Archive for the ‘Sydney’ Category
V Rating: VVV My friend, J, the, and I went to see the beautiful, moving and original Pan’s Labyrinth on Thursday night at the Palace Academy cinema on Oxford Street. The movie started at 7pm, and I was determined to squeeze in dinner beforehand. However, I often find myself at a loss for a good restaurant at the top end of Oxford Street. We wandered past the small cluster of restaurants between the cinema and Taylor Square, ruling out food we’d eaten the previous night (Thai, Japanese) and somehow ended up in front of Cantina. As I’ve written about before, for many years I avoided tapas bars because I assumed that they wouldn’t be vegetarian friendly. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by both Kika and Mojos, but after Cantina I’m a convert. Their delicious food proved to me beyond a doubt that tapas is a vegetarian friendly affair.
Cantina offers some classic Spanish tapas dishes, but the menu also draws on Spain’s Mediterranean neighbours, Portugal, Greece and Morocco. We ordered the patas bravas, sauteed baby spinach with toasted slivered almonds and raisins, sauteed field mushrooms with garlic and parsley, and roasted beet salad with goats cheese dressing and walnuts.
Cantina’s food was simple, but beautifully prepared. The roast beet salad was a highlight. Using the goats cheese as a dressing and drizzling it over the beets was a great improvement on crumbling it into the salad, which is the way I’ve eaten this salad before.
The spinach sauteed in a slightly creamy broth was just beautiful with the sweet raisins and almonds, and had both of us reaching for more. I am a sucker for a potato dish, and judge tapas bars on the quality of their patas bravas (cubed, fried potatoes in a chili, onion and tomato sauce). Cantina gets full marks. The perfectly cubed, bite-sized potato was golden and crispy on the outside, and the tomato sauce was spicy without being too hot. In fact, these were so good I found myself (accidentally) eating straight from the tapas dish. Ahh, the social challenges of eating food off small plates. Fortunately J, the was too polite to comment.
We didn’t have time to try Cantina’s desserts, but with classic choices like creme catalana, churros and saffron poached pears it’s on my to do list for next time. I’ve wavered before Cantina on other occasions when I’ve been to the Verona or Academy, but always averred in favour of one of its neighbours. Perhaps it is the beautiful, but slightly sombre decor, quite different from the exuberance of some of Sydney’s other tapas bars. What a fool! The food is a cut above, and the service is friendly, professional and fast. It’s the perfect place for dinner before or after a movie at the Palace, but would also make a lovely choice for a lingering night with friends. Definitely a new favourite.
V Rating: VVV Swell restaurant is one of a handful of cafes on a short strip of road overlooking Bronte Beach. Like the local residents, each cafe is immaculately presented, with an easy charm and an appreciation for the finer things in life.
Arriving slightly sweaty and red-faced from the coastal walk, I was almost intimated by its breezy, beautiful look. Like a little piece of California in Bronte, Swell has an open, clean design, and friendly waiting staff with perfect tans set off by crisp white shirts. However, we soon settled into our outdoor table and scanned the breakfast menu. The Swell menu reminded me a little of bills: simple food built around fresh ingredients and presented with flair.
There were plenty of options for vegetarians, including banana bread with berries and ricotta, an egg white omelette with mushrooms, roasted tomato and spinach, fresh fruit with vanilla yoghurt and muesli or granola. As with most breakfast menus, vegans had fewer choices, although the fresh fruit and muesli options seemed adaptable and you could make up your own meal from the extensive range of sides. The menu was reasonably expensive, even by Eastern Suburbs standards, but it was clear from the food that you were paying for quality produce, not simply a view of the Bronte breaks. My friend and Canberra reviewer, AC, chose the roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta on Turkish toast. It came with poached eggs, which he substituted for hash browns. He seemed very content with this choice.
Two other friends tried the swell granola with fresh banana and vanilla yoghurt, and the bircher muesli with a fresh fruit compote.
Andy had his typically spartan poached eggs on toast. He ordered a side of mushrooms, but received roasted tomatoes instead. Fortunately, I had ordered (and received) mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and avocado on toast, so could confirm that the tomatoes were the better option.
My dish was not off the menu - I put together three sides on toast. I debated this because the Swell dishes seemed carefully composed, but when a produce supplier walked through carrying a box of taut, plump avocados I couldn’t resist. Lovers of soy milk will be pleased to know that Swell is a strictly Bonsoy establishment. They also offer a number of freshly squeezed juices, and smoothies.
By 9.30am on a Saturday morning, Swell was frantic. Their website warns that on weekends they only take bookings for groups of 4 or more, and this is advice well-heeded. It’s a lovely spot for a quality breakfast overlooking the beach.
V-Rating: super V The experience of eating out is never just about the food- a range of factors influence the pleasure of the whole experience and subsequently, the enjoyment of the food itself. So it was following the excitement-fuelled pre-wedding BBQ and the wedding banquet feasted upon by a room filled with guests riding a wave of celebratory joy, that the (slightly less populated) wedding party floated for a last hurrah and Sunday brunch yum cha at Bodhi’s Restaurant and Bar. We were a little weary but basking in the glow and warmth of the post-wedding delirium. For Bodhi’s this meant a large party of agreeable guests, whose first consideration with every mouthful was not to debate whether this restaurant was indeed the Best Vegetarian Yum Cha in Sydney (well, at least in the 15 kilometre radius of the CBD), but simply to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  Bodhi’s is nestled between a pool and a cathedral in Cook & Phillip Park. In the middle of summer, Bodhi’s was outside dining only*. A large courtyard area has tables laid out under big umbrellas that proved to be excellent shelter (for nearly all of us) from both the sun and the brief shower that passed through while we were dining. Dining outside at Bodhi’s offers a view further down the hill and out to the gardens when (if?) you manage to lift your head to pause between mouthfuls. The table and seating is basic: square-seated wooden stools that fit into the long, low wooden-slatted tables that dominate the eating area (seating twelve). There are some potted miniature bushes between some of the side tables (for smaller two-to-four person parties) and a few large trees offering shade that manage to bring some of the nature of the nearby gardens up to the urban, concrete space we’re occupying. For a group as large as this, yum cha was the perfect solution for the final gathering. Being a post-wedding brunch guests were coming and going over the course of the two or so hours we spent at Bodhi’s, as long return journeys to far-away homes beckoned. While the numbers fluctuated, the food was nothing if not consistent. Although there was a little wait for the onslaught to begin, once the small plates of delicacies began to arrive they continued at a consistent pace for over an hour. So the yum cha experience: basically one of the small army of waiters would be dispatched to approach groups seated along the long tables with plates of savoury fragrant sticky rice in wanton skin (among a million other dishes) and we would say ‘ooh yes please’ and accept a plate to share, followed in quick succession by other dishes. The time it took for each plate to be cleared was the most effective measure of time passing, as the morning became afternoon there was a noticeable shift in pace, and even refusals to the offer of new dishes- as delicious as they looked. The food, on the whole, was excellent. Yum cha is a wonderful way to experience many different dishes and to ensure everyone will find something they really enjoy. A quick survey of fellow diners saw a range of dishes nominated as the most memorable: from vegetable curry puffs to cream corn crispy wanton to steamed BBQ buns to a brown rice & seaweed stuffed fried tofu pocket. In the small white ceramic bowls, eating with disposable wooden chopsticks, we sampled many delights. There were some dishes that were shared rather than single portions on a plate, including stir fried noodles with seasonal vegetables- a delicate, sticky rice noodle and vegetable mix, more noodle than vegetable with a sweet, delicate soy-based sauce. Many dishes were variations on a theme- so, for instance, there were steamed lotus seed buns and steamed mung bean buns and steamed peanut buns. There were fried wantons with all sorts of fillings. There was gow (a tightly wrapped, rice paper/noodle parcel presented in a bamboo steaming dish) of many varieties including an enoki & field mushroom gow that offered a burst of the pungent smell and flavour of rich mushroom. The fresh rice noodle folds with mixed vegetables were a hit- while the rice was the usual slippery test for the chop-stick-challenged it was a rewarding mouthful of vegetables and what seemed to be egg wrapped into the long rectangular parcels, with a burst of fresh coriander to make it a much cleaner taste sensation. One of our diners was limited to foods that met her current health-related diet restrictions (not particularly yum cha friendly) but bent the rules just a little to sample the satay salad of fresh spouts, thai mint and basil in a (fried) tofu pocket, with the satay dribbled across the top.  These were a fresh and crispy mouthful- and worth bending the rules for! The blanched fresh Chinese green kale was also a hit- the simplicity of steamed greens is always cleansing when eating Chines foods that include lots of glutinous rice dishes accompanied by rich sauces (although, of course, a special sauce did accompany the kale for those who wanted to drizzle it across their serving). A big hit was the early arrival of bowls of fresh fruits- mainly melon fruit (watermelon, honey dew and cantaloupe) with some green grapes- that also allowed for some fresh, clean flavours. After a brief Sydney downpour the day become decidedly more humid and fresh fruit was more than welcome and continued to be available throughout the meal. While the entrée and main course dishes are barely distinguishable when dining yum cha-style, the gear shift when desserts begin to arrive is noticeable. This is partly due to dessert-lovers beginning to groan and wish aloud that they had saved more room for dessert and also because Chinese-style desserts are so eye-catching, they look so interesting- the agar jellies, the chilled fruit (mango, lychee) puddings, the crispy coconut balls. A good friend recommended some special white coconut balls covered in desiccated coconut filled with crushed peanuts, palm sugar, salt and a few other specialities. She had been addicted to something very similar during her time in Cambodia and despite being a long way from Phnom Penh was very pleased with the Bodhi’s version. The groom himself sampled the coconut milk agar jelly- looking stunning, with the clear agar agar jelly on the bottom and a thick white jelly on top- his pleasure was evident in the way it quickly disappeared from the plate. Like all good things, however, the yum cha and the wedding celebrations had to come to an end. Once our dearest friends and the wedding couple had left, our appetites also disappeared. Bodhi’s served quite a feast that was clearly enjoyed by all present. There were a few hiccups along the way- there was difficulty in accessing water to drink and eventually it came out in plastic water bottles where large jugs of iced tap water would have sufficed. In fact drinks, on the whole, were a little slow to arrive. It seemed the well-oiled yum cha machine can accommodate special requests but not always expediently. However, such issues are not major criticisms. The food itself was fresh and delicious and enjoyed greatly by all- not only because we were all so happy to be there. A veritable vegetarian feast. *There were no tables to be seen inside, and the space inside seemed much smaller than the front courtyard, however I assume that during winter the focus no doubt shifts to indoor dining.
V Rating: V-ware When I was growing up*, eating at a pub meant a counter meal of fish and chips, roast lamb, or schnitzel. Occasionally, the menu would stretch to exotic dishes like apricot chicken or chicken maryland, but that was not the norm. These days a pub meal doesn’t have to be accompanied by beer stained coasters and endless TAB races on television. Some of Sydney’s top restaurants are in pubs, like Bistro Moncur at the Woollahra Hotel and est. at the Establishment. So when I had to organise a pre-Christmas fancy-schmancy business lunch I thought I’d give the Dome restaurant at the Arthouse Hotel a try. Although Dome is tastefully decorated with polished wooden floorboards and long chocolate walls, it sitting on top of a pub (albeit a schmick one) helps it maintain a casual air. I liked this about the restaurant. It kept the lunch relaxed without compromising the quality of the experience. It also helped that the staff were particularly friendly and helpful. Dome does not cater all that well for vegetarians, but then, that’s par for the course with most expensive, Modern Australian restaurants. There was a single vegetarian entree, an artichoke with gruyere tartlet served with baby greens, and a single vegetarian main, handmade linguini with fresh peas, broadbeans, tomato & mushroom. Both dishes were pleasant. The main pasta was down-to-earth, hearty meal. The peas gave it a fresh strong taste, and the serving was generous. My only complaint, as per usual, was that there no choice for vegetarians, so I wouldn’t recommend it if there were multiple vegetarians in your party. *I did grow up in country South Australia in the eighties.
V Rating: V-ware A little while ago I wrote about how much time you can waste trying to find a nice Sydney restaurant for a vegetarian friendly work Christmas lunch. The answer, by the way, is a lot. After much agonising, we settled on the The Wharf restaurant at the Sydney Theatre Company. There were a few reasons for this choice. One was the menu on the Internet, which looked veggie friendly. Another was the recommendation from a fellow vegetarian. The third reason was the view. On this last count, the restaurant exceeded my expectations. It’s at the end of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) on pier 4 at Walsh Bay in a converted warehouse. To reach the restaurant, you walk over creaking railway sleeper floorboards, and posters reminiscing about the stellar stars and shows that have graced the STC boards. The restaurant is in three parts - a main indoor area with two outdoor verandahs on the wings. The large, glass windows that surround the open plan restaurant let the light come flooding in. They also happen to look out on a beautiful harbour vista taking in Luna Park and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The venue was a great choice for lunch, even on the stormy, overcast Friday that we visited. Unfortunately, the menu didn’t quite live up to our heightened expectations. Perhaps we misread the menu that fateful day when we booked. It turned out that there was only one vegetarian main on the menu. Out of ten options. It did not fill me with confidence that the option was a salad. We ended up asking the restaurant to modify the seafood pasta dish. Much like last year. The entrees were more promising. Two were vegetarian, and one was figs with goats cheese. It is hard to go wrong with this dish. The figs were fresh. The goats cheese was tart, and the sprigs of baby mizzuna added a touch of pepper. However, it wasn’t quite as special as the fig and goats cheese entree at Ravesi’s, maybe because the fig wasn’t caremelised. I loved the atmosphere at the Wharf restaurant but am a bit over having issues ordering a decent vegetarian dish for Christmas lunch. This year I’m not leaving anything to chance - I’m booking something in July!
V Rating: VV PEN is surreptitiously located at the corner of two biggish roads in Pyrmont in a converted wool shed. The exterior looks like your run of the mill, humble local cafe serving the office crowd. It’s always intrigued me because the name reminds me of a writer’s activist group - but until recently I’d never ventured in.
Once inside, you realise that it has a tardis like design. The narrow frontage belies the large, single room that makes up the cafe. The interior is very striking, with vivacious red walls, exposed dark wood roof beams, and a large, polished wooden table running down the centre of the room, adding an inner West cum country kitchen feel. The menu, while full of fresh market ingredients, is not abundant with vegetarian options. There are two vegetarian salads, including a salad stack, a vegetarian sandwich, and a vegetarian pasta sauce than comes with a choice of four pastas. There were no vegetarian specials the day I visited, and my first choice of salad was out of stock, even though it was slightly before 12.30 when I ordered. So, while I usually avoid ordering dishes that sound tokenistic, I went the salad stack. My first impression wasn’t great. The stack didn’t come with all the ingredients listed on the menu. Also, when I asked for the optional cheddar cheese I assumed it would be delicately scattered around the plate, not stuck in a chunk at the top of the stack. These things aside, this was one of the better stacks I’ve tried. The nicest part was that it utilised a lot of fresh ingredients, like grated carrot, avocado, alfalfa beetroot and lettuce, rather than being made up of oily grilled vegetables. The dressing was a light, lemon vinegarette, which brought the fresh ingredients to life by adding some zing. I wouldn’t rate PEN as my favourite lunchspot in Pyrmont. However, it stacks up (boom tish) well against its other cafe counterparts.
V Rating: Super V I’ve been promising to review Maya Masala for Maya Masala is on the eastern end of Cleveland street, surrounded by trendy retro shops and other Indian and Lebanese restaurants. It can be easy to miss, so look for the bright green neon Maya Sweets sign in an otherwise nondescript glass window. Although, I like eating in cafeteria style surrounds while Bollywood movies play happily in the background, it’s fair to say that no-one goes to Maya Masala for the genteel atmosphere. No, my friend, you go there for the food.
The Maya menu is much more traditional than your average Indian restaurant. Rather than a long list of curries, you choose from thalis, dosai, chaat, or tandoor dishes. It also takes a matter-of-fact approach to vegetarianism in that they don’t heavily promote the fact the restaurant or dishes are all vegetarian, they just take it for granted that patrons will assume as much. A good choice at Maya is one of three types of thali tasting plates. I order it every time (I mean, why have one dish when you can try ten?) The downside to the thali is that I inevitably eat more than physiology suggests is possible. Something about serving food in little plates of goodness always leads me to think I’m not eating that much. Ahhh, the happiness of a fool.
This time around we got the punjabi and South Indian thalis. Mine (the South Indian version) came with a spinach curry, an okra curry, a vegetable curry, rasam, raita, rice, a pickle, 2 pieces of puri, a pappadum, kuchumber salad and a little rice dessert. My favourite dishes were the soft textured spinach curry and creamy, slightly sweet rasam. Maya Masala also offers 19 varieties of dosa - huge Indian crepes with a variety of fillings. These look amazing (one first-timer saw her dosa being set down at the table and almost fell off her chair), although can be a little slow to arrive if you turn up first thing in the morning. If by some miracle you aren’t full by the end of the meal, it’s worth taking advantage of (or at least gazing in wonder at) Maya Masala’s undisputed speciality: sweets.
The Maya sweets fill two glass counters at the front of the store. The sweets are traditional desserts generally made from milk or cheese (Maya claims they are made by an experienced Indian Halwais or sweet makers). They come in a myriad of shapes and colours and often have a thick, soft, doughy texture that may be sweetened by being doused in a syrup. Some favourites include gulab jamun, rasmalai and burfees. It’s probably the case that you will find better Indian food in Sydney (although the dosai are hard to beat). But for the sheer pleasure of being able to eat traditional, all vegetarian Indian meals for less than $10, Maya Masala is an unassailable Super V choice. |
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