Rustic Pearl, Surry Hills

My friend Shell and I met up for a long overdue catch-up recently. Out of the many cafes in Surry Hills, we determined that the Rustic Pearl was a good place as any to brunch at, selecting it for its uniquely Turkish/ Mediterranean flair.

Living up to its name, the Rustic Pearl is decorated with quaint trinkets and a charming mural (below).

Admittedly, I've always been disconcerted by nazar, or evil eye amulets. There was a Turkish pop-up store a few months ago in Chatswood Westfield which sold wind chimes, beautifully painted bowls and other ornaments bearing depictions of the eye. It feels silly to admit it, but it felt like they were all glaring intently at me - ironic because culturally, nazar are used to ward off bad luck from any "evil eyes" directed at a particular person.

Shell remarked on the prettiness of the pink salt, but pondered about the supposed health benefits of pink salt compared to commonplace white table salt. "Does it contain less sodium?" she sarcastically queried. Amusingly, a Google search revealed numerous sites which claim that Himalayan pink salt derives its colour from its rich mineral content. Since it contains many minerals other than sodium, it is reasoned that there is a lower proportion of sodium. I'll leave it to someone else who might be more scientifically inclined to test the veracity of these statements...

Tea ($4.00)

The controversial salt

Our drinks arrived. Shell had ordered the tea (the Stockholm blend, since she's fond of both vanilla and black tea) and I, the avocado smoothie. I loved the presentation of the pastel green drink. The glass straw and crushed pistachio somehow evoked notions of being healthy and environmentally friendly.

However, drinking the smoothie was not so pleasurable. I could definitely taste the flavour of honey, but the avocado, milk and yoghurt components were so rich and milky that they smothered the sweetness that should have been there. And while I loved the idea of pistachios in a smoothie, it was kind of tiring chewing on them after each sip.

Avocado smoothie ($6.50)

On a more positive note, I was really pleased about the sucuk bruschetta. Sucuk is a type of Turkish sausage, similar to chorizo in taste and appearance. Though meant to be spicy, the heat factor was muted substantially (probably to accommodate the Australian palate). The egg was cooked to a perfect runny-yoke consistency, while the fattiness of the buffalo mozzarella cheese and avocado was interrupted by the sweetness of the sliced tomatoes. When I received the plate of 1.5 slices of toast, I was dubious about being full at the end, but it all occupied my stomach space comfortably.

Sucuk bruschetta ($17.00)

Shell had mixed wild mushroom gnocchi with a tomato-based sauce. She was a little miffed that the menu suggested that her "wild mushrooms" would be mixed in variety - her plate only contained ordinary brown mushrooms. Other than this, she was content with her meal.

Mixed wild mushroom gnocchi ($18.00)

I'd like to sample their meyhane dishes (share plates with wine), so I my next visit shall be at dinner time!

Absinthe Salon, Surry Hills

I and my friend, CC, were greeted from the iron gate by a gentleman in a period costume. With a flourish, we were permitted into the foyer, the air of which was perfumed by the pungent scent of liquorice. A younger gentleman took on the role of escort and led us through heavy black curtains into the salon. Ornately decorated like a French cafe, we could easily imagine how 19th Century artists might have spent their days sipping absinthe and musing about their next work.

Our waiter, Nathaniel, introduced himself with a monocle and accent, providing an overview of what absinthe is, and the rules of the Salon. He told us that absinthe is made out of 3 main ingredients - wormwood, anise and fennel - and dispelled any misconceptions we had about absinthe being a hallucinogenic.

Nathaniel explained that there is a 3 drink limit and that the first drink must be ordered from a selection of absinthe with lower alcohol proof (around 45% - the maximum on the menu was in the area of 70%). I selected the Lemercier, a French absinthe ($15.00 per glass), while CC ordered a Swiss absinthe, the Kubler (also $15.00 per glass).

2-tap fountain

Nathaniel returned with our respective bottles of absinthe and poured around a shot of absinthe into each glass. He explained that, at Absinthe Salon, they use the French ritual. This involves placing a perforated absinthe spoon on top of the glass, putting a cube of sugar on top, and dripping cold water on top of the sugar (which helps to develop the absinthe and balances out the bitterness of the wormwood). As the water drips into the absinthe, the absinthe beings to "louche", or turn cloudy. The taps are turned off once the glass is half full.

Ice and water was added

Absinthe in general has a strong liquorice flavour, although the Lemercier was a lot lighter (and possibly less developed) than the Kubler in both scent and taste. The sugar becomes a little too overpowering towards the end, so CC finished off the little I had left in my glass :) The strength of the liquorice flavour and high alcohol content makes it necessary to nurse the drink slowly over an hour to an hour-and-a-half.

A sugar cube is seated on top of the glass

We were lucky that we had the place to ourselves for a while, as it prolonged the immersive experience - and it is indeed an experience. We shall be back!

Nepalese Kitchen, Surry Hills

I and a small group of friends were walking down Crown Street one evening searching for a dinner spot that would permit sharing, when we spotted Nepalese Kitchen, from which the lights benignly beckoned. As it was still pretty early (around 6pm), the restaurant was almost empty, so we had our choice of seats.

Lower area

Wall decorations

 That evening, it seemed to be a two-person show - I only saw one man in the kitchen who would occasionally come out to assist the waitress. Even with the minimal number of patrons at the time, it took a while for the waitress to return to take our order (and later, to receive water, food, order other drinks, receive said drinks and so forth. It was despite there being table service that we ended up walking to the back to settle the bill).

Below, you can see that they serve mango lassi, but I can't really report on the taste because I didn't feel like having one that night and refused to have a sip just to try because of my germaphobic ways.

Mango lassi

When we ordered our entree, haku choila, we were expecting, quite literally, a salad. Instead, each component of the dish took up 1/3 of a plate. The meat was barbecued beef, marinated in ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander. The oat-like substance in the middle is churia, crispy rice, which is indeed crunchy but somewhat chewy in texture - a little difficult to eat, but quite addictive. On the right hand side is a cucumber and daikon achar sprinkled with sesame seeds. I thought it odd that achar was on the menu, as there are Malaysian pickles known as acar and pronounced the same way. Perhaps that's what happens when numerous South East Asian cuisines influence your own...

Haku choila ($9.00)

 Next was our round of mains, which we shared banquet-style and ate with roti and rice. The Nepalese roti is a flat, thin bread - about as thin as a fajita wrap. It was grilled until crunchy and fairly tasty. However, it was pretty dear, as one piece was $3.00, which I felt wasn't substantial enough to justify the price.

Roti (~$3.00 per piece)

 The rice is priced more reasonably, as you are charged on a per person basis - the waitress told us that rice refills were unlimited. Also, as it is more starchy, the rice was a lot more effective at soaking up curries.

Rice ($2.00 - 3.00 per person)

 Apologies for the photos of the curries - I didn't realise at the time that the shots came out so blurry. Alas, that's what happens when you and your friends are feeling ravenous.

We decided on trying the goat, as it isn't used much in Sydney, and we wanted to try something new. I was wary of the potential meat smell that is often emitted, but whatever they did to season the meat, it worked. The dish was pleasant and the meat tender.
 

Goat curry (~$18.50)

The stew of prawns below, maacha ko tarkaari, looks like the goat curry above, but the flavours were very different. This one was heavily tomato-based, the acidity of which helped to offset the richness of the other curry. However, it was also very salty. The pot in which it arrived looks pretty shallow and small, but they were fairly generous with the prawns and their vessel was deceptively deep.

Maacha ko Tarkaari (prawn) ($18.00 - 20.00 range)

 We finished off the meal with some chai milk tea. It arrived unsweetened, as we were required to add sugar in accordance with our taste buds. I added about 3 teaspoons. I think it was alright, but I'm also not a fan of chai.

Chai milk tea (~$3.50)

Slow service aside, the food was mouthwatering and the prices reasonable (it worked out to about $20 a head, and the dishes fill you up more than you think they would). If I were to return, I definitely wouldn't bother ordering bread again to sop up the curry. It's not worth it, especially compared to the rice.

Marque, Surry Hills

I haven't been posting anything the past month or so because work (and my social life) has been absolutely torrential. However, I figured I should actually post something before my "Places to blog about" list becomes even more extensive when I head out tonight.

I visited Marque during lunchtime to taste their 3 course Prix Fixe menu. At $45 (+$5 for water), I thought initially that it was an absolute steal to be eating at one of the best restaurants in Sydney. Some might think that it's well worth it, regardless of what they serve (due to the intricate procedures employed for the preparation of the ingredients, etc.), but after my visit I didn't feel tempted to return.

We had booked for 2pm, so the 12pm lunch crowd was still withdrawing when we arrived. The premises are small, but I did not expect the restaurant to be so loud and busy - they were, in fact, so busy that they forgot to give us napkins. I had to attend a meeting that was scheduled for 4pm, so I was worried that I would have to cut the session short - my friend assured me that they normally finish up within an hour and a half, giving me plenty of time. Marque proved him wrong.

Anyway, first up was the amuse bouche - squid ink pillow with Buddha's hand (a citrus fruit with the appearance of a grotesque bright yellow hand) and pumpkin filling. The "pillow" was light and crisp, accompanied well by the sweetness of the pumpkin and zest of the Buddha's hand. Unfortunately, it set high expectations for the rest of the meal, which went downhill from this point.

Amuse bouche

 The entree of cured salmon arrived, accompanied by (very dried up) dill, beetroot and horseradish. It was a really fresh dish and I loved the combination of dill and salmon (almost counteracting my dislike of cold entrees/mains in general). At the same time, part of me thought it was too simple for what a 3 hat would be expected to offer.

Cured salmon

 They came around with bread. I picked sourdough. It was soft and did well to mop up what little sauce there was.

White sourdough

The second time they offered bread, I went for the rye, which contained what I think tasted like cumin (it looked like cumin, but it could have been caraway for all I knew). Sadly, the butter was still chilled and difficult to spread.

Rye

 Next we had a beef short rib dish with boudin noir, broad beans, pickled pear and hazelnut. The beef was slightly rubbery, though at least it was far from dry. The broad beans, pickled pear and hazelnut surprisingly went pretty well together, though I would have preferred the pear to be a tad less crunchy (the generous amount of hazelnuts contributed plenty of that already). The boudin noir provided a nice amount of salt to the dish - I personally have a gag reaction to anything involving blood and offals, though, so there was only so much I could swallow.

Beef short rib with boudin noir

Having been forced to face one of my fears, I was looking forward to a comforting chocolate dessert by the time I was done with that second course. It wasn't that comforting. If the impression they were aiming for was that of a clump of soil/ rock with bits of grain, I guess they succeeded very well. It certainly looked better than it tasted - although "Chocolate, malt and mandarin" sounds alright, the mandarin was intensely bitter and the chocolate wasn't much better.

Chocolate

 By this time, it was nearly 4pm and I was desperate to leave. We asked for the bill and were given custard. I shovelled its entirety into my mouth and hurriedly paid. It tasted like my mum's creme caramel, except with a hit of alcohol (hence named after the dessert wine, Sauternes). Not the biggest fan of creme caramel, but it was uniquely presented and a whole lot better than the chocolate dish preceding it.

Sauternes custard

Based on my above experience, I'm not inclined to re-visit to sample their degustation menu. I might return in 6 months to give their Prix Fixe menu another go, as (according to one of the friends eating with me on the day) their food is normally a lot better.

And yes, I just managed to make the meeting.

The Forresters, Surry Hills

About a month ago I decided to check out The Forresters (having done the opposite thing to what everyone else has done and visited Queenies first). To my dismay, the entire premises was swamped with people and I thought that getting a table (even for 2) would be hard. However, we grabbed drinks and hovered around a particular spot until a table cleared. This method was successful as we only had to wait for about 10 minutes. Due to how busy it was, the cutlery and serviettes weren't replaced so we picked some up from the kitchen when we retrieved our food.

And I know the photo below suggests that there's a castle/ dungeon vibe going on, I would have to say it's not really themed - just a casual bar with good food and plants.

The popcorn squid was salty and lightly battered. The squid was nicely tenderised and the green peppercorn mayo helped to lessen the impact of the squid being deep fried.

Popcorn squid ($14.00)

 There was a lot of chicken nugget - pretty much battered chicken, much like with the popcorn squid. The chicken wasn't overly dry like I expected, but it was incredibly salty. I don't think I would order it again. Portions are really generous - the both of us were really struggling to finish this and the squid.

Chicken nuggets ($10.00)

 The pulled pork slider contained peanut mayo and Korean slaw. The pulled pork was a little dry and I was disappointed by the dryness of the miniature burger buns - it's the same texture you get from leaving white bread out for a day.

Pulled pork slider ($5.50)

 The fish tacos were the highlight of the visit - the corn, slaw, guacamole and wedge of lime provided enough juice to make this truly enjoyable to eat. The fish didn't taste too much of seafood - in fact, it integrated so well amongst the other ingredients that it was hard to tell it tasted of fish.

Fish taco ($5.50)

I also had a ginger beer based cocktail. Loved it.

Chicky babe ($10.00 a glass)

I personally prefer the dining at Queenies because of the greater variety of dishes to choose from - as well as the fact that much of the food at the Forresters is too strong - in salt, oil and dryness. I guess they appeal to different crowds. The Forresters is good for those mainly there to drink and mingle with groups of friends with a bit of food on the side.

Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Surry Hills

Bentley Restaurant & Bar is nestled amongst a host of vintage shops and other eateries on Crown Street. Despite the overcast weather (and intermittent rain), Surry Hills was buzzing with activity. When we arrived, however, we were the first ones there (having made a booking for noon). Business soon picked up, though, and I was glad we had the first pick of tables and snagged a window seat!

We opted for the $55 fixed price lunch and then proceeded to observe the lunch crowd, which consisted of a healthy mix of young couples, girlfriends on catch-ups, more seasoned patrons, and a young family. We were soon served complimentary sliced sourdough bread with olive oil. The olive oil was subtle and complemented the fresh bread well. It was somewhat awkward breaking off pieces of the bread because we weren't given bread plates. Genius I am, I didn't think to do it over the bread board and ended up getting crumbs on the table.

Sourdough bread with olive oil dip

Anyway, I digress. The first course was octopus flavoured with garlic and almond. This was one of my favourites of the day. I barely had to chew the pieces of octopus because the meat was so well-tenderised and the creamy sauce was so mouthwatering I wanted to lick the plate. I thought I could taste basil and cheese in the sauce, but the main star was the chopped garlic. My lunch buddy thought the garlic was a bit too strong, but I'm a massive fan of it, so it didn't phase me.

Octopus

 The second course was a vegetarian dish made up of a thin, crispy sliver of eggplant (the brown bit sticking up), with salsify and baby turnip. What exactly is salsify? Turns out it's a white root vegetable. The salsify was pureed and presented slightly warm on the plate, which was nice as my stomach tends to become unsettled when I eat cold dishes. The texture was slightly starchy and the taste was akin to potatoes. The other vegetables were slightly crunchy and pretty fun to eat because they looked so delicate and pretty. The course on the whole was fresh, light and tangy with great textures, but I have to say that the meat dishes stand out more.

Eggplant

 The third dish was poached tuna with amaranth, artichokes, ice plant and bisque sauce. The theme of the ocean really sprang out, with the use of not only tuna, but octopus (a tie-back to the first course) and mussel. The amaranth was slightly grainy, reminding me of chewy cous cous, and there were bits of seaweed made in different ways. The dried, darker seaweed was crispy, which contrasted nicely with the rice-like mound of amaranth. The bisque sauce provided the sodium and moisture necessary to flavour the dish and reminded me of the oily layer of minestrone soup.

Poached tuna

 The final savoury course was pork cheek and belly with sprigs of fennel, black garlic and calamari. Eaten alone, the pork cheek would have been too salty, but it was just right with the dollops of green and black sauce. The mini slabs of pork belly were rich and I had to repress another urge to lick the plate. The tiny mouthful of calamari was tender (just like with the octopus). A beautiful main.

Pork cheek

 Finally, we were served a melon sorbet with fresh slices of melon, coconut cream and liquorice. I'm not a fan of liquorice, so thankfully it wasn't too strong and it actually went nicely with the coconut cream. The dessert was refreshing and tasty, but compared to the mains, it wasn't outstanding. It was nevertheless a lovely way to polish off the meal.

Melon sorbet

The lunch is well-paced and it takes a little less than an hour and a half to eat through the lunch menu. The waitstaff was observant and took care of us really well - I've found one of the best indicators of good service is when they clear dishes/ replace cutlery/ refill your water glasses unobtrusively throughout the meal, and they passed that particular test with flying colours. All in all, the combination of mouthwatering dishes and friendly, attentive service made this visit fantastic value for money. I've definitely made a note to return when their seasonal menu changes!

Le Monde, Surry Hills

There has been much hype around Le Monde regarding its breakfasts, and though I entered the premises with the intention of selecting a breakfast item, I found out that I was too late for breakfast (which finishes at 12pm). At least they serve coffee at all hours. The decor is simple and clean, while the journey to the toilets requires a toilet key and sends you on a quest through a small carpark, up a flight of stairs, and into a quiet building. Thankfully this was during the day, or I would have been quite disturbed by the isolation - so, for the ladies, you might want to visit Le Monde in a group of a minimum of 3 so that one person can mind the table. In any case, I've gone on a tangent and this isn't why I cringe at the thought of this visit.

The coffee is aromatic and beautifully presented but I don't understand the hype around it. At times, my flat white tasted quite bitter, to the extent that I questioned whether it was burnt (probably not, but the sensation was somewhat unpleasant). I think Mad Spuds' coffee was lovelier.

Flat white ($3.50)

For lunch, I ordered the prawn linguine off of their specials board. This pasta dish came with cherry tomatoes, spinach, chilli, lemon and grana padano cheese. There was so much potential for a great hearty dish - the prawns were cooked to the point of being springy yet still moist, the texture of the pasta was firm, and the mild chilli made the pasta quite tangy. Sadly, they went overboard with the lemon juice. Each mouthful of pasta was overpowered by sour lemon, which made it difficult to make good progress on the meal.

Prawn linguine ($16.00)

All in all, the bitter coffee and sour pasta sauce are discouraging me from coming back. However, in all fairness, their strengths have been purported to lie in their breakfast menu, which I have not had the chance to sample yet. Hopefully my next visit will be a lot more enjoyable than this one.