Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Pastizzi Cafe Newtown and Urban Food Market Marrickville

On Christmas Eve Eve Eve I was heading over to Marrickville to collect our free range Christmas Ham from ethical meat wholesaler, Urban Food Market.



I think Urban Food Market are a GREAT business, offering us an option beyond the factory farmed meat that we seemed trapped into buying at so many supermarkets and other meat retailers. Did you know that in Australia the majority of our meat is raised in cages (poultry or pork) or in concrete floored feed lots (grain-fed sheep and cattle) - because it's "cheap" despite being inhumane.  And let's not even get into the whole caged egg business - just thinking about it makes me want to cry.   Free-range meat and eggs may cost more, but at least we know we are eating meat that has lead a happy free-range life as nature intended, and has not been cooped up in tiny cages or in sheds with horrible concrete floors.  We paid $70 for a boned half-leg of Ham and to me it was worth every penny and tasted better than anything we've ever eaten from a supermarket. Just a little "food for thought" and something I hope we can all start thinking about a little more when deciding what to eat.

Rant over...

Anyway, as I was kind of in Neicy-Poo's neighbourhood, we decided we'd catch up for a quick lunch.

I'd ear-marked Petty Cash Cafe near Enmore Park to try, but alas they were already closed for the holidays. We then headed for our second choice, Belljar, in Newtown. Alas they had literally just served their last coffee for the day and were shutting up shop for the holidays. Man, can't a gal get a break here.


In the end we decided to head up to King Street and seek sustenance at Pastizzi, a little cafe serving Maltese food. Pastizzi has been a mainstay Newtown restaurant for longer than I care to remember and I was hoping like crazy that they would be open as I was getting more than a little...starving.


Lady luck was shining on us as not only were they open but they had row upon row of delicious looking Pastizzi for us to devour.  But first we start with a refreshing drink.


Pastizzi, a popular Maltese dish, are a little diamond shaped pastry (either filo or puff pastry) filled with either a savoury filling, like Ricotta, or something sweet like cherry. And boy, are they gooooood!!!


We decide to stick with the savoury and I limit myself to just three seeing as they are not exactly a health food with all that flaky pastry.  After drooling at the counter for about 5 minutes I ended up choosing Spinach and Ricotta, Pea, and Salmon Dill and Ricotta.  My favourite would have to be the subtle flavour of the Spinach and Ricotta - a classic combination in my books.


I was really hoping Niecy-Poo would suggest a few sweet Pastizzi to finish the meal, but we end up with a salad. A pretty nice Caprese Salad though, so I'm not too unhappy.  The salad is a fresh and simple mix of fresh basil, tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella - so simple that even I could make this one at home.


I have a confession to make though. After lunch I went to collect the ham and the wholesaler just happens to be right across the road from Bourke Street Bakery. I think it would be remiss of me to be so close and not indulge in a little something sweet...for the road.


Pastizzi Cafe can be found down the south end of King Street (the "nice end" as I like to think of it) at 523 King Street, Newtown.

Pastizzi Cafe on Urbanspoon

Urban Food Market is at Unit 1, 68 Victoria Road, Marrickville.  They are a wholesaler, but are open to the public on Saturdays between 9am - 1pm - at which time they also have various product tastings on offer.  If Saturday's don't work for you then call them up and arrange another time to collect your product, like I did.  And they are across the road from Bourke Street Bakery - what more incentive do you need to visit?

Urban Food Market on Urbanspoon

17 comments:

  1. Did you get your Humane Choice ham from Urban Food Market?

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  2. Yes, that's where we bought our ham from - free range from Urban Food Market.

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  3. How good does that pastry look? And a trip to BSB...happy days :)

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  4. Funny, my housemate used to think of the South end (my former end) of King St as the dodgy end. Pastizzi is great, they had an issue with the staff (apparently one of the directors took over and placed his people in the shop, we had a super bad service experience then) but now the good guys are back. I haven't checked Urban Food Markets but always buy grass-fed/free-range critters. The prices are a bit higher than where I get my meat from but it's close to home, I may pay them a visit.

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  5. I got a gorgeous, fresh free range goose from Urban Food Market. They have great produce I agree! And be still my heart-look at all of those pastry layers!

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  6. Ah, good ol' reliable pastizzi. I normally have pastizzi and then one of their giant pasta dishes. And then a sweet... :S

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  7. Fantastic, i want some paatizzi!!! our butcher in toongabbie sells free range hams too, our was amazing!!!!

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  8. Oh I've been dying to eat these pastizzi's! Good restraint in ordering three - I would be standing there for ages trying to decide haha.

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  9. i love pastizzis! and love the ricotta and spinach too! that tart from bourke street looks good too..

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  10. Hey Muppy - thanks for the tip re your butcher at Toongabbie...bit closer to home for us both.

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  11. This looks all so good, I would also like to go to this Urban Food Market.

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  12. Pastizzi Cafe is one of my fave places in all of Sydney. The pastizzi are amazing and so are the home made pastas there and HUGE servings. I want to go there NOW!!!!

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  13. I'm trying to only eat free range meat too. It's tough when I'm busy on a Saturday morning and can't get to a farmers market. I'm eating more vegetarian meals and being inventive with cheaper cuts (due to the price of free range meat), but overall I'm happy I've made the switch.

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  14. I love Pastizzis! Being Maltese i eat these all the time and are a party fav!I make my own but nowhere as flaky as the store ones! I need to go to this place!

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  15. Pastizzi cafe!! More people should know about this place - it's so incredible. Your photos have just made me so, so hungry.

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