Restaurant Review: Spencer Guthrie, Newtown

 

I got the distinct impression that the crew at Spencer Guthrie don't like being compared with Newtown's other smart diner Bloodwood. 

Comparisons are inevitable. They both occupy the same section of King St (the restaurants are practically opposite each other), serve similar Modern Australian fayre and are in approximately the same price bracket. 

However, I can also see that they are different beasts and comparisons are a little unfair. Spencer Guthrie is smaller, doesn't have a bar (in fact currently doesn't have a licence) and has an air of formality, trying to serve (almost) hatted food. Bloodwood is the cheeky younger brother.

Service was impeccable during the evening. The waiting staff were incredibly knowledgeable about the food and efficient in their service. At the end of the meal we sat around chatting for an hour finishing our wine. We were the last table to leave the restaurant and the kitchen had virtually packed up for the evening, but they never once tried to usher us out of the door.

I enjoy it when the kitchen is on show. Although we didn't a fantastic view from our table, it adds a certain theatre to the restaurant.  I think the kitchen should also be lauded for seeking to use sustainable produce.

The first of many run club + friends farewell diners

Sadly, my list of grumbles is pretty long. They obviously don't like taking group bookings. We were slapped with a minimum spend which got inflated when we added a couple of extra people to the table. Having now visited the restaurant I can see that it lends itself much better to smaller tables, but if that is the case why take group bookings at all?

I also found the $75 minimum spend off putting from the start. They weren't even full on a Wednesday night so I didn't really see the point.

The food certainly demonstrated a lot of technique, quality ingredients and great presentation. However, for my palate it just missed the mark. There wasn't enough of the roasted chilli or lime in the ceviche to give it the necessary zing. And the beef cheeks could have used more of the wonderful jus. We're only talking small margins, but unfortunately they count. All of the men at the table left hungry too. Not a great sign when you've each had three courses.

The final nail in the coffin for me was the value for money. We spent $90 a head and it was BYO! A service charge slapped on top of the minimum spend didn't help. At Bloodwood (there is the comparison again) a similar sized group spend $90 per head, left royally stuffed and we'd drunk seven bottles of wine.

For me there is no comparison between Spencer Guthrie and Bloodwood. Not because you shouldn't make one, but because in my experience, Bloodwood is so much better.

Ceviche of kingfish with pickled cauliflower, lime and roasted chilli - $20

I would have preferred the ceviche to be more like the Kinfish I had at Deli Bottega in Bondi. The roasted cauliflower, chilli and lime didn't do enough to excite me palate.

Braised beef cheeks, white bean puree, caramelised fennel & olives - $30

The braised beef cheeks were meltingly tender. For me the star of the dish was the intense jus around the plate. It helped bring everything together and give the flavour a lift. It is just a shame there wasn't more of it!

Soft apple cream, poached rhubarb, butter crumbs & malt ice cream - $15

I'm not sure if it was the wine or the dessert itself, but I have to admit I don't have any memories on the twist of a rhubarb crumble.

Some food porn of dishes not tasted by me:

Seasonal betroot, goats cheese, walnuts and fresh horseraddish - $19

Lamb leg, parsnip puree, roasted eggplant and potatoes - $31

Chewy meringue, glazed figs and coffee chantilly - $15

Spencer Guthrie

399 King Street

Newtown

NSW

2042

Restaurant Review: Bloodwood, Newtown

Smoked ham hoc terrine, homemade pickles, 

chicken liver parfait and marinated olives

Last Friday I was invited to Bloodwood by my running friend Jennie. Our group of ten was given the large downstairs table. It felt like we had a private dining room, perfect for parties.

We started off with some wine recommended by sommelier Gabrielle Webster. Tattooed and nothing like my preconceived idea of a sommelier, she refreshingly recommended us towards some of the cheaper options on the wine list. Very nice they were too.

We had the generous nine course banquet menu ($50 per head). The food ranged from Asian, Mediterranean, South American and Modern Australian right through to British. Rather than suffering from the lack of a unifying theme the food just flowed. I think good food always works together, and it was good.

Whether it was the warmed and spiced olives or the homemade pickles, the simple was done very well. The freshness of the pear and fennel salad and the cuttlefish and cucumber salad helped lighten up the menu.

The more substantial beef brisket was a favourite and then there was the wonderfully rich chocolate torte to finish off the evening.

The standard of the evening was very high, but I prefer the crunchier polenta chips at Bakery Nights over the ones at Bloodwood. The spicy lima beans and guindillas accompanying the pork pintxo were a treat, but the pork itself could have been more tender.

Vegetarians and celiacs were catered for with aplomb.

The courses were brought out closely together and my stomach was groaning tying to expand so quickly. A more relaxed pace would have enhanced the experience.

Before going to Bloodwood the consensus among my friends seemed to be great food, but a bit expensive. The banquet menu of nine courses for $50 was an absolute steal and worth every cent. So much so, I've added Bloodwood to my Top Eats page.

 

Polenta chips with gorgonzola dipping sauce

Pork pintxo, lima beans and guindillas

 

Fregola and pear salad, fennel, confit tomato, beetroot crisps

 

Grilled cuttlefish, cucumber, herb salad

 

Pork and king prawn, black fungus, hot and sour sauce

 

Grilled rainbow trout (gluten free option)

 

Coorong angus beef brisket, spaetzle, cauliflower and beans

Chocolate torte, caramel mousse and peanut crunch

 

Bloodwood trifle

Poached peach (gluten free option)

The damage, $823.50 for ten

Bloodwood
416 King St
Newtown
Sydney, 2042

Restaurant Review: Cheeky Czech, Newtown

I visited the Cheeky Czech last Sunday before a trip to the Dendy to see a movie with friends. The family run restaurant serves Czech food, described by my friend John as 'delicious Eastern European stodge'.

The Czech half of the menu is full of hearty dishes that make me think more of winter. But with the Sydney weather we've been having this year, it is pretty apt.

The other half of the menu is distinctly Australian with burgers and schnitzels dominating. I'm sure the owners know their market and the Aussie dishes are needed to bring in sufficient business, but I think it's a bit of a shame that the restaurant isn't out and out Czech.

I decided to order the Raznici ($18.90). The grilled chicken, chorizo, speck, mushroom and capsicum skewer was topped with a tasty mushroom gravy. The potato pancakes were a good and filling accompaniment to the kebab.

 

 

My friend Suzanne ordered the Beef Goulash ($15). Suzanne opted for the goulash with toasted bread instead of the traditional bread dumplings. The owner clearly prefers her goulash with dumplings and was giving them the hard sell. I didn't get to taste the goulash, but the reports were very good.

There aren't many Eastern European restaurants in Sydney. Cheeky Czech is flying the flag proudly.

Cheeky Czech
124 King St
Newtown
2042

Restaurant Review: Delhi O' Delhi, Newtown

After a successful trip to Bayleaf Brasserie, Saurav invited me to join him and some friends for dinner at Delhi O' Delhi in Newtown on Saturday night to sample some more Indian food.

Delhi O' Delhi is a modern, sleek, glass walled restaurant with white table cloths. Pitching itself at the smart end of Indian dining. Unfortunately I didn't find it lived up to the expectations that it was setting for itself.

As we were a large group we opted for the ease of the banquet menu which gave us three starters and four main courses. We were charged $40 per head for the banquet, which I thought was pretty rum when mains are only $20 each. I thought banquets were supposed to give you value or access to something a bit special? The service was a bit slow too.

None of us had ever heard of a duck curry so we ordered the duck karuval to see what it was like. For me it was the best curry of the night. It was dark, rich, mild and coconuty. Definitely one to order again. The other favourite from the evening was the andraki champen lamb cutlets that had been marinated and then cooked in the tandoor. The thick yoghurt marinade coated the lamb really well and we all picked up the bones to gnaw the meat off them!

Most of the other dishes were run of the mill. The goat curry certainly didn't live up to the one we had at Bayleaf. I'm sure there must be better curries out there in Sydney and I'll probably go in search of those before returning to Delhi O' Delhi.

After dinner we headed to the Freaky Tiki for a jug of punch and a game of pinball with an eclectic mix of fellow patrons! A quirky venu if you've never been.

Sikandri Chooza - chicken flavoured with cashew nuts and cheese. 

Cooked in the tandoor.

Adraki Champen - lamb cutlets marinaded in crushed garlic, raw papaya, 

paprika and slow cooked in the tandoor.

Murgh Dhaniwal - chicken curry with fennel seeds, ginger and almonds

Lamb Kesar E' Pukhtan - cooked in safron, cashew, almond and yoghurt.

Logan Ki Boti - goat curry

Duck Karuval - duck an coconut curry

Delhi O' Delhi

3 Erskenville Road

Newtown

2042