Sydney Food Diary

Nest

When we leave the general area of our nest, one of our favorite brunchy-lunchy spots is Potts Point's Nest which sits unassumingly spilling out of a residential building on Victoria.

They serve up Campos coffee and the food, though mostly no-nonsense has some deliciously different options from the usually Sydney brunch suspects.

Personally we find both the pears poached in ginger and cinnamon with marscapone on sour cherry toast (pictured above) and the four cheese and relish on toast (pictured, partially eaten below) hard to pass up (but Daniel swears by the truffled eggs).

...and they've just started serving up dinner on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. We've yet to check it out but we had a glance at the menu and it looks promising. Anyone been?

Cafe Nest is at 145 Victoria St Potts Point NSW 2011. Phone (02) 8356 9505

Baja Cantina and the Sydney Mexican Food Dilemma

So it's been well documented in discussion recently that Sydney doesn't really have it very good for Mexican food.

We've always liked Azteca's in Randwick but have heard that it changed hands a little while ago (can anyone confirm?). And the truth is it's a really long haul for us when we need a quick Mexican fix. (let's face it, fine dining it ain't, Mexican really is craving food)

So anyhow when we saw that Baja Cantina was opening up in Glebe we were a bit excited but also didn't have the highest expectations (and some of the early comments we saw confirmed more or less what we thought).

Well we gave in to our better instincts last night and gave it a try. And we were pleasantly surprised, the food was fresh and tasty and not disgustingly smothered in cheap cheese and bland sauce. Our food beef fajitas and fish tacos were both really good and satisfying. The fish taco was made with beer battered flathead and had a fiery chipotle cabbage slaw that really brought it to life. The beef fajitas were straightforward (better than the home version), well spiced (we ordered them "spicy") and came with all the fixins'.

The only real disappointment for us was that we couldn't BYO and that the wine list was abysmal. I'm sure most of you will be thinking "I'd rather have beer/Sangria/Margaritas with Mexican anyway" and if it were a summery night we'd probably agree but we felt like a bit of red.

We'll definately be back but we won't write home about it.

Baja Cantina, 43-45 Glebe Point Rd Glebe NSW 2037 Phone (02) 9571 1199

Steak Sunny Side Up

When the sun is out (as it has been the last few days) there are few things that are finer than splitting a salt and pepper mud crab and chowing down on Kingsley's 150 Day Grain-Fed Australian Angus Fillet.

That is all.

Kingsleys is located on the finger wharf in Woolloomooloo, 1300 KINGSLEYS

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Still think about it? they also have a sale on some of their cellar wines including '99 Clarendon Hills Liandra.

Cafe On the Otherside

Ok, I know it's been a quiet week so I will share one more really secret, secret with you and this one should easily make up for the lack of posting.

We've discovered a new cafe just off the well beaten path that the kewl kids like to call Oxford St - behind UNSW on a tree canopied corner.

It's called Cafe On the Otherside and they serve up nice and simple tasty food and amazing Golden Cobra coffee (which is our new favorite, only available in limited places and worth going out of you way for). The place itself has a great vibe with vintage furniture, an amazing mural and tables spilling out into the sidewalk sunlight.

A great place to step away from the bussle on the other side. Chillax and enjoy.

Cafe on the Otherside is at the corner of Albion and Sellywn St Paddington

Young Alfred

One little (not-so) secret that we haven't particularly wanted to share with everyone else who is scrounging for a decent and inexpensive eats in the CBD/Rocks is that Young Alfred in Customs House is run by the same folks who used to run Arthur's in Paddington (back when it was good).

The food has all looked good as we've watched it go by but to be honest we haven't yet been able to get past ordering the pizza so we'll only talk to that.

The standard menu pizza selections are all really tasty and interesting but for added excitement you can simply order a "Surprise ???" pizza which will be different every time even if you order several for your table.

They've also got some great seating outside so it's bound to be even more popular come the return or summer. Save us a table since we've tipped you in ok?

Young Alfred is on the ground level of Customs House Square, Circular Quay Tel: (02) 9251 5192

Bilson's

We had some really incredible meals with our foodie friend Michael (from Toronto) while he was living here. And one of the last places he really wanted to visit before he finally returned was Bilson's.

We felt it hard to argue as it one of only 4 hatted restaurants that we hadn't been to and Tony Bilson's reputation preceded him.

To cut a long (5hr) meal short, we were somewhat underwhelmed. That isn't to say we didn't like it just that the experience didn't quite live up to our (perhaps too high) expectations.

We all had the full degustation with wine matching but as we didn't want to shell out the $15 for s signed menu (?!?) we can't tell you exactly what all we ate. And while some of the food was excellent, there was an overall feeling with our whole group that some things just didn't gel as well as you'd expect at a restaurant of this reputation and at these prices ($$$).

The pacing was a bit slow (thus the 5hrs) and the wine matching seemed to never arrive in sync with the courses (sometimes early sometimes late) which did contribute to what was lacking from the whole experience.

Bilson's - Radisson Plaza Hotel 27 O'Connell Street Sydney NSW Phone +61(0)2 8214 0496

Bistro Moncur

Wow, what took us so long to get to Bistro Moncur? For some reason it just never seemed that enticing to me - this instinct was entirely wrong.

It's a real gem - warm service, excellent food and with a minimum of fuss and pretense. If you are looking for a reco, the french onion souffle (first below) knocked our socks off.

It definitely won't take us three years before we're back here.

-french onion souffle

-crisp skinned salmon with lobster boudin

-fillet with bernaise sauce

-trio of apple desserts

Bistro Moncur - The Woollahra Hotel 116 Queen St Woollahra 02 9363 2519 (no bookings)

Bentley Restaurant & Bar

Another new favorite (Michelle actually went so far as to proclaim this her "official favorite") is the refreshingly informal but incredible Bentley Restaurant and Bar on the corner of Crown and Campbell Streets in Surry Hills.

Bentley is the brainchild of Brent Savage (2005 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year) and former Marque Sommalier Nick Hildebrandt - a formidable combination of experience by anyone's measure.

Their experience rings through loud and clear and is particularly well articulated in the 8 course degustation ($90) with wine pairing.

The food is extraordinary and the wine pairings feel like an effortless extension of each dish. This is the first time that we or any of our dining party (which included American food journos) had ever experienced pairings that were an enhancement to each and every dish (rather than merely trying to keep pace).

We've already been back for more and this is just the sort of restaurant that we can see ourselves returning to time and time again.

The Bentley Restaurant & Bar - 320 Crown Str, Surry Hills 9332 2344

Blue Eye Dragon

From the same people who keep the unbelievably good value Taiwanese kitchen at Grain Tea Rice and Noodles (one of our regular favs), comes this charming little stunner on the other side of Harris St.

Blue Eye Dragon is a slightly dressier and grown up restaurant than it's sibling and lit perfectly for an intimate dinner (it's also big enough to accommodate a good sized group).

The dishes are made for sharing and include delicious fried crisp chicken with basil, five spice and a salt and pepper dipping blend on the side, tender stewed beef shin served cold but melting with sweet rice wine and soy flavour, succulent pork belly in star anise and soy sauce, tofu stuffed with pork and prawn, and truly elegant prawn and pork dumplings (that nearly disappeared before I could even snap a photo).

With BYO also on the cards, Blue Eye Dragon makes for a really great and affordably elegant night out. You're worth it.

Blue Eye Dragon is at Shop 2, 42 Harris Street, Pyrmont T: 02-9518 9955 and is only open for dinner Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday

Back to Balzac

Even after such a delicious holiday, it's still nice to get back to the things you love.

Once again Mr. Kemp's Sunday degustation dazzled.

Iced Tomato Consomme with Yabby Tails (what a start)

"Clam Chowder" (brilliant)

Tuna with calamari and red peppers (featuring some amazing air-dryed Spanish tuna)

Risotto of garden pea and chicken with fresh Perigord truffles (wow)

Rump of Berkshire Pork with braised savoy cabbage, bread sauce and parsnips (just perfect)

Cheese course with honeycomb, plum paste and currants

Fruit salad with mango sorbet

Poached peaches with blackberry Eaton Mess and champagne sorbet