2014: A tale of two years

The 12 months of 2014 have been some of the craziest yet in my life, and not in that drunken, dazed manner of my early 20s. With new responsibility, the year has had so many distinct twists and turns that it feels like at least two years in one.

Here's some of the high points of the year in food, booze and events, including highlights from contributors Hendy, Janice and Kath & Mark.

House charcuterie at Nomad, Foster Street, Surry Hills

I fell head over heels for Nomad this year, which seems to be a collection of all the things I love in a space I wish I had and done in just a slightly more hipster manner than I can identify with, But with the calling card of the platter of completely house-made charcuterie, Nomad well and truly has my number.

Mac and cheese at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Missenden Road, Newtown

My appetite for pasta, and carbs generally, hasn't waned one bit and the American-style mac'n'cheese at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen above Newtown's Malbourough Hotel hits all the right spots. Ridiculously cheesy and rich, garnished with chives and a house chilli sauce on the side, it's pure cheese and carb bliss in a side dish.

Insalata Caprese at Cipro - pizza al taglio, Fountain Street, Alexandria

It's taken me a while to discover the joys of thick-based pizzas at Cipro - pizza al taglio in Alexandria. And it makes me sad that I didn't know about their sensational Caprese salad earlier. Heirloom tomatoes, pickled Spanish onion rings and smashed green olives take the classic insalata Caprese up several levels.

Mussels.... at Three Blue Ducks, Macpherson Street, Bronte

I've really come to like mussels over the last couple of years post realising that they're only rubbery when they're overcooked. The best version I've had yet has to be Bronte's Three Blue Ducks' steamed mussels with coconut sambal, fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes - dish licking good.

Club Limbo at Pinbone, Jersey Road, Woollahra

Kath: Pinbone wins for making the best club sandwich ever. Turkey, confit duck leg, bacon jam, crispy prosciutto, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and chips on the side. More than enough said.

Anchovies and fish pate at Bodega, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

A relatively quiet achiever in the quieter but burgeoning western end of Surry Hills, Bodega is the older but seemingly more experimental sibling to the wildly popular Porteño in the same suburb.

Argentinian tapas produces the likes of a creamy fish pate served alongside pickled anchovies, loud music and unmissable rockabilly style.

Fried chicken with chilli powder at Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Liverpool Street, Sydney

The mere mention of 'Hot Star' gets me salivating. From Taiwan, Sydney's first Hot Star Large Fried Chicken outlet in the city south is what 3am dreams are made of. A half chicken breast, deep fried fresh to order with a sprinkling of house recipe chilli powder, served piping hot in a paper bag - sweet dreams are made of fried chicken.

from the 'A Taste of The Dairy' at Intercontinental Sydney, Phillip Street, Sydney

The 'A Taste Of...' series of dinners at Intercontinental Sydney earlier in the year were excellent opportunities to learn about local producers and enjoy them in a fine dining environment. As part of the 'A Taste of The Dairy' dinner, the baked Reblochon cheese with confit fig was a knee-weakening rendition of a cheese course.

Carbonara from Roscioli Deli and Restaurant, Rome, Italy

Janice: My favourite dish this year had to be the carbonara in Rome. It was so spectacular because it's my quintessential dish of carbs, cheese (pecorino romano) and cured meat (guanciale or pig cheek, in this case). I've taken to never eating it when I'm out any more because nothing beats the ones I had in Rome.

Grilled octopus and white beans at Alpha, Castlereagh Street, Sydney

I'm glad I got to tick Alpha in the CBD south off the list this year, as was Kath. The grilled octopus tentacles were an unexpected standout for me, cooked tenderly and smokily for one of the best occy dishes I've had in ages.

Kath: Alpha was a highlight for bringing a modern twist to traditional Greek food. The highlight of the menu for me was the melt-in-the-mouth pickled octopus with cucumber and sun-dried olives.

Bacon aioli and bread at Bishop Sessa, Crown Street, Surry Hills

Bacon. Aioli. It's all I needed to hear at Bishop Sessa at the quieter end of Surry Hills' Crown Street. Their 'I Dream of Pork' degustation was absolutely dream-worthy with all sorts of porcine goodness ranging from chicarrones to blood sausage.

They had me from the bread course which was served with a smokey bacon fat aioli that was probably a nutritionists' nightmare but dreamy on all other counts.

Pork cutlet bun at Chefs Gallery Wynyard, Metcentre, Margaret Street, Sydney

Undoubtedly one of the naughtiest things I've eaten this year are the Macanese pork buns at Chefs Gallery Wynyard. Featuring a deep fried pork cutlet and spicy mayonnaise on a deep fried man tou style bun, the fried-on-fried burger oozed with fatty deliciousness.

Events

Long lunch for Melbourne Food and Wine Festival at Red Spice Road, Melbourne

I made it to Melbourne for their annual food and wine festival this year, joining in on the long lunch action at Red Spice Road. With numerous courses of shared dishes, heaps of seafood and wine flowing, it was a most pleasant lunch experience in one of Melbourne's iconic laneways.

Strawberry caipirinha from Flavours of Brazil dinner at Bridge Street Garage, Bridge Street, Sydney

Hendy: The emotional roller coaster that was the World Cup was hosted in Brazil this time round. We all shared moments of tears, laughter and joy at the Flavours of Brazil dinner at Bridge Street Garage, including this lovely and colourful Caipirinha. Unlike at the soccer, this was a winner from Brazil.

Atura Blacktown, Cricketer's Arms Road, Blacktown

A famil to Blacktown this year was quite an event for this inner city/inner west dwelling girl. Atura Blacktown is a relatively new boutique style hotel in the area next door to one of Sydney's only drive in cinemas. The hotel is modern, quirky and very well equipped for the Wet'n'Wild guest, business travellers and western suburbs tourists alike.

Chauffeur pick-up for Tanqueray Bar Hop for Good Food Month 2014, Sydney

Definitely the most fun event of the year was the Tanqueray Bar Hop as part of Good Food Month. One night, two girls, one chauffeur and four bars serving Tanqueray gin cocktail specials. I still keep a hopeful eye out for a chauffeur outside my work to pick me up and take me to a bar for cocktails.

Table of 10 dinner at OzHarvest HQ, Maddox Street, Alexandria

One of the more heart-warming events of the year was OzHarvest's 10 year celebration dinner at their new warehouse headquarters in Alexandria. With a combination of rescued and donated food, OzHarvest's chefs whipped up an amazingly homely, comforting and thoroughly scrumptious dinner, shared with great wines and even better company.

Carrots with organic yoghurt, black olive crumb from Sustainable Table dinner, Studio Neon, Raglan Street, Waterloo

Hendy: Also for Good Food Month Sustainable Table, an  innovative not-for-profit organisation from Melbourne, launched a clever campaign to raise awareness of food wastage. The food that was presented at the campaign dinner not only demonstrated the elegance of simplicity but also reminded us that good food and good produce can also look a tad imperfect.

Dîner en Blanc Sydney 2014, McKay Field, Centennial Park

The sea of sophisticated white that is Dîner en Blanc returned to Sydney bigger than ever. About 4,000 guests participated in the great white picnic in the secret location of Centennial Park this year and thanks to Seppelt Wines, we were wined and dined in total style - in full whites, of course.

Goodbye 2014!

As the year comes to an end, I'd like to send a huge thanks to my team of contributors - Hendy, Janice, Kath & Mark - for their inspired food-eating and photographing efforts this year. It's been loads of fun, sharing the passion for food and booze (perhaps less so the shoes?).

Thanks also to all the readers and followers over the past year, and the five years before it. It's been a year of change, some stress and new responsibilities - and always plenty of food, booze and shoes - thanks for joining me and the team along the way. See you around in 2015!

Moving up: Upstairs at The Bank

Sydney pubs are moving on up and out of the past – from upmarket gastro pubs to hipster-friendly renovations, the pub experience is moving beyond just schooners, TAB screens and stale carpet.

As part of recent renovations at The Bank in Newtown, the huge, multi-faceted venue now comprises the front street-level bar, back beer garden, a mezzanine level and now Upstairs – a Wednesday to Saturday late night venue focused on cocktails and live music.

Pinball machines at Upstairs at The Bank, King Street, Newtown

Climb the stairs from the separate street entrance or the internal pub flight to find a large, dark and nostalgic space with nods to rock and live music history – I could envisage rockers and their groupies hanging out Upstairs in the comfy booths and couches or playing pool or the pinball machines.

Upstairs outdoor seating

There's also a bright, wood-clad balcony with prime seats looking out over King Street and all its oddities - a perfect space for warm autumn afternoons and nights.

The Upstairs space

A sophisticated cocktail list has been put together by Jeremy Shipley, group bars manager for The Bank's owner, pub group Solotel, and also co-owner of Darlinghurst small bar, Hinky Dinks.

It's pretty much a dedicated cocktail bar, miles away from the usual pub cocktail list; perhaps representative of a growing appreciation for cocktails among today’s drinking crowd.

Penicillin-ita

I started with the Penicillin-ita; a tequila play on the Penicillin cocktail, with honey syrup, lemon juice and ginger beer accompanying Herradura Reposado and a mezcal float. The cocktail, served in a pretty cut crystal tumbler, had an underlying sweetness that smoothed over the punchy hits of tequila.

Mid-West Sour

The bourbon based Mid-West Sour is a seriously good twist on the classic whisky sour using pink grapefruit juice on top of lime and falernum; shaken with egg white and bitters and served classically with a maraschino cherry.

Latenight Daiquiri

The classic lime-based daiquiri could have been more sour for me, with Havana Club Anejo shaken with fresh lime juice, agave nectar and peach bitters, served up in a dainty coupe glass.

Two Birds Golden Ale

Despite the excellent cocktails on offer, that's not to say there isn't a great selection of Australian craft and imported beers at the Upstairs bar, with the Two Birds Golden Ale from Geelong being a good choice for a fruity, medium-bodied brew.

Hot beef jerky

There's a very decent Upstairs bar menu for when a few drinks get you in the mood for food. Utilising the same kitchen as the downstairs pub and beer garden offerings, it's a well-rounded menu spanning snacks and share plates, things sandwiched between bread and pizzas – the latter two of which mirror the pub options.

A perfect bedfellow with beer, the beef jerky was surprisingly good with cocktails too. The dry strips of beef, peppered with chilli flakes, tear into stringy pieces that are salty, meaty and deliciously chewy.

Smoked oyster tin, crème fraiche, tabasco, crackers

Not a favoured seafood delicacy of mine, the tin of smoked oysters was served with a tower of soft oat crackers, crème fraiche and lemon in a pretty presentation on a wooden board.

Fried chicken, kewpie mayo, kim chi

Continuing mine and Sydney's infatuation with fried poultry, the fried chicken wings looked like a flour-dusted and fried version I make at home but with better spice seasoning and probably just as un-photogenic.

The wings were beautifully juicy inside and matched spectacularly with kim chi fermented cabbage and of course, Japanese mayonnaise which seems to go well with everything.

BBQ duck sausage rolls, HP sauce

The sausage rolls were a winner with an unexpectedly chunky duck meat filling and HP brown sauce. Encasing the gamey filling was the best part of the four round slices – the insanely flaky and buttery pastry which by the end showered the table messily in golden flakes.

Crumbed mozzarella,'saltimbocca', tomato vinaigrette

The idea of fried cheese had me won although the mozzarella balls didn't really reach that desired oozey or stringy state.

Crumbed mozzarella,'saltimbocca' insides

With a slice of ham crumbed within the cheese ball and a tomato sauce (rather than a vinaigrette) on the side, the concept works but needs just a little tinkering; perhaps a different, more easily-melting cheese or longer in the deep fry.

BBQ pulled pork, red cabbage, chipotle, mayo with shoestring fries

From the 'bun stuffers' part of the menu came the epically-sized pulled pork burger and fries – ideal for a big appetite, sharing or pre-diet week.

With a shiny, sesame seed-topped bun stabbed through with a knife - to cut and to hold it in place - it was about the largest burger I've seen in Sydney; chock full of smoky BBQ pulled pork and shredded red cabbage, finished with a spiced chipotle mayonnaise.

King crab club sandwich, McClures pickle crisps

On the other end of the scale of sandwiches was the king crab club sandwich; a triple-layered, toasted white bread sandwich with more lettuce and tomato in it than crustacean. The crab seemed to be minimal in a paste form, with some crunch and flavour from crisp-fried pancetta bits.

The highlight of this dish was the McClures potato crisps; a US import of dill pickle flavoured crisps. The flavour of these chips is unbelievably spot-on, combining the sandwich accompaniments of potato crisps and a pickle.

Speck, (mushroom), roast onion pizza

The Bank offers pizzas on tomato or white sauce bases, and we opted for the bartender’s recommendation of speck, mushroom and roast onion on a tomato base.

The rectangular pizza arrived with a liberal topping of melted mozzarella cheese and a notable absence of mushroom. Nonetheless, the speck and onion made for a tasty combination on the medium-thick crust; though why the rectangular pizza was cut into hard-to-manage triangular wedges was beyond me.

Juke box

With the drinking and snacking crowd picking up from 7.30pm – and licensed to open until 5.00am – Upstairs at The Bank is well placed to capitalise on the late night crowd that's perhaps moving out of the CBD precinct and moving up from the usual pub night out.

Food, booze and shoes dined at Upstairs at The Bank as a guest, with thanks to Agency G.

The Stinking Bishops: Smells good to the cheese fiends

Cheese fiends. There are lots of us out there. We will happily eat a hunk of cheese with crackers or bread and some fresh or dried fruit, and call that a meal. Add a glass of red wine and it's a complete, balanced meal.

The cheese fiends of the inner west are rejoicing with the recent opening of The Stinking Bishops at the Newtown end of Enmore Road. Cheese, charcuterie, wine - it's like they've recreated my last meal in a new, hip shop space beneath a block of low-rise apartments.

Cheese from The Stinking Bishops, Enmore Road, Newtown

Named after Britain's smelliest cheese, The Stinking Bishops is a neighbourhood cheese and wine bar and retailer that exudes a passion for cheese and all the great eats that belong alongside a cheesy feast.

Cheese menu board

A chalk board displays a changing menu of more than 20 imported and Australian cheeses - all available for consumption in the venue or for take-home indulgence.

Cheese fridge

An open cheese fridge behind the counter seating displays a delectable range of curd offerings alongside Salumi Australia and other hanging charcuterie.

Seating for groups is a little limited with just one larger table and a table for two up the front, while counter seating and and a bench table up against the wall offer stool seating, ideal for lazy Golden Cobra coffees, glasses of wine and of course, cheese nibbling.

Duck liver pate

At the counter, we started with the full range of red wines by the glass among four of us, accompanied by a brick of duck liver pate.

With credit given to Redfern's Eathouse Diner, the creamy, liver-y pate was densely flavoured with a nicely contrasting jelly layer; served with fresh Grain Organic sourdough bread and a sweet jammy condiment.

Cheese board

The main game has to be the cheese boards, which come in two, three or four cheese sizes. Diners can choose any of the cheeses from the menu to have on their board, with the serving sizes adjusted for any of the more expensive, imported cheeses.

Choosing one from each white mould, washed rind, hard and blue mould categories, we had a rather French board of the deliciously nutty Marcel Petite comte, not-so-stinky Époisses, Delice du Cremier, and the Irish Grubb Cashel Blue.

The cheeses are served with a fabric basket generously filled with more sourdough bread, fancily branded crackers, dried muscatels and a slice of a jammy fig and walnut log. In all, happiness on a wooden board.

Charcuterie board

There is more wine and happiness to be had with the charcuterie selection that showcases some fine Aussie produce. I can never go past the Salumi Australia nduja spicy salami paste, even though the chilli heat is absolutely ferocious.

Also available in two, three or four meat selections, we added to our charcuterie board fennel salami, fat-edged cured pork cheek and streaky smoked wagyu whichwas like a creamy, fatty corned beef that was made to be with sliced pickled gherkins.

Comte at home

Over a few boards of food and glasses of red, we whiled away a rainy afternoon quite idyllically at The Stinking Bishops. It has got its positioning down pat: cheese, wine, charcuterie and more substantial eats that are simple and soulful; all extremely well designed for the so-hip-it's-not neighbourhood.

It's only improved with, say, a huge chunk of the Marcel Petite comte to take home - with that, The Stinking Bishops sure smell good to me.

All peachy at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen

In a sign of the ongoing rejuvenation of not-so-grungy-anymore Newtown, there's a new head chef at the relatively new Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, perched above the recently renovated Marlborough Hotel.

Young chef Hamish Francis-Martin comes from Chippendale's Freda's and before that, Bloodwood, Bodega and Porteño.

The bar at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Missenden Road, Newtown

It's some serious pedigree heading up the busy kitchen that pumps out 'soul food' – that Southern American brand of comfort food that isn't necessarily healthy, but sure can be craving-inducing.

There are plenty of dishes on the summer menu at Miss Peaches that bring a smile to my belly, including po' boys, fried chicken and mac and cheese.

Colourful seating

Miss Peaches occupies a fantastic and large upstairs space, decorated and themed to the max. With colourful seating, brick walls with vintage branding, Edison globes and retro signs everywhere, it's a fun blend of (probably stereotypical) Americana with Sydney pop style.

Wall decor and seating

Table place number

Mississippi Sour (left) and Watermelon Ruby Fizz (right)

We started with cocktails from a page filled with fun names, ingredients and concoctions. The cooling Watermelon Ruby Fizz was perfect for the humid evening featuring a house-made watermelon soda shaken with Tanqueray gin, sloe gin and lemon juice.

The Mississippi Sour, served cutely in a not-vintage jar, was a stronger but still sweet cocktail with Laird's applejack, lemon juice, bitters and a honey ginger syrup.

Sarsaparilla glazed fried chicken pieces

It wasn't long at all before our Southern feast began to arrive, starting with two pieces of fried chicken that easily rivalled the Colonel's.

The chicken drumstick and thigh portions were both mouthwateringly juicy and crunchy in a spiced batter, with a light Sarsaparilla glaze that added sweetness and a new dimension to southern fried chicken.

Mac'n'cheese

The side order of macaroni and cheese arrived early in the game and disappeared from the oval dish as quickly as it arrived.

The soft pasta was rich with a smooth sauce of gruyere, cheddar and parmesan cheeses and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and chives, it was about as perfect a rendition as imaginable, only improved with Miss Peaches' house hot sauce.

Bug pies - Moreton Bay bug tails and creamed corn in puff pastry 

Perhaps a close substitute for crawfish, I was not going to miss the shellfish action of the Moreton Bay bug pie.

Bug pie innards

Resembling an empanada, the oily puff pastry casing was filled with a creamy, not spicy mix of corn and small pieces of bug flesh which were delightfully sweet. Though a little light on bug flesh, the overall "pie" was a moreish few mouthfuls which I’d happily have again and again.

Shrimp po' boy - beer and butter braised shrimp with fennel slaw on brioche

I was hanging out for some po' boy action – fried seafood in a roll is certainly drinking food to me. However, it seems in the menu update the "shrimp" had transformed from a battered and fried option, to being braised in beer and butter.

Generous with whole prawns and served with a fennel slaw in a soft brioche roll, the overall po' boy didn't lack flavour but it didn't have the naughty crunch I was looking for in what I think was my first ever po' boy.

Shrimp clemenceau'd - prawns, BBQ corn, roast kipflers, swiss browns, king browns, citrus and sage

Listed in the salads section, the shrimp clemenceau'd resembled the contents of a seafood boil with whole prawns, boiled potatoes and fresh corn from the cob, tossed with sections of king brown mushrooms and orange segments.

Garnished with fresh dill and chives, it was certainly not a traditional salad but proffered some interesting, relatively clean flavours.

Spice blackened fish fried with lightly pickled cucumber and red pepper salad

From the larger main-sized dishes, the black spice-coated barramundi fillet is excellent value in the mid-teens as it's an entire, petite, healthy and fresh main meal.

The black-surfaced grilled fish was packed with not particularly discernable flavours and went surprisingly well with ribbons of pickled cucumber, while the barely spicy jalapeño ranch sauce brought a welcome, creamy note to the dish.

Scallop gumbo

With two options for the house signature of gumbo, we elected the seafood choice topped with three grilled scallops.

The thick, spiced tomato-based soup was a shallow bowl of discovery: first, soft okra slices and other diced vegetables, then white rice in the bottom of the well-balanced soupy dish garnished with fresh coriander, dill and chives.

DJ booth

By 8.00pm the bar was absolutely pumping with Saturday night drinks orders while food continued to fly out of the kitchen.

With the DJ in full party swing and the crowd at peak volume, the window booth seats are probably best for diners, while drinkers flock to the outdoor balcony looking out onto Missenden Road.

Outdoor balcony

It seems the only constant in Newtown is change, but with soul-warming food and drink offerings at Miss Peaches, it's all peachy for now.

Food, booze and shoes dined at Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen as a guest.