Good times collective #10

We're in the 'racing towards the end of the year' portion of 2014 now, and already the diary is filling up with so many social and food events that before we know it, it'll be time for festive decorations with the jolly man in red.

But before then, there are birthdays (some 31sts, a 1st and an 80th!), hen's dos, weddings, festival season and some big ol' venue openings - better get ready for some good times.

Lamb ragu pasta at Cafe Sopra, Bridge Street, Sydney

When I stick to the tried and true favourites at Cafe Sopra, I'm never disappointed. The maccheroni with rich, tomato-ey lamb ragu - served as one of the set menu banquet items - is a winner; perhaps the closest to knocking off my favourite of the pasta with crushed peas, Italian sausage and pecorino cheese.

Grilled salmon brown rice bowl at Dragon Boy, World Square, Sydney

While the majority of cheap-eats-seekers at Dragon Boy in World Square are probably there for the udon noodles, which are cooked immediately in front of you and served canteen style with tempura and kakiage fried vegetable fritter options, I like exploring the non-udon options.

A donburi bowl of brown rice topped with several thin slices of aburi torched salmon, a few healthy-looking mixed leaves and a cherry tomato is about as guilt-free as it gets, disregarding the squiggles of obligatory mayonnaise and brown sauce.

Antipasti board at Le Pub, King Street, Sydney

In an underground space that was formerly a questionable Irish pub, Le Pub on King Street (also accessible from York Street) is now pretty bang-on for a city pub.

The Parisian-styled Aussie pub and bistro does mains sub-$30 and a great charcuterie board with rillettes, saucission sec and terrine - or whatever else the kitchen has whipped up in house - with remoulade, cornichons, pickled vegies and plenty enough bread which is such a rarity.

A variety of steamed dumplings at yum cha at Golden Unicorn Chinese Restaurant,
Maroubra Road, Maroubra

I rarely crave yum cha these days. Perhaps it's to do with the fact that I always overeat at yum cha and feel ick afterwards, or that I can't stand waiting for a table.

Golden Unicorn Chinese Restaurant sort of has the south Sydney yum cha market cornered (for now) with its weekend queues forming down a flight of stairs onto Maroubra Road.

For a suburban yum cha outlet, Golden Unicorn definitely delivers with some steamed dumpling options even the Chinatown restaurants don't have. The smaller room and waitress rounds also means the food tends to be hotter and fresher.

Fish burger from Rockpool Bar & Grill, Bridge Street, Sydney

Ahead of Neil Perry's Burger Project opening in World Square, I could almost lay claim to having had one of his takeaway burgers already.

This crumbed fish burger from Rockpool Bar & Grill was ordered with the intention of eating it at the bar - until work beckoned. So, with a bit of foil and a carry bag, this desk lunch of crumbed flathead fillets with an iceberg lettuce leaf in that classic Rockpool burger bun was, and still is, hard to beat.

Sambal sting ray from Sinma Laksa House, Anzac Parade, Kingsford

I think I had sambal stingray at almost every hawker centre we visited in Malaysia. It's not all that common back home here, but it is available at Sinma Laksa House.

Smothered in spicy sambal sauce, a ray wing is grilled to a brown burnish and served simply with more chilli sauce. The stingray texture is like that of most flat fish: soft and smooth with easily manageable bones, while the sambal and chilli provide all the flavour and heat that's needed.

Here's to this awesome end of the year and plenty more good times yet.





 

Rockpool B&G - Grass fed: 1, Wagyu: 0

I’m no beef snob. I don’t have minimum marble score standards or necessarily need to know how long meat as been aged. I have a preference for grass fed only because in my imagination cows are on grassy, daisy-laden hills beneath blue skies, not munching about a wheat field. I even enjoyed a Maccas cheeseburger recently (they taste better when scoffed in just a few mouthfuls).

Rockpool Bar & Grill, Bligh Street, Sydney

But it’s hard not to feel a bit posh about it when I’m at Rockpool Bar, a near institution for beef and beef eaters. I calm the nerves and the end of week relief with cocktails while seated at the bar, which is actually prime seating for watching bar action and even kitchen interaction.

Action seated at the bar

And did you know that you can order from the full restaurant menu from the bar? Indeed, you can slice into your three-figure wagyu steak while sitting at the bar, perhaps with some mac and cheese on the side, and follow it up with dessert too.

Cocktail coupe glasses

All the cocktails seems to be served in classy, dainty coupe glasses; slightly taller and more slender than those used for champagne at 80’s weddings – and perhaps still today. It seems to be the cocktail trend at the moment, even replacing the martini glass here.

Pouring and straining a cocktail

The range of cocktails at Rockpool Bar leans towards old school – no Cosmopolitans on the menu here. It’s educational whilst also showcasing some of the custom liquors created by the bar and of course, some skilled shaking and mixing service.

The Logistics Cocktail

I picked the Logistics Cocktail for its tame alcoholic content (London dry gin, rather than any sort of rum or whiskey), which is apparently a blend of two 20th century cocktails.

Mixed with mirto, grapefruit bitters, crème de cacao and lemon juice, the pink hued drink was a bit of a confusing flavour for me, with initial sour notes followed by a slightly bitter, chocolatey nuttiness that was quite strong.

Almond Sidecar

I actually preferred my companion’s Almond Sidecar, which was completely unexpected. I normally shy away from almond flavours as I really don’t like the weird taste of artificial almond (marzipan included, and same goes for artificial banana), but the pleasant surprise was that it wasn’t here – I shouldn’t have expected any less from Rockpool.

Here, toasted almonds are infused with beurre noisette (brown butter) and Hennessy VSOP, cooled overnight to let the fat separate from the spirit, leaving what’s called ‘fat washed’ Hennessy – a technique by mixologist Eben Freeman of Tailor in New York City. Impressive stuff.

With the addition of orgeat, what results is a soft nuttiness all over the palate with sweetness from the Cointreau balancing the lemon juice.

Drinks sorted, it was time to look at the fairly substantial bar menu. There’s a huge variety of options, from fresh seafood and cured meats to empanadas and roasted goodies. The main plates section is where the burgers reside along with sandwiches, pasta and steaks – sounding a little like a pub menu but really not.

David Blackmore’s full blood wagyu hamburger with bacon,
gruyere cheese and zuni pickle

I started with my half of the wagyu burger which, like the other burger too, is rather tall, making it a little difficult to get around. But it’s worth the effort for the salty, crisp bacon rashers, melted cheese, zucchini ribbons and pickled Spanish onion.

And the pattie. Cooked to my chosen medium (though it was hard to see in the dimness) as I’m not so sure about bleeding burgers, the David Blackmore’s full blood wagyu pattie was thick and bulky, well seasoned and agreeably meaty. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it juicy, but there was a definite richness about it that was much more noticeable after trying the Greenham grass fed beef pattie.

Greenham grass fed hamburger with bacon, gruyere cheese and zuni pickle

The grass fed burger pattie with all the same toppings was admirably on par with the wagyu, if not better – depending on preferences. I found the pattie, also cooked to a medium, of a more robust, meaty flavour which I quite liked, rather than the rich, buttery flavour of the wagyu.

Onion rings with house-made ketchup

To have with our burger halves, we had the onion rings which I remembered so fondly from a previous visit to the restaurant. They didn’t seem as crunchy as I remembered and a little more oily, but still so good dunked in their house made tomato sauce. The serving tongs are so dainty and not quite befitting of a burger and onion rings, but I suppose that’s part of the charm.

Rockpool Bar is a casual alternative to the restaurant next door and fills up swiftly on a Friday night. But turnover at the bar seats is fairly quick, with mostly duos staying for no more than two drinks generally. Being so well staffed, speedy service helps move drinkers along, but you never feel rushed nor ignored.

In the battle of full blood wagyu versus grass fed, in my opinion, the Greenham grass fed burger emerged victorious; but not everyone will share the same opinion – of the burgers and the grassy, daisy-laden hills.

Rocking the humble steak

Though priorities are not always in perfect order, you've got to love a generation that can enjoy themselves. I mean, what is life all about if not enjoyment? And whether it is a generational trend or not, you've got to love a great night out with fantastic company, delectable food, suave wines and stunning surroundings.

Neil Perry's latest Sydney venture will tick four of the five above criteria and I'll be there again once I rebuild my bank balance. Rockpool Bar and Grill raises lofty expectations from its mere mention, not to add its opulent setting, extensive and quite surprising menu, and all associated price tags. Millions on fitout; tens of thousands for single bottles of wine; and hundreds for cooked meat - money is clearly not meant for stuffing mattresses.

Table setting at Rockpool Bar and Grill, Hunter Street, Sydney

There's no doubt of a Gotham City feel to the building's exterior, especially on a night filled with dark clouds, and walking into the restaurant feels like entering a hotel foyer in another time. The art deco theme runs throughout the restaurant, from the bar to the enviable mezzanine balcony seating to the individual table settings, and while no there's no Bruce Wayne in sight there's no shortage of suits and lavish spending.

I can't stop staring at the arresting display of shimmering Riedel glasses, at the bar and in the private dining area. But interiors and exteriors aside, we're here for food and steak in particular. The menu, printed freshly on A3 paper, tempts with hot and cold starters and salads, non-beef mains, the bovine megastars and a stylised female silhouette on the underside.

Back of the Rockpool Bar and Grill menu

It takes me far too long to decide on just one from the enticing list of entrees - plus that display of glasses is just so distracting - but even longer for the table to decide on a wine from two page-filled portfolios - one for white and one for red. This is serious work and a consultation from the sommelier eventually leads to matchmaking with a shiraz from across the ditch.

Decisions are made on mains, sides and entrees - in that order. Not surprisingly, everyone's going for steak and the decision is to share a range of sides and starters. By the time orders are in, we're borderline famished and grateful for the prompt arrival of bread.

Bread with butter

I'm even more grateful once I've tasted the bread. Unsure if I was simply starving, the bread was astonishingly good. A white, sourdough baguette-style is served in a thick slice with the creamiest imaginable butter, which left us fighting over the last scrapes. The bread had a touch of crunch, plenty of chew and spades of flavour - easily one of my favourite breads I've had in a restaurant.

It's only been a few sips of the Hawkes Bay shiraz, loads of chatter, poor directions to the bathroom and more glass display-ogling before the entrees arrive for our shared devouring.

Warm salad of wood fire grilled quail with smoked tomato and black olive

The salad is generously filled with smokey grilled quail meat poking out amid exceedingly sweet tomato pieces and halved black olives. The salad is simple, sophisticated and perfectly balanced in strong featured flavours.

Four raw tastes of the sea

Essentially a dressed-up sashimi platter, this cold dish presented cuts of Hiramasa kingfish with ginger and coriander; tuna with another herb and lots of ginger; scampi overpowered with a very herbaceous mix; and table favourite of cured ocean trout with a deep red spice paste.

The globe artichokes sauteed with minced prawn on soft white polenta with Fontina cheese was the least impressive of our entree choices. A light offering with sharp cheese kick and difficult to find prawns though it is, admittedly, a dark dining space.

Slow cooked hens egg and bone marrow with red wine butter sauce

The perhaps unexciting sounding hens egg entree turned out to be an unexpected hit, immediately being eyed off by all and sundry as soon as it hit the table. A wobbly, soft-yolked egg was perched elegantly on a slice of buttery brioche, sitting in a puddle of red wine butter sauce and surrounded by silky soft bone marrow and caramelly onions.

The world momentarily stopped with my first mouthful; the egg pierced over the bread with a smear of thickly rich, sweet sauce and floaty bone marrow. This is a dish that tells and inspires stories - it's indescribabl full of flavour, texture and emotion, oddly enough. This is my happy dish.

From happy dish to beefy dishes, the steaks and sides are herded out to the table. Our selections range from the Greenham's dry aged yearling grass fed 400g+ sirloin on the bone; to my Cape Grim dry aged 36 month old grass fed 350g rib-eye on the bone; to David Blackmore’s dry aged full blood wagyu rib-eye.

Cape Grim dry aged 36 month old grass fed 350g rib-eye on the bone

My medium-rare rib-eye on the bone arrives alone, gloriously charred and adorned with nothing but a wedge of lemon. There seem to be odd signs of foul play: my steak has been sliced thrice perpendicular to the bone and there's some dried seepage of the meat's juices, but I'm sure there's a valid explanation. Unperturbed, I pick up my fancy-schmancy steak knife and tenuously cut a small piece away, skipping my chosen hot English mustard condiment for the first mouthful.

My heart melts a little. Each chew through the charred surface releases juicy flavour that enthusiastically nudges the brain saying: "Am I not the best steak you've ever had? Am I not? Yes? Yes?" I distract these thoughts, trying the meat with mustard then the lemon, the latter of which compliments the salted seasoning of the meat well.

David Blackmore’s dry aged full blood wagyu rib-eye

I'm also distracted by a sample of the wagyu rib-eye, which is another steak realm altogether, literally melting in the mouth with fatty goodness. Yet further distraction comes from the array of sides we've ordered to share, each sounding quite standard on the menu but a few steps closer to the stratosphere in real life.

The creamed silverbeet is a vibrant green puree, heavy with both cream and salt. "Mac and cheese" is a playful, yet again heavy and salty, baked dish of a ribbed rigatoni in creamy, strong cheese sauce. A generous bowl of kipfler potatoes sauteed in wagyu fat and rosemary seems lacking in flavour of the revered fat but beautifully propped up by the swoony rosemary.

Onion rings (left) and kipler potatoes sauteed in
wagyu fat and rosemary (right)

Lastly, the onion rings. Oh, the onion rings. I want to take a bowl with me to the movies and annoy the crap out of nearby people with my crunching. The thin, golden batter is unbelievably crunchy, taking the simple thick-cut onion ring to a level of sublimeness. The bowl gets passed up and down and up the table again throughout the meal, proving the real value the of gold rings.

Surprisingly, between the table we don't manage to finish all our sides, perhaps the sheer richness and satisfaction from the steaks doing more than enough. That or everyone's secret desire to have a fling with the dessert menu - it is about enjoying oneself in this lifetime afterall.

After an appropriate digestive pause, an array of wildly different sweet temptations arrive to our now emptied private area. Hello to louder, still tasteful conversation and flash photography. Without persuasion, my companions have picked the other desserts in my top three.

Chocolate jaffa mousse cake, Rockpool circa 1992

The ganached turret reveals light, orange-infused chocolate mousse layered on equally light cake - somehow combining to be quite a rich dish. One mouthful takes me back to childhood days of chomping on impossibly hard jaffas.

Apple galette with brown butter ice cream and candied hazelnuts

I'm hit with a pang of dessert envy when I see the apple galette. Although my passionfruit pavlova is perfectly gigantic and comfortingly standard with fresh cream and passionfruit pulp, it doesn't compare to the sophistication and delicate presentation of the galette. It's a subtle dish that's perfect for full-but-still-want-sweets situation as was current.

After dessert - which we manage to polish off completely - we tarry awhile, taking in the opulance and general feeling of contentment. I may not be able to afford that new pair of killer platform heels now, but at least I'm momentarily happy. If this is being a typical, irresponsible Gen-Y brat, then label me that.