Bodega: It’s been too long between drinks

My first visit to Bodega was approximately 7.5 years ago in 2006 when the Argentinian tapas bar first sprouted up on Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, just down from my former drinking hole corner pub.

Indeed, it was my work farewell lunch and for most, our first taste of tapas that wasn't strictly Spanish. I remember being a little confused with lunch – or perhaps that was just my impending unemployment.

Drinks at Bodega, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

In any case, it's taken me way too long to get back to Bodega. During that time they've expanded into the next door shop, gained a cult status among food-lovers and rockabillies alike, spawned a wildly successful sister restaurant in Porteño, and scored one hat in the latest Good Food Guide.

I had some catching up to do so walked in on a recent Friday night to the best seats in the house: at the kitchen counter overlooking the chefs at work, including on this night owner Elvis Abrahanowicz while his wife and maitre d', the inimitable Sarah Doyle, was also on the floor.

We started with the crisp bubbles of Cruzat Clasico and the Spanish Ambar 1900 Pale Ale while perusing the brief menu which sings and dances with creativity.

Tinned white anchovies, fish pate & water crackers

I'm slowly coming around to anchovies, especially when they're excellent specimens like the tin from Bodega on their tapas menu: lightly pickled in vinegar Spanish style and not particularly salty.

Served on rulers of house made crackers, the anchovies were almost as delectable as the airy fish pate which, strange as it sounds, was sensational. With restrained fishy, savoury and creamy flavours spread on a cracker, I'm not sure I've ever had the pleasure of anything quite like Bodega's fish pate.

Empanada filled with provolone

Empanadas, and their dumpling-like derivatives, seem to be hot around town at the moment. Bodega's provolone-filled parcel of deep fried goodness didn't disappoint with its stringy cheese innards, although it lacked a sauce or salsa on the side.

School prawns with curry mayonnaise

One of the evening's specials, the whole fried school prawns arrived as a generous pile, garnished with sliced shallots and a huge dollop of curry-hued mayonnaise; the latter of which is a genius flavour combination.

The prawns were wonderfully crisp, a few black heads aside, and were great drinking snacks that disappeared in a hurry.

Dutch carrots, fried cauliflower, smoked labna, tahini & currants

It would seem that standalone carrot dishes are making their mark on Sydney, with Bodega's featuring soft portions of the orange root vegetables with deep fried cauliflower florets, smoky labna yoghurt and sweet currants in a pool of a mild tahini sesame paste.

I had wanted the carrot dish to be a bit like a side dish to the protein main we had ordered, although it was quite a while between dishes and so the carrots were devoured on their sweet lonesome.

Corn tamale, fontina cheese, mole roja with chicken

Emerging from the oven wrapped in a leaf, the tamale of smooth masa corn meal was filled with mild fontina cheese, fresh corn from the cob and tender chicken smothered in a complex mole sauce.

With a liberal coriander garnish and fresh lemon on the side, the corn tamale was a fresh, filling package covering all the major food groups – carbs, dairy, vegetable and protein – and ideal for sharing between two.

Crispy duck, scallops, chocolate mole, Old Bay apple

Our final dish was the duck main, served with scallops in an chocolate mole sauce. I'd never thought I would have scallops with chocolate, though the sauce was better with the rich, crisp-skin duck pieces.

The paper-thin rounds of apple were the only part that didn’t seem to work – while they added a refreshing tartness to the duck and sauce, the Old Bay seasoning on each slice was just way too salty to enjoy.

We had forgotten to leave space and time for dessert on this occasion, and with a queue out the door, we didn't linger too long. But at least I've got Bodega's renowned dessert offerings, among other delicious reasons, to make sure it’s not 7.5 years between meals and drinks at Bodega again.

Avast, me hearties: it's The Angry Pirate

The Redfern small bar scene has a new first mate - The Angry Pirate on Redfern Street recently joined the burgeoning community along with nearby small bars Arcadia Liquors, The Dock and Hustle & Flow Bar.

Reaching Redfern's shores in December 2013, The Angry Pirate takes a kitsch-free approach to its theme with just a few parrots for colour, and bar and tabletops made impressively of aged wood beams sourced from what was once a Pyrmont wharf and a former Sydney ferry.

The bar at The Angry Pirate, Redfern Street, Redfern

The bar's name comes from a Captain Pugwash episode that owner Peter Groom and his co-owner mate happened to be watching as the bar was coming together. This merriness and light-heartedness transfers to the cocktail menu which lists classics and crowd-favourites with a pirate twist.

Grog Zombie

The Grog Zombie is served in a fabulously vibrant tiki cup and features The Angry Pirate's own 'grog' - spiced rum that's aged in oak. It's shaken with a tropical array of pineapple juice, passionfruit puree, lemon and lime juices and house bitters, served with a flaming passionfruit cup of a rum float.

Surprisingly, the Zombie's not overly rum strong but is heavy on the passionfruit, and completely and utterly appropriate as a drink to start the night - just remember to blow out the flame before sipping from the straws.

Pirate's Tea Party

The tall, icy Pirate's Tea Party cocktail is a refreshing concoction of vodka, gin and rum with elderflower and iced tea classics of lemon and mint and just a hint of earl grey tea. Its lightness is ideal to wash down the complimentary bowl of buttery, spiced popcorn.

Angry and Sour

Sounding a bit like a dumped partner, the Angry and Sour is the bar's take on an amaretto sour with the sweet addition of pomegranate liqueur. Shaken with amaretto, rum and lime, the vanilla and egg white foam join for a smooth, creamy finish to the tangy, slightly nutty cocktail.

The Angry Pirate front

If you don't feel like walking the cocktail plank, The Angry Pirate has uber-local beers on tap - Newtown's Young Henry's or Chippendale's Grifter Brewing - as well as plenty by the bottle, and a brief but interesting selection of wines all available by the glass.

The menu talks pirate, as does a 'sail' that acts as the bar's front curtain, while there's an adorable lounge set up at the back of the bar with barrels for tables and other cute but not over-the-top pirate-ness.

Hispaniola pizza

There must be an true Italian pirate in the galley as The Angry Pirate's food menu exclusively comprises house-made pizzas, and they're pretty legitimate. They're thin, a bit pale but with a fantastically chewy base, and all have San Marzano tomato bases and use fior di latte cow's milk mozzarella.

Our Hispaniola selection comes with a scattering of properly spicy, hot Spanish chorizo, cut moderately thick and crisp from its short time in the oven. It makes for a good drinking partner between two and there are plenty of options, including vegetarian toppings and even a vegan cheese option.

"Polly want a cracker?"

If The Angry Pirate is anything to go by, it looks like it's going to be another big, fun, exciting (and ultimately, more sensible and responsible) year for small bars, especially as today marks the commencement of the state government's "tough" new legislation regarding licensing and the sale and service of alcohol.

Excluding small bars, the sudden changes are going to make for an interesting couple of months, particularly in our city's busiest night spots. We'll all be watching closely with interest but for now, me hearties, get thee to The Angry Pirate for a cocktail, pizza and fun, responsible night out.

Food, booze and shoes dined as a guest of The Angry Pirate.

Stuck to the favourites at Seabay Handmade Noodles

I get stuck with ordering my favourite dishes sometimes, none more obvious than when I'm having northern Chinese food.

With a large, enticing menu at Seabay Handmade Noodles in Burwood, I found myself gravitating towards the cucumber salad, pan fried dumplings and zhajiang noodles – which is precisely what we ordered.

Cucumber salad from Seabay Handmade Noodles, Burwood Road, Burwood

The generous cucumber salad was slightly different to what I'm used to (and the one I've started to make at home) but no less satisfying and refreshing.

With tomato wedges as well as smashed pieces of cucumber, the vinegar dressing leaned towards tart, with soy sauce and chilli aromas following close behind, garnished with shallots and coriander leaves.

Pan fried pork dumplings

The pan fried pork dumplings at Seabay looked the goods with thin dough wrappers cooked to golden bottoms. The minced pork filling lacked a little on seasoning – perhaps a flavour on top of pork, like sesame, ginger or coriander, may have elevated the little parcels of pork.

Zhajiang noodes

The feature dish had to be the zhajiang noodles with the fresh, house-made pulled noodles. Cooked to a particularly chewy state, the noodles of varying thickness soaked in a flavour-packed bean sauce of minced pork, tomato, shallots and a requested chilli addition.

The julienned cucumber was great for contrasting texture and freshness when mixed into the noodles, while also cooling some of the chilli heat.

Quick and cheerful, Seabay Handmade Noodles delivered favourites that I'm stuck on – not for safety's sake but just because they're so darn good.