Posts tagged Dinner

My baby shot me down: BangBang Cafe, Surry Hills

Review May 30, 2016 2 Comments

BangBang Cafe, Surry Hills. Sydney Food Blog Review

Slap me between two buns and call me a patty – it really does seem like Sydney’s burger craze isn’t going to blow over any time soon. From The cult favourite Burgers by Josh, to the down and dirrrty Mister Gee’s Burger Truck, to Warren Turnbull’s Chur Burger (do you even Chur, bro?), Sydney is absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to all the salty, cheesy, meaty, pickly fantasies that you can slap between two fluffy halves of a burger bun.

So when BangBang Cafe reeled me in with the promise of burgers, well…did you really expect me to say no?

The Order:

Double Banger, $16.90
Double wagyu pattie, double cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and bangbang sauce

Fried chicken, $13.90
Buttermilk fried chicken, sriracha cabbage slaw, lettuce, tomato and sour cream

The Stack, $16.90
Potato rosti topped with wilted spinach, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and pancetta

The Food:

With burgers, bigger is always better, but sadly, I might not be woman enough for it.

Double Banger, $16.90

The Double Banger is a hulking stack of wagyu, bacon, lettuce, cheese, tomato and BangBang sauce. The patties were cooked to medium, the cheese oozing, and the sauce tangy – everything that I look for in a burger.

Fried chicken, $13.90

Maybe I’m a purist (that’s my excuse, anyway) but I don’t think I’ve met a fried chicken burger that I actually like. Not that it stops me from trying! This particular burger – called Fried Chicken, obvs XD – was decent enough with moist chicken, light sauce and a fresh slaw, but really I didn’t feel any chemistry with it.

Because eating a burger should be like dating – if you ain’t completely satisfied, just move on.

The Stack, $16.90

But the surprise of the morning for me? The Stack. This take on eggs florentine (poached eggs, hollandaise and spinach) supercharged the already luxurious breakfast classic with the addition of rosti and crispy pancetta. Because potato and bacon makes everything better. AND you can still claim that it’s a healthy breakfast! Because spinach.

Seriously though. That hollandaise? Rich, buttery and the stuff of dreams. YAAAASSSS.

Food: 1/1

The Service:

Its always a bit tricky commenting on service when I’m invited as a guest of the cafe, but from what I can see from the other diners, waters were filled, tables were bussed and service staff actually knew the menus and specials off the top of their heads (it’s less common than you’d think). There was a definite passion about the place – recommendations were made personally and thoughtfully, and they actually sounded like they enjoyed eating there themselves.

Quite impressive.

Service: 1/1

Value for money:

Given the portion sizes and that BangBang is in Surry Hills, paying $16.90 for a burger is still fairly reasonable. Of course, not quite easy on the wallet if you’re on a budget, but something that you’d happily treat yourself to on the weekend without having to save for months. Not too hot, not too cold…like goldilocks.

Value for money: 0.5/1

The Vibe:

BangBang has a really nice, chilled vibe going on. And not like a hipster “I look like I’m chilled buy really I’m not” type of chill, but a relaxed, personal feel that’s reinforced by the service. The only thing that prevented it from being a complete package for me was that the personality didn’t quite come through in the decor – most likely because they were still in the process of changing things up in the decor department.

Good, but not quite an experience yet.

Vibe: 0.5/1

And finally,

It’s very impressive that Matt – BangBang’s owner of 11 months at only 24 years old(!) – has such a clear vision of what he wants, and enough experience in both back and front of house to execute it. It’s not often that someone so young has such carry through, and he (and his team) has my utmost respect for it.

Can’t wait to see how BangBang is going to evolve. ??

Bonus points: 1/1

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of BangBang Cafe.

BangBang Cafe
113 Reservoir St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Phone:+61 2 9281 0018
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Bangbang-Cafe-260790390627103/

The battle of the Korean Fried…Incredible Chicken, Eastwood

Review December 20, 2015 1 Comment

Remember how I said that pretty much all my conversations begin with food? Well, one day, Christine, Simon and I were talking about Korean Fried Chicken, and wondering about how we could have it for breakfast.

Because fried chicken should be an ‘anytime’ food.

And given that I live in the land of Korean Fried Chicken (read: Eastwood), I simply don’t understand why no one will sell me a plate of glorious crispy poultry before 11am. Don’t they recognise a clear gap in the market?

Original Fried Chicken, Half Order

Anyhoo. The self-proclaimed Incredible Chicken (seriously, it’s on the sign), has opened in Eastwood, and is a sister restaurant to the famous Red Pepper in Strathfield, and Sparrows Mill in the CBD; home to the Snow Cheese Chicken, that make fried chicken aficionados squeal in delight.

The Original Fried Chicken is consistent with the performance of Strathfield and CBD, hitting home runs with a crispy coating and tender meat. Not quite as juicy as the brined chicken of the Deep South, but hey, you can’t be perfect at everything.

Spicy Braised Beef Short Ribs

And if fried chicken is not quite your thing (shame! SHAME!), I really liked the Spicy Braised Beef Short Ribs too. There was something utterly addictive of the cloyingly sweet soy-based sauce that clung to every strand of chewy potato noodle. Packed full of beefy goodness, the ribs were tender and fall off the bone, making me a very happy diner indeed.

The one thing that isn’t consistent, though? The service. At Eastwood, it was warm and friendly (thankfully), and at Strathfield, polite and professional. CBD wishes you hadn’t stepped in, and is grumpy when you want actual service from them. It really makes you prioritise what you want from a restaurant, but if it’s all the same to you, I’ll be sticking to the Eastwood branch, thankyouverymuch.

Now, if I could only convince them to open for breakfast…

This meal was independently paid for.

Incredible Chicken
120 Rowe St
Eastwood, NSW 2122
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Incredible-Chicken/405561556253267

Vessel Italian & Bar, Sydney

Review December 2, 2015

Vessel Italian and Bar, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog Review

You know that saying, “never go to bed angry”? Well you should also never go to bed hungry. It’s a thing. And it was exactly what we were, um, trying to prevent when we rocked up at Vessel Italian & Bar, and ordered two pizzas, a pasta, an entree and a salad.

Because salads are healthy, right?

Also, we had a $100 voucher from Zomato to spend, and I have an appetite like an Asian. Win-win!

From left: Nomad’s hot chorizo, red pepper and rosemary ($19.50), and the Garlic Pizza ($8.50)

For the pizzas, we ordered the Nomad’s hot chorizo, red pepper and rosemary ($19.50), and the Garlic Pizza ($8.50). Because we really like garlic bread.

So classy, I know. ?

Anyway, maybe because I’ve been so spoilt lately by thick, chewy, bready crusts, I’m finding that the thin crispy ones aren’t really doing it for me anymore. Nothing wrong with them, but just not satisfying.

The topping on the Nomad’s hot chorizo, though, was pretty good – the chorizo was cooked to a satisfying crispness on the top, while retaining tender chunks of flesh in the middle. Could’ve done with a stronger tomato flavour in the base, but it was just because there was so much cheese, and I could never complain about too much cheese.

NEVER, Y’HEAR??

Seared scallops, Jerusalem artichoke puree, pork crackling, green apple salsa ($24).

The Seared scallops, Jerusalem artichoke puree, pork crackling, green apple salsa ($24), brought up a bit of a “ooooh, fancy!” reaction in me, probably because I do love a good slate plate.

Isn’t it just so pretty?

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@teafortammi) on Nov 23, 2015 at 2:31am PST

The scallops were nicely seared without being overdone, the Jerusalem artichoke purée was silky and luscious, and the green apple salsa brought a lovely touch of freshness. The pork crackling though? Um. It wasn’t the best. *hides*

Never have I thought that I’d ever complain about pork crackling, but there it is. It was broken up to fairly small pieces, and gave me that feeling of…of…

You know when you eat shellfish and you can bits of shell stuck in the back of your mouth? Yeah. Like that.

Spaghetti aglio olio, with baby squid and pangritatta ($22)

The Spaghetti aglio olio, with baby squid and pangritatta ($22) didn’t fare too well, either. I love, LOVE aglio e olio – which usually is a light pasta dish of garlic, olive oil, and sometimes red chilli – but it’s the simplest dishes that are sometimes the hardest to get right. This particular one was a bit lacking in flavour for me – salt, garlic…oil. And considering the name of the dish translates to “garlic” and “oil”, it’s not a great sign.

The squid was cooked very nicely though – tender and juicy and not rubbery – so points for that.

Caprese, with heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil ($14)

Much better was the Caprese, with heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil ($14). It’s really REALLY hard to mess up a caprese, assuming tomatoes are in season (which they are), and this provided a lovely freshness that balanced out the whole meal.

Kinda distracted me from the fact that I was eating a whole ton of cheese.

Mmm cheese.

The service also had its ups and downs – the lady who seated us was very friendly, but after that, it was pretty hard to get anyone’s attention, even though the restaurant was not even half filled when we went. When we did get a hold of someone though, they were pretty accommodating in our requests for salt and chilli, and our bottle of water got topped up without asking.

I’m not sure if there’s anything I would particularly make the trip back for – it was a bit on the average side for me – but I don’t think I would kick up a fuss if I had friends who wanted to come here for a group outing.

Not great, but could be worse.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Zomato.

Vessel Italian and Bar
1 Shelley St
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +61 2 92955070
Website: http://vesselsydney.com.au

At..Home Thai, Sydney

Review November 29, 2015

Home Thai, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog Review

Remember how I talked about how every conversation with my friends revolve around food? Yep, it’s struck again! This time it was Christine’s birthday, so Simon and I went present shopping.

But first, lunch.

For me, hot days = Thai salads, and Simon recommended the ones at Home Thai on Sussex Street.

Mixed Papaya Salad $11.90

Just like many authentic Thai restaurants, a papaya salad comes in many variations: fermented crab, shrimp, anchovies, sausages, rice noodles…if anyone ever tells you again that a salad is just a bowl of rabbit food, sock ’em in the head with some fermented crab.

That’ll teach them.

We got the Mixed Papaya Salad ($11.90), with vermicelli, pork roll (which is a bit like a Thai ham), Thai anchovies and pork crackling (!!). Because pork crackling makes everything better. This version is a little more sweet, which tempers the fermented flavours of the anchovies and shrimp paste. The soft pork roll and pork crackling added a great contrast of textures, that made this more a satisfying meal than a side dish.

Eastern Thai Sausage ($11.90)

Speaking of side dishes, we also got the Eastern Thai Sausage ($11.90). The texture was more like fresh mince than what you’d necessarily expect from a sausage, and there was a slight sourness that’s typical of this variety. Why it’s sour, I have no idea. But I’m quite happy to eat it all the same.

And because we’re asian, WE MUST HAVE RICE!!

Pork Hock with Rice ($9.90)

Rarrr. Rice monster.

The Pork Hock with Rice ($9.90) was very simply a stewed bit of pork hock, with lots of gravy and rice. There’s just something about the whole hock getting stewed that turns the rind and fat into a lovely soft gelatinous mass, with chunks of fall-apart meat underneath. Unctuous, flavourful, and an absolute favourite at the table.

SAH GOOD.

As for the present, well we didn’t quite find what we were looking for, but we got there in the end. Now who’s birthday’s next…

This meal was independently paid for.

Home Thai
1-2/299 Sussex St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone:+61 2 9261 5058
Website: http://www.homethaisussex.com.au

The Rice Den, St Leonard’s

Review November 27, 2015

What’s going on with the North Sydney area? It wasn’t until I started looking through my calendar did I realise how many trips I was making into the St. Leonard’s/Crows Nest to eat. Thai Food, Mexican, Burgers…and now, Modern Cantonese.

The Rice Den in St. Leonards takes traditional Cantonese cuisine and gives it a new spin with fresh Australian ingredients. When we first step in, the dark wood furnishings convey a sense of old world charm, while the efficient wait staff bring it all back into the modern day. They knew the menu like the back of their hand, and could make personal recommendations based on solid food knowledge.

So far, so good.

Handmade Cheong Fun, Peanut sesame, hoisin sauce $8

We started with the Handmade Cheong Fun with Peanut Sesame and Hoisin Sauce, $8. Because nostalgia. When I was a kid, Cheong Fun was a daily breakfast. My mum would take me to this hawker stall, downstairs from the kindergarten I went to. A large, rotund man in a thin white wife beater stood, amongst steaming pots, selling rice cakes with radish condiments and rice noodle rolls with hoisin sauce to long queues of dreary-eyed office workers in the building.

The noodles here were soft, tender, but not quite as silky as I wanted them to be. As for the sauce, I could do without the peanut element, but it really did bring childhood memories flooding back for me.

Mixed wild mushroom pancake, $10

But because you can’t live on rice noodles alone – well, you can, but I don’t think you’re meant to – we also got the Mixed Wild Mushroom Pancake ($10) and Rice Wine Cured Ocean Trout with pickled fennel, ginger and soy sauce ($16).

Rice Wine Cured Ocean Trout, Pickled Fennel, Ginger and Soy Sauce $16

The Rice Wine Cured Ocean Trout was seriously kickass, but we all know that I’ve got a bit of a thing for cured fish. Or fresh fish. Or any fish. Doesn’t have to be fish, as long as it comes from the sea. In this case, the rice wine flavour wasn’t particularly obvious, but it really worked as a dish, for me.

Tea smoked chicken salad, rice sheets, peanut sesame and soy dressing, chinkiang vinegar, $16

Crispy soft shell crab, with spicy spanner crab mung bean noodle ($24)

Of the larger bites, we ordered the Tea smoked chicken salad, rice sheets, peanut sesame and soy dressing, chinking vinegar ($16), and the Crispy soft shell crab, with spicy spanner crab mung bean noodle ($24).

Maybe it was the crazy heat, but I was really really feeling the chicken salad, and I’m not even a chicken fan! The smoke really came through without being too overpowering, and the black vinegar dressing kept it refreshing and moreish. A big fat yes.

The Crispy soft shell crab, with spicy spanner crab mung bean noodle ($24) reminded me a little of the Thai claypot crab with glass noodles, mixed a little with chilli crab. There was something really comforting about it, and it was very well made, but somehow wasn’t quite as punchy as the tart chicken salad on a steaming hot day.

French Toast, Dulce de Leche, Peanut Crumble, Mascarpone with matcha green tea, $14

And to finish, French Toast, Dulce de Leche, Peanut Crumble, Mascarpone with matcha green tea ($14). It was crazy rich, with only the green tea mascarpone to cut it. It didn’t quite have the pudding quality that I like in a french toast – My french toasts border on bread pudding – but it was fantastically crispy, and oozing with Dulce de Leche.

I really like what The Rice Den does with bringing old school favourites into the modern day. There’s a whole lot of respect for the cuisine, without taking itself too seriously, which is really what casual dining (to me) is all about. Because not everyone has to spend 10,000hrs perfecting Cantonese techniques.

No, I think we’ll leave that to the old masters.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of The Rice Den.

The Rice Den
30-32 Chandos Street
St Leonards, Sydney
Phone: 02 9438 3612
Website: http://thericeden.com.au

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

Review September 30, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of One Tea Lounge, Sydney CBD

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.

Gyokuro 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.

Matcha 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.

Gyokuro smoked octopus with avocado

Takocini, $9

Matcha Fries ($4 for 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.

Ramen Burger with Beef, $13.80

Matcha Baoger with Tofu, $13.80

Black 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.

Spicy Cheese Pork Sizzle Hotplate, $13.80

Volcano 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.

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

A little street in…Little Hutong, Little Bay

Review September 25, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of Little Hutong, Little Bay

You know the story of Gulliver’s Travels? Where he stumbles upon (literally) a little town full of little people – not a euphemism. They were about the size of his little finger – that saw him as a dangerous giant to be restrained? Well that’s how I felt most of the time as I was growing up, which then led me to be very afraid of the word “Little”.

So Little Hutong in Little Bay? Well, the irrational part of me half expected to arrive and find myself in a Gulliver-type situation. We were going to be very close to the water, after all.

Penang Cheh Hoo, $14

Thankfully no such thing happened. In fact, Little Hutong was a fairly roomy restaurant, situated in a large, sprawling suburb. An airy dining room looked straight into an open kitchen, and a long bench ran along the length, dotted with tables along the way.

Quite pretty, and charming.

Beef Rendang Roti, $14

The food had an equally pretty and charming quality about it. Hawker-style dishes were plated in a restaurant-style fashion, which worked for some items more than others.

The Penang Cheh Hoo, $14, for example – a turnip/fritter/tofu/peanut salad topped with a sweet potato gravy/sauce – and was plated in a wide rimmed slate black plate. Quite a step up from the slap-it-on-a-plate style that most hawkers employ.

Roti Cina with Slow Roast Crispy Pork Belly, $15.50

The Roti Cina with Slow Roast Crispy Pork Belly, $15.50, was a bao by any other name, Pretty good mix of flavours, but after I’ve had the wonderfully fluffy, light-as-air bao of Belly Bao, nothing else can compare.

#sorrynotsorry

Hainanese Chicken Rice, $14

Of course, when there’s Hainanese Chicken Rice on the menu, I’ve just gotta order it. I know that it’s never going to be as good as the $5-a-meal chicken rice I can get from Singapore, but really, it’s like a challenge that I must accept. I just HAVE TO. #FirstWorldProblems

The verdict? I’m actually quite impressed by the peripheral condiments that are often overlooked. Sure, the chicken wasn’t quite as silky and the rice wasn’t as punchy, but the chilli and ginger sauce was fresh, and the CHICKEN HAD DRESSING!! Woo!!

You don’t know how important that seemingly invisible soy/stock/chicken fat dressing is. It adds an extra layer of unctuousness to a juicy chicken, and soaks through the rice for maximum enjoyment. And Little Hutong is the first place in Sydney that I’ve seen that didn’t leave the chicken naked, and me wanting. Teehee.

Sakura in the air, $21

But the piece de resistance of the whole lunch? This. Sakura in the air, $21, is a very posh plate of silky salmon, poached egg yolk, eel arancini, pickle salad, and Japanese mayo. Very sophisticated, but somewhat out of place on the humble menu.

Very expertly executed and balanced though, and should be the first thing that you order at Little Hutong. Kinda like a better version of a certain Breakfast at the Sakuma’s. But shhhh, don’t tell anyone that I said such a sacrilegious thing.

Little Hutong is a lovely local in a lovely neighbourhood, with really decent options on the menu. Sure, it’s not quite the truly gritty feel that I would want to accompany my true hawker experience, but not everyone wants to be sweating and crying into their food all at once. I’m just sad like that.

Shame that it’s all the way out in Little Bay, though. I would very much like to make another trip for the dinner menu.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Little Hutong.

Little Hutong
Shop 4, 2-8 Pine Avenue
Little Bay, Sydney NSW
Phone: 02 8020 0779
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thelittlehutong

Hair of the dog: Bloody Mary’s, Darlinghurst

Review September 14, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of Bloody Mary's, Darlinghurst

I’m obsessed with Bloody Mary’s. Well, virgin mary’s cause I don’t do so well with alcohol (asian genes and all), but you get the idea. Bloody Caesar, Bloody Maria, Bacon fat vodka…whatever the combination, I’m absolutely there.

So when I saw this Buzzfeed article about a cafe called Bloody Mary’s, right here in Sydney, I knew I had to go.

Bloody Hell, $25

Classic Bloody Mary, $14

So, there were many bloody mary’s, as expected, but also a short food menu to soak up the potential hangovers.

Bloody Mary’s Beef Burger, $19

Yankee Doodle Classic Hotdog, $13

The verdict? Bloody marys with massive-ass toppers are good fun and beats crazy milkshakes anyday. Because cheeseburger > doughnut. The actual food on the menu did seem like an afterthought to the bloody mary’s, which I guess is a fair call, except when the Bloody Mary’s Beef Burger turned up fairly dry, both in topper form and full-sized form.

The buffalo wing topper was actually pretty good, and I wished we ordered that instead, but life is full of shoulda woulda couldas and this will be one of them.

I also got the Yankee Doodle Classic Hotdog, which was pretty punchy in flavour with chorizo and mushrooms covered in a creamy sauce. And cheese. Because cheese is delicious. A bit too much bread in each mouthful for my liking, but it was okay when you wash it down with your bloody mary.

Great theme, so-so execution. Go for the experience, but I’m not sure that it’s enough to hook me into coming back hangover after hangover. The drinks are pretty good, but incredibly..delicate for my unsubtle Asian palate. (Read: needs more tabasco. Always more tabasco.)

Go on and give it a go, though. I’d love to know what you think. And if you aren’t quite into it, as I was, well there’s always Gelato Messina’s Dessert Bar down the street.

This meal was independently paid for.

Bloody Mary’s
332 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst
Phone: 02 9360 5568
Website: http://www.bloodymaryssydney.com.au

Three little piggies went to market: Hungry Wolf, Wollongong

Review August 21, 2015 1 Comment

Sydney Food Blog Review of Hungry Wolf, Wollongong

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.

Heirloom 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.

Pork 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.

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.

Pearl 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

Dopey, Grumpy, Happy…Surly’s, Surry Hills

Review July 17, 2015

Sydney Food Blog Review of Surly's, Surry Hills

I’ve long watched reality TV shows about Americans and their obsession with barbecue. Where bigger is better, and people fueled by smoke and meats.

Come to think of it, its a pretty ideal existence!

So when an old Uni friend suggested Surly’s for dinner, I was SO THERE.

Barbecued Beef Ribs, $25 with two sides

I can’t go past beef ribs on a menu without ordering it, and this time, it’s accompanied by fried chicken, fries, mac and cheese, green beans, and slaw. Because you can’t have a barbecue without slaw.

3 pc Fried Chicken, $14 with one side

Surly’s Spicy Fries, $10

Their Spicy Fries were, unfortunately, like a date from Tinder – not as advertised. They distinctly lacked spiciness, and about half the basket was left sad and alone at the end of out meal.. just like Tinder too.

The Fried Chicken was juicy and crispy all at once – a good sign that the chicken has been brined – but the flavour was just a touch underwhelming. Maybe it’s my Korean Fried Chicken spoiled tastebuds, but I was expecting a much punchier taste.

The Beef Ribs was again, good but underwhelming. I didnt taste much smokiness from the meat, as juicy and texturally satisfying as it was. And it ain’t barbecue without the smoke.

So sadly, I don’t think I will be returning to Surly’s any time soon. Not that they did anything wrong, but more so that they didn’t do more right than the other barbecue joints around Sydney. And there are A LOT.

I think a visit to my butcher is in order…

The Order:

The Food:

The Service:

Value for money:

The Vibe:

And finally,

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of BangBang Cafe.

BangBang Cafe 113 Reservoir St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Phone:+61 2 9281 0018 Website: https://www.facebook.com/Bangbang-Cafe-260790390627103/

This meal was independently paid for.

Incredible Chicken 120 Rowe St Eastwood, NSW 2122 Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Incredible-Chicken/405561556253267

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Zomato.

Vessel Italian and Bar 1 Shelley St Sydney NSW 2000, Australia Phone: +61 2 92955070 Website: http://vesselsydney.com.au

This meal was independently paid for.

Home Thai 1-2/299 Sussex St Sydney NSW 2000 Phone:+61 2 9261 5058 Website: http://www.homethaisussex.com.au

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of The Rice Den.

The Rice Den 30-32 Chandos Street St Leonards, Sydney Phone: 02 9438 3612 Website: http://thericeden.com.au

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

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Little Hutong.

Little Hutong Shop 4, 2-8 Pine Avenue Little Bay, Sydney NSW Phone: 02 8020 0779 Website: https://www.facebook.com/thelittlehutong

This meal was independently paid for.

Bloody Mary’s 332 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst Phone: 02 9360 5568 Website: http://www.bloodymaryssydney.com.au

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

This meal was independently paid for.

Surly’s 182 Campbell Street Surry Hills, NSW Phone: 02 9331 3705 Website: http://surlys.com.au

BangBang Cafe
113 Reservoir St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Phone:+61 2 9281 0018
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Bangbang-Cafe-260790390627103/

Incredible Chicken
120 Rowe St
Eastwood, NSW 2122
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Incredible-Chicken/405561556253267

Vessel Italian and Bar
1 Shelley St
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Phone: +61 2 92955070
Website: http://vesselsydney.com.au

Home Thai
1-2/299 Sussex St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone:+61 2 9261 5058
Website: http://www.homethaisussex.com.au

The Rice Den
30-32 Chandos Street
St Leonards, Sydney
Phone: 02 9438 3612
Website: http://thericeden.com.au

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

Little Hutong
Shop 4, 2-8 Pine Avenue
Little Bay, Sydney NSW
Phone: 02 8020 0779
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thelittlehutong

Bloody Mary’s
332 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst
Phone: 02 9360 5568
Website: http://www.bloodymaryssydney.com.au

Hungry Wolf
53-61 Crown Street, Wollongong
Phone: 0417 265 272
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hungrywolfkitchen

Surly’s
182 Campbell Street
Surry Hills, NSW
Phone: 02 9331 3705
Website: http://surlys.com.au