Posts tagged Lunch

A delicious deal with the devil: Dr Faustus, Surry Hills

Review
Fruit Loop 8-ball doughnut from Dr Faustus at Surry Hills!

Fruit Loop 8-ball doughnut from Dr Faustus at Surry Hills!

I’m a fairly clumsy walker. I think it’s mostly due to the fact that I’m constantly distracted by the menus of passing restaurants as I move. Sometimes it’s worth the bump and graze, and sometimes it’s not. But once in a while, you come past an eatery that can only be described as intriguing, and that beckons you inwards like a charming circus master crooking his finger at you.

And on a sunny Friday morning, Dr Faustus did just that.

Located on Cleveland Street, Dr Faustus is decked out like the apothecaries of days gone by, straight out of an old world where travelling freakshows captured the imaginations of American suburbia. Carved wood and glass showcase tall jars of psychedelic pickles, and jaunty music play through the speakers.

The menu is just, if not more inventive than the decor, and the imaginative concepts and twists in classic favourites are enough to whet any foodie’s appetite.

Eggs done 5 ways at Dr FaustusEggs 5 Ways

Blood Sausage Burger with ChipsBlack Pudding Sandwich

brussel sprout caesar at Dr FaustusBrussel Sprout Caesar

We ordered the Black Pudding Sandwich, Eggs 5 Ways and a Brussel Sprout Caesar to share. The Brussel Sprout Caesar was a surprise favourite: with pickled radish, crispy sopressata, and a soft quail egg on shaved brussel sprouts. I’ve never been a fan of the traditional, watery Caesar, and this has convinced me that I never want to have it the traditional way ever again. The brussel sprouts, as owner Adam explains, are sturdier than cos lettuce, holding its own against the dressing to provide lasting crunch and freshness into the very last bite. A genius way to refresh a classic with winter greens.

The Eggs 5 Ways, while visually impressive, didnt give quite the same oomph as the Caesar. A soft boiled duck and quail egg flank a beetroot pickled hens egg, on a smear of ‘red eye aioli’ – an homage to red eye gravy that features espresso as one of the defining ingredients. Fish roe tops off the egg fest, and it all looks like something that could only come out of a Tim Burton film (I’m a massive fan, if you didnt know already). The concept for this egg on egg orgy is strong, but as perfectly cooked as all the eggs were – there was no tell-tale grey ring around the yolk of the hen’s egg. I checked! – it wasn’t as ground breaking as the rest of the experience was for me.

The Black Pudding Sandwich was more than made up for it though, with its tangy sauce and generous serving of rich sausage between soft buns. Moreish and just downright delicious, this sandwich/burger is like a gateway dish to blood sausage for the queasy.

And of course, with lunch then comes dessert!

Coco Pop 8 ball doughnut from Dr FaustusCoco Pop 8 ball doughnut

Sugared 8 ball doughnut from Dr FaustusSugared 8 ball doughnut

Fruit Loop 8 ball doughnut at Dr FaustusFruit Loop 8 ball doughnut

8 ball doughnuts – so named because they’re the size and shape of the 8-ball at the pool table – come in three options: plain sugared, coco pop, and fruit loop. The cereal options are really just that – cereal-infused milk gets reduced to a syrup, then decadently poured over doughnuts. Feeling the diabetes yet? The Fruit Loop was my favourite, mostly because I have a weakness for milk frostings. And they’re just so gosh darned cute! The doughnuts themselves could be just a touch lighter and less cakey, but that’s something I think will evolve as the cafe matures.

Owner Adam still fronts this fairly new cafe, and greets customers and busses the tables himself. Having worked in the hospitality business for many years, including a stint in the U.S., he’s brought his imagination and sense of humour to the table when it comes to designing a menu that will put a smile on people’s faces. Working with a head chef to execute his ideas, it feels there still are some minor executionary details that are going to get worked out as the cafe matures.

Personally, even though the food wasn’t technically perfect, I still thoroughly enjoyed my experience, and admire the passion and focus that fuel such a strong conceptually led cafe. A must-return, even if it’s just to sate my curiousity (and appetite!) about the other things on the menu.

This meal was independently paid for.
Dr Faustus
380 Cleveland St
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Phone: 0416 914 170
Website: www.drfaustus.com.au/

Dr Faustus on Urbanspoon

Sedap Tak? Drive-by Eating: Sedap , Regents Place

Drive-by Eating Review 1 Comment
Chee Cheong Fun

Chee Cheong Fun

When I was a little, I had the good fortune to have my mother’s office located near one of Singapore’s famous hawker centres on Amoy St. She and I would walk, hand in hand, to get breakfast before she dropped me off to childcare/Kinder, and I would invariably want to get Chee Cheong Fun – rolled steamed rice noodles smothered in a thick sweet hoisin-type sauce, sometimes with a bit of chilli on the side. The portly man who owned the stall wore a white wife-beater, and stood, tall and wide amongst the steamers, taking orders and serving up dishes with lightning speed and a seemingly perfect memory.

That stall has long since disappeared from the horizon of fluorescent-lit food stalls, but the memory remains. A simple plate of Chee Cheong Fun still triggers those childhood memories with my mother, and the simpler times when my day started with these comforting noodles and ended with an egg braised in duck masterstock.

At Sedap – which translates to “delicious”. Setting the bar a little high are we? – Chee Cheong Fun is served on an enamel coated tin plate, with the typical sweet sauce and chilli from my childhood. The first bite into the silky noodles brought back all sorts of memories, and really hit home for me. It was a touch on the pricey side considering the raw materials, but it is the city after all, and the friendly staff made up for it.

I haven’t heard too much about the rest of the menu though, but it does seem interesting enough for me to make a return trip to try it out. And if nothing else, there’s always Chee Cheong Fun.

Sedap
Regent Place
501 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000

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City Lunches: Baker Bros, Sydney CBD

Review
Heirloom Tomato Salad, $15

Heirloom Tomato Salad, $15Heirloom Tomato Salad, $15

Having mostly studied/worked near Haymarket, I’ve always been spoilt for choice when it comes to lunch options in the city. But Sam, working on the CBD side of things, isn’t quite so lucky.

Which is why long lunch queues can either be the bane of the short lunch break, or a shining beacon of a quality lunch spot that can be the new go-to.

Beef Brisket Sandwich, $13Beef Brisket Sandwich, $13

We ordered the Heirloom Tomato Salad, $15, and Beef Brisket Sandwich, $13, to eat in. The sandwich seemed to me like a sub-par reuben – I need me some cured beef! – but the salad was truly truly delightful. The small, multicoloured tomatoes were lightly dressed with sweet balsamic and fruit olive oil, with pops of savouriness provided by sea salt flakes. The creamy mozzarella ball soaked up the flavours nicely, and made for a fantastic tri-colour bite each time. $15 did seem a bit pricey, but hey, its the CBD.

The service was also cordial and efficient, though not particularly individual, but given how busy it was, I wasn’t expecting the moon.

Now to try that Friday night bar menu…

Baker Bros
Shop 1 56-58 York St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Website: http://www.bakerbros.com.au/

Baker Bros. on Urbanspoon

How are scrambled eggs like actors? Taste Baguette, Sydney

Review
Chipolata and Caramelised Onion Baguette

Chipolata and Caramelised Onion Baguette

Answer: They always arrive overdone.

Geddit? Okay, we might have to go through a few rounds of Sweeney Todd.

But truly. I have a love/hate relationship with scrambled eggs. When cooked correctly, they can be a veritable dream to eat, creamy, silly and luscious, lightly flavoured with the barest hint of salt and pepper.

Too often though, it arrives wayy over cooked, dry and tough, with the yolks and whites splitting into swirls in the solid slab of egg on a plate. And Taste Baguette, unfortunately, is no different.

Free range scrambled eggs, $15Free range scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, creme fraiche, crusty baguette, $15

What really gets my goat, is that I specifically ordered the eggs to be underdone. So no reason to assume that the customer is somehow afraid of undercooked eggs, or that it would create an ease of eating-to-go, because, well I was eating in.

SO WHY WERE THEY SERVED AS THIS OVERDONE MESS???

And for this to be one of the pricier items on the breakfast menu, I expect the cook to be able to undercook eggs when the restaurant has maybe 2 other patrons. Not cool, man, not cool.

Pork and fennel chipolatas, $7.50Pork and fennel chipolatas, caramelised onion, baguette, $7.50

The Pork and Fennel Chipolatas with Caramelised Onions were actually pretty decent, but by this time I’d been rendered so livid by the state of the eggs that I could hardly enjoy it.

Maybe it’s time to start curling up under the covers and return to my depressing Netflix binge. The eggs and I are just not meant to be.

Taste Baguette
1a/68 Market St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9233 7778
Website: http://www.tastebaguette.com

Taste Baguette on Urbanspoon

Did someone say roast duck? BBQ One, Eastwood

Review 1 Comment
Roasted Duck on Rice, BBQ One, Eastwood

Roasted Duck on Rice, BBQ One, Eastwood

Before there was all the ramen, food festivals and fine dining, there was meat on rice. From charsiu to siu yok to braised duck, this simple combination represents a staple-turned-addiction that has contributed to my ever-burgeoning muffin top.

Complimentary Pork Soup, BBQ One, EastwodComplimentary Pork and Peanut Soup

BBQ One in Eastwood is the closest I’ve had in Sydney to the favourites I grew up with, displaying their selection of meats on steel hooks in front of a glass window, beckoning to passers-by like hookers in the red light district of Amsterdam.

Roasted Duck on Rice, BBQ One, EastwoodRoast Duck on Rice

The Roast Duck Rice consisted of a generous serving of rice and duck maryland with skin the shade of orange that you might mistake it for an oompa loompa. No need to adjust your television sets though, it’s perfectly normal. You can’t really go wrong with roast duck in my books, but what I really enjoyed was the lightly oiled rice drizzled with a soy based dressing, which I’m pretty sure contains some of the master stock used to braise some of the meat items on the menu.

It’s like an absolute meat fest in there, and it’s amazing.

Braised Offal on Rice, Barbecue One EastwoodBraised Offal on Rice

For the more adventurous, I strongly recommend my usual order: a selection of braised offal on that same oiled rice. Pork stomach, tongue, ears and intestine are roughly chopped and laid over rice, drizzled with that same master stock dressing that comes with all the dishes. It may not sound pretty but if I could find the budget or the diet that allows me to have this every meal for every day of the week, I would. Pro tip: order a side of ginger and shallot sauce for an extra $0.50 – the amazing aromatics of the sauce augments all the savoury meaty flavours on the plate.

The service is efficient and civil, and the portions are large enough to feed two moderately hungry people with one plate. It’s not a five-star date night place, but it’s a favourite with the locals for the super simple, quick, in-and-out sort of dining.

Okay, so maybe it could be a date night place.

This meal was independently paid for.
BBQ One
181 Rowe St
Eastwood, NSW 2122
Phone: 02 9874 5332

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Do you know what a ring burner is? Do Dee Paidang, Haymarket

Review
A chopstick lifting out strands of rice noodles from the Supernova level 7 spicy noodle from Do Dee Paidang in Haymarket

A chopstick lifting out strands of rice noodles from the Supernova level 7 spicy noodle from Do Dee Paidang in Haymarket

I like my chilli like I like my war, nuclear.

…Wait, that didn’t come out right.

But I do like my chilli hot, and Do Dee Paidang in Haymarket has certainly thrown down the gauntlet, serving up a bowl of spicy noodles that have beaten many a food. Their Supernova Noodles are labelled as Level 7, for the 7 spoonfuls of chilli that they put in it.

Supernova Level 7 Spicy Noodles from Do Dee Paidang in HaymarketSupernova Level 7 Spicy Noodles

When you place the order, the waitress doesn’t just give you the dubious look that she saves for drunk men trying to pick her up. No, she first assumes that you mean something less spicy, and she points to the Level 3 and Level 5 options on a menu so filled with pictures it looks like a child’s storybook. I firmly stand my ground, and point to the Level 7, and her eyes widen slightly as she’s processing what I just said, and then followed by a look of uncertainty. “Are you sure?” She asks, “There are 7 spoons of chilli in that one. It’s very spicy”. I reassure her that it’s okay, and she shrugs and takes the order, recommending rice noodles as the noodle option.

And the rice noodles arrive, shrouded in a fiery red soup, and topped with fish balls, pork ribs and crispy deep fried wonton skins. The first chopstickful looks very promising – the chilli flakes cling to each strand like an over-the-hill woman going through a mid-life crisis clings to a man. I bite into it, and well, I didn’t exactly get swift kick in the pants that I was expecting. I wanted my mouth to feel like it was on fire, and my eyes to start tearing…not this slow burn business.

To be fair, it does build up slowly, but beyond causing a bit of a coughing fit, I don’t actually think it was all that spicy. In fact, I was more distracted by the slightly burnt aftertaste of chilli flakes that had been roasted too far, and that acrid bitterness was just something I couldn’t get rid of. Just a touch disappointing after all the chilli hype.

The fish balls and pork ribs were tender and delightful, and the wonton skins did add a nice touch. Especially with the Som Tum Pu we ordered – a Thai Papaya salad with fermented crabs.

Som Tum Pu Papaya Salad from Do Dee Paidang in HaymarketSom Tum Pu (Papaya Salad with Fermented Crab)

This dish is not for the faint-hearted. By all western standards, this dish stinks like a fish rotting in a sewer, but for me, it was all sorts of salty deliciousness that I crave on hot days. Sour, tangy, salty, spicy, Som Tum consists of shredded green papaya, carrot, green beans, and fresh tomatoes, pounded in a mortar and pestle with lime, fish sauce, sugar and chilli. This particular version includes fermented crab the colour of a rotting corpse on NCIS, and I particularly enjoy sucking out the salty juices from the tiny pointy legs.

What can I say? The stereotype is true that Asians will eat anything.

Durian and sticky rice dessert from Do Dee Paidang in HaymarketDurian and Sticky Rice Dessert

And because the portions here are similar to what you get in Thailand, we order a dessert as well. Durian and Sticky Rice brings back comforting memories of family trips to Thailand, where my parents and I would share a small plate of this food hall staple while taking a break from all the sightseeing and shopping. Here, it’s served in a bowl, probably because the durian is pulpier in texture due to the difficulty of getting fresh durian in Sydney. It’s still every bit as comforting as I remembered, though. Warm, sticky glutinous rice is topped with creamy durian and coconut cream, lightly salted to bring out the sweet. At Do Dee Paidang, they finish with a small pinch of Foi Thong – golden strands of egg yolk made by drizzling a mixture of duck and hen yolks into a hot sugar syrup. So rich, so addictive.

The food here really reminded me of food that I had in Bangkok, and I especially enjoyed the portion sizes. It may seem stingy, but really, the small order of noodles is only $5.50, and it allows us to try more things off the menu. I left feeling full and satisfied, but not wishing that there were napping options right in the middle of Chinatown for me to nurse my food coma. The service was well, what it was: not entirely attentive, but not rude either. It took awhile to get someone’s attention when it got busy, but once you got a hold of them, you never had to ask twice for what you wanted. Efficient.

We really enjoyed ourselves at this little eatery on Ultimo road. Makes me wonder what the grilled menu items are like.

This meal was independently paid for.
Do Dee Paidang Thai Noodle Bar & Cafe
9/37 Ultimo Rd
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8065 3827

Do Dee Paidang Thai Noodle Bar & Cafe on Urbanspoon

Pull My Noodle: Ichiban Boshi, Sydney

Review
Very Hot Ramen, from Ichiban Boshi Sydney

Very Hot Ramen, from Ichiban Boshi Sydney

Having grown up in Singapore, Ichiban Boshi to me was always associated with sushi, bentos, donburi, and other family-friendly Japanese fare, but not exactly ramen. Fast forward 10 years, and a meeting with University friends reveal that Ichiban Boshi in Sydney, to my initial confusion, is all about the Ramen.

Ramen is a food nerd’s wet dream. There are so many elements to it – broth, egg, meat, noodle, toppings – that it can go gloriously right, or disastrously wrong. And with ramen joints popping up in what seems like once every other week in Sydney, any restaurant offering up this unique mix of springy egg noodles, viscous broth, fatty meat and all the comfort of a mother’s embrace on a cold winter’s morning had better be on top of their noodle soup game, or risk getting edged out in the competition.

So I was particularly intrigued when I was invited to sample the menu at Ichiban Boshi at The Galleries Victoria – do the crazy peak hour queues signal another hardhitter in the Sydney ramen scene, overlooked because it is situated in the bright white lights of a popular shopping centre?

OkonomiyakiOkonomiyaki, $8

But first, the entrées. Okonomiyaki, $8, is one of my favourite Japanese street snacks – I guess I identify with the Japanese students for whom this savoury cabbage-and-seafood pancake is an exam time staple. Sometimes served with on a sizzling hotplate, this small compact pancake is almost always smothered with a sweet, tangy Japanese barbecue sauce, lashings of Japanese Mayo and handfuls of dried bonito flakes, pickled ginger, and green scallions. 

The okonomiyaki here is certainly small and sauce-smothered, and also topped with an extra thin egg omelette. It’s firm and thick, though it’s hard to judge flavour or textures otherwise because my tastebuds were so entertained by rivers of sauce. It could be a clever ploy to hide an otherwise average pancake, or maybe they’re just really generous with the sauce. 

And I do like sauce.

Tempura Salmon RollTempura Salmon Roll, $9.50 

And then there’s the much more interesting Tempura Salmon Roll, $9.50.

A thick salmon and cucumber roll is covered in tempura batter and deep fried, before being doused in chilli Mayo and topped with scallions.

inside of deep fried sushi

I was quite curious if the rice would insulate the salmon enough to create the elusive hot/cold mix and leave the salmon raw, but it was, if lightly, cooked through. The tempura provided a pleasant crunch, and the chilli mayo, provided richness and kick. Not bad for an experience. 

I must say that I wish I could be hooked up to that Mayo via an IV. Or any Mayo. MAYOOOO.

Very Hot RamenVery Hot Ramen, $11.90

On the ramen front, we got the very imaginatively titled Very Hot Ramen, $11.90, and the Tan Tan Tsukemen, $13

Tan Tan TsukemenTan Tan Tskukemen, $13

The Very Hot Ramen was hot in the way a vacant, plastic-surgeried swimsuit model sort of way. There’s a lot of flash in the crimson red colour of the soup, but no actual heat or substance lying within. The noodles were too thick for the soup (or the soup too thin for the noodles?) and every mouthful for me was tepid and on the bland side.

The Tan Tan Tsukemen was heaps better, with a savoury pork mince gravy in a small bowl for you to dip your noodles into. The boiled, marinated egg was nice and tender, and although it was a touch overcooked for my taste (I like molten flowing egg yolks) it still was worth the extra order. I have a thing for cold noodles in summer, and this was a great choice for the sweltering heat outside.

Unfortunately, I can’t count Ichiban Boshi amongst the heavyweight ramen hitters in Sydney, but they do provide a little something for everyone, and varied menu options in the middle of the city. Makes me wonder what it would have been like if their menu hadn’t been changed.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Ichiban Boshi.
Ichi-ban Boshi
The Galleries
Level 2 500 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9262 7677
Website: http://www.ichibanboshi.com.au/

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I like Coffee, I love Tea.. Pu’er, Waterloo

Review
Wagyu Beef Tacos from Pu'er in Waterloo, $16

Wagyu Beef Tacos from Puer in Waterloo, $16

…I love the wagyu beef tacos and it loves me.

Really, though. I’m an absolute tea addict. And yes, I’m one of those people who will go to fancy tea places and spend all of my money on tea and tea paraphernalia (there are a lot!). But nothing quite beats the experience of a tea service, and unless your cupboards are filled with warmers and teapots of every kind, this is an experience that’s best left to the experts.

Premium Jasmine, $9Premium Jasmine, $9

At Pu’er, they serve you premium teas with a full explanation of how best to enjoy them. We tried a Premium Jasmine and Osmanthus Phoenix tea. Each one comes in each own tea set. It was explained to us that a 1-2 minute steeping time is optimum, and with these teas, the third or fourth steep is the best. I loved the detail and care that went into the tea service – not once was I left wondering what to do when I reached the bottom of my cup.

The Osmanthus Phoenix presented a surprise to me – I’m not usually a fan of Osmanthus teas in general, but this finished on the palate with such tropical fruity notes that it brightened up my day like a bouquet of flowers brightens up a room. Very nice.

And if tea is not quite your thing, they also do killer cocktails.

Cocktails: Berry, and Coconut DreamCocktails from left: Berry, and Coconut Dream

The Coconut Dream was an absolute standout for me. Young coconut juice is mixed with Absolut’s Wild Tea Vodka and dried apple pieces, creating a cocktail so beautiful I couldn’t even taste the acrid burn of alcohol on the palate after. And that’s pretty impressive considering that I don’t drink for that very reason.

Shanghai, $7Shanghai, $7

And now that I’m appropriately boozed up, on to the food! We begin with a selection of small bites: The Shanghai, $7, and Mushroom Pot Stickers, $7.

Mushroom Pot Stickers, $7Mushroom Pot Stickers, $7

The Mushroom Pot Stickers were filled with a fragrant, savoury filling, and I absolutely loved how the chewy mochi-like exterior gave way to the piping hot insides. The Shanghai was not as fragile or soupy quite as I was expecting, but it’s got fantastic flavour in each bite.

Wagyu Tacos, $16Wagyu Tacos, $16

And then came the first touchdown: the Wagyu Tacos came out on a pretty dish looking like gua baos, but really, I stopped caring what they looked like the moment I realised how delicious these things were. The beef was rich and unbelievably tender, and the salty glaze just the right foil for the sweet, fluffy buns. This is the bit that made me regret that there were four of us, because I really could’ve gone for more than one.

Hong Kong Mini Burger, $15Hong Kong Mini Burger, $15

The Hong Kong Mini Burgers were no slouch either. Sweet milk buns are decadently deep fried to create that golden exterior, giving way to a savoury hoisin sauce and panko crusted pork, the macdaddy of breading. It was all crunch and lusciousness, and it made me feel all tingly inside. It’s something that you can’t really create in a larger form: the ratios were so delicately balanced, and it’s hard  to get the same kind of juiciness if you were to go for a substantially larger piece of pork. No, this was quite amazing the way it is, and every bite was thoroughly delicious. 

Stir Fried Green Beans, $18Stir Fried Green Beans, $18

Three Cup Drunken Duck, $26Three Cup Drunken Duck, $26

For the mains, we were recommended – and rightly so – the Stir Fried Green Beans and the Three Cup Drunken Duck. The green beans were crisp and al dente, and covered in a chilli spiced pork mince “sauce” (topping?) that left us fighting for the last spoonful on the plate. The duck was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and fell apart on the bone the moment our forks pierced the flesh. The savoury umami notes from the mushrooms made the sauce rich, and made for a very satisfying mouthful when mixed in with rice. The only critique? NEEDS MORE SAUCE.

Tea Smoked Watermelon with Kafir Panna CottaTea Smoked Watermelon with Kafir Panna Cotta

And of course, the sweet stuff. Pu’er is all about their teas, and it shows with the impressively dished Tea Smoked Watermelon with Kafir Panna Cotta. The cubes of watermelon sat under a cloche, surrounded by swirling smoke, while the panna cotta jiggled seductively on the side. Smooth and creamy mixed in with crisp and juicy mixed in with sweet and smoky…All watermelon should be smoked from now on.

Coconut and Lime Sorbet with Black Glutinous Rice and Coconut WaterCoconut and Lime Sorbet with Black Glutinous Rice and Coconut Water

The Coconut and Lime Sorbet with Black Glutinous Rice struck a chord with me, with its Southeast Asian influence. It reminded me strongly of pulut hitam – a warm dessert made with salted black glutinous rice and served with thick coconut cream. This version has been augmented with a coconut and lime sorbet, which created bright citrus notes that cut through the comfortingly stodgy texture of the black glutinous rice.

The food was consistently exquisite throughout the lunch, but what impressed me the most, was that the owner, Siev, is actually at the helm, cooking in his own restaurant. Born to Cambodian parents, Siev sees his mother as his inspiration, and what started out as a dream for a teahouse has become a full fledged restaurant with thoroughly deliberate food that is matched only by its detailed and knowledgeable service. And despite the comprehensive background of information that influences his food, Siev is no snob either. When asked about what he chooses to eat, he admits – with some embarrassment – that there have been harrowed moments that consuming fast food has had to be an option, but it only makes me respect him more as a person. The pressures that he faces running a restaurant and keeping a business afloat in these tough times are very real and very human, and I think that he is executing his vision deliciously.

It kinda makes me ashamed that I had not ventured down to this side of Danks St sooner. From their tiny teacups to their beautifully blue and white porcelain-topped tables, Pu’er is a gem of an experience just waiting to be discovered.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Pu’er.

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

Pu'er on Urbanspoon

Having a Cow: Gyuzou Japanese Barbecue, Sydney

Review
Aerial shot of the barbecue filled with wagyu beef pieces and vegetables

Aerial shot of the barbecue filled with wagyu beef pieces and vegetables

If I had to be reborn as an animal for food, I’d definitely choose to be a Wagyu cow. A morbid thought? Maybe. But these cows have got it gooood.

This is would be a life where being fat is a good thing, and you spend your living days eating, drinking booze and getting massaged! What’s not to love about that?

Well, there’s that bit about being eaten. But wagyu beef gets treated with such reverence that I’m sure it’ll make it worthwhile.

So it makes sense that Japanese yakiniku – aka Japanese barbecue – features little to no marinade or seasoning, to showcase the raw flavour of the beef. And at Gyuzou in Sydney, the cow is built right into the name, so I was over the moo-n to be invited to sample their menu!

100%Assorted Wagyu Platter, $25.50

It seemed to make sense to start with the Wagyu Platter, $25.50. You get a variety of cuts, including my favourite part of the beef, the short rib. Yes yes you get more fat in the prime cuts of meat, but really, the short rib is where you can taste all the amazing beefy flavour, and with just a bit more cooking, a deliciously firm but tender texture.

Large Intestine, $6.50Large Intestine, $6.50

And I ordered the Large Intestine, $6.50, because I’m Asian. And also because you can really tell how a restaurant treats their meat in their treatment of their offal. Offal needs NEEDS to be fresh, and cleaned properly or it will smell to high heaven the moment it hits the heat.

This, thankfully, was one delicious plate. Lightly fatty – so decadent! – and with just the the tiniest amount of bite, these pieces didn’t even need to be marinated, in my opinion.

Pro tip: Cook it low and slow on the edges of the barbecue, and give it time to render out some of the fat, causing the all-important flare ups that will give you that classic barbecue smoky flavour.

Salmon and Kingfish Sashimi, $9.00Salmon and Kingfish Sashimi, $9.00

Of course, you can’t do Japanese food without the other thing that stinks to high heaven if it isn’t fresh – sashimi! At Gyuzou, it definitely is, though I question the decision to serve it over ice. On one hand, it keeps the fish cold because it can get pretty warm while that barbecue is sizzling, but on the other hand, things get a bit watery as the ice melts. And well, you get the wet fish reference right?

Okonomiyaki, $5.50Okonomiyaki, $5.50

Okonomiyaki, $5.50, is basically a Japanese cabbage and beef/seafood pancake covered in mayo (that magically delicious word again!) and a brown Japanese barbecue sauce. Personally I like okonomiyaki a little firmer, but it was still the flavours you’d expect, so it was okay.

Wagyu Tataki, $8.90Wagyu Tataki, $8.90

So back to the beef we go. The Wagyu Tataki, $8.90, very simply features thin slices of seared rare beef laid over thin slices of red onion, with a light soy based sauce on the side. Good, but not great, especially next to the stellar barbecue.

Green Tea Parfait, $7.90Green Tea Parfait, $7.90

And just to round things out on a sweet note, the Green Tea Parfait, $7.90. It may look simple, but it’s got a circus of sponge cake, green tea jelly, whipped cream, matcha ice cream, and chocolate wafer cigars. A good way to finish, though part of me wonders if I should have ordered more beef and intestine.

It was a very pretty setting, and a great experience for date nights. If you are a bit worried about the lack of marinade, let me assure you that the trio of sauces more than make up for it. The yakiniku, shiotare, and tabera rayu, provided enough salt, tang, and umami flavours to change it up with every bite. I particularly enjoyed the tabera rayu, which was like a chilli and garlic mixture that just brought out the Singaporean in me.

Mooooooo.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Gyuzou Japanese BBQ.

Gyuzou
Corner Of Day St X Liverpool St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9268 0410
Website: http://www.yesfood.com.au/gyuzo.html

Japanese BBQ Yakiniku GYUZO on Urbanspoon