Baroque Bistro- The Rocks

Complimentary Macaron

Company Christmas Lunch
Baroque Bistro- The Rocks

I know it isn't fair to judge a restaurant when they are catering to a large group of people at one time, especially a rowdy bunch like us, but I have to say, that aside, Baroque had me wondering why anyone would want to spend their time and money at a restaurant that ultimately left us unsatisfied and b-roke. (See what I did there… the dad jokes will keep on coming).

Here’s my gripe. OK  the meals will take longer to come out, expected, but we entered the venue after being served some drinks – hungry. We sat at our tables finding a small take home gift in the form of a macaron and little pitchers of olive oil and salt (presumably for the bread to keep the wolves at bay) 

Morton bay bug, heirloom tomato, bulb onions, tomato consommé,
purslane, garlic flowers 

Eagerly awaiting some delicious French bread, we amused ourselves with the décor. It was going for this half done, still being worked on, constructed look… interesting to say the least. One waiter was doing the rounds and taking everybody’s orders on his own- flying solo. This took what seemed like an eternity. Some of the tables closer to the kitchen received bread, some didn't  more importantly, mine didn't. Gosh I was hungry; we had already been at the venue for around an hour.

To make matters worse- they began serving table 1- working their way up to table 8. This meant that by the time table 1 were ready for their mains, table 8 still hadn't been served their entrees and the bread was finally handed out as an afterthought. Of course I had already eaten the take home gift out of desperation (it was alright, very soft, not of the Zumbo chewy variety)

Angus onglet, triple cooked potato chips, watercress eschalot,
bearnaise sauce

Moving onto the actual food. The entree was tiny- I ordered the Moreton Bay Bug- I got two little pieces in some broth… it was a little dull flavour wise- fresh, but small. I had to soak up the clear broth with a lot of bread which was now abundant on our table.

When the mains came again the portion size of the meat was tiny- and it was supposed to be medium rare- luckily mine was, but I looked across to my friends and it was almost well done. Also the difference in portion size between my plate and a few plates down was huge. It appears I drew the short straw.

Another table believed that their fillet was actually off and couldn't eat it. The triple cooked potatoes you would expect to be crunchy and fluffy, instead they were soft and left you wanting to gobble down the French fries that was served as a side. The béarnaise sauce was coagulated- reminiscent of something you might get from a jar.

Vanilla creme brulee pistachio icecream

I cannot really fault dessert, it was delicious, crème brulee, can’t go wrong with that. It was a weighty cream and not too sugary. If I was going to be really picky I’d say that the actual ‘crack’ on the top wasn’t the best, the toffee was a bit soft, but that didn't concern me so much.

So to conclude- I wouldn't go back- no way. Baroque was under some pressure and it just couldn’t deliver. I think it is the kind of place that has a lot of hype attached without much substance. Oh well- at least the drinks were on the company!

X Alana 

Jaffles On Wheels!

Jafe Jaffle Combi

You know when you were a little kid, you would hear the Greensleeves song from a distance and know that the ice-cream truck was floating around somewhere in your suburb? The excitement and frantic scramble for some money that followed, “MUUUUUM THE ICE-CREAM TRUCK IS HERE… I NEED MONEYYYYY” the anticipation as it arrived near your house, you’d order pretty much the same thing each time (sprinkles on top and a flake in mine) and even though in hindsight the ice-cream was pretty crap, the fact that it came to you on wheels made it special. Well, I think we have just seen the adult equivalent of the ice-cream truck hit the streets of Sydney.

Reuben Jaffle

Food trucks are a phenomenon that has swept the States hard-core, they are their own entity over there, and now there is a fleet of trucks (10 in total that we know of) that have been injected into Sydney. My friend J-Ho alerted me to this a few days ago- whilst they all look fantastic, we are particularly enthusiastic about the Jafe Jaffle truck (big bright yellow combi van) with offerings such as the Jean Claude Van Ham jaffle, David Jafflehoff (spag bol and cheese), the Chilli Todd Carney (mild chilli con carne with sour cream on the side), or the Goldie Corn (creamed corn and cheese).

Poached chicken, basil, almond jaffle

The names alone make it worth it. But then you actually have a look at the jaffle and I have to say- they have made it kind of posh in a way. No Heinz baked beans jaffles… but instead check out the poached chicken, basil and almond Jafe Jaffle… looks incredible. Or the raisin and rice pudding jaffle… how about the The Reuben and Cornichons Jafe Jaffle or the decadent Chocolate and Hazelnut Fondant  Jaffle- all of a sudden I’ve never wanted a jaffle more than right now.

Rest assured I will be lurking... (stalking) this van until I satisfy my jaffle cravings.

Raisin rice pudding jaffle

In terms of what other food is doing the rounds (or round-a-bouts) we have Agape Organic restaurant, Cantina Mobil (mobile tacos), Let’s Do Yum Cha, Tsuru, Veggie Patch Van (for all you animal lovers!), Al Carbon (Mexican street food), Urban Pasta, Bite Size Delights… my gosh… so many trucks.

Chocolate/Hazelnut Fondant Jaffle

I know what you are thinking- yeah awesome, trucks with food, sounds great- except no-one knows where the hell they are going to be… Well my friends, there is an app- it tracks their every movement, they will tweet where they are going to be, and if it is remotely near you the pleasure will be yours. The app is called Sydney Food Trucks- if you are a fan of food in motion, download it and enjoy!

Xx Alana 

Hungry Mondays

Hungry Mondays

www.hungrymondays.com.au

As I write this I am a little fearful for the consequences... I've stumbled upon a gem and I don’t really know what will happen if I promote it. My fear is that it will become too popular to sustain- then I remember, that no one is really reading my blog, so the select few that do, well- I don’t mind sharing this delight with you guys.

I love to cook- I cook many different dishes using many different methods, but the one thing I haven’t been able to do is slow cook. I don’t own a slow cooker, and I don’t trust my unreliable oven to be on all day whilst I am at work. It’s a tragedy because I adore slow cooked food- it’s always so rich and comforting.

Recently I decided to check out a restaurant I had been to earlier on in the year, El Capo in Surry Hills-  owned and run by a young chef with amazing talent and an even better sense of humour, seriously good food at reasonable prices- this place was right up my alley. It was described as Mexican street food, ‘good food for bad people’- that was their tag line. ANYWAY- I was thinking of hitting it up again in the next few weeks. I went to their website only to discover that they had closed. Nooooo- why do all the good ones die so young. After getting over the initial shock I read their message past the first line- I thought it best to highlight my emotions in brackets “Dearest customers, El Capo will close from Monday 10 September (upset/dismay/why? WHY?!) We will be turning our attention to a new venture (A new venture? Feelings of hope begin to brew) Hungry Mondays- slow cooked fast food (shut-up! Slow cooked fast food… why are you guys so damn cool all the time, what is this Hungry Mondays… I need more information ASAP). You will now find us at www.hungrymondays.com.au (oh thank god, a link) At this stage I exit the rest of the message and open up the Hungry Mondays homepage. Unsure of what to expect, it blew me away. You'll notice the food porn scattered about… (go to their Facebook page for more)

So this is the brilliant concept- you go to restaurants during the day and evening, but by 11pm it’s all over. Shop shut, go home. What happens overnight whilst we sleep? For most kitchens, nothing much- they get a good scrub down and stillness ensues, it’s a lonely existence. However for some lucky kitchens they get hijacked by the Hungry Mondays team who spend all night slow cooking the most incredible dishes, ready to pack up and distribute all over Sydney. Two dishes a week are released on their website on Thursday- come Monday you can pick up these pre-packed bad boys at a few select venues in the city, or you can order a bulk delivery of 10 or more and have them come to you. How much you say? $9 a pop- extremely reasonable considering the love that goes into this cooking. Are you drooling over the photos yet? I know you are…

Last week I was devo to miss out on the slow cooked beef brisket- it had sold out before I even had a chance. This week, I took no chances- I’ve ordered bulk- on the menu is a slow cooked pork with a 20 hour mole sauce and oregano rice and a 7 hour chicken masala with jasmine rice. Yes please. Whilst writing this I receive a phone call- my delivery has arrived. Cannot WAIT to sink my teeth into these babies! If you don’t hear from me- I’ve died and gone to heaven… Who ever thought that anyone could look forward to a Monday so much!

X Alana

Buffalo Dining Club

116 Surrey St, Darlinghurst

At 18 I set off with a friend to discover all that Europe had to offer. Naïve, adventurous and unfazed by budget hostels or questionable bunk bed hygiene, it was one of the best experiences of my life- I will never be able to look at Europe or traveling with those young, bright eyes again. (cue violin). Already in my mid 20’s, my sense of freedom has become much more restricted, my willingness to go with the flow has been replaced with seriousness and a sense of responsibility. Where once I might have trusted a stranger’s advice, I am more guarded and suspicious. The only thing that still surprises and delights me is food.

Buffalo mozzarella!

And so I find myself outside Buffalo Dining in Darlinghurst- without expectations or fantasies about what I was about to find- I’m here for the mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella that is. You see, my love affair with this particular cheese started on that unforgettable European adventure and I’m keen to relive it.

The first time I sampled Buffalo Mozzarella was in a small Italian town, Agropoli, surrounded by relatives I had never met before, in a place I knew nothing about and not a word of English was spoken. Luckily, eating requires little verbal communication beyond the pleasure filled moans and grunts of satisfaction. I was treated to a banquet of never-ending food- course after course-  pasta, meat, salad, antipasto, bread, nuts, fruit and cake over a 4 hour seating- I was ill prepared for this experience which resulted is such terrible indigestion that I went back to my hotel with a fever and cold sweats- but my god, it was worth it.  The highlight was that beautiful, creamy mozzarella made from buffalo milk.

Mozzarella with carpaccio

Fresh garden salad with walnuts

Now that you have vicariously shared this experience with me, you can understand my excitement when I see ‘that cheese’ on any menu, anywhere. So back to where I am- Buffalo Dining. As I walk in I’m serenaded by the voice of Muddy Waters, some might think this is strange, I think it’s fantastic. No Dean Martin here, they leave the cheesy stuff to the contents on your plate. It is cosy but there’s enough room to have your own space, it is unique without trying to be, unpretentious and most of all- simple (like all Italian cooking should be) The menu is scrawled on the blackboard wall and you really need to read it carefully to get a sense for how it all works. In a nutshell you can order cheese with a choice of a few sides, salads, prosciutto and a few different pastas. Throw in a burger for good measure and a substantive wine list and there you have it. 

Beef carpaccio

The impressive part is in the detail- it is not just any cheese you order, it is premium quality imported Italian cheese- buffalo mozzarella and burrata, it is just so unique and decadent but in a modest way.  The prosciutto isn't your stock standard Parma, they have San Daniele on offer and Iberico Jamon- both are quality. When you order your pasta, the sauce is flavoursome- rich tomato and fresh herbs with a hint of chilli. The ricotta gnocchi melts in your mouth and the salad is simple and refreshing. Oh I forgot to mention the beef carpaccio- delicate and not over-dressed.

Ricotta gnocchi

These guys have nailed it. I notice the detail- from the music, to the lighting, right down to the type of glass that they serve beer in and the dishes that they use. Most importantly, they have really focused on what matters- the ingredients. This place has only been open 9 months, but I have the feeling that it is not going to remain a local secret for too much longer. If you like simple food done right, you are going to be right at home at Buffalo Dining.   

X Alana 

The Hunter Valley

Wine? Oh I'll just have one glass... er.. maybe two... just a bit more. Uh oh. This happens to me every time I open up a bottle of delicious wine from the Ernest Hill Vineyard in the Hunter. Last time I visited, I left with $800 worth of wine just from this one vineyard. What can I say? It is so damn drinkable!

The problem I then encountered was finding a place to store this wine- I still have two boxes in my car, Irish (my boyfriend) and I have devoured the rest. In fact, I'm drinking one right now, out of a little drinking glass- sacrilege I know- but I kinda like drinking wine out of small glasses- so Italian of me...

I know at this stage I am talking to no-one- due to just starting this blogging endeavour, but i'd love to know if anyone else has a favourite Australian vineyard that they regularly purchase from? Ernest Hill turned me onto Chardonnay after spending most of my adult life avoiding them due to their 'wood-chip' flavour. But after a few trips to the Hunter I have since discovered that Chardonnay can be very tasty- buttery, golden... perfect. 

My friends J-Ho and Jules were visiting recently and J-Ho was wanting to know where to go- he was proposing to Jules so he wanted to get the low down on what the Hunter had to offer.  I have compiled my top picks in the Hunter if anyone is interested in checking these out...

A small selection of Ernest Hill wines. 

Ernest Hill- delicious wines- very, very friendly staff, and they have great stories behind the names of each of the wines. Plus, they have a cute tasting veranda that you can admire the vineyard from. I'd try the William Henry Shiraz or the Alexander Chardonnay but my absolute favourite is their Rose- it's not too sweet, it's made from Shiraz grapes and it kind of has hints of watermelon in it. Oh and try their dessert wines- the ladies will love them. 

Ivanhoe- another set of delicious wines with one hell of a gutsy red called the Shiraz Pressings- it’s really nice to drink now, (but apparently if you cellar it for around 8 years it will be AMAZING)- Which means I need to hide it from Irish. 

Tintilla Estate- Beautiful scenery, amazing staff and again- some very tasty wines. It is stunningly picturesque- nice one to end the day on.

Scarborough Wine Co- It’s on top of a hill, they serve a little cheese platter with the wines and although some of the wines are pricey, I’m sure you will find one or two that you will like.

Iron Gate- this is a personal one for me- I love the unique flavours! The wines have a lower alcohol percentage so that you can share a bottle between two and still be ok to drive home- that is the way the owner wanted to make them. The actual winery is a beautiful Spanish looking villa type thing AND they do this unique red wine called a sweet Shiraz- its served cold and with chocolate cake… yummy.

Other wineries to look at if you have time….

Ballabourneen

Kevin Sobell’s- you might catch a glimpse of the massive Beethoven type dog they have! 

Wandin Valley (they do really nice tapas next door to the winery)

Tinklers- try the Poppy's Chardonnay- really buttery. 

Mistletoe

Gartelman- I was very impressed with this place. Unique wines. 

Gundog Estate - try the fortified, it's like drinking Christmas cake. 

Food in the Hunter tends to be quite pricey. Having a background in food (parent's owned a delicatessen) I would suggest checking out the cheese shop but rest assured, you won't find too much there that you can't already find in Sydney- though there is the Binnorie Dairy that do a lovely yoghurt cheese called Labna. Restaurant wise there are plenty to choose from albeit exorbitant in price. The food will be fantastic- it's whether you can justify spending the cash. But do spend the cash on the wine- it's worth it. 

X Alana

Reuben Hills

Reuben Hills
61 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Sunday morning I wait for a friend to arrive to our breakfast destination, Reuben Hills, you may have heard of it, in fact, if you follow the ‘what’s hot’ of Sydney breakfast haunts, I’m sure you have heard of it. And apparently- you are not alone.

The street scenery reveals a crowd of people, loitering around the café doors and spilling out onto the pavement, some even leaning on an unsuspecting parked car. They buzz with excitement at the prospect of upgrading to the designated ‘wait here’ bench that sits outside the café doors- that is when you know you are nearly about to be called in. But if it doubles up as a service table you've hit the jackpot. For the rest of you, a 30 minute wait and you might actually be seated.

Once seated, the pressure to order is great “ooo I heard the eggs are to DIE for” one says, “what is a baleada?” exclaims another (it’s a wheat flour tortilla originating from Hondura). Water is sipped out of ‘tinnie’ cups, unusual, but a conversation starter I suppose. The meals arrive quite speedily, and despite best efforts to stretch out the seating time through commenting on the cute sugar jugs or the funky décor, patrons are ushered out as quickly and politely as possible in order to accommodate for the many more still lingering about.

I ordered the Trifle muesli, orange blossom berries and vanilla yoghurt, my friend, the soft baked eggs with goats curd, spinach, ranchero and no rye- she’s avoiding wheat. I may have stolen the following photos off UrbanSpoon (could be illegal- I’m going to risk it- there’s $100 in my account if you really want to pursue it) I’m always in the business of eating my food before I remember to take a photo.

Trifled Muesli, Berries, Yoghurt

 Upon examining the menu every dish had to have something different about it, I’ve noticed that ‘normal’ is so untrendy these days. I’m not really complaining- I like food to be edgy sometimes. What I will note is that we were asked five times whether everything was OK; I think it was the equivalent to a ‘hurry up nudge’, but delivered waiter style.  He probably needed to tone that down a tad.

Conclusion: Look, I can’t really complain- it’s a busy café, they want to turnover their tables as quickly as possible- it is a business after all. I think it can be difficult to find the balance between relaxed, friendly service, and knowing that if you don’t hurry people along you are going to have a backlog of customers likely to cause neighbourhood complaints. 

Baked Eggs

The food was beautifully displayed and the menu certainly showcased many ‘classics with a twist’- fresh produce with a notable South American/African influence- ties in nicely with their coffee bean selection. However, for the impatient eaters out there, I wouldn’t bother, save yourself some time and as Gerry would say “walk on”. You are in the middle of Surry Hills, a foodie’s paradise where you can wander up the street to another café with a similar standard of presentation, produce and service and you won’t have to factor in the wait.

I might try hitting this place again, in a non-peak period. There's a salted caramel shake I'm eyeing off, if only it was considered 'clean eating'- but that's another topic. 

Welcome

Welcome to Sydney Darlings,

After a few attempts at blogging on very specific areas (fail!) I've decided that because my interests are so varied, I'm going to blog on anything and everything that I'm interested in. I must warn you all that I will probably mention food, a lot- but apart from exploring culinary delights, I love music- playing and listening, I love fashion, I love politics and I love anything to do with traveling. I'm also interested in fitness and health. Mixed bag really- something for everyone!

Hope you enjoy!

X Alana