PITT ST DINER - REDFERN, SYDNEY

Pitt St Diner
96 Pitt St
Redfern, Sydney

Pitt St Diner has a casual sophistication - an air of relaxed charm. It's small, boutique in fact, and not on a busy street.

They've only been around less than two years but in that time they've shown that they are prepared to be bold and creative with their menu and wine list - and their loyal followers certainly appreciate it.

The menu is French influenced - and the French accents flowing from the kitchen are clear.

It's honest and good food and also still adventurous and exciting nonetheless. Owner Gary Prebble takes great pride in making the food take centre stage - and it does. The lovely wine and charming feel of the whole place are an added bonus.

Our first taste of the food was with the arrival of the pork and pistachio pate. It was chunky and rough with definite texture - as intended - and served in a jar.

The pate came with a rich aged balsamic onion jam, cornichons and sliced baguette.

It was a substantial starter which was ideal for sharing, with bold flavours.

Next to arrive was a beautifully presented tuna tartare. We know some people won't eat tuna this way - for them it has to be cooked. However, if you haven't tried it raw you really should. The flavours of this dish were superb.

The tuna was nicely combined with cherry tomatoes and avocado, all nicely stacked and topped with thin slivers of crisp and crunchy apple. The colours were bold and the flavours were delicate and paired so well.

Good food deserves some good drinks to have with it of course - and so Mlady had a light 2013 Storm Ridge Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley and Sir had a fuller 2011 McLaren Vale Shiraz. 

Fancy some fish? The whole snapper was served with mixed green vegetables (including beans and cooked tomatoes) and lovely hand cut potato wedges. Yes we did eat our greens that night - mum would be proud!

This was a spectacular dish - the whole fish diagonally across the plate with the sides at either end. The fish was perfectly cooked too with it's skin nicely crisp yet revealing moist tender flesh just below the surface. 

Our other main course was chicken - and done so well. The tournedos chicken is boned and rolled with mushroom truffle and goats cheese inside and then sliced and served on pumpkin mash and a porcini cream sauce. 

Again the colours were evident and the flavours matched this too. The smooth pumpkin mash and porcini cream added tasty depth to the fragrant tender chicken.

Before we moved on to dessert we had a lovely cheese plate. Pitt St Diner has a small but highly select range of cheese choices and it's well worth trying a few.

On this occasion the cheeses we had were a beautiful fromage de Meaux (a French brie), a fragrant and more dominant Italian Gorgonzola and a lighter Munster from France. They were all beautiful and came with baguette, honeycomb and fresh pear slivers. 

Then it was time for dessert proper - and there are quite a few regulars to choose from here. We decided to have one of the specials though.

The sablees was lovely - cake like but a bit different - that was served on a board with marinated mandarin segments scattered around with swirls of raspberry coulis and passionfruit Chantilly dolloped on top. Its a sweet dessert, but with a subtlety that makes it not overpoweringly sweet. We thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Pitt St Diner is charming. It's cosy, intimate and personal. There's plenty of choice on the menu, and even more on the specials board. If you want, they'll match wines for you too, and it's well worth considering. Nothing is to much trouble.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Pitt St Diner. Thanks to passionate Chef/Owner Gary Prebble and Nicolas for looking after us. Thanks also to Claire McPherson of CPM Online Marketing for arranging our visit.

THE BUTLER - POTTS POINT, SYDNEY

The Butler
123 Victoria St
Potts Point, Sydney

The Butler is the most recent addition to the growing empire of Applejack Hospitality - the gang behind The Botanist at Kirribilli, So Cal in Neutral Bay and Bondi Hardware. They're obviously doing a lot of "somethings" very right!

The Butler has a kind of French/Aussie fusion thing going on - Fraussie perhaps? It's a nice blend of culture and food which also flows through to the wine list as well - with each opening page revealing Aussie on one side and French on the other!

The place has been fitted out in a really chic way - but the absolute highlight was undoubtedly the huge indoor/outdoor area and balcony out the back that looked onto the CBD. We sat there gazing out with Centrepoint Tower in the distance reaching skyward. Lovely.

Of course in such a lovely environment, drinks are needed! Sir had a cocktail called The Rummy Affair made from Pampero Especial rum, ciroc coconut vodka, Coco Lepez, lime, ginger, pineapple, mandarin and a dash of orange bitters. It was tropical, fruity, tangy and so delicious. Mlady went for a more traditional but nicely refreshing Batlow cloudy apple cider which was perfect for the sunny evening!




















We love to start a meal with a few fresh oysters - not dozens of them but enough just to get the taste.

The freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters here come as they are, you simply add a squeeze of fresh lemon if you want - or just have them as they come.

We decided to start with just one each - loved them - and wished we'd had more. Oh well!

We adore croquettes. We're soon to eat our way through Europe again and our trip through Portugal and Spain will be full of croquettes.

The salted cod croquettes with curried mayo were delicious.

The croquettes themselves were great but the curried mayo they had with them took the whole dish to another level. We could have kept eating these tasty treats all night!

Another favourite of ours is a really good mixed platter.

Here at The Butler we had a lovely one of cured meats, rillettes, pate, pickles and toast.

It was colourful and appetising and the different components were great individually and also together.

Everything tasted so good.

Sir loves duck. He eats it a lot - here in Australia and always when in Paris. We're in Paris soon and it will be duckfest for him again!

The duck sausage, confit leg, pickled beetroot and celery was another simple combination done really well to create another lovely fresh and healthy dish that also tasted delicious as well.

The duck, in fact the dish, was nicely presented and wonderfully flavoursome.

Do you like octopus? How about an octopus salad?

The grilled octopus, white beans and sherried vinegar was such a fresh, vibrant and refreshing salad.

The sherried vinegar gave it an edge that lifted it even more. The squid was nicely cooked and we loved the fact that they used beans with this.

We decided we needed something a bit green to have with our meal.

The grilled zucchini with goats cheese and basil ticked a lot of boxes for us.

Yes, it was green. Then it had goats cheese which we both love. Finally, it had basil which is again a favourite of ours. It all combined really well into a simple but effective dish that was extremely tasty.

How spectacular was this dessert?

It was a cherry trifle with mascarpone - at least that was the description in the menu - but in reality this wording didn't do it justice. 

Presentation was the key to this dish. It came served in a glass so you could see everything.

There were plenty of layers clearly visible, whole cherries and apple.

The finale was a lovely colourful garnish of fresh flowers on top of the trifle.

It was a simple touch that capped off such a vivid dessert.  

Our final dessert was a lovely yoghurt and honey panna cotta with raspberry coulis and passionfruit.

As with the previous dessert, colour was a key feature yet again. The pale panna cotta was offset with the vivid raspberry coulis that was dotted with bright passionfruit.

Fortunately it not only looked good, it tasted good too! 

The Butler is a pretty, chic place. Great atmosphere, great decor, great drinks and great food - all served with a smile. However, that view - wow - it's a killer and combined with everything else The Butler is so memorable.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of The Butler. Special thanks to Applejack Hospitality and to Luke, Farah and Helena for looking after us. A big thanks also to Olivia Warne of Pendulum Communications for arranging our visit. 

MEMENTO BAR AND KITCHEN - SYDNEY CBD

Memento Bar and Kitchen
(Inside the Mantra)
2 Bond St (Cnr George St)
Sydney CBD

Memento is the new bar and dining experience at the Mantra in Sydney CBD.

It spreads out over the large foyer area there and looks out over the hustle and bustle of George St in the heart of Sydney.

It's a relaxed space with views outside as well as into the open kitchen.

They have an extremely diverse menu here too - with plenty to choose from across all three courses - providing tastes from around the globe.

The street food influences of lunch time drift away as the more complete evening menu takes hold for dinner.

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We started with a few drinks while we perused the menu trying to decide what to have - as you do. The two white sangria's were certainly tasty and a specialty of the house - and great for a warm day too. The clear liquid showcased the slivers and swirls of fruit that bathed in the glass - soaking up the sangria for Mlady to eat later!

A bowl of what seemed to be Bhuja Mix was a nice side snack as we then started eating our way through the menu.

We were then ready for ....... another drink. We had two Raspberry and Rose Collins made from vodka, lillet rouge lemon, raspberry, rose water and soda. It was great to sip on these drinks and watch the world go by outside. A bowl of mixed olives in Sambuca marinade was another nice accompaniment!

We love arancini - in fact it's possibly one of the top reasons we're visiting Italy again soon - among many other food related reasons to be honest!

The mushroom arancini here were really lovely - with a nice crisp outer crumbed coating and a soft tender filling.

They came served with Manchego and caramelised onion - completing a great dish.

Oysters are a great start to a meal and they come in two ways at Memento – natural with vinaigrette or grilled Kilpatrick. What's your favourite? Mlady used to be a Kilpatrick person but she seems to be converting to natural these days. Sir eats them any way they're served. 

A rich and smooth chicken liver pate with cornichons, mustard fruits and crostini won us over - we loved this and would happily eat it several times a week. 

Some people don't like quail - we know a few of them - but we're not those people.

The tasty roast quail was served tender and juicy in garlic pan juices and micro herbs with a lightly crisped skin. 

A sampler of the seared butterfly prawns was next. They were cooked perfectly in chervil butter and served with a simple side salad.

Another of the house specialties are there Italian meatballs which come served in tomato sauce with a side of sourdough. They were hot, rich and delicious. It was easy to see why they are so popular! 

A Greek style salad with Kalamata olives, vine ripened tomato and feta was very nice as well. Again it was simple but effective. 

A couple of fresh and very tasty fish dishes followed.

We had a nicely pan fried snapper with sumac and coconut that had nice delicate flavours that combined really well.

We also had a favourite of Mlady's - crispy skin salmon with cherry tomato and verjuice - her love affair with crispy skin salmon shows no sign of ending!

A simple mixed leaf salad served with a raspberry vinaigrette went well with the tasty aged grain fed beef.

The beef was served sliced, with a crisp and extremely tasty herb and Parmesan crust that was a real winner.

Throw in a couple of glasses of red, one a Pinot from New Zealand and the other a Malbec from Argentina and it completes a lovely course. 

Sir loves pork belly - in fact a lot more than Mlady does.

The twice cooked pork belly and scallops was both an interesting and very good combination. It came served with a beautiful white bean puree and salsa verde. Just great!

Again more for Sir was the tender braised lamb shoulder served with labne, pumpkin and vanilla. It was a dish he devoured eagerly. 

One of the tangiest dishes of the night was the portion of butterflied half chicken that arrived. The full serving is half a chicken so we were glad it was a smaller portion as we were starting to fill up.

The chicken was beautifully cooked with tender and juicy meat beneath a crisped skin and all slathered in a sticky BBQ sauce.

What a winning combination!

Are you a cheese eater after a good meal? We love a nibble of cheese - usually with a dessert wine!

This cheese plate had lavoche, candied fig and truffle mascarpone together with some fresh honey. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

The passion fruit semi freddo looked spectacular in a high glass with a drizzle of summer coulis adding colour and style. 

A pretty wild berry pannacotta was next as we rapidly filled up!

It came with chocolate and biscotti and Mlady devoured most of this.

Another finale we have had quite often, particularly over the last year or two, is Affogato. This version was served with Frangelico, vanilla bean ice cream and of course the obligatory espresso shot. We were so full by now!!!

Memento Bar and Kitchen is quite an open place - sitting on the ground floor of the Mantra. It's a pleasant venue where you can watch the busy world of Sydney go by outside while you enjoy an extremely varied menu of tasty food with great service. It's well worth trying.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Memento Bar and Kitchen. A big thank you to Timo Lorenzen for arranging our visit. Thanks also to Charlotte and Mikalea for looking after us so well too.

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.

LA MINT RESTAURANT - DARLINGHURST, SYDNEY

La Mint
62-64 Riley St
Darlinghurst, Sydney

La Mint is a lovely place nestled in a quiet part of Riley Street in Darlinghurst that offers a lovely combination of French and Vietnamese influenced food.

Of course with the strong historical French links with Vietnam this combination is understandable, and yet there don't seem to be many in Sydney!

La Mint has a lovely decor and you feel comfortable and welcome as soon as you arrive. Seating 100 people it is a decent size, although being long and thin it actually hides its size well. Seating is well spaced allowing room and privacy.

It was very clear on our visit that they have a strong local following built up over many years in the area.

Our first entree (of many) was the papillotes aux deux fromages. Papillote means parcel or packet and the two cheeses - Tasmanian Camembert and Bega cream cheese - are encased inside crispy dumplings.

They were both lovely with Mlady preferrring the cream cheese slightly whilst I edged towards the Bega cheese ones just a bit. Crispy dumplings with molten cheese inside - what a winner and a must try!

We both love scallops so the grilled scallops - seared scallop in the shell with lemongrass, shallots and crushed peanuts - sounded great just reading them on the menu!

Fortunately, they tasted just as good. The scallops were lightly cooked - as they should be - and the Vietnamese influenced topping added a tasty delicate tang without overpowering the subtle seafood taste of the scallops. t

Of course it was also cocktail o'clock so we had to try a couple of the many options available at La Mint. We said what we liked and left the rest up to to La Mint and ended up with tasty tipples that we loved.

Mlady had a Chivas crush made from chivas regal, fresh mint, lemon juice and ginger ale. I had a Crazy Mojito made from fresh lime and mint muddled with sugar and Bacardi.

Who doesn't love a good spring roll? Well these ones were better than good - and impressive to look at as well.

Listed as nem stick in the menu, these were crispy prawn and squid spring rolls with taro and wood ear mushroom served with tamarind sauce.

They were certainly a lot longer and thinner than your standard spring roll - and extremely tasty as well - lots of crisp pastry and lots of sweet filling!

There are so many interesting - and different - dishes on the menu here and you could in fact have an entire meal of delicious entrees! The la folle de sugar cane - sugarcane wrapped with home made prawn paste and vermicelli with La Mint's tamarind dipping sauce - again looked so amazing and tasted great with contrasting textures going so well with wonderful flavours. It was like a crunchy, sweet san choy bow after you wrapped it all in the lettuce leaf it was resting on.

Of course pate de foie is a more traditional French dish - but you get the best of both worlds here at La Mint with some Vietnamese dishes, some Frech dishes and some fusion dishes! This was home made liver pate with leek, daikon, pickled carrot and cucumber and served with bread rolls. It was so good we took some home - and we heard plenty of people come here to get the pate for later on. It's easy to understand why!





















Next was a more familar serving of Vietnamese rolls. These soft rice paper rolls were so light.

They were made from prawn wrapped in rice paper with Vietnamese herbs and served with a very unusual yet extremely tasty green apple sauce.

Rice paper rolls always have such a fresh look to them and prawns add even more colour.

Our next dish, our first main course, was the must try coco curry at La Mint. It was corn fed Cajun chicken with La Mint's curry paste all baked and served in a whole young coconut.

It looked so impressive and tasted amazing. As you eat the tender chicken you also scoop out the coconut flesh which has softened while the whole dish was cooking.

It tasted so good.




















Our next main course was the pave de porc - anotrher unique signature dish of twice cooked pork belly tenderised in traditional caramelised sauce for 4 hours and served with baby green and La Mint's chilli.

The meat simply dissolved in your mouth it was just so tender and the flavours were divine. I could easily eat this all the time!

Seafood is always popular with us and the baby barramundi sounded like a good choice. It was filleted and lightly battered barramundi served with La Mints green pawpaw salad and zesty lemon ginger sauce.

The flesh had been removed from the fish and cooked before it was all re-assembled for serving.

The whole fish looked and tasted so good.

Dessert came in three this time. We had banana fritters with coconut sago and black sesame ice cream topped with home-made cinnamon syrup - crisp outer and soft core with lovely flavour. Then we had La Mint pudding - bitter melon jelly served with coconut sago - it looked great and was light and delicate with plenty of colour and taste. Finally we had the elegant poire belle Helene - poached pear with warm chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream. We were so full but very content!

La Mint offers a bit of Vietnamese, a bit of French and a bit of fusion between the two. There is a great variety available and it all looks and tastes great. There are plenty of wow factor dishes to choose!

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of La Mint. Special thanks to husband and wife team George and Leanne for having us. Leanne runs front of house and George is the creative force behind the menu. Thanks also to Lawrenjce, Sami and Nam for looking after us on our visit!