The Q Manhattan, Quest Albury

There’s not many eateries open on a Monday night in the Albury CBD.

However, the Manhattan, a tapas bar at the bottom of the Quest Hotel in Albury is a good spot to choose.

The setting and service is relaxed.

Wine by the glass is well priced and generous. The wine list includes a range of local wines.

The tapas are also good and include garlic and rosemary marinated Lamb strips with tzatziki, pita bread, feta and tomato salad $18…( my favourite)

….baked mushrooms with goats cheese, thyme and garlic and crumb $16…

…and duck lettuce cups with Asian slaw and sesame and lime dressing $17 ( perhaps my least favourite of the three).

Hakiki Turkish Icecream, Enmore Road – Delicious!

Hakiki Turkish Icecream is right across Enmore Road from the Urban.

While The Cow and the Moon up the road is the prize winner…

…this is the more interesting and delicious option.
The Turkish tea is excellent ……

…..as is the Turkish delight $1 each.

The baklava was excellent and the pistachio, all was great.

And I’d love to try the baklava pasties next time too.

Cottage Point Inn, Sydney @cottagepointinn @guillaume_zika

Cottage Point Inn is perfect as the centrepiece for creating a wonderful day’s event – a special lunch in Sydney’s north.

Overlooking the Cowen Waters in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, this delightful venue began its life as a boat house, general store and post office.

Guests arrive by road, water or air!

They are beautifully cared for by Guillaume Zika – Executive Chef …..

Jim Sanders – Head Sommelier……

…and excellent waitstaff like Amando

We began with Jim’s recommendation of a lovely Sangria made with elderflower liqueur, port and juice of ruby grapefruit and poorman’s orange.

This was served with warm bread with a faint lemon flavour and stylishly served butter….

We were very tempted by the the degustation menu, but decided instead to share a selection from each course.

We chose entrees of Gippsland Veal Rump Tartare $32 – Seasoned with Oyster & Lemon Dressing, Tarragon, Caper Crackers

……and the Line Caught Snapper $34 Served Raw, Persimmon Vierge, Finger Lime & Basil

…and Jim suggested an unusual Argentinian White Fantasia that is usually paired in the degustation with the veal tartare.

…But before the entrees arrived we were surprised with a complimentary appetito of refreshingly crisp and tasty Pear with crème fraîche and pastry shell with a creamy pumpkin purée and parmesan

And after we’d enjoyed our entrees we were again surprised with another entree dish of the Moreton Bay Bug Citrus & Fennel, Lemon Hollandaise, usually $38, which turned out to be my favourite entree ( my second pick would be the veal tartare).

The mains we decided on were the Port Lincoln Spanish Mackerel Braised Endive with Capers & Smoked Parmesan, Noilly Prat Sauce $45…

….and the New Zealand Blue Eye Trevella with Confit young onion, sorrel puree, marjoram and clams $46..

Both were lovely and, like many others before us, we really did enjoy the Lemon & Herb Dauphine Potatoes $10.50 to accompany them.

Then another complimentary dish arrived – what must almost be a signature treat – of Roquefort cheese & green apple jelly with walnuts- perfect!

We’d chosen for dessert the Mont Blanc Tartlet with Chestnut & Rum Cream, White Chocolate Ganache, Buttermilk Sorbet $19 – a real winner!

But again were delightfully surprised with a second dessert of Yoghurt Vacherin Malfroys Gold Honey, Lemon Curd & Basil $19.

This was a meringue shell filled with a lemon curd and nicely highlighted, unusually, by the basil. Gorgeous!

Coffee was the perfect way to finish, especially as by now it was getting late in the afternoon…..

…..with a final unexpected accompaniment of aerated chocolate petit fours.

This is not a meal to be rushed. It deserves plenty of time to enjoy the relaxed and peaceful setting, the attentiveness and passion of the hosts and the creative talent in the dishes.

Portenos, Surry Hills @PortenoSydney

Portenos is a great night out -full of theatre, excellent food and wonderful wine.

The personality of Portenos, is what I remember most, or perhaps rather it’s the personality of the wait staff.

Damien our sommelier chose an amazing Maldec blend that was rich and delicious.

Wait staff are almost choreographed as they snap into action as the first guests arrive at the 6pm sitting.

Their attention to detail and to guest comfort is a stand out.

But the food is equally impressive.

The Grilled Calamari and Sliced Wagyu entrees are lovely and I’d order them again anytime.

VITELLO TONNATO $32 Thinly Sliced Wagyu Girello, Vine Smoked Spanish Mackerel, Anchovy Mayonnaise, Capers & Lemon

CALAMARES ASADOS $30 Grilled Calamari with Celeriac, Hazelnuts & Capers

PAN DE CASA – House Baked Bread & Olive Oil

ACEITUNAS – $8 Marinated Olives

The Wagyu beef I enjoyed most as a meat main.

ENTRAÑA $44 Kobe Cuisine Wagyu Beef Outside Skirt Grilled Over Charcoal

CHANCHITO A LA CRUZ $50 8 hour Woodfired Pig CORDERO A LA CRUZ $50 8 hour Woodfired Lamb (1/2 and 1/2)

As for sides it was the Grilled corn that impressed me most.

CHOCLO ASADO CON LIMA Y QUESO $16 Grilled Corn with Radish, Lime, Butter & Manchego Cheese

ENSALADA DE REMOLACHAS $16 Beetroot, Radicchio & Buffalo Mozzarella Salad with Salsa Verde

REPOLLITOS DE BRUSELA $16 Crispy Fried Brussel Sprouts with Lentils & Mint

Dessert was also excellent, my favourite being the Chocolate tart and mandarin ice-cream $16…

…just a little in front of the Dulce de Leche Flan & Icecream $16.

A perfect accompaniment as the desert wine was…

…and it was a truly special treat to see Damien’s pride in Poretenos wine cellar, with a large range of lovingly selected wines….and ( I noted for later) plenty of delicious Malbecs!

Truly a special and memorable Argentinian themed restaurant, well deserving of its place in Australia’s top 100 restaurants.

Din Tai Fung, Sydney – the standard by which all dumplings are measured!

People who know, always seem to tell me that Din Tai Fung’s dumplings are the very best…and having now experienced them for myself, I absolutely agree.

Din Tai Fung is not fancy, it’s more ‘food court’….but it’s fun.

And fortunately there’s several Din Tai Fungs spread around Syndey, in Star City, Westfied on Pitt Street, World Square on George Street and Blue Street/Millet Street in Greenwood Plaza attached to North Sydney Station.
The dumplings have a delicate pastry, perfectly cooked with just the right amount of stock captured inside and a wonderfully flavoursome filling.

The Shrimp and Pork ( 4 for $6.80) are especially lovely …..

…..but the steamed pork dumpling Xiao Long Bao (4 for $5.80) are also good.

I didn’t enjoy the Pork Buns $2.80 quite as good as the dumplings but they are good to round out a light lunch.

Sunday @SydneyFishMarket, Pyrmont @decosti_seafoods

I have a great friend who religiously visits the Sydney Fish Markets each Sunday morning early, to choose fresh seafood to cook for dinner.

This week he generously took me along and introduced me to the delights of not only the beautiful fresh fish and seafood…..

….but also lots of great people…

….like Nova and Sandra at De Costi Seafoods…

….who have the very best skills at filleting fish for sashimi….

…and showed me the $195 per kg blue fin tuna from Japan that is highly sought after by top Sydney Restaurants.

In fact Demetri, who manages De Costi’s, explained the important role the business has as a wholesale supplier to Sydney’s restauranteurs. However, DeCosti’s also highly values its shop front as a showroom for its produce and retail outlet for the public.

And so wonderful for us that they do, as the barramundi we enjoyed for dinner that night was absolutely delicious.

BBQ grilled barramundi with roast potatoes ( parboiled then seasoned and cooked at 180 degrees for 30 mins in oil, before turning for another 30 min) shaved fennel (with a potato peeler, then 5 min in iced water to curl) sliced olives and radishes, diced orange and toasted pine nuts. All garnished with red wine vinegar! Delicious!

But first there was the rest of the fish market to tour….

….like the Sashumi Bar…..

……Peters where you can pick your fish and have it cooked for your lunch……

….Black Wattle delicatessen that I noticed sells my favourite Gundowring licorice ice-cream and has great coffee…

….a very tempting Gregory’s Bread….

….and a well stocked fruit and veg shop to purchase the sides to accompany your fish.

And after a trip to the fish market, what you really need is a traditional, lovingly home-cooked full English breakfast!

Mama Boui’s, Surry Hills – great value

Mama Boui’s on Devonshire Street is easy to get to through the Devonshire Street Tunnel. It’s cute, friendly but trendy. It’s also got great prices.

The Pulled Duck Pancakes are delicious for entree $16.

The Coconut Tamarind Curry $18 with sour coconut, tamarind curry of pumpkin, eggplant, mushrooms and sweet potato is good but perhaps not as good as the Saigon Influenced Duck Curry or the Vermicelli Noodle Salad Bowl Lemongrass Pork and with Pork Spring Rolls and fresh herbs.

Rice is $3 for a large serve and wine by the glass starts at $9.

One entree and one main with rice is plenty for two people.

High Tea at The Wilmot, The Primus Hotel, Pitt Street, Sydney

Inspired by Not Quite Nigella’s post for a High Tea at the Wilmot and spurred on by the two for one deal from the High Tea Society available until 30 June 2016, Monday to Friday, it is hard to choose between the three options available:

Traditional (The Wilmot)

The Zen

The G&T Gentleman’s High Tea ( savoury only)

Both diners need to choose the same option but the Zen is definitely a winner.

The savoury options win the day with the pork bao definitely a winner, followed by the Thai beef salad, seafood salad on a wonton crisp, steamed bun with pandas coconut custard, Peking duck pancake, then the miso caramel fudge, kalamansi curd fruit tart, green tea and raspberry mousse cake, mango and coconut sago, and lastly the chocolate and jasmine delice.

The Bombay Chai is the pick of the black teas and is served in a gorgeous tea drawerer.

$45 per person with tea/coffee and $55 – $65 with wine/cocktail.

A gorgeous option in a heritage setting with good service. Best enjoyed before 30 June if you get the chance.

Luke Ngyuen’s Red Lanterne, Riley Street, Surry Hills

This popular restaurant is lovely, simple and authentic yet full of style and class.

Tasty choices include:

Banh Bot Chien
Aunty 5’s rice cakes with tiger prawns,
caramelised pork, pork floss and shallot oil $21 (just as good as the reviews say).

Ca Chien, Sot Da Ua va Com Nghe $39
Pan fried fish marinated with dill, yoghurt and turmeric with bok choy and rice noodles

Cai Xanh, Dau va Cay Toi Xao Sot XO
Broccolini,
beans and garlic shoots wok tossed with Red
Lantern XO sauce $16

All good selections but more than enough for two modest appetites.

An alternate plan for two would be to order three smaller dishes or entrees such as

Goi Ga Nuong Nghe
Char grilled turmeric chicken with white cabbage, fried shallots, peanuts, Vietnamese herbs and sweet fish sauce
$22

Goi Mit, Cay va Du Du (G)(V)
Salad of young jackfruit, green papaya, cherry tomato and Vietnamese herbs $18

Wine by the glass starts at $10 for a small pour.

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Sydney and NSW useful spots

The Q Manhattan, Quest Albury

Hakiki Turkish Icecream, Enmore Road – Delicious!

Cottage Point Inn, Sydney @cottagepointinn @guillaume_zika

Portenos, Surry Hills @PortenoSydney

Din Tai Fung, Sydney – the standard by which all dumplings are measured!

Sunday @SydneyFishMarket, Pyrmont @decosti_seafoods

Mama Boui’s, Surry Hills – great value

High Tea at The Wilmot, The Primus Hotel, Pitt Street, Sydney

Luke Ngyuen’s Red Lanterne, Riley Street, Surry Hills

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