, mint, basil, raisins, pedro ximenez

The burnt caramel cream looked a bit more like a savoury dish with all of those edible flowers and ‘salad’.

It was a rather bitter dessert with enhanced crunch from the pistachio crumb. The pear salad and mint balanced the bitter flavour really nicely.

It is suited for people who like complex dish to end the service.

Aerated passionfruit, roasted nougatine, passionfruit ice cream – $18 – passionfruit seed powder, glass biscuit

On the other hand, the passionfruit ice cream gave us a very refreshing end to our lunch.

There are quite a lot of elements on the plate, including tiny meringue-looking aerated passionfruit.

A word of advice: Just try to cut the glass biscuit in small pieces … It was quite difficult to digest in a big chunk!

The final verdict for The Bridge Room

There is no doubt that The Bridge Room deserved the three hats and title of Sydney’s best! Everything was spotless when we dined there!

Did you know?

This is only the second restaurant that we have ever given a score of 9.5, the other one was Tetsuya’s.

You should also order their Berry cocktail with Yuzu. If I don’t need to work after lunch, I would order a second!

Rating for The Bridge Room:

9.5 / 10

Taste: 9.5 / 10

Price: $250 for two excl. wine.

Place: 9.5 / 10

Details:

44 Bridge Street, Sydney 2000

02 9247 7000

http://www.thebridgeroom.com.au/

Oct 12, 2015
Chophouse

Review:

I wanted to take a couple of VIPs from overseas to enjoy Australian beef. I have heard that Chophouse was one of the best steakhouse in town. So naturally, Chophouse was our choice for enjoying the beautiful Australian beef.

Looking at the menu, they have cuts that you will most likely not find in your local butcher. So, we were pretty happy with the prospect of having quality food for dinner.

The night started off wonderfully with two beautiful starters:

Crisp Zucchini Flowers with prawn mousse, and Romesco sauce – $21.90

There were three golden zucchini flowers with beautiful prawn fillings.

Flash Fried Prawns & Calamari with Aioli – $17.50

Despite looking like an ordinary salt and pepper calamari, they were nothing but ordinary.

Something Fishy

It is actually one of the names for the kid’s menu. It was a deep fried fish fillet with steamed greens. The fish was way too overcooked. The little guy did not want to finish it (and I didn’t blame him). The good thing about it was that it was FREE of charge!

After quite a long wait, with a few guests that came around the same time as us already paid their bills, our main course arrived. On a side note, the complimentary bread actually managed to keep my tummy busy while waiting for the main course.

The Glazed Beef Short Rib with house made BBQ sauce (350gr) – $36.00

Obviously when you are at one of the best steakhouses, you will want to try the best item (usually the most expensive one?) on their ‘signatures’ range. This short rib was the one. It was the dish I originally ordered (and was subsequently halved and traded with the rump cap below).

The meat was incredibly tender and the BBQ sauce was nice.

Double Double Lamb Chops with mint jelly (2x180gr) – $30.90 – from Amelia Park, WA

I must admit that the double double lamb chops sounded very intriguing! However, my tummy said ‘no’ to the weight listed on the menu.

Wagyu Rump Cap, MB6+ with harissa and jus (200gr) – $39.00 – from FI, AACo, QLD

Wagyu rump cap was the best dish of the night for me. It was the smallest portion for the night and wasn’t the one I ordered (unfortunately!), but the steak was beautiful.

The final verdict for Chophouse

Quality was definitely there when it comes down to the steak they served at Chophouse… as expected from quality meats! However, a very long break between the two courses and the fact that no one told us the steak did not come with any side dishes made our experience somewhat less satisfying.

Did you know?

I was quite interested in their Tomahawks. However considering it weighed in excess of 1.5 kg, none of us dared to order it.

The side dishes cost from $9 to $25. So, in order to have a complete meal, you might need to add that cost into your main dish.

Rating for Chophouse:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 8.0 / 10

Price: $20 – $55 per main dish

Place: 8.0 / 10

Details:

25 Bligh St, Sydney 2000

1300 246 748

http://chophousesydney.com.au/

Aug 17, 2015
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