Restaurant Review: Marque, Surry Hills

 Veal rump with buttermilk, chocolate and lettuce

When my colleague suggested that we celebrate my final day of Australian employment at Marque there was no need to think twice. Our previous two visits have been so stellar that it seemed the obvious choice.

The service and the food were again impeccable.

The waiters and waitresses seem to know in detail exactly how each dish is put together and were able to answer all Simon and my questions with aplomb. We started to ask more obscure queries in an effort to catch them out, but they were equal to anything we could throw at them!

I've previously enjoyed everything that I've eaten at Marque. This time the amuse bouche of olive mouse with mandarin granita was an opinion divider. The boys at the table didn't like it, while the girls did. I found that the intense olive mouse clashed with the granita. I couldn't get the sweet and savoury combination.

The presentation was equisite throughout and there was plenty of technique on display. The veal rump had the faintest hints of chocolate in the sauce. I was worried that the chocolate could have been over powering, but three hatted restaurants don't make those kind of mistakes.

The set menu is officially three courses, but in my experience, an amuse bouche and palate cleanser / extra desert are thrown in make it a five course feast. I was a bit concerned that the Sauturnes custard might not have been making an appearance, but thankfully it was brought out after our dessert.

If it wasn't for the fact that Marque requires a slightly extend (read three hour) lunch break I'd be there every week.

 Olive mousse with mandarin granita

Fried mussells with barigoule, tomato and mussell custard

Jasmine with hazelnuts and new season apples

Sauturnes custard with burnt caramel

Simon's review of our lunch is here.

Marque

355 Crown St

Surry Hills

Sydney

2010

Restaurant Review: Marque, Surry Hills

It took me over a year to work out the discreet restaurant nestled between Bills and Billy Kwongs was Surry Hill's Marque. I had a second eureka moment, when I realised that Marque's kitchen is also responsible for Sydney's hottest toilet.

Sydney's top fine diners usually come at a hefty price, but Marque's $45 lunch special has to be the city's best value meal. Even after they've charged you for water (an environmental stance I definitely approve of) you can escape for $50.

In both my experiences at Marque I've been wowed by the outstanding cooking and taken by surprise at the presentation. Last time the borscht came served as a jelly instead of a soup. This time the squid and black rice risotto came turned on its head. The black rice was pureed and squid cut so finely that it became the 'risotto'.

The favourite dish at the table was the Sauternes custard that came served in a trademark eggshell. The smooth and soft custard was covered in a caramel sauce laced with Sauternes.

The only opinion divider was the dessert of Tzar Alexander ice cream, bergamot and peach. Individually I wasn't a fan of the begamot, ice cream or sprinkled matcha. However, ruining the presentation, and giving it a good old mix brought together a perfect balance of flavours

Marque is an easy addition to my Top Eats page. You should all save up your pennies, skip work for a couple of hours and go. It really is that good value.

Amuse bouche of mushroom duxele and beetroot

Squid, black rice and watercress

Sauternes custard

Bergamot cream, chocolate, matcha, Tzar Alexandre ice cream and peach

Marque

355 Crown St

Surry Hills

Sydney, 2010

Restaurant Review: Café Mint, Surry Hills (revisited)

I've previously been to Café Mint for dinner and loved the place. Therefore it was the obvious venue to meet friends for breakfast. Café Mint doesn't open until 9am on Sunday's and arriving early we had to wait for them to let us in. I think it's the first time I've queued for breakfast!

They have some classic breakfast options on the menu, but why would you chose one of those when there are Moroccan delights to be had? Our friendly waiter was able to answer all of our questions about the menu. What is chackchouka?

I ordered the breakfast hummus with lamb mince and pinenuts. The amazingly soft lamb must have been slow cooked for hours. It had a wonderful fragrance from the cumin and Lebanese spice mix, as well as a little bit of a chilli kick. The roasted onion, toast and hummus were the perfect accompaniments. Definitely one to order again.

My breakfast companions ordered a side of the baked beans which were fabulous. Just like the spiced chickpeas on my last visit, it was a side dish which stole the show.

Café Mint is establishing itself as a firm favourite. My only complaint was the $2 per person Sunday surcharge. I hate extras and additions on a bill.

579 Crown St, 
Surry Hills
NSW
2010

Restaurant Review: Mad Spuds Café, Surry Hills

Do you remember the rainy Sunday morning on the public holiday weekend at the start of the month? I was up at 7am to meet some friends for a run. I jogged to Newtown in the driving rain only to be told when I got there that the others had cried off. I had to run back in the rain (there's a point where you can't get any wetter) for a hot shower.

The run aborted we caught up for a late breakfast at Mad Spuds Café. I've walked past this place on Crown St quite a few times without ever noticing it was there. Not fancying a baked potato for breakfast I was pleased to see their menu had a good range of breakfast options.

I went for the Boxty, which is supposed to be a traditional Irish dish. There was plenty of black and white pudding on the menu. I'm familiar with black pudding and the French boudin blanc, but what is white pudding I asked my Irish friend? Think haggis came the reply, a perfect description.

The white pudding came served with a potato cake, bacon, avocado, fried egg and apple puree. It was a pleasant dish, but as I've found with haggis before, the white pudding had a flavour which dominated anything else. I honestly couldn't tell you what the apple puree was like.


Mad Spuds Café
479 Crown Street
Surry Hills
2010

Restaurant Review: Porteño, Surry Hills

It feels like I'm one of the last people in Sydney to visit Porteño in Surry Hills. Ever since I first saw photos of whole lambs and suckling pigs being roasted over an open fire pit I knew that I wanted to visit. Bringing an Argentinian style asador to Sydney was a genius idea.

I visited Porteño last Wednesday with three friends from the running group. We started with a drink in the upstairs Gardel's Bar while waiting for our table. The upstairs bar is dark and intimate, while downstairs is larger, louder and more open with big marble tables. The fire pits are along one side of the wall and I couldn't resist popping over to inspect the action.

I was already having a good evening enjoying catching up with friends and having a glass of Malbec. When the food arrived it was placed in the middle of the table to be shared. Oh my. I was expecting to be bowled over by the meats, but it was actually the side and vegetable dishes that excited me the most. There were so many great flavour combinations that tasted damn fine. It was funny to see the jaws drop of my dining companions as they tasted things for the first time and various "best I've ever tasted" remarks were made.

During the evening the service was friendly and warm which helps you forget the worries of your day and relax. However, just because the service was friendly it definitely wasn't casual. I was pretty impressed with how they remembered my name and dealt with every detail of the evening. It was a fine dining level of being looked after in a more relaxed atmosphere. The couple of (small) slip up that did occur were met with genuine apologies.

The venue is good, the service is admirable, the concept awesome and the food memorable. Up until now I've rated Billy Kwongs as my favourite Sydney restaurant due to having had three fantastic evenings there. Porteño could be about to take that crown. I really did enjoy it that much.

The only down side is their reservation policy that they politely but firmly apply. You can only book tables for groups of five or more. Smaller groups have to turn up and wait and you will only be seated once all of your party arrive. Because the restaurant is so popular it means that you can have quite a wait before being seated.

BERENJENAS PICANTE Spiced Eggplant

The smokey eggplant was served cold. There was a subtle kick of chilli and a blend of spices. I don't think North African harissa has made it to Argentina, but it was that type of vibe. One of the stars of the evening.

CALAMRES ASADO BBQ Calamari with Chickpea Sofrito, 

Preserved Lemon & Watercress

The calamari was another winner and my expectations were beginning to severely heightened by the quality of the first two dishes. The chickpea sauce was rich and had a sweet smoked paprika flavour. I didn't taste any preserved lemon.

 

 CORDERO A LA CRUZ 8 hour Woodfired Free Range Lamb

The lamb and suckling pig are the two reasons you go to Porteño, so I was pleased my dining companions were happy to order both dishes. The meat of both was very tender and the skin crispy. (I don't think I've ever had crispy lamb skin before?)

CHANCHITO A LA CRUZ 8 hour Woodfired Free Range Suckling Pig

If there was a disappointment with the meat it was that there was no discernible smokey flavour flavour from being cooked over wood. The meats were also dominated by the excellent tomato salsa and chimichurri accompaniments we were given (both stars in their own right). 

 

POLENTA A LA TABLA Polenta with Provolone Cheese

The only dish of the night I wouldn't order again. The polenta was a bit too over cheesy for me.

REPOLLITOS DE BRUSELA FRITO Crispy Fried Brussel Sprouts 

with Lentils and Mint

Brussel sprouts are something I avoid at Christmas time, but hearing it was a signature dish I decided to give them a go. The crispy sprouts are served with lentils. The lentils tasted a little bit French like those I'd expect to be served with duck. That's not a criticism as it worked as a combination.

POSTRE CHAJA South American Style Pavlova

Not really a pavlova the dessert was pretty sweet. A nice way to round off the meal.

Good friends, good food, good times.

Porteño
358 Cleveland Street,
Surry Hills,
2010

Neighbourhood Watch @Belvoir Theatre

On Tuesday night I was lucky enough to get tickets to see a preview of Neighbourhood Watch at the Belvoir Theatre. Getting the invite only a couple of hours before the show I didn't know what to expect. However, when one of the opening lines was about Kevin '07 I immediately knew I was in for a contemporary Australian play that the Belvoir seems to excel at.

Neighbourhood Watch focuses on two neighbours. Ana, a Hungarian immigrant who lived through WWII and Catherine a troubled dreamer in her early twenties. Ana and Catherine form an unlikely friendship. The play explores the friendship that develops, what they learn from each other and the history of the characters (particularly Ana). 

I really enjoyed the play. There was a surprising amount of humour and I was regularly laughing out loud with the rest of the audience. There were lots of touching moments between the characters too. I didn't think there was a particular purpose to the story, revelation or message the playwright was trying to get across. However, the play didn't feel like it was suffering from a lack of direction as a result.

The musical score was excellent and, as usual, the stage was unconventional but definitely worked. The stage was carpeted with the carpet extending up the walls. In the middle of the stage was a rotating circle that was used to great effect to convey character separation and travelling through time.

The only negative was when an hour into the play the director stopped the performance to have a light fixed. I thought it was a bit odd, but was done with very good humour and we were at a preview after all. No one in the audience seemed to mind. However, five minutes later he did the same thing again and we were all getting restless. In a real performance wouldn't you just wait for the interval to fix the light? However, once the light was fixed I did understand the directors perspective. The light in question was used to cast shadows and combined with the turn table created a sculptural element.

I'd definitely recommend you go and watch if you enjoy the theatre.

Restaurant Review: Erciyes, Surry Hills

A couple of Saturday's ago I went to Erciyes to celebrate the birthday of two friends. I was expecting a lot of the Turkish restaurant as it's been talked up friends and I've tasted some of their humus before and it's great!

You enter the large dining room via the takeaway section of Erciyes.  It looks like any other kebab shop and not overly promising! However, the restaurant was buzzing with people enjoying themselves when we arrived.

Before I get onto the food I have to mention the belly dancing. There are two 'shows' on Friday and Saturday and we got to see both of them. I've previously had dinner at the Lebanese restaurant, Emed, just down the road. The belly dancing there was a bit of a token effort and I was expecting more of the same. However, at Erciyes they go at it with real gusto! Both performances lasted for about fifteen minutes each. The dancers were good and crowd participation was encouraged. Be warned if you sit near the aisle!

We started with a plate of dips and bread. The dips were fantastic, packing a lot of flavour, a little bit of chilli and were very moorish to eat with the warm bread. I couldn't tell you what all of them were beyond the usual suspects of humus, baba ganoush and a beetroot dip. I'd happily eat many more plates of these dips.

The first main course we ordered was the Tava a lamb caserole with onion, tomato, capsicum, garlic and eggplant. The lamb was nice and tender and the caserole had a rich sauce. Definitely my preferred main of the evening.

Our second main was the mixed grill. A combination of lamb, chicken kofte and lamb cutlets. To be honest I was quite disappointed with the grill, there just wasn't the tenderness of the meat or the lovely smokey flavour that I was expecting.

I admit it's pretty unlikely readers with have been to both places but Meze Mangal (back in the UK) is still my favourite Turkish restaurant. The wood fired oven baking delicious breads and kleftiko, and the charcoal grill cooking kebabs, impart such fantastic smoke and flavour to the food. It's hard to beat the smoke.

Ericyes
409 Cleveland St
Sydney, 2016