Saturday, July 7, 2012
Manta Waterfront Restaurant
It is a rainy, wintry Saturday afternoon at 2pm in Woolloomooloo and I'm hungry! Strolling down to Cowper Wharf, thinking it would be quiet, freezing and too late for lunch, I am pleasantly surprised! The wharf is bustling with folks, but has a very relaxing ambience. Best of all, the wharf is filled with outdoor heaters that actually work! Score! It seems a waste to come to Woolloomoolo and not sit out on the wharf.
Having already been to China Doll and wanting to try something new (and in the entertainment card), we venture next door to Manta Seafood Restaurant that is also quite busy. The staff are friendly and attentive - and getting an outside table straight away with menus was easy peasy!
Having already been to China Doll and wanting to try something new (and in the entertainment card), we venture next door to Manta Seafood Restaurant that is also quite busy. The staff are friendly and attentive - and getting an outside table straight away with menus was easy peasy!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Barrenjoey House - by VJ
Guest blogger VJ is back in action as the beau and her take a trip to Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach... thanks for the insight into the Northern Beaches VJ ! Read on...
Who knew such treasures existed on extensively traversed roads...On a sunny weekend in winter, my boyfriend and I took a trip up Barrenjoey Rd and locked in a 2 night stay at Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach. Little did we know the enriching experience we were in for at this beach-side oasis. Decorated in an eclectic fusion of farmyard frolic meets beach vintage, with the occasional smattering of African influenced tribal statuettes, this little guesthouse will engage the sights, sounds and taste buds in each tantalising bite.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Circa Espresso
It's the first day of the new year! The new financial year, that is! Why not go for a lazy late brunch (that might as well be lunch) on a crisp day in winter and go west (life is peaceful there - said the Pet Shop Boys) and explore some off street hole in the walls?
Enter Circa Espresso in Parramatta, the recently renovated garage-turned-cafe which is attracting a lot of attention on this quiet street behind Parramatta station. Its eccentric furniture and fittings such as milk crates used as chairs, flasks as water bottles and graffiti on the walls tread on the right side of eccentric rather than bordering on cliche or try hard (as Bev says). In this case the warmness of the staff and the back to back MJ hits on the stereo has won me over.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Mexicano - by VJ
Today I'm so excited to present our first guest blogger VJ.
Living in the Inner West often creates a parochial bubble resulting in trips to the Northern or Eastern suburbs resembling a journey to a foreign land. However on a cold, wintery night in Sydney, VJ made the trek out to the Northern Beaches and now brings us this tale of tortillas and tomatillos. Read on...
In a quiet little nook tucked away off Ocean St in Narrabeen, lies a quaint little tapas place, a short walk from Narrabeen beach. Deceptively still showcasing the previous owner’s signage at its masthead (AJ’s), it’s only when peering closer that you can see the white screen-printed title “Mexicano” on its window. The decor is basic but provides a cosy ambience, the scene set with a fusion of classic tunes from the 70's and modern indie hits playing on the stereo.As this is a dinner for two, we are seated at high rise tables and chairs on the right (could be troublesome for the vertically challenged :p) and in close proximity to the kitchen area, though this provides minimal disruption. Staff are attentive and friendly, and service is very efficient. So here commences our meal:
Monday, June 11, 2012
Chong Qing Hotpot
Normally, I am not a fan of hotpot. Let me just put this out there.
I have tried it over the years in different forms but mostly it has been an experience I never wish to recall again, from the combination hotpots ordered at Cantonese restaurants to steamboat styles lacking flavour. It is the latter style, the steamboat style of hotpot, that Teacakes has suggested we try this rainy Sunday evening and I am visibly nervous.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Assembly Bar
It is a Friday night at 8pm and a "loyal
companion" and we stroll from our usual Friday haunt at Bar 333 (don't ask
why, it has sentimental value, again; don't ask why) to some new bar that my
accountant friend invited us to where that age-old tradition of after work
drinks were on.
Despite the fact we are not really paying attention, this
place is a bugger to find! It doesn’t seem that, on quiet Kent Street (at the
Frasier Suites end), there are any signs of a hip and happening bar around. But
upon seeing a group of well-dressed young corporate women having a classic
"we don't normally smoke, but we'll bum puff on a Friday night after a few
sly ones" cigarette in the middle of the sidewalk, we thought we'd investigate
further. Seeing a narrow alley behind them, we follow the yellow brick road
into this magical passage way (that actually leads to George Street!) and find
the hidden treasure essentially behind Azuma!
The bar is quaint, with an outside area (that is inside the
passage way) set up with turf on the walls, fairy lights and outside furniture.
It gives the space this cool outside-but-inside vibe that works and would be an
awesome place to chill at 5pm on a weekday with a glass of wine.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Foveaux
Review: Wednesday 2nd May 2012
There is a certain joy that accompanies the anticipation of food. Particularly in the age of technology, one has the ability to read about what it is to come, through reviews, menus, photos, as you eagerly await the day of dining.
And so, we had booked in an evening reservation at Foveaux and were excited about the degustation menu that dangled so closely in front of us. Yet the seasons had changed and so had the menu. Stymied but for a moment, we quickly gathered ourselves and picked from an equally interesting new menu. With six courses to come, work the next day and a restaurant that would at some point close... there was no time for the traditional dilly-dallying and we displayed unheard of efficiency picking between the two options for each course.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Jazushi
Review: Wednesday18th April 2012
The thing I like most about Jazushi is the food. It sounds like it should be obvious... after all a restaurant serving good food can hardly be ground-breaking! However in the drive to find something new and interesting often the food can be left behind, a reticent understudy, as ambience and innovation become the stars of the show.
And Jazushi certainly does provide ambience and innovation. Jazz and sushi... a seemingly unlikely mix that works so well together you wonder why all sushi doesn’t come with a trio playing in the background. The atmosphere in the front room where we are seated is modern yet cosy. It is a place to come with friends and share a meal. And at the heart of it all is a menu, simple and small, yet bursting with excitement.
“What do you want to order?”, someone asks.
“Everything” is the only possible response.
Sambar & Beer
Today a friend of mine mixed together Sambar (a South Indian
lentil-based dish), beer (Corona to be specific) and a dash of Equal for
me to try. Reminding me of the days of my youth, where we sat as
children mixing up the remains of our drinks and food into one giant
"King's Cup" for an unsuspecting victim to try... I decided to embrace
my newfound willingness to try things out of my comfort zone and gave it
a shot. It was disgusting. Equal is not to my taste. Do not try this at
home kids...
Signing off,
Bev.
Signing off,
Bev.
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