Sydney Food Diary

Dial Y for Yum

In food and phone related news, former delicious magazine chief sub-editor Michael Shafran has joined HWW's yourRestaurants (who provide the content for 3 mobile, Optus, Telstra, blah blah).

We've played around with 3's EAt and Drink service and although it was ok, improved content would be great. It should also help save valuable seconds when we are "oot and aboot" and have a hankering.

Mr. Shafran said, “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to create and distribute Australia-wide restaurant and bar guides, taking advantage of leading-edge technologies to give people what they’re looking for in a very user-friendly and customisable way."

Indeed.

Another Mint-y Moment

Another hopeless addiction: spicy lamb mince w hummus, roast onions & za'atar toast for brekkie at Cafe Mint.

Tabou

Packing some Burgundy from our recent trip to France, we set off for Tabou in Surry Hills, optimistic that it would be the perfect venue to uncork (it is BYO and was ready to seat us on little notice, which was a good start).

We knew too, of course, that the food was suitably French and we'd heard that it was handled quite well.

Our expectations were pleasantly exceeded.

The restaurant itself was really far more charming than we thought (from wlaking past), and while it is a bit cliched, it's far easier to buy into the illusion from the inside of this warm softly lit room.

We devoured the sweetbreads and the pheasant terrine then reveled in succulent pork loin (pictured above) and venison and couldn't find much fault with anything (though we weren't really looking, we were having too much fun enjoying the company of the ladies at the table beside us).

The service too was warmer and friendlier than we anticipated - a decidely Australian detail in the midst of so much Frenchness.

Tabou 527 Crown St Surry Hills NSW 2010

Satellite Espresso

We're a bit busy so I guess we'll let Estee take care of this one. :P

Cheezy confessions

We have a confession to make.

For the last few weekends we've been tiptoeing into Simon Johnson's cheese room and sneaking away with three cheeses simply for the "afternoon delight" of it.

We'll probably do it again.

Dov

Dov crept up on us like a sneaky pair of tighty whitys on a summers' day

We found ourselves at Dov at the corner of Good Intentions Rd and Weak Will Blvd

On Friday we ate at Dov even though we said we would stay home and cook. They made us simple, comfortable and yummy food for low, low prices.* We also had a pudding. We were happy.

(* Read: this isn't a restaurant that will blow your mind, just comfort food in a cosy setting)

Dov is at 252 Forbes St (cnr Burton St) Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Aroma

We had a super Sunday stroll through the Aroma Coffee Festival down at ye olde Rocks. But then nothing gets us going like 6 cups of coffee from the some of Sydney's most dedicated coffee suppliers (roasters, cafes, et al.) Although, we were more than a little disappointed to notice that the big boys (or at least those we hold in high esteem) were all missing from this year's event. (Campos? Toby's? Allpress? Single Origin?)

Best cup for our money on the day was Karmee's mocha blend (the machine on the left side when facing their booth) with the most disappointing (not the worst overall mind you) definately being Sacred Grounds (Voodoo's NASAA division) even if their hearts are in the right place.

Bertoni Casalinga

We were really happy to see our friendly lunch spot, Bertoni Casalinga get props in this week Good Living. It isn't fancy (cucina means plain home cooking), just two boys trying to do their mamma (Maria) proud, but we like it lots. So apparently does Mark Best recently mentioned that he starts most days there (and who are we to argue with him), Not everyonethough is impressed.

Whose restaurant rules?

We didn't really get into My Restaurant Rules this time around but it was damn near impossible to live in Australia and not catch a few episodes.

Equally, difficult is working (or living/frequenting, I assume) in Balmain and not becoming smitten with the down to earth yet excellent Bistro Stock.

So imagine our surprise when in the kitchen of our friendly bistro appeared, Chef Jeff (seen above with Matt Moran) of the ill-fated Pink Salt from MRR.

We were amused (Michelle was actually tickled, probably a bit too much so) to say the least - despite my insistence that the chef of the second place reality show restaurant doesn't really constitute celebrity and remembering that his kitchen was famous for sending out hair with the entrees. We were also tempted to order the cheese plate to ask if any had come from Simon and Johnson. Ha.

Off the road

I'll spare you the details of my recent travel but I will share a few broader strokes courtesy of my flickr....

- Roomservice meal at the Metropolitan, a Bento Box from Nobu

- Gold and chocolate at Felix in HK.

- White summer truffle risotto at Restaurant 3 Portes in Cannes.

- Phillipe Starck designed 1664 Kronenbourg with free matching glasses (that thankfully didn't break in my luggage on the way home)

- Langostine Tagliatele at Notting Hills' Zucco

- a bounty of baklava at Marble Arch.