Pink Salt, Double Bay

Miss Piggy and Dave dined as guests of Pink Salt.

If you are as old as I am and remember watching My Restaurant Rules back in 2005, then you’ll remember the birth of the restaurant, Pink Salt. I think this was one of the first “reality shows” I ever watched and I REALLY loved it (I was also gutted the stopped the show after just two seasons). Whilst I never got to dine at Pink Salt whilst they were (briefly) in Manly I’ve finally made it to Pink Salt nearly 10 years after they first opened!

The restaurant has recently undergone a major refurb. Prior to its sleek, warm interior we’re told that this place gave new definition to the work PINK! A quick Google Search will confirm this, but gone is the pink overload and in its place is a fit out that is chic, comfortable and that feels just a little bit suave French bistro.

Pink salt has recently launched its Spring menu and that’s what we’re here to try. We ask if the chef, Mark Williamsom - formerly from Bondi Hardware, the Botanist and Bayswater Diner – would mind sending out a selection of dishes for us. I think this is:

a) a good strategy for lazy buffoons like us;
b) a great way for the restaurant to showcase the dishes they feel best highlights their menu; and,
c) lets me focus more on the cocktails at hand!

Speaking of cocktails, I’m also a bit lazy in this respect and ask the restaurant manager for his suggestions. I LOVE both of the cocktails he sends out for me. The Pomegranate and Malibu Mojito is fresh and light and crammed with fresh pomegranate muddled with brown sugar, fresh mint, Malibu coconut rum and topped with a super zesty grapefruit soda. Perfect Spring drink if there ever was one.



I also LOVED the Blood Orange Amaretto Sour that is a sweet, yet sour mix of Dissarno, fresh blood orange juice, gomme and fluffy egg white on top. This of course is topped off with a sweet, Maraschino cherry. Oh yeah, Dave had a beer. It was beery…and not a cocktail so let’s not talk about that.

The menu is split into a few different sections. We start off with a few offerings from the “Fare to Share” section.  First up is a delectable Charcuterie Board ($29) that is almost overflowing with delicious sopressa, bresaola and truffle prosciutto.  All of these beautiful meats are served with wholgrain mustard, pickles, charred Brasserie Bread. We told by Pink Salt owner, Evan, that all of the charcuterie comes from Pino’s Dulce Vita in Rockdale which is quite renowned for fine quality meats and charcuterie. Only the best in Double Bay folks, only the best.

Dave was a bit...upset when I asked the chef to send out some dishes for us. He was worried the popcorn chicken would pass us by. Lucky for him the chef had his back and a plate of hot, crisply battered chicken makes its way to our table accompanied by shreds of fresh chilli and a tongue tingling sriracha aioli ($15).

We also try a lovely, fresh salad of grilled haloumi (yum) that sits next to a pile of delicately sliced kale, quinoa, pomegranate and hazelnuts ($17). It seems to blow Dave's mind a little that kale can be used for something other than kale chips (which we both kinda agree really are a poor substitute for a packet of Smiths Crisps).  We both really liked this salad - it felt sooooo healthy - and we even talked about (perhaps) trying to replicate it at home....especially now that pomegranates are in season.

We now move onto the “Larger plates". The blue eye cod has the most lovely, crispy skin yet the fish is still moist and tender. If you're wondering what could possibly make crispy skin better, well the addition of bacon crumbs lifts it to a WHOLE new (tasty) level! The fish is served a top a celeriac mash with a side of fresh, crunchy asparagus ($33).

We were both really hoping the chef would send out the pork belly, and he does! HURRAH!  Our luscious, fatty pork belly has a lovely crisp lid on it and is served with a side of savoy cabbage and grilled pear. The carrot mash really stands out in this dish, both in terms of its vibrant colour but also because of its sweet flavour and creamy texture ($29).




Moving along to the “sweet”section of the menu, we didn't really have room for dessert, but when it's for the blog we need to step up to the challenge, right?  I really loved how light and summery the
buttermilk panacotta, milk crumb, strawberry sorbet ($15) was. Perfect for the hot weather we are having - the flavours are tart, sweet and cooling.



The white chocolate brownie, chocolate ice-cream, raspberry sauce ($15) was probably Dave's favourite of the two desserts we tried. At first glance the brownie looks quite dense, but it is actually very soft and light.

Double Bay really is a lovely suburb and I think it's experiencing a bit of a renaissance after a few tough years where businesses and hotels shut down. The area is now buzzing again and Pink Salt is a great spot to sit, eat, relax and watch the passing parade.

Pink Salt is at 2/53 Cross St, Double Bay.  Phone them on 9328 1664.

Ester, Chippendale

Ester is certainly Sydney’s darling at the moment, especially after winning awards at both the recent Time Out and SMH Good Food Awards. Despite its recent accolades I had no trouble making a booking for a Friday night recently.

Set in an unprepossessing location in the gritty(ish) backstreets of Chippendale the restaurant nestles amongst new apartments, old warehouses, terraces and warehouse conversions and the new Central Park development looms overhead. I really love that a restaurant that is sort of the middle of nowhere (as much as anywhere in the inner city can be “in the middle of nowhere”) is going gangbusters. Proves that if you build something great you don’t need to be on bustling Crown or King Streets for the customers to turn up.

Ester is much more spacious than I was anticipating and despite the concrete walls, the wooden floors and the gale blowing outside the place was lovely and warm. This is no doubt due to the big wood-fired oven they have blazing away in the kitchen. I really like the big arches on the wall - the remind me of the arches of a wood-fired oven. I wonder if that is the intention they were going for?

Whilst we pondered the menu we were given a little bowl of roasted chickpeas with salt, rosemary and (I think) fennel seeds (or something else with an aniseed flavour). I wish I could've lingered over these more as they were all gone by the time my wine arrived.

After a particularly craptastic day I was keen for a glass of wine...or two. I don’t really know much about wine varieties so out waitress was happy to recommend something close to the only wine I know I like (which FYI is a Pinot Gris). I pleased to say my Dario Princic Chardonnay Pinot Grigio Bianco '12 Friuli Italy (wow that’s a mouthful) ($15.00) went down a treat. Ester has a good choice of beers if you’re that way inclined and Dave went for the Mountain Goat Organic Steam Ale from Victoria ($8.50). His beer had a great, fruity scent and flavour and was super easy to drink.

The menu at Ester is a little cryptic. There’s no description, just a few things are listed separated by a forward slash. You can either cross your fingers and hope for the best or ask your waitress for a bit more information. We’re happy to go the first route and are not disappointed at all.

A lot has been written about Ester (by bloggers, avid Urbanspooners and “proper” journalists alike) and many people sing the praises of the Roasted Oysters ($4 each). I’m an oyster lover from way back and couldn’t pass these by. The oysters are served slightly warm (sounds gross, but trust me it’s EPICALLY good) after a brief stint in Ester’s famous wood –fired oven and dressed with a horseradish mignonette. If you’re an oyster lover too then these are a must order.

I think the Lobster Sausage Sanga ($9 each) is a new item on the menu. The “snag” is lovely and tender with a wonderful hit of lobster within. I was particularly enamored with the bread which was thick, moist and crumbly, almost like cake in texture. Excellent.

We were ordering quite a lot (whoops) so just ordered one Smoked Pork Croquette ($5 each) between us to try. The smoky flavour from the oven was really evident in our croquette and I think the lemon was a good way to really lift the flavour to something a bit special.

I’m not sure that I’ve ever actually ordered bone marrow before but I know a few people who are devotees so I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. Ester’s Bone Marrow and XO sauce ($17) is served with some deliciously smoky (yes, everything is smoky) wood-fired bread which matches SO well with the unctuous, fatty, buttery marrow. Yum.

The cauliflower / almond / mint ($8 for a ½ serve) is another now-famous Ester dish. We’re told the cauliflower is quite a big dish but they are happy to offer a half serve if you’re wanting it as a side to your main...which is what we do. I really love when restaurants are happy to bend a little with their menu to allow their customers a bit more flexibility in ordering. The twice-cooked cauli is served with on top an almond purée and topped with almonds and fresh mint. It really is VERY delicious.

The Honey Glazed Duck ($38.00) is a special for the night and we HAD to order it as Dave finds it nearly impossible to pass up duck on a menu. He was pretty happy let me tell you! The Asian-inspired duck had a super crisp skin, a sweet honey glazed and a subtle Aniseed flavour (Star Anise)?

During dinner I confess that salad is one of my favourite things to eat, a confession brought on no doubt by the salad we ordered. The salad of cos / walnut / white anchovies ($9) is a good counterbalance to the rich, fatty duck and the white anchovy dressing was a thing of beauty. Whilst I declare that I LOVE salad I think what I really love is a good good dressing...something that for me is hard to replicate at home.

I like that the Salted Caramel Semi-Freddo ($4) is just a little dessert. Sometimes you want something sweet after dinner but cannot face a whole dessert. This of course is not that time for us as we also order the whoppingly large Citrus Curd Meringue Pie ($15). The pie comes not served by the slice, but packed into a rather hefty bowl. I have flashbacks of the Magic Pudding as soon as it’s placed before us. Once we dig down beneath the soft, fluffy meringue the citrus curd is *just* on the right side of being eye-squintingly tart, with just a hint of sweetness. The whole lot sits on a dark, crumbly cake-like base. Absolutely LOVED this!

I paired my desserts (well, technically “our” desserts) with an interesting glass of Japanese dessert wine. I’ve never had Japanese dessert wine before, or even heard of it, so it was fun to try something new. Loved the apricot flavour and slightly sour afternote. Much less sweet than other dessert ones I’ve had.

I really enjoyed my dinner at Ester. The food was excellent, hearty, rustic and flavoursome though I have to admit nothing blew my socks right off my feet. I'm keen to go back and try a few of the other things on the menu though as there is SO much more to try (like the prawns please). Soon I hope. If we can get a booking.

Ester Restaurant and Bar is at 46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale. Phone them on 8068 8279.

 

Armory Wharf Cafe, Newington

Keeping with the theme of exploring all things local at the moment, we make a visit to the Armory Wharf Café at Newington with Dave’s family. We’re there to celebrate his brother’s birthday with a spot of Segwaying around the Armory, followed by lunch at the café.

For the record, Segwaying is AWESOME fun. If these things ever become street legal in NSW (they are not at the moment so anyone you see not on private property is breaking the law) I’m giving up walking and replacing my legs with a Segway...

Now, onto the food. After seeing everyone else’s meals I think I could’ve been more adventurous with my ordering. I NEED to stop order things based solely on whether or not they come with chips or not. Nevertheless my grilled scotch fillet ciabatta roll (toasted), with caramelised onion, gruyere cheese, Smoky BBQ sauce, roquette slaw ($18.50) hit the spot. As did the chunky chips.

My father-in-law wanted something light and ordered the Beetroot Cured Atlantic Salmon on a nicoise salad of potato, green beans, onion, capers. and olives ($22.00). This was topped with a poached egg.

The crispy battered flathead fillets with chunky chips with a side of lemon, caper and garlic sauce ($20.00) was a pretty popular choice at the table. The fish pieces were HUGE, totally eclipsing the decently sized serve of chips. The batter was as crispy and cracking and is looks. The inclusion of a token salad ensures you don't feel like a total fat blob eating this. Food envy.

The salt and pepper squid with orange and fennel salad and served with aioli ($21.00) was another popular choice. The red onion rings were pretty tasty (I may have stolen one...or two).

Dave was carb-loading post our Segwaying adventure and ordered the Trio of Dawgs ($22.00). Each of the the three soft brioche buns showcased a different type of "dog".  We have the traditional American Frankfurt, mustard and onion; a Bratwurst and Sauerkraut; and for the French want-to-be in all of us a Toulouse sausage w/ five-spice marmalade, and goats cheese. In case you're still peckish after all of this rest assured this dish comes with a serve of chunky chips.

More food envy with this dish...in fact this is the dish I really REALLY wished I'd ordered.  Here we have VERY large ravioli filled with pumpkin, potato and pine nuts finished in the pan with a sage and beurre noisette and pine nut sauce ($22.00). Served with a side radicchio salad...as you do. I stared longingly at this dish for the ENTIRE meal and my niece finally! offered me a taste. Excellent.

Overall we had a pretty nice lunch at  The Armory Wharf Cafe.  We were a big group and I think we were well looked after given how busy and chaotic this place was on the day we visited. I'd be keen to visit again on a much more sunny (and warmer) day.

The Armory Wharf Cafe can be found in the Blaxland Riverside Park, Jamieson Street, Newington. Phone them on 9714 7513.

Gowings Bar + Grill. CBD

Miss Piggy and The BFF received a $150 dining credit from Gowings Bar + Grill. Everything spent over this was kindly paid for by The BFF…he knows how to treat a lady (who spends all her food money on fabric these days)!

It’s really lovely to see the transformation of 49 Market Street from its former incarnation as Gowings, the department store, to the newly (ish) opened Gowings Bar + Grill and QT Hotel.

As soon as your enter the building and head up to the first floor to Gowings Bar + Grill you can sense this space is something special. A respectful refit of the old store has led to an old-style New York diner meets modern, hip space complete with trendy black-clad wait stuff wearing anything but your traditional waiter garb . It feels fancy, and special yet not stuffy or intimidating.

A large open kitchen runs along the side of the restaurant with chefs bedecked in white peak-hats. For such a large kitchen that houses A LOT of staff it’s amazing how quiet it is. There is no shouting, no clanging of plans…nothing. Just the quiet efficiency of a well-run kitchen turning out delicious food.

The menu seems to have a slight French influence and we start off with six snails roasted in puff pastry shells in garlic, lemon and mint butter ($23 .00). I loved the snails we had in France last year so was very keen to try them again in Australia. Our sauce wasn’t quite as garlicky as other snails I’ve tried (probably a good thing) and our snails were very good, being *just* on the right side of too chewy. The puff pastry shell takes the place of the traditional baguettes slices that you get in France to sop up any butter sauce – which is possible better for the waistline (bread vs puff pastry, hmmm --- I’m not so sure now that I think about it). 

Our second entrée was the steak tartare of pasture-fed Ox/Beef ( $29.00). The tatare is mixed with pickled black shimeji mushrooms, a free-range egg, and other classic condiments and is accompanied by a generous serving of shoestring fries.  I’m never sure how to eat steak tartare with shoe string fries? Whilst the fries were super scrummy, I think I would’ve liked some crackers (or something) to scoop the tartare on to. Fries, or no fries, our steak tartare was EXCELLENT, so flavoursome and totally moreish. The steak was lusciously tender and the mushrooms added a nice textural element. I love how the condiments add a nice bit of “zing” to the dish.

Now, it’s probably work pointing out that the serves at Gowings Bar + Grill are REALLY generous…like REALLY REALLY generous! We could have easily gotten away with one entrée (or maybe two), one main between us and just one dessert. Whilst I would consider this a “not-cheap” restaurant you really are getting value for money, especially considering you don’t really need your own entrée, main and dessert! It’s probably a great place to go if you want to experience a more fancy dining experience, but minimize the cost by sharing some courses with your dining companion.

So with that disclaimer above I was clearly entering food coma territory as I TOTALLY forgot to take a picture of our first main!  We opted for the delicious tender, ½ serve of organic herbed chicken that is served with a lush, creamy Paris mash, steamed black cabbage and salt bush ($33.00). This was a lovely main and would easily serve two greedy people (like us)! In fact it comes already plated up individually. The Paris Mash was so fine and creamy…really good! Like I said, there's no photo of this dish...but here's a picture of the kitchen where it was cooked!

Despite feeling rather (very) full at this stage we do a fine job of polishing off the thick-cut free-range Berkshire Pork Chop. The chop is served on a platter with green lentils, carrots, pearl onions, beer-battered sage and Marchetti's rosemary brown sauce ($39.00). I really liked trying the beer-battered sage, it’s an usual element that I’ve not seen on a menu before.

To accompany our mains The BFF ordered a bowl of fried onion rings ($7 .00). The slices of red onion are coated in a crunchy batter – really good.

I think one of my favourite things of the night was this lovely salad of iceberg, red peppers and Ortiz anchovies doused with a seeded mustard dressing ($14.00). This salad was so fresh, and whilst many consider iceberg to be tad…dull, I think that the dressing, the anchovies and the peppers really gave what would otherwise be a bowl of lettuce a real kick. So delicious, so zesty and I so wish the bowl was twice the size!!

I could easily have forgone dessert but desserts are The BFFs happy place so I couldn’t deny him. We kick off with a double baked dark chocolate crème brûlée topped with last season’s sweet marinated cherries ($16 .00). Boy this was GOOD! The dark chocolate wasn’t too rich, and the sourness of the cherries really elevated the chocolate flavor up to something special.

We probably should’ve stopped at one dessert but seeing plates and plates and plates of the Hot Beignets come out of the kitchen was too much to bare. We asked for a half serve of these French market doughnuts that come heavily dusted in icing sugar ($16.00). Our waitress suggested that we get a little pot of hot chocolate sauce to poor over the doughnuts – and all good waitresses should be obeyed!

Gowings Bar + Grill is at Level 1, 1/49 Market Street, Sydney. Phone them on 8262 0062.