Posts tagged Cafe

Best of Brunch, SMH Good Food Month

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Fried Chicken and Waffles, Hartsyard

The world of food is fantastically varied. You just know, KNOW, that wherever you go, someone has a specialty and it’s going to be just delicious. I mean Asia has street food, America’s got diners (amongst other things), and Australia?

Australia’s got talent brunch.

So it’s fitting that Good Food Month celebrates that with Best of Brunch, where some of Australia’s best and hipsterest come together to feed us the most important meal of the day.

You know, the one we eat after sleeping in and while nursing a hangover?

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Poached Eggs and Kale Salad, Ruby's DinerPoached Eggs and Kale Salad, Ruby’s Diner

Ruby’s Diner was first up to bat, with a very responsible Poached Eggs and Kale Salad. Very light, very healthy, and very keeping in with the theme of the Pyrmont Growers’ Markets right round the corner. It almost felt too healthy, except the kale salad was actually quite delicious, so points for that.

And perfect to whet your appetite for the courses to come.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of SMH Good Food Month.
Ruby’s Diner
Shop1/173-179 Bronte Road
Bondi Junction, NSW
Phone: 0404 379 585
Website: www.rubys.com/

Ruby's Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Farro and Corn, PinboneFarro and Corn, Pinbone

Pinbone (RIP) then bulks it up with Farro and Corn, which for some reason made me think of American grits. Very comforting, and so luscious that you just wanna roll around in a bed of it.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of SMH Good Food Month.
Pinbone
3 Jersey Rd
Woollahra NSW 2025
Phone: +61 2 9328 1600
Website: www.pinbone.com.au/

Pinbone Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Fried Chicken and Waffles, HartsyardFried Chicken and Waffles, Hartsyard

But you know what you have with grits? FRIED F**KING CHICKEN. And not just any chicken either. It was the famed Hartsyard fried chicken. And waffles. But really, we all know who’s the star here. Crispy juicy fried chicken, sweet fluffy waffles, maple syrup…this elevated the meal to a had-a-sexy-night-then-roll-out-of-bed sorta brunch. I’ve always wondered about the hype, and now I know.

Oh boy, do I know.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of SMH Good Food Month.
Hartsyard
33 Enmore Road
Enmore, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 8068 1473
Website: http://hartsyard.com.au

Hartsyard Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Apple Strudel, LuMi DiningApple Strudel, LuMi Bar and Dining

Then, it was over all too soon. LuMi Dining put forward an apple strudel, which, while it might have been a perfectly respectable strudel, wasn’t quite at the level of the fried chicken. And I’m beginning to fear that nothing will ever live up to the fried chicken, and my life will be sad.

That being said, the apple strudel isn’t quite what I’d go to LuMi for, necessarily. The rest of the menu is much better. Much.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of SMH Good Food Month.
LuMi Bar and Dining
56 Pirrama Road
Pyrmont, NSW
Phone: 02 9571 1999
Website: http://www.lumidining.com

LuMi Bar & Dining Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sydney Food Blog Review of Best of Brunch, Good Food Month 2015: Chocolate Chip Cookie, West JulietteChocolate Chip Cookie, West Juliett

And to take home, like a cool, new-age version of the petit fours that you get at the end of fancy restaurant meals, a salted chocolate chip cookie from West Juliett. The reveal of this brought many ooh’s and aah’s at the table, even though I hadn’t really heard of West Juliett before this. I know, #foodbloggerfail.

Either way, the cookie never actually made it home. Soft chewy pieces with melty bits of chocolate all through it? YAAAASSSSSS. I absolutely demolished it. Demolished.

Milk not included.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of SMH Good Food Month.
West Juliett
30 Llewellyn Street
Marrickville, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 9519 0101
Website: https://www.facebook.com/westjuliettcafe

West Juliett Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Cheesecake of legends: Pasticceria Papa, Haberfield

Sydney Food Blog Review of Pasticceria Papa, Haberfield: Nutella Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

For someone who loves cheese to the point of a gallbladder removal (true story), I’ve always been a bit touch and go on cheesecakes. Light, airy, lemony cheesecakes are good, dense, dry, baked cheesecakes, not so much.

But there has been so much hoo ha about the baked ricotta cheesecakes from Pasticceria Papa that I had to give it a go. Maybe I’d been eating it wrong this whole time.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Pasticceria Papa, Haberfield: Nutella Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

But then again maybe I just wasn’t built for cheesecakes. I mean, I may look like I’m made of cheesecakes, but I assure you that it’s not the case. The original ricotta cheese cake had the effect of drying my mouth out, and the nutella version just added a sticky rich feeling on top of everything.

Such a shame, since it’s one less delicious thing in the world to appreciate. My tastebuds mourn, and my waistline rejoices. Or at least that’s how I’m explaining the jiggling.

This meal was independently paid for.
Pasticceria Papa
145 Ramsay Street
Haberfield, Sydney, NSW
Phone: (02) 9799 9531
Website: http://ppapa.com.au

Pasticceria Papa Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

It’s not easy being green: One Tea Lounge and Grill, Sydney CBD

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Gyokuro Green Tea

Green Tea is touted to have many health benefits, like antioxidants, and…yeah whatever. To be honest, all I care about is that it’s so DAMNED DELICIOUS.

I know you feel me when I say matcha errthang.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Gyokuro Green TeaGyokuro Green Tea

Well, David – owner of One Tea Lounge and Grill – seems to feel the same way, using green tea as a component in 80% of the menu. Of course, it helps that his mum is an expert in the stuff, what with having her own store and all.

From drinks to food, just about everything is tinted a beautiful shade of Jade.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Matcha Yuzu Frozen TubesMatcha Yuzu Frozen Tubes

We were spoilt with David getting behind the bar to personally create our cocktails. Using matcha to create a green tea syrup, he then mixes it with tangy yuzu juice and other fruits to create a refreshing mix that’s served up in test tubes, with billowing dry ice for effect.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Gyokuro smoked octopus with avocadoGyokuro smoked octopus with avocado

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Takocini, $9Takocini, $9

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Matcha Fries ($4 for half serve)Matcha Fries ($4 for half serve)

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Popcorn curry chicken ($5 half serve)Popcorn curry chicken ($5 half serve)

Food-wise, the small bites ranged from the more obvious Matcha Fries, which were topped with a green tea and nori mixture, to the more subtle Gyokuro smoked octopus with avocado. The octopus was creamy and rich, cut by a light smokiness, and the Popcorn Curry Chicken was a perfect snacking accompaniment to our cocktails.

The Takocini was a particular standout: part arancini (Italian rice balls coated and deep fried) and part takoyaki (Japanese Octopus balls made from a wheat flour batter and fried in a cast iron pan), these little morsels on a bed of green tea mayo was just all moreish. Also high on the so-addictive-it’s-like-crack scale, the Matcha Fries. Served with a curry sauce, it reminded me of my childhood in Singapore where Maccas had curry sauce available to be eaten with a seaweed flavoured bag of fries.

Because you ain’t done fast food till you’ve done Asian fast food.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Ramen Burger with Beef, $13.80Ramen Burger with Beef, $13.80

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Matcha Baoger with Tofu, $13.80Matcha Baoger with Tofu, $13.80

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Black Pepper Unagi Matcha Bento, $20.80Black Pepper Unagi Matcha Bento, $20.80

On the mains front, they’ve got all the Japanese classics like Bentos, Sizzle Hotplates, and Wagyu Beef, all with a modern twist, of course.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Spicy Cheese Pork Sizzle Hotplate, $13.80Spicy Cheese Pork Sizzle Hotplate, $13.80

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Volcano Wagyu BeefVolcano Wagyu Beef

The Ramen Burger has come a long way since I first tried it at the Night Noodle Markets. The noodle ‘buns’ are satisfyingly crunchy on the outside, and held together really well, even though the beef patty made it a touch too thick to eat as a burger.

For the rice lovers, the Black Pepper Unagi Bento features a soft green tea rice, that adds a very mild and complementary note of bitterness to the whole dish. Or if you prefer a one-dish rice thang, then the sizzling hotplate is something worth ordering. Owner David honestly states Pepper Lunch as his inspiration, and I think you can never have enough of a good thing. He’s changed it up by adding an egg pour, so that you get flecks of hotplate-fried egg through your sizzling rice! Add to that chilli pork and cheese, and you’ve got yourself a cold-weather winner.

And if you’re trying to impress someone – or potentially maim them, haha! – you have to go the Volcano Wagyu Beef. Beautifully marbled pieces of wagyu are seared on a hotplate, and served with a billowing volcano of FIRRRRREEEEEE…and red wine jus. But really, I’m a sucker for theatrics, and the pyrotechnics got me.

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Matcha Lava Bomb, $20Matcha Lava Bomb, $20

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD: Matcha Lava Bomb, $20

The desserts, too, have gotten the matcha treatment. The Matcha Lava Bomb is basically a lava cake that’s had a lovechild with a crepe suzette: the cake gets doused in orange liqueur and set on fire. Cause everything is better when it’s been set on fire.

To be brutally honest, the food, while good, isn’t super amazing. But the whole experience though, is a barrel of fun. David really understands what it means to be a diner, and he makes sure that everything from the service to the ambience is deliberate and thought out. It really speaks to the story behind One Tea Lounge – it’s dedicated to Daisy, David’s fiancee who passed away from cancer last year. It was always her dream to open a restaurant, and really provide the ‘hospitable’ in ‘hospitality’. And I respect that David is trying to carry out her dream.

I would recommend heading down to One Tea Lounge and Grill in a group – it’s much more fun that way. Otherwise, why not say hi to David at their Night Noodle Market stall? It’s not 100% confirmed, but if the previous years are any indication, they’ll be there. =)

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of One Tea Lounge and Grill.
One Tea Lounge and Grill
Upper Ground Floor
73 York Street, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 8318 2246
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ONEtealounge

One Tea Lounge and Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Asian? Asion! Cafe Cre Asion, Sydney

Sydney Food Blog Review of Cafe Cre Asion, Surry Hills

What do you do after you go on a multi-pork-roll-food-crawl down oxford street? Walk to Surry Hills to get dessert, of course!

Sydney Food Blog Review of Cafe Cre Asion, Surry Hills: Cookie Selection

And that’s how we found ourselves at Cafe Cre Asion (how do you even pronounce that, anyway?) ordering cookies, macarons and tea on an incredibly full stomach.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Cafe Cre Asion, Surry Hills: Macaron

This Asian dessert cafe has all the usual suspects…suspect. Matcha features in many of the menu items, including their famous matcha lattes.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Cafe Cre Asion, Surry Hills: Yuzu Honey Tea

The latte was okay, iced, but what really blew me away was the enthusiasm of the service. Sure, there were a few mixups, but they all looked so happy to be there. The macarons were also surprisingly good as well – the roasted rice had a lovely savoury quality to it, and the lychee had an amazing perfume.

A nice place to have afternoon tea with a friend, or takeaway some treats. Be careful of rocking up with big groups though – it’s quite a small space that’s really more suited to uh, intimate catchups.

Or you know, you could just go by yourself and stuff your face with macarons like I wish I did!

This meal was independently paid for.

Cafe Cre Asion
21 Alberta Street, Sydney, NSW
Phone: 02 8317 4856
Website:
www.creasion.com.au/

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Muummy dearest: Muum Maam, Surry Hills

Sydney Food Blog Review of Muum Maam, Surry Hills

The horrible thing about having a new full time day job is being so out of the loop! Not that I’m complaining about the consistent income and getting to cook all day, but it does create situations where I’m at a loss about where to go for lunch.

Like when I met up with Simon, from The Heart of Food, and we just had no idea where we wanted to eat..

And the clock was ticking.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Muum Maam, Surry Hills: Five crab and prawn rice net spring rolls with plum sauce, $6Crab and prawn rice net spring rolls with plum sauce, $6

Oh, didn’t I mention that my day job was actually a night job? Yeah. #ThisRestaurantLife.

Anyhoo, we ended up at Muum Maam, which seemed to tick all the boxes: close to the station, interesting food, and a seemingly quick turnaround time.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Muum Maam, Surry Hills: wok-fried calamari, snake bean, snow peas & kafir lime leaves with red chili paste, $15Wok-fried calamari, snake bean, snow peas & kafir lime leaves with red chili paste, $15

And I mean quick. All the food came out within the first 5-10 minutes, even with a slight queue happening because it was bang on lunchtime. And there didnt seem to be a drop in freshness or flavour at all! The Crab and prawn rice net spring rolls with plum sauce, $6, were an instant hit, with a flaky shell that ensured the requirement of a lint roller afterward. The hot, steaming filling was fairly generous, and the plum dipping sauce rounded out all the sweet/savoury flavours that the Thais do incredibly well.

The Wok-fried calamari, snake bean, snow peas & kafir lime leaves with red chili paste, $15 (one of the specials of the day) was mildly spicy, with tender rings of calamari on a bed of crisp vegetables and sweet steamed white rice. Comforting and fresh, this is one of those dishes that leave you so light, you feel like a responsible adult who’s eating healthily.

The pad kee mao (rice noodles stir fried with sweet soy) was good but not quite on the level of the others, which made me wish we spent the $14 on something else more interesting like a papaya salad instead.

The prices were just a touch elevated for Thai food in the vacinity, but it was reflected in the care that was taken in preparing the food. Nothing was just dumped unceremoniously on the plate (which has totes happened to me before), and the staff were polite, efficient, and happy to be there. All good points in my book.

Makes me wonder what the dinner menu is like. Have you been? What did you order?

This meal was independently paid for.
Muum Maam
Shop 1, 50 Holt Street
Surry Hills, NSW
Phone: 02 8317 4931
Website: http://www.muummaam.com.au

Click to add a blog post for Muum Maam on Zomato

Nuts for Coconuts: Coco Joy, Bondi

Sydney Food Blog Review of Coco Joy, Bondi Junction: Acai Bowl

You know how everyone has a strange food thing? I mean, I know someone who likes strawberry flavoured things, but not strawberries. Go figure.

Well I actually have a thing too: while I LOVE fresh coconuts, I never did like coconut cream, or milk. So when I got the invite to visit Coco Joy’s first retail store and sample their coconut-made products, I approached with one part excitement, one part apprehension..and 2 parts hunger.

Because hunger always wins.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Coco Joy, Bondi Junction: Scoops of salted caramel, cookies and cream ice cream

The verdict? The Acai bowl is MASSIVE, but also a very satisfying breakfast. I’ve been on the fence about most acai bowls I’ve come across, but there was something about the semi-frozen fruitiness that was really appealing. The pina colada smoothie also had the same frozen fruitiness, so also a winner.

The ice cream, however, had me on the fence. Made with coconut cream, it didn’t turn out as smooth as dairy-made ice creams. The cookies and cream was still quite a satisfying flavour – made from a recipe provided by the man who invented the cookies and cream flavour himself – but the salted caramel was (I felt) overpowered by the coconut flavour, which kinda defeats the purpose.

I know that there has been a big trend of coconut being healthier for you and all that, but I’m really all about the flavours (assuming you don’t have an allergy to lactose). And I just don’t think that the ice cream really compares to the full flavours of dairy-made ice cream.

But on the upside, the menu items that fully utilise those coconut flavours – namely that Acai bowl and the Smoothies – are a great, delicious start to the day.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Coco Joy.
Coco Joy
Shop 5029, Level 5
Westfield Bondi Junction
500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
Phone: 02 9389 1990
Website: http://www.cocojoy.com

Click to add a blog post for Coco Joy on Zomato

Three little piggies went to market: Hungry Wolf, Wollongong

Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong: Pork Belly, Po' Boy, $10

The tale of the three little piggies has always been one of my favourites – after all, who can’t identify with the poor wolf who was obviously just hangry?

And we all know that you’re not you when you’re hungry. 😉

So I was very delighted to receive an invite to the Hungry Wolf, a sister of the whiskey bar, the Howlin’ Wolf.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong: Heirloom Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Balsamic DressingHeirloom Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Balsamic Dressing

I was originally expecting smokey barbecues to go with the whiskey theme, but was instead (pleasantly) surprised by fresh, light food, very comparable to whatever we can find in Sydney.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong: Pork Belly Po' Boy, $10Pork Belly Po’ Boy, $10

We started with a salad of Buffalo Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomatoes and Balsamic Dressing – just fresh but savoury enough to whet our appetites. The tomato wedges were lightly crumbed to provide a crisp exterior, and the mozzarella was creamy and delicate.

But the star of the whole lunch, was really the Po’ Boy.


Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong: Pork Belly Po' Boy, $10

Po’ Boys originated from New Orleans, and is basically a variation of a sandwich. But like, BEST SANDWICH EVER level of awesome. Hungry Wolf uses a soft yet crusty bread to hold a delectable pile of whisky braised pork belly, slaw, chilli, aioli and green apple. It was way more satisfying than a banh mi – and that’s saying a LOT coming from me – and the thinner-than-shoestring fries just finished the package for me.

I could have eaten this all day every day and still come back for more.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong: Pearl Barley and tomatoes, with Beef BrisketPearl Barley and tomatoes, with Beef Brisket

But the downside to an amazing dish? It’s hard for the others to stack up. The Pearl Barley and Tomatoes with Beer Braised Beef Brisket was a lovely wintery dish that was hearty without sitting too heavy in the belly, but really, after the addictive mix of textures and flavours in the Pork Belly Po’ Boy, nothing was going to ever be good enough.

Who knew that a humble sandwich would have come out on top?

And I really respect the vision there, too. When chatting to the chef, I learned that there was a very deliberate balance struck between vision and price point. He would have loved to use top ingredients at every turn, but because of the lack of supply in Wollongong, and the importance of keeping the food affordable, he had to make comprimises in the execution. Not that you’d realise it, given how expertly he’s navigated the murky waters of substitution.

The vibe at the Hungry Wolf certainly screams family, with a small team that really seem to love their jobs. I was given suggestions when offering by someone who has actually eaten from the menu (it’s rarer than you think) and who had their own notes of why they loved those dishes so much.

It’s got great potential, and if this is what the lunch menu looks like, I would be very interested in seeing how dinner pans out.

Now to just figure out the secrets to teleportation…

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Hungry Wolf.
Hungry Wolf
53-61 Crown Street, Wollongong
Phone: 0417 265 272
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hungrywolfkitchen

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He’s in love with that..Koko Black, Sydney CBD

Sydney Food Blog Review of Koko Black, Sydney CBD

A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Screw diamonds, I say. Chocolate has been a more dependable best friend to many girls around the world, and has the ability to literally make you feel more warm and fuzzy inside.

Especially when it comes in the form of a rich, dark chocolate.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Koko Black, Sydney CBD: Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Koko Black is one of the latest Melbourne “imports” to arrive in Sydney, and when it comes to chocolate and all things decadent, Sydney pretty much has no self-restraint.

The salon downstairs provide a nook for you to relax with your chocolate of choice, and at the risk of sounding slightly blasphemous, their hot chocolate is SO much better than Lindt, Guylian or Max Brenner. Rich but still drinkable, Koko Black strikes a good balance between thick, pure chocolate sludge, and thin chocolate milk.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Koko Black, Sydney CBD: Chocolate Gateau

The Chocolate Gateau was stood firmly on the rich side of things, and it taught me a firm lesson that even though it may seem like a good idea, I shouldn’t order more than two things off the menu at the same time.

It was, though, a lovely experience. The cafe staff were efficient without being hovering, and there was a feeling that you could hang out there all afternoon without being chased away.

Oh and if you’re thinking about buying some chocolate to take home, just a note that Koko Black’s eating chocolate doesn’t seem to have quite the same amount of cocoa butter as say, Lindt, which means that it’s not quite as sexy. A bit like when you bring home that chick that looks hot in a dark club.

But yeah, stick to the hot chocolate. =)

This meal was independently paid for.
Koko Black
412-414 George St
Sydney, NSW
Phone: (02) 9230 0069
Website: http://www.kokoblack.com/category/salon/sydney/

Click to add a blog post for Koko Black on Zomato

De…Luxe Woollahra

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra

From cafe, to bakery, to restaurant, Sydney’s Luxe seems intent on TAKING OVER THE WORLD. Okay, maybe I’ve been watching one too many action movies, but you get the idea.

Luxe started from a little cafe in Westfield’s Bondi, and then proceeded to open a bakery in Newtown to control the quality of the baked goods they serve. And now, they’ve moved on to restaurants, opening the first one in Singapore earlier this year, and now a beautiful location in Woollahra accented in white and gold.

Very…lux!

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Grilled Octopus with Chui's XO SauceGrilled Octopus with Chui’s XO Sauce

And with Chef Chui Lee Luk on board – whom I had previously met at Asia Town – I jumped at the invite to sample their new winter menu.

We started off with Grilled Octopus with Chui’s XO Sauce. Tender pieces of octopus are balanced with cooked capsicum, and Chui’s take on the omnipresent XO sauce that is used everywhere in Asian cooking. Traditionally, XO sauce is made with dried shrimp, scallops, chinese dried ham, chilli, garlic and ginger (amongst the bazillion other ingredients that could be in there). Here, Chui uses bacon instead of chinese ham to echo the other parts of the Luxe menu that already uses bacon.

And really, there’s always a reason to use bacon.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Roasted Barramundi, Plum Pickled Eggplant, Ginger Butter Sauce. Roasted Barramundi, Plum Pickled Eggplant, Ginger Butter Sauce

For mains, we were served up the Roasted Barramundi, Plum Pickled Eggplant and Ginger Butter Sauce, and Balsamic Glazed Duck to share.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Balsamic Glazed DuckBalsamic Glazed Duck

And of course, veggies, because…something something balanced diet.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Broccoli and HazelnutsBroccoli and Hazelnuts

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Luxe SlawLuxe Slaw

Chui has extensive experience as a chef and an intimate understanding of Asian ingredients, and it definitely shows in the conception and execution of this menu. The umeboshi (Japanese plum) pickled eggplant delivered pops of tartness which made the Roasted Barramundi incredibly more-ish, and the slaw and broccoli lightened up the rich, dark balsamic glazed duck.

Sydney Food Blog Review of Luxe, Wollahra: Pear and Apple Tart Pear and Apple Tart

And even though we ate SO MUCH – I can’t help myself – I actually walked away still feeling light and food coma-free! Even with a Pear and Apple Tart for dessert, it was a nice kind of full. I would have liked to see more Asian elements from Chui given that I know how well she can manipulate the ingredients, but it’s really decent food in very posh surroundings. I really liked how they married the “luxe” decor with a relaxed cafe style service, and a menu that sits somewhere in-between.

If this is the winter menu, I really need to go back and have a look at their lunch!

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Luxe Woollahra.
Luxe Woollahra
118 Queen St
Woollahra, NSW
Website: http://luxesydney.com.au

Click to add a blog post for Luxe Woollahra on Zomato

Kurtosh House, Darlinghurst

A table full of goodies from Kurtosh house

Ever get that feeling that you want some cake, but you don’t need a whole piece of it? That you only need a tiny taste and you’d be satisfied, but your hands are tied by portion sizes?

What if, you could buy cakes just by weight, in how small or large a piece you want it?
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