Step up to La Scala on Jersey

Italian for "the stairs", a flight of stairs is indeed what faces diners heading to La Scala on Jersey, set in a spacious floor above the Light Brigade Hotel in Paddington.

Recent changes to the modern Italian restaurant have seen chef Massimo Mele (ex Hugo's, often seen partnering with Salt Meats Cheese) take over the kitchen and offer a more relaxed, authentic Italian experience.

Bar at La Scala on Jersey, Jersey Road, Woollahra

During the week this end of Paddington undoubtedly has a neighbourhood feel, albeit a posh one, and the refreshed look and feel of La Scala seems right at home with the dining families and small groups, both young and old.

Cocktails at the bright, botanical-themed bar are a good place to start after the hike upstairs, especially with a cocktail list put together by drinks consultant Julian Serna (currently at Eau de Vie Apothecary, formerly The Morrison and The Fern).

Cocktails at the bar: Regal Rogue Rosso (left) and He's in the Garden (right)

The bar top is adorned with fresh fruit and juices while the cocktail list is modern, fruity and tempting all round. The tall Australiano apéritif-style cocktail comprised the local Regal Rogue Rosso vermouth with Campari, grapefruit bitters and a not-too-sweet, house-made creaming soda.

Not on the menu but sold convincingly to me by the bartender was the He's in the Garden - a savoury take on a classic Tom Collins. With Hendricks gin, lemon juice, a slice of cucumber and soda, the cocktail was topped with salt which could be stirred into the drink to taste. With its salted gin botanicals it hinted at a softer and highly drinkable version of a dirty martini with its olive brine.

Dining space

We moved to the dining space for dinner, all dark wood and Bentwood chairs on wooden floorboards; seated with views of the open kitchen as well as the yellow street light-bathed street below.

Long table

Closer to the entrance there's a darker room with a long table to seat 26 diners or to be used as a private dining room. There's no shortage of space at La Scale, and that's before adding the upstairs bathrooms and powder room.

Black Russian, cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, capers, basil, balsamic

We were enamoured by the two weekly specials from a streamlined menu of share plates to start, mains and side dishes.

La Scala's take on classic insalata caprese makes some unexpected additions and improvements even. Creamy buffalo mozzarella came torn over Black Russian and cherry tomatoes; both exceptionally sweet and ripe.

Balsamic vinegar brought new perspective to the Caprese salad while capers added saltiness to the mozzarella which sadly never tastes as good as when in Italy.

Wagyu beef carpaccio with truffled egg, rocket

Another special, the carpaccio of wagyu beef was drizzled heavily with a mayonnaise-like dressing and grated parmesan cheese, topped with a golden-crumbed egg.

The dressing seemed a little overpowering on the thin slices of raw beef but when eaten together with the gooey yolk of the boiled truffle-scented egg, it all made perfect, delicious sense.

Butterflied king prawns, oregano, chilli, lemon

From the share plates menu we couldn't resist the split grilled prawns dressed with oregano, a touch of chilli and fresh lemon juice.

Fantastically large and fairly meaty specimens, the prawn's crisp legs and shells could have been eaten too while the oregano made for an appetising match to the set of crustaceans.

Strozzapreti, oxtail ragu, pecorino, gremolata

For mains, I had to try one of the house-made pastas and with both strozzapreti and ragu being some of my favourite pasta types and sauces respectively, it had to be the dish featuring oxtail.

This strozzapreti was bit like long spiral pasta with shreds of oxtail meat in an unexpectedly light ragu sauce, topped with grated pecorino cheese and refreshing gremolata of parsley and lemon zest.

It went quite well with the reservedly fruity 2010 Scagliola "Busiord" dolcetto from the Piedmont region of Italy, listed under 'Old World Reds' in the wine list and selected with a bit of help from the waitstaff.

Grilled organic spatchcock, olives, lemon, prosciutto, broccolini rapini

I was glad that the mains were served to share because the spatchcock dish was impressively large, featuring a whole butterflied and grilled bird. The charred skin and herb dressing on the spatchcock enhanced the beautifully juicy flesh within, making it worthwhile to suck the bones clean.

Beneath the bird was an interesting array of supporting ingredients including silky prosciutto, salty olive segments, a bright green herb sauce and wilted leaves of lemony broccoli rabe that provided every bite of spatchcock with a different highlight.

Witlof, radicchio, pickled beetroot, candied walnuts, sour cherries, goats curd

Our mains were supplemented with an elaborate side salad of bitter witlof and radicchio paired with baby beetroot segments, sweet candied walnuts and cherries, and hidden beneath it all, creamy and tangy goat's curd.

Polenta chips, parmesan and truffle aioli

And we couldn't help but order the polenta chips too, and thank goodness we did as they may well be some of the best I've ever had.

Finished with parmesan cheese and served with a truffle-flavoured aioli, the crispness of the polenta chips with hot, light and fluffy insides made me reach for one after another and momentarily forget how full I was getting.

Tiramisu "modo mio" (left) and gelato (right)

But we couldn't leave without trying dessert; both our ordered options of which were thankfully on the petite end of the scale. The tiramisu "modo mio", presumably chef Mele's way, was served layered in a tall shot glass with chocolate mousse amid mascarpone and coffee-soaked sponge which had a good kick.

The gelato option proffered three scoops: chocolate, fig and raspberry with the latter being the refreshing highlight while the chocolate was a lovely and rich finish.

While chef Mele's menu is clearly Italian, there's a modern sensibility to it that is light and fresh yet unpretentious; making you want to eat it over and over again. Meanwhile, the upstairs restaurant space is simply fabulous: airy yet intimate, cosy and classy, and a place you're happy to linger over coffee or digestifs.

As we went to descend la scala, it seemed clear that the Paddington and Woollahra end of Oxford Street are stepping up the dining game to an approachable yet refined offering for locals and food lovers alike - and that's worth taking the stairs for.

Food, Booze & Shoes dined at La Scala on Jersey with credit, thanks to Agency G.

Up in Paddington Arms

It's the right weather for bottles of red wine, cuddling up in front of an open fire and hoeing into rich, hearty food - these are just about the only things that keep me relatively sane in winter.

And it's all on at the Paddington Arms: a refurbished Oxford Street pub offering an English take on pub grub. Colin Fassnidge consults as executive chef at this upmarket, stylish but still casual pub, which was toasty warm on the Sunday night we visited.

Roast bone marrow with celeriac remoulade and grilled bread from Paddington Arms
Kitchen, Oxford Street, Paddington

The entire back section of the pub is dedicated to the Paddington Arms Kitchen which feels like a proper restaurant rather than a pub bistro.

With the 2010 Michel Torino ‘Award’ Malbec Calchaqui Valley from Argentina warming us from the insides, it was all eyes on the grazing menu which is peppered with offal and modern English influences.

The roast bone marrow has to be the most irresistable thing on the grazing menu. It arrived on a wooden board with fat dripping off both sides, which gives a good indication of what marrow actually consists of.

This abundance of marrow is a dining rarity (usually you get a small blob) and spread on the grilled bread, it was an entirely rich and luxurious experience. We were most thankful for the celeriac remoulade, which went some way in saving us from the rich and fatty overload.

Black pudding and crumbed pork with apple salad

I didn't actually try the pretty salad featuring bloody chunks of black pudding and a nugget of crumbed pork. I'm told it was also a rich dish despite the fresh salad accompaniments.

Be warned, though, that the size of the main meals means for many an entrée from the grazing menu and even side dishes aren't necessary.

Sunday roast pork with apple sauce and all the trimmings

Sundays mean roasts at the Paddington Arms, with a weekly changing roast meat and all the comforting bits and pieces you'd expect from a Sunday roast.

We had hit roast pork Sunday so that meant roast potatoes, onions, peas and pumpkin alongside a significant helping of crackling-topped roast pork belly with apple sauce.

It was a generous serving that should sate any hungry winter appetite, with a good ratio of vegetables into the fold too.

Veal cutlet special with red cabbage and potato wedges

There was a bit of German influence with the night's special of veal cutlet: crumbed almost schnitzel style and served with spiced red cabbage and potato on the side. The veal cutlet was tender as expected with its juiciness retained within the dark crumb coating.

While I adored the flavours in the red cabbage, it was the size of some of the crunchy potato wedges that dominated interest - one of the 'wedges' I picked out of the cute cast iron pot was about half a potato.

It was nice to see the generously sized mains with all the necessary sides, ensuring that the pub retains value-for-money while visiting a standard beyond pies and chicken parmigianas.

Chocolate truffles with coffee

However, there was no room for desserts, even to share. So it was lovely to receive chocolate truffles with coffees, looking more like cocoa powder-coated brownies than the soft, melt-on-the-fingers dark chocolate truffle squares they were.

After the huge meal and wine, it was particularly difficult to leave the very warm restaurant on a wintry night. Given the opportunity and stomach capacity, I wouldn't mind spending every winter's night up in Paddington Arms.

10 William Street: Addressing Paddington

The Sydney suburb of Paddington made news recently for the wrong reasons, although it's hard not to notice the abundance of 'For Lease' signs perched above retail store awnings all along Oxford Street.

But I'm sure the suburb that once was will be again, especially with the likes of 10 William Street calling Paddington home.

Upstairs at 10 William Street, William Street, Paddington

From the same people behind Potts Point's Italian institution Fratelli Paradiso, 10 William Street is a wine bar that boasts a serious menu of Italian eats in the fashion-centric William Street.

There's no signage at the street front, nor inside, but you'll recognise the retro black tiled frontage with big glass windows opening up to cosy groups quaffing wine beneath blackboards proffering a healthy collection of wines.

First level

The first street-level floor of 10 William Street is more your small bar, with dim and intimate seating for small groups as well as a few seats at the bar. It's not any brighter upstairs but there's more of a restaurant feel, cosily spartan as it is.

Olives

We were looked after extraordinarily well upstairs by waiter Owen, who at an earlier hour contends with us and just one other table but later manages the entire room with smooth ease. We're started on prosecco from the Veneto region, because it's always good to start with bubbles.

A generous dish of mixed olives came along - Sicilian, Ligurian and Kalamata - which really do make one of the best drinking snacks ever. (And apologies now for fuzzy photos - it was seriously dark and I was drinking the whole way through).

Arancini

A gorgeous smell preceded the arrival of the crowd-pleasing arancini, which feature Paesanella mozzarella that gets that rubbery texture I adore when cooled a little. They're served with a blob of mustard fruit chutney that’s not pretty but was definitely a tasty match.

Fior di latte, beets, heirloom tomatoes

The soft, stretched fior di latte cheese is sourced from Victoria, because 10 William Street think it’s the best in Australia. They could well be right - there are definite creamy flavours and savouriness in the cheese, not just bland balls of nothing like so many others.

The fior di latte was presented with eye-catching hues of red and yellow tomatoes, green basil leaves and purple beetroot. This modern play on an insalata caprese was really just a delightful plate of produce.

With this entree style dish we were served a very, very fruity Heidler Gruner Veltliner 'Thal' from Austria, which would suit those who like a lots of fruity sugars in their wine.

Bruschetta of lamb ragu and chickpeas

The bruschetta toppings change weekly, with some of our waiter’s favourites being chicken liver pate or Sicilian sardines, straight from the tin, with tomatoes.

This night’s treat on thick toasted bread was a wintery lamb ragu – appropriate for the cool change to autumn – with a chickpea puree, whole chickpeas and coriander from the kitchen’s herb garden. This was like no other bruschetta I've tried before, and I like the new take.

Maltagliati with osso bucco, gremolata

The smell of the osso bucco pasta dish was unbearably good and consisted of exactly what I want when I crave pasta: a rich tomato sauce, gorgeously al dente pasta in novel, rough-cut sheet pasta in something resembling squares.

I loved the transformation of a traditional ossu bucco - with gremolata, of course - into a pasta dish, with the bone marrow mixed through for added richness.

At this point, the wine in the glass was a full-bodied, fruity Italian red Torre Vento 'Salice Salentino', which was perfect to cut through the rich pasta sauce.

Sfoglia verdure

The sfoglia isn’t pastry as the Italian translation would imply, but more like a very open lasagne with several sheets of pasta filled with fried garden vegetables: tomato, capsicum, baby corn, broccoli, baby carrots, zucchini and heavily spiced slices of eggplant.

Topped with chopped parsley also straight from the kitchen garden, the goat’s cheese sauce was a necessary addition of richness to the vegetarian dish. It was hard to compete with the osso bucco maltagliati though.

We dabbled back into Italian white territory at this point with the Bera Arcese, which is a blend that has the slightest of bubbles to its very easy-drinking nature.

Black angus sirloin, rocket, potatoes

The main, as if all the other dishes weren't fantastic menu features already, was a grain-fed black angus sirloin from Kingaroy, Queensland, cooked medium-rare and boasting a sensationally flavoured-crust full of salt and charred goodness.

The crisp chunks of potato and lightly dressed rocket leaves with parmesan shavings were really all that were needed alongside the tagliata style cut of beef.

We skipped back to red wines with my favourite of the night: Sami Odi 'Little Wine' Shiraz which was the big flavour you'd want from a Barossa shiraz paired with a sirloin steak. There are only 120 cases of this small batch production available in Australia, and 10 William Street had 12 cases when I was there earlier this month.

Tiramisu

In pre dessert fashion, the kitchen sent out spoonfuls of the tiramisu “Fratelli”. The immediate hit of good coffee soaked into the sponge makes this immediately likeable, with smooth, velvety mascarpone wrapped all around.

Sweet of the day – caramel and fig cake with vanilla ice cream and pistachios and caramel

I wasn’t too sure what to expect of a caramel cake, but it was essentially that – a slice of a dense caramel-flavoured cake dotted with segments of dried figs.

Topped with more caramel sauce, a quenelle of vanilla ice cream and crumbled pistachio nuts, it was a simple, well-balanced, almost homely dessert that hit all the right spots.

The heavy Mas Amiel aged grenache from south-west France had plenty enough saccharine characteristics to take on caramel sauce - which says a lot.

10 William Street frontage

I'm not sure if most people go through that much food and six different wines in a sitting at 10 William Street. But there is so much to like about the place: the quiet street off a main road, a menu of impressively high standards to match a huge variety of wines on pour (and by the bottle), and a relaxed atmosphere to really enjoy the wine, company and wine bar atmosphere.

I can't wait to return for a Saturday session with the girls - perhaps post a spot of shopping in Paddington - but 10 William Street has definitely got it going on, even if the rest of the suburb has some catching up to do.

Food, booze and shoes dined at 10 William Street as a guest, with thanks to Maria Farmer Public Relations.

Laotian, Burmese and an ice cream sandwich in Darlo

Sitting waiting with a Bia 333, I had to check a few times that I was indeed sitting in a restaurant and not a nightclub. Yep, I was sitting near the front window at Pink Peppercorn on Oxford Street, not at a club across the road.

Yet another voucher needed using, although this was a restaurant I'd been meaning to visit for ages especially since there really aren't too many Laotian and Burmese retaurants around.

Steamed long grain jasmine and wild rice at Pink Peppercorn, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst

The yaw jeun spring rolls didn't last long enough for a picture, but I’ve always preferred more south-east Asian spring rolls to Chinese ones as they just seem to pop with more flavour and texture. These sublime “golden rolls” were filled with a bouncy mixture of chicken, crab and vermicelli noodles, seasoned with lots of garlic and dipped into sweet chilli sauce.

Rice servings at $5 each is a little on the pricey side of town, but I appreciated the effort that they put into pimping it up. The upturned cup shape held jasmine rice and long grains of black wild rice, which are firmer than normal white rice.

Ping gae – char grilled marinated lamb tenderloin on green vegetables,
mint and tamarind sauce

There was a sameness about the mains menu that made it difficult to choose among the many chicken, lamb, beef and seafood dishes. Mint, lemongrass and chilli were abundant menu ingredients, and it was tough trying to differentiate the dishes without the aid of images (OK, I sound like a child now).

We opted for three mains – the first a main of lamb tenderloin, which even could have been beef. Either way, it was cooked to medium and incredibly tender, soaking up the sweet juices of the tamarind sauce. The mint added an addictive zing to the green beans and Chinese cabbage, while the overall sweetness of the dish was a little unexpected.

Laab gai – pan fried chicken with lemongrass tossed with fresh herbs, red onion,
mild chilli, lime, roasted rice

I’m not sure we ordered the chicken laab, but it arrived at the table and we didn’t kick up a fuss as we weren’t sure which chicken dish we did order – there are several on the menu, and as mentioned, served with rather similar ingredients.

Juicy nuggets of chicken thigh featured with loads of mint and lemongrass, slivers of large red chilli which was still pretty spicy and Spanish onion. It was again on the sweet side and while decent, overall not a standout dish.

Khua goong pakthiam – Stir fried tiger prawns, pink peppercorns, garlic and green vegetables

That honour went to the stir fried prawn dish, featuring what I would have thought to be signature pink peppercorns. Peppery and garlicky, the tail-on prawns were cooked to a firm bounce; and were scattered among broccoli and snow peas, plenty of cracked black pepper and smashed pink peppercorns.

The latter were eye-openingly fragrant after their initial kick of heat, and added a great deal of character to the dish. Why they’re not used more extensively on the Pink Peppercorn menu is a mystery to me.

The loud atmosphere and pumping music at Pink Peppercorn was a lot to take after a hayfever-affected afternoon, so we thought we'd end without dessert. Little did I expect to be walking past Darlie Laundromatic on the way, let alone the sweet surprise to be found within.

Raspberry and ginger cordial with gin and soda (back) and mulberry cordial with vodka
and soda (front) from Darlie Laundromatic, Palmer Street, Darlinghurst

It was pretty busy for a weeknight, filled with local hipsters that looked like they were in for the long haul and didn't need to think about work tomorrow morning (I'm clearly just jealous).

It's impossible to bypass the home made cordials on the drinks menu - I mean, they're home made cordials. In delightful flavours like raspberry and ginger (and quite gingery too) and the special of the day, mulberry, which also featured vanilla quite heavily. Top it off with booze, soda and a novelty stirrer and what's not to love and order multiples of.

The long communal table in the front converted laundry room was pretty inviting and cosy, but we picked a seat under the clothesline, beneath tea towels that look like my aunty's souvenir collection.

Peanut butter and choc chip cookie ice cream sandwich

When I was at the bar getting my drink, it probably took me all of two seconds to notice the ice cream sandwich on the dessert menu. To my further delight, there's also a choice of cookie with which to sandwich some good ol' Streets Blue Ribbon vanilla ice cream.

I was pretty happy with my choice of peanut butter and choc chip, with discernable pockets of peanut butter amid the slightly chewy cookie and ice cream oozing out at every bite. It's by no means a neat dessert but one where you should be finished before the ice cream even starts to melt.

So there you have just a regular night in Darlinghurst, where the night takes you from clubbing to southeast Asia then into a laundry for cordial and an ice cream sandwich.

Rambutan – a tropical escape

Sydney’s winter is nearing an end, although it may not feel like it just yet. With a few weeks till the official start of spring, I’m doing my very best to make it through.

I don’t like the cooler weather – the need for extra layers and woolly accessories; the inability to wear my Havvies and pretty dresses; the cravings for hearty, fat/carb-loaded food.

Tropical fish downstairs in the tiki lounge at Rambutan, Oxford Street, Paddington

Escaping to any tropical retreat – or indeed, anywhere warm – has been a constant in my mind for the last couple of months. I found temporary respite descending the stairs to Rambutan’s underground tiki bar, armed with a voucher and the usual scarf-coat-gloves combo.

Dr Phil’s Famous Flaming Rum Punch

If the illuminated tanks of tropical fish weren’t enough to send me on a tropical holiday, the tiki cocktails certainly were. Take the impossible-to-not-order ‘Dr Phil’s Famous Flaming Rum Punch’. Presumably named after the cocktail bartender now at Eau de Vie, this was one hell of a drink to watch come together.

Appleton VX rum features in the base drink, but the drama is all in the upturned lime half, which is filled with raw sugar and floated in the tiki glass. A splash of booze and a lick of fire later, the drink is flamin’ on fire – the sugar melting to a caramel that sweetens the punch.

When the blue flame sadly is no more, the remaining drink is a strong reminder that cocktails most certainly can be imbibed in the middle of winter – flames, tropical fish or not.

Coconut and kaffir lime daiquiri carnival

I opt for something a little more summery and fitting of the modern Thai food which we’re about to dine on. Kaffir lime is up there with my favourite scents, and the leaf floating atop this cloudy white cocktail fills the nostrils with the floral, citrusy aroma, although the flavour doesn’t quite reach the tastebuds.

It’s a sweet cocktail, if not a little too much for my tastes, with an overpowering, almost oily flavour of coconut; even over and above that of the usually strong taste of Sagatiba Pure Cachaça.

After a little defrosting in the tiki lounge, we head upstairs to the dining room, precariously balancing our cocktails all the while up. We’re seated at a small table for two aside the large communal table; the space significantly narrower and squishier than I remember from previous visits (although perhaps that’s just the snowman-shaped/dressed me talking).

Miang (betel leaf) with tea smoked trout and grilled chilli eggplant relish

To start, I can never go past the betel leaves, here opting for the smoked trout option. It usually takes me at least a couple of messy mouthfuls to eat the whole thing – but all the more to enjoy it for longer.

Each mouthful is jam-packed a flavour bomb of ingredients – the soft pieces of smoked trout are gorgeous while the eggplant is a bit lost beneath the good hint of chilli and overall sweetness.

Mussels with lemongrass, Thai basil and chilli

The entrée special of this particular evening was mussels – lightly cooked with lemongrass, Thai basil and quite a bit of chilli, it was my favourite of the night. I adored the mussels, which were just cooked and impossibly tender for the mollusc which can be notoriously chewy.

The chilli kick was perfect while some rice would have been good to eat with the sweet, chilli-spiked juices left at the bottom of the bowl. Another round of mussels would also have gone down well.

But it was time for mains, and ambitious ordering of two dishes plus fried rice and a steamed rice portion meant the small table was not going to handle it. Bring out the metal stand that elevated one of the mains above the bowl of rice for some strategic dish juggling.

Pla laht prik - hot, sweet and sour crispy whole barramundi with
bamboo shoot and kaffir lime leaf

I don’t often order whole fish in restaurants (is there anything more embarrassing than choking on a bone?), but was hoping the barramundi wouldn’t have too many small bones. Right I was, and some of the bones were even crisped up to a near edible state.

Lightly battered and fried, the fish was doused in the sauce that was more sweet than hot or sour. The crunchily fried kaffir lime leaves were pretty and added a subtle flavour, and the whole fish became a skeleton not too long into the mains.

Dry red curry, roasted pork belly with snake beans, grachi and holy basil

The pork belly was exactly what I imagined and what I was looking forward to – crackling-topped hunks of fatty pork, smeared with (again, rather sweet) red curry sauce and served with delightful snake beans and more crisped green herbs. This was fabulous with steamed rice and even pretty good the day after as leftovers.

Fried rice with gai lan, cherry tomato and chilli jam

The fried rice was actually nothing too special. There was egg and shallots as you’d expect, with a dollop of chilli jam served alongside for a sweet, chilli touch. This mostly headed into takeaway containers as we'd ordered rather overzealously.

We didn’t linger for desserts although service was efficient and very friendly all night. With the seriously squishy seating and narrow spaces between the tables, the feel inside Rambutan is unsurprisingly intimate although it can also get pretty noisy. They almost look like they have more room in the open kitchen.

Grabbing our takeaway containers, it’s a cold entry back to reality – where, sadly, tropical fish and tiki cocktails don’t float about. Where are you, spring?

Art for the tooth

Tiered and textured mad hatter cake from Sweet Art,
Oxford Street, Paddington

"Whoa" is the collective thought as we enter the hallowed saccharin doors of cake artistry that is Sweet Art in Paddington. It's the first time I've been inside, having no inclination for weddings or other major occasion in the near future. But I've certainly always wanted to check out Sweet Art and thanks to the Paddington Alive Fashion Festival (with some association with the Sydney Fashion Festival currently taking over Martin Place), not only have I the excuse to fawn over stunning cake creations, I get to play as well!

Tiered mad hatter cake from Sweet Art

The 'Fashionably Sweet' workshops hosted by Sweet Art earlier this week were a fantastical playground for anyone with the slightest interest in cakes and decorating. I mean, I like to look at them and eat them - that counts, right? These mini workshops were designed as a taster to Sweet Art's upcoming cake decorating classes, and these girls - and guy - certainly know how to do things.

Sweet offerings

What could be better after a hectic work afternoon than working and rolling fondant icing, staining your hands with a rainbow of vegetable dyes, and wondering if free-hand cutting or intricate cutter-work is the best way to go? Sparkling wine and cupcakes. Of course.

Sweet offerings from Sweet Art

The 'classroom' for this short workshop is set up with stainless steel-topped workbenches, an array of artsy tools and a flock of female students. In keeping with the fashion theme, the lovely Imogen tells us we're making the rather-popular-nowadays Tiffany's inspired decorations for cupcakes.

Sweet Art staff demonstration

In a simple, easy to understand/remember/copy way, Imogen impresses us with basic decorating skills by turning a lump of white fondant icing into perfect Tiffany blue then whipping up variations of dainty little white bows and ribbon to put on top.

Tiffany's and Chanel inspired cupcake decorations

In terms of technique, it seems the basics go a long way. Baby pink fondant quickly becomes a quilted texture beneath the interlocking Cs of Chanel; simple but definitely eye-catching.

Table of tools and goodies

With help on hand and basics in mind, we're let loose to our own cupcakes and creativity. A table of goodies awaits: a spectrum of colourful vegetable dyes, rolling pins of all sizes, cutters and shapes, cachous and sugar decorations, top ups on the sparkling - does it get any better?

Covering my first cupcake

It isn't long before the entire room is wholeheartedly into action; lightly dusting the workspace with corn flour, rolling colourful fondant to delicate millimetre thicknesses, cutting and pressing out shapes, smoothing with hands, fingers and whatever else is usable. Patience is a virtue, and none more so than in cake decorating, in my opinion. It also helps to be good with your hands and have some degree of perfectionism.

It's kind of difficult to take photos when fondant is meltingly sticky in your hands or when you've got a glass of sparkling in one hand and you're selecting cachous with the other or when your hands are stained with dye. It was, however, exceptional fun and in no way pressured like one might be in a high school art class where you wonder why everyone else can draw somewhat realistically and you can't. No? Just me? Okay.

Our workspace

I don't think cake decorating is as messy as normal cooking, for example, but one definitely needs their space and tools at hand. And not wearing a crisp white business shirt would help, especially when playing around with the dyes.

Our hard work

Aside from a vanilla and a chocolate cupcake each, we're given blocks of fudge to play with and decorate into handbags and gift boxes and so on. The Sweet Art staff proffer more advice, tips and goodies, like the metallic gold paint - completely edible, mind you. It really comes down to one's own creativity and style, although the execution is the hardest part.

While I'm reasonably patient in most facets of life, I've come to accept that I'm not an artist and that I haven't the patience nor discipline for detailed practical work. "That'll do" crops up pretty early in my books in addition to my tendency to stick to the safe.

Which ones are mine?

Saying that, can you guess which vertical row of decorated goodies belongs to me? Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the answer.

While my skills are lacking and limited, there was some serious talent elsewhere in the room. A few friendly fellow students created the following stunners:

Fondant covered fudge handbag - check out the
amazingly perfect details

All that glitters... is edible!

Tiffany's and more

It's surprising how quickly two hours goes by, but time flies when you're having fun. And with this much fun, it was but a blink. As we finish off our decorated creations and sparkling wine, we chat to the Sweet Art staff who seem to be anticipating the cake decorating classes as much as tonight's participants. There's genuine passion and love for the art, which is contagiously exciting. They're also opening a second store at The Strand - which is so ridiculously fitting - for the "CBD brides", as Imogen called it.

My lesson from the night is probably to not be afraid of fondant - it's actually quite easy, versatile and oddly durable to use, and lots of fun too as the pics below would indicate. We're now in planning for a home fondant weekend - not flowers anytime soon but art for the (beginner) sweet tooth.

Marge Simpson bathtub cake from Sweet Art

Hamburger cake from Sweet Art

And my decorations below. I had to make the Tiffany's bow rather larger to cover up some imperfections on my blue top. I did the rounded stripes using round cutters and somehow unknowingly matched it to the shirt I was wearing. And the green gift box with black ribbon and bow (you can't see here) was my efforts at the last five minutes and me going: "Oh, there's some spare black fondant - I'll just use that. And I can't think or be bothered with anything fancier. That'll do."

Tina's Sweet Art