Guerrilla Eats Progressive Dinner, Darlinghurst

Miss Piggy and friend dined as guests of Guerrilla Eats. Terrible photos are all my own work as per usual. 

Sydney based company Guerrilla Eats is bringing a fun, new dining concept to those of us who are keen for a bit of adventure, and a brisk stroll, whilst enjoying a meal out. For those of you old enough to have memories of progressive dinner parties from the 70s and 80s rest assured you don’t need to bring your own plate along to the neighbour’s house in order to take part in this revamped version of the progressive dinner.

A few days before our scheduled Guerrilla Eats experience we receive a “treasure map” via email directing us to where our dinner kicks off, along with our other stops for the night. My friend and I both thought this was great fun and it really got us into the mood for a fun night out.

First stop is Hinky Dinks (185 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst) – a groovy small in Darlinghurst that has a bit of a cool 1950s “cocktail bar” vibe going on. I couldn’t think of a better place to relax on a Friday night and enjoy cocktail hour. Included in our Guerrilla Eats package is a cocktail each and a choice of one item each from the food menu.

Speaking of cocktails – we both decide to order the special cocktail of the night, the classic margarita. We’re giving a little basket of popcorn and also a bowl of beetroot chips to help the margarita along.

In order to maximise chatting and drinking time we ask our waiter to select the food for us…which is always a great idea in my mind as who knows the stellar menu items better than those people who work at the place? He doesn’t disappoint us, sending out a plate of lusciously fluffy, and tasty Jalapeño croquettes (4 per serve) and a box of moreish popcorn chicken with BBQ sauce.

Before we know it our time as Hinky Dinks is up and we’re off searching for the next place. I actually had no idea where Jekyll and Hyde (332 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst) was having not heard of it before so it was fun actually having to “search” for the venue.

Turns out Jekyll and Hyde occupies the spot where Café Fellini used to be – which is where Dave and I had our very first date a billionty years ago. It was lovely to see how the place had transformed into a warm, inviting space with a bit of a Brit meets Paris vibe going on.

More cocktails are on offer and my buddy and I decide on two different cocktails that take our fancy with the view to sharing them…sharing is caring after all. My favourite of the two was the Jekyll’s Elderflower Sour (Hendricks Gin with St Germain Elderflower Liqueur with fresh lemon juice, hopped grapefruit bitters and and rose – served on the rocks). Luckily my friend prefers the French Mojito which was just a *bit* too potent for me (Havana blanco, Peach Liqueur, Chambord, lime and mint shaken with sugar syrup, finished with a splash of Sparkling Wine for something different).

Our “dinner” portion of the evening kicks off with a few smaller plates including a battered and fried haloumi with a lemon honey syrup (yum), crispy fried zucchini flowers with roasted pumpkin and thyme stuffing with an aioli dressing and finally a deconstructed warm beetroot and goats cheese tart with candied walnuts and a beetroot dressing.

For our “large plates” I was really keen to try the slow cooked beef rillette served with a beetroot relish and chimmichurri sauce - served with crispbread of course – as it’s totally different to the French style rillettes we enjoyed in Paris last year (think duck, goose and pork). It wasn't as unctuous or fatty as the French-style rillette, and was still quite rich in flavour so the relish and sauce was welcomed. The rillette was accompanied by a sweet potato rotolo that I was really too full to enjoy properly. My stomach let me down!

By this stage I was feeling pretty (very) full so I was glad to get up and stroll to our final destination, The Darlo Bar, for a nightcap. Here we get to enjoy a tap beer or a house wine and watch all the cool Darlinghurst people having fun in this retro style pub.

This was a GREAT night out and with so many different Guerrilla Eats options on offer there really is something to suit everyone. I love the idea of making the experience of dining out a real adventure – and as a person keen to try ALL the restaurants Sydney has to offer what could be better than getting to try three places all in one night? Nothing!

You can visit the Guerrilla Eats website here, or phone them on 8078 4776 or email on  eats@guerrillaeats.com.au.

Mr Moustache, Bondi

Miss Piggy and The Boy dined as guests of Mr Moustache and Wasamedia.

I'm so happy to have been invited to try Bondi's Mr Moustache - a modern Mexican restaurant that brings the street food flavours of Mexico right to our door here in Sydney.  I've not been to Mexico (yet) but it's immediately obvious that the food at Mr Moustache is not the Tex Mex we're so used to being served here. Hooray *Mexican Wave*.

We sit at the bar, always the best spot in my opinion, and our bartender keeps us entertained throughout our lunch. He gives us a rundown on how Mezcal – the spirit of choice at Mr Moustache – is made and explains the different between this tipple and the ever-famous Tequila (it’s all in the Agave plants used people).

We’re poured a little shot of Mezcal to drink out of a traditional vessel – that looks like a bit seed pod, or half a tennis ball sans fuzzy bits. The Mezcal has a woody, smoky flavour and has quite a warming sensation as you drink it. It’s not overly strong so is quite easy just to drink on its own.

Although why drink Mezcal straight up when there’s cocktails on offer. I get to try two Mezcal-based cocktails over the course of our lunch and they are both GREAT yet totally different to each other.

The first cocktail I try is the "Little Fatso's Fizz" that's a mix of Creme de Pamplemousse (that's grapefruit in French ooh la la), orange bitters, fresh pink grapefruit, fresh lime sugar, egg whites and soda. The drink gets its name as Pamplemousse is often French slang for "Fatty"...phew, noone's calling me fat!

My second drink has such an ethereal title that I choose it based on name alone.  "The Cloud People" is named after the first Indian group to rise to prominence in the Valley of Oaxaca (who are believed to have descended from the clouds). Whilst the first cocktail was quite "light, with a milder taste" The Cloud People really packs a punch thanks to the Nuestra Soleda that is infused with Chilli Ancho.

We're also handed a traditional Mexican bar snack to try - dried mango dusted in chilli salt (they'd run out of grasshoppers which is often what sitting at the bar will get you). The chilli isn't too hot and I love how the salt and sweet mango pair together. 

The Boy sticks to his beverage of choice, beer, though I do try to convince him that “real men do drink cocktails”. No dice. We’re both paritculary impressed by the the “Taco Beer” that has been special designed by two woman who travelled through Mexico and devised a beer that is perfect to drink with Tacos.

One of the joys of sitting at the bar is getting to chat with the bar-tender who offers us some orange wedges that come dusted in Mezcal worm salt.  Yes, that's right WORM salt. The crushed, dried worm has a very smoky, and someone hot flavour - a bit like chilli. It's very good and totally unexpected!

Before our food arrives a trio of house-made salsa arrive at our table. We’re encouraged to add these to our dishes to help enhance the falvours of the food. First up is a Macha – a smoky mix of roasted peanuts and morita chilli. Secondly we have a Serrano – a mild salsa of coriander, lime juice, Serrano chilli, onion and gGarlic. And last but not least, a hot little Habanero.

The minute I taste the ESQUITES I know that Sydney finally has it’s answer to my beloved Mamasita (in fact this place is better but don’t tell anyone as I still want to be able to get a table here whenever I want). A little shot glass is filled with warm corn-off-the-cob that is topped with creamy mayo, soft, melting Fresco cheese and Piquín chilli powder. Far out THIS IS GOOD STUFF!

GUACAMOLE ($13.00) served with house made corn chips alongside freshly made beetroot chips and sweet potato chips. The Guac is fresh and zingy with lots of zesty lemon juice, salt, pepper, pico de gallo. We’re told there are a few secret Mr Moustache ingredients but I think they’d have to kill us if they told us what the secret ingredient is! It’s great to see a twist on the regular side of corn chips with beetroot AND sweet potato chips also jostling for space on the place.

When our next dish comes with a pair of gloves I begin to wonder what is to befall us! We’re told that the TORTITA AHOGADA – a braised Pork Mini Sandwich bathed with Árbol Chilli Sauce – is what Mexicans love to eat after a big night out before heading home to sleep it off. The sandwich is a messy affair, hence the gloves, and it’s filled to overflowing with beans, braised shoulder pork and pork belly that is doused in a HOT HOT HOT Árbol sauce, spicy pickled onion and avocado. It’s spicy but it’s a heat that creeps up on you slowly, stays for a few minutes and then disappears. I’ve got to say this is better than any midnight kebab or Macca’s run I’ve ever had after a night out.

The PESCADO BAJA - beer-battered Fish taco – is one of the most popular tacos at Mr Moustache and I can see why! Crispy fish is topped with zesty cabbage that is pickled in cumin and vinegar. The whole lot is doused in some creamy chipotle Mayo that has just the right amount of smoky heat to it.

We also try the PORTOBELLO mushroom taco which the chef tells us is one of his favourites, especially when topped with the Macha Sauce (a nutty mix of peanuts and chilli). Of course Mushrooms go well with cheese and we delighted to taste a mix of mozzarella and Fresco cheese.

Where there are tacos there’s a good chance you’ll also find TOSTADITAS – round tortilla chips piled high with yummy Mexican toppings.

Our fist Tostadita is the ATUN - fresh Marinated Albacore Tuna – topped with sashimi-grade abacore tuna, cucumber, avocado and MORE secret ingredients. I wonder what these mysterious secret ingredients are? Perhaps Colonel Sanders knows? The tuna is marinated in a mix of soy, orange juice, and garlic and is finished with onion. Really, really good! Such fresh flavours and the marinade really does justice to the fresh, meaty tuna.

Our next Tostadita is the PATO - refried Beans and Spicy Duck with red Onion and Sour Cream. The duck is marinated and cooked in a Mr Moustache Tinga sauce (chipotle-tomato sauce). To me this gives the duck quite a sweet and also smoky flavour. Again, brilliant!

Have you left room for dessert? Yes? Excellent!

First up we have the Plátanos Machos - caramelised banana with coffee liquor and cajeta (milk caramel), served with vanilla ice cream (from Gelato Mesina just up the road – WIINING). Mounds of sweet caramelised bananas are severed in a luscious pool of sweet agave syrup that is then set ablaze with liquor. Yep, it’s as good as it sounds!

And to finish up an amazingly wonderful lunch we have the Brownie Picosito De Chocolate - Chilli Choc Brownie served with Vanilla Ice Cream. The brownie is served warm in a pool of chocolate sauce and is sprinkled with salted candied peanuts.

After our meal...and cocktails are done with...we get a taste of Mexican youth culture. Hilarous! The barman brings out the "shock box" which apparently all the young-uns in Mexico do once they've have a few drinks. Just press that button, all holds hands and we'll shoot some electricity through you. First one to let go shouts drinks for EVERYONE. OLE!

Time for us oldies to head home. Crazy fun.

Mr Moustache is at 69-71 Hall Street, Bondi Beach (they are just off the main street, down the arcade). Phone them on 9300 8892.

Tio's + Wild Rover small bars, Surry Hills

I LOVE the advent of the Sydney small bar scene. This is kind of an odd thing for me to say seeing as I don’t really drink and I have only been to about three of Sydney’s small bars. Actually, it’s more likely I’ve only been to two, not three – but whatever the number I do love them. I love them as they are not big, over-crowded, noisy pubs. I like the intimate feel of a small bar and how they all seem to specialise in something – rum, whiskey, tequila...hangovers.

On a recent(ish) girls night out I was lucky enough to try two of Surry Hills small bars – taking my grand total of small bar visits in Sydney to a whooping FOUR!

First stop was Tio’s which is located on Foster Street – just up from Bar H. Tio’s specializes in tequila although there are other drinks on offer...like beer.

There's not much on offer in terms of food, but they do serve bags of popcorn (free with your drink order) and at 6pm we noticed a limited food menu being handed out. But, pretty much it’s just tequila, so line your stomach beforehand. The popcorn is pretty moreish though...sprinkled with paprika it's savoury and spicy (but not too spicy).

I can't quite remember which two cocktails I ordered - but they were from the cheap (aka $10.00) side of the menu. I think I probably had the Paloma as it has grapefruit in it and I LOVE grapefruit. Sticking with the theme of drinks I love it makes sense then that my second drink was the El Diablo as it has Ginger Beer in it.

I’m not sure what’s with all the bras behind the bar. The barman assures us they are real, functioning bras handed over by their lady customers. I don’t know – bras are SO damn expensive, there’s nothing (not even a stomach full of tequila) that would get me to hand over my bra without receiving a fistful of cash so I could go buy a replacement bra.

 

Our next stop is The Wild Rover. If I hadn’t seen someone opening the nondescript door to this bar as I walked past a few weeks prior I would have no idea that a cool, small bar lurked behind the walls of what honestly looks like an old butchers shop. There is literally nothing identifying this as a bar – I love the clandestine, hidden feeling of this place – even though it sits on a busy road in Surry Hills.

They specialize in whiskey here at Wild Rover and the feel of the place is decidedly “Irish pub meets the New York Irishman circa 1940” (or something like that). There's of dark wooden furniture, exposed brick walls, pewter mugs for beers and a large central wooden bar dominating the downstairs room. I particularly love the old railway station signboard that serves as a drinks menu...

The staff here are really friendly and don’t bat an eyelid when all I order is a Cranberry Juice (I’m all boozed out from the tequila bar earlier). There’s a few food options on offer and the girls I’m with decide to order a (very delicious) vegetarian sausage roll to tide us over until we hit our dinner spot later on.

Do you prefer a small bar over a pub dear reader, and if so what's your favourite Sydney small bar?

Tio's is at 4-14 Foster Street, Surry Hills.  



The Wild Rover is at 75 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.