Review: Signorelli Gastronomia, Pyrmont

As many of you will know I recently got a job in Pyrmont, which means that I'm actually close to other foodies to take out for lunch. To top this off I get provided with food at work so I don't mind splurging on the occasional dining out experience ... enter the Pyrmont Lunch Club in all its glory.



Signorelli Gastronomia is a foodies delight where you can dine, shop or even learn to cook in a sea of gourmet offerings. The very Italian staff and food are not my usual tastes but they are worth stopping for, especially after a bad day and when the Season suits your tastes.



There's a number of light offerings if you're after a more casual affair, charcuturie to make the mouth water or you can even watch the chefs prepare your pizza on the in kitchen cameras. We're no casual diners though and it's winter so it's time to lap up the seasonal fare with gusto and a side order of vino rosso.



Ham hock and foie gras terrine $18

It's not a large lunch dish on it's own but I never met a liver I didn't like. This dish is very salty, especially with the pickled vegetables so don't be light on the water but this is the perfect late Autumn dish and worth a try when available. Not for the feint hearted the terrine is hardly light on fat, the bread fried, the vegetables picked and the dish basted with butter.



Osso bucco Milanese $30

Another good hearty seasonal favourite with its rich tomato sauce and slow simmered meat but not the best rendition I've encountered and certainly not for the price tag. For me the risotto is too cheesey and you can see the plasticising film on the surface, a little more stock might have done the chef a favour.



Open Lasagne $16

Not your average lasagne al forno this dish has the perfect textured noodles, shredded oxtail and a light perfect collagen filled stock; definitely a return visit for this lactic intolerant.



Fettucine with braised goat, Jerusalem artichoke and chilli $18 / $26

Goat you say? Jerusalem artichoke? You had me at hello. The light chilli laced jus on the noodles doesn't overpower the delicate flavour of the goat, the pasta is perfectly al dente and the artichokes melt in my mouth. A perfect warming winter meal and a wonderful order.

Signorelli Gastronomia for me can be a little hit and miss. Their meat, cheese and wine selection are enviable and any gourmande would be well to spend their time browsing the shelves and the fridges in their retail section. The meals are very seasonal and in short runs depending on the quality of available ingredients and the appropriate weather; this means that finding the excellent dishes can be difficult when you're not sure if the winning items will be back on the menu on your next return. When they do get the dishes right though they're stunning and compiled of excellent fresh ingredients.

For a fairly small restaurant the service can be delayed at lunch, a very early or late seating would be advised. Keep an eye out for their Master Class offerings which change with the seasons.

Signorelli Gastronomia
http://www.signorelli.com.au/
Ground floor of Accenture/Google Building
48 Pirrama Rd
Pyrmont NSW 2009

Phone: 02 8571 0616

Formal dining atmosphere
Gourmet retail store attached
Very busy at lunch due to local business parks

Review: Darley St Bistro, Newtown

At some magic point the Botany View Hotel underwent a major reconstruction and went from a dodgy old man pub with tiles on the wall to the place to be in South Newtown. There's the lively poker games and rowdy trivia nights and Sunday night live music... but more than that there's the Darley St Bistro.

I was convinced to go by a friend with a bit of intrepidation in my voice. This pub is about 2 doors up from me in Newtown and I still had no compulsion to go based on the looks. Boy was I surprised, the food is eye rolling, plate pointingly good and has now become a staple in my eating landscape. The only unfortunate thing I can say about the Darley St Bistro is that the rest of the neighbourhood seems to have found it too and getting a table at prime dinner time is now a nightmare.

Nonetheless it's definitely worth a try, especially if you can get there at lunch when you're more likely to get a comfy seat outside. Every meal we've tried here has been good, but do try something that's not just standard pub fair... it's far too good.



Home made gnocchi with chorizo, arugula and basil oil $14

Now when you order gnocchi at the pub, you kind of expect mass produced hard nuggets to appear. These soft delicious and butter fried gnocchi were a real surprise. Swimming with fresh arugula and slices of crisp fried chorizo. A great meal on a warm Sunday afternoon with a pint.



Confit of pork belly with broccoli and sweet corn mash $24

Sweet soft pork belly with a crisp top and a chili jam are presented with sweet creamy soft corn mash that cuts through the fat. You'll never be so happy to stop caring about the fat intake.



Chicken Burrito with Guacamole $20

You might think this is "just a burrito" but as the chef said to me once "it's made with a bit of love." Newtown is quite light on good Mexican but this kills my cravings ten fold and leaves me salivating for another for days. Filled with rice, just the right amount of chilli sauce and cheese and crisped in a soft tortilla it's topped with a creamy chipotle sauce and served with guacamole and sour cream.



Pumpkin canneloni with blue cheese sauce $16

The filling of these canneloni is soft and sweet delicious, but full of veges and light enough to make you feel good afterwards. The edges of the canneloni are crisped and caramelised and the soft blue cheese sauce cuts through the sweetness with its acidity. Be warned though, this is a large serving, don't be scared to give up.



Corned beef with mash, honey mustard sauce and greens $18

This is not your grandmother's corned beef! The meat is soft and shreds perfectly under a fork, it's only barely pickled but tangy enough to excite. The mash isn't anything special but you will chase the sweet acidic sauce with it. Topped with one of my favourites - asparagus. Just perfect.



Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake $12

It's highly unlikely you'll have space left for dessert, but if you do they're definitely worth it. No boring neufchatel French cheese cake this packs a punch with the citrusy taste of Lemon Myrtle, an Australian native seed that adds bite and texture to a dense creamy dessert. Recommended.

As if this wasn't enough the Botany View also stocks a range of premium beer and cider on tap. $16 for a jug of Bulmers? Yes please. Get yourself down there, there's no excuse for eating at The Townie when this food is on offer barely 10 mins walk away.

Botany View Hotel

Dinner: 7 nights 6.30pm - 9.30pm
Lunch: Fri, Sat and Sun 12pm - 2.30pm

597 King Street Newton
PH: 9519 4501
Fax: 9517 9004

Pub atmosphere, fully licensed
Children welcome upstairs in family eating area only

Review: Khamadhenu, Newtown

Khamadhenu is the restaurant so popular they had to put two of them on King St. With so many Asian restaurants in Newtown it's easy to overlook such a restaurant but don't make this mistake. This is without a doubt one of the best curry houses I've been to, the service is immaculate and the food fresh, light and complex.



Aloo masala dosa $8.00

I love how readily dosa are available in Sydney. The paper thin pancake is filled with a mild spiced vegetable curry and served with a tomato chilli dipping sauce and a coconut jam. It is perfectly crisp and light, the sauces so good I stash them for eating with my rice and the curry light and sweet but with complex spices that can each be tasted.



Beef Vindaloo $12.90

Now we purposely don't ask for ludicrous heat but this was quite a moderate vindaloo. Again the thing that I am amazed about with the curries here are how much I can taste each part of the complex spice mix. The sauce is creamy and light on the toungue with ground nuts and smooth tomato sauce. I moan appreciatively as I eat it.



Lamb Saag $12.90

I have a weakness for saag, a sauce made of minced Spinach, it's so creamy without requiring any dairy and the lightness compliments the tender meat perfectly. This is an excellent rendition and I devour the entire place despite being incredibly full by the end of the meal.



Garlic naan $3

The naan are made perfectly, fresh and light and obviously straight from the tandoor. Many naan in Australia tend towards the heavy side but these are not and have an almost roti like texture. You can spot the arm of a good chef by the fact that these are perfectly crisp without any sign of being overdone, a hard feat to pull off in the difficult to manage tandoor heat.



Lemon Rice $4

Having both bread and rice is a little of an extravagance but it looks too good to pass up. Nonetheless I am not able to eat all of it. Mixed with nuts, cardamom and seeds this lemon rice is deliciously fragrant and adds texture to an already gorgeous meal.

Khamadhenu is highly recommended, excellent quality meals at affordable prices. There are meals to suit all allergen sufferers and eating choices. They deliver as well as having 3 branches in Newtown and Neutral Bay however avoid dosa and fried dishes for delivery to avoid disappointment.

Khamadhenu

http://www.kammadhenu.com.au/

Newtown
377a King St Newtown
02 9557 2186

Neutral Bay
12 Waters Rd, Neutral Bay
02 9953 9999

Newtown
171 King St, Newtown
02 9550 2611

Casual atmosphere, family friendly
Reservations not required but recommended for busy nights

Hungry goth is hungry, and ready to blog

Another round of extended radio silence for which I apologise but a new job and my Masters thesis got in the way of blogging. But the goth girl is back and hungrier than ever... with about 3 months of meals to catch up on at that!

In between blogging sessions you can always catch me tweeting photos of my food adventures on my Twitter account. Check out the public #omnomnom feed for some great pictures and food tweets.

This is some of what you missed if you weren't following my Twitter:



C'n'Cheese burger meal with kumara fries from Burger Fuel



Vegetarian Eggs Benedict from Urban Bites



Pork and Taro dumplings from Sea Treasure



Smoked chocolate and XO Sherry Mousse at the Iron Chef Dinner 2010



Lebanese pastries at Emad's



Chu hai, tuna and pickles at Fujiya



Spicy tuna sushi, pork gyoza and roasted duck breast at Mizuya



Tantan Tsukemen at Ichi Ban Boshi



Ma po tofu hotpot at Good Wok

I hope that got you hungry for more because there's plenty of blogging to come in the near future!

Review: Craft, Uptown, New York City, USA

As a foodie it's hard not to get sucked into watching Top Chef. The judges are well versed in the food world, the contests are well constructed and the calibre of contestants higher than any other food related show on television.

Which is why when we were in New York it was absolutely imperative that we stop at Craft Tom Colicchio's signature restaurant. It's worth noting that we had also been interested in booking for Craft Steak however it was booked for a month solid!



We booked rather late and on a cold night and so the warm and understated interior was very warm and welcoming. For a well known eatery it lacked the sort of snobbish over done interior design that can come with it.

The staff are excellent and the service unparalleled. There are meals that you spend money on and feel duped, this is not to be that meal. The entire time we are waited on with graciousness and attentiveness. Our questions are answered, our additional requests responded to and the sommelier takes to ensuring I am given time to photograph all the wines. Later they even give me a copy of the menu to take home as a souvenir and a small spice cake to take home and eat the next day.

What better way to sample a chef's palette than with a tasting menu? The degustation here is $110USD for 7 courses plus petits four and $75USD for matching wines.



Bread and butter - complimentary with service

Good quality heavy artisan sour dough bread is served with room temperature French butter and olive oil for the lactose free. They're on to a good start.




Raw Big Eye Tuna served with horseradish and lemon

I often joke about the obsession with raw food that seems to strike America frequently but this is nonetheless wonderful, and my passion for raw tuna is well documented. Despite my preference for fatty belly style tuna this meaty cut is excellent and shines on the plate.



Tablas Creek Cotes de Tablas 2008

Only in America huh? A very unique blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc; I mean I like varietals but Tablas Creek really seem to believe that if one varietal is good then four must be excellent! Drinkable but I think an interesting idea gone wrong.




Liver parfait

I am unable to stop myself, there is a liver parfait on the menu and I insist that they alter the tasting menu to accomodate. Terrible I know, but liver, she is my mistress. Besides the alternative dish was snails and turbot, neither of which I am inclined to. The texture on this parfait is amazing, I am still unable to place the fat that they've to get it to this consistency very thick and creamy at room temperature. I suspect a combination of duck and pig, but will settle for a bit of mystery so long as my taste buds are sated.



Armand Reisling Kabinett 2008

I am not particularly inclined to Reisling but it goes well with the pear paste and I grumblingly accept the pairing. At least it's actually German and lacks the pow! of Australian Reisling which leaves me sour faced.



Pumpkin agnolotti with guanciale

There doesn't seem to be large amounts of the guanciale in the dish but it is smoked and flavoured with it in the oil and the pasta is divine, a real win.



Josef Ehmoser Aurum 2008

Another unusual Germanic varietal this is an Austrian Gruner Veltliner it is more subtle than the Riesling and has a freshness that suits the oily pasta.



Blue foot chicken and truffle

I am generally one to discourage the use of truffle in dishes because it is a luxury that is lost on me, like serving fine champagne to a beer drinker. This dish however is the exception the broth is heavenly and I chase the spoon around my bowl when I am done. The truffle compliments without overpowering and genuinely enhances the whole dish rather than being a standout flavour as is so often the case with truffles. Particularly noteworthy is the cabbage roll in the dish.



Rully Premier Cru Pinot Noir 2006

If you served anything but a French wine with a Bresse chicken I would have had a little foodie tantrum. While the choice of a Pinot from Burgandy leaves me a little perplexed nonetheless a Pinot with Poulet de Bresse and Truffles will always ring true on the tongue and the age is just perfect for drinking.



American Wagyu braised beef cheeks with grits and Tabacco sauce

While I'm still very staunch on the comparative quality of wagyu in America and at home nonetheless this dish is a delight and a true American classic. The tabacco sauce goes perfectly with the slow braised beef, the grits are a comfort food classic and the texture of the entire dish is warm, smooth and sexy.



Corison Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

Such a strong dish as beef cheeks and tabacco sauce requires a wine with a lot of punch and a long nose. I would of course always gravitate towards an Australian Shiraz but this Napa classic is just as good! 10 years of cellaring have been kind to the stronger soil and the chocolate flavours combine well with the tabacco.



Cream cheese semi freddo with cumquat, pomegranate and blood orange sorbet

The semi freddo is deliciously rich and the citrus sorbet cuts down on the fat and leaves just the right balance of flavours.



Chateau La Clotte Cazalis Sauternes 2005

Given the other Germanic wines I was expecting an eiswein but instead this is another French this time from Bordeaux. This is a traditional Sauternes - which is a Semillon botrytis dessert wine, far less syrupy than the Australian counterparts.





Warm chocolate tart with buttermilk ice cream and cashews

Chocolate is not my vice however this buttermilk ice cream is definitely stroking my buttons. As a "down" note at the end of the meal it is an excellent end on the nut and chocolate flavours.

And this is me after all, what degustation could be complete without a coffee and a digestive?



Good quality espresso (which you beg for in America let me tell you) served with your choice of raw sugars.



Without prompting we are also brought petits fours of salted caramel popcorn and mini lemon mirangue. So heavenly we fit it in despite being gluttonously full.



El Maestro Sierra Amontillado Sherry NV 12 Years Blend

I grew up in a Spanish family, every meal should end with a good sherry or a cognac (preferably both). I am glad to see this Spanish Sherry on the menu, I was fearing for hispanic new world digestives I would not like. A good quality standard Palamino amontillado.

Craft

www.craftrestaurant.com

43 East 19th St
New York City, NY
USA
Phone: 212.780.0880

Formal dining
Fully licenced

Recipe: Lemon Delicious

Well I'm in Tasmania where it's cold and that's the best excuse for a warm pudding. This is a real family favourite, hard to beat and easy to whip up when you want sweets but don't have many ingredients. It's incredibly light and tart, but still sweet and sure to appeal to adults and children alike.



Lemon Delicious

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tbspn self raising flour
1 tbspn grated lemon rind
1/2 cup lemon juice

Method

• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius, do not use fan forced if possible. If you do not have a conventional setting on your oven then reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.



• Separate eggs into two bowls. By preference use a glass or metal oven proof bowl for the egg whites as this will be used to bake the pudding.





• Around 3 lemons will make the required amount of juice. Grate the rind off two lemons and juice all three.





• Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in the second bowl until light and creamy. Add the milk, lemon juice and rind. When mixed well and the sugar dissolved sift the flour and mix well. A sifter will make all the difference to the texture.





• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, we use a metal or glass dish for best effect as plastic retains oil and prevents the whites from whipping well.





• Carefully fold the lemon mixture into the egg whites, when the mixture is completely mixed place the bowl into the oven on a tray.



• Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until a light golden sponge forms on top.





• Serve with cream or ice cream.