Posts tagged Bondi

Instagram Eats: Harry’s, Bondi

Review December 21, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of Harry's, Bondi.

“Where shall we go to eat?” Such a small question, such huge responsibility. After all, what’s the criteria for picking a place where you exchange your hard-earned money for sustenance, and hopefully an experience to go with it.

Well, in the case of Harry’s, the criteria was: Instagram. Yes, we’ve come to that. I’d seen my Instagram feed flooded with pictures from this bustling Bondi cafe, and I thought it was high time to see what all the fuss was about.

The Order:

Pulled pork roll, fried egg with coffee bacon jam with added sweet potato fries with kasoundi, $20

Quinoa and feta fritters, fattoush, avocado, labna and hazelnut dukkah with added poached egg, $22.5

Apple cider cured trout, soft egg, avocado, fennel, zucchini and grapefruit, $20.50

Green Tea, $4 per serve

The Food:

Well, Instagram got one thing right: Harry’s sure does serve up a pretty plate of food. Colours were vibrant, and the entire plate just screamed “fresh” and “seasonal”.

Apple cider cured trout, soft egg, avocado, fennel, zucchini and grapefruit, $20.50

Flavour-wise, they got it mostly right. The Apple Cider Cured Trout was a work of art by itself, and the fennel, avocado and grapefruit combination gave the dish a lot of dimension. Depending on how much grapefruit you chose to have in any bite, it could get a touch overpowering, but otherwise, it was spot on.

Pulled pork roll, fried egg with coffee bacon jam with added sweet potato fries with kasoundi, $20

The Pulled Pork Roll with fried egg and coffee bacon jam was a breakfast burger of my dreams, if my dreams were made of pulled pork and soft buttery buns. Which you know they are. The pork was unctuous and succulent – avoiding all the squeakiness that can come with choosing too lean a cut of pork. The egg added richness, and the coffee bacon jam added depth. Together, they sang in perfect harmony, and I was just the lucky person ~~drinking~~ eating it all in.

The sweet potato fries were the icing on the cake, with a small dish of Kasoundi, an Indian tomato relish that just kept me coming back for more. And that’s not even considering that the sweet potato fries were one of the crispiest I’ve ever had. ??

Quinoa and feta fritters, fattoush, avocado, labna and hazelnut dukkah with added poached egg, $22.5

But with the ups come the downs, and the Quinoa and Feta Fritters didn’t quite work for me. A large part of it, I’m sure, comes from the fact that I quite dislike raw capsicum, but the fritters themselves ate fairly dry, and the other elements (crispy pita, pomegranate seeds, labna, avocado) didn’t come together to create a cohesive masterpiece like the other dishes. All the bits and bobs stood aloofly apart, kind of like if strangers come together for the first time and try to form a band. Potential is there, but it requires a bit of work to hit it.

The Service:

Our waitress was friendly and perky, and had an easy charm that made small mistakes – forgetting share plates that we asked for, mixing up our order and needing to come back to confirm – easy to overlook. Being a pleasant human being does go a long way: everyone makes mistakes once in a while, and being nice just inspires a lot of patience and, well, chill.

Value for money:

I went in with the assumption that I was going to over order – I always do – by choosing three dishes to share between two females. Turns out, while the portions were certainly not measly, we polished off all three plates fairly easily. And at about $35 a head, I kinda expected to be absolutely stuffed.

I guess it still falls in the realm of reasonable, though. It IS Bondi, after all.

The Vibe:

It’s hard to fault outdoor seating with the sound of waves crashing in the not-too-far distance. The music was boppy, and played at a volume where it filled the silence, but still allowed us to easily chat over our food. Stained wood and hexagonal tiles gave it a trendy feel, and the regular clientele simply exuded “cool” in their beachwear and towels.

Very chill, and very relaxed.

And finally,

I’m not sure that I would make the trek out just to go to Harry’s (I’m really not a beach person at the best of times), but I wouldn’t mind stopping by if I was in the area. Their sweet menu items (ricotta pancakes? Yaaaasss) look very promising, and there’s a selection of cake/tart things that’s simply calling my name. I like how relaxing it is, and perhaps it was the fact that I went on a weekday, but it spared me the claustrophobic crowds of similar cafes in Surry Hills.

Go if you fancy a lazy afternoon in a cafe by the beach, or if you’re after a satisfying breakfast. Or pulled pork burger.

Now that is a must-try.

This meal was independently paid for.

Harry’s
Shop 2, 136 Wairoa Avenue
Bondi Beach, NSW
Phone: +61 2 9130 2180
Website: www.harrysbondi.com.au/

Nuts for Coconuts: Coco Joy, Bondi

Review August 23, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of Coco Joy, Bondi Junction

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.

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

Something Old, Something…New Shanghai, Bondi

Review July 26, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of New Shanghai, Bondi

You know the stereotype about Asian menus having 10 billion different items so you don’t know what you want to order? Well, let me tell you that the Struggle. Is. Real.

And I was totally struck by a case of analysis paralysis when I rocked up for my invite to New Shanghai and their steaming baskets of dumplings.

So what do you do when you don’t know what to order? Well, “order everything” seems like an answer we can go with!

Shredded jellyfish & radish tossed with sea salt & light soy dressing, $7.80

Sweet & sour pork rib in dark vinegar sauce, $5.80

Crab meat Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings), $11.50

New shanghai pan fried pork bun, $6

Deep fried calamari coated with salted egg yolk, $20.80

Shandong Chicken (Deep fried crispy skin chicken with special garlic & chilli sauce on rice), $13.50″

Stir fried Chinese rice cake with X.O. sauce & shredded pork, $14.40

Steamed pumpkin & sticky rice cake filled with pumpkin paste, $5.50

See? I wasn’t kidding.

I’ve long popped my New Shanghai cherry, and the biggest gripe I’ve always had is about the consistency between the outlets. I usually go to Chatswood, for example, and it’s usually pretty good, but a scheduling decision put me at the Bondi branch this time, which showed some cracks in its armour. The all important Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) have always been steaming hot full of liquid in Chatswood, but this time, they were not quite as soupy as they should be. Even accounting for the time it took for me to take photos. The skin was not quite thin or translucent enough, although the filling itself was quite tasty.

The Pan Fried Pork Buns, on the other hand, did what the soup dumplings should have done, and burst forth with super hot juices encased in a sweet fluffy shell made out of Chinese milk dough. That, I could have kept eating forever. That, and the Fried Rice Cakes in X.O sauce? YYAAAAASSSSSSS. There’s just something about the firm, chewy slices of rice cakes that just gives you a warm hug from the inside and tells you that everything is going to be okay.

Cold dishes also fared well – the Shredded Jellyfish with Sea Salt and Soy was quite refreshing, and the Sweet and Sour Pork Rib, while containing more cartilage than I was expecting – was also very moreish. Light, and balanced, because shredded jellyfish is a salad right? And it’s good for you?

Other hot dishes, on the other hand, didn’t do quite so well. The Salted Egg Yolk Calamari tasted like it had no egg yolk at all – which either means that there was a distinct lack of egg yolk, or that the order was taken down wrong, even though it was repeated back to me – and it did taste like more batter than calamari at many points. The Shandong chicken had clearly been off the mountain for too long, because while it’s meant to be served at room temperature, both the chicken skin (which was meant to be crispy) and the sauce were a pale shade of tepid.

The sweet dish to finish – Steamed pumpkin & sticky rice cake filled with pumpkin paste reminded me of Japanese mochi, which is not such a bad thing, except that I was really looking forward to a pumpkin tasting filling, rather than something that looked and tasted like red bean.

But like any relationship, it has its ups and downs, and while this might’ve been a blight in my otherwise great experience at New Shanghai, it’s not enough to deter me from going back…to the Chatswood branch.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of New Shanghai.

New Shanghai
Food Court, Shop 4
Level 5, Westfield Bondi Junction
500 Oxford Street
Bondi Junction, Sydney, NSW
Phone: (02) 9386 4623
Website: www.newshanghai.com.au/

My 24 hour Food Crawl

Food For Thought Review March 8, 2015

I’ve struggled with weight all my life. It’s been on so many ups and downs that I’ve lost track, and ironically, food has become the only constant. And it’s been especially hard lately – part of the joy of a food blog is well, that you get to eat, and eat well, and that can sometimes not be very good for the “diet”. For health reasons I decided to lose a bit of weight. eat better and exercise more, and through just being a little more aware of what I eat, I’ve lost 12kg, and thought it was time for a no-holds-barred cheat day, in the form of a 24 hour food crawl.

Yes, 24 whole hours of unrestricted eating. Anything I want, when I want it, and as much of it as I want.

So here’s what I chose to do with my 24 hours. 10 eateries and countless mouthfuls later, I’m finally full and barely recovered from the resulting food coma.

Cheat day. captain’s log:

4:00am

The alarm on my phone goes off. It’s dark and cool outside, and I can’t explain just how tempting it is to snuggle right back into the blankets. BUT THERE’S NO TIME FOR SLEEP, IT’S TIME TO EAT!

4:10am

I’m straightening my hair at 4 in the frickin’ morning. How do other women do this all day every day?

5:15am

I’m starting to think that only reason why I should be up this early on a Saturday is if I was going to bake the damned bread for breakfast myself.

5:30 am – Cheese Platter for Breakfast!

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 27, 2015 at 11:05am PST

Breakfast is finally on the table, and I can’t even hold my hands still enough to take a proper photo because I’M SO EXCITED TO BE EATING CHEESE!!! There is Tallegio, a light delicate washed rind, Fromager D’affinois, a double cream french cheese, and a creamy blue. Fruit, because I need a palate cleanser, and Brasserie Bread’s Caramelised Garlic Bread.

I haven’t had soft cheese in so long that I forgot that this is the true definition of heaven on earth.

And that bread. OH THAT BREAD. Brasserie Bread has really outdone themselves on this caramelised garlic bread. “Garlic…caramelised in a sugar syrup…balsamic…Italian style loaf”.

I stop reading because this is all I need to know.

7:00am

We are on the train on the way to Newtown for a bacon-filled breakfast at Cuckoo Callay. The Boy asks me yet again why he’s up this early on his day off. I tell him it’s because we must eat, and he gives me a glassy blank stare. It’s going to be a fun day.

7:13am

Okay. So maybe I should’ve called ahead. They open at 8, not 7. Dammit.

8:00am

We have ordered. Selfie while waiting for our food!

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 27, 2015 at 12:53pm PST

8:30am – Cuckoo Callay

Ya Bacon Me Crazy, $20

We order the Ya Bacon Me Crazy, $20. It’s basically bacon and waffles, topped with maple syrup, bacon ice cream, and chocolate dipped bacon. And because I love milkshakes and Bloody Marys, we get the Bloody Bacon Mary and Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake, too. It’s a fantastically sweet way to start the day, and believe it or not, I could have done with MORE BACON. The Bacon Bloody Mary was nicely balanced, but the cold drink with the hot bacon means that there was just at teeny tiny layer of bacon fat on top of my drink. Not entirely a bad thing, but bacon is best when it’s hot I think.

Cuckoo Callay
324b Newtown Train Station
Newtown, NSW 2042
Phone: 02 9557 7006
Website: http://www.cuckoo-callay.com.au/

9:05am

We have been baconed. A good showing from Cuckoo Callay, and the Bloody Bacon Mary was my favourite.

Now, on to doughnuts! And that food coma.

9:55am – Glazed Doughnuts

Red Velvet Doughnut, from Glazed Doughnuts

DOUGHNUTS. GLORIOUS DONUTS. Picked up some amazingly delicious ones from Glazed Doughnuts at the Bondi Markets. I feel a bit like a piggy surrounded by all these fit people. But the call of amazing sweet treats is too loud to resist. My absolute favourite doughnut of the bunch was the Watermelon and Pistachio, followed closely by the Apple Pie. The glaze on the Watermelon and Pistachio doughnut is made with real watermelon juice, resulting in a sweet, floral fragrance, and a soft, pillowy doughnut that isn’t too cloyingly sweet. The Apple Pie is something that Glazed Doughnuts makes for the Bondi Markets only, and it’s filled with a chunky apple jam, and topped with a luxurious crumble.

I wish I didn’t have to share this with The Boy.

Glazed Doughnuts
Bondi Markets, Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach, NSW 2026
Website: http://www.glazeddoughnuts.com.au

Doughnuts for this post were provided by Glazed Doughnuts.

10.20am – Pure Pops

The sun is coming on strong, like a drunk, desperate man (or woman!) at a singles’ bar. Oooh look, popsicle!

Mmm. Icy pole. Watermelon and strawberry to be exact. Crazy sweet, but it’s fruit, so it’s good for you right? Yes. It’s good for you. The flavours are amazingly clean and straightforward, and we are soon licking sticky fingers.

I also think it’s pretty cool that Purepops seem to have taken popsicles to the next level, with options for alcoholic mini ice pops being catered for your next party. Pretty cool right?

Pure Pops
Bondi Markets, Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach, NSW 2026
Phone: 0419 699 198
Website: http://purepops.com.au/

10:45am

I’ve come to the strange realisation that I’m no longer hungry, but not actually full.

What is this? I’ve been going from food stop to food stop since 5 this morning and I’m not full? What is this sorcery?

12:00nn – Mappen

Since we were in Bondi, I took the opportunity to drop by Mappen for a comforting bowl of Ontama Bukkake Udon. *Giggles*

Thick udon noodles sit in a salty tsukedashi sauce, and the soft, jelly-like ontama egg mixes into a thick sauce that coats every strand. The crispy tempura flakes add a lovely crunch, and a light squeeze of garlic chilli gives me the kick to keep going.

At this point, The Boy looks at me like I’m crazy. He doesn’t understand how I’m still eating.

Mappen
183 Oxford St
Bondi Junction, NSW 2022
Phone: 02 9388 0609
Website: http://mappen.com.au/

1:30pm – Chatime

Time for a Chatime, because since I’ve started watching my food intake, bubble tea has been downgraded from a ‘sometimes food’ to a ‘rare treat’.

I get the my usual order: a Roasted Milk Tea with Grass Jelly, no ice. I go for no sugar this time, because I feel a bit sugared out. WRONG. Should’ve gotten it with some sugar instead of no sugar, because all that remains on my palate is a film of fat, I’m assuming from the milk. No time to dwell on it though, because it’s time to head back towards the beach, and towards hot wings.

1:50pm – The Stuffed Beaver Dining Parlour

From my previous visits, The Stuffed Beaver has served up the hottest I’ve had in Sydney, and so SO addictive. I’ve been craving this tangy, chilli hit since, and I just can’t contain my excitement at getting my fingers on these red hot wings again.

This time, they are quite a bit less spicy than I remembered, but some how more delicious! Incredibly tangy, and finger lickin’ good. No need for the accompanying ranch sauce, as amazing as it is. Next time, I’ll order it extra spicy.

Pro tip: order a side of poutine – a genius Canadian dish of chips and gravy and cheese curds – and mop up the remaining hot sauce with the chips from the bottom of the basket. Your tastebuds will thank you.

The Stuffed Beaver Dining Parlour
271 Bondi Rd
Bondi, NSW 2026
Phone: 02 9130 3002
Website: http://stuffedbeaver.com.au/

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of The Stuffed Beaver Dining Parlour.

2:30pm – 11 hr check-in

A video posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 27, 2015 at 9:18pm PST

We’ve been at it for 11 hours, and it’s been so good!! The day has been surprisingly easy and relaxed, as eating should be.

This day is shaping up to be the BEST DAY EVER!!!

3:30pm – Sushi Rio

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 27, 2015 at 8:45pm PST

Cheat day or not, I will take up ANY reason to eat sushi in all its forms. Sushi Rio in Bondi was the most convenient – Umi Zushi was just out of my reach! – and they do a pretty good Salmon and Salmon Roe Donburi. Good topping to rice ratio, though I would minus points because the rice was warm. The Salmon and Flying Fish Roe Nigiri off the train was a surprise favourite, though, with a secret layer of mayonnaise underneath the flying fish roe!!

The only way to elevate the experience of Japanese mayo is to make it a surprise.

You can’t go wrong with mayo and salmon and fish roe. Just sayin’.

Sushi Rio
Shop 7, 339 Sussex St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9261 2388
Website: www.westfield.com.au/bondijunction/stores/sushi-rio/50203

4:20pm – Coffee Break

And then on to iced coffee, because after about 12 hours of eating, The Boy is resisting my efforts to stuff in more eating stops. The coffee is a good way to stay awake, I guess, and at least he submits to my request for a 12th hour selfie.

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 27, 2015 at 9:53pm PST

Happy smiles!!! Dead eyes though. Dead, food coma eyes.

5:30pm – Pei Modern

Wood Fired Mussels, $25

Next stop, Pei Modern. I went there specifically to get the Holmbrae Chicken, but oh lord the Wood Fired Mussels took out the favourite of the day. Recommended by our waiter, Oscar, these mussels are not available all the time, and are on the specials menu only. Sad, because between a slight aroma of smoke and the briny sea, the bacon bits, corn, and buttery butter sauce, this is perfection in a dish. I’m absolutely loving it!!

The Burrata with Figs and Kohlrabi was also pretty good, with its soft curd interior spilling onto sweet figs and the delicate radish-like kohlrabi. I couldn’t get a full handle on the jersey milk flavour of the burrata though, it was served at the same time as the mussels, which overpowers everything else once it gets set down on the table, like a hot woman in a killer dress entering the room.

Pei Modern
In Four Seasons Hotel
199 George St Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9250 3160
Website: http://www.peimodern.com.au/

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Pei Modern.

7:30pm – 15 Hour check-in

To the water for some fresh air, because we have slight eating fatigue.

A video posted by Tammi Kwok (@insatiablemunch) on Feb 28, 2015 at 12:46am PST

The Boy is fading fast, and so am I. We aren’t just battling the urge to nap because all the blood from our extremities have rushed towards our bellies, no, we are actually combatting physical tiredness. As exciting as it is to spend 24 hours doing something so hedonistic and decadent, it’s actually hard to keep going, especially without sleep, nap, or a shower. Next time, I’m packing a bag and taking a shower at the Prince Alfred Park Pool.

8:30pm – Central

Off towards Central, to Khao San, a Thai restaurant on Pitt Street that has a little street cart for takeaway snacks and sweets. I absolutely love their rice flour and salted radish dumplings. These little pops of savoury goodness are served with lettuce and fresh bird’s eye chilli on the side, and is all sorts of hot and salty and fresh all at once.

That chilli hit is just what I need to kick the fatigue and food coma!

9:00pm – Khao San, Haymarket

They’re sold out. FML.

9:30pm – House of Crabs

Lobster Fries, House of Crabs

So on to House of Crabs, for Lobster Fries! Shoestring fries, lobster gravy, cheese, bacon and corn. This takes a cheat day staple to a whole ‘nuther level. It could have done with a bit more gravy, but that thick shellfish flavours are making my tastebuds sing. YES.

House of Crabs
Upstairs at The Norfolk Hotel
Level 1, 305 Cleveland Street
Redfern, NSW 02016
Phone: 02 9699 3177
Website: http://www.houseofcrabs.com.au/

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of the House of Crabs.

11:00pm – We need a walk

We are about to topple over, and we so need a walk. Conveniently so, because there public transport seems to be a convoluted mess back to Haymarket. I’m sure a walk would do us good – fresh air, blood pumping through our veins…sweat matting my hair. Summer is probably a bad day to eat till you get the sweats, but at this point, I don’t know what is real and what is delirious hallucination anymore. Either way, I’m looking forward to suckling pig at the end of the walk!!

12:00 midnight – Golden Century

HOW IS GOLDEN CENTURY SO PACKED?! We go up to the counter and ask for a table for two…It’s going to be at least 45 minutes. WHYYYY.

For the sake of suckling pig, we put our name down and give it a go. It does seem like a suicide mission, though, groups of 20 are piling into the restaurant, and they all look really hungry.

1:00am – Kanzi Fashion Cafe

We give up. Suckling Pig seems to be a distant dream now as I crave something cold and sweet to keep me awake. So we choose to go downstairs instead, abandoning our mission for crispy pork, and order a Melon Bingsoo.

Honeydew balls, vanilla ice cream, and a honeydew popsicle makes up this green mountain of sugar and ice, and it’s here that I call it a day. The freshness of the melon perks me up slightly, and the sugar from the popsicle, ice cream and evaporated milk gives me just enough energy to go home. We finish most of it, but really couldn’t be bothered digging into the honeydew half to finish it completely.

Kanzi Fashion Cafe
393-399 Sussex St
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Website: http://www.kanzi.com.au/

Special Mentions

Mister Gee’s Burger Truck

The Truffe

It can’t be a cheat day without Mister Gee’s. Ever since I found my way to the once quiet car wash that this food truck was parked on, I’ve proudly declared that these are my favourite burgers in Sydney. Due to the queues, it’s a bit hard to fit this into our hectic eating schedule, but I went early, because I just couldn’t give up any reason to have these burgers. The Cheese Boogie is still my favourite burger from Mister Gee’s, but the Truffe, with all its aroma of truffles and silky mayo, comes in a close second. Very nice.

Dirty Fries

And of course, dirty fries, because I can’t get enough of these shoestring fries covered in salsa and american cheese. The Boy and I fought over every last fry, down to the bottom of the cardboard box. Delicious.

Mister Gee Burger Truck
55a Shaftesbury Rd
Burwood, NSW 2134
Phone: 0411 092 663
Website: https://www.facebook.com/MisterGeeBurgerTruck

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Mister Gee’s Burger Truck

Pu’er

Wagyu Beef Tacos

If Pu’er wasn’t off my eating route, I would’ve dropped by for these Wagyu Beef Tacos. Full of intense beefy flavour and tender from the crazy marbling streaking through the meat, these savoury buns are heaven with every bite. I’m still thinking about them since the last time I went there – I think it’s time to arrange a special trip!

Pu’er
20a Danks St
Waterloo, NSW 2017
Phone: 02 8399 1331
Website: http://www.puer.com.au/

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Pu’er.

Brooklyn to Bondi: Lox, Stock and Barrel, Bondi Beach

Festivals Review February 23, 2015

Ocean Trout Croquettes with Fresh Cucumber Pickle

Going out for dinner is always a hedonistic affair for me. I’ve always held the belief that if I was going to take the time, effort and money to haul my lazy couch potato ass out somewhere, I’d better be getting an experience that I can’t easily replicate at home. And most of the time this also means that the food is also hedonistic in nature. That is, “healthy” is not exactly a word that is used in association.

So imagine my surprise and mild confusion when I got an amazing dinner at Lox, Stock and Barrel in Bondi, but still walked away feeling light, and “healthy”.

Ocean Trout Croquettes with Fresh Cucumber Pickle

Croquettes are the perfect blend of classy dining and unadulterated comfort junk food to me. It basically involves a creamy mix of meat/fish/cream/potato etc shaped into a cylinder, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried into a crispy-on-the-outside-oozing-on-the-inside logs of golden brown perfection. Now say that three times fast.

At Lox, Stock and Barrel, we start the night off with Ocean Trout Croquettes, which contain little pink flecks of ocean trout, and all of the above-mentioned decadence. This was a fantastic way to whet the appetite, each log just large enough to tempt us with its oozing innards, and small enough to keep us wanting more. The Fresh Cucumber Pickle on the side was a nice touch, doing away with the need for the typical tartare sauce and the tangy notes that it provides.

Green Asparagus, Labne, Jerusalem Artichoke, Smoked Salt and Oregano

Then comes the Green Asparagus, Labne, Jerusalem Artichoke, Smoked Salt and Oregano. because EAT YOUR VEGGIES. And what delicious veggies they are. If this was the way my mother wanted me to eat my five servings of vegetables a day, I’m sure I wouldn’t have spent so much of my teenage years hiding in a closet with a mini wheel of camembert. The asparagus held a light amount of char on it, tempering the bitterness with a light nuttiness. The fried jerusalem artichoke provided an exotic crunch, and the labne – a sort of yoghurt cheese made by straining yoghurt to create a thicker consistency – tied it all together.

Duck and Pistachio Cabbage Rolls with Mushroom Consomme and Baby Herbs

I have a love/hate relationship with cooked cabbage. When overcooked, cabbage can stink out your house, much like over cooking Brussel sprouts can do. Thankfully, this plate of Duck and Pistachio Cabbage Rolls retain that al dente crunch in the cabbage, adding texture to the duck. The mushroom consommé here is more sauce than soup, leaning toward the salty side of things, but delicious in its umami mushroom flavour nonetheless. It seems that they are building up the heaviness of the dishes with each course that passes, though I must say that I would have been very happy to just have this as a main by itself.

Slow Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Haloumi, Quinoa and Spiced Nuts

Now we’re moving into the heavyweight arena, with a stew of Slow Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Haloumi, Quinoa and Spiced Nuts. Now this is what vegetarian cooking should be like. All too often, vegetarian dishes are left to be afterthoughts, scrapping together meat substitutes, chasing a flavour that can’t really be faked. This, however, is unabashedly intended to show off the gorgeous veggies, meat be damned. The small cubes of haloumi add pops of salt, and the quinoa and nuts add heft and texture. The Boy and I agree that this would be fantastic winter comfort fare, and a guilt-free one, at that.

Grilled Rangers Rump Cap, Caramelised onion puree, watercress and field mushrooms

And finally, a finale of Grilled Rangers Rump Cap, Caramelised onion puree, watercress and field mushrooms. I have a soft spot for soubise – a puree of onion sautéed in butter and cooked in cream – so I’m already all over this. The rump cap was a nice medium rare, and the mushrooms plump and juicy without being soggy. The watercress seemed somewhat superfluous, but I guess you need something green to balance the rest of it. At this point, we were pretty stuffed, so a delicious dish was good, but not quite as out of the park as the others.

Before this, I always associated Lox, Stock and Barrel with lunch sandwiches and bagels. And witty names, yes, but not this creative, delicious, food that walks that fine line of the dining out experience and the showcasing of beautiful ingredients and produce. I’m glad to say that I was very wrong in my assumption.

This glorious menu of Lox, Stock and Barrel’s best dishes is available till the end of the NSW Food and Wine Festival, and costs $96 for two people.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of NSW Food and Wine Festival.

Lox, Stock and Barrel
140 Glenayr Ave
Bondi Beach, NSW 2026
Phone: 02 9300 0368
Website: http://www.loxstockandbarrel.com.au/

Banana Blossom Asian Salads, Bondi

Review December 28, 2014

Aerial shot of the Triple Chilli Chicken Salad

It’s summer, and that means it’s the dreaded swimsuit season. Dreaded, for this foodie, because it heralds the end of what’s meant to be seasonal gorging and gluttony. And the beginning of a tenuous time of watchful eating, because we all want a little more beach body, and a little less beached whale.

Enter Banana Blossom Asian Salads, who are touting themselves as an easy breezy healthy lunch solution, just in time for the beach season.
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