Bills - Surry Hills - Sydney, Australia

Owned by celebrity chef Bill Granger, Bills has been on the top of my to go to places for a long time.  I've heard rave reviews about the fluffy ricotta pancakes. With my friend from Brisbane in town for the weekend it was a good chance to try out the cafe as she had a craving for pancakes. This is coming from someone who can eat chocolate and anything sweet all day long.

She never fails to bring the rain with her when she comes to Sydney. Every time she visits it rains heavily regardless of whether it is Summer or Winter. We always make a joke about it and this time was no exception.

It was a cold, wet and windy morning. We started at Central Station and walked up the steep hills of Surry Hills with our umbrellas held up high to combat the rain coming from all directions. Finally we reached our destination on Crown Street.

It was buzzing with patrons and thankfully we managed to grab a table straightaway, albeit the last non-sharing table. Its modern, warm and very relaxed inside.

We started off with the essential coffees to kick start the day.  Brewed with beans from Single Origin Roasters, the 'Latte ($4.10)' and 'Cappuccino($4.10)' were robust and smooth without the bitterness.

There are a number of items to choose from their breakfast menu, from the basic toasts and spreads to the more elaborate dishes such as the crisp fried rice. We chose to share two of their classic items.

The highly anticipated 'Ricotta Hotcakes ($22.00)' arrived looking amazingly thick and fluffy with a blob of honeycomb butter and a side of maple syrup. Generous slices of banana are hidden beneath the three hotcakes. Where out thou more butter? The butter to pancake ratio was lacking. There just wasn't enough for us butter lovers.

The inside of the hotcakes had hidden chunks of ricotta giving it a light and airy texture. Delicious and tasty hotcakes that weren't dense and had the right sweetness level.

The 'Corn Fritters ($23.00)' is another one of their signature dishes. An abundance of sweet and juicy corn kernels combined together in a light batter, is served with roast tomatoes, spinach and crispy bacon. We also added 'Avocado Salsa ($4.00)' which I would definitely recommend as the fritters could be dry on its own.

The service is attentive and prompt. Prices are on the expensive side for these simple dishes but they don't compromise on the quality of their ingredients. Breakfast is served till midday.

Where?
359 Crown St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia

Phone no: 02 9360 4762

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 7am - 10pm
Saturday - Sunday: 7am - 10pm

Website
www.bills.com.au

Textbook Boulangerie Patisserie - Alexandria - Sydney, Australia

Textbook Boulangerie Pattisserie offers delicious pastries, cakes and bread. 

Located on busy Botany Road in Alexandria, its been open for close to a year now and has garnered a following after making its rounds on social media.

After having lunch at BOB, a pop up restaurant in Rosebery by Three Blue Ducks, we quickly drove down the road to to the patisserie to have dessert.

Arriving with minimal time before closing, most of the small cakes were sold out. With less than half an hour to go, we chose our cakes, got our coffees and scoffed everything down. We even got some cakes to take away. So greedy we are. How could one resist? The cakes are all so pretty.

The 'White Chocolate, Mango, Kaffir Lime & Coconut Cake (8.50)' tastes as good as it looks. I'm drawn by the Asian inspired flavours. Encased in a white chocolate mousse wall and filled with coconut dacquoise and layers of kaffir custard and mango jelly. A beautiful creamy dessert that's not too sweet.

The pastel green 'Apple Crumble Cake ($8.50)' is one of their most popular cakes for a reason. It's smooth, glossy and has amazing textures. The crumbly biscuit base and the apple custard mousse go so well together, with bits of poached cinnamon apple pieces hiding within.

'The Blueberry Cheesecake ($8.50)' looks aesthetically amazing with deep purple impressions. A picture perfect dome shaped cheesecake that is not too rich nor too heavy, balanced out by the thick biscuit base.

Texbook Patisserie have been releasing new croissant flavours every weekend that are strictly limited in quantities. Recent savoury flavours have included truffle and foie gras. Apparently you have to go early in the morning to grab one one these delicacies as they do sell out quickly.

Worth going to for a decent sweet fix if you are in the area.

Where?
274 Botany Rd
Alexandria NSW 2015
Australia

Phone no:(02) 9699 6156

Opening Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 7:00am to 3:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am to 4:00pm
Sunday: 7:00am to 2:00pm

Website
www.textbookpatisserie.com.au

Gerrale Street Kitchen - Cronulla - Sydney, Australia

I'm taking a short break from my holiday posts as its been a while since I last posted about a local restaurant. I think it's about time I do and what better way to get back into it by blogging about a cafe in the Shire. The place I call home.

Gerrale Street Kitchen is a new kid on the block, located on you guessed it Gerrale Street in Cronulla. One street away from the sandy shores of the beach, it's follows the open kitchen concept and associates itself with LA dining trends. That is, the inspiration comes from the casual fine diners in LA.

The design and layout is simple, open and airy. There is plenty of natural light going around and definitely Instagram worthy. Best of all there is lots of seating (200 to be exact) and you don't have to queue on a weekend for breakfast most of the time. I'm too use to waiting over half an hour for a table at popular cafes in Sydney and sometimes leaving disappointed with the quality of the food.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their all day menu is not very extensive but there is a variety to choose from.

Having consumed a Vietnamese pork roll for breakfast, I decided a lighter lunch option would be preferable. The 'Warm Belgium Waffles ($15.00)' were delightfully presented. You may be thinking dessert for lunch? It does work and I really enjoyed the flavour combinations. Not just prettiness on a plate.

Wonderfully crispy waffles topped with whipped cinnamon ricotta, yuzu curd and raspberries. The fluffy ricotta balanced out the sweetness of the waffles and the yuzu curd gave it a zesty hit. Yummy!

The 'Fresh Canadian Stack ($15.90)' is made using brioche bread and then topped with smoked bacon, banana, maple, pecan crumble and mascarpone. The addition of bacon gives it a savoury component.

While it was nice and had good flavours, there was no wow factor unfortunately.

My friends and I particularly liked the 'Fresh House Blended Juices($7.00)'. The first one is a mix of watermelon, apple and mint. The second is a mix of orange, pineapple, mint and lemon. Both were refreshing.

How could one leave without having coffee? Not as strong as one would like but a decent cuppa.

If you live close by or don't mind the drive down, do give this place a try and see it for yourself. A bit too chilly for a swim at the beach but perfect for walks on warm and sunny days. The casual setting and nice ambience of the cafe is a plus. That woodfired pizza is calling me...to be back for dinner one day.

Where?
19-21 Gerrale St
Cronulla NSW 2230

Phone no: 02 9523 4111

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 12:00pm
Saturday - Sunday
7:00am - 12:00pm

Website
www.gerralestkitchen.com.au

Jamie's Italian - Sydney CBD - Sydney, Australia

Jamie’s Italian

When there was news of Jamie's Italian opening in Sydney in 2011, I was extremely excited as I've always enjoyed his cooking shows and loved his passion for cooking. I had high expectations in the lead up to visiting this restaurant and we even queued for more than an hour within the first few months of opening. Unfortunately, the food failed to impress us and my perceptions of the restaurant weren't so good back then given the mediocre food and small portions. 

Fast forward a few years and I had the opportunity to go back again. My cousin, Miss Booklover, is a fan of this restaurant and frequently dines here as she works just a few blocks away.

It is consistently busy every night so it’s best to get in early if possible.

Who likes standing in line? No one does. They've introduced an online reservation system so booking is a must if you want to get a table without having to potentially queue for a very long time. Previously, they wouldn't take bookings for less than six people online but they've now changed the system for the better and you can book for more. I was expecting to queue in that terribly long line given but I decided to check the times available online and much to my surprise, there was a few spots available for dinner the next day.

One thing I really like about this place is the causal ambiance. Upon entry, there is a bar to just relax and chill while you’re waiting for a seat. It’s not a quiet place and indeed quite boisterous with the constant chatter happening around, giving it a lively atmosphere.

The spacious interior, occupying two levels, is nicely put together and I wouldn't expect less from a famous chef like Jamie Oliver. 

It’s dimly lit with candles on every table giving that feeling of comfort and relaxation. However, for food photography purposes, this is not the best place to be as it’s a bit too dark and photos don’t turn out very clear. Thankfully, Miss Booklover’s new mobile phone is advanced and the quality of the pictures turned out much better than my Iphone. This is not an advertisement but she persisted that I mention that it is a ‘HTC M8’ and for all you technology experts out there, this is the latest model from their range. Thank you to Miss Booklover for kindly sharing her photos on this blog.

The waiter was very friendly. He introduced us to a few specials prior to ordering but we already had our eyes set on what was on the menu. He took our order without even writing it down! Amazingly everything was spot on.

For starters, we had the ‘Italian Bread Selection ($1.50)’, which is a must order. Not only is it fresh and absolutely delicious, but $1 from every serve is donated to Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia. So it’s a win-win situation. In a metal bread tin, there is a selection of freshly made breads from the bakery including Italian grissini, rosemary focaccia, crispy ‘music’ bread and ciabatta. This is served with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. The bread served here is one of my favourites out of all the ones I've tried at restaurants so far.

The ‘Crispy Squid ($12.50)’ is divine. The portion, though small, is enough for two but I wouldn't say more. Fried squid is served with a garlic mayo and a lemon wedge. The squid was crispy and perfectly cooked. A must order.

Pasta is made fresh on site every day so freshness is guaranteed. ‘Prawn Linguine ($16.00 / entree size)’ is an enjoyable pasta dish. A combination of prawns, tomato, chilli, garlic, rocket and fennel are cooked with al dente pasta. A simple dish with uncomplicated flavours, yet  still flavoursome. I liked the addition of garlic and chilli but overall it was quite bland for my palate. I found myself having to add some pepper and salt for that extra kick and probing for the oil at the bottom of the dish.

‘Black Angel Spaghetti ($15.50 / entree size)’ is made with squid ink pasta cooked with scallops, garlic, chilli, anchovies, wine and capers. Miss Booklover’s must order dish every time she is here. The flavours are mild and deceptively tasty. I like the combination of flavours but we both find it a bit on the salty scale in this instance. 

A range of desserts are on offer and all at a very reasonable price. The ‘Chocolate Brownie ($10.00)’ is served warm with amaretto ice-cream and caramelised popcorn. It’s fudgy, rich, and very chocolaty. 

The food here is simple and honest. The prices are reasonable, service is great and meals are adequate. This dinner was definitely much better than the first and I’ll surely be returning soon. The place is buzzy and unpretentious just like the chef.

*Credit to Miss Booklover for her photos

Where?

107 Pitt St

Sydney NSW 2000

Australia

Phone no: 02 8240 9000

Opening Hours

Monday – Sunday

11:30am - Late

Website

http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/australia/home

Se Jong Korean BBQ Buffet - Campise- Sydney, Australia.

Se Jong Korean BBQ Buffet

 

After reading numerous reviews online about Se Jong Korea BBQ Buffet located in Campsie, we decided to give it a try. There were mixed reviews online, a number of good reviews and also a number of bad ones. We weren’t expecting much on our visit there, thinking that if the BBQ was similar to Charcoal Mine BBQ House in Parramatta, we would be happy, as the buffet there was decent back when we had it years ago. Not much of a comparison but it was the last Korean BBQ I went to.

 

 

 It is situated on the street off the main shopping street of Campsie, tucked in between residential blocks.

 

 

 

Upon walking in, we noticed that it was very modern looking, most likely of have had a refurbishment not too long ago. We made a booking a few days ahead to avoid waiting and it turned out to be a full house on that night. We walked up to the counter and were directed to our table immediately. The staff there are friendly, even though their English is limited. 

 

Previously, it was $30 per adult but they seemed to have upped their prices recently, given the busy nature of the place. From Monday to Thursday it is $30 per adult for dinner, while from Friday to Sunday it is $32 per adult. Actually good value if you do eat a lot of meat. Lunch is much cheaper but it appears you don’t get the BBQ option.

 

Plenty of choices are available from pre-cooked to raw foods. They aren’t skimpy on their meats and it is out in its full glory and topped up regularly.
 

 

A few Korean stir-fry dishes are available such as 'Sweet and Sour Chicken' and 'Mayonnaise Prawns'. They even have sushi!

 

 

 

 

There is seafood such as prawns, calamari and mussels. Meat wise there is a whole assortment to choose from such as chicken and its associated bits, beef and beef. Most people seem to head straight for the Wagyu beef or the pork belly. Both equally good but my preference is the crispy pork belly. It's so delicious wrapped up in lettuce leaves with the addition of chilli sauce and garlic. Nom nom.

 

 

 

They also got plenty of side and salad options.
 

 

 

 

The raw foods are cooked using the charcoal grill put on each table. My only complaint was that it was slow at the beginning but the manager seemed to have noticed and upped the temperature.

 

 

 

For dessert, there is Vanilla ice-cream and fruit. They also served a sweet Korean drink which I found the flavours odd as I've never tried it before.

Overall, we loved it there. Not only was there variety, the food was superb and the atmosphere was great. I prefer noisy places over quite places. I would definitely recommend this place for those meat lovers out there. It was well worth the money given the freshness of the food. It is fully licensed and BYO (wine only), which is available at a cost of $4 corkage per bottle.
 

Where?

Shop 1, 8 London St,

Campsie NSW 2194

Australia

 

Phone no. 02 9787 7126

 

Opening Hours

NA

 

Website

NA