WINE: MAJELLA ‘The Musician’ Cabernet Shiraz 2006

Type: Red
Origin: Coonawarra, South Australia
Approx Cost: $15
http://www.majellawines.com.au

I keep looking for a non-sparkling wine from Majella that fills me with the same wow-factor that came with the delicious Sparkling Shiraz of theirs. Unfortunately, this isn’t it.

But it’s not bad. The cab sav really dominates (70%), but is nicely rounded off by the delicious shiraz that Majella make (30%).

Very dark crimson. Blackberry and liquorice on the nose. The palate is sweet and juicy. Blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, vanilla and liquorice. Mid-length finish with soft tannins.

Approachable now but could be better with a couple of years.

87%

RESTAURANT: Doytao Thai

Type: Thai
Location: 543 King St, Newtown
Booking Required: Sometimes

After so much Thai in the last few weeks (note: this was written like a month ago but I couldn't be bothered posting it) I’d sworn off the stuff for a while. Not because I was sick of it, I just felt like trying something different for once. But it wasn’t to be, as someone organised a work dinner to be here.

Not all was lost. They put on a pretty good spread here. Above average Thai food, BYO, good service and a nice location. Really good pad thai, tasty curries and flavoursome salads.

Really amazing value too. For the 9 of us it was only a staggering $120 and we stuffed ourselves. But lacking anything great that would make me come back.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: JACQUESSON Cuvee no. 730 Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $65

The last time I got this wine it was really horribly corked. I decided today that I was ready to give it another go.

Made with a blend of grapes from the 2002 harvest, as well as a reserve harvest, it’s a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, if fairly equal quantities.

Pours with a medium mousse, but fine and persistent bead. Mid straw hue. Aroma of green apple and peaches. The green apple and peach persist into the palate where they’re joined by a creamy texture and some honey and pear notes. Lovely dough and citrus finish which has good length and really opens up.

One of the better NV champagnes, but also one of the more expensive. Although it really is quite stylish and balanced, so give it a go and see if it floats your boat.

90%

WINE: YERING STATION Shiraz Viognier 2006

Type: Red
Origin: Yarra Valley, Victoria
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.yering.com/

While I didn’t review it on this blog, I really enjoyed the ‘05 of this and gave it 90%. A top value wine and an excellent value Shiraz Viognier blend. I got the ‘06 ages ago but it has sat idle. My second last bottle on hand. Not sure why.

I ummed and ahhed over this for quite a while.

A dark old purpley-black of a thing. Nice palate of blackberries, currants, spice, smoke and dried stone fruits. Smooth finish with good depth and length. Opened up very well over a few hours.

This is still a very good wine, but I don’t think it’s a nice as the ’05.

88%

WINE: TAMAR RIDGE Riesling 2004

Type: White
Origin: Tasmania
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.tamarridgewines.com.au/

I had a hankering for a Riesling the other week but didn’t have a clue about which would be a good, cheap one to get. I think I closed my eyes and got this one.

Looks like a Riseling (good start). Palate is a fairly heavy peach and oak with a bit orange and peppermint.

Not bad. Didn’t turn me around on Rieslings. I still don’t know if they’re for me or not.

86%

RESTAURANT & WINES

Alrighty. *cracks knuckles*.

Every few months, I go out for dinner with some friends who I used to work with. We've all done our stint in hospitality and we all enjoy our food and wine a lot. We always go to one of the most underrated restaurants in Melbourne. It's called Wildflower and it's in Canterbury. This restaurant has the most phenomenal food, and best of all, it's BYO, with very reasonable corkage ($4.50/head), so we all stock up on interesting booze and take it along.

To eat we all had the 8 course degustation which consisted of:

1- a cauliflower soup: fucking awesome. Creamy and savory. Quite rich, but a really nice start.

2 - Oysters with spring onion and tempura seasoned calamari. Totally unique take on oysters, I've never had them like this before. This was the highlight for sure.

3 - Scallops on a pork ravioli. Pretty nice, rich and gamey. Good winter flavours.

4 - Quail - Three styles of quail ranging from wings to salad. With red wine and truffle emulsion and mushroom puree. This was pretty awesome too.

5 - Lamb in a baked Parmesan shell with coriander. Again, awesome winter flavours, very rich but really good. Had like a burgundy sauce.

6 - Lemon granata - Really really potent lemon, good palate cleanser. Bit too sour for my liking.

7 - Rare eye fillet on top of cauliflower and smoked bacon patie type thing. This would have mad an amazing main course. Combination of bacon and cauli was rad.

8 - Desert tasting plate: passion fruit panacotta, blueberry pudding, creme brulee, chocolate torte and several sorbets and ice creams. Sweetened condensed milk ice cream was mine from the start and was delightful, pudding and brulee were also fucking good.

The service was friendly and informative, the setting is relaxed yet stylish and the prices are reasonable considering the quality of the food. Great place to go for a low-key yet classy night out.

Definitely going back.

WINES:

1. Gosset Grande Reserve NV Champagne: One of my favorites. Persistently fine bead. Creamy, awesomely rounded balance between citrus and dry yeasty finish. Straw in colour, fresh, inviting nose. 90%

2. 1990 Trimbach Gewurtztraminer: Wow! What a nose! Purchased on auction for $50 this had the most amazing bouquet of pot-purri and perfume. Aged nicely, light gold in colour, flavours were subtle, with a long musky finish and good spice. I could wear this stuff as cologne. 93%

3. 1999 Penfold's Yattarna Chardonnay: Really pretty stunning chardonnay. Smooth, silky impressions of stone fruit, melon, American oak and butteryness. Coconut on the nose. Impressive. 90%

4. 2002 Felton Road Pinot Noir: strong smell of raspberry and wild mushrooms. Similar on the palate with ripe plums. This got dominated by the food but it held up pretty well. Good earthy finish and great fruit. If it played cricket it'd be a solid all rounder. Could probably do with another 5 years. 89%

5. 1996 Penfold's Bin 389 Cab Shiraz. Big rich nose with American Oak and black currents. Velvety tannin structure, but lacking the fruit to really impress. Typical, ripe Australian red. 87%

6. 2003 Chateau Coutet Sauternes: boiled lollies and confectionery nose. Honeydew, apricots and syrupy on the palate. Typical sauternes with kerosene finish, not too sweet, nicely balanced and approachable. 88%

I'm full, drunk and very tired.

Adieu!

WINE: SCARPANTONI Block 3 Shiraz 2005

Type: Red
Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.scarpantoni-wines.com.au/

Dark crimson colour. A lot of juicy currants dominate the palate with a little aniseed. The finish is dry and spicy but with good length. Drinks really well.

Not a whole bundle of depth but a nice wine at a nice price.

As an aside, their website is really ugly. Browse at your own risk.

88%

RESTAURANT: Circa, The Prince

Type: Modern Australian
Location: 2 Acland St, St Kilda
Booking Required: Yes
http://www.circa.com.au

Ranked by The Age's Good Food Guide as one of Melbourne's top restaurants (with two hats) last year and awarded 3 stars from the Gourmet Food Traveller in 2006, Circa has long been on my wishlist of restaurants to get loose at. With a friend coming back from the Middle East for a week, I thought it'd be a good place to catch up and enjoy a quality breakfast with some good bubbles.

The decor is pretty smart, very modern, with no expense spared on interior decorations all complimented by good use of natural lighting and some sneaky views over Port Phillip Bay. The service was casual yet still perfect and I found by the end of the meal that the whole experience had been seamless.

Although I didn't flick through the entire winelist (it was pretty hefty, thanks to the excellent Prince Wine Store located beneath the restaurant) the list of champagnes was impressive. A good variety of Australian sparklings along with a handy list of prestige French. The markups on standard NVs are not for the faint of heart, up to 350% in some cases, however after some deliberation on how much we actually wanted to spend we went with a 1989 Louis Roederer Rosè.

Now before I go into the food, I can't even begin to describe the champagne, simply because I've never tried anything like it. The only older champagne I've tried was an 1985 Laurent Perrier, which wasn't in the same league as this. This was breathtaking. It was perfectly rounded with fruit and finished with a firm nutty finish. We tasted everything from peaches and apricots to brioche and macadamia, bold but still elegant and complex. It had aged well and I'd probably say it was in its prime.

This pic doesn't quite do the colour justice. It was more a bronze-pink.

To eat, I ordered the Tom Cooper smoked salmon with a steamed egg, parsley and capers. The flavours in this were divine. It seemed to slot in nicely with the champagne as well. Along with the above there was a honey-mustard seed type garnish which provided a delicious twist to brighten up the salmon and the egg. It was so good I got half way trough it and ordered another one. One of my friends ordered one for himself after he had tried mine.


My two friends both started with the scrambled eggs with smokey bacon and truss tomato. The bacon was probably the best bacon I've ever tasted. It was crisp and yet it still maintained a juicy rich flavour. The scrambled egg was fluffy and seasoned nicely. My other friend was so satisfied with it that ordered another round.

Doesn't exactly look mind blowing, but it tasted pretty bloody good.

We finished off with coffees and relaxed. Although the place was close to empty, we were not hurried with the bill and the waitress was quite content to let us chill out.

I'd never hesitate to come back to this place, as long as I could afford to do it properly. This morning was totally excessive, it was still good fun and worth it every once in a while.

CONCOCTION: Pol Roger NV with Cougar Bourban cans

Type: Stupid, Stupid Idea
Origin: Carlton, Victoria
Approx Cost: ~$70

Apologies in advance for questioning the integrity of this blog, however I feel it needs to be documented.

Long story short, we mixed some pol roger with bourbon and coke (only a on very small scale). Turned out to be an improvement on the bourbon and coke but still wasn't all that flash. The citrus definitely shone through and had a well layered complexity.

I don't recommend it, but if you're drunk and looking for attention it's quite effective.

76%

WINE: CHANDON Blanc de Blancs 2003

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Yarra Valley, Victoria
Approx Cost: $30

I love Blanc de Blanc sparklings and think that Chandon is consistently brining out Australia’s best sparklings, so this had to be good. And it was, although the cork looked a bit worrying when I took it out. But not to worry.

Simply a great BdB. Pale straw in colour with a hint of green. The mousse and bead are nothing to write home about but it does persist well. Those trademark Chandon flavours of white peach and honey dominate as usual, with a hint of ginger and a creaminess and sweetness that isn’t cloying but has you licking your lips for long after you’ve finished. The sweetness and crispness lingers for ages.

This is a classy as hell wine that is a fantastic example that the French champagnes aren’t untouchable. It’s not a technically perfect wine but for $30 this represents excellent value.

92%

RESTAURANT: Umi Kaiten Zushi

Type: Japanese
Location: 477 Pitt St (Corner of Hay and Parket St), Haymarket
Booking Required: No bookings, may need to wait
http://www.umikaitenzushi.com.au/

I don’t really like sushi trains, so going here was a risk. The cost of getting a good filling and the overabundance of boring/tasteless dishes always turned me off.

But this place was fantastic. It’s such an unassuming location (across the road from the Capitol Theatre) to have such an experience in. Amongst the nicely decorated walls and huge fish tank (score), travel delicious places of sushi along a huge, winding train. It’s a bit more than your average sushi train (the good plates costing between $3-$5), but the quality, range and flavour is undeniable.

Next to us were two businessmen sitting before what must have been 20 plates. It sounds excessive, but once you start trying the sushi on offer, you can understand how they ended up with that many.

If the food on the train wasn’t enough, they also have some great dishes on offer. Wagyu beef curry udon was a combination of flavours I hadn’t tasted before, but was sublime. Even their miso soup seemed a step above the norm.

If you like finishing your meal on a sweet note then their range of desserts is fascinating. Green tea cheesecake and pumpkin crème brulee are just two examples.

At the end of it all we were stuffed. Something interesting to eat is constantly travelling past or sitting on a menu near you. And the staff on hand always seem more than willing to bring it to you, even if it isn’t the most polished service.

It does cost a bit more than the normal sushi train, but it’s good value for the quality on offer. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better sushi train in Sydney.

RATING: Will return to

WINE: PARKER Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

Type: Red
Origin: Coonawarra, Victoria
Approx Cost: $35
http://www.parkercoonawarraestate.com.au

I have a buttload of cab sav on hand that I need to get through, despite not being a big fan of cab sav (or maybe because of not being a big fan of cab sav). Nevertheless, I was looking forward to trying this because of the reputation that the Parker First Growth has.

Rich in colour. A nice aromas of plum, blueberry, tobacco and spice. Nice, well-rounded palate of blueberry, plum, mulberry, spice, tobacco and dark chocolate. Good length on the finish. Quite a lot of alcohol to it.

This isn’t a great cab sav but it is a good one. I don’t think 02 was their best vintage so pick up a different year if you’re going to try it. Regardless of what year you do get, it will need a few years in the cellar to develop.

88%

RESTAURANT: Snakebean

Type: Thai/Asian
Location: 95 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
Booking Required: No bookings

I like the idea behind Snakebean, the cheaper cousin of RQ. It’s a no fuss, BYO (bottle shop next door, yay), Asian eatin-in/take away. The food is simple, tasty and fairly well priced and the service is friendly and attitude free.

That said, the food isn’t sensational and it’s good as a quick eat or take away but nothing more. Chicken larb was nicely flavoured but lacked flair, entrees (chicken and mango rice paper roll, chicken dumplings, roast duck pastries) were pulled off well and the slow cooked beef stew was nice and warming.

What I did find odd was the almost communal aspect of it all. Nearly everyone who came in the restaurant wanted to know what we were eating so they could get that too. Strange.

I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to eating there again, especially for take away, but I won’t go out of my way to go back.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: Starve Dog Lane Sparkling 2000

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Adelaide Hills, SA
Approx Cost: $30

I spontaneously decided to pick up this bottle while I was in the grog store looking for a bottle of red for dinner. I hadn't tried a mid-range Australian sparkling for some time and I figured nows a good opportunity!

No prize for guessing the combination of grapes in this wine! Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier combined to produce a nice bright coloured sparkling. The nose possessed a light aroma of fresh fruit and bread. Fine bead. Taste was delicious, a combination of apple and light citrus flavours with a crisp and solid finish. Very enjoyable.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this wine - value wise it does not compare with the likes of Blue Pyrenees which retails at roughly $10 less a bottle.

91%

WINE: LILLYPILLY Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2002

Type: Sweet White
Origin: Riverina, NSW
Approx Cost: $20 (375ml)
http://www.lillypilly.com/

Straight away I’ll admit that I love the stickies, so this is right up my alley even though it was my first botrytis sav blanc. Still, a lot of surprises in store when I tried it.

A luscious deep gold colour. A sexy, sexy nose of apricot, peach and citrus peel that is really inviting. I could smell it all day. But no, I mustn’t. I must taste it too. The palate is equally nice. The fruit peel really dominates with a little spice and some juicy apricot. It finishes off with a pleasing, sharp tang.

The Sauvignon Blanc really stars here. It’s lighter and slightly more tart than a botrytis Semillon tends to be. Interesting and delicious, like an upsidedown cake (“Holy shit, this cake is upsidedown. Oh, and delicious (like a cake)!”)

I can’t recommend it enough.

93%

WINE: MOSS WOOD Amy's Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

ISBR #2

Type: Red
Origin: Margaret River, WA
Approx Cost: $30
http://www.mosswood.com.au/

Jobe decided to palm off the other half of his bottle of wine (refer ISBR #2). His excuse for this was that he wanted me to participate in the ISBR, but after tasting the wine, I wonder if he didn't have ulterior motives.

When I received this wine, it was well below room temperature - however I have a feeling this only benefited the wine because drinking it cold hid many of its imperfections, unfortunately not all of them.

I haven't got much to say about this wine, frankly it lacked depth and I wasn't impressed.

71%

RESTAURANT: Wok Station Pyrmont

Type: Thai
Location: 2/135 Harris St, Pyrmont
Booking Required: Sometimes

The wall says No Bullshitting, No Gossip, No Backstabbing, No Smoking Area and I think that works well for pretty as a picture Pyrmont.

A really nice place for lunch on a warm Sydney day with the wind blowing the breeze from Darling Harbour up the square and into the restaurant. Good looking people walk by and equally good looking plates of food scurry back and forth.

The menu is a bit odd. It looks like a Myer catalogue and the names of dishes is all mixed up. Chicken larb is known as BCP. No explanation is offered as to what BCP stands for. Brown Chicken Plate? Whatever it was, it was pretty nice.

BYO which is good, although they didn’t have any flutes for our champagne so we had to drink them out of normal wine glasses. Service is pretty frantic and without fuss as you’d expect.

While there are better Thai joints around Sydney, if I ever was in Pyrmont and looking for a bite to eat I would consider this place. Good food, good prices and no bullshit.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: MOSS WOOD Amy’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

ISBR #2

Type: Red
Origin: Margaret River, WA
Approx Cost: $30
http://www.mosswood.com.au

After Sam’s review I couldn’t help but crack my bottle of this to see if it was any good or not. Just to be on the safe side I gave it plenty of time in the glass, which was probably wise because it smelt like a punnet of mouldy berries that had been sitting at the back of the fridge for months. That must have been the greenery that Sam mentioned.

After a little time in the glass the first few sips were nice enough, so I left it a bit longer to see where it was headed. Bad move.

Light but uneven crimson. An inviting nose of blueberries, plums and spice. But we come to the palate and it all falls down. The fruits are terribly stewed now with a background of oak and spice. Ackh. That mouldy punnet of berries is looking appealing...

Some people really like this style of Cabernet, but I’m not one of them.

RATING: 82%

WINE: Moss Wood Amy's Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Type: Red (Cabernet Sauvignon)
Origin: Margaret River (Western Australia)
Approx Cost: $25-$30

When it comes to straight Cabernet, Moss Wood is one of the leaders in Australia. Their premium label is consistently awesome and is one of the few premium Australian reds that is really approachable whether it is young or 15 years old. Initially I selected this because I wanted something that I knew would be available in Sydney (so we could conduct another ISBR), but also, as a serious fan of the premium label, I was hoping the Amy's would dazzle me.

It failed.

The nose was light and pretty much just had a hint of American oak. I thrashed it round my glass a few times to try and get some more out of it but I was pushing it. On the palate it started off really green with slight hints of stalks and spice, American oak prevailing with a pretty short finish. I realise it's only an '05, but that said, it lacks any mid-palate intensity that a wine with legs requires and good fruit is nowhere to be seen.

Apologies Jobe. Not a good start on my behalf.

Conclusion: Spend $100 on the good Moss Wood. Or get 3 cleanskin Margaret River Cab Sauvs

80%

WINE: TATIARRA ‘Culled Barrel’ Shiraz 2005

Type: Red
Origin: Heathcote, Victoria
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.cambrianshiraz.com/

Calypso tried to dodgy this one up. A couple of weeks ago he told me he’d ordered two bottles of a wine that sounded interesting. But he wouldn’t tell my why it was interesting or who made it, instead saying that he would serve it to me blind and tell me more about it afterwards so I didn’t prejudge it for being, as I now know, a culled wine. Going into it all I knew was that it came from Victoria, cost approx $20 and was Shiraz. I tried to coax the name out of him but it wasn’t to be.

Veeeeery dark black/purple in colour had me interested initially. It looked powerful but I had no idea that it was a 15.5% wine monster. Quite a nice spicey, berry-filled nose. Very different on the palate to a normal Shiraz. Plum, ripe, juicy currants and dark berries with a bit of spice and oak. Lengthy finish of pepper and edgy tannins. Didn’t show excessive alcohol, which was good.

Opened up quite well over the course of an hour or so, and would probably be even better with more time in the glass. I wasn’t blown away, but it was quite good for what it was. If I didn’t know the price beforehand I would have guessed it was somewhere between $30-40, so this is a very good value wine.

89%

WINE: TATIARRA Culled Barrel Shiraz 2005

Type: Red
Origin: Victoria - Heathcote
Approx Cost: $20.00

I saw this particular wine during my occasional browsing of http://www.nicks.com.au/. What drew me towards a purchase was the fact that this was a ‘culled barrel’ of wine, regardless of which, the wine had still been bottled. Apparently, 50 of the 130 barrels that were produced in 2005 were culled due to some form of imperfection; however, the 50 culled barrels were still bottled and sold at 40% of the price. The price of the bottle produced from the “Culled barrels” was still $20.00, leading me to believe that this could still be an interesting and enjoyable bottle of wine.

Well, I certainly wasn’t disappointed! – Very smooth wine with hints of liquorice, spice and blackberry made for a very enjoyable experience. This wine may have benefitted from an additional couple of years of cellar life to add maturity.

Enjoyable.

91%

WINE: MOSS WOOD Ribbon Vale Vineyard Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Type: White
Origin: Margaret River, WA
Approx Cost: $25
http://www.mosswood.com.au/

Quite a nice blend of Semillon and Sav Blanc and a good introduction as my first Moss Hill wine.

Gold with lemon and limey-green hints. Lime, zest, grass and flint on the palate. Well balanced. A good sweetness and a nice, clean finish.

Nothing that will set the world on fire but not a lot to fault.

88%

RESTAURANT: The Nepalese Kitchen

Type: Nepalese
Location: 481 Crown St, Surry Hills
Booking Required: Usually.

For Calypso’s birthday we had originally planned to attend the wonderful Benzin, but arrived to find that someone had booked the entire restaurant out for a birthday or something. With the success of the evening on the line I had to think fast. I have to tell you, loyal readers, that I was stumped. Despite being in the middle of Surry Hills I couldn’t think of anything that would be appropriate. But then I spied The Nepalese Kitchen across the road. I’d heard good things. But I’d also heard that it was usually booked out. Do we risk it? Calypso says yes.

We walk in and manage to get a seat because we’re there so early. Initially, I was worried. The place looked a tad dingy and had that “cheap” smell about it. But we were there so we kept on.

After a quick trip to the nearby pub for some wines ($1 corkage isn’t bad) we returned to look at the menu completely stupefied. There were meats and descriptions I hadn’t encountered before. So we opted for the trusty banquet option.

And it turned out to be bloody tasty. Starting off with a trio of dips, chicken dumplings (very nice) and some samosa sort of things, all very excellent. Mains continued with the quality; a succulent goat curry, an amazingly tender chicken and potato curry, a nicely barbequed beef salad and a nice eggplant and potato curry, which was surprisingly good considering I’m not big on eggplant.

While it was all excellent, there wasn’t enough for us four strapping lads. So we decided to go dessert. But not normal dessert, no, we decided to go two desserts each. Your average waiter would probably freak out but ours kept his cool, confirming the order in a relaxed tone. A pyramid trio of ice creams was nice (but not outstanding) and the fudge thingy was also quite good, without being spectacular.

The bill came and we were delighted. Good value for the tasty food on show. Next time we’d probably avoid the banquet and order more food from the menu, but apart from that a very successful birthday celebration.

RATING: Will return to

WINE: TYRRELLS Reserve Stevens Semillon 2002

Type: White
Origin: Hunter Valley, NSW
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.tyrrells.com.au/

Hmmm I don’t know. I got this after trying Mount Pleasant’s Elizabeth last week, thinking that trying something from Tyrrells' lower-tier wines would prove interesting.

Didn’t start well with the cork fucking up beyond belief. I’m really becoming a fan of screwcaps for cheaper wines.

Green gold. Lime and mineral aromas. Opens with citrus and flinty minerals. A little toasty on the finish.

Ehhhh. It’s good, but nothing special.

87%

WINE: BRAIDED RIVER Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006

Type: Red
Origin: New Zealand
Approx Cost: $14
http://www.cheviotbridge.com.au/wine/braided_river/index.cfm

Berries on the nose. Underripe berries, rhubarb and anise on the palate. Very young and bursting with fruit like it was just picked yesterday. Sweet, unspectacular finish.

Not good, not bad. A cheap quaffer that won’t offend.

87%

WINE: VEUVE CLICQUOT Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $80

Enjoyed over a nice Thai lunch. The perfect accompaniment really. Mid to pale straw in colour. Mousse isn’t as fine as I’d expect but the bead was fine and persistent. Great lemon and citrus flavours with a toasty finish. Good lenth. Not as smooth or crisp as the top few NVs floating around, but it’s not far off.

89%

WINE: TALTARNI Brut Tache 2005

Type: Sparkling Rose
Origin: Victoria (70%) and Tasmania (30%)
Approx Cost: $17
http://www.taltarni.com.au/

After the surprisingly pleasant Clover Hill Brut made by Taltarni, I was interested in trying something else. Enter the Brut Tache.

Pale gold with a hint of salmon. Quite a pleasing colour. The mousse is all over the place and the bead is fine but burns itself out pretty quick. Interesting palate. Strawberries, passionfruit, pink apple. The finish is long and smooth but the flavours that carry on aren’t great at times.

This wine was extremely influenced by the food that was eaten with it. It did well with a very lemony chick pea salad, but died in the arse when tried with a dish driven by a basil pesto hummus.

I’m still waiting for a sparkling rose to wow me. From what I’ve had so far they’re never as enjoyable as the normal sparkling whites and are even sold at a higher price sometimes. This wine is really no exception. It’s okay, but I’d really only recommend it if you’re after a nice midrange Aussie sparkling rose. Can’t see myself getting it again.

85%

WINE: MAJELLA Shiraz 2004

Type: Red
Origin: Coonawarra
Approx Cost: $30

Majella is the man. There are some really tasty reds coming out of Coonawarra at the moment, but Majella is the one hitting the right notes for me. It’s such a delicious and distinctive taste.

The 2004 Shiraz is no exception. Nice and inky in colour. That very familiar Majella nose which you can almost bite into of blackcurrant, vanilla and mint. A palate which is just as expressive. Again, the juicy berry and currant fruits with a little bit of plum, oakey spice, mint and vanilla thrown in. Ah the mint. A nice finish which leaves you licking your lips.

It could probably do with a few years in the cellar but bugger it, it’s nice now.

90%

WINE: Yering Station Late Harvest Pinot Gris 2005

Type: White (sweet)
Origin: Yarra Valley, Vic
Approx Cost: ~$20
http://www.yering.com

Excuse the graphic imagery, but I am currently averaging about three orgasms a minute. Sitting in front of me is a plate of crackers and healthy portion of Délice de Bourgogne, a triple cream French Brie and a glass of Yering's Late Harvest Pinot Gris (with Lyrical Commission humming in the background). I first tried the LHPG at Yering a bout 12 months ago when I went out there for lunch. Yering's whole operation is pretty spectacular. It's wines are generally very good, their marketing is smart and their winery/restaraunt/cellar door setup is amazing. I'm a bit of a fan of lighter dessert-style wines, I find they're like a palate cleanser and a good way to finish the night without feeling like you've over done it.

I really like the colour of this wine, it looks like it's a friendly kind of wine. Don't ask me how a wine looks friendly. It just does. The nose gives a similar impression to a botrytis-style dessert wine, with hints of confectionery kerosene, but signs of melon and stone fruit are lurking without sinister intent. The mouth feel is slightly buttery and it opens beautifully on the palate. It's got a real nice round sweetness, backed with the above mentioned fruits and some very fain floral orange flavours. Lovely length and slightly kerosene/Sauternes kind of finish. It's really nicely toned-down, with enough sweetness to compliment food, but without being dominant, providing the wine with a great deal of flexibility. I really like it. And it's fucking sex with this cheese.

This would be interesting to try with a savory dish in some sort of culinary experiment. It works well with blue and soft cheeses and would be a pleasure on it's own.

90%

WINE: JOSEPH PERRIER Cuvee Royale Brut Rose NV

Type: Rose Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $70

I thought the normal Brut of this was a nice enough Non-Vintage so why not give the rose a go?

Very deep golden pink in colour; The mousse is fine-to-medium, pours well, with a fine, persistent bead; Quite powerful in taste, definitely not one of those subtle rose style wines; Green apple, rosehip, grapefruit; finish is a little confusing, toasty and acidic, muddled.

For $30 this would be a good rose champagne. For $70 I can’t see myself going there again.

88%

RESTAURANT: Devonshire Thai

Type: Thai
Location: 208 Devonshire St, Surry Hills
Booking Required: Rarely

The next stop on the Surry Hills Dining Experience (wow, that’d make a great name for a prog band) is… merry olde England? While the name may not be quite right at Devonshire Thai, the food certainly is.

After ordering a trio of starters—tofu with peanut sauce, prawn spring rolls and fish cakes—I was delighted to see them all arrive on the one platter. It’s only a little thing but it makes a nice difference to everything arriving separately on small dishes. They all tasted pretty good too. Perfectly fried but not at all oily.

Mains were also good. Beef jungle curry packed a fair amount of heat and plenty of flavour, and the chicken larb was very pleasing indeed with it’s citrus flavours.

All in all a nice meal and a nice, small place. A step above your average suburban Thai, but probably not as good as fellow Surry Hills Thai purveyors, Spice I Am and Benzin. Service was a tad clumsy but nice overall and the price was also pretty good. If this wasn’t near Spice I Am and Benzin then I’d come back to this place quite a lot, but, well it is. Can’t argue with geography.

RATING: Okay, may go back.

WINE: MOUNT PLEASANT ‘Elizabeth’ Semillon 2002

Type: White
Origin: Hunter Valley, NSW
Approx Cost $15

After the delicious Lovedale the other day, I couldn’t pass this up when I saw it on the wine list at a restaurant.

Very dark straw with a bit of green in it. Nice floral and lemon nose. Palate has a big lemon and lime kick to it. Finish is okay, but a little jarring.

A good buy if you want a nice, cheap Semillon to consume and not think too much about, but nowhere near the Lovedale.

87%

WINE: Oakridge Estate Chardonnay 2005

Type: Chardonnay
Origin: Yarra Valley, Vic
Approx Cost: $15-$20
http://www.oakridgeestate.com.au

About two years ago this wine popped up on the radar after winning a plethora of awards at numerous respected wine shows. It had been ranked higher than some of the biggest names in Australian chardonnay, including Giaconda, Penfolds Yattarna and Bannockburn. At the time I was cynical and refused to be sucked in by the hype and I'll be honest, I'm not a massive chardonnay fan.

However I picked up a bottle of the '05 last night on the recommendation of a co-worker and had it tonight with a prawn and leak pasta dish. It was delightful. The nose smells like fresh bread and nuts, hints of oak and good rich fruit. The palate is long and refined with a small hint of butteryness. The balance between fruit and oak is exceptional and the grapefruit flavours linger, without any bitterness or unwanted acidity. It reminds me a little bit of bollinger, without the bubbles.

For the price, this wine is well worth getting. It'll hold up beautifully next to a plate of barramundi and it'll nicely compliment a plate of prawns. It's one of the few chards I've tried at a reasonable price that's really grabbed me.

90%

WINE: MOUNT PLEASANT ‘Lovedale’ Semillon 1996

Type: White, Semillon
Origin: Hunter Valley, NSW
Approx Cost: $45
http://www.mountpleasantwines.com.au/

Well, with the hope of doing a kinda interstate simultaneous booze review (ISBR) with Jobe, I went to work (a bottle shop) with the ambition of buying a Lovedale Semillon. I asked the boss if we had any to my surprise he said: "yes." He went out to the dungeon where he stashes all the good shit and fetched me a bottle of the '96 Lovedale which had been sitting there for about 4 years, since the last owners had the place. He cut me a bit of a deal on it and told me it'd be looking pretty good. Jeremy Oliver's book (not the best) gave it 96/100 and recommend drinking 2008 onwards. 2007's close enough.

I went round to a friend's place after work with a pack of sushi and sashimi and opened the wine in time for the budget highlights. The good quality cork had shown no signs of deterioration and the opening nose was delightfully complex and interesting. My first impression of the taste was: "hey this thing's fuckin spritzy, it's got bubbles", my friend agreed. we poured a third glass and let it sit. After 10 minutes it had been lined with bubbles. How peculiar. Once the spritzyness had passed it left a pretty interesting, all be it short, palate of melon, honey suckle and some floral notes. The citrus Jobe experienced with the 2000 had softened and revealed a very elegant silkiness. It had probably gone in the cellar a bit long, or it could have been a dud bottle.

Overall there were definite signs of it being a really good wine. It had the characteristics of a really nice aged semillon. It had just passed it's prime by the time I got to it. Do as Jobe says, get as much of this and the Vat 1 as you can and enjoy some of the world's best value wine.

WINE: MOUNT PLEASANT ‘Lovedale’ Semillon 2000

Type: White, Semillon
Origin: Hunter Valley, NSW
Approx Cost: $35?
http://www.mountpleasantwines.com.au/

I’m comin’ straight outta the Hunter with a single-vineyard Semillon. Hmm doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as the original. NWA were right to not write that song about this wine. Still, it does deserve some sort of musical dedication because it’s bloody fantastic.

Slight straw with a touch of green in colour. Aromas of lemon, lime and grass. And then the glorious taste. Lemon and lime with a hint of grapefruit and peach, all deliciously rounded off with some nice honey notes. Beautifully long, clean finish.

This is an outstanding example of why Hunter Valley Semillon is so highly regarded. Hard to pick between this and the also excellent Tyrrells Vat 1, so don’t even bother. Do yourself a favour, pick up both and fuck the police.

95%

WINE: D’ARENBERG ‘The Custodian’ Grenache 2004

Type: Red
Origin: McLaren Vale, Australia
Approx Cost: $18
http://www.darenberg.com.au/

I think this is the first 100% Grenaches that I’ve ever had. Inexperienced, but I’ll press on.

Inky purple with a bit of deep red. Quite a juicy wine. Lots of berry and currant flavours with some oak and spice thrown in, with a little vanilla and mint on the finish. I think this can do with a bit of age. The tannins are a bit sharp.

Tasted nice with a warm Indian curry. It was a pleasing experience for my first Grenache, but I don’t think it compares to other reds. If I find one highly recommended then

88%

WINE: MOET ET CHANDON Millesime Blanc 1999

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $100
http://www.moet.com/

A gift from some people at work. Wonderful. Moet is a champagne house that I have A LOT of time for. I believe the Millesime Blanc is made only during above average vintages and is supposed to be the best that the winemaker can do, but I could be wrong. I was never one for research.

I had this a few months ago and thought it was okay, but the place I got it from was a bit suss and nothing ever tastes great from there.

Mid straw with a green hue. Fine, persistent mousse and bead. Tastes quite nice. Green apples, pears, caramel and spice.

I like it, but I don’t think it really offers anything special. And for this price you want it to.

88%

RESTAURANT: Chilli Man Thai

Type: Thai
Location: 24b Letitia St, Oatley
Rooking Required: Usually.

My local Thai joint. Always packed out with people, but that has more to do with the lack of other options around here and the fact that the restaurant is tiny.

They do good food, but not great food, at a good price. If it wasn’t close to me I wouldn’t go out of my way to get the food, but at the same time I do enjoy eating it.

Good entrees, especially the golden bags and tofo tod. For the mains it really is trial and error about what to pick. I like the beef salad, chicken larb, pad thai, beef green curry, lamb basil and a few others. Duck red curry was a disappointment.

Service is pretty average so takeaway is a better option.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: BLUE PYRENEES ESTATE Vintage Brut 2001

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Victoria
Approx Cost: $18
http://www.bluepyrenees.com.au/

The 2000 vintage of this was one of my favourite wines for under $20. It had a fantastic crispness and a great selection of fruit behind it. So I was nicely surprised when I noticed that the bottle I had in the fridge was the 2001.

I don’t remember the 2000 being closed by diam but I could be wrong.

Good mousse and bead for an Aussie sparkling. An attractive pale straw colour with a slight copper hue. Different taste. It still has all of the grapefruit, lemon, peach and apple, but it’s a lot sweeter; not as crisp. Finish isn’t great.

It’s still good, but just not as good. It’s almost like the tried to bring in more finesse with this vintage, but the crispness and bold fruit flavours is what made the 2000 such a good wine.

87%

RESTAURANT: Shang Hai Yangzhou House

Type: Chinese
Location: 177 Forest Road, Hurstville
Rooking Required: No.

The last time I came here I enjoyed it but didn’t really notice anything special about it. But something was different this time. Maybe different food was ordered, maybe it was because it was dinner instead of lunch, maybe I was excited about the prospect of the 4 day Easter long weekend approaching when I went. But whatever it was, the second time around was an amazing experience.

The menu at this place is a monster. It has as many choices as most Chinese places (ie shitloads), but has a large picture for EVERY DISH on the menu. The resulting photo album is half the size of the table.

Went for the turnip cakes, fried dumplings, some sort of strange egg roll and a steamed dish I forget (dumplings?). All were fantastic. Chinese Noodle Restaurant were my favourite dumplings until now. A lot cleaner and crispier in taste. I couldn’t get enough.

Service wasn’t great but at places like this I don’t think you can expect much. Made up for it in value, which was nothing short of outstanding.

Two dishes into the meal Calypso and I began to debate whether or not to give out an illustrious “Will constantly return to” grading (only our second ever). When the dust settled and I had time to reflect, I decided that it was worthy.

RATING: Will constantly return to

RESTAURANT: Pizza e Birra

Type: Italian
Location: 500 Crown St, Surry Hills
Rooking Required: No bookings. Tends to get busy later in the evening.

Next step on the Surry Hills odyssey is the well-regarded Pizza e Birra.

Combining traditional, delicious pizza with Australian-style beer at a good price in a nice location sounded too good to be true. But it really wasn’t.

We entered the gorgeously renovated warehouse with dim lighting before the late evening rush and headed to our table with a more than healthy appetite.

A big stumble at the start of the evening with the waiters taking the order of tables that came in after us before ours, forcing us to wait for a while. But once we got past that the rest of the evening went smoothly.

A good menu combining all of the elements of Italian food: pizza, pasta, seafood, wine. But we were here for the pizza. Good wine list too. Some good local and Italian choices with a bit of a mark up. But we weren’t there for the wine. It’s all about the house beer.

We kicked things off with the perfect starter. An antipasto plate piled with cheese, bread and cured meat. I was concerned that because this place is fairly cheap they might skimp on the quality of their ingredients, but everything on the plate was good.

Great pizza too. The Proscuitto comes topped with plenty of slices of the meat, shaved parmesean and rocket. It’s a simple topping that I’ve had a few times before, but Pizze e Birra really nail it. Tried a couple of the others and they were also impressive. The bases are perfectly crisp when you bite into them, but aren’t TOO crispy or chewy like many other places that claim to be authentic.

The house beer (simply called ‘Birra’) isn’t bad. An Australian pale ale with some good fruity flavours and a lot of hops. Unfortunately a fair bit of sediment too. But you have to give them credit for at least having a house beer.

Finished off with the tiramisu, the yardstick for every Italian restaurant. Here it is pulled off very well. Also a nice Belgian chocolate torte with cognac custard on the menu that holds its own.

A good very nice evening at a very good price. While the service was a little sporadic, the food is fantastic and the pizza is some of the best I’ve ever had.

RATING: Will return to

WINE: CLOVER HILL Brut 2002

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Tasmania
Approx Cost: $30
http://www.taltarni.com.au/

So the headline sparkling from out good friends at Taltarni wines. Okay, so maybe they aren’t really our friends and maybe there is no “us” just me. I don’t even know if this is the headline sparkling. And maybe I don’t remember if I like Taltarni wines or not. It’s safe to assume that I didn’t do my research here.

Anyway. I’m surprised by how fine the mousse and bead are. Rare for an Australian wine. Not super fine but still good. I forget the colour because it is now all gone and I forget to look at the colour. Mid straw from memory. The tasting notes on the website say it has a “Champagne hue”. For a sparkling white wine? How very odd.

The taste is overwhelmingly of dough and toast. There is the faintest of hints of stone fruits in there somewhere, like a peach rubbed against a slice of bread, but it’s barely noticeable. Long, bready finish.

I don’t mind this.

88%

WINE: GAPSTED WINES ‘Ballerina Canopy’ Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Victoria
Approx Cost: $30
http://www.gapstedwines.com/

An odd one. Towards the higher end of the Australian sparkling market. And no mention of this wine on their website.

Initially a fine mousse, which turns very heavy and dissipates. The bead also starts off fine but then grows and struggles under its weight. Light gold with a hint of green. Very fruity on the nose. Fruity on the palate. Citrus and peach with a little toasty kick towards the end. Creamy. Good length on the finish.

For $15 this would be a great wine, for $30 it is just middle of the class.

87%

WINE: FOX CREEK ‘Vixen’ Sparkling Burgundy NV

Type: Sparkling Red
Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.foxcreekwines.com.au/

Quite a unique blend, it’s made up of a mix of Shiraz, Cab Franc and Cab Sav. Wasn’t expecting much of this wine but it turned out to be very good indeed.

Midnight dark plum in colour. I think there is a bead in there somewhere but good luck trying to see it. Maybe it’s not, I dunno… Smells fairly herby, which is reflected in the taste. Blackberries dominate with a pinch of sugar, aniseed and assorted herbs. Reminds me a lot of the delicious Majella Sparkling Shiraz, but not quite as good.

I actually like the idea of this wine. It’s a unique taste and a well-made wine at a good price. One of the better Aussie sparkling reds that I’ve tried.

89%

WINE: BAY OF FIRES ‘Tigress’ Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Tasmania, Australia
Approx Cost: $20
http://www.bayoffireswines.com.au

I bought this wine completely forgetting that I have tried the headline sparkling from Bay of Fires (Arras) and wasn’t really impressed.

Very pale gold hue. It could do with a few days in the sun. Average mousse and a heavy bead which burns out fairly quickly. Orange and honey on the nose. Similar taste to the Arras, with the green apple and citrus to begin with, followed by a toasty finish. A bit of creaminess too.

I suppose it’s okay. I’d pick this up over the Arras, since it’s half the price and the quality is only just behind. But I wouldn’t pick it over many other wines.

86%

WINE: POL ROGER Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $50
http://www.polroger.com/

I’ve had a couple of run-ins with Pol Roger and they were all positive. Definitely a consistent and value-for-money Champagne house.

That said, I wasn’t expecting this taste. Heavy gold/straw hue. Pours with a decent mousse and a bead that lasts well. But a lot more peach and toast than I remember. That’s followed by a sharp bite and a finish that is almost like beer. Very odd. Tastes like a mix between a Moet and Bollinger. It has both the crispness and the refined boldness.

87%

WINE: D’ARENBERG ‘The Peppermint Paddock’ Sparkling Chambourcin NV

Type: Sparkling Red
Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Approx Cost: $25
http://www.darenberg.com.au/

I fine d’Arenberg to one of the biggest hit and miss producers in Australia. They may some really great wines, but they also make some really mediocre wines. So I picked up this wine a little bit desperate, looking to fill up a mixed dozen of sparkling wines.

I think it sits in between their great and mediocre offerings. After spending a geat deal of time tempting the cork from it’s home, it pours a very vivid purple with a nice bead for a sparkling red. Smells like a red frog. Tastes like a mouthful of juicy berries. Blackberries, blueberries, mulberries. Very juicy and sweet with a little kick from the tannins. The taste of the colour blue is in there somewhere. Finishes a little dry.

Not too sweet and not too tart. A nice sparkling red that would go well in summer with some meat or berries. But not great though. Lacks anything special.

87%

WINE: BIMBADGEN ESTANE Myall Road Botrytis Semillon 2005

Type: Sweet White
Origin: Australia
Approx Cost: $17 (375ml)
http://www.bimbadgen.com.au/

I planned to make a pancake dessert lasagne so I needed a dessert wine to go with it. This seemed like the logical choice. First tried at the Sydney Royal Wine Show and then again at Fix St James, I was looking forward to have some time alone with a bottle to test it out.

This is really bloody solid wine. The colour of liquid gold mixed with olive oil. And a most delicious taste of peaches boiled in a sugar/honey syrup with a vanilla pod and some sultanas. Nice, smooth finish.

For only $17 this represents outstanding value. It’s sweet but not sickly and it works a treat with any sweet dish, particularly one containing cream.

92%

WINE: PIPER HEIDSIECK Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $45

Last time I tried this I wasn’t impressed in the slightest. Too much acidity and a strange herby taste to it that wasn’t very pleasing. But I decided to give it a go on the off chance that the bottle I had was tainted or my taste buds were a tad confused that night.

Nope. Same problems. The mousse and bead are a bit better, but the taste is still off. It’s a little better than last time, but still not a great champagne.

86%

RESTAURANT: Thai Garn

Type: Thai
Location: 14 Lackey St, Summer Hill
Booking Required: Yes

Went with a large group to this tiny suburban Thai joint to find it absolutely packed. Squeezed in to the tiny chairs and tables and ordered a range of their dishes.

Delicious entrees from what we tried. Money bags with no seafood are different to the norm and tasty; and the tofu in tamarind sauce is the perfect texture and flavouring.

Mains are similarly pleasing, although a common trend throughout was a bit too much sweetness that many other Thai places suffer from. Also, they go heavy on the garnish (chilli, mostly) in some dishes, which is pointless.

I was really looking forward to the duck salad with coconut, but was disappointed to find only a little duck meat.

All in all not a bad meal. Good value, good food, nice décor, strange location that I will probably never go back to (since Newtown is closer and has more/better Thai), but nothing terribly exciting.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: SEAVIEW Brut NV

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Australia
Approx Cost: $5

Last year some time I went through a period of drinking shit sparkling wines because the sparklings/champagnes I drank starting out were towards the higher end and I wanted to give my palette a bit of perspective. Looking at the list of wines I’ve rated, ordered by score, the bottles I purchased are all in the bottom 10 wines I’ve ranked.

Some how this bottle persevered. I got sick of crap wine and never got around to tasting this, so it just sat in a box of other wine for a few months gathering dust.

It pours like the retarded product of two-cousins fucking. The mouse and bead bump into the wall and become concussed then decide to stop. Pale gold with a hint of green. Smells like being stuck in an old train with a sweaty lemon tree carrying a bag of Greek food. Doesn’t taste too bad. Plenty of citrus on the tongue. Finish is pretty average. For this price it’s good. If you’re forced to put on a summer lunch for $10 and need to have a bottle of wine in the mix then this is would be a good option.


81%

RESTAURANT: Fix St James

Type: Italian / Modern Australian
Location: 111 Elizabeth St, Sydney
Booking Required: Lunch – Yes, Dinner – Rarely

I was so pumped for this place. Calypso had sent me the menu after he got it for a work lunch and I was drooling at my desk as I went through it. And then finding that they offered all of their dishes in a tasting size (think tapas) is what took me over the edge.

I was excited, dear readers.

We arrived to find the place empty but for 2 other diners and took our seats. The menu and wine lists looked great, so we went for it. The waitress was pleasant and helpful with ordering, offering to bring the dishes out in an order she felt appropriate. Although her reaction to our order of a pricey bottle of wine was a tad odd.

I think I’ll go dish by dish for this review. If that’s okay with you.

Duck and pork neck terrine with sourdough is good, if a touch dry.

Fresh figs with jamon is good, although a pretty standard menu item these days.

Seared scallops with cauliflower puree, pork crackling and an apple reduction is an odd combination of flavours which works, but not incredibly well. The entertainment factor is huge for this dish though as half of the pork crackling flies up 1 metre and across 1 metre and directly onto the floor when I try to cut it in half. The judges also enjoy the effort by Calypso to retrieve the half of pork crackling form the floor with no one noticing. A high degree of difficulty but he pulled it off. A real gold medal save.

If the fresh figs with proscuitto/jamon is becoming a restaurant staple then zucchini flowers stuffed with crab meat is as common as a bottle of wine on a table. At Fix, they’re nice enough but a touch oily and they lack a real smack of flavour.

Asparagus with fried cheese and fig jam isn’t bad but I don’t know if it’s the best piece of asparagus that I’m eating.

Duck ragout is tasty but the sauce is a little runny and the dish is lacking punch.

And the ever-preset mozzarella, tomato and basil salad is nice, but the tomato isn’t perfect.

For dessert, raspberry confit with mascarpone and raspberry sorbet is nice and the Bimbadgen Estate Botrytis Semillon is a good compliment.

Our waitress made a few strange comments throughout the night, almost indirectly commenting that we appear to be a bit young to enjoy such a meal. But that could just be us reading into it a bit.

A nice meal in a nice setting with a good wine list, good menu, nice food and an excellent concept (tasting plates) is the easiest way to sum up my Fix experience. There was nothing wrong with the evening, but I think the dishes lacked a wow factor for me to return there. If someone else decided that we should go there then I would be pleased, but I can’t see myself suggesting it.

RATING: Okay, may go back

RESTAURANT: Acabonara Italian Restaurant

Type: Italian
Location: 65 Burwood Road, Burwood
Booking Required: Sometimes

I’ve walked past Acabonara dozens of times and never thought anything of it. From the outside it looks like a below average suburban Italian joint. But a work function drove me inside and forced me to try it. I’ve been looking for a good Italian place lately so I was looking forward to see if it was any good.

The short answer is no.

Normally I’d be struggling to decide how to rate the service, since it ranged dramatically between good and poor, but in this case I was distracted by how utterly terrible the décor is inside the restaurant. I really doubt that it has been updated since the restaurant opened, presumably some time in the 70’s.

They don’t appear to use good quality ingredients in the recipes. The food arrived completely dull and didn’t make you want to eat it. Their pizza is apparently excellent but I wasn’t impressed. The base is too thick and the toppings aren’t of a good quality.

To its credit, Acabonara is quite cheap and the portions are generous. If you are looking for a cheap, filling Italian meal then this may be an option. Otherwise, I’d steer clear.

RATING: Will probably not return to

RESTAURANT: Pho No. 1

Type: Vietnamese
Location: 79 Burwood Rd, Burwood
Booking Required: Rarely

A handy little Vietnamese place on Burwood, just perfect for a quick lunch or some takeaway. Delicious pho, noodle salads and broken rice dishes. Everything else looks a bit average but those core three dishes are very tasty and good value.

RATING: Will return to.

WINE: MITOLO ‘Jester’ Shiraz 2005

Type: Red
Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Approx Cost: $25

Purchased at the very last moment to fill a mixed dozen. I was hesitant and clueless.

But Wow! What a meaty wine! A lot of blackcurrant, star anise and juicy berries. A punch on the finish with a lot of fine tannins. It feels like you’re eating, not drinking.

Not everyone will like this style, but it’s just what I look for in a shiraz.

89%

RESTAURANT: Mr Chow’s Peking Restaurant

Type: Chinese
Location: 33 Kent St, Miller’s Point
Booking Required: Sometimes

You wouldn’t expect a good Chinese restaurant to be tucked away above a pub in Miller’s Point, but Mr Chow’s is just that. Above average food, great service and a nice location.

While it is good, the one thing that keeps me coming back is their tea-smoked duck. It’s amazing. Words can not explain my love for that dish. Other highlights include the shallot pancake, dumplings, curry chicken, and salt and pepper squid. However, Mr Chow’s suffers from the same problem that most Chinese restaurants do by having too much on the menu. Some dishes aren’t anything special and should be left alone.

And it’s even fairly good value if you go in a large group. You can leave feeling very well fed for $40 a head, excellent value for the service and food on offer.

RATING: Will return to

WINE: DE BORTOLI Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2005

Type: Dry White
Origin: Victoria
Approx Cost: $20

I think this is my first official review of a wine that doesn’t sparkle. I’m pretty scared dudes. I might need to drink some alcohol for a bit of Dutch courage. But where will I find some? Oh, right…

Fairly pale in colour. Honey and nut open it up and give way to some more mineral tastes. Not too much oak in it which is great to see. Dry, lengthy finish.

Quite a solid wine at a very good price.

88%

BEER: Knappstein Enterprise Brewery Reserve Lager

Origin: Clare Valley
Approx cost: like $4 a bottle (I think)

I just traded an old management text book for a four pack of this and I'm kinda relieved I didn't have to pay for it. Tim Knappstein, Claire Valley winemaker, has done some really good things with wine. However I'm not entirely sure how to take this beer. It's like a straw yellow in colour with a dry yeasty kind of scent. Slightly floral although nothing too full on. The flavour is fairly rich, and for a lager it's quite full bodied. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's not my cup of tea beer. I think it'd make a good winter lager. maybe? try it for yourself.

84/100

RESTAURANT: the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel

Type: Traditional French
Location: Crown Casino, Southbank
Booking Required: yes

About a year ago I started working at the Casino in a restaurant and wine bar called Number 8. Allegedly, this was supposed to be Crown's flagship Australian restaurant which doesn't really say much as it was pretty much the only Australian restaurant in the whole complex. However, it was next door to the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel. Now, most of the restaurants in crown are either entirely owned by Crown or fully leased out. Neil Perry's Rockpool is one such example of a restaurant leasing some of Crown's prime territory. However Philippe has arranged a deal where he's in 'partnership' with Crown. Which gives him all the access to crowns facilities (in terms of staffing and logistics this is pretty handy) but he doesn't face the same pressure from the number crunchers to make enormous profits, as well as enjoying a prime location on the Yarra river with a nice view of the city.

I have been here before as I am I friends with quite a few of the staff, which will skew my review in terms of service because I got looked after very very well, although it's fair to say the the standard is generally top notch. Proficient, relaxed and passionate knowledge about the food and wine.

Philippe Mouchel was spotted by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse at age 22 and worked under him for many years and has subsequently become a bit of a star in his own right. He's been hanging around Melbourne for a while now and has relatively recently settled in at Crown. A few years back they received a hat or two in The Age good food guide and recently have made a comeback, earning a hat last year.

Enough shit, here's what I ate/drank.

Started off with a glass of Bollinger NV. Very nice as per usual.

then to share:
the brasserie’s assorted duck charcuterie
Assortiment de charcuterie maison, saucisson, proscuitto, rillette, parfait.

This was nothing short of awesome. I'm a big duck fan in all it's forms and that's pretty much how it came out. The duck prosciutto was great and the parfait went really well with the little patch of greens. Great start to the night.

Entree:
Confit of Jurassic quail, gribiche condiment, mesclun salad and beetroot vinaigrette.
With a glass of the 2002 La Bastide, St Dominique, Côtes du Rhône, France

As far as I can remember this is the first time I've had quail and it was done pretty well. The flavours were fairly subtle and the gribiche condiment with the beetroot vinaigrette provided a really nice texture, complimenting the quail nicely. Although I'm fairly ignorant in terms of french wine generally, I realised last night that it works beautifully with the right food.

Between entrees and mains we were given a small scoop each of a red wine, vanilla and cinnamon sorbet to refresh the palette. Had a really crisp black current flavour and did the job just right.

Main:
Fillet of John Dory larded with chorizo, pumpkin and boulangère potatoes, onion jus
with the 2004 Lamblin et Fils Chablis, Burgundy, France
sides: Sautéed mushrooms with garlic and parsley and Sauté kipfler potatoes with rosemary

Really enjoyed this. It's been a while since I've gone out and eaten fish as I usually get caught up in things like duck or steaks. It came with two big portions of John Dory and the chorizo, pumpkin and boulangère potatoes came in a kind of layered cake. The onion jus had a bit of spice which went beautifully with the gamey flavour of the John Dory. The chablis added a really nice floral touch and overall worked very well. I love the sauteed mushrooms at this place and subsequently feasted on those afterwards while my friend ate the kipfler potatoes.

Desert:
The brasserie dessert tasting plate
with a 2001 Château Pinson, Sauternes, Bordeaux

This consisted of Two panacottas, a forest fruit berry tart, a crepe, two scoops of sorbet (raspberry and mango), a crème brûlée and some stewed prunes. The highlight for me was definitely the brûlée and the crepe. All round it was a great way to finish the night. The Sauternes was divine. Not overly sticky, just crisp and long and was a great way to finish the night.

Apologies for the length of this post.

I highly recommend this to anyone visiting Melbourne (despite it being in the evil Casino) and I will definitely try to return. It's pretty easy to rack up a bill as the wine markups are pretty hefty, however it's well worth it every once in a while.

WINE: BOLLINGER Special Cuvee Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $65

Much of Bollinger’s appeal to me is that its taste is defined. There are plenty of other champagnes that are toasty with heavy biscuit notes, but none as elegant and well-rounded as a Bollinger.

Mid straw; excellent bead and mousse; that recognisable Bollinger toastiness with some overripe fruit. Refreshing.

One of the best NVs out there. Also one of the most expensive, so it’s a tough call about wanting to constantly drink it.

91%

RESTAURANT: Vivere Vita

Type: Italian/Modern Australian
Location: 173-175 Burwood Rd, Burwood
Booking Required: Sometimes

“Living Life” ey. An interesting name.

Went there for lunch one day and got their “gourmet” salmon pizza. Very disappointing. Service was average, people went minutes without cutlery; the atmosphere was a bit strange; and the food was dry and cold. I can’t see myself returning unless I’m forced to.

RATING: Will probably not return to.

WINE: ARRAS Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2000

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Tasmania
Approx Cost: $45

While the wine reviews have been missing lately, you could be forgiven for thinking that I haven’t been drinking. Far from it, I’ve picked up the pace even more. But I’ve been drinking a lot of non-sparkling wines and I’m still a bit crap at writing tasting notes for them. But they should be up here one day, dammit. Just more practise required.

Anyway.

I could be wrong, but I think Arras is the most expensive sparkling wine in Australia that is produced at a high volume. W was interested to see if it can justify the price tag.

Pale straw with a touch of green. Nothing special about the bead; it leaps out of the bottle but doesn’t keep going. Hits very hard on the lemon and green apple flavours. Dry, toasty finish.

This is a good sparkling wine by Australian standards and is pleasant to drink, but for the price I’m not convinced.

86%

RESTAURANT: Zeeban

Type: Indian
Location: 14 Morts Rd, Mortdale
Booking Required: Sometimes

A relatively new inclusion to the Mortdale dining scene (sic), the sheer audacity of Zeeban to open up directly opposite the amazing, well-loved India Times is what drove me here.

I really don’t have a lot to say about it really. The location is average, nothing special about the staff, the prices are average and the food is pretty average suburban Indian food.

While Zeeban has nothing terribly wrong about it (apart from the awful spiced potato/chick pea kebab entrée and the misspelling of saffron on the menu), India Times is better in every department.

RATING: Will probably not return to.

RESTAURANT: Benzin

Type: Thai
Location: 480 Crown St, Surry Hills
Booking Required: No bookings after 7.30 (I think)

I’d heard a bit about this place but really wasn’t too sure. When we arrived to see it located in the middle of a car showroom with only one table filled, I thought I had been grossly misinformed. Still, after a bit of a stroll around Crown St to evaluate the alternatives we decided to give it a go.

And I couldn’t be happier that we persisted because Benzin is a gem of a place.

The small, tight menu and wine list both look great. Unable to decide, we grab a bottle of a delicious Four Roads Shiraz Grenache Viognier from Maxwell (not the most obvious choice for Thai but it was quite pleasing) and one of each of the entrees on offer. Chicken curry puffs are better than the standard; deep fried taro and pumpkin with sweet chilli sauce is bizarre but light and moreish; and the betel leaves with whatever was on them were absolutely delicious.

Mains were equally good. Caramlised pork hock is thick and powerful, while the deep fried salad leaf (I forget what it was) with chicken salad was quite good.

I’m not normally a dessert sort of fellow but this place earned the final test. Mung bean pudding and ice cream was a fantastic end to the evening.

Also, fantastic service on offer for most of the evening. When it really filled up they slowed down a little but it was still friendly and attentive at all times.

It’s a tad expensive. If it were cheap I would constantly return to this place. I’m hoping to go back this week with Calypso but, as it is, I’ll have to give it a…

RATING: Will return to.

RESTAURANT: Spice I Am

Type: Thai
Location: 90 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills
Booking Required: No bookings.

I’d been hearing so many good things about Spice I Am that I just had to go.

Got there just after opening both times so we were lucky enough to get a table. I can see that if you tried to go later you’re faced with a pretty hefty wait.

Not a place for a lengthy dinner, which I enjoy sometimes. They get you in, you order, you eat, you leave. It’s quite and excellent.

Beef salad has a delicious dressing, even if the beef is a little tough. The dishes with chilli jam are enjoyable. Chicken basil stir fry is okay but the chicken is a bit dry. Pad prik king crispy pork belly is very tasty. The duck red curry is tasty, while the green papaya salad was absolutely delicious, if furiously hot. Normally I can take a bit of heat but this was crazy. In that pleasing, endorphin-releasing sort of way.

The prices are good, but the specials are always expensive (and tempting).

BYO is also great to see, but not too many good bottle shops around for an easy pickup. Luckily they bring you as much water as you want. And with the heat in some of the dishes, you’ll need it.

Probably some of the best Thai I’ve had in Sydney, especially the salads.

RATING: Will return to.

WINE: PRIMO ESTATE Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 1989

Type: Red wine
Origin: Mclaren Vale
Approx cost: $40 - $60

I bought this wine on auction a few months ago as I thought it was an absolute bargain for $40. Considering current vintage of this stuff sells for around the same price I thought it'd be interesting to try one that's nearly twenty years old.

What's special about this particular wine is the way it's made. The winemaker, Joseph Grilli, uses the tradtional Italian (Valpolicella) Amarone method which involves laying freshly picked grapes out on straw mats to dry. This aims to give the fruit a "unique style and exceptional depth". Jospeh wines are also built to last, which is why I snapped up the opportunity to get hold of it.

Assuming it was going to be well and truely tainted/fucked when I opened it, I was surprised to to see the cork remained in fairly good shape (even though it was removed with one of the shittest bottle openers I've ever seen) and there was an absolute bucket load of sediment which required the help of a decanter. I poured a dash into a glass to find that the wine had held up quite well, the nose was quite musty and almost smelt like a port. The fruit was definately still there and the oak had softened into a nice cedar flavour. Although it was well passed it's prime, it was still very interesting and it really opened up in the glass revealing fruit flavours ranging from rasperry to dark currents. It displayed really good length and depth and would have gone winderfully with a nice hearty game dish.

I really enjoyed it and I was totally surprised to see it had held up so well. I suspect it had some favourable cellaring considering the appearance of the label. I'm definately keen to get hold of a few current vintage Joseph Amarones and put them away for a few years.


p.s.> I just read Halliday's review of the '02 "Moda" which is the same wine. It sounds like I've ripped a few lines out of it, but I promise I didn't. It looks like Joseph Grilli is maintaining a fairly steady ship producing a well refined style.

EVENT: The Sydney Royal Wine Show

February 17, 2007
Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park

Open to the public for the first time apparently. A wonderful day enjoyed by many. The ticket gets you access to try 18 medal winning wines of your choice and as many non-medal wines that you can handle. Also a selection of delicious cheese and dips on hand to line the stomach.

We had tremendous difficulty getting there, but made the most of our time there.

I was pleased to see Banrock Station rate well in a few categories. They would have to be my favourite producers of cheap wines. I don’t think they got any medals, but they still scored solidly.

Of the 40 or so wines I tried, the following were fantastic and I look forward to trying them more thoroughly in the future:

BIMBADGEN Estate Myall Road Semillon 2006
MCWILLIAMS Hanwood Muscat 1
MCWILLIAMS Mount Pleasant Bin 97 1997
MCWILLIAMS Mount Pleasant Lovedale 2000
YALUMBA Eden Valley Viognier 2005
YERING STATION Reserve Shiraz Viognier 2005

The sweet muscats were just incredible.

WINE: MUMM Cordon Rouge Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $60

Light to mid straw with a hint of lavender. Odd. Mousse is heavy and lively. Mineral and citrus tastes. Hints of tonic water? Rich finish.

It’s different. A good NV, but not great.

89%

WINE: TAITTINGER Brut Reserve NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $75
http://www.taittinger.com/intro.html

Hmmm yeah okay. Great mousse and bead. Really great. A lot of finesse about this wine. Mid straw colour. Citrus, honey, apple. Quite good. Not good enough for the price. Still, glad I tried it.

90%

WINE: JACQUART Brut Tradition NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $40

Deep yellow in colour with a slight pink hue. The mousse is crazy, very fine. Bead is also pretty good. Strawberry and, not surprisingly, lemon dominate. A sweet and toasty finish which is a little surprising. Tasted better as it warmed and opened a little.

Good. Okay value.

88%

WINE: YERING STATION Yarrabank Cuvee 2000

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Approx Cost: $30
http://www.yering.com

Yering Station symbolises something of a beginning for me. I had never been a big wine buff, until I went on a wine tour through the Yarra Valley a couple of years ago. The first stop on the tour was Yering Station. Due to a temporary sickness causing me to struggle with alcoholic beverages, many of the wines failed to impress me. That was until I tried the fortified shiraz from here. My god… Truly incredible. I took a bottle home and drank it the night I got back.

But I digress. This is quite a good sparkling wine. Yes, quite good indeed. It make it into Halliday’s top 100 wines with an impressive 95 points a year or two back and has a fairly good reputation. I think the reason is that this is an original wine. In that it doesn’t taste like many other wines.

I sip it. Toasty, with very little fruit. A touch of lemony acidity. And then the finish is just incredible. You feel the taste being sucked from your mouth. It leaves it refreshed but dry. I really don’t know if I’ll get this much again, but it certainly was an interesting experience and I wouldn’t ever mind having it again. It just lacked a certain something that warranted a return.

Interestingly, developed in partnership with the French champagne house Devaux.

89%

WINE: BANROCK STATION ‘The Reserve’ Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV TAKE TWO

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Australia
Approx Cost: $9

Okay, last time I tried this I was blown away. For a $9 wine it was outstanding value. Not a well constructed wine but the flavour was fantastic. I was so sure that it was a mistake that I just had to go again.

And so I did.

It’s still good. But a different good. As I continue to embark on this journey into the world of wine I love how my palate keeps changing.

The taste isn't exceptional but it draws me to it. I want to drink more and more.

My initial rating was 88%, but I’ve now revised that to…

87%

WINE: MOET ET CHANDON Nectar Imperial NV

Type: Sparkling White (Demi-Sec)
Origin: Champagne, France
Approx Cost: $70

Wow, okay, this was interesting. I try another wine from the Moet range, with lower expectations that usual. The first thing to hit me is the richness of it all. Then the sweetness slowly ebbs in. This reminds me a lot of the lovely Chandon Cuvee Riche, with the important difference being the sweetness of the Cuvee Riche hit you on the palate, while the sweetness of the Nectar Imperial slowly reveals itself in the finish.

A very good wine when you’re in the mood for something sweet. Refined and surprisingly good value for a $70 wine.

91%

WINE: LANSON Gold Label Brut 1996

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Champagne, France
Approx Cost: $75

A lot of lemon and acidity and creaminess, a touch of curd; a surprisingly classy and tasty drop from a great vintage at a good price.

92%

WINE: CHANDON ZD 2003

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Approx Cost: $30

So, the old ZD, one of the last sparkling Chandon’s to try. I cracked the crown seal and poured. As like most other Chandon wines, this looks technically good with a good mousse and bead. Dry and sharp. Hints of metal and very subtle fruit.

I was a tad disappointed by this, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I prefer sweeter wines and this has almost none. If I was serving rich seafood, I ‘d go this in a second.

87%

WINE: HOLLICK Sparkling Merlot 2004

Type: Sparkling Red
Origin: Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia
Approx Cost: $25
http://www.hollick.com/

I’ve been getting into the sparkling reds lately and finding that I’m developing a taste for them.

The first thing that surprises me about this is the way it pours. A fantastic bead for a sparkling red. Aroma of earth, grass and unripe plums. What a taste! Creamy berry flavours and a surprisingly dry finish. A real experience.

I don’t think this bottle is quite done yet though. In a few years I think I’d love this wine. Now, it’s just quite good.

89%

WINE: COLDSTREAM HILLS Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir 1999

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Approx Cost: $25
http://www.coldstreamhills.com.au

I’d heard good things about this wine from James Halliday-founded Coldstream Hills, so I was looking forward to trying it. The first glass didn’t impress me, but I’m glad I went back for more. Mousse and bead are heavy and don’t last long; deep gold in colour; some very interesting flavours; the high acidity works well with the ripe, aged flavours, resulting in a crisp and refreshing drink; finish is nothing special.

Not bad. Better wines for the price. Apparently they make a good pinot noir, which I wouldn’t mind trying.

86%

WINE: TOSTI Moscato d’Asti NV

Type: Sparkling White Dessert Wine
Origin:Italy
Approx Cost: $20

I’ve only had a couple of Italian dessert wines so I may not be the expert here, but I do enjoy this drop quite a lot. Easy to drink, deliciously sweet and a wonderful aroma. The bubbles are large but delicate. It makes me want to throw a dinner party with a fruity dessert. It certainly compliments the jelly beans I’m munching on. It lacks a little refinement, but very enjoyable.

89%

RESTAURANT: Café d’Or

Type: Lebanese
Location: 47 Burwood Rd, Burwood, Sydney
Booking Required: Sometimes.

I’ve been here a couple of times recently since it’s one of the few decent non-Asian places to eat near work. Impressed both times. The food is well priced and the servings are massive. I can put away a lot of food but both times I’ve been unable to clean the plate. The Golden Vege wasn’t bad but the Shish d’Or was great, even if some of the meat was a tad dry. Service hasn’t been bad but can be improved.

I can see why this is such a favourite for farewell lunches at work. $20 and you're stuffed.

RATING: Will return to

RESTAURANT: Heritage Belgian Beer Café

Type: Belgian
Location: 129-135 Harring St, The Rocks, Sydney
Booking Required: Usually.

It’s noisy, crowded and the beers appear expensive. But if you can get past that, then you’ll enjoy this place. I’ve been roughly half a dozen times and enjoyed each time. I’ve seen a lot of other reviews that slam the service of this place, but it’s never been too bad for me. Yes, it could sometimes be improved but never anything worth complaining about. The mussels are the highlight of the menu and despite the other tempting choices I usually give them a go. If you’re a pork fan then definitely book ahead and order the suckling pig. With a huge pile of mashed potato and sauerkraut next to it, it’s a massive meal and completely delicious. The desserts are all incredibly rich but equally tempting.

The beers deserve a paragraph of their own. Since I first went I’ve been obsessed with Belgian beers and rarely buy anything else. The Rochefort 10 is incredible. Also notable mentions to the Gouden Carolous, Chimay Blue and the apple beer. Yes, the beers are pricey ($10-$12) but at twice the strength and, usually, twice the taste of a normal beer, it’s definitely worth it.

Not a cheap night, but always an enjoyable one once the beer starts flowing and the mussels are downed.

RATING: Will return to.

WINE: JOSEPH PERRIER Cuvee Royale Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $45

Impressive mousse and bead. Straw gold. Very fruity and sweet. Hard to make out the fruits. Maybe strawberry, peach. Creamy and rich. It’s a different type of wine to a Moet or a Bollinger but I don’t mind it at all. Quite a good NV and not bad value for a Champagne, really. Still, I don’t know if I’d go back to this again if there were other choices on a wine menu. Can't see myself buying at a bottle-o.

89%

WINE: CLOUDY BAY Pelorus 2001

Type: Sparkling White
Origin: NZ
Approx Cost: $35

I think I’m coming to realise that I don’t like large quantities of pinot noir in sparkling wines. I dunno. This wine was okay. Apparently one of New Zealand’s best but I wasn’t really feeling it. Average mousse, good bead, tastes of citrus, rich, creamy, etc. Not for me.

Next…

83%

WINE: MAJELLA Sparkling Shiraz 2004

Type: Sparkling Red
Origin: Coonawarra, SA, Australia
Approx Cost: $35
http://www.majellawines.com.au

Of all the wines that Australia produces, the shiraz and sparkling shiraz have to be up with the world’s best. Majella have absolutely killed it with their sparkling shiraz. Barrel fermented for a while before some liqueur is added for sweetness, they have created an excellently balanced wine. The fine bead disappears quickly and releases the aroma. From the first sip I’m loving it. Plum, over-ripe berries and a touch of aniseed. A good finish and I reach for the bottle to pour more.

Still young as well, this would taste great in another 5 years. I really need to get a cellar happening.

91%

RESTAURANT: Malay Chinese Take Away

Type: Malaysian/Chinese
Location: 50-58 Hunter St, Sydney
Booking Required: No.

Probably the best laksas in the city. The menu and specials always look great but every time I go I always try a different laksa. Delicious and good value.

They have recently moved from a stuffy basement in Castlereagh St and the change has done them well, despite the sad loss of fish tanks. The place is a lot more pleasant to eat in. Still has a food court feel, but who cares when the laksas are this good.

RATING: Will return to

WINE: MOET ET CHANDON Rose NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $70

A girl who likes apples will enjoy this. I liked it a bit. Technically a good wine, tastes good enough. I’m a big fan of Moet so maybe I expected a lot, but this disappointed me a little. I mean, it was good, but, yeah. Lacking that wow factor.

It’s like going on a boring ride at a really really exciting theme park.

88%

WINE: POL GESSNER Brut NV

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $35

This wine has always worried me. The label looks like rubbish and the grapes are apparently Lanson offcuts. But, trapped in a crappy bottle shop with nothing else appealing, I decided to give it a go. After all, it had garnered some praise as a good-value wine.

Regretted it. The wine is passable, taste-wise, but that’s about it. It’s Frances answer to the bottom of the range Seppelts and Wolf Blass’. For the price I could get 2 or 3 wines that are all better.

80%

RESTAURANT: Capitan Torres

Type: Spanish
Location: 73 Liverpool St, Sydney
Booking Required: Sometimes

I'll sum it up like this:

• The food isn't as good as Encasa or Kiki but it is better than Casa Asturiana.
• The service is average.
• The sangria is stronger than the other places.
• They don't have a long tapas menu like other places. Indeed, if you go to the restaurant they don't have any tapas.
• It is one of the more expensive establishments.
• Great paella.

RATING: Okay, may go back

RESTAURANT: Casa Asturiana

Type: Spanish
Location: 77 Liverpool St, Sydney
Booking Required: Fridays/Saturdays maybe.
http://www.casaasturiana.com.au/index1.htm

I don't know what to make of this place. I've been there twice and enjoyed both times, but it has its limitations. The food isn't as good as some other Spanish places and the service can be hit and miss. But I suppose the sangria is great and the value is good.

A lot of tapas dishes to choose from and Spanish dancers on Friday and Saturday nights. Upstairs and near the front are good locations but the back is a tad stuffy.

RATING: Okay, may go back

WINE: VEUVE CLICQUOT La Grande Dame 1996

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $225

‘96 is very quickly gathering a reputation as one of the best vintages for Champagne in a very long time and Veuve has always interested me, so I decided that this bottle would be worthy as my headline bottle for New Years.

Pours very well with a fine, persistent bead. Yes, this will be good. Gold straw with hints of green. Into the mouth and I’m hit with the apricot, peach, stone fruits. Absolutely delicious. It still tastes a little young though. Finish goes on forever.

Very good. Great way to start the year.

93%

RESTAURANT: Zest take two

Type: Modern Australian
Location: City Tattersalls club, 202 Pitt St, Sydney
Booking Required: Sometimes.

The Zest restaurant was selected as the venue for a Christmas party at work. About 9 days prior to the Christmas party, a menu was distributed to invitees, which portrayed a wide variety (perhaps too wide) of what initially appeared to be tasteful & exotic dishes. So I figured I'd invite Jobe along before hand to see what kind of experience Zest had in store for our Christmas party.

The 1st visit: Jobe has posted a comprehensive summary of our visit in his post on December 16th, but here are some highlights of a perfect display of stupendously substandard service:

* Requested booking in the early afternoon via telephone, arrived to find no booking had been taken.

* Slightly disgruntled response to water being asked for prior to ordering, which was followed by a rapid recovery and a question of "Sparkling or Still".

* A bottle of Yarrabank Cuvee ordered, one would expect to receive a nicely chilled bottle with glasses poured and contents tested and enjoyed, prior to entree being served. In this case, bottle was provided after entrees were consumed. To add insult to injury, the Cuvee was still well above the recommended serving temperature level for Sparkling wine and was also half flat, due to an attempted (failed) rapid chilling process.

* I'd recommend Zest hire's some waitresses that can pour sparkling wine without spilling a glass worth in the attempt.

A very poor performance all-round on the service front, however I considered it may be possible to get better service with a larger group of people (more profit), so I decided to re-evaluate when I returned for the work Christmas party.

1st RATING: Forced to return to - will re-evaluate open-mindedly

2nd Visit: Arrived on time, the same waiter was on duty, and apparently did not remember me from the previous week (I wasn't expecting him to of course - but I was trying to be optimistic !).

The evening started with "Set Menus" being placed before each attendee. The set menu had a small variety of choices for each of Entree, Main and Dessert. A couple of the guests did not like any of the items on the set menu and politely asked if they could order from the A-la-carte menu. This initiated a woeful warfare of words between the waiter and the organiser of the Christmas party.

Organiser: "We'd like to order from the A-la-Carte menu if we could please".

Waiter: "When you made your booking we were expecting 15 people to order 3 courses from the set menu".

Organiser: "As you can see, only 9 people have arrived for the evening, , and you don't appear to be very busy tonight, could we please order from the A-la-Carte menu?".

Waiter: "When you made your booking.....(repeats previous argument with different wording)

Another guest: "Thank you, we understand that, but as there are limited choices on the Set menu, we would like to order one or two items from the A-la-Carte menu.."

Waiter: ".....(Clearly angry which is definitely unwarranted since it was a fair request) okay I will speak to the Chef and see what we can do"

Waiter: "(Waiter returns after taking a very interesting route to the kitchen...) No, you can only order from the Set menu...(Walks away)"

10 Minutes later, a group of 20 people who made a booking walk in and make their order from the A-la-Carte menu...

I have a feeling the Chef would do much better with different management/service staff as I actually enjoyed the dishes ordered on both visits, however the poor service and poor attitude of service staff made for an overwhelmingly poor overall experience.

2nd and final RATING: Will never return to