Awesome afternoon at Opera Bar

On the heels of an incredible Bday dinner, M & and I planned to spend the arvo at The Morrison for happy hour wine and oysters.  Being from the east coast of Canada, we both have a weakness for bivalves...We had already purchased our tix to Les Miserables, and were looking for a way to pass the time in advance of the film.  We caught a bus up to Circular Quay with the intention of meandering down to The Morrison.   However, when M suggested that we spend some leisurely time on the waterfront - and have a drink at Opera Bar, I was all too happy to oblige!  I  ended up that we quit trying to "rush a good thing", and so The Morrison was forgotten, and we quickly ordered another tasty bevy and snacks at Opera Bar.

Our drinks were further enhanced by a plate of Yam crisps and prawn popcorn. 

The Yam crisps were OK.  Certainly not life-changing.  They provided a good bit of crunch to go along with our wines, but they were pretty greasy.  I wouldn't likely order them again. 

Yam Crisps ($8)

The prawn popcorn, on the other hand, were delicious - I'm hungry just thinking about them now.   The plum, juicy prawns were coated in a light, crispy batter and served with a luscious, mayo-based spicy jalapeno dipping sauce.  YUM.

Prawn Popcorn ($13)

w/ spicy jalapeño sauce 

Opera Bar, I've determined,  is one of those spots that cater to both tourists and locals alike; tourists because it's the Sydney opera-based bar, but locals, because it's simply a damn-good spot to spend a sunny wknd afternoon.

Urban Bites - a bit underwhelming

A few weeks ago, I went to meet my friend Margaret for brunch in Newtown. On this particular day, we were meeting for brunch at a cafe called Urban Bites in Newtown.  This is one of the many spots I've noted on a warm, sunny day, and had been jealous of the people actually eating there.  Today, it was my turn.  The forecast was particularly sneaky; when I got dressed, it read 23, so jeans were appropriate.  However, by the time I reached the midpoint, the temp. had shot up to 31 degrees and I was dying; having to call M to tell her I'd be delayed since I could barely function putting one foot in front of the other, let alone doing it quickly.  

I'm pretty used to the Sydney temps these days, but when you're not dressed for it (as in, wearing as little clothing as possible), it's a bit of an ordeal for a Newfie girl.  When I got to the resto, after downing about a litre of water, I noticed a canine a few feet away.  Normally, I'm not a fan of animals in restos (it's gross; am I wrong here?) but M and I agreed that this pathetic-looking pooch pretty much summed up how all of Sydney was feeling that day.

Margaret ended up ordering the Big Breakfast - I think - which consisted of bacon (back bacon) 2 eggs and (sourdough) toast for something ridiculous like $8.  This is a bargain, folks.  I also love how Aussies tend to add a grilled tomato to breakfast - that's my kinda garnish.  

Big Breakfast? 

I was feeling eggs and smoked salmon of some kind, so I went for the scramble with spinach.  It was delicious.  I felt like shoving the whole thing between those two slabs of Turkish toast and making an awesome sambo, but I erred on the side of conservative calories, and simply had my pile of eggs with a touch of toast. 

Smoked Salmon & Spinach Scramble
w/ Turkish Toast ($15-$17ish)

I also ordered a pretty good coffee - but one that ended up costing me about $6! Australians are serious about their java.  I once ordered an iced coffee and received a glass of the brew topped with about two scoops of vanilla ice cream.   I wanted cold coffee, not a calorie fix!  Anyway, on this occasion, I ended up with a frappucino-y type-thing, which sated my fix for both caffeine and a cold  drink -  though it wasn't wallet-friendly.

That being said, I recall my b-fast bill being about $24 for the eggs/java, so l likely won't head back to this spot again.  And in Sydney, why would you - when there are so many options for bfast right around the corner.

Shellfish at Bar Reggio & I'm Angus Steakhouse

I was pretty excited to see my bestie when she visited me in Sydney last week.  She was in town on a conference, and we ended up having some great meals (and drinks) together.  Once such night was the one we went to Bar Reggio, a little Italian BYO in my work hood.  The boys in the office are quite familiar with the restos in this area, and when I asked if there was a good spot for BYO, they said that this was one of their favourites.   There would be quite the line up on a Friday night however, and they only take resos for large groups, so I headed over right after work to put my name down for a table for two.  The gyuy at the door said it would be 9pm for a table for two...it was 7:15.

Once M joined me, we set off to the bottleshop and picked up a couple bottles of wine. Of course, having already scanned the menu we knew that we would be having mussels and picked up a nice Riesling counteract the chili in the tomato sauce. In the meantime, while we waited for 9pm, we headed over to   Pocket Bar; a super cool little bar in Darlinghurst. PB was a great discovery, and I've been back to it several times since; with a funky interior and some serious cocktails, it's a great spot to catch up with friends.

My tab card...

When we got back to Bar Reggio there was still a serious wait, but it was well worth it.  The aromas wafting from the resto were intoxicating and quintessential for an Italian resto: sweet tomato sauce; yeasty bread dough and greasy cheese.  While we stood in the doorway, we watched one of the kitchen guys top a beautiful flatbread with a vibrant blend of fresh tomato and herbs - the bruschetta - which we ended up ordering as well.  

Mussels w/ chili & Napoli sauce

We were really pleased with the mussels.  Both M and I grew up in the Atlantic provinces in Canada, so seafood is very important to us, and we're pretty particular.  These suckers were fresh, plump and flavourful - and a generous serving too.  The sauce was certainly more-ish.  I found myself enjoying that to the same extent as I did the shellfish.  Unfortunately, by the time we got our bruschetta, the tomato topping wasn't quite as generous, but it was still delicious.  In fact, we ended up saving the broth from our muscles and spooning the bits of red pepper, tomato and onion onto the bruschetta base.  That was my idea.  I'm a genius.

Later in the week, we headed over to Cockle Bay in search of some oysters.  We ended up at I'm Angus Steakhouse at a table overlooking the boardwalk.  In that heat, a refreshing bevy was needed, and what better than a gin and tonic. As a side note - my favourite bevvy to beat the heat at home in Sydney is a tall glass of tonic water with a good squeeze of lemon and a generous handful of mint from the garden.  

Oysters Killpatrick ($20)

We ordered some oysters as a little snack before heading to the grocery store to get some ingredients for dinner.  We got 1/2 a dozen, and after debating over Natural and Killpatrick for a good while, we chose the Killpatrick; a topping of bacon and Worcestershire sauce.  The price wasn't too bad for oysters - especially in such a 'touristy' location.  They were Sydney Rock Oysters and the quality of the shellfish was top notch.  Beautiful oysters topped mysterious Worsh. sauce and salty bacon - we were some pretty happy gals.

The following am, I took a stroll over to the Botanical Gardens as my friend had mentioned that the rose garden was in full bloom.  My iPhone was full of flower shots afterward, but these are some of my faves.

Night Noodle Markets - part of Crave Sydney Food Festival!

I was thrilled to be in Sydney for one of it's most anticipated festivals; Crave Sydney food & wine festival.  During the month, there are a plethora of events, raging from cocktail events;  killer meal deals; food-based artwork and more.  I even managed to haul my ass out of bed for 'Breakfast on Bondi', an event that featured an Australian soprano accompanied by an orchestra while the sun rose.  It was pretty incredible.

But one of the main attractions for this event is the Night Noodle Markets in Hyde Park.  A longstanding tradition, this event runs until about 10 pm for two weeks in October and features noodles, dumplings, desserts and more.  The vibe here is so chill and jovial; it's an awesome spot to catch up with your nearest and dearest.

Crave Sydney Banners at the entrance to Hyde Park

Red Chinese paper lanterns lined the walkways 

and a multitude of coloured lights highlighted the trees

There are so many food options to choose from here.  Being at the 'noodle markets', I had to indulge and chose a vegetarian bowl of greasy chow mein noodles with vegetables ($9) from one of the many stalls.  I have to admit, that the noodles were simply 'ok', but at this event (to me) it's more about the atmosphere than the food.  It's about plonking yourself on a patch of grass and taking in the sights.  If you're lucky enough to score a table - even better.  And better still, the festival is BYO.   Score.

Vegetarian Noodle Bowl

Myself and my pal Christina in front of the tallest 

building in Sydney; the Westfield Tower

A panorama of the festival!

A relaxing brunch at Cafe Otto

On the heels of a fairly traumatic night in our apartment, my housemate and I went out for a much needed nosh of breakfast at Cafe Otto on Glebe Point Road.  The circumstances are not important, but the fact was; we were stressed, sleep deprived and not at all in the mood to even consider making some eats, so we trekked out to this local neighborhood hot spot.

Unfortunately, my roomie has a slew of allergies - not even including her allergy to sulphates making it impossible for us to share a btl. of wine - but she's also allergic to eggs, so we have to look for restos that contain enough non-eggy items for her...and enough eggy items for me!

Cappuccino ($3.50)
And after the night we'd had - it was the best coffee I'd ever tasted..

We started with an order of onion rings; Kylie's genius idea.  These little babies were an tasty - and a great value for the plate at $6...They look a little sparse in this photo, but the order was a good size. The batter was super-thin and light, and they were served with an atomizer  on the side so that you could lightly spritz and evenly distribute the vinegar.  Again; genius!

Salt & Vinegar Onion Rings ($6.)

Kylie had (one of my favourite Aussie sammies) a BLAT; bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato. Look at this sammy!  Crusty bread, smooth avocado spread and thick, salty bacon made for a filling, multi-textured lunch. You know what they say: what's simple is best, and when the best quality ingredients are used, it results in a pretty great meal.

Bacon & Avocado Baguette ($7)

w/ tomato, lettuce & mayo

My omelette doesn't really look like much, but it was quality.  Chock-full of succulent salmon and creamy avocado, it had the most beautiful sauce of zingy cream cheese with lemon which melted all over the filling.  The side of was less than thrilling, but when the egg is so good, you don't really notice the token toast.

Smoked Salmon & Avocado Omelette ($16)

What a night; what a breakfast.  The meal certainly perked us up.  The trauma is long over at this point, but the meal has stayed with me and I've been having good ones at Cafe Otto ever since!

Veggie Burgers: Chickens Plus vs. Fish on Fire

In the last couple weeks, I've gone to Chickens Plus and Fish on Fire on Glebe Point Road - and at both, I've had veggie burgers!  I've just been in that kind of mood lately, although last week I did try a beef burger from CP ($5.50) and it was pretty tasty.

Anyhow, I do enjoy veggie burgers here in Oz.  I have to say that they're a bit different from ones that I'm used to in Canada but they're still quite good. As opposed to a bunch of beans, lentils and oats - like the ones I'm used to - these ones are filled with green peas, carrots and corn.  Pretty nutritious, actually. In the end, I prefer CP's offerings over that of FOF, and will probably stick with them from now on.  Another thing that I like about the burger culture here is the presence of beetroot and pineapple; two things that are rarely common in Canada.

The VB from CP is super substantial.  The patty is filling (and contains the ingredients listed above), but there are also several slices of beetroot and tomato, adding to its appeal.  The bun is a nice quality as well with the bread both soft and structured enough to carry the weight of the patty and toppings.  The burger comes with one sauce; I had "plenty" of mayo.

Chickens Plus Veggie Burger

w/ lettuce, tomato, beetroot, red onion 

& a sauce of your choice ($5.90)

  

I wasn't too keen on the VB at FOF.  Though, the patty had the same fillings as that of CP, it didn't have that well-packed consistency and was a bit sloppy.  It also only came with only a sauce and 'salad' as toppings, which was essentially lettuce and some red cabbage.  Finally, the bun really put me off; it was almost crusty on the outside, but had that gooey, uncooked taste within.  I can say though, that the $2 extra for the order of fries was well worth it, as they were super tasty.  

Fish on Fire Veggie Burger ( $4.50)

 Add fries for $2

I'm not saying that FOF isn't worth going to, but if you are on Glebe Point Road and looking for a Veggie Burger, I'd recommend Chickens Plus as the winner.  Both restos have many other choices, and I have enjoyed their fries as well.  FOF does have outdoor seating, however, which is much more appealing that CP's counter-style.  But if neither has the seating that you're looking for, the park across the road is a nice alternative to both!

Tempranillo & Tapas at Pintxo!

On my first real Friday night out in Brisbane -  that is, when I wasn't falling asleep at the table from the trip's resulting jet lag - myself and M&J went to dinner at Pintxo, a little Spanish tapas place around the corner from the apt. It was an exciting day for me -  that morning, I had attended the Queensland Wine Show, and had the opportunity to meet some cool people and taste dozens of Aussie wines that I never even knew existed - selection in Nova Scotia is limited, after all...

                           

Due to a late reso, we were unable to get a table inside, so we braved the cold on the patio and warmed ourselves with a little Tempranillo.  Viva Espagna...!

We started with a bottle of Calo Tempranillo from Rioja for $44. True to the Temp. style, this bevy was full of cherries, leather and spice with light acid and grippy tannin.  We ended up having two bottles!  For the tapas, we had to get some meat - there was a man involved, after all.  We chose a nice nibbly of cold Aussie and Spanish olives to start, which were the perfect salty snacks to salivate our palates for the plates to come. 

Aceitunas Mezclados

Selection of cold Spanish & Australian Olives ($9)

These button mushrooms cooked in garlic and olive oil were fantastic - I would have been happy with a bowl of these to myself.  The plump, meaty 'shrooms were succulent and cooked perfectly; not oil sogged, but deftly caressed.

Setas al Ajillo

Fresh button mushrooms cooked in 

garlic & olive oil ($14)

Not gonna lie - there was a funny taste to this dish.  The scallops were tender and well cooked and the cauliflower was nicely al dente...but something in the cream sauce made me move on to the next dish.

Vieiras en Cava

Scallops | cream & Cava sauce | roasted cauliflower ($24)   

Ah, the lamb and chickpeas!  I could eat chickpeas everyday...especially when paired with tomatoes a nice rare piece of lamb.  This was a really nice dish with the meat being both slightly sweet and savoury and with a hint of smokey BBQ - a great pairing for our Tempranillo. The cassoulet-style of the chickpea/tomato mix was a nice addition creamy peas and sweet tomatoes, complimented by some olives in the dish as well, which added another layer of flavour.

 Cordero con Garbanzos

Grilled lamb cutlets | tomato & chickpeas ($28) 

Who doesn't love Serrano-wrapped prawns?  These are pretty self explanatory.  The dish was fab and being the veggemite that I am, I also consumed the nice little bed of greenery beneath.

Pintxo's Gambas

Prawns wrapped in Jamon Serrano ($24)

And from here, a night of club-hopping began, from which I thought I would never recover. Maria and I left Josh behind and explored the bar scene in New Farm...which may have ended with some greasy pizza...

Sun & Sangria at The Cove

On the Saturday afternoon following my arrival, Maria and I took a walk down to Queen Street mall to do my 'life admin'; open a bank account, get a new SIM card, etc.  We decided to eat at one of the lovely open-ended restos on the South Bank, so we walked over the bridge and along the riverbank while Maria pointed out the various city attractions/landmarks.  We ended up at Cove Bar + Dining, one of several lovely 3-walled restos whose front side is open to the Brisbane river.  Maria chose this spot as the climatic conditions, i.e: sunny and hot, were perfect for a nice pitcher of refreshing sangria.

The list of Sangria was impressive; there were only 3 selections for both white and red, but the ingredient list alluded to some completely different flavour profiles.  We chose the Latin Kings; a blend of Hennessey V.S, Tuaca (a vanilla-citrus liqueur), lemon juice, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, star anise, OJ and red wine.   I couldn't help but think of the similarities to mulled wine and how good a glass of that would be on a cold night in Canada!

Latin Kings Sangria ($45/carafe)

Of course, what's a good drink without some bar snacks?  We ordered the classic; fries and aioli.  I LOVE the fries in Oz!  They remind me of the incredible fries at Durty Nelly's! They're beautiful fat chips with a crispy exterior and soft within.  They're the right mix of slightly greasy, deep-fried goodness, but they won't leave those guilt inducing oil blobs on the basket paper.  These ones had the added bonus of truffle salt, and a tangy Parmesan aioli on the side.

 Fries w/ Truffle & Parmesan Aioli ($9)

As the sun set, we had another lovely walk along the riverbank back to New Farm.  In the late-afternoon sun, the water sparkled and I couldn't help but feel perfectly content at the decision that I had made to move to another continent on the opposite side of the planet.  

We had mustered up an appetite on the walk home and as we climed the steps to M&J's apt., I could smell the earthy aroma of Josh's slow cooker lamb curry wafting down the staircase.  He had also made some homemade Naan bread, and when he ladled the curry into bowls, we all sat back for a comfoting home-cooked meal in the place I now call "home".