I felt like I had won the golden chocolate bar when I walked into Bécasse restaurant. If you are a little confused by my reference, I’m talking about “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory“.  I made my way through the leafy corridor, staring in awe at the foliage and fairy lights.  It was truly another world. “The magic has already begun” I thought to myself.

But the real magic here happens with the food. Justin North (who I kindly call the “Willy Wonka of the food world”) has created  a menu and dining space that will have you remembering it for a very long time. If you live in Sydney or if you are planning a holiday here I highly recommend that you visit Bécasse restaurant and allow yourself to be transported into his magical kingdom.

I was very privileged to be invited as a guest of Tourism New Zealand and experience a menu created by Justin, showcasing New Zealand ingredients. What made this extra special was that we got to see it live from the intimate dining space known as the chef’s table. You basically dine in the kitchen (in a very comfortable, stylish booth) and watch the culinary masterpieces created in front of your very own eyes. If you have ever worked in a commercial kitchen, you will know that the pace is hectic and manic. Not here.  The atmosphere is calm and the team of chefs work in precision like harmony. This same attitude transfers to the front of house staff who are welcoming, down to earth and unpretentious.

The evening begins with a Campari and soda pre dinner drink and a “light as air” buttery, puff pastry canape topped with a whipped olive mascarpone and citrus salt.  The champagne begins to flow and we are treated to a selection of breads that have been baked at the adjoining Becasse bakery.  Seven seed bread, quince sourdough and mini brioche loaves are slathered in a selection of freshly whipped butters and hungrily devoured in moments (by me anyway!).  The amuse bouche makes its way to the table, and we are treated to two delicate yet flavour packed dishes.  A “just set” carrot jelly studded with scallops and topped with a kohlrabi mousse and puffed grains surprises my taste buds with it’s contrasting textures of “soft and crunchy”.  Vegetables get the star makeover next when we sample a miniature version of the signature Bespoke AutumnVegetable garden.  What the?…The little ‘garden” is actually a sweet and tender pea mousse topped with a “soil” consisting of hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts.  The mini garden has been “planted” with roasted carrots and baby radishes and sprinkled with black olive crumbs and dehydrated goat’s cheese.

I could bore you with every single item but I really wanted this post to emphasise my favourite and stand out dishes.  We are treated to an extra special surprise when Justin informs us (the advantages of sitting alongside the chefs as they work!) that he has prepared a special mushroom risotto for us using truffles sourced from Tarago in Tasmania.  The risotto comes with a very generous helping of shaved truffles that has you wanting more and more after each bite.  It’s very aromatic with the musty, earthy and nutty flavour of the truffles dominating.  The truffles also re-appear in another dish with potatoes.  This isn’t an “ordinary run of the mill” truffled potato dish though.  The guys at Becasse have taken the truffle soil, formed it into a clay and baked a small selection of  micro potatoes inside the clay.  It looks like a giant dinosaur egg and it is met with great applause when it’s cracked at the table.  This is food theatre at its best!

The dining experience is really taken to another level with the presentation of the “forgotten vegetables” dish. Justin explains this dish is inspired from his childhood when his dad would grow sweet potatoes, turnips and swedes and cook them wrapped in foil. Imagine being presented a dish on something that resembles part of a tree (it’s actually ceramic).  On top of the “tree trunk” you find a yabby bisque saucing purple congo potato, Hawaiian sweet potato and turnip accompanied by  succulent melt in the mouth pork jowl and tender yabby tails.  Keeping with the tree/forest theme a thinly sliced piece of cedar is lit and extinguished and creates a mild aroma to add to the whole atmosphere.  Wow!  I feel as though all my senses have been awakened with this one dish.

Even the decanted wine gets a “supporting role” with all the food theatrics at Becasse restaurant.  The Reidel decanter provides a lot of amusement and has everyone reaching for their cameras at the same time!

We’re treated to a second main of Cervena venison that has me creating the “perfect bite” with each forkful.  The dish comprises of rare cooked venison pieces, Jerusalem artichoke puree, tiny cubes of housemade black pudding, roasted chestnuts, caramelised brussel sprouts and a nettle puree, all dressed with an Armagnac jus.  There’s a lot going on here but it all works quite harmoniously.

Dessert is a three part affair.  We begin with a palate cleanser that is all about apples; the Granny Smith apple to be exact.  I’m amazed as I take a spoonful of the refreshing sorbet and I discover my mouth “zingy” with the taste of Granny Smith apples.  The sorbet sits atop a sweet wine jelly studded with diced green apple and is accompanied by two minty “marshmallows” and finished off with more grated apple.  It does exactly what a a palate cleanser should and I have to say I preferred this to the actual dessert choices on offer.  Not that there was anything wrong with the choice of two desserts.  The silken lemongrass and lime caramel was a colourful concoction and the 68% Alto Beni Zokoko chocolate cadeau was definitely one for the chocolate lovers.  Crack open that divine chocolate ball you are treated to a gooey, salted, black cumin caramel!  Phew!  Just saying all of this has me salivating all over again!

And if you think Willy Wonka couldn’t have anymore surprises up his sleeve out comes another creation.  The Autumn still life.  (don’t you just love the names?).  The ouzo/aniseed freak in me was beside himself in joy with this dessert.  The base or “soil” of the Autumn still life is a mixture of cocoa and licorice and hidden amongst all that you find pieces of poached quince, quince mousse and caramel.  On top you discover meringue shaped like mushrooms flavoured with Baileys and chestnuts.  It’s finished off with sugared fennel fronds and “branches” made out of toffee.  Truly a masterpiece!  Our fantastic evening ends with Armagnac chocolates and raspberry macarons.  Thank you Justin and a big thanks to Tourism New Zealand for making this all possible.

“We’re going to a pop up restaurant tonight” it was explained.

“Oooh! This should be interesting” I said all excited.

I was a little familiar with the whole “pop up” restaurant concept but I wasn’t sure how it would fit into the itinerary on my recent visit to Wellington for the Wellington on a Plate food and wine festival.

After four days of wining and dining my taste buds had really experienced a workout and a half!  One more meal would complete our culinary Olympics in this gastro-centric city.  When we arrive we actually learn that tonight’s concept was kept “under wraps” except to a select number who subscribe to he WOAP newsletter…the rest of the seats were promoted through social media and the event quickly sold out over two nights!

This event also turns out to be a practice run for a pop up restaurant that will operate for two weeks in Sydney next month.  The event in Sydney will be called WLG-which is the city’s 3 letter airline code. For $29 you get 3 courses of food and wine can be purchased by the glass for $7.  You don’t have to be an Einstein to see how much good value this is.  Especially in a city like Sydney where mains can start at $35!  Upon writing this I understand the first lot of allocated tickets has just about sold out-but don’t panic!  I have a pass for two people up for grabs (more details at the end of this post).

The Wellington pop up restaurant was held in the Old Rialto Cinema Building. It had a giant warehouse feel about it and I kept on thinking it would make a great photography studio.  Big, exposed windows, mood lamp lighting and fresh flowers in vases set the atmosphere for the evening.  The trestle tables and bench seats add to the whole “temporariness” feel of the event.  Tonight’s chef, Jacob Brown and his team are set up in their make shift kitchen near the entrance to the restaurant.  They are busy organising the first of the entrees and prepping for the night ahead.  Front of house staff are greeting patrons upon arrival and you can feel the excited/nervous energy in the room!

So what did I eat for my “last supper” in Wellington?  Well, it was more like a mini feast!  Again, I cannot emphasise enough how good the produce is and how expertly the meals were put together.  We sampled a shared entree platter consisting of Lot 8 spiced olives, cured salmon gravlax with a wasabi pana cotta, a venison carpaccio and fried goats cheese served with manuka honey and a feijoa chutney.  The Kiwis seem to like their feijoa as I saw it on a few menus during my time in Wellington.  There was a lot of discussion regarding its taste and the thing it most reminds me of is eucalyptus!  The main meals were broken up into two proteins and a starch-a roasted groper fish served with Marlborough clams and mussels-horopito seasoned beef and a risotto served with Wairarapa wild mushrooms and topped with Grana Padano.  I opted for the risotto which was plentiful and cooked the way I like it.  Firm to the bite with a gorgeous creamy finish.  Dessert was Mojo coffee infused brulee accompanied by a luscious “jaffa” flavoured mousse, made using the iconic New Zealand Whittaker’s chocolate.  Phew!  Overall the event was deemed successful.  It was a great way to showcase the local produce and wonderful meals in a cool, urban atmosphere.  I’m definitely looking forward to the Sydney one…read on about how you can secure two tickets.

To celebrate the opening of the WLG pop restaurant here in Sydney, I’m offering one lucky reader a chance to win one double pass for the night of Wednesday the 22nd of September.  All you have to do to win is leave a comment telling me why you really want to attend.  I will judge the most creative as the winner and inform them via email.  This competition will run for the next two weeks so get cracking!

More information on the WLG pop up restaurant can be found here and here

Souvlaki For The Soul attended Wellington on a Plate courtesy of Positively Wellington Tourism

Me and Testuya Wakuda.  Or “Tets” as he is affectionately known.  How’s that for a combination in the kitchen?!!   Ok, that’s partly true. I did get the chance to recently attend a masterclass and a  10 course degustation dinner in his newly designed masterkitchen by Electrolux at his restaurant here in Sydney.  And dear readers I am giving you the chance to do the same.  Now is not the time to be lurker.  This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime to watch “the master” in action…just don’t mention margarine! (long story!) Details of the competition will be available at the end of the post.

Myself and nine of my fellow blogging colleagues found ourselves on the first floor of Tetsuya’s restaurant admiring the shiny, new, marble and black kitchen outfitted by Electrolux.  The key word to note here is “induction”.  You certainly walk away wanting one of these kitchens in your own home.  I don’t know about you but I’m convinced my stove is possessed and has an evil personality.  The burners are slow to react sometimes when I want to either increase or decrease the temperature.  With induction cooking you can instantly adjust the heat form a delicate simmer to a quick boil all with the swipe of a finger.  We witnessed milk reach scalding stage in mere seconds and we also saw snapper cooked in the oven covered with saran wrap (cling film)!  And there was not an ounce of burnt plastic anywhere!

What else did I learn at the Masterclass?  I learnt that creamed corn makes the best scrambled eggs. Initially I was skeptical of this but it really made the eggs soft and airy. Along with some fresh ricotta and Parmesan these were by far the best eggs I had consumed accompanied with Pol Roger champagne.  Let’s just say I now have tinned creamed corn sitting in my pantry for my next Sunday brunch!

Tetsuya answered our questions as he prepared and cooked dishes and made everyone feel comfortable.  Although he is quiet and softly spoken he interacted with the crowd and we got to see another side to his personality.

We watch him cook scampi tails and snapper in the oven that had been placed on a tray and covered in cling wrap.  The scampi tails were barely just cooked but had a beautiful permeating aroma coming from the combined herbs.  The snapper was cooked “confit style” and again accompanied by herbs and simply sprinkled with salt and pepper.  The fish flakes off easily as it’s being served.

The definite highlight of the masterclass is demonstrated in this next dish where Tetsuya prepares thinly sliced scallops on a bed of wakame and tops them with micro greens and very finely sliced roasted red chillies.  The “ooh aah” moment comes when he pours a combination of  hot, sizzling, “extra virgin” and toasted sesame oils over the scallops which quickly “cooks them”.  This simple technique is one that I plan on using at my next dinner party.  We are also treated to some Alaskan crab claws which receive a simple steaming going from a dark orange colour to a bright pink once cooked.  This is the perfect example of when produce is good you don’t need anything else to accompany it.  The crab claws taste sweet and succulent, the meat peeling away effortlessly from the shell.

The final dish Tetsuya prepares for us is a chicken “tagine-less” tagine.  This dish really demonstrates that with a few ingredients in your pantry and some good, organised kitchen skills,  dinner can be served quite quickly.  Being a casserole/stew kind of guy this dish is definitely my favourite.  In a large pan we see him saute some onion, celery and carrots.  Once they are softened he proceeds to add the chicken thighs which have been marinated in some Moroccan spices, along with some pureed tomatoes, chopped anchovies, green olives, chopped preserved lemon and dates and the secret ingredient-long pepper. (Long pepper as we find out is similar to cassia bark and star anise and very aromatic, lending a lovely, delicate aroma to the tagine).   Twenty or so minutes later, we are being served the MOST DELICIOUS TAGINE with cous cous.  I absolutely could not stop talking about this dish.  It was spicy, sweet and salty and every morsel was gobbled with greedy abandon.  Look out for this recipe soon on my blog folks!

After the amazing masterclass we sit down to enjoy a ten course degustation menu with matching wines.  Phew!  This is truly an assault on the senses!  I devour morsel after morsel delicately enjoying each one as it hits my palate.  By the end of the meal my senses have reached new heights.  I’m dizzy from all the flavours and my mouth needs a break from this gastro feast.  I won’t go into too much detail of what each meal consisted of.  Instead I will write out the menu for you and share some pics.  

• TSETSUYA’S 10 COURSE DEGUSTATION
• -Chilled Japanese Pumpkin soup with white miso cream
• -Sashimi of kingfish with black bean and orange
• -Soft roast scampi tails with herbs and citrus tails
• -Salad of confit ocean trout with zucchini and non pasteurised roe
• -Raviolo of octopus and sushi rice with oregano and black olives
• -Breast of chicken with corn and foie gras
• -Sirloin of wagyu with braised leeks, sansho and soy
• -Pione grape sorbet with sauternes jelly
• -Cannellini beans with mascarpone and soy caramel
• -”Floating Island” with a double anglaise of vanilla bean and praline

Overall, this had been one of the greatest dining experiences for me.  Everything was perfect.  The staff were knowledgeable and prompt, “Tets” was a lot of fun and it was great to be surrounded by my blogging peers.  I would like to thank Electrolux and Tetsuya’s for a truly magical night!

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A TICKET TO TETSUYA’S MASTERCLASS AND DINNER

Want to win the same Masterclass and dinner?  Want to be the envy of all your foodie friends?  Remember this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch and interact with one of the masters at work.  His Masterclasses are sold out very quickly so I urge to get moving!  Head on over to the Souvlaki For The Soul competition page and fill out the entry form.  Good Luck!

This competition is open to Australian residents aged 18 and over. The 12 best entries received will each win:

• A single invitation to an exclusive Tetsuya Masterclass at Tetsuya’s restaurant, 529 Kent St, Sydney NSW on the evening of Tuesday 24 August 2010 from 6pm
• Return economy airfare from the winner’s nearest Australian capital city
• One night’s accommodation on the night of the Masterclass
• Transportation by private car from the winner’s accommodation within the Sydney metro area (50km radius from Sydney city centre – GPO) to Tetsuya’s restaurant for the Masterclass and then back to their accommodation within the Sydney Metro area stipulated above.

All entries must be received by 12 midnight AEST Tuesday 4th May 2010.

Better late than never.  Right?

I’m sure a lot of you may have already read about the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival held in San Francisco recently.  Admittedly, I did miss the first evening and second days activities but I did manage to make it to the dinner.  And for that I feel very privleged.  A 14 hour “jaunt” across the Pacific, a 3 hour nap, one double espresso and a quick cab ride later, I found myself in the foyer of the Hotel Vitale waiting like a nervous teen about to go on a first date!  I was a little anxious and very excited in meeting some of my fellow blogger colleaugues.  Anticipation had been building up all day/night and let me say it was all worth it!  Everyone was lovely, warm and very welcoming.  Even better in “real life”!  I also wanted to thank the people at Foodbuzz for putting on such a spectacular event.  They were real professionals all the way through and everything went as smooth as a well oiled machine.

I enjoyed meeting new friends and old.  Where do I begin?  I sat with Jenn and Roberto from the Leftover Queen, Joan from Foodalogue, Val form More Than Burnt Toast, Giz from Equal Opportunity Kitchen and Peter and Christey from Fotocuisine.  I also had the opportunity to talk (and drink with later)  with Marc from No Recipes and I met the wonderful Angela from Spinach Tiger, whom I had a great meal with at Cafe Zuni on the Sunday night.  I did attend the brunch at Lulu the next day and finally got to meet Jerry from Cooking By The Seat Of My Pants.  I’ve “known” Jerry since we started blogging at around the same time and meeting him in the flesh was quite an honour and a lot of fun!  He’s quite the character!

The dinner itself was held inside the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse.   A very appropriate venue for the foodies that had gathered there for an evening of feasting and drinking!  Organised by the brilliant people of Outstanding in the Field in conjuction with Foodbuzz were were treated to a six course Korean inspired menu created by chef Dennis Lee of Namu with wines provided by Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard.  I personally enjoyed every element of the menu.  I also indulged in a fair bit of wine (for “research” purposes of course!) and managed to break a glass at the table!  I remember telling everyone I was “delirious” as the night progressed…jetlag, excitment and nervous energy will do that to you!  It was kind of surreal and in my opinion the dinner was a success.  Having worked in catering in a previous life, I can only imagine the organisational skill required to pull off 300 people having dinner on one long snaking table with a makeshift kitchen!  But to everyone’s credit, it was amazing.  Thank you again!

As per usual, I like to tell my story with pictures.  I’ve sort of tried to “mix and match” elements of the whole evening to give you a feeling of being there.  Enjoy! (I’ve provided links at the end of the post for further reading regarding the Festival…check them out!)

You can also read more about the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival from these following bloggers.

• Jenn from the Leftover Queen
• Jerry from Cooking by the seat of My Pants
• Joan from Foodalogue
• Giz from Equal Opportunity Kitchen
• Val from More Than Burnt Toast
• Peter and Christey fro Fotocuisine

Before I get started with posting some recipes I just wanted to inform you all of a brand new cook book that’s being officially celebrated tomorrow night, here in Sydney. The celebraton will include food, Greek wines and music!  The perfect combination!  The cook book is entitled “My Greek Family Table” and it comes from none other than the wonderful Maria Benardis who runs the Greekalicious cooking school.  Maria’s book not only showcases new and traditional Greek recipes with stunning photography but it gives us an intimate view of her life surrounded by food and family.   I can’t wait to get my hot little hands on this and have a go at some of the more modern adaptations of Greek recipes.

This Grecian feast will be taking place tomorrow night at George’s Mediterranean Bar and Grill in Sydney’s King Street Wharf.  To make a booking please call (02) 9295 5044 during office hours.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Maria’s Greek Family Table

A Feast of Mythological Proportions

to Celebrate a Greekalicious Book

Date:   Tuesday 17 November 2009.

Time:   6:30 PM for 7 PM start

Where:  Georges Mediterranean Bar and Grill

The Promenade, King Street Wharf, Sydney

Bookings: P: 02 9295 5044 during office hours

For those of you who’ve been reading my blog for a while, you all know I love food. The creation of the dish, the visual appeal, the flavour and the glass of wine alongside would have to top my list of food priorities! But I recently met an equally-obsessed foodie friend I’ve not seen in a while to find that his food journey has been in a slightly different direction. Peter Kenyon owns an organic food store here in Sydney. It’s called Granny Smith Natural Food Market and though I don’t normally do plugs, I felt I ought to let you, my readers in on it.

Peter’s food travels, like mine, have also taken him around the world. He’s brought back lots of ideas and his biggest passion is food politics. Now this is not an area I particularly want to go (there’s enough politics about some of my recipes already!) but listening to him talk about the importance of it made me want to visit Granny Smith Natural Food Market and take some pics. I hope you enjoy them.

You’ll see that it’s not a big place but it has already won some awards, including Best Organic Food Store 2009 in the Sydney Foodies’ Guide.  Peter has developed a number of relationships with various farmers in the Sydney region and some of them deliver straight to his door. Talk about fresh and seasonal! Lovely greens and other goodies like eggs and fresh chicken come to the shop each week and he even has some products he brings in from his own back yard nearby. You know how much I love things right from the garden, especially living in this one bedroom apartment!

Take a look at these Halloween pumpkins just harvested from his vegie patch. But Halloween is in November, I hear you say! That’s one of Peter’s issues too, that our food culture in the Southern Hemisphere is derived from Europe and so our seasonal food celebrations don’t fit into our local landscape, climate and seasons. Do we modify our food recipes to adapt to the local areas we live in or do we change the dates we celebrate things to more closely match the original seasonal intent? Lots of food for thought here.

For more information have a look at the website here.

GRANNY SMITH NATURAL FOOD MARKET

6 PRINCES ST

TURRAMURRA NSW 2074

Don’t be confused by the title of this post.  It’s the name of a new cafe I’m showcasing, in a bid to get to know a few more of the local cafes in the inner Sydney area.  Reviews aren’t really my thing but I thought I would try something a little different for my blog.  Do tell me if you enjoy these posts.  (or even if you don’t).  Plus it gives me a chance to practice my photography!

I love this place!  Robbie, the owner,  has spared no expense in making this place look good.  In a sea of calming spearmint Bellini chairs and Matt Blatt bar stools, you can sip your latte and enjoy a  number of gastronomic goodies from the  menu.  I ordered three coffees over a two day period and each was made exactly to my specifications (yes ! I’m picky!).  The walls are adorned with beautiful artwork and the attention to styling is impeccable.  The Country Trader workstation is an art piece in itself!

The menu is packed with dishes such as a “meze” plate, mushroom risotto, salads and an array of organic breakfast items.  And if you look on the counter you can spot Greek “melomakarouna” (walnut honey biscuits) and a flourless orange cake made with semolina!  I ordered a poached chicken sandwich with mayo, celery and shallots…simple and delicious.

I particularly love the white tulips sitting on the bench top facing the window.  Fresh flowers always seem to brighten up people’s moods.  I  tell you I had a great time photographing this place.  If you’re from Sydney or visiting soon, go on down and check it out.  You’ll love it!

MONKEY AND LEO

SHOP 1/17 ELIZABETH BAY RD

ELIZABETH BAY

NSW 2011

OPEN 7 DAYS

As you may have read previously, Thai food is an absolute favourite of mine. It’s a cuisine which manages to blend all senses of the food spectrum and make it succeed. Having been spoilt over the years with my many trips to Bangkok, I held a particular snobbery to Thai food here in Australia. I always found the local Aussie version of Thai food to be too sweet and devoid of any character. Well wouldn’t you know it. I discovered a place recently that transports me to Bangkok with every morsel off the menu.

Located in the CBD end of Surry Hills is SPICE I AM. (Don’t you just love that play on words!!!). It’s a smallish place and it has received rave reviews here in Sydney for its original presentation of Thai cuisine. Sujet and his very capable team pack them in every night. Start queing at 6 pm if you want to be sure of a seat. None of the dishes disappoint. All the favourites are there including a number of specials every night. Join me on another photo journey of beautifully created food.

Vegetarian Spring rolls

Crispy spring roll pastry encasing a medley of vegetables. All perfectly cooked. served with a sweet Chilli dipping sauce.

Thai Fried Rice with Beef

My absolute favourite dish ever. Thai style fried rice. I had mine with beef. This dish is a staple of mine in Thailand. Presented with freshly cut limes and cooling cucumbers, I also add lashing of fish sauce with chilli or Prik Nam Plah as its known in Thailand.

Som Tum Salad

When I saw the Som Tum on the menu I was nearly emotional. This is another classic Thai food found almost anywhere. Grated green papaya mixed with peanuts, tomatoes, chillis, lime juice, dried shrimp and fish sauce. It was true to its origins and tasted exactly like the one in Bangkok. Mmmmm….

Baby Kai lan with oyster sauce

In order to balance out our eating we also ordered the baby Kai lan stirfried with oyster sauce, chilli and garlic.

Garlic Prawns

A Thai inspired dish of stir fried prawns with garlic and chilli. Spicy and mooreish. It was ravenously consumed. This was a featured special that evening.

Basil and Chilli Chicken

Another avourite. Chicken stirfried with basil and chilli. Succulent, moist, sweet, pungent, sour..all the senses were being awakened. Man this stuff is good. All our dishes were accompanied with steamed Jasmine rice.

Fish sauce with chilli

I just had to feature my favourite Thai condiment. This stuff goes on just about most things I eat with Thai food. I love it. I love the way its presented here at Spice I am.

If you live in Sydney or if you plan on visiting here do yourself a favour and check it out. The best Thai food ever. Ever.

SPICE I AM
90 Wentworth Avenue
Surry Hills
Sydney 2010

Mmmmm…fresh steamed dumplings ready to be devoured! Nothing beats Yum cha for that traditional Cantonese dining experience. There is so much going on! The fast paced action of the dining room floor. Trolleys being pushed to and fro. Everyone trying to decide on what to order. Bamboo baskets exchanged. Its a hectic environment but I find every bit of it enjoyable. And like most places in the world with a Chinatown, we here in Sydney are spoilt for choice. So off we went to Zilver in Chinatown ready for a midday treat of Yum Cha. It was just after 12 and the place was pumping. There was one table left and we snatched it before you could say “fried rice”. So join me on this photo journey of Chinese delights. I hope your mouth waters…

Traditional steamed pork dim sum

Salt and Pepper Whitebait

Steamed prawn dumplings

Good ol’ spring rolls

Golden fried prawn dumplings

Peking Duck

Stir fried beans

Washed down with jasmine tea

Only one dumpling left

As you can see we devoured a fair few items. It was all delicious. Yum cha is still a traditional Sunday gathering for a lot of people. I’m just glad they now offer it at all times of the week. Just make sure you get there early.

Zilver (formerly known as Silver Spring)
Level 1, 477 Pitt Street (Cnr Hay St)
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9211 2232
Fax (02) 9211 5670

In a very quiet neigbourhood, in the Sydney suburb of Enmore you will find some of the best Lebanese food on the planet. A true “temple of tabouli”. This little restaurant packs them in and there are a lot of people that want to eat here. In fact, you get to choose which sitting you want when you book. (I would not risk just showing up!). Its either 6.30 or 8.30 pm. A big long communal table sits right in the centre of the restaurant with a few smaller tables surrounding it. The decorations are tasteful with a very nice colour scheme.

I love Middle Eastern food. It is a region very close to Greece and there are many similarities with both the cuisines. I tend to find though, that a lot of Lebanese food here in Sydney has a certain bland “sameness” about it. Emmas definetly changes all that. I was begging for more after each bite and morsel. It was fresh and it felt like I was eating at someone’s house as opposed to a restaurant. I cannot rave about it enough. There were 20 of us and we did the share option. There was so much food and it came to about $30 a head and that included a tip. (the staff deserve it) So let me lead you on a photogenic journey of tempting tabouli and luscious lady fingers!

First up, fresh warm Lebanese bread ready to dip in olive oil and zatar. Zatar is a zesty herb mixture that is used very much in the Middle Eastern region. There are a number of variations of this as there ways to spell the word!!! It contains toasted white sesame seeds, thyme, salt and ground sumac. How simple. Cut flatbread. Dip in oil, dip in zatar and eat.

Next up in our feast, ladyfingers and a fried lebanese bread chicken wrap. Delicious. The lady fingers were crisp with a perfect hint of pomegranite molasses. Not a hint of oiliness anywhere. The fried wraps were crunchy and filled with tender chicken pieces accompanied by a yogurt dip. They were garnished with freshly sliced red onions and sprinkled with paprika.

The dips arrived but I was only quick enough to snap the baba ghanoush. This was creamy and smokey with the right amount of garlic and tahini. This was followed by lamb mince on skewers. These were a tad dry but still moreish. They were drizzled with yogurt and garnished with fresh beetroot.

And finally we were brought some fried halloumi. Aaahh! another comfort food here at Souvlaki For The Soul. As you can see from a previous post here. It was garnished with fresh chopped flat leaf parsley and fresh lemon wedges.
After such a merry feast we could eat no more. Many desserts were on offer and from what I could see on the black board menu there were many favourites including that Middle Eastern specialty baklava. There was also an interesting take on Lebanese coffee with the added flavour of cardamon. Great food (actually the best I’d had in a long time), great prices and a fantastic modern take on Lebanese food. Go check it out for yourself.