Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Rabbit Hole - Sydney




Hidden beneath the noisy and dynamic Sydney CBD, 'Rabbit Hole' is a cool, über, stylish and secretive dining experience. Rabbit ears highlighted in black and white, under the dark shadows of the tall rise buildings and glittering stars welcome you to experience the world of molecular cocktails and innovative French inspired dishes.







Dim lighting, light hearted music and a feeling of privacy creates an aura of romance, something which has to be synonymous with the French inspired menu.


Capturing the imagination of its inventor are the unconventional cocktails on offer. They are both gorgeous and stimulating. An infusion of flavours that is bound to excite you. We tried four cocktails.

Replace the charm of retro with the aroma of smouldering cinnamon and we get 'Wood and Smoke'. A whiskey based drink that is both complex, bitter and truly for the bourbon appreciation club.


'Burnt Beauty' is a drink with the charm of retro and a modern presentation. As the menu states, the Fig infused Mozart Dry is stirred down with Acid Phosphate, VSOP brandy and burnt honey. Flamed orange oils rim your glass. This is served with white chocolate.


'The Phoenix' is another whiskey based cocktail, but with a twist. Dried apricot infused Bowmore 12yo is matched with Pavan liqueur, lemon and honeycomb. It is finished off with toasted rosemary, a subtle addition that takes the drink to a new level.




And finally it was time for the coolest named cocktail, 'The White Cloud above Mt Gay'. Its a rum based cocktail shaken with house made black pepper and pineapple caramel, fresh lime and pineapple. The marshmallow foam and roasted coconut tops it off.  A drink definitely for the young at heart!




Post the drinks it was time to say, "bon appétit".

Voted in the Top 5 burgers of the world was enough a reason for me to order the Rabbit Hole, 'Wagyu Beef' burger'. The burger is served on a soft brioche with brie cheese and house made tomato relish. Everyone loves their beef cooked in a certain way, however it is the sauce that makes or breaks the burger. The combination of brie cheese and tomato relish works wonders for this dish. I've tasted some real good burgers and have to say this one wasn't far behind. Simply delicious.


The golden brown, deep fried hand cut fat chips were an amazing accompaniment to the extraordinary burger. Unhealthy yet eye popping.



The second dish, the 'Mermaid scallops' served on smart and sleek black slate plates was gratifying. The scallops were seared to perfection and the added flavours from the prawn sand, black garlic shell and the bursting flavour of seaweed made the dish nourishing.


The final dish was the 'Mahi-Mahi'. Fresh catch of the day and perfectly cooked, the fish was soft, moist and light. It was the lip smacking flavours of the eggplant cream, the bitterness from the olive spheres balanced out with the tanginess of crispy lemon and lime leaf that added the ultimate zing to the dish. A great finale!



A great destination to celebrate a clandestine evening with your loved one.





Rabbit Hole

82 Elizabeth St
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel No: +61 2 8084 2505


Website for more info: Rabbit Hole








Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining on Urbanspoon

Friday, April 25, 2014

Excelsior Jones, Ashfield

It was Easter Monday, the last day to laze out and the final day to relax before we were back to the grind. A forty minutes waiting time was not something I was looking out for, but thanks to the awesome company of my friends, I survived.




The best part about the ambience was the amount of light that illuminated the whole cafe. Situated at the juncture of two streets, the cafe designing has been clever and remarkable. The open kitchen also gives a great insight into the delicious food being cooked in front of our eyes.




After handling the heat outside, the milkshakes are a healthy way of cooling you down. The 'Jaffa' or the 'Cherry Ripe", both are yummy and can be served in two different sizes. We ordered the kid size and were served the milkshakes in paper cups; Something I wasn't really pleased about.



After quenching my thirst, I moved on to satiating my hunger. At the table we shared four different dishes.

One of their most popular dishes is the 'House Smoked Salmon Hash'. Petite golden brown potato pieces are pan-fried with the healthy buckwheat and served with fresh herbs and shallots. The poached egg sits right in the middle of the dish. On the first crack it spills enigmatically and mingles with the smoked salmon and other delights on the plate to recreate a marriage of flavours.



The 'Roasted lamb sandwich' had the makings of an inspiring dish but slightly missed the mark. The watercress added the peppery and tangy flavours to the sandwich. The eggplant chutney, although delicious would have worked well if it was a touch less cold. The spiced yogurt lacked the spice for me. On the other hand, the thinly sliced lamb melted in your mouth.



A vegetarians delight is the 'Roast cauliflower and carrot sandwich'.  The sandwich is served on soy quinoa bed with wilted spinach, the Middle Eastern za'atar (a blend of thyme, sesame and seasalt) and is packed with labneh. If you are looking for something healthy, organic, refreshing and light, go for this dish.



How can a meal be complete without the ecstatic effects of sugar. 'Ricotta hotcakes' did fill in this place for us. However, after trying different versions of the Ricotta hotcakes at other Sydney cafe's, I was a touch disappointed. The spiced fruits included the rhubarb and red grapes.While the red grapes were delicious, the rhubarb didn't appear to be rightly spiced and was overpowering the true essence of the dish.The pistachio praline and yogurt were good accompaniments.



Excelsior Jones uses the Five Senses coffee beans. The coffee at the end was soothing and a great finale before we whispered, "a fond adieu".



Overall, the cafe has some great options for vegetarians. For the locals from Ashfield and Hurlstone Park, its the place to celebrate.

Excelsior Jones

139A Queen St
Ashfield NSW 2131

Tel No: +61 2 9799 3240

Website for more info: Excelsior Jones



Excelsior Jones on Urbanspoon

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Three Williams - Redfern

It was an Easter morning and I was feeling lazy. I crawled out of the bed, stretching my muscles on the way to the balcony. The panoramic water views under the blanket of sunshine (a rare sight in Sydney nowdays) welcomed me with its arms wide open. A reason enough for me to venture out in the heart of Australia's cafe capital and enjoy a nice brunch. The talk of the town in recent days has been the Three Williams cafe, so I thought why not give it a try.


We arrived just before noon, thinking we will easily find a place, after all Sydneysiders would have other things to do on an Easter morning, than visiting a cafe ;). A BIG MISTAKE. The place was packed and we were welcomed by long queues. Luckily, the hostess was swift, sharp and sweet. She informed us about the exact waiting time, let me take some pictures and was always smiling. I asked her if it got crazy like this everyday, and her response was "Nah...this is heaps better!". You can imagine why this place is top on the popularity charts.


After the 20 minutes wait, we were welcomed inside the noisy, warehouse type structure, something that has been synonymous with upcoming cafes. White pained brick walls, bright red copper pipes, beechwood furniture, wall lights, tanned leather benches and a big blackboard wall up the back gave the place an air of benign affability.


Feeling thirsty and hungry, we were straight on to the menu. The 'Raspberry and Coconut' (dairy free) smoothie, served in a cute little bottle, was a healthy and tasty smoothie.


Some drinks have an amazing WOW factor. The 'peanut caramel' shake was one of them. Indulgent, delicious and yummy, the adjectives can end but not the feeling of fulfillment. 


The dish of the day for me was the 'Bull Horn'. The dish was a spectacular combination of perfectly poached eggs, the juiciness of marinated blue horn peppers, the thinly sliced serrano ham and the saltiness of feta served on a crunchy toast. But it was the kick from the jalapenos salsa that blew me away. Highly recommended for the lovers of chilli!



'The Merchant' was not far behind. A simplistic yet delectable dish. Chilli fried egg is served on top of the bursting crisp bacon, pickled slaw, ranch dressing on a warm and soft brioche bun.



'Narnie', a name coined at Three Williams refers to signature naan style hot breads with fillings. With a number of options available, on the waitresses recommendation, we went the one with the grilled prawns, tzatziki, hummus and sumac. The trio of flavours from tzatziki, hummus and sumac made the dish refreshingly sensuous. The naan was a magnificent choice as it soaked in all the juices from the prawns and the dips without getting even a touch soggy. 


Last but not the least were the golden, crumbled and egg shaped 'fish croquettes' beautifully presented in egg cartons and served with a lemon wedge and aioli on the side. Crunchy on the first bite, soft, moist on the second and with the fish simply melting in your mouth, the dish was quite inspiring.


Three Williams is undoubtedly a highly patronized eatery that is changing the Redfern cafe scene.


Three Williams

613a Elizabeth St,
Redfern, NSW 2016

Tel No: +61 2 9698 1111

Website for more info: Three Williams


Three Williams on Urbanspoon

Friday, April 18, 2014

Mama's Wok - Rhodes

Do you want to enjoy a quick bite before you stroll to Reading Cinemas at Rhodes? Are you looking for a restaurant that offers you fast service and flavoursome Asian food? Mama's Wok fits the bill perfectly.



Mama's Wok is a new, up and trendy restaurant inspired by the simplicity and charm of Southern China whilst combing modern essentials in both it's decor and cooking. 



It is a restaurant with great potential, however there is a long road ahead. It has only been a couple of weeks since this eatery started operating, but the tremendous and unexpected response it has received from its newly found patrons has left it in a vulnerable state. Lack of menu cards, the under-pressure staff, the high prices and haphazard management are some minor things that the restaurant still needs to work upon.





The verdict on the food?

We ordered a couple of dishes on the waiters suggestion.

The first dish to arrive was the 'sizzling spicy calamari'. Served on a hot plate, the dish had a great combination of flavours derived from the juiciness of green capsicum, acidity of onions and the mild and sweet flavours of the calamari. Serving seafood on a hot plate can have some disadvantages as some of the calamari pieces were overcooked. A minor flaw in an otherwise exciting dish.




The second dish was the Chef's speciality, the 'deep fried crispy chicken' with shallots and soy sauce. This was one of the most amazing Asian Chicken dishes I've ever had. The chicken simply melted in your mouth and the crackling sound from every crispy chicken skin bite was undeniably awe inspiring. Highly recommended!!




The final dish was the 'Turnip Pastry'. Tasty, flaky, hot and savoury. These deep fried, light and puffy pastries sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a sweet chilli sauce were delicious.



Final Verdict: A huge menu, generous servings, slightly overpriced and some tasty dishes. So, worth a try.

Mama's Wok

Shop 47, 1 Rider Boulevard
Rhodes NSW 2138

Tel No: +61 2 8765 9668

Website for more info: Mama's Wok



Mama's Wok on Urbanspoon

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Chatkazz - Harris Park

Are you an inveterate street food explorer and eager to taste the true delicacies of India? Find your way to the backstreets of Harris Park in Sydney's west, among local Indians popularly referred to as little India. Among a chain of Indian restaurants, Chatkazz is a "pure vegetarian" eatery serving Indian street food.


I've literally grown up eating street food in India. Breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a casual mid-meal snack, Indian street food will perpetually satisfy your cravings for a gluttonous meal. 

We started with my favourite dish that hails from North India (mainly Delhi), the "Chole Bathure". 'Chole' stands for a spicy curry made with white chickpeas and 'Bathure' is a pillowy and puffy deep fried leavened flat bread. A true treat for the eyes when it arrives on the table and an equally enticing dish once you have tasted the first bite.


"Vada Pao" is an Indian version of the burger, a popular road side dish straight from the heart of Mumbai. 'Vada' is a fried round shaped potato dumpling sandwiched in a 'Pao' (Bun). An easy to munch food, it is spiced with ginger, a dried garlic chutney and served with a red tamarind and green coriander chutney. 


Every state in India has a unique street food to offer and "Dhokla" from Gujarat is just one of them. It is made with a fermented rice and chickpea batter, steamed and then sliced into pieces. There are many different versions of the Dhokla. We ordered the "Khaman Dhokla" which unlike the others is only made from gram flour. The Khaman Dhokla is a light and fluffy dish sprinkled with sauteed mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped coriander and served with a generous amount of chutney. 


"Bhaji" is the amalgamation of vegetables that includes potatoes, carrots, peas, onions, spiced up with fresh tomatoes, the chef's secret Indian masalas and tossed in with a slab of butter. The "Pav" (bun) it is served with, is soft on the top and crunchy from the bottom, again brushed with a generous amount of butter. The sight of this can tighten up your arteries, but the stomach will eventually thank you.


Last but not the least was the "Mysore Sada Dosa". This staple dish is widely popular in South India. The 'Dosa' is a fermented crepe mainly made from rice batter and has a number of different variants. Mysore Sada is one of them. A  flavoursome crepe that is moist as smeared with a bright red garlic and chilli chutney. The dish is served with a spicy, yummy lentil curry, cocunut and tomato chutney.


Experience the street flavours of India under one roof!

Chatkazz

Shop 4/14 - 20 Station Street East
Harris Park NSW 2150

Tel No: +61 2 8677 0033

Website for more info: Chatkazz







Chatkazz on Urbanspoon