Sydney Food Diary

Tsunami Fundraiser at Sailors Thai

OK, with one foot out the door to Thailand (and Cambodia) ourselves (see previous post), we thought we'd share with you this tastily amazing opportunity to help the victims of the devasting tsunami. This is an undeniably all-star dinner and would be worth every penny, even if it wasn't going to such a great cause.

Sadly, we won't be back in time.

Please see the following message from Chef David Thompson of Sailors Thai.

As most of you might know, I have been enthralled with Thailand for many years. I was easily seduced by that happy country and its delicious cooking. On Boxing Day, Tanongsak and I were in Bangkok and we awoke to our building shaking. Nerve wracking though that rocking was, the aftermath in the south was truly horrendous. We all know what the tsunami did.

What has been extraordinary is the response to this disaster. I, too, wanted to contribute. When I spoke to Maureen O'Keefe and Peter Bowyer, my partners here at Sailors Thai, they were quick to agree. We have made our livelihood from the Thai's cuisine and felt compelled to do whatever we could - and for us that means dinner! This is the reason I am writing to you to ask you for your help.

On Wednesday, 2nd February, a group of friends will join me at Sailors Thai to raise money. Guillaume Brahimi, Tim Pak Poy, Christine Manfield, Neil Perry, Janni Kyritsis, Matthew Moran, Martin Boetz and Tanongsak Yordwai will prepare their favourite dishes. For this dinner, we are asking $500.00 per person.

I am delighted to say that all the proceeds raised on the night will go to the Rajaprachanukroh Foundation in Thailand. This is a royally sponsored charity, which will direct funds to children from the southern provinces of Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket. Impoverished students, and now sadly orphaned kids, will be the direct beneficiaries as their schools and homes will be rebuilt and their tuition paid for while they are being supported.

We have only just started to plan this, yet quite a few tickets have already been sold. If you want to contribute to this worthwhile event and would like to book a seat or two on the night, please contact Peter Bowyer or Christina Lynch at Sailors Thai.

Where: Sailors Thai, 106 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney.

Telephone: 02 9251 2466.

Date: Wednesday, 2nd February.

Time: 7pm

Tickets: Downstairs $500.00 per person, including wines.

With warmest thanks in advance,

David Thompson.
Sailors Thai, Sydney

Holiday, celebrate

"...we're all goin on a summer holiday..."

We're off to some wedding, sun, SangThip, temples and relaxation tomorrow. We'll be back and better for it in early Feb.

Baby fennel and Sicilian olive Pork

This recipe works equally well on top of fish (especially of the crispy skin variety) but for this version we used Bangalow pork. We actually borrowed (read: bastardized) this recipe from Peter Kuravita who taught us it with beautiful Murray Cod (farmed in Orange, NSW).

All you need:
Some pork, chops work a treat
1 Baby Fennel
1 Brown Onion
Some Sicilian olives
Lotsa good quality olive oil

What you gotta do:
Cut the faces off of the olives. Dice the fennel and onion.
Heat a frypan to medium-low. Chuck in the fennel, onion and about 1/2 cup of tasty, tasty oil. Slowly raise the heat to soften the ingredients. Lower to a simmer and add olives a good healthy pinch or three of salt (to taste) and another 1/2 cup to cup of oil (the oil makes the sauce and carries all the flavour so don't skimp). In the meantime grill (or pan sear) your pork.

Serve pork with a healthy pile of the good stuff on top. Enjoy. Smile because it is good and so damn easy.

Que pasa, encasa?

Ok so we went to encasa. The tapas, which we ordered were good enough but they wouldn't let us order what we wanted beyond the tapas menu (too busy, too long of a wait).

The service was very patchy and not very warm despite our understanding (we understood, there clearly wasn't enough floor staff)...

I can see the potential and have heard so many good things about this place that we are not going to pass judgement but rather try again another time. But we won't be in a hurry to do so.

Encasa. 423 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000

Tsukasa

We won't say that ordering tempura or other other snacky nibbles at Tskasa is a mistake, but we will say that we won't ever do it again.

Instead we'll choose to get right down like Randy Bachman (to takin' care of business) with the incredible quality of the fish. Tataki, sushi, handrolls and especially sashimi all prepared with skill and care which belies both the price and the space (which really could use freshening up).

On this occasion the highlights were mackerel which was meltingly tender (sashimi), salmon belly which was the best we've sampled in Sydney and a whole yellowtail tataki-ed, tossed and lovingly re-inserted between the tail and head - all of which would be a bargain at twice the price.

Rating: 13/20

Tsukasa - 200 Crown St. East Sydney NSW 2010 9361 3818

On the side

We found it hard to imagine a brunch spot which could rival the Danks St duo (Cafe Sopra and Danks St. Depot) and the temptation of Strangers with Candy, but mere blocks away, in Darlington, within the instant reach of so many suburbs is A Little on the Side.

Great coffee and a short but stylish menu is all this sunny, quiet corner tucked just off Cleveland St needs to start any brunch-ers day off right.

We chose the corn fritter, stacked high with bacon and a superb avacado salsa-come-salad (pictured) and a fluffy open omlette of chorizo and olive - both were more than we needed (but not more than we could eat).

We'd keep this spot to ourselves, but it too good not to share.

A Little on the Side corner of Boundary St and Ivy Ln, Darlington

The 3 Weeds

We couldn't resist the fabulous newness of the Restaurant at 3 Weeds in Rozelle. It's another big reputation chef from a big name background (Banc, Prime), working the pans (also owning them) in a small cozy venue - a great formula, and normally one which equals great value.

The room here is a terrific makeover of what could easily be an uninspiring space and there is a directness to the food which compliments the style.

We started with roast quail with a tortellini of confit quial leg which was the best dish of the night and marinated ocean trout with crab filled zucchini flower which was the most disappointing. The trout itself was pleasant we just felt as though there was no strongly articulated flavour in either the marinade or the dish.

There was no disappointment when it came to our mains - pan fried snapper with vongole and mussel vinaigrette was perfectly done and pot roasted lamb rump in an eggplant and thyme jus came complimented with a tender ravioli of lambs tongue and shank.

Our service was helpul, efficient and professional but not intrusive, (which is only really worth notice as the restaurant is so young).

Rating: 13/20

The Restaurant at 3 Weeds (Rose, Shamrock and Thistle) 193 Evans Street, Rozelle (02) 9818 2788

Bar Reggio

Ok, so true green white and red Italian it ain't but dollar for dollar we challenge you to find a better place to chow down on great local Ital-cusine than Bar Reggio.

Just steps away from the ordinary (ok, horrific) Italian eateries of Stanley St, Bar Reggio bustles and buzzes. It's always packed so we don't recommend that you try to have and intimate encounter or business dinner there but excellent pizzas (hint: try the white pizza, pictured) and reasonable, sharable pastas keep us (and many, many others) coming back for more.*

Head down to East Sydney, grab some quaffable red stuff (BYO), sit back and enjoy the energy.

Bar Reggio 135 Crown St East Sydney NSW 2010

*In fact, we recently introduced friends (who live nearby) to Bar Reggio and they've been eating there a few times a week every since.

World's Biggest Risotto

We must've been too deeply entrenched in Xmas partay-ing to notice 7510 kilos of risotto simmering away at Circular Quay on Nov 26th. But yes, the Australian Rice Industry, with the help of some "celebrity chefs" including Aqua Luna's Darren Simpson whipped up a swimming pool sized pea and saffron risotto. The feat bested the Guinness World Record which was set in Italy earlier this year (440 kilos).

Get the recipe for the World's Biggest Risotto.
More info is here.
Pictures here.

Restaurant New(ish)

Australian Gourmet Traveller reports that Dean Keddell of Bondi's ever so Bondi Mu Shu has surfaced with a new restaurant in slightly less-Bondi Manly. Whitewater has seafood-focussed Asian on the menu and was designed by Dreamtime Australia Design's Michael McCann (Flying Fish, Mu Shu).

They also mention Malaysian chilli lobster that has our interest officially piqued.

Whitewater, 35 South Steyne, Manly, (02) 9977 0322

****Updated: Ok so we are falling a bit behind over the holidays, SMH reviewed whitewater in yesterday's Good Living.