Restaurant Atelier (Modern European) - Glebe

It has been almost a year since I was bitten by the degustation bug, and since then, I have enjoyed many a fine meal at some of Sydney's degustation-offering nosheries. One of the first I had was at the modest Restaurant Atelier in Glebe, and it was time for a revisit seeing the first and only meal I've had there was almost twelve months ago and quite memorable, and was in the pre-FoodiePop era.

Restaurant Atelier is rather inconspicuous as it is situated in a quaint but elegant sandstone cottage on busy Glebe Point Road. It can almost be mistaken for being a residence except for the 'Restaurant Atelier' sign on the fence out the front.

The food here is described as Modern European, and the menu is well varied, especially as we see venison on the menu. We perused the menu for a little while but we knew the degustation was the destination. It is one of the least expensive degustations I've encountered, being $85 for seven courses ($140 with matching wines), so it's very good value. The degustation is also tailored to each table at the discretion of the chef, so there's no set menu. It may encompass just the dishes in the a la carte menu or may include dishes on the specials board (although I don't think there is an actual board), so each dish is a mystery until it hits the table, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your propensity for surprises. Of course, we are also asked for any dietary restrictions and allergies so the chef knows there won't be an Epipen-requiring episode in his dining room. When each course is brought out, we are given a thorough description of everything on the plate, which is wonderful and should be mandatory for all degustations.

Salad of Alaskan crab lightly dressed in virgin olive oil and lemon juice, served with piquillo pepper jelly, baby fennel, ocean trout roe, and crispy fried pig's ears

This first course is so beautifully presented: lots of colour and delicate placements of numerous ingredients, with little dabs of roe here, little dibs of small edible flowers there. The piquillo pepper jelly was light, the pop of the roe wonderful (as usual), the crispy pig's ear lovely, and the main component of the Alaskan crab clean and fresh. Everything together was delightful with the contrasting textures, and the flavours were excellent. It was a very good start and we couldn't wait for the next course.

Tartare of New Zealand wagyu beef with truffled brie ice cream and grissini

When the second course arrived, K screwed his face up as he detests tartares, and any sort of rare, uncooked food in general. But boy did he change his mind. Again, this dish had a fabulous presentation and is well thought out. The truffled brie ice cream was really good, and incorporated into the tartare (as we were advised to do to enhance the flavour), it was divine. Sure, it was a little overbalanced onto the sweet side, but it was stellar. The coolness of it was extremely refreshing (and will be even more so when it's not so wintery outside), and again the textures were great, especially with the light crunch of the reed-thin grissini. The wagyu beef was also excellent, and tasted very fresh, not slimy like some tartares I've had recently. This ended up being K's favourite dish of the evening, which was a huge shock to me, and him!

Cholula-spiced twice cooked king quail served with crispy brick pastry cannelloni filled with goat's cheese spiced with confit eschallots and Spanish peppers

The third course was our first meat course, and it was a nice looking quail dish. This was a special, so I'm unsure as to whether it is "Cholula-spiced", but it was good whatever the spice is, as it was delicate and not overpowering. I think quail is quite inelegant to eat as it's hard to tease out the last dregs of flesh away from the tiny bones, and it was the same here. The brick pastry cannelloni was nicely crunchy, with the goat's cheese filling inside soft and pillowy. I don't like goat's cheese much as it can be overpowering, but its tartness seemed to work well in this dish.

Poached John Dory, jerusalem artichoke veloute, celeriac remoulade, olive oil poached potatoes, baby King Swiss brown mushrooms, red elk lettuce, dried fennel pollen.

The fourth course is a little difficult to see because of the red elk lettuce smothering everything except the fish, but it was another elegant dish. The large disc of poached John Dory was perfectly cooked and lightly seasoned to let the flavour of the fish shine, and the accompanying components were complementary. Little cylinders of soft potatoes was good with the dried fennel pollen giving a licorice flavour, and the mushrooms and celeriac gave balance. I'm unsure about the lettuce though, even if more vegetables is always welcome. We also thought it strange that the fish course came after the quail course, but it didn't matter to us.

Roast Grimauld duckling breast served on swede puree, with crispy fried confit duck leg, French trompet mushrooms, bitter orange sauce, and caramelised witlof

The last main course was duck, and I love duck (I almost order it everywhere I see it on the menu). The duck here is cooked and served two ways: one is a breast roasted, and the other a confit of duck leg shredded and rolled then fried. The breast was a sizeable chunk and very juicy, but the thickness of it made it hard to cut with the knives given. Perhaps it should have been served sliced like I've had at other nosheries. The duck leg was very nice and you can tell the labour that went into making it. The vegetables were great accompaniments and the bitter orange sauce was a fine counterbalance to the fried duck leg confit.

Tonka bean creme brulee, poppy custard topped with coconut sorbet and pop rocks

The first dessert course was a good way to start: light and refreshing with a hint of substance. The creme brulee is as good as I've had, having that lovely hard caramel on top that cracked with ease. The custard was light, and together with the coconut sorbet, a good combination. The addition of the pop rocks added that extra playful dimension, fizzing and teasing the mouth and throat right up to the end.

Chocolate and cherry souffle, white chocolate ice cream, and cherry milkshake

The final course is another playful dish, comprised of three components. The souffle was delightfully pillowy and light, although I didn't like the alcohol-soaked cherries sitting on the bottom because it can be very dominant, especially in someone like me who doesn't drink. The white chocolate ice cream was super smooth and surprisingly not cloying, as a lot of white chocolate can be. The cherry milkshake had a lovely top layer of perfectly formed bubbles (see picture below), and a cute chocolate straw to drink the milkshake through (and to consume afterwards); I couldn't really taste any cherry in it though, but it may be because I only sipped a little of it before pouring the rest into the souffle (as suggested by the waiter).

Bubbles ....

After dinner mints

After seven fantastic courses, I was so happy to have reacquainted myself with chef Darren Templeman's fine European offerings. Every dish was likeable and well liked, with some standouts that are truly memorable (the entrees were particularly special). The desserts for us were the weakest parts of the degustation, but only because the previous five savoury courses were of such a high standard. If the desserts were better, then this would be one of my favourite degustations bar none. In fact, as one of the few sub-one-hundred dollar degustations in Sydney, it really is a great night out that's easier on the pocket. With the service also very efficient, friendly, and eager to please, I'm sure we will be back here sooner rather than later. Highly recommended.

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The Battery (Fish and Chips) - Surry Hills

I rather enjoy my fish and chips, as it evokes memories of the gorgeous Australian summer down by the beach. So when I heard the chef from Rose Bay seafood fine diner Catalina was behind this new venture in Surry Hills, I immediately sought out the address, even though it is wet, miserably cold, and nothing at all like summer.

The interestingly named The Battery is on the old Guru site on Bourke Street, in the St. Margarets complex. The restaurant entrance is from the courtyard and the takeaway entrance on Bourke Street, but when we visited, it had only opened for a few weeks and the takeaway section was not yet in operation.

The dining space itself is simple but effective, with lots of whites counterbalanced by splashes of black, such as the menu board and school of fish decals on the wall. The room feels spacious and has the right amount of light, especially for us food photographers.

The menu is uncluttered and features the basics of a good fish and chip joint, with favourites including potato scallops, oysters, salt and pepper squid, and a fish burger. There are also more unusual items not normally encountered such as spice-crusted parsnips, chickpea chips, and battered anchovies. But best of all, there are also healthy salads and not-so-healthy desserts on the menu, although there are only three desserts thus far. There is also a super selection of homemade sauces to accompany the dishes, with everything from the common mayonnaise to the equally common tartare to the not-so-common-in-a-fish-and-chip-eatery nahm jim and rouille.

Being our first visit, we wanted to have something familiar to taste, so we ordered a few favourites with the view of having dessert afterwards.

Fresh cut potato scallops

I love potato scallops, sometimes even more than chips, and I haven't had any since last summer, so this was a must. These discs are smaller than your average scallops, and darker in colour, but they tasted really good: not too greasy, nicely crunchy, and still potato pillowy inside.

Beer battered red onion rings with mayonnaise

Onion rings are also a favourite of mine (what deep-fried item isn't?), so these were also a must. In fact, there were many other "musts" on the menu but two people can only devour so much! The onion rings were really crispy (maybe even overly so) but they were good.

The Battery Burger with chips

This beef burger is the only non-piscatorial main on the menu, so K decided to give it a taste. The beef patty was nicely done, being not too dry and very meaty, and even though it was on the smaller side, it was still sufficiently filling. There wasn't much else on the burger, and although it wasn't the best burger he had tasted, K still gave it a thumbs up.

The Battery fish burger with chips

I had the more traditional fish burger, and the fish was not what I had expected. Instead of a piece of fish grilled or pan-fried, it was a patty just like with the beef burger. It had an unusual taste to it that I could not put my finger on, but I still enjoyed it. I did not enjoy the bun as much though as it was a tad chewy, but the hand-cut chips were really delicious, especially with the homemade tomato sauce.

By the end of the mains we were quite a bit stonkered, so instead of having a dessert each, we decided sharing one was a much better idea.

Fried custard with orange ice cream

When K saw "fried custard", his heart skipped a beat. He didn't know what to expect, and I didn't either. What we got were six slices of buttery soft custard which tasted like french toast, and together with the Jaffa-ish orange ice cream, was a good playful end to our meal.

Overall, The Battery is a very welcome addition to the Surry Hills food scene. With its good quality fresh seafood at affordable prices, its like being at the beach all year round, minus the sand and the pesky flies.

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Pomegranate Thai (Thai) - Balmain

Adriano Zumbo. Now that's a name every foodie (and every MasterChef Australia devotee) knows. Ever since the glabrous one appeared on this season of MasterChef Australia with his torturous challenges (macaron tower and V8 cake anyone?), his business has skyrocketed to the point of absurdity, but alas not the size of his minuscule shop in Balmain.

Last Sunday, along with what seemed like a neverending line of people, K and I lined up for approximately half an hour to purchase his toothsome creations. After not getting carried away, we ended up with four cakes/tarts and two macarons, something we would regret later. Sanity prevailed four days later though, as we find outselves out of AZ goodness and needing more. Fortunately, K had the day off and Sydney decided to bring out its best weather, and so another trip to Balmain beckoned.

The reason we're here in Balmain on this glorious Friday is not solely for more Zumbo-mania, but to have lunch at Pomegranate, an unprepossessing Thai noshery with some dishes not commonly encountered (at least by me) in Sydney. It was also a good rare opportunity to lunch with my mum, who is not very catholic in her tastes but usually enjoys Thai cuisine, albeit just a few dishes. Sigh.

Arriving at 12.45p.m. for our 1p.m. booking, we were met by an empty dining room, which was unusual. Darling Street in Balmain may be predominantly residential, but we had expected at least some diners on a Friday afternoon at lunchtime on such a fine day. Alas, there was nobody except the friendly waiter and the kitchen staff. Still, it was good to have all their attention.

My mum was in a hurry and we weren't overly voracious, so we decided to have a light lunch (with an eye on some Zumbo treats afterwards), and so we ordered three entrees and a main.

Taro Rolls - taro, cashew nuts, and water chestnuts wrapped in tofu skin, and served with plum sauce ($12)

The first entree was the vegetarian dish of taro rolls. Now, I do not like taro at all, but I really enjoyed this version of mashed taro with diced cashews and crunchy water chestnuts. What's more, the mixture was wrapped in tofu skin then deep-fried, and who would say no to that? I thought it tasted sweet enough without the plum sauce too.

Guey Teow Lui San - rice crepe of minced pork, prawn, and mushroom with chilli dressing ($12)

The second entree was on the specials board, and its description piqued my interest. Rice crepe? When it came, we realised it was rice noodles, and they looked a little like the rice noodle rolls at yum cha. We loved the presentation, and there is certainly something about glistening white rice noodle rolls with dashes of green and red on the plate: so clean and fresh looking. They tasted mighty fine too, with the delicious filling wrapped in the thick but silky and slippery rice noodles. These was unanimously our favourite dish, and even though we thought this would be the ideal summer dish, it was still great in the cooler weather.

Balmain Rolls - deep-fried crab meat and minced pork wrapped in tofu skin, served with chilli and garlic sauce ($10.50)

The third entree had the intriguing name of Balmain Rolls, and we wondered about its significance. This is essentially a smaller and carnivorous version of the earlier Taro Rolls, and tasted great also. We liked the presentation of the cucumber slices sitting in the slits cut into the rolls too, very groovy, although we were none the wiser as to the genesis of the dish's name.

Pad Thai - stir-fried rice noodles with egg, chicken, peanuts, and bean sprouts ($18.50)

We ordered a Pad Thai because my mum likes it, and this version was as good as any I've had in Sydney. There was a lot of noodles as well as pieces of chicken, and the peanuts and bean sprouts were plentiful also to create that balance. And like most Pad Thais, it is a little on the sweeter side but we enjoyed it never the less. The most important thing is that my mum liked it.

Kanom Bai Teuy - caramelised coconut and palm sugar crepe with coconut ice cream ($11.50)

We were surprisingly full after just four smallish dishes, but we had enough room for a dessert, which appear to be listed on the specials board only. This particular dessert intrigued us, and when it came, we were ecstatic at the beautiful, well-thought out presentation with the various greens and red of the pomegranate seeds (called arils I've subsequently found out). The crepe was deliciously coconutty, and everything else was a burst of coconut flavour, from the ambrosial ice cream to the shreds to the droplets of cream on the crepe. We loved the textures and everything about this dish, and my mum pointed out that it's a very common item found in Malaysia, where she's from. Lucky Malaysians!

Makes me so hungry .... 

So, Balmain is not all about just Adriano Zumbo's patisserie after all. Even though we didn't get to sample more of the menu, what we did taste we thoroughly enjoyed. Balmain is such a lovely area too (if you discount the difficulty in parking), so it was a pleasant discovery. Next time we think of having great Thai, we may head that little more west than we usually do.

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Olio (Mediterranean) - St. Leonards

Ah, Fridays. The day where I can sit at home, relax, and generally do nothing more than raise a finger or two to press the 'On' button on my television's remote control. This kind of indolence unfortunately carries over into my lunch options too, where my food groups normally include two-minute noodles (Nissin please), a bowl of crisps (Kettles honey baked ham please), and a healthy banana (yellow please). What could be more nutritious than palm oil, flavour enhancers 621, 627, AND 631, food acid 330, and dehydrated green onion? Nothing I tell you, nothing!

Having my usual Friday routine interrupted by the very welcome return of my close friend Jet from his vacation (I prefer holiday but he made me use this gross Americanism), I suggested we have lunch at Olio at St. Leonards. The reason for this gastronomic adventure is that Olio serves kopi luwak, the world's rarest coffee made from the droppings of civets. What are civets you ask? Well, they are mammals that look like a cross between a cat and an otter, if you can imagine that. No? Here you go. Crazy huh?

Since I do not partake in coffee intake, I am only here for the food. However, Jet is a keen coffee imbiber, so the kopi luwak should be right up his caffeine alley.

Olio is located in the Forum right by St. Leonards train station, and is hidden amongst a plethora of take-away food joints that cater to the working crowd. It looks a tad incongruous, but having a neat noshery amongst all the junk food would be a welcome respite.

I was not quite sure what to have from their decent-sized menu, so I decided on an entree and a dessert.

Crispy pork salad, seared scallops, shaved fennel, rocket, and ruby grapefruit ($19)

My beautifully presented salad was full of colour and consisted of a few pieces of scallop, pork, and slices of grapefruit amongst a melange of shaved fennel and rocket leaves. I really enjoyed the scallops, which were seared nicely leaving the meat tender and flavoursome. The knobs of crispy pork were a little overcooked and chewy for my tastes, but I was still glad for the meatiness it added to the dish. The salad was well dressed and the ruby grapefruit added a slight tartness which I thought balanced well with the saltiness of the pork and the sweetness of the plump scallops.

Chocolate fondant with poached pear and brandy anglaise ($12)

I rarely have dessert at lunch, but when I saw the words 'chocolate' and 'fondant', how could I refuse? So I didn't. Unfortunately, when the dessert came, it looked - as the young people would say - like a hot mess. I'm not sure what transpired in the kitchen but it seemed like the sliced pears sitting on top of the fondant had collapsed it. It looked terrible but it's the taste that counts right? The chocolate pudding was great taste-wise: sweet and chocolatey, but the texture was quite poor, most probably because it had crumbled into the brandy anglaise, which looked like custard. The gooey chocolate centre was delicious though, albeit swamped by the pears and the cream. Strangely too, the pears were cold, and it tasted rather odd with the warm chocolate pudding, so I would have enjoyed it more if they too were warm and had a softer texture. If you want to know what this dessert should have looked like, check out the great blog review over at pigged-out.com and scroll towards the end. Much better huh?

Kopi Luwak with petits fours ($9)

Lastly, the mysterious coffee. As I said, I don't drink coffee, but I had to take a photo of it because of the fanfare surrounding its arrival at the table on a black stone slab. There is a shotglass of soda water with lime to firstly cleanse the palate so you can appreciate the coffee flavour more. I had a little sip of the coffee (without the soda water palate cleanser) and it tasted very smooth and a little rich. Jet said he liked it and would order it again, so that's another satisfied coffee connoisseur.

Overall, I liked Olio but it was obviously a little hit and miss, the hit being the crispy pork salad and the miss being the deformed chocolate fondant. Still, I would like to come back one day to try a few other items on the menu, as I think there is definitely potential here this side of the bridge for good Mediterranean fare.

 
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