JEAN LOUIS JOSEPH - DRUMMOYNE, SYDNEY

Jean Louis Joseph
(Inside Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre)
19 Roseby St
Drummoyne, Sydney

Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre is a popular place for a lot of people, and even more popular around Christmas.

We were there for some retail therapy and needed fuel after arriving soon after it opened for the day.

One of the first places we spotted for a coffee was Jean Louis Joseph, a versatile venue with a delicatessen, a cafe and inside and outside seating. It's a sprawling place. You order at the counter, get a number and head back to your table. The food and drinks will arrive when ready.

 We almost reluctantly ordered toast for our breakfast this time. We were still full from a massive dinner the night before so toast seemed like a smaller option. Nevertheless, the serving sizes of sourdough with jam or peanut butter were pretty big. We did our best to finish them tough!

  



















We also grabbed a couple of coffees as well - a half strength soy cappuccino for Mlady and a skim flat white for Sir. Both were nice coffees and desperately needed as fuel for our shopping spree that lay ahead. The cooked breakfast choices actually looked pretty good though - maybe next time! 

RISE BAKEHOUSE - DRUMMOYNE, SYDNEY

Rise Bakehouse
(Inside Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre)
19 Roseby St
Drummoyne, Sydney

Rise is just inside the centre on the lower floor opposite Coles, so it may be the first coffee and food place encountered. For us, it was actually a stop off point just before we left the centre. Sir was after something sweet - what's new there - and we had spotted a free table and quickly grabbed it.

In terms of cakes and pastries they have plenty of choices available. Most are quite substantial too, but a few smaller sized ones were on offer.

Sir was eyeing off the Christmas mince tarts which were on top of the counter, but ended up with this much sweeter lemon roll. It turned out to be a cake roll with a lemon filling and a surprisingly thin layer of icing on top. He was quite impressed with it.

We also needed drinks. We considered coffee, as we normally do, but opted for a couple of chai's. Mlady had soy and Sir had skim.

Rise Bakehouse is predominantly take away, but their few tables are always busy, the foods fresh and the service friendly. 

ZEUS STREET GREEK - DRUMMOYNE, SYDNEY

Zeus Street Greek
187-189 Lyons Rd
Drummoyne, Sydney

Zeus Street Greek is one of many traditional Greek street food places recently opened in Sydney.

We had been meaning to try this place for a while so after doing the bay run one morning we thought we'd pop over to lovely Drummoyne and have a Greek lunch.

Located on Drummoyne's popular Darling street, Zeus has quite a few tables inside and out so it's perfect for a casual lunch or dinner.

Service is quick and efficient. You order and pay at the counter and the lovely staff bring your food to your table.

After running 7 kms we were quite parched so we ordered a sparkling mineral water and and a sour cherry soft drink to quench our thirsts. The sour cherry drink is very popular in Greece. It's really refreshing and not very sour at all, quite the contrary actually.




















As you would expect, Zeus has a very extensive range of 'gyros' on offer. There's pork, lamb, chicken and even soft shell crab.

I ordered the uncle Tzimmy pork classic which is the traditional gyros served in Greece, loaded with mouthwatering pieces of seasoned meat, hot chips and of course tzatziki. Count J ordered the Spartan a chicken Gyros with delicious Aegean slaw and parsley. Both were delicious and wrapped in freshly cooked pita bread.

We then tried the 'spanakopita' the traditional spinach and feta pie.

Here at Zeus they cooked it in a spiral way which is quite different to what we're used to.

It was delicious and fresh.

Zeus Street Greek is a great choice.

The food is really fresh and the servings are quite generous.

We'll definitely be back!

The Counts dined at Zeus at their own expense.

BASTILLE DINING AND TERRACE - DRUMMOYNE, SYDNEY

Bastille Dining and Terrace (apparently and sadly now closed)
105 Victoria Rd
Drummoyne, Sydney

The French influences flow strongly here the minute you walk in the door. The dining area is chic and elegant but not in a pretentious way. However if you're expecting just a traditional French restaurant then think again.

The terrace at the rear of the place is pure French Riviera inspired - and it is such a fresh, vibrant and relaxing space to enjoy a drink. There's a great indoor/outdoor feel to Bastille

Alternatively, its the perfect place to start your meal before moving inside for your later courses. We did this.

The food is French influenced, but with strong Asian tones as well. It's an interesting fusion that works well (and this blend certainly hasn't hurt Tetsuya's over the years!).

Sitting outside in the beautiful terrace was just lovely. It was a pleasant evening and this was a great place to just relax. We also started with a couple of glasses of chilled champagne - as you do! We could have just stayed on the terrace - it was so nice. Some house baked bread and dipping oil and balsamic also went well. It was simple but so tasty.

We started our food journey in earnest with something from the terrace menu - sashimi. The terrace menu has lighter dishes for nibbles or for sharing.

The sashimi comprised kingfish and salmon portions interspersed across a slate serving plate with sides of soy, wasabi and ginger. It was a must try dish with powerful flavours that worked so well together. Very fresh and refreshing.

The goats cheese sphere was such an amazing dish and again another must have!

It was served on a herb gazpacho in a nest of brioche potato crisps and dressed in delicate flowers. It looked spectacular and tasted just as good.

Next, a serving of Sydney rock oysters came, with a fruity but subtle lemon mignoette sauce that went well.

The wine list isn't a book, but they have great variety and plenty of choice available for all tastes. Mlady had a glass of La Linea Tempranillo Rose from the Adelaide Hills that was light and crisp and refreshing. Sir had a lovely glass of La Mura Nero d'Avola from Noto in Sicily. Nero d'Avola is a medium bodied versatile red that is fast becoming a favourite of us both. 

We adjourned inside for our mains, almost reluctantly leaving the tranquil terrace for the pretty dining room. Sir had a beautifully cooked fillet Mignon for his main course that came served with pomme puree, bone marrow and Bordelaise sauce.

Presentation was again beautiful but, more importantly, the meat was perfectly cooked to order and was a lovely cut as well.  This was a magnificent dish with great flavours.

Mlady again steered towards seafood and chose the swordfish.

It came nicely cooked and beautifully plated with scallop tortellini, capsicum, crushed potato, white fungi and saffron infused tomato sauce. It was a full dish with a good sized piece of swordfish with plenty of flavour.

A side of broccolini with anchovy crumb was again a great pairing. 

Sir surprisingly didn't choose the chocolate tart but went for the lighter and more delicate blood orange cake.

It came served with an interesting mix of pistachio sauce, vanilla ice cream, mango sorbet and cherry sorbet.

The whole combination created a fruity blend that was nicely presented spread in a line across the plate with a garnish of popping candy.

Mlady, on the other hand, gave in to her inner chocoholic and chose the rich and decadent chocolate tart. It came with tasty hazelnut praline and vanilla ice cream and was everything she hoped it would be and more.

Dessert was paired with a sweeter white wine from Gascogne in southern France - a delicious Villa Cambre D'Amour 2012 Gros Manseng Sauvignon Blanc that went so well.

Bastille Dining and Terrace has charm, style and an ambiance that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. The food is memorable, delicate, well presented and very tasty. It's an experience that will surprise many.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Bastille and its owner Daniel Haskim. Special thanks to Nicolas for looking after us so professionally, as well as Laura and Roberta. Thanks also to Kay, their talented chef. Apparently Bastille is now closed which is such a pity.

BASTILLE DINING AND TERRACE - DRUMMOYNE, SYDNEY

Bastille Dining and Terrace
105 Victoria Rd
Drummoyne, Sydney

This is such an interesting and diverse place. It's a deceptively large venue spread out over several distinct areas and seating around 100 people comfortably.

We started our evening in the casual terrace area with a few drinks. Mlady had a champagne and orange juice and I had a nice glass Fat Bastard Pinot Noir 2013. It was such a lovely area and so nicely decorated. Just inside from this is a lovely private lounge area

Uniquely, Bastille also offers a pick up service (within a range). The unique aspect is that one of the cars that does pick ups is a Porsche!

How cool is that? It's all part of the fun funky experience they want everyone to have.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of beef tartare - so the fact that it was on the menu was certainly appealing! It's something I always have in Paris - almost a tradition.

This version was simply delicious.

The beef was so tender and the flavours of the entire dish combined beautifully. It also looked so great as well.

Mlady will almost always order arancici if it's on the menu - and it was here!

The arancini had a smokey taste - smoked cheese we think - which was quite subtle and pleasant.

They were beautifully crisp on the outside and the rich sauce they rested on went so well.

Mlady didn't want to share any of these!

We both love salt and pepper squid to either share or have solo as an entree. It's an old faithful we know - but so nice if done well.

This was so appetisingly presented, spread out across the plate with an appealing garnish and drizzle.

The squid was nice and crispy on the outside and soft and tender inside.

One of the house specialities is the eye-fillet steak - and it's easy to see why as soon as it reaches the table.

The meat was beautifully cooked - medium rare, as ordered - and melted in my mouth and it was delicious.

Another glass of the Fat Bastard Pinot Noir 2013 went nicely.

Mlady had another of Bastille's specialities - Bastille chicken. It's a lightly crumbed and fried tender piece of chicken - like a schnitzel - nicely presented on a board with a tasty side serving of arabiata sauce.

A light squeeze of lemon on it and it disappeared very quickly despite its huge size.

She accompanied it with a lovely glass of La Mura Nero d'A Vola 2012 from Noto in Sicily.

We both agreed on a few side dishes that would work with either of our main courses. The hand cut chips were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. They were delicious - but we knew this already from the earlier reactions from the people at the table next to us!

A serving of broccolini added a bit of colour to both our plates and it was lightly done and very tasty.

We both love creme brulee but I got in quickly and chose this dessert after it was again recommended by a nearby table.

It was an extremely generous serving and a very tasty brulee as well.

It had a nice texture that was not runny at all and a lovely crust of toffee on top.

Mlady chose the mousse fondant for dessert - she was clearly in need of something chocolate finish to her meal.

Her comment - OMG a must have. It certainly looked impressive too with a great combination of chocolate that held form nicely not melting or dissolving as some do.

A lovely Gewurztraminer paired nicely with dessert.

Bastille Dining and Terrace is a lovely place to have a drink, snack or meal. It has young passionate staff who make you feel welcome and wanted. The food is impressive and it's a great addition to the Drummoyne and Sydney dining scene.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Bastille Dining and Terrace and its owner Daniel. Thanks also to Chris and Nicolas for looking after us so well on our visit.

CAFE BIRKENHEAD - BIRKENHEAD POINT, SYDNEY

Cafe Birkenhead
Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre
Drummoyne, Sydney

While Cafe Birkenhead is in fact on the edge of a shopping centre, or inside it really, it also has its own identity and most importantly its own outlook over the water. The views here are lovely.

By day it's a large cafe dishing out a wide variety of food and drinks for breakfast, morning tea, brunch and lunch. By night it is often catering for a function - and its open plan allows for a wide variety of different configurations.

Either way you still get those lovely views out over the water - some with sunlight on it and others with night lights!

Mlady and I love bruschetta and the fresh and interesting combination of mushroom, baby beetroot and goat curd certainly caught the attention of us both.

It was certainly just as colourful as we expected and the flavour combination was excellent. We also agreed that it ticked the "healthy" box as well.

It was a substantial serving of two large slices with plenty of topping - so it was just as well that we had only ordered a single serving to share.

I'd hate to think how either of us would have coped with this as an entree for one!

The selection of freshly squeezed juices provides some lovely combinations. I love mint in drinks so I chose the Energy Booster made with watermelon and mint. Mlady loves ginger so she chose the Pink Lady made with apple, pineapple, strawberry and ginger. They came in jars and they were fresh, refreshing and delicious. 

Mlady is quite a fan of spinach and ricotta as a combination so the spinach and ricotta ravioli was her immediate choice for her main course.

The ravioli came served in a pink sauce made with sun dried tomatoes and the meal was garnished with wild rocket.

Like everything else at Cafe Birkenhead it was a massive serving and she really enjoyed it.

I love seafood and pasta - they just seem so right together!

The crab and prawn homemade linguine with chilli, garlic, parsley and lemon therefore ticked all the boxes.

It was a big serving and they didn't skimp on the seafood either which was lightly cooked, moist and tender.

There's a decent list of desserts ranging from cakes, cheesecakes and brownies through to muffins, macarons and even scones.

However in keeping with the Italian theme of the place and our other dishes we chose a serving of cannoli filled with ricotta and pistachio to end our meal.

It looked impressive and was actually really tasty.

Even though we were really full by now, the lemon citrus tart had also caught my eye. I love citrus tarts - lemon or lime are both fine.

I always browse dessert menu's and more often than not end up with a tangy citrus dessert - or chocolate.

This one was indeed tangy - as it should be. The ice cream and cream went well and it hit the spot!

Cafe Birkenhead is a big place that attracts the shoppers at Birkenhead Point for breakfast, brunch and lunch. They also use their beautiful location for weddings, parties and other functions. It's close to shops, with good food in substantial portions.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Cafe Birkenhead. Special thanks to Tony, the Manager, and Prisca for looking after us. Thanks also to Fallon Gomesz from Platinum Restaurant Group for arranging our visit.