Love Sydney Part 1

Just back from a sorely needed break in Sydney. Love this city.

Below: Where else?

View of the Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Botanical Gardens

Below: The Harbour Bridge at sunset overlooking the Opera Bar...from a distance the noise of all the people sounded like a herd of well, possibly wildebeest!

Below: Circular Quay.... with The World on the right (passenger cruise ship)

Below: Harbour Bridge and Opera House from the Parramatta ferry.

Below: Lunch at Manly beach.

Love Sydney Part 2

Which fabulous restaurant to go to while in Sydney was a dilema.

However, who can forget the final of Masterchef 2009 when Matt Moran from Aria went to Justine's home and asked her to come train at his restaurant. It obviously pays to do TV because it did sway me to go to his restaurant, and I'm so glad I did.

The location on the edge of Sydney Harbour has you Gasping as you enter. Is the food worth 2 chef's hats from the SMH from 2007-2010.....well it is pretty good.


Below: Interior



Below: Tomato Juice essence free starter (who doesn't love a freebie)...I know there is a word for this I'll try to remember it Edit : Finally remembered the words...amuse bouche


Below: Belly Pork...melt in your mouth meat with crunchy crackling



Below: Vegetables..the most delicious mashed potatoes ever, flavoured with truffle oil, and good old rocket and parmesan.

Love Sydney Part 2A

Below: Duck Pate

Below: Steamed Snapper

Below: Trevalle a New Zealand fish (not to be confused with the similar named Australian fish)

Below: Peach Souffle and juice

The airey nothingness of this dessert was a little too nothingness for me....I don't think there was any flour in the soufle mix at all, so it was peach flavoured egg whites, brilliantly cooked and presented in a small copper pot with handle...but

Below: Ice cream

Thank you Aria

Love Sydney Part 3

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

Sitting at the cafe at the corner of Macleay St and Darlinghurst Road Kings Cross, by the Alamein fountain, I decided that people watching was becoming all about the shoes.


Since Carrie in Sex and the City found she had squandered the deposit to buy an apartment on buying shoes instead, I guess shoes have become a big deal.

Some girls could walk effortlessly in 20cm heels with 10cm platforms, while others needed more practice. These photos don't do the heel parade justice.

Christmas Greetings

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

From our front door to yours.

An Interesting Restaurant Part 1

NOBU

We went to the Robert De Niro Restaurant at the Crown Casino the other evening, and I am afraid to say , for me, it was an underwelming experience.

It serves contempory Japanese food which I must say lives up to the reputation Chef Nobu Matshisa has created...deliciously exotic.

The Food, yes the food was great, however at the risk of sounding whiney, I do not particularly enjoy "a share the plate" sort of degustation menu where you only get one slice of albeit the most beautifully delicate flavoured raw tuna you could ever imagine. You can order a personal meal but we went with the waiter's suggestion of 6 courses and a dessert.

Below: Outside Nobu from the walk along the Yarra River.




Below: Inside the restaurant. The restaurant is in the basement and therefore has a very low ceiling...could I imagine Robert de Niro walking amongst the tables smiling at the customers....No.


and the noise, I know, I know I've been in noisy restaurants before and can shout comments to my fellow diners with the best of them.....but this took noise to a whole other level. The wall of hanging river stones was intriguing.



Below: The tables do not have a table cloth and while I am sure the wood is a wonderful and rare Japanese Fir, still it is a polymer finished surface on which the food is served. This decor has met with approval in 20 or so restaurants worldwide, so I guess it is just a quirk of mine that I like a crisp white table cloth.



Below: Raw Salmon.




See Post below for more dishes.

An interesting Restaurant. Part 2

NOBU

(Continued)

Below: Sliced Wagyu beef with a Wasabi sauce. Magnificent.




Below: One member of our party, darling B. is 7 months pregnant and so the faultless service provided that when the main meal was a raw fish meal, she was given her own serving of a cooked fish version of the dish.


Below: Blacken Cod, the most delicious fish I have ever had.


Below: Dessert for Four. Chocolate filled buns, green tea ice cream and chocolate puddings.




Next door is this restaurant which caught my eye. I could see beautiful white table clothes and the ambiance was perhaps more to my liking. I would like to visit Bistro Guillaume below.