yullis - surry hills

Requests for Messina from gelato-hungry friends book-end nearly every one of my meals these days. Ever since the Darlinghurst institution expanded to a new site in Surry Hills this year gelato has been a frequent remedy to sooth the summer sweats. But no, this is not a Messina-based feature, heaped with creamy descriptions of fanciful specials of the week. This blog entry is focused on Yulli’s, which is soaking up the lime light  a quick dance down the street from the Surry Hills Prom Queen. A vegetarian filled menu is a big draw card for the youth of today who seem to have contracted every kind of food intolerance and activist stance which prevents us from meat-munching. Fools. Whilst I hate indulging these silly fad fetishes, meat-less cooking is often innovative and deeply flavourful. So, promising myself a steak for dinner tomorrow, I swallowed my pride and donned my hemp frock, ready to attack some vegetation.

An obvious first stop over on the path to ethical enlightenment is Thailand – so many rich herbs and spices has incentivised the creation of strong vege flavours. Gorgeous Thai-like offerings, named Krathong Thongon ($13.50), are chilli-wafer discs carrying a brightly coloured array of grains and leaves. There are pearls of barley and peas,infused with Asian flavours from the coriander, ginger and chilli.

Krathong Thongon ($13.50)

The menu undulates between Asian- and Italian-inspired cuisines which can confuse the palate. We take the mis-step of ordering the food that our tummies growled for, without considering the resulting incongruence in flavours. This is demonstrated in our Krathong being followed by Arrancini balls ($12.50). The balls comply with the textural code of conduct, their crisp skin enclosing a smooth rich filling of artichoke and goats curd. Not suitable for my friends who have woken up today feeling lactose-intolerant. It’s okay, we tolerate your type here. To balance the intensity of the Arancini is a side slaw of beetroot, cabbage and some pickled carrot.

Artichoke and goat's curd arrancini ($12.50)

Steamed dumplings ($12.50) smack me with a heavy hit of ginger, rendering my tongue only able to feel the soft texture of the leek, but not the taste. The filling of leek is satiating but I’m left longing for the pork and chive dumplings round the corner at Missy K’s. A Vietnamese crepe ($16.50) is tasty but resembles an overstuffed turducken [stay tuned for more turducken-related posts shortly!], with the slovenly mix of vegies and sauce overpowering the pure flavours of the base ingredients.

Steamed leek and ginger dumplings ($12.50)

Vietnamese crepe ($16.50)

Taking the Concord across the globe we slice up a porcini mushroom and haloumi pizza ($16.50). The haloumi is miraculously melted in pools across the pizza resembling mozzarella. It’s enjoyable, but when I order haloumi I’m after that distinctive bouncy texture and salty taste, which is not present here.

 Yulli’s is encouragingly busy mid-week and the large open window provides the perfect scene-scape to enjoy while you eat. Whether you’re watching them with envy or disdain, there’s nothing more entertaining than Surry Hills Groovesters. At Yulli’s, the food is tasty, despite the few dishes which simply felt like amateur vego-spin on a traditionally meat loving dish. Vegetarian food is best when it doesn’t try to emulate the distinctive texture of meat and rather assumes its own personality. Here, the personality is somewhat split, but nonetheless, likeable. Just don’t let the smug passers-by with their two scoop Messina cones distract you from Yulli’s own worthy treats. 

Yullis Bar
417 Crown Street. Surry Hills
t: 9319 6609
e: info@yullis.com.au
http://yullis.com.au/

Photos by Hayley Peterson-Connor 

top 5 places we've eaten - october

1. Freda's 

Why we loved it - Mediterranean inspired dishes resulting in the yummiest tapas we've had in Sydney. Get any of the dips including carrot yoghurt dip as it's the perfect excuse to consume the delicious house baked bread. Complete with extensive cocktail list and other brewskis. And of course the irregular appearance of spit roasted lamb.
Perfect for - Dinner & drinks with larger groups. As long as everyone is willing to share
Spend - $30pp + drinks

107-109 Regent Street, Chippendale 
http://fredas.com.au/

2. Bay Hong

Why we loved it - Exceptional Vietnamese food. Must-haves include the mung bean pancakes, (pork) stuffed boneless chicken and the dicey beef.
Perfect for - When you're in the mood for quality Asian food, without the grease. 
Spend - $25 (+BYO)

294 Crown Street, Surry Hills
http://www.bayhong.com.au/home.html

3. Mr Wong's

Why we loved it - The spectacular interior, which eliminates any chance of flashbacks of late nights/early mornings spent at Tank nightclub. Terrific cold dishes, and the stand out salt and pepper lamb cutlets.

Perfect for - A sumptuous evening at the end of a cruel work week.

Spend - $60 + drinks

3 Bridge Lane, Sydney

http://merivale.com.au/mrwong/

4. Runcible Spoon

Why we loved it - Cafe priced food with a unique flair. Home to the 'best hangover cure in Sydney' of thai style eggs with pork belly. Plus a stand out rendition of baked eggs and refreshing freshly squeezed juices.  

Perfect for - Sydney Uni students wanting to skip class in favour of food.

Spend - $15 

27 Barr Street, Camperdown

http://www.runciblespoon.com.au/

5. Sailor's Club

Why we loved it - Glamorous setting with perfectly executed dishes. My mother tells me you can tell a great chef by the quality of the side of veggies, and these were fantastic. 

Perfect for - People dining with fussy eaters given the number of conventional (but great) dishes on the menu. None of this fancy molecular shit. 

Spend - $30 + drinks

594 New South Head Road 

http://thesailorsclub.com.au/

ume - surry hills

Today, we’re talking about sushi. Before you get all excited, chicken shnitty and avo rolled in rice and seaweed is not sushi. It’s katsu don and avocado. It’d be like having spaghetti bolognese on pizza. When you’re in teriyaki chicken roll territory, you know you’ve strayed to the wrong side of the bullet train tracks, coz this here is not true blue Japanese tucker.

At Ume, the kitchen has so strayed. And while this offends my traditionalist sensibilities, reluctantly, tonight I must bow to these worthy mutations and give change a chance.

To accompany our journey into this brave new world, a drink! A flask of sake, no less. Informing the waiter that I prefer mine chilled, he suggests the most expensive of the premium sakes. Now, when a friendly waiter guides me to the most expensive item on the menu I'm always wary whether my request for help is being exploited for an up-sale. Sceptical but now fearing to look like a cheapskate (don’t judge me! You all know you also apply the “second least expensive” rule when choosing wine!) I turn to his second recommendation, a 180ml flask of Miyasaka 'Masumi Karakuchi ' from Nagano ($19). This is a smooth dry sake and an enjoyable accompaniment to the flavoursome dishes to follow. 

A little bit liquored and ready for dinner, we greet our first dish with relish. A rounded quilt of shaven seared scallop ($19) arrives dotted with a confetti of wood sorrel leaves and smoked dulse (a red seaweed). The scallop is of impeccable quality, though the creaminess of the shellfish mixed with the sweetness of the brown butter sauce makes for a maybe too rich entree. 

Seared scallop carpaccio ($19)

I talk my usually carnivorous friends into the dish of shiki no salad ($17). They take delight in devouring the beautiful meaty carrots, accompanied by pipings of dashi custard and florets of fried brussel sprouts. I love the exploitation of the unique texture and taste of this traditionally loathed vegie - last enjoyed at Blancmange.

Shiki no Salad ($17)

 Slow braised octopus (tako ($18)) is of a tenderness I've not yet savoured in an eight-legged creature (far from the deep fried tarantula I snacked on in Cambodia). It's imbued with a smoky scent from the char-grill and is served with cubes of simmered daikon and cucumber. A far cry from the anemic raw squid nigiri, which is always the last piece chosen on a shared sushi platter.

Tako ($18)

 Australian diners are well schooled in barramundi, but Ume’s version is an exceptional catch. Poached in shiro dashi butter served with crisps of wakame, strips of konbu and slices of Jerusalem artichokes ($34). Local fish done in Asian style – this dish epitomises what I love about Sydney dining.

Cone Bay Barramundi ($34)

Now, I’m not a hater but...given the small numbers of tables in Ume one would not expect to be neglected, yet the head waiter managed to make us feel unloved and completely forgotten at times. Maybe it was a clash of personalities, but he seemed to be quite disenchanted with our table. Lucky this was the only element of the evening to leave a sour taste.

We order one of everything for dessert. My favourite is the dark chocolate terrine ($15) plated with tiny pillows of whipped blood orange and ginger ice cream. The ice cream proves too much for those who don't adore ginger. Fortunately each dessert has a distinct taste and feel, so everyone finds a favourite amongst the suite of three, rounded out by sake-caramel braised pineapple ($15) and strawberry jelly and vanilla tofu ($15). 

Dark chocolate terrine ($15)

 Ume is turning out some truly elegant, modern Japanese cuisine that I'm sure is deceptively complex. All this at a markedly reasonable price. Re-inventing the wheel may be impossible, but the Japanese invented the magnetically-levitating bullet train which rips shit through wheels anyway. SO maybe this tweak on tradition, in the hands of a nation of innovators, is acceptable after all.

Ume Restaurant

478 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

t: 9380 7333

http://umerestaurant.com.au/

spicy panda - chinatown

Tonight, hot for some spicy food, we make our way through the Chinatown Mecca of Dixon street, and climb the stairs to the Spicy Panda restaurant. Spicy Panda, spicy food, I get it. But still, the tissues on the table are ominous and by no means ornamental. Imagining the chefs in the back peppering their woks with chillis, sichuan and all manner of more mysterious, hellish spices, my enthusiasm for a tear-jerking meal begins to waver...

Our ascension to the firey peak commences with a traditional starter of black fungus with pickled green chilli ($8.80). It’s a bubbling cauldron of dark-hued ‘shrooms that taste surprisingly clean and refreshing. There’s a fair pinch of heat which tickles my tongue in teasing preparation for the inferno.

Black fungus with pickled green chilli ($8.80)

The menu does not pander to the more conservative western tummies that occasionally stroll the doors. Page after page of the menu unabashedly includes the body parts and organs that are offa-loaded from the anglo-restaurants streets away. Not quite brave enough to order the shaved pigs tripe we turn instead to the chef's special of diced rabbit with black bean in chilli oil ($11.80). Cubes of rabbit coated in the crimson oil,  zingy black bean paste, cylindrical slices of shallots stirred through. This rates 2 out of 3 chilli's on Spicy Panda's heat scale, but after one spoonful, my mercury has risen beyond comfort. However, it’s all part of the experience, adding a competitive vibe to the eating and doesn’t detract from the tastiness of the dish.

Diced rabbit with black bean in chilli oil ($11.80)

The legendary mapo tofu (I forgot to note the price, but I assume it’s around the price of the other mains) features on the unwritten menu, but be sure they’re not hiding it away for want of desirability. The silken pieces of tofu are the perfect voluptuous vessels for the radiating black bean and chilli sauce. It's so good, and so hot, I want to consume more than my torched tastebuds will allow. Rice and a serving of cold vegetables are necessary accompaniments.

Mapo tofu

Strips of steamed marinated pork belly ($18.80) arrive overlaying a mound of ash-coloured preserved vegetables. I'm told by the wait staff that this is a special kind of Sichuan-preserved vegetable. Later, after consulting my asian grandmother I learn that it's probably mui choy - preserved mustard greens. The salty greens marry well with the sweet richness of the pork. This pig has clearly enjoyed a lengthy sauna and is beautifully soft, with the skin retaining a slightly crisp edge. 

Steamed marinated pork belly ($18.80)

Half a tissue box later, pre-emptively satiated from the over-consumption of chilli we recline, smiling at having (almost) made it through Spicy Panda's furnace, with full tummies and satisfaction, and only singe marks to complain of.

Spicy Panda

t: 9262 7007

1/2-8 Dixon Street, Sydney

mr wong - sydney

I can’t help but be cynical when encountered with a menu that features cuisines from all corners of the globe. You know, a Chino-Italian bistro in an RSL. Dim sums next to pizza Napolitano followed by sushi rolls just reeks of cover-all-bases profit seeking strategy. When Dan Hong, Merivale’s sweetheart and arguably Sydney’s most exciting chef jumps from Modern Australian, to Viet, then Mexican and is now bending his chopsticks to Chinese at Mr Wong’s, well, you can forgive me a sceptical eye-roll. Has this fellow's admittedly deserved success caused him to flex his already muscular repertoire an inch too far? 

I saw Dan Hong myself at Mr Wong's and I can tell you his biceps are still of a normal size. But his kitchen is pumping out food glorious enough to match that of his prior endeavours. 

Having succumbed to the hunger-inducing forces of office job brain exertion and internet menu perusal, my dining partners greeted me with the resolution to attack the Dan Hong’s $118 banquet (1 of 4 choices), mud crab included. While we waited for late-comers, we perhaps unnecessarily tucked into one of the sweet sounding entrees omitted from our degustation menu. A floral-like assembly of silky, raw sea scallops ($16) comes dotted with buttons of lapcheong (chinese pork sausage) and fringes of woodear mushrooms. It's a top-notch surf and turf which launches the bar beyond the northern Hemmesphere for the rest of the meal.

Not long after, the deg begins. Sashimi of yellowfin tuna is of exceptional quality - it’s truly a melt-in-mouth sensation – and comes dressed appropriately in a mildly picante soy and ginger dressing. The radical assembly of noodles of poached chicken and jellyfish is an unusual but tantalising arrangement, the woody texture of the shredded chicken intertwines with the slippery jellyfish – it tastes and feels better than it sounds. The steam dim sum platter may cause a ruckus even amongst the most well-trained diners. The meagre supply of two of each dumpling leads to battles over the most popular pockets of goodness. Fight for the scallop shumai with glistening pink balls of roe on top. 

Sashimi of yellowfin tuna 

Poached chicken with jellyfish

The entrees dispensed with, our table is prepped and ready for the next spectacle. When ordering your mud crab at Mr Wong's you are offered a choice of styles. We are torn between wok fried with black pepper "Singaporean style" or deep fried with spicy salt. As always, the addiction wins the day and we go for the salt-spice-oil arrangement. The best crabs I've had in this style come encrusted with a dune of salt across every inch of shell. Sadly, this time my tongue wanders fruitlessly in search of an oasis of seasoning. Luckily the sweetmeat inside more than makes up for anything lacking on the exterior. We tear into the crustacean, exclaim with our mouths full and make a happy mess of ourselves.

Mud crab w spicy salt

As the crab is cleared away - from the table and our faces - I remember that Mr Wong’s was recently labelled Sydney’s “coolest” dinner spot and promptly resume the mien of a sophisticated diner. But carefully manufactured nonchalance is compromised when my eyes light up as the salt and pepper lamb cutlets emerges and I’m outed as a fan-girl. Battered lamb, fuck yeah! The cutlets are soaked prior to cooking in a milk bath, to soften and plump-up the meat. Next they’re rolled in batter and dipped into the deep fryer to produce a truly transcendent piece of meat. The expression on the others’ faces as they take their first bites vindicate my own giddy smile. The excitement over the lamb means the other mains don't get enough of our attention. Safe to say, all were enjoyable, except perhaps the chilli crystal bay prawns which is all too close to the sweet and sour prawns at the RSL.

At this point, we’re all approaching capacity – such is the tyranny of the banquet menu – but when we hear the choices for the shared desserts, we all manage to forget our fullness and recommence salivating. There’s a table-wide consensus regarding the deep fried ice cream  served with butterscotch sauce. The breaded crust is firm and warm, like an Arancini ball, and the centre is cold and creamy. It's as delicious as expected, but somehow surpassed by a waiter-recommended cream cheese ice cream dessert. Joining the party-on-a-plate are baby meringues, macadamia praline, strawberries and Thai basil. It’s one of the best festivals of flavours I've experienced this year, rivalling Claude's lemon curd. Our table is also graced by the dessert of roast white chocolate ice cream, yuzu curd, longans and raspberries. After a long time spent arguing about what yuzu actually is, the one thing we all agree on its delicious. 

Roast white chocolate ice cream, yuzu curd, raspberries

Whilst I love to hate Merivale for replacing live music with taco stands, I can't hate them for this. Besides featuring one of the most incredible fit outs I've seen in a Sydney dining institution, the kitchen is pumping out kick ass food. I took a special moment with the display of hanging ducks by the bathroom, to thank them for featuring in such a delicious menu. Thank you Dan Hong and team for crushing my cynicism and proving that you can really do it all.

Mr Wong

3 Bridge Lane, Sydney

t: 9240 3000

http://merivale.com.au/mrwong/

the milk bar by cafe ish - redfern

Nothing brings back memories of childhood like slurping an after school milk shake. When else in our lives are we able to stomach so much milk, sugar and artificial strawberry flavouring without paying for it all the next day? Well, The Milk Bar by Café Ish has cried out a defiant “nah-ni-nah!” in the face of indigestion and brought the big kids of Sydney a reason to salivate when the afternoon bell rings.

The Café Ish team have grown up and moved out of their old Surry Hills playground and into a new hard-to-find outfit near Redfern Station. The décor is all vintage arcade games and sweets in jars, deliberately evoking the good old days when games were in 2D and red frogs cost five cents.

On my first visit, heeding the song of the eyes-bigger-than-stomach gluttony to which I’m too often a willing victim, I order the breakfast platter ($21). The wooden serving board (no longer an original food vessel but nonetheless pretty) is piled with gratuitous slates of thick-cut ham, glistening segments of salmon, a well-boiled egg, a potato and ham frittata, pikes of grilled asparagus, toast and (breath) home-made tomato chutney. As can often be the case, the condiment is the main contender - it’s deliciously sweet and conveniently spreadable. I want to buy a jar of it and put it on everything. Sadly, the frittata is less impressive chunks of not-too tasty potato stuffed into a baking paper wrapping.

Breakfast Platter ($21)

Poached free-range eggs ($8) on home-made toast with house-made butter is a basic breakfast option executed well, as is the bacon and egg roll ($6), served on crusty Panini bread with an appropriate fountain of BBQ sauce.

Poached eggs ($8) with side of snags

At lunchtime, the Milk Bar's focus turns to custom made burgers. Cheeseburger ($5), double cheeseburger ($9) and triple cheeseburger ($13) are variations on a theme. The noteworthy offering of a triple-decker convinces me that the patties must be on the smaller side. But don't be fooled. These particular patties are well sized, meaty and delicious. The cheeseburgers all come with cheese, pickles, ketchup and grilled onion. From there you’re encouraged to add curiously themed toppings. I go with Japanese style ($3) which includes pickled daikon, carrot, cabbage and wasabi mayo. I have my doubts as to how the distinctly Asian ingredients will marry with the American flavours, but this episode of East meets West is a success! The shredded cabbage and less grease than expected tricks you into thinking this is a relatively healthy meal.. My dining partners go for the Italian toppings ($3) of rocket, tomato, aioli, balsamic and softly melted parmesan. Judging by their guilty grins and empty plates, I’m guessing they’re as satisfied as me.

Double cheeseburger ($9) with Italian topping ($3)

All right, shake time. The long list of wacky shake options (all $7) have Willy Wonka written all over them, making the experience of sucking down a stupefyingly indulgent drink seem all the more fantastic. I take a step towards the absurd with the Miso caramel shake, again exploiting the cafe's asian flare. The sweetness of caramel, combined with the salty miso is a transcendent take on salted caramel making this a successful trip down the rabbit hole. For those looking for a more traditional taste, you can't go past the PBJ shake. It's a glass of nostalgia. Raspberry and blueberry jam are stencilled onto the inside of the glass filled with a rich, milky mixture of salted peanut butter ice-cream and crunchy peanut butter. If only all meals came in shake form.

Miso caramel shake ($7)

The sole set back of The Milk Bar, is the positioning, on a painfully noise-polluted corner of Regent Street. But then, maybe that’s just another excuse to get lost in a tall glass of flavoured milk and schoolyard memories.

The Milk Bar by Cafe Ish
105 Regent Street, Redfern
t: 9699 8828


Photos by Hayley Peterson-Connor

claude's - woollahra

Sliders. They're more prolific in Sydney bars and diners than grit-your-teeth moments on The Shire. Countless restaurants are jumping on the US-copycat bandwagon - which is fine in theory, but when the execution involves serving overdone meat, slathered in flavoured mayo and squished between bulk-bought brioche buns, the baby-burgers shift from “updated American classics” to “reminiscent of Micky D’s”.

Luckily, the sliders at Claude’s Bar are more likely to have you sliding off your seat than side-stepping for the exit. The sweet, one-bite buns carry the most delectable filling - slices of pork topped with a layer of incredibly tasty black fungus relish. At two for $12 these ain't cheap eats, but the price pinch doesn't detract from the flavour, and with a fine dining digs upstairs, it seems to fit the bill.

Pig's face, black fungus relish sandwiches ($12)

 Whilst the downstairs of Claude's is now labelled as the bar, the decor instantly reveals to the diner that this is not your local drinking hole. The bar clings to the formal, sophisticated atmosphere present in the upstairs of the establishment and expected in a space with so many years of Woollahra fine-dining history (ex-owner, Claude Corne, first opened the restaurant’s doors on Oxford Street in 1976). The food is also marketed to the upper crust. Spanner crab salad ($22) is a classy tangle of shaved fennel, white crab meat and brown butter crumbs. It’s tantalising, but a little light, even for an entree. Owner Chui Lee Luk lends Asian flare to head chef Ben Sear's  dish of chili and tamarind mussels ($22). It’s a masterful reinvigoration of moules marinère in Luk’s distinctly Franco-Singaporean style. For those looking for a more hefty stomach-liner, gruyere souffle ($22) is an easy win, but make sure not to count the calories.

Spanner crab salad ($22)

   

Chili and tamarind mussels ($22)

Suffolk lamb belly ($33) is a quality cut. It’s a refreshing relaxation of the apparent obligation to always serve pork belly, still with sweet layers of fat, sandwiched between the tender pieces of lamb blanketed in a crisp veneer of skin. Accompanying the lamb is a smothering of Jerusalem artichoke puree, rich lamb jus and broad bean leaf garnish. 

Suffolk lamb belly ($33)

By now we’re feeling deeply in restaurant territory, despite the fact that we’re perched metres from the bar. Desserts do nothing to deviate from the trend. Burnt honey soufflé ($12) comes proudly puffed up above the walls of a kitsch copper tin. We're instructed to excavate an enclave in the centre of the soufflé to make room for a pouring of white rum cream, administered by our waiter. The audience participation taunts us into believing that our magic touch is vital to the heavenly taste of the dessert. Whatever. It’s freakin’ delicious.

The lemon custard dessert ($15) is definitively a gift from above. Peppered on top of the gorgeous sweet custard are teensy coffee meringues, cubed Averna jellies, crumbles of lemon shortbread and a coating of milk granita. It only takes one bite to have the choir singing its praises. The interplay of flavours and textures is enough to make you skip church.

Stripping down the formality of service and slapping an alternate label on the menu has not corresponded with a radical step down in the standard of food at Claude's Bar. Rather it's created a dramatic disparity between people's expectations and the dishes laid down in front of them. The menu reads like any mid-range Sydney restaurant rather than a list of bar snacks and munchies. It’s confusing, but at least the surprise is an exceedingly pleasant one. Claude’s Bar makes a midweek boozer not only feel legitimate but special. It seems almost a shame to fill up on beer.

claude's
10 oxford street, woollahra
t: 9331 2325
e: reservations@claudes.com.au
http://claudes.com.au/

momofuku noodle bar - nyc

David Chang is kind of a big deal. His food ticks the box of every trend (often because he’s the reason it’s trending) but does so with equal measures of hip hop gung hoe and fine-dining finesse.

Being a not particularly religious man (sorry, Grandma), it was surprising to find myself transfixed by an other-worldly, crescendo-ing internal force to undertake a haj to Momofuku Mecca. This is the place where Chang’s dynasty was carved out of the bedrock of Manhattan’s East Village and where he continues to bless his pilgrims with heavenly mana (read: pork buns): the 50-pewed church that is Momofuku Noodle Bar.

The divinity of the Momofuku pork buns is well documented here, here, and of course here, here and here. So I won’t risk plagiarising my contemporaries with pornographic visuals of porky perfection. I barely need to mention that the two half-inch-thick pork belly slabs are so tender that we, the unwashed, struggle to discern where the meat stops, the fat ends and the steamed buns begin. Afterwards, the grease on your hands is dessert. The pickles, hoisin and squeezie bottles of sriracha are all profit. These bad boys are so good that they deserve mixed metaphors. They deserve to have started a city-consuming trend. They deserve to start wars.

I want to make it quite clear that these fist-sized buns suffer inverse diseconomies of scale. Allow me to explain. We Sydney-siders, unworthy as we are, were blessed by our deity with the first Momofuku outside of North America, Momofuku Seibo, in the Star. At Seibo, Chang does a 12-course deg during which he serves a scaled-down, two-bite-sized version of the original bun. This little cousin, while excellent and worth gushing about, does not fairly depict the genius of that which came before. In other words, making it smaller, made it worse. Only when faced with the real thing can an acolyte truly understand the vision of The Creator.

But the fun doesn’t stop at the bun. Chang’s ramen is demonstrative of his respect of tradition and steady hand in execution. The noodles are chewy, the broth has depth without being viscous and the poached egg makes everything in the world okay. Kimchi comes in a Mason jar for four bucks and is the best bar snack imaginable. Rosemary-flavoured soft served ice cream takes a while to get used to but ultimately refreshes both mouth and soul!

Chang does other things at Noodle Bar that convert non-believers just as effectively, but for me, the ramen and buns are the mainstay. Chang is a visionary who has made hour-and-a-half-long queues of people not bat an eye-lid when they’re asked to wait a little longer. It’s because he makes better food than anyone else.

I’m a fan boy, I just wanted you to know.

the larder - woolloomooloo

The creation of the pop-up venue reflects Information Age society's fleeting infatuations. Viral, but finite, consumption of this minute's trends typifies us. We revel in recommending to our last-season friends the latest food or fashion hot spot. It's even more satisfying if your friends are too late...

Luckily for you all, Sydney's latest “place to eat (be seen)” is still in existence and busting out food like it’s going out of fashion. The Larder, down at Cowper Wharf, is the baby of Otto Ristorante next door. The setting is comfortable and casual in comparison, but the chefs are clearly years beyond their teething stage. 

Let your collective cheer sound from the rooftops: The Larder is BYO (yay!) - $5 corkage pp. But if you accidentally left your favourite bottle on the bench at home, there is still a selection of brewskies that’s got your back. Being a winter pop-up, the menu is geared towards consumables to compensate for the weather.

Shortly after ordering, a giant pot of steamed spring bay mussels ($18) arrives, the shelled treats clustered in a crimson pool of chilli, garlic and tomato broth. Whole, softened cherry tomatoes are also  bobbing around in the pot. Mouthful after mouthful of mussels, tomatoes and crusty bread warms my insides, but the single piece of bread provided  proves insufficient to mop up all the delicious broth, so order supplementary pieces ($4).

Marinated BBQ lamb ribs ($24), are overlayed with a sweet tomato-ey sauce. The texture and taste of the meat are the champions, deftly evading the common pitfall of becoming all about the sauce. The lamb peels off the bone at the touch of a knife, a disappointment for those geared up to wrestle with the bones. The ribs are teamed with a bowl of creamy, crisp coleslaw. Served on a rustic, wooden board (speaking of fashionable…) the dish is outstanding. 

Marinated BBQ lamb ribs with coleslaw ($24)

The Larder's mission statement is to create dishes based on what's in "the larder", or rather, what's in season. Chestnuts, the new most popular kid on the block, appropriately feature in a dish of confit duck leg ($25). The duck itself gets ticks for all the basic confit-criteria: Crackly skin and juice-laden meat, cooked perfectly. The leg rests on an assembly of cavolo nero, jeruselum artichokes and sliced chestnuts. The jus is sweet and buttery. Tonight we’re sharing, and I'm all too quick to pounce when my dining partners are politely hesitant with the last mouthful.

Confit duck leg with cavolo nero chesnuts & jerusalem artichokes ($25)

For dessert chocolate pizza ($12) is served in a pizza box whose novelty value is similar to the biscuit box serving of donuts at Duke. Here, the pizza has a pastry base, dark chocolate topping, with white chocolate drippings in place of cheese and hazelnuts scattered across the top. If you're going to make pizza consumption even more indulgent, this is the way to do it. Pear and rhubarb crumble ($12) has a biscuit-like topping, sweet fruity inside and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. A classic which always does the trick.

Chocolate pizza ($12)

I'm always sceptical of those who harp on about life being short. (Even if life was long, shouldn’t we be aiming to use our time suitably anyway?) However if this mantra has encouraged the team at Otto to take a risk with The Larder, maybe it's something worth paying attention to. Or at least, no time should be wasted in getting down to Cowper Wharf. You have till the end of September at which point The Larder will shut its doors, after which time it will sadly fade into the abyss to join so many other fellow pop-ups after their 5 minutes of fame. 

breakfast with audrey

Fellow Food Fatties check out this awesome fashion blog on which we guest blogged last week! Tune into Breakfast With Audrey with fashion and beauty headlines for everything from fashion weeks, events, celebrities, industry news, shopping and more! They also have a Lifestyle section featuring yours truly.

the wedge espresso - glebe

In a time where restaurants seem just as likely to announce their insolvency as their daily specials, restaurateurs are slimming their waste lines so that they can stay open and keep on fattening yours.  Threats of staff cuts chill impatient patrons who are already ansty about waiting for their food. At this point, clever owners will turn to innovative cost-cutting measures or price rises (accompanied by endearing apologies, of course) as a means of keeping the ‘open’ signs undisturbed. . Others will simply put their heads down, and keep slinging the same brews and chews, trusting that loyalty of patronage will see them through..

And The Wedge Espresso is doing just that. Cut from the corner of Cowper St and Glebe Point Rd (opposite Glebe Public School), this heavily-windowed slice of real estate takes the next step to proving what all the boys keep telling me: that size does not matter. The Wedge  is the first creature of long time espresso aficionado, Toby Wilson (ex Le Monde). Wilson personally built and decorated the space, concocted the coffee blend and dreamt up the menu in the tiny kitchen, which is really only a couple of portable hotplates and toasters next to the impressive-looking espresso machine. Décor is bare-brick, red-tables and big windows making it a great summer sitting spot. For winter they’ve provided nanna-blankies, so the windows stay open as long as the heavens remain closed.

Wilson is a coffee contest winner, although he seems to be more in it for the excitement of experimentation: he uses old coffee trophies to prop up filtration equipment. With the help of his old co-worker and friend, Courtney Carter (also from Le Monde), they’re pulling some of the best brews in town. The coffee is their own blend from Five Senses and comes in every form imaginable, accompanied by an impassioned explanation for the willing ear. What’s more, the guys make a huge effort to remember names, faces and orders to keep the lines moving and bring a neighbourhood feel to the whole experience.

The Wedge Espresso (@WedgeEspresso) tweets food and coffee specials day to day. The boys play to all coffee drinkers’ tastes, offering a range of choices from The Wedge's Five Senses blend to sumatran lintong on filter to kenyan ngandu on cold drip. Summer saw the addition of a coke slushie cold drip coffee which was surprisingly tasty and kept the morning buzz going and going.

ice milo ($5)

But the coffee obsession and cramped quarters here do not stop Wilson from producing incredible quality food. The menu is relatively short but devilishly good value. Sandwiches are sub-$10 and the most expensive menu item is the breakfast platter ($14), making this one of the most GFC-friendly cafes I’ve seen. Breakfast favourites include the bruschetta ($7). Toasted sourdough from Luxe in Newtown, is layered with juicy fresh tomatoes, creamy ricotta, shreds of basil and house-infused lemon olive oil. I naturally jump at the option to add prosciutto ($2), and am shocked when Wilson informs me that most patrons opt the other way. The smashed egg and ham roll ($7) is an elevated take on the usual b+e roll. It must be the awesome quality of the ingredients, plus the punch from the tomato chutney that really makes this one of the tastiest brekkie rolls out.

bruschetta of tomato & ricotta ($7) w/ prosciutto (+$2) 

Even though winter has seen soups gracing the menu (such as the miso, pea and ham variety), lunch is really all about the sandwiches. The pulled pork sandwich ($9) with its shredded pig, cabbage, fresh mint and plum sauce, has been a staple since doors opened late last year. Other favourites include a double smoked ham w/ gruyere cheese toasted number, perfect to bring some internal warmth to winter.  

tarragon chicken sandwich ($9)

The Wedge is a favourite amongst uni students, the local teaching cohort and young professionals alike. The eclectic composition of the consumers is a reflection of the far-reaching appeal of the menu. These days, nothing seems recession-proof, but with its growing notoriety, successfully experimental menu and top-notch coffee, it seems that the Wedge Espresso will continue to provide a fun little oasis from the financial doom and gloom.

the wedge espresso

53-55 glebe point road, glebe

https://twitter.com/WedgeEspresso