Bars
Kampai Yebisu Izakaya | Regent Place
Izakaya dining is one of the most fun experiences you can have at Yebisu Izakaya inside Regent Place on George Street Sydney as their menu serves a wide range of pub food that is based wholly on Japanese cuisine. Dishes are more for snacking while drinking but there’s no issue with ordering a bit of everything that can easily turn into a feast. Make sure when your drinks arrive even if it’s water, hold them up like brave samurai warrior after a fierce battle and shout “KAMPAI!” at the top of your lungs. (Kampai in Japanese means cheers)
Mini Spread of Yebisu Izakaya Menu
Lines are CRAZY at Yebisu Izakaya even on a week night.
We were greeted by a lovely Japanese waitress and she explained the menu as well how to use the touch screen to order. One highlight about technology is once you have finalised your dishes and beverages, you can go to the section where it indicates “total bill” and it will show you the total amount you spent. It’s a friendly way to keep track of your wallet so you don’t leave crying…haha.
Touch Screen Menus have landed at Yebisu Izakaya.
Hard Copy Menu just in case we ain’t IT savvy.
The takoyaki curry cheese fondue ($10.80) can melt any ones heart even on Valentine’s Day. It was quite a thick creamy mixture with cheese and seafood pieces served with takoyaki balls that were flawlessly golden brown all around. The bite-size takoyaki balls married so well with the fondue. There was definitely a bold curry flavour and a touch of sweetness from the cheese. Cheese is the spice of life as one would say.
Takoyaki Curry Cheese Fondue ($10.80)
I gave a lot of attention to the grilled cheese seafood gyoza ($12.80) as it similarly tasted like a pizza with a slab of tomato paste in the center that was buried by melted cheeeeeessssssse. Best part of this dish was pulling apart the filling with chunks of prawn and the CHEESE BABY THE CHEESE SAUCE.
Grilled Cheese Seafood Gyoza ($12.80)
Look at the cheeesssseee melt….THINK ABOUT THE CHEEEESE!
Complimentary wet towel when you get in a cheesy situation.
There was a whole variety of alcoholic beverages but we picked the fruity drink that was the fresh peach calpico chuhai ($9.80). It’s an easy sweet way to start the party as the fresh mashed pieces of peach swirled around the entire cup and the chuhai was strong and diluted well with the un-carbonated calpico.
Peach Calpico Chuhai ($9.80)
We opt for one of the simplest and tastiest dish salomon chazuke ($9.30) that consisted of nothing more than a grilled salmon piece and green tea with some herbs and to garnish fresh straws of spring onions.
Salomon Chazuke ($9.30)
My tongue was so spellbound by the teas flavour blending with the salmon base making it a light broth. Now the real hidden treasure was the Japanese rice because it had soaked up all that broth and fish flavours.
Spotted a salmon piece in our Salomon Chazuke.
The Japanese wagyu beef skewer ($7) didn’t need to be heavily tossed and turned with salt as its natural flavour, obviously coming from the fat was incredibly rich to showcase on its own. The beef was exquisitely marble for peak juicy flavour and grilled to perfection that turned out to be an A+ for us.
Unfortunately I wasn’t into the chicken breast ($4.50) as it didn’t captivate my tastebuds due to the lack of flavours, however the ume sauce gave it a sting which was slightly zesty but sadly didn’t match my jam.
The chicken meat ball ($6) that was almost the size of a corn dog comprises a mixture of flavours and textures. When I popped the wobbly poached egg it was like watching a horror film. It oozed out slowly and my face would look traumatised when the chicken meat ball was dunked into it. There was a happy outcome to it as it tasted garlicky, slightly salty but covered with egg yolk added that delightful sweet palate.
Left to Right: Wagyu Beef Skewer ($7), Chicken Breast ($4.50) & Chicken Meat Ball with Poached Egg ($6)
Very popular at Yebisu Izakaya!
Apparently every hour there’s a sake trolley that comes around just to remind you how you should party like if you were in Japan.
We don’t usually have sake but tasting a shot of Nanbu Bijin Sake sure introduced us to a whole new world of flavours. There was a clean fragrance and flavour that reminiscent to green pears that easily made us want another shot. As for the Uonuma Sake this is best well known for their style to be dry but light texture with a crisp clean of savory taste.
Nanbu Bijin Sake & Uonuma Sake
There was a lot of heart and soul in the Tom Yum Goong Roll ($9.80- 4P) as it looked garden-fresh with tempera prawns rolled in a swimming pool of fish roe and decorated with all sorts of greens including lettuce and coriander with large dollops of Tom Yum sauce. Definitely the most unique flavour roll I’ve come across but I would much prefer my tastebuds to try something more traditional in this case. Overall great efforts if you like all things chilli.
Tom Yum Goong Roll ($9.80- 4P)
Our final main had arrive and we were already up in the air like we just don’t care after a few sake shots, but the show much go on and for today’s sushi plate ($19.80) was a pleasant way to finish. This to share plate included four pieces of salmon and avocado roll, salmon nigiri, tamago nigiri, scallop nigiri, tuna nigiri and yellow tail nigiri. It was an easy way to finish as all the nigiris flavours naturally came from the fish itself and yes it was mighty fresh.
Today’s Sushi Plate ($19.80)
That spread of wine and sake. Need a wall like that at home 😀
If you’d like to watch what’s happening in the Yebisu Izakya kitchen then sitting at the sushi bar area would be the best seat in the house for that experience.
Yebisu Izakya is a great place to chill for small to large gatherings or even after work humans. If you’re not in the mood for alcoholic drinks and prefer eating then this would be the spot as there menu is so extensive, you’d want to order it all as it is catered to share. Price wise is fairly okay however we’d suggest to go with at least four people if you’d like to try a bit of everything but overall fantastic hang out as the decors and atmosphere feels like you’re in Japan.
Photos by Vanny Tang
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater plus guest attended Yebisu Izakaya thanks to SD Marketing Global and Washoku Lovers.
Opinions are however, Nessy Eater’s own.
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment 🙂
Share this:
Let’s Meat at LP’s Quality Meats
LET’S MEEEEAT! So it seems we were all feeling a little peckish for meat and so the journey begins at LP’s Quality Meats in Chippendale. To enjoy your experience here I’d suggest to wear something super comfy for example wear fat pants or perhaps bring a pair and put it in your handbag because if you don’t you don’t you’ll be walking like a model who has a twisted stomach or something.
It’s a meat post!
We arrived 10 minutes after the restaurant had opened and already there were hungry peeps huddled up around the bar thinking about what they should for dinner. Whilst making those tough discussions it was wise to order an alcoholic beverage and soak in the the LP vibes.
The early hungry birds that get the worms
What’s for dinner folks?
Of all possible poultries to sample we opt for the chicken liver pâté ($16), which I thought would be a great starting point. To our surprise we had complimentary sea salt butter, marinated olives, gigantic green jalapeño looking all innocent next to the English mustard.
Chicken Liver Pate got me saying OOHhhh & Ahhhh.
Oddly enough I was shocked to have enjoyed the house-made sour dough with the chicken liver pâté together. The bread was soft and spongy with the heavenly spread of pâté.
House-Made Sour Dough Bread
On the face of it, the pâté looked tasty with its blushing pink colour and smooth honey coating with sprinkles of black pepper. It certainly was flavourful and wasn’t overpowering or thick in texture rather light and smooth. We all agreed that it wasn’t short on chicken liver flavour. It was a real winner for the table!
Can’t have it in any other way…
Wasn’t sure if I could finish what I had started because I could feel my soul in a ball of fire as soon as I took a tiny bite out of the green jalapeño that was at least 10cm tall, YIKES! I was on Struggle Street as the chilli range went from moderately to extremely hot, call the fire brigades guys!
Life is like a jar of jalapeños, you never knew which one is going to burn your tongue.
Didn’t want to be a party pooper and not order the gin ($18). It was a great introduction to explore this classic drink and with its acquired subtle sweet tangy taste, I sure wouldn’t mind going for another round.
Forgive me for I have ginned.
In between our starter we noticed a few undercover visitors headed towards the kitchen and gathered around the smoking machine where the meat dreams come true.
Look who we have here…is it the LP Meat Gods?
The beef tongue ($18) had awakened my tastebuds as I never knew that part of the beef with smoked beef fat vinaigrette could be so well married. This was by far the best warm starter dish to order if you fancy a twist.
Beef Tongue with Smoked Beef Fat Vinaigrette ($18)
It may look slightly frightening for some as it looked raw but flavour-wise, we all enjoyed it, especially with the bathed chopped Spanish onions and fresh parsley in the vinaigrette added that extra oomph to it.
Now that’s a really thin beef tongue slice.
I was excused for one moment whilst the Toronto Maple ($18) spun me right round, baby right round like I had entered the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy had somehow got swirled into the mystic clouds. The drink had strong notes of alcohol which I felt it had cleansed my insides so thoroughly that I could only take tiny sips at a time. On a fun note if you’re looking for something wicked on a Friday night then this is the go to.
That Toronto Maple sure made my head spin.
The smoked beef short rib ($48) deserves a special place in my heart and I think it’s important for people who like meat are made aware this badass of a rib exists. You want to know more, don’t you? Well you gotta continue reading…so scroll down!
Smoked Beef Short Rib ($48 -Left) & Smoked Sausage ($14-Right)
Hallelujah in my mouth was the smoked beef rib! I felt like I had a connection with that thick juicy piece of tender meat and it may sound like I was overreacting but surely you can agree with me if you were there to witness and taste it yourself. I was in disbelief that the rib was so tender and completely balanced with smoky flavours all around that I didn’t need the English mustard, tomato sauce or chimichurri. I couldn’t and wouldn’t stop when I had my first bite; however the only problem for us was we demanded more of it but bear in mind the price tag, so we had to end it here.
Let us meat again, pretty please?!
Time is a funny thing because when we had ordered the bread roll ($2 p.p), we had thought of a clever idea and built our own beef rib burger without any extras required. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to provide proof of this as I was in a bit of a sticky situation, but imagine having two of your favourite things – meat & carbs put together and then VOILA! You know you want it…haha.
You see me bread rolling…you’re hating.
Finally for the smoked sausage ($14) the texture and smell were promising, as was the enticing glossy smoky look. Without being overpowering with spices it was a taste we’d all enjoyed as the texture was neither too firm nor soft and tasted gourmet.
You’re looking smoking hot LP sausage!
A highlight at LP Quality Meats was everything on their menu are all hand made in- house, which means what you pay for is what you get. The MUST HAVE I’d recommend include chicken liver pate, beef tongue and smoked beef short rib. Everything on their menu is for sharing and it would be best to go with no more or less than 4 hungry humans, just so you can try a bit of everything. To the LP Meat Gods out there, please take me with you on your journey to the meat land as I really enjoyed all the dishes we ordered.
Watched the LP Boys Work Work Work Work
Photos by Vanny Tang
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment 🙂
Share this:
Bring on Sashimi and Sushi Busshari, Potts Point
HEY Foodie Friends! It’s been a while since my last post and I’m slowly coming back to planet Earth. Forgive me, but ERMAHGERD winter is here. Since I’m slowly returning to the eating world I thought it was time to visit Busshari in Potts Point that is minutes away from Kings Cross Station. As I entered the restaurant I look around and it’s dark with a few dim lights, but that didn’t matter because I easily spotted the bar seating, YIPPEE!
Is your belly excited or what for some Japanese food?!
What? There’s sashimi and sushi at Busshari?
Busshari Bar Seating
We started with the chef’s selection sashimi plate ($34) that includes ocean trout, tuna, scallops, kingfish and fabulously decorated with red kombu and seaweed. Undoubtedly fresh! What a way to start dinner.
Chef’s Selection Sashimi Plate ($34)
Was it really necessary to take another photo of the fresh sashimi plate? YES IT WAS! My favourite was the ocean trout and tuna which had an utterly decadent texture to it and had us fighting over the last piece with our wooden chopsticks.
Liking the side view?
There was an impressive looking sake menu and well I had to order one for the team. Teehee. We tried spotting a waitress with our sake bottle, but instead she brings a selection of handmade sake cups to our area first and excitingly informs us to choose a cup. I took a gamble and embarrassed myself by singing eeny meeny miny moe. Look below what I picked…
Which sake cup shall I choose?
The Tengumai sake ($17) had the perfect sweet balance and matched incredibly well with sashimi and the sushi plate. Just a tip: If you order sake’s lukewarm/hot in winter they’re usually the ones where you instantly feel the alcohol going around to your head (like you might with vodka). After two shots of sake it did its job making my world spin.
Tengumai Sake ($17)
I felt comfortable staring at the chef’s selection sushi plate ($34), it was hot property between two hungry food lovers. I try the unagi that’s freshwater eel broiled with a sweet brush of teriyaki sauce and tamagoyaki as well as uni nigiri and they were wonderful. The textures made me crazy that I didn’t want to share so what else to do but to continue to eat….
Chef’s Selection Sushi Plate ($34)
This has got to be the LARGEST tamagoyaki I’ve ever had as I found it hilarious that it looked like a Japanese surf board and it’s edible. It looked so LOOOOOOOOONG that I compared it with my iPhone, almost the same height. It was tasty nonetheless.
My Tamagoyaki looked like a surf board. HAHA!
We applaud when the plate of sushi roll rainbow ($17) arrives. Usually normal people would eat the sushi but I had to do investigate each sliced sushi piece. Rainbow rolls are awesome in my world because you get a nice variety of fish, and they’re colourful and I love colours. There was a mix of ingredients including tuna, salmon, yellowtail and prawn.
Sushi Roll Rainbow ($17)
Turns out I was lucky enough to eat three quarters of this dish. These babies didn’t disappoint and had a tasty inside of avocado, cucumber and crabstick. I loved the fragrance of the rice as it was well put together with the other ingredients.
It’s ALL mine!
Fasten your seat belts because the soft shell crab karaage ($18) was FREAKEN INSANCE and finger-licking good. There was good chemistry with me and those crabs. It did look double battered, but looks can be deceiving my friends. It didn’t take much to make my happy with this dish and certainly wasn’t willing to share. I take the biggest piece that I could find and it was light and crisp. It almost felt as if each piece was hollow inside but had a strong flavour of the crab. A very exciting dish to order if you HEART FRIED STUFF.
Soft Shell Crab Karaage ($18)
Well when there’s fried food on the table one has to order Asahi beer on tap ($9.50) just to balance the flavours…
Asahi beer on tap ($9.50)
We genuinely liked the wagyu beef sizzling tobanyaki ($33), however for the wrong reason. After a friendly start with the wagyu beef sizzling in a clay pot with extremely hot charcoal we waited for a few minutes before we dived our chopsticks in. To my surprise the meat was kinda bland and lacked that wagyu melt in the mouth texture, but it was overall juicy. Some pieces were a tad chewy and whilst others were somewhat tender. It’s quite a popular pick for the locals as it looks fun, so do give it a go and maybe you’d get lucky with the flavour and texture of the meat. Make sure to ask for a bowl of rice ($4) to accompany those juicy pieces of wagyu or at least turn that boring plain rice into something meaty.
Wagyu Beef Sizzling Tobanyaki ($33)
I had high levels of affection with the mixed sizzling vegetables including corn, asparagus, mushroom and a piece of carrot carved into the shape of a flower. Something about vegetables being sizzled on a hot clay pot taste so much more awesome that I required a guard to make sure none of these pieces gets stolen from me while I went for a toilet break.
Top view of the wagyu at its best!
We struggled eating the last two pieces of wagyu and it was a real shame that it wasn’t the highlight of this dish, instead the mixed fresh veggies were. We had to make sure we didn’t get the wrong dish and had asked the waitress to clarify if this was the the wagyu beef we ordered. She confirmed this was the dish and informed us it was the wagyu shoulder. For some gut feeling I didn’t want to believe it. But hey I ate all my vegetables at the end of the day and most of the meat. How can one complain when meat is sizzling right in front of you…
Woooo this pot comes with hot charcoal inside and a flame…
Handmade plates made by the Chef himself, Nobuyuki Ito.
Our very last dish had to end with the dessert platter ($15) and I went way to emotional with choosing three part desserts. Living in my own little bubble the pumpkin mousse brulee made me feel like Cinderella who lost her shoe at midnight, but instead I just got fat. Teehee. The brulee was reasonably smooth and had a tiny bit of raw pumpkin flavour. Next the sesame tart was crazy intense with a good solid crunchiness to it and it was pretty generous with the sesame seeds as you can see. For the black sesame ice-cream it was undoubtedly rich and smooth and I just wanted to slab a few tablespoons onto the tart but I was too late. AND if you are a Washoku Lovers member you get a scoop of green tea ice-cream for FREE. All you need to do is just flash that card of yours to the staff. How easy was that?!
Dessert Platter (3 Choice- $15)
It was entertaining to see Chef Nobuyuki Ito show off his knife skills as well as plating each dish during the night with freshly cut sashimi and hand-making sushi right in front of us. I can see why Busshari is so popular at Potts Point as they recently celebrated their 9th Year Anniversary. I loved the bar seating area, the food was pretty up there, however very sad the wagyu wasn’t as great as I imagined. I do have plans to revisit this place again soon and try the rest of the sake menu.
Concentration is key at Busshari when it comes to making seafood sashimi salad.
Photos by Vanny Tang
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater plus guest attended Busshari, thanks SD Marketing Global and Washoku Lovers.
Some meals in this post were independently paid for.
Opinions are however, Nessy Eater’s own.
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment 😀
Share this:
Long Luxurious Night at La Grillade Crows Nest
Tucked away behind the Lower North Shore terrace, La Grillade has been the gourmet retreat for the social set and often the romantic dinner spot. This iconic venue is operated by husband and wife team, George and Ann. You may be familiar with this couple at The Little Snail where French style cooking combined with friendly service meets personality and charm for each table.
Such a cosy restaurant at La Grillade
Dining at La Grillade you will expect food as being exotic and sophisticated at realistic prices. For instance we opted for a set priced menu at $63 for 3 courses (for an entrée, main and dessert) with the full a la carte menu to choose from including snails and prime steaks, which are a key feature of La Grillade’s menu. But if you fancy something a little more meatier than it is your mission to order the 14 hrs slow cooked lamb shoulder for two (additional $20).
What’s on the menu?
For entrée I was happily digging in to the platter of garlic-drenched escargots. The snails in the shell came in one dozen and sizzled in garlic parsley butter that may have overpowered the the red wine. My personal recommendation is to also order a few slices of plain bread so you can watch the puddle of butter and bread marry together like a edible sponge.
Snails in the shell
I was busted for taking a small scoop of someone’s duck liver pate that contained green peppercorns, port jelly and croutons. That teeny tiny bowl of pate had us glancing at each other. Port jelly was one of my absolute favourite things. The flavours was sweet and very aromatic with red wine. As for the pate it was super SUPER SMOOTH.
Duck Liver Pate
If you are not so keen to ordering a duck liver pate then perhaps the rillettes of pork is an option. Traditional rillettes of pork with a hint of orange and tarragon fell far short of doing the generous quantity. The rillette was tasty and it was stuffed with a lot of shredded pork meat and cooked slowly in fat until it was tender enough to be easily served to form a paste.
Rillettes of Pork
I thought I’d have issues with this entree but it was alllll good with the a generous portion of crispy pieces of croutons to balance it off the taste of pork love making in my mouth.
Our starter wasn’t complete till we chosen the golden fried calamari which came with chilli, salt and pepper with garlic aioli. I love the calamari’s strong flavour and utterly unique texture; it’s nice and meaty but soft in the center, and when the coating is lightly fried, it is utter perfection on a plate.
Golden Fried Calamari
Love the setting at La Grillade
True French style courtyard dining
Moving on to mains came this sexy ENORMOUS piece of lamb shoulder (for two) (additional $20 for set priced menu) that’s been slow-cooked for 14 hrs straight. It looked like a GIGANTIC slab of meaty goodness, just sprinkled with deliciousness from the crispy herb bits which then drowned in the Junee’s finest lamb sauce. It may look small in the photo but oh boy was it filling for three dinosaur stomachs. If you are not in a rush and want to spend the final minutes with this shoulder then now is the time to order a glass of red to accommodate this dish. A lovely falling-off-the-bone moment was witnessed and for the taste and texture it developed a deep, rich flavour that melts in the mouth.
14 hrs Slow-cooked Lamb Shoulder (for two)
And because we love meat so much it is very important to decorate your main with some glossy steamed vegetables that has been generously tossed with olive oil.
Steamed Vegetables
Say goodbye to boring duck breast because the one in La Grillade was pretty damn tasty as it has been twice cooked and decorated with pink flesh then glazed with sweet and sour cherries. The duck breast wasn’t a challenge to eat as I believe it’s the meatiest and best eating part of the duck. Okay…there may be some signs that these breasts were dry, but that didn’t stop me! This dish was easily finished because of the sauce, delicately sweet.
Duck breast
To complement any meaty mains we ordered the creamed potato ($8). The texture was mild, thick and creamy, and this was a pleasant change from vegetables. There was no river of gravy in sight but I totally approve how delicious this was because none of us wanted to share.
Creamed Potato ($8)
The rib eye (400gm) was just so mindblowingly good here that it was only right to have it cooked to medium rare. You can tell this slab of prime beef, dry aged was lightly smoked and grilled. It was seductive to see the pool of beef juice and served with Paris butter and veal glaze. There was so much tenderness in this beef that I managed to sneak a few more slices back to my own plate. Oh that evil grin begins!
Rib Eye (400gm)
Can you handle dessert after all the above?! Well YES FOR ME. We chosen the baked lemon cheesecake because we saw the word “cake” at the end of cheesecake. Teehee. I must say this was a very ordinary dessert, nothing that fancy my pants other than the slight sour lemon flavour and silky smooth texture of the cheese.
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
If you can’t handle a super heavy dessert then the coffee profiteroles Kahlua anglaise would be a good pick, which are stuffed full of sweet coffee creme covered in a profiteroles patissière and are placed over a small pond of mild Kahlua sauce.
Coffee Profiteroles Kahluaanglaise
We weren’t going to leave a French restaurant without having the crème brulee. Although for some reason, a bowl of custard isn’t seen as an appropriate dessert for a grown adult, but stabbing our way through a perfect golden sugary layer and into the smooth custard can be an excuse to having this.
Crème Brulee
Can you see how this decadent dessert is with the vanilla custard and tops it with a layer of crisp caramelized sugar…Hmmm I feel fat.
That brulee…
By now I’ve reached exploding point and it felt like I was ready to roll out of here, but first let me just finish our last dessert- rich chocolate mousse. It was a perfectly fine mousse even though it wasn’t anything super special. Not only did it manage to convey both indulgence and comfort it was a heaven in a dish for all you chocolate fans out there.
Well I was feeling a tad heavier than I was before I visited La Grillade. Best to go for the set menu as I feel it’s more worth it when you calculate in your mind the original price for each dish. I will definitely come back for dinner again an try my luck on the rest of the menu.
Rich Chocolate Mousse
Photos by Vanny Tang
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment 😀
Share this:
Munching on Meat District Co. at King Street Wharf
With summer fast approaching the kings of Meat District Co. owner Garry Simonian and his brother Coco has made people screaming for RIBS, BURGERS AND COCKTAILS at King Street Wharf. This two storey restaurant with water views, a room that displays cured meats and outdoor seating is the venue for everyone to dine at. It’s an ideal spot for those who like to celebrate TGIF and feed those who have a love affair with meat. Garry who also operates the Sydney-based Platinum Restaurant Group has plans to schedule another Meat District Co. in the Western suburbs of Sydney-Parramatta in 2015. When I first walked into Meat District Co., my eyes was already captivated by the industrial design and downstairs the open kitchen. Also not to mention that spectacular view of Sydney’s harbour whilst sipping on a cocktail or eating is breathtaking.
There’s a bar area at Meat District Co.
Spacious seating at Meat District Co.
At last a see-through charcuterie room!
We started to check out MDC’s bar which promises to deliver an ever changing molecular cocktail special. This cocktail will not be wasted as it is the kind of addiction you’ll be pleased to have in Sydney. It’s certainly unique for Nessy Eater girl and never have we come across this type of cocktail before. A spectacular start for the party season!
In the process of making molecular gastronomy cocktails
There’s a lot of steps to making molecular gastronomy cocktails
Mixologist Mirko Cacciola plating these cocktails up!
Disguised as delicate pearls the molecular cocktails ($M.P) will blow you away by their refreshing foams and be amazed by their edible spheres. This epic art of cocktail is inspired by the art of molecular science and has extremely taken to new heights of an ordinary cocktail in a glass. These spoonful of alcohol knows how to play innocent especially when they remind me of a particular method of remedy. Haha.
These molecular gastronomy cocktails are dangerously addictive.
Ready to feast your eyes?!
So it turns out actor Firass Dirani from Underbelly: The Golden Mile decided to join us for lunch at MDC. Hey I’m not complaining, it’s just I was so shocked a celebrity was centimeters away from me. You really can’t forget a person’s face, especially if you’ve repeatedly watched The Golden Mile three times on a television set and almost remember every scene his played in. Too my disappointed I didn’t get a selfie with him because I was too embarrassed to admit I loved watching him in Underbelly.
Is that Firass Dirani from Underbelly: The Golden Mile joining our table?
A glass of Catching Thieves Semillion Sauvignon Blanc
Happy waitress at Meat District Co.
Grilling makes almost everything taste better, however the grilled artichoke ($7.50) wasn’t our thing. We had a bit of difficulty on chewing the layers of artichoke. I felt like my jaws was in the same motion of a camel chewing plants. Besides the texture I certainly enjoyed the fantastic open flamed flavour and saltiness from the sprinkles of sea salt and if you zoom in a bit closer with your eyes the gribiche sauce together is simply divine.
Grilled Artichoke ($7.50)
Hot days call for juicy grilled watermelon salad ($8.50) paired with fresh flavours of goat cheese, sumac and dusted off with hazelnut. These pizza slices of watermelon are great for more than just a quick toss on the barbie. Their texture changes and simply screams summer sweetness, making it a great starter for pretty much any backyard affair. This is one unique and fabulous elegant twist to a summer salad.
Grilled Watermelon Salad ($8.50)
Unexpected and a real summertime crowd-pleaser is the beet salad ($9.50)– This may be the new salad to eat this summer as it provides a roasting fruit caramel flavour. I was impressed by the intensely flavoured thinly sliced roasted apples as well as the goat curd, radish, watercrest and walnut pesto. Whoever thought of roasted apples in a salad is a GENIUS. I was looking at this dish as if it was whipped cream on jello if you know what I mean. Hehehe *Wink Wink*
Beet Salad ($9.50)
I suggest you should make your body useful to the cured meat platter ($34 for 4 people)– The pungent smell of the generous selection of premium cured meats, olives and a smudge of creamy Greek skordalia is a stunner on a large wooden board. This plate knew how to lure me in so that my eyes, and inevitably my belly can feast on the slices of salty treats and be accompanied by the sweetness of fresh red grapes . It’s hands-down that I believe every table should have one! I was guilty of almost eating this entire board alone.
Cured Meat Platter ($34)
This charcuterie plate is a great trick to have up your sleeve MDC! It was a delicious way to start a meal and one of the great things about this board is it comes with triangle shaped olive bread, lavosh and grisini.
Now that’s a good selection of premium cold cuts.
Love the printed designs on the walls!
What a view whilst eating at Meat District Co.!
Don’t get chopped by this butcher knife shaped menu.
When Meat District Co. is so close to the water in Sydney, it’s essential to have a colourful display of cocktails/mocktails menu for the ladies. The chill out charm mocktail ($10) looked like a rockstar that attempted one lady on our table to order. With fresh and fruity mix of orange juice, strawberry purée, fresh lime and mango purée it makes sense why one would order this. Served on a tall glass and garnished with fresh slices of strawberries and orange it’s a real classic mocktail treat.
Chill Out Charm mocktail ($10)
After a full day of slicing fruits on “Fruit Ninja” I get hit by fruit ninja combo cocktail ($10)– This absolutely delicious refreshing fruity drink is perfect to serve those who are addicted to slicing fruits on their iPhones, but must be over 18+ to get a taste of this. Sweet with subtle fruity hints of mixed Passoa and Malibu strengthened up with Smirnoff Vodka, finished with pineapple juice, passionfruit and dash of raspberry cordial it’s no wonder this gets people shaking their hips.
Fruit Ninja Combo cocktail ($10)
The crispy battered onion rings w. truffle aioli ($7.50) was driving me mental as the batter puffed up around the sliced onion ring was so well made that they are the most scrumptous things to eat. I couldn’t resist crunching on one ring as they were very crispy and didn’t show evidence of being too oily. They certainly were well seasoned and the outside layer was divine! And about that truffle aioli it enhanced the flavours a lot with the added garlic flavour.
Crispy Battered Onion Rings w. Truffle Aioli ($7.50)
“Cause if you liked it, then you should put a ring on it!”
By now I was high on eating a lot of starter dishes and the sweet summer corn ($7.50) was added to that list too. It’s crazy how this corn can be dressed with chilli flakes, lime juice and truffle parmesan. You can really enjoy this tasty juicy corn alone but I do encourage you to share at least one chopped slice because the melted cheese is quite filling.
Sweet Summer Corn ($7.50)
Now if you ladies are going to leave the boys at home then I highly recommend ordering the brie burger ($14). The surprise knockout about this burger is the MDC beef patty with double cream brie, cranberry sauce, radish, rocket and horseradish mayo. The burger hits the spot of every ingredient and you must test the firmness of the bun. The added brie and cranberries does do a lovely combination of flavours and textures and you can easily be obsessed with this burger one the first go.
Brie Burger ($14)
I tried getting the 250g sirloin ($29) some alone time with me as it was crazy smokey that got me a little insane, but totes had fun eating it. This steak did not disappoint and I must confess it was beyond what I imagined. It almost headed to the direction of being wagyu in texture, but just missed it by a bit. It was slightly on the chewy side, but easily managed to melt after a few rounds of working my jaws. Served with red wine gravy I seriously think you are better off having this steak on its own so that you are able to concentrate those smokey flavours.
250g Sirloin ($29)
This may be the biggest hunk of steak I have ever tastiest for while and the smell of smokey meat had the table sniffing the air and continually drooling whilst I cut the steak into thick slices.
That medium rare smokey steak
My last name must be Robbins because the lamb hook ($31) rocked my world when it arrived at our table. I was so upset I didn’t order this signature meat on a skewer dish, but was lucky enough to see it to believe it was on a hook. I may of snuck my fork to grab a few pieces of lamb when the person who ordered it wasn’t looking. This is absolutely a winner dish, especially when the lamb was well marinated and insanely tasty with that smoky sweet flavour explosion and yeah it was juicy alright. Meat District Co. should be proud of introducing this unique dish, it will seriously get you hooked! This lamb was just the right amount for one person as it also comes with fries or a side garden salad.
Lamb Hook ($31)
Pretty impressed how fast this lamb hook arrives at our table considering the flavours are so in depth. It’s like the sauce was glued to the lamb for years! I’ll definitely be back for you little lamb.
Hooked on a feeling…Teehehe
There’s two levels at Meat District Co.
Oh my! Super popular meal of the day was desserts and what do we have here…something healthy for the BIG kids was the fruit platter that includes white chocolate ice-cream, blood orange sorbet and banana gelato with freshly cut rockmelon, orange and handful of grapes.
Fruit Platter
Moving on and we were covered with caramel tart that contains MDC’s caramel filling, salted caramel popcorn, crushed peanuts and banana gelato. This precious tart was a tad too sweet and my attempt to demolish it well…I failed you my readers. I’m sorry, but after eating half the tart I wasn’t too keen to continue as it made my tastebuds feel more dehydrated. I did end up finishing the entire scoop of the banana gelato as it tasted hectic.
Caramel Tart
I’m not a couples counsellor but I seemed very happy to be with the cookie & cream cheesecake as it had white chocolate ganache, chocolate soil and white chocolate gelato. The cheesecake sits in my HAVE TO EAT AGAIN category as it was just perfect. It wasn’t at all overly sweet and I gamely continued to eat this whole slice of cake till my very last spoonful even though my food baby bump was showing.
Cookie & Cream Cheesecake
Let’s face it, when you’re at a pretty restaurant and welcoming ambiance, you’re probably thinking “Jeez my wallet is going to be sore today” or “The food wasn’t that great…for that price“, well not at Meat District Co.. This restaurant knows how to satisfy Sydney’s hungry stomachs at a really REASONABLE AND AFFORDABLE PRICE and still manage to serve high quality food. You’d have nightmares if you haven’t visited this place and compare other restaurants that serve up similar burgers and ribs. Trust me you will NOT REGRET visiting Meat District Co.! I promise you’d be MIND BLOWN by their cheap cocktails, <$10 starters, their epic sirloin AND their effing burgers. I’ll definitely be needing a V.I.P card from Meat District Co. because this place is now listed as Nessy Eater’s chillaxed regular hang outs.
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater attended Meat District Co. launch (opportunity provided by Polkadot PR). Opinions are however, Nessy Eater’s own.
Photos by Vanny Tang
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / NewsLoop or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment😀
Nessy Eater 