SIFF 2010 Special Dinner - Bistrode & Moreau 100 Mile Dinner @ Bistrode CBD, Sydney CBD

I have been curious about the recently opened Bistrode CBD, a new restaurant by the Merivale Group , occupying the space of what used to be Bistro CBD. 

When I, life is 2 mu(n)ch and her mom were in the elevator on our way up, she asked "Do you think Howard would still be here ?".

If you remember, we dined here back in May when it was still Bistro CBD and have such fun night thanks to the wonderful Howard Flannagan, the maître d' extraordinaire  :)

As we stepped into the restaurant, I spotted Howard manning the floor. I wasn't too sure if he would still be there since there is a new chef in the kitchen, Jeremy Strode from the acclaimed restaurant Bistrode in Surry Hills.  

Chef Jeremy Strode is well known for his interpretation of modern British cuisine, I'm excited to see what we will have tonight.

Tonight's special dinner was a collaboration between Jeremy Strode and the Merivale Group's sommelier, Franck Moreau. Unfortunately none of us were having alcohol with our meal tonight, so we missed out on the sommelier's wine / beer pairing with each course.

All of the ingredients used in the 5 course dinner is sourced locally within 100 mile, hence the name of the event. 

Diamond Creek Olive Oil & Iggy's Sourdough 

To start off the 100 mile dinner, we had Iggy's sourdough and the golden Diamond Creek Olive Oil.

The extra virgin olive oil had this intense yet pleasant green olive taste and perfect for dipping the sourdough into.

Salted Blue - Cod Croquette & Tomato Ketchup

The golden croquette arrived piping hot with very creamy innards, very salty if eaten on its own, but paired with the sweet tomato ketchup and peppery rocket you get the right balance of the flavours.

Sand Whiting, Sydney Rock Oysters, Young Leeks & Peas

The sand whiting was done very well, the flesh was velvety while crisp on the outside. The Sydney Rock oysters we found to be very salty and we just couldn't figure out why as it was fresh oysters, not those pickled in brine (at least we don't think it is).

The young leeks were tender and the peas were bursting with sweetness. The accompanying buttery white wine vinegar sauce complemented the whole dish.

Warm Thirlmere Duck Salad

When the plate arrived, all you see is green - where are the ducks ? 

Move aside some leaves and the warm duck pieces were unravelled ! 

It was not until I start eating the dish that I realized there were many different part of the duck was used in this salad. 

There were shredded thigh meat, crispy duck skin, smoked duck breast and the unusual duck gizzards !

I'm not a big fan of offal so I was very surprised that I liked the gizzard, it was quite tender and have quite rich flavour. 

The salad just had the right balance of something rich as the duck and the freshness of the salad. 

Melanda Park Pork Three Ways , Pino's Black Sausage & Silverbeet

Firstly , I apologize for the blurry photo, I was distracted by the cheeky Howard who placed his palm in front of the lens as I was about to take the shot  LOL

Obviously I forgot to retake the shot again :P

Try to focus on the photo....don't you think the plating of the dish resembles a love heart ? 

Love Pork !!

Shoulder ; Loin

Ears

The Melanda Park pork was served three ways in form of grilled pork loin, roasted pork shoulder and deep fried pig ears. 

The grilled pork loin was very juice and tender, although we cut off what some might think is the best part of the dish, the thick layer of pork fat on the side. 

The roasted shoulder was tender as well and served with some pork jus. 

The best part of this dish would have to be the crispy fried, thinly sliced pig's ear. 

They were so moorish...we moved them to one side of the plate where it's dry so we can enjoy it last. Imagine eating a bowl of this as snack...mmmmmm.....

Last but not least is the delicious black sausage from Pino Butchery in Kogarah. Black sausage is made from congealed pig's blood , gross I know but you should try it at least one and be the judge of it yourself. Get over the "blood" part and I think you would grow to like it :)

Pino's black sausage is quite different as they have mixed plump muscatel grapes in the sausage, so you get a lovely burst of sweetness from it amongst the strong spices aroma. 

Mulberry Soup & Paesanella Mascarpone Sorbet

People says not to judge a book by it's cover, it can't get more accurate than that with the last dish for the night.

It looked very simple, a scoop of white sorbet in a pool of deep purple mulberry soup but the taste took me by surprise, it was ah-ma-zing !!

The mulberry soup was sweet but still have the slight tartness of the berry and very refreshing. Partnered with a creamy mascarpone sorbet, it was a match made in heaven.

It was unanimously voted as the best dish of the night along with the pork dish :)

Bistrode CBD

It was great to see that we don't have to travel too far to find fresh produce with high quality as Jeremy Strode has shown us tonight. 

The foods did take a while to come out between courses as they seemed to be trying to serve the dishes to all tables at more or less the same time. 

I've been into the kitchen before and it was tiny :) The kitchen would have been running at full capacity on a special night like this. 

Thanks again to a wonderful hospitality by Howard and our waiter for the night whose name I did not get, sorry :P

Bistrode &  Moreau 100 Mile Dinner was held on Wed, 27th October 2010 @ Bistrode CBD

$90pp for 5 course meals , $145pp with matching wine/beer.

The Commons, Darlinghurst

If you have been reading my blog, you would remember that I planned to dine here twice and the plan failed both times.

But here we are, finally !!

The Commons main door

We turned up without making a reservation around 6.30pm and the place was already filled up with a couple of tables already set aside for reservations.

So we were offered to either wait in the bar area downstairs (which was really nice by the way, took a quick peek on the way to the restrooms) or have one of the outdoor table. 

We didn't mind since it wasn't too cold that night and there are heaters outside :)

The Commons winter menu ; Gas heaters on !

There are 2 menus, one that is seasonal and one with specials on the day. Check out their website to see what they have on specials and they do update it almost daily.

Before coming here, I got the impression that they offer simple bar foods, but I couldn't be any wronger.

The Commons's menu is influenced by Italian, French and British cuisine and uses the best of local produce and what is in season at the time. 

The table next to us ordered the antipasti platter and french onion soup that looked delicious. Unfortunately we were not too hungry that night, so shall remember to order them on the next visit, if they are still on the menu of course. 

Simple table decorations ; Outdoor dining table & stools

Special of The Day ~ Veal Backstrap Involtini in Rich Tomato Broth

Obviously that is not the name of the dish, I forgotten to jot down the name once again *sigh*

As it was explained to us by the waiter, it is like an involtini - roulade Italian style :)

Veal backstrap was used to wrap around an egg, and if I remembered it correctly the greens was cavolo nero. It was then cooked in the rich tomato broth and served with it. 

It was also suggested that we ordered a side of bread because we would want to mop up all the broth.

And I'm glad we listened !! This dish was delicious, warm and hearty. The veal itself was very tender and the tomato broth is simply amazing. The bread really did come in handy to polish off the plate.

Side of Bread  & Olive Oil ; Salt & Pepper

Commons Chicken Parmigiana w/ Pino's Ham & Fresh Mozarella

I decided to go for something more classic Italian, so I ordered their house special chicken parmigiana. The chicken breast was tender and the juicy cherry tomatoes goes really well with it. Can't go wrong with melting fresh mozarella and ham of course. All in all it was a simple, classic dish with fresh flavours. I thoroughly enjoyed it :)

Outdoor Coffee Bar

I am actually quite amazed that their coffee bar is outside ! I wonder if anyone has actually attempted to steal it LOL

There was no gate, no doors, you can pretty much reach for it from the side of the road.

Not to mention it is still in very good condition considering where it's located.

Milky Oolong Tea

They have a more exotic and unusual tea selection, such as the dragon pearl jasmine tea and milky oolong that my friend ordered. 

It's a lightly coloured tea with strangely, milky and silky flavour, with no milk whatsoever.

My friend liked it so much that I had to bought a bag of milky oolong on my recent trip to Melbourne.

Loved how they serve the tea in a chinese clay teapot and pretty ceramic cup and saucer.

Skim Flat White for me :)

Blueberry Creme Brulee

My friend had the blueberry creme brulee, unlike the usual brulee, it doesn't come with that thin caramel top.  Instead it was covered with blueberry gelee and definitely not crackable hehehehe...

Despite it missing that crack factor, it was still one delicious brulee.

Chocolate Fondant 

Since this dessert takes 20minutes to make, I actually ordered it while we are having our mains.

Need I say more...the picture says it all....spongey on the outside and gooey warm centre.....*hooaaahhhh*

It is served with a dollop of double cream which doesn't hurt *ignore the expanding waistline*.

I must say, it is one of the yummiest chocolate fondant I've tasted so far.

I couldn't believe it has taken me this long to dine here. The atmosphere is warm and homey, the service is friendly and prompt too. The waiter and waitresses are very knowledgeable about their food and wines which is a bonus.

Shall be back to try out their breakfast and lunch menu :)

The Commons
http://thecommons.com.au/
32 Burton Street
Darlinghurst, NSW 
(02) 9358 1487

Bangbang Espresso Bar, Surry Hills

Before an afternoon of boots hunting with the girls, we thought we'd had lunch at Bangbang in Surry Hills.
A quick trivia on the owner, Alan Thompson, he is actualy a DJ !! Famous for his work on Ministry of Sounds Housexy and Clubbers Guide compilations.
He has relocated from the UK to Australia and decided to open up this little cafe on Reservoir Street in Surry Hills.

When we decided to go here, I had my mind set on ordering the Wagyu Burger after reading  A Table For Two's review on this place.
Alas...they don't serve the usual lunch menu on weekends T_____T
Bye - bye wagyu burger *sob*

Lucky people who got a table ^_^

It was packed when we got there,  we were given stools to sit on while we waited and our coffee orders were taken.
Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long at all for a table *phew* because our tummies are grumbling *grumble grumble*

I want that water bottle !!   ;  Campos Coffee & Bangbang's Breakfast Menu

There are a couple of interesting dish on the menu, like Welsh Rarebit. I was gonna go for that ( seen it before on British food channels) , but changed my mind since I'm hungry and cannot risk being adventurous and end up not enjoying it :P

Sweet Corn Fritters ; Bangbang Breakfast Stack

I ordered the sweet corn fritters that comes with 2 poached eggs and 2 rashers of crispy pancetta, added a side of haloumi as well. It was supposed to be served with some maple syrup but I think they have forgotten :P
Thankfully there are tomato sauce bottles on the table, so that will do !
The corn fritters are super good and the eggs are poached perfectly, the pancetta adds some fat and saltiness to the dish - perfect ! Although the missing maple syrup would have made it better I think ( like french toast with bacon and maple syrup...mmmmmm ).

My friend's Bangbang Breakfast Stack looked delicious. It's a stack of potato rosti, 2 poached eggs, crispy pancetta, wilted spinach and topped with hollandaise sauce. She also got extra haloumi on the side.

Reflections on the wall ; Cute little red chairs & cool stool ; Kitty mirror at the bottom 

Barista in action ; Bangbang Banana Bread

DJ Alan Thompson himself was manning the cashier when we got up to pay.
And he has kindly allowed me to take a shot of the various loaf of homemade breads on the counter top, thanks :D

The cafe is packed with locals and I hope I'll get a chance to try out their weekday lunch menu one day !
Bangbang Espresso Bar is now open on Sundays as well.

Neighbourhood houses

Walking back to our car, we walked pass a few cool looking houses around the neighbourhood. Sadly, the rubbish bins are ruining the view -____-

After a few hours of failed boots hunting for me, dropped by Simon Johnson's in Pyrmont on the way home.

Was just gonna get a jar of strawberry jam but ended up taking home a box of Mariage Freres's Ceylan Orange Pekoe as well.  I'm such a sucker for pretty packaging :P
I know they are just tea bags, but hey...they are muslin cloths tea bags. How can you say no to that ?!?

Fancy Mariage Freres Ceylan Orange Pekoe tea bags (muslin cloths !)

Simon Johnson (Pyrmont)

http://www.simonjohnson.com.au

181 Harris Street

Pyrmont, NSW 2009

Phone : (02) 9552 2522

Restaurant Arras, Walsh Bay

Restaurant Arras is located in the quiet streets of Walsh Bay area, across the Sydney Dance Company.
The owner & chef, Adam Humprey has worked in some of Michelin starred restaurants in England and hence the menu is influence by British cuisine & flavours.

When I saw where we are being seated, all my fears prior to arriving here has come true T__T
Our table is at the corner where there is very minimal lighting available. So please excuse the upcoming out of focus pictures.

Crisps to nibble on

Once we are seated, the waitress brought over this pretty bowl of crisps. I'm not exactly sure what flavours were there, but I remembered tasting a sugary crisp and a sesame crisp.
They are great to nibble on while we peruse the menu.

Restaurant Arras menu page

We decided to go for the degustation menu, as it is the best way to have a taste on what the chef has to offer.

Cold butter on a rock slab & fresh sourdough rolls.

The waitress returns with a basket of a huge variety of their freshly baked sourdough rolls. There were at least 8 different types and it was hard to choose !
My cousin got the Happy Goblin ( we probably got it wrong since it sounds real dodgy!) and I chose the Quinoa roll.

Amouse Bouche - Red Mullet Tagine 

The fish is cooked just right and the sauce is to die for. It's fragrant, spicy and tangy at the same time.
We polished off the plate clean, it was that good !

The Raw & The Cooked 

As the waitress described it, it's an elegant salad of a selection of vegetables. Indeed it is an elegant salad.
This has to be the pretties plate of vegetables I've ever seen.
I love this dish, it is plain but the way it is cooked or uncooked brings out the best of their flavour, crisp and fresh.

One more shot of the pretty plate, from top

Smoked, Roasted & Dressed

This dish consist of Smoked Sardines, Roasted Scallop and I don't remember what was the dressing :P
The green balls are rounds of cucumber, of which then a question was raised...what do they do with the rest of the cucumber ? LOL
The roasted scallop was cooked perfectly, however I found that the sardines is way too fishy for me. I suppose can't do much about it, since it is a very oily fish.

Quinoa Kedgeree

Kedgeree is usually consumed as a breakfast dish in the UK during Victorian era. Traditionally it is made of rice, fish, egg, Indian spices and butter or cream.
Restaurant Arras has transformed this simple dish into something more.
Our version tonight consist of smoked eel, quail egg and quinoa instead of rice. The Indian spices are subtle and does not over power the smokey flavour from the eel.
I like this dish although it is a tad salty.

Birds of A Feather

I think this was the least favourite dish of the night for me. Birds of A Feather is a 3 layered chicken terrine, with sweet pumpkin puree and mead soaked raisin.
I can taste some cinnamon in the puree which reminds me of pumpkin pie, the combination of this plate is just not for me unfortunately :)

St.Clements Duck 

Served with foie gras souffle and carrot mash. Don't quite remember what was the duck resting on nor the white cubes on the far left side :P
The duck was tender and medium rare, delicious !

Slow Cooked Lamb, Lavender & Honey Sweetbreads

I actually asked for this course to be swapped with something else, because I usually don't eat lamb as I found the smell is too strong for me.
The maître d' asked the chef whether I could swap it with something else, she came back and offered squab in place of the lamb. 
However, she mentioned that the chef is a bit hesitant as it could alter the full experience of the degustation. I trust the chef, so I just pray that the lamb is not "lamby".


Thankfully the lamb has no smell at all *phew*
It was perfectly cooked and the lavender & honey sweetbreads are delicious !
I love sweetbreads, although it is best not to know what it is for the squeamish people out there :P

Pre-Dessert - Raspberry Cheesecake

The 2 cubes of cheesecake are served with some granny smith apples cubes and raspberry sorbet, and there are a couple chunks of cheesecake base crumbs. 
It's refreshing after the rich dishes we've had earlier.

An Adolescent Breakfast

Our eyes lights up when it was placed in front of us. We are still kids after all  \^o^/
It's supposed to bring you back to your childhood breakfast memories, so let's begin !
The chocolate bar has 3 layers, caramel top, a chocolate aero bar in the middle and a brownie base (lucky you who has ever had chocolate bar as brekkie !). Next in the cup is your Milk & Cereal - fresh milk sorbet and cereal crumbles, loved this one..mmm...
Last but not least...is Creme Chantilly in the toothpaste tube resting on a bed of peanut butter cereal crunch. Nothing beats peanut butter & cream , yummo !!


Since we are left with no instruction on how to apply the tube of cream, it's time to be creative.
We tried drizzling it on top of the caramel, lifting the caramel top and squiggle the cream on top of the aero bar, straight onto the peanut butter cereal or even straight into the mouth  LOL

Creative time with creme chantilly tube.

Then it's the moment I've been waiting for....*drum roll....*
The Arras Petit Four Slab !!! 

Restaurant Arras Petit Four Slab 

So many to choose from, and by the time the waitress finish explaining, I already forgot what they were.
We can choose as much as we want from the slab, very dangerous....

Peppermint Tea & Petit Four Selection

Let's see what we have selected here , from the top - Unknown Truffle, Gingerbread Truffle, Raspberry Marshmallow, Honeycomb, Raspberry & Creme Truffle, Grapefruit Pate de Fruit and Ginger Truffle.


Overall, the dishes throughout the night does show the flavours of England, a well mix of Indian and classic English flavours. 


The service on the night was sort of a mix, we have the friendly maître d' and a waiter, and on the other hand we have a waitress that just doesn't smile and doesn't really explain much when she put down dishes in front of us. 
Thankfully some of the dishes were served by the friendly waiter so we know what we are eating, sometimes...