Civilian Bar & Kitchen

Happy new year readers! After a brief hiatus, I am ready and raring for a new year of foodie adventures. Let the games begin...

Say hello to your new friendly neighbourhood restaurant. Taking up residence where Universal left off (the old digs of Christine Manfield), Civilian Bar & Kitchen takes the fancy down a notch to deliver clever no fuss dining designed to share. Situated in the Republic 2 courtyard, along with the relentlessly packed Phamish; the outlook ain't half bad with an indoor/outdoor dining room and bar. With a relentless appetite for the 'next big thing', Sydneysiders are always on the lookout for one more bar/restaurant to have up their sleeve. Civilian certainly fits the bill.

Perfection from a dinky pork belly dish. Good stuff! Source: Mitch Lui for Broadsheet Sydney

It all starts with a pretty great cocktail menu. Divided into Darlo, Surry Hills, CBD and Bondi sections - there's something for everyone and for every mood. Personally I think I hit the jackpot ordering the Smoke n Salted Passionfruit Sour, but I'll let you be the judge.  
With arguably tremendous shoes to fill, Chef Andy Ball (ex-Claridge's and Bel Mondo) does an admirable job delivering a nice range of dishes to tickle the palette ranging from bar nibbles to larger dishes like Burrawong Gaian chicken with chermoula, espellette pepper and kohlrabi remoulade. It's already sounding excellent. 

The adorable menu holders, a nice touch for all the design geeks like me (left) and Smoke n Salted Passionfruit Sour (right). Coming from the killer cocktail menu, this was a vodka/mescal/lime juice/agave/passhionfruit concoction topped with salted caramel foam. Did you get that? Salted. Caramel. Foam. 

Snow crab, avocado purée, watermelon, radish and crisp rye (pwetty). This was a delicious crab salad type of dish. Ticking all the textural boxes - the threads of crab still took centerstage

Scallops, sudachi (citrus), sesame, edamame, yuzu mayo. The scallops were some of the plumpest things, and perfectly cooked. I could easily have gone for more of that mayo too, delicately piped onto the plate. Totally moreish

And once again for luck, pork belly with spicy miso, fennel, pear, coriander and mint. The pork as expected, was lovely and tender - the miso a nice, slightly spiced accompaniment that works well

The amazing house made Gnocchi with rosemary, artichokes, fennel, spinach and reggianno. This was utterly delicious - the gnocchi were a standout each light and fluffy with a delicate olive oil based sauce with artichokes (another favourite ingredient). So perfect and YUM!

DOLCE

Chocolate tart, hazelnut, salted caramel, banana and nutmeg ice cream. I always think of desserts as a bit of a puzzle, each element needs to sit just right and work into the dish as a whole. The nutmeg ice cream was a nice twist

Vanilla pannacotta, strawberry, meringue, pistachio sponge, lemon curd and raspberry. Unfortunately the panna cotta was not set properly and rather runny. The other elements were pretty solid however, all manner of sins hidden under all the toppings!

Civilian has hit lots of right notes with their impressive range of dishes (and let's not forget those cocktails) that deliver on texture and flavour. The service was friendly and attentive and the setting oh-so-relaxing. In the dog-eat-dog nature of the restaurant industry these days, I hope that Civilian gets the quiet recognition it so deserves. I'm sure the Darlinghurst locals will happily oblige.

Set up camp and while away the hours. You can't help but feel like you're on an island holiday. Don't mind if I do...

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Sagra

Sagra evokes a celebration of Italian cuisine. Taking its name from the numerous local festivals occurring around regional Italy, this is a neighbourhood diner with a difference. Channelling the very best of Nonna's cooking, Sagra creates seasonal dishes with a menu that changes weekly. Chef owner Nigel Ward takes great pride in process, baking fresh bread in-house and doing their own whole-animal butchery (you might've seen those photos of him with a lamb slung rather awkwardly over his shoulders on the interwebs). As is often the case for me, this was just one of those small scale restaurants I've been busting to try.

Source: Luisa Brimble for Broadsheet Sydney

The vibe is pared back, minimalist and decidedly casual - it beckons you in for a light lunch or candlelit dinner. Sagra sits unassumingly in a corner block on Stanley Street, also home to iconic Bill & Toni's and Bar Reggio close-by. Sometimes when you can't be bothered to cook, you secretly want the comforts of a home-style dish, and Sagra fits the bill perfectly. It's a little Italian oasis for those who don't make it as far to Leichhardt, or Rome for that matter! It was probably a good sign we were sitting next to a couple of Italians animatedly chatting away!

Light and airy, this is the place to be for a sunny Sydney lunch, no? Source: Luisa Brimble for Broadsheet Sydney

The menu makes a whole lot of sense, making it's way up from antipasti, primi to secondi (and lets not forget dolce!). Mix and match as you please, they've also got daily specials. And on the first Wednesday of the month, they run regional 4-course dinners for the bargain basement price of $50 (rad). Italian staff run the floor, some with such thick accents that there was almost a language barrier at times (my bad). My only issue was the limited choices of wine by the glass. I would love more than 2 choices! Note that portion sizes are on the small side, so be prepared to add-on (liberally). 

Violetta artichokes, capers, parmesan & radish. This was a lovely palate cleansing salad with the perfect amount of tartness and crunch (and also I'm a huge fangirl of artichokes so it's an instant winner)

Fried mussels with aïoli. A daily special; something a bit unusual, a bit different (in the words of Kath & Kim). Let's face it, most things that are deep fried taste good and these mussels were no exception

Pumpkin & goats curd ravioli, pinenuts & sage butter. A classic of the classic pasta dishes, this is a combination that has stood the test of time. The pumpkin filling was ridiculously creamy with super delicate pasta

Rabbit agnolotti with sage butter. On the meagre side but packing a punch, I couldn't get over how good the pasta itself was...like silk! A rabbit ragu is the perfect pasta filling for the cooler months. A small but satisfying portion, the boys definitely need another dish to back this up!

Passionfruit meringue, a simple dessert with a good balance of sweet and tart thanks to the passionfruit

Lemon Tart, caramelised on top for sure this was a decent version although I found the custard filling a little on the thick side. I keep having flashbacks to Heston Blumenthal's lemon tart (which is rather unfortunate, for those guys)

On the food front, I think Sagra certainly delivers and with reasonable prices to boot. As diners I think what we look for is food that is tasty, and enhanced by the use of seasonal produce treated with respect. In this current bipolar hospitality industry, I do hope Sagra has the staying power because it's a little gem. 

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Stanley Street Merchants

Stanley Street Merchants is here for a good time, not a long time. A crowd-funded project by IconPark, SSM presents a new frontier on the Sydney dining scene. Fronted by chefs Matt Stone and Duncan McCance, the team is joined by bar manager Bobby Carey and general manager 'gin maestro' Jez Spencer. Together they may look like a renegade bikie gang but they're ready to serve you up decent tucker with some old fashioned Aussie hospitality. Don't mind if I do...

The rather fantastical spread of entrées that covered the table. We did still have four courses to go, mind you. I think we did good

IconPark is about concept above all else and their first instalment looks to be a brilliant success. But a viable business? Who knows, but there are definitely bums on seats. As I sit writing this, tonight is totally booked out, and it's only Monday. That's a pretty good sign, right? The celebrity card of Matt Stone was handy to get the idea over the line. He has gone from strength to strength cooking at Greenhouse in Perth and more recently Silo by Joost in Melbourne (my spiritual home, haha). 

The very thrown together appearance of the downstairs bar/eatery perfect for drinks or brunch. Upstairs is more formal dining for the 'oldies' like myself...! Credit: Alana Dimou, Broadsheet Sydney

We were quietly ushered past the bar hipsters and whisked upstairs where there is more of a proper restaurant going. Partitioned by wooden doors, it felt like we were eating in a train carriage (cute!). Rather cosy, and perfect for conversation over a drink to a soundtrack of Mumford and Sons. Can't complain. You can track the SSM team's progress as they worked busily to get the restaurant ready to open earlier this year. It's all happened very quickly and lends a rather unpolished feel to the place which has so much more soul. Tell me if I'm sounding ridiculous...?

Part 1 of snacks: charcuterie board and baba ghanoush and house made foccacia. Mild salami, bresaola and wild boar salami (pretty out there) served with aged carrot and miso toast. I could not make out the miso flavour at all unfortunately. The eggplant dip had a lovely chariness to it and the bread was a winner (can't beat freshly baked)

We decided to try the Chef's menu which is a five course affair - that part was non-negotiable. SSM's food philosophy is all about local (heard that before?!), honey sourced from Neutral Bay and native Australian ingredients featuring prominently. The sad part is that we know next to nothing about the beautiful produce growing in our own backyard. Kylie Kwong and Matt Stone are at the forefront of this movement - deep fried insects and all.

Part 2 of snacks: fried spice cauliflower (left) and fermented vegetables (right). These were stand out dishes for me - the cauliflower was cooked beautifully and had a lovely toastiness with all the heavy spice coating. The fermented veggies were punchy and tart and balanced out with some native sea succulent. Yum!

Fermented brown rice, pine mushrooms, parsley. Achieving a risotto like texture, the brown rice is soaked in whey overnight. The results combined with king oyster and pine mushrooms and the lurid green of a parsley oil make it a killer dish

Twice cooked corn fed chicken, sweetcorn puree and jerusalem artichoke crisp. This was another favourite - the chicken was so tender with crispy skin. The puree was so sweet it could have been a dessert course on its own. Pretty crazy stuff

A new addition to the menu for the night: grilled skirt steak with oregano and shaved Manjimup truffle. The meat was cooked beautifully but the truffle was overpowered by the charriness of the beef - shame!

Kangaroo, Australian native fruits, herbs & spices. The kangaroo was cooked well and complemented with the native fruits (including whoppingly sour quandongs) and astringent Warrigal greens. Can't get much more patriotic than this!

A collective sigh when this dish hit the table: poached quince, macadamia, wattleseed, and buttermilk ice cream. I definitely have a thing for quince and funnily enough, I've never cooked with it before (must change this). Ticking the dessert boxes of presentation, texture and flavour (A+). This dessert was everything I could ask for and more...

"No ants, I'm vegan" - I overheard these exact words from an adjacent table, no kidding. I. am. amazed. And not in a good way. This lovely morsel is served with its jar bottom screwed in containing cherrywood smoke. The dish itself is a charcoal toasted marshmallow, raspberries, flowers and ants. There was a bit of debate as to whether they were actual ants as garnish here (me being the cynic) but I can confirm that yes, they're real - in all their crispy glory

White chocolate and yoghurt mousse with kale/cucumber granita and rosella (left). This was plated beautifully, the white chocolate noodles added a nice height to the dish. The yoghurt mousse I could take or leave. The granita was delish, and melting fast. Aussie cheese board with dried figs and house-made carbs (oh yeaah)(right). The cheeses were a cheddar, blue and goats curd; certainly not to everyone's tastes but suits me just fine (!)

Stanley Street Merchants achieves what most Sydney restaurant/cafés could only dream of doing. Utilising some of the incredible produce Australia has to offer, I'm positive they would have no problem in another location once this 3 month stint is over. Bold in flavours and execution, SSM makes for a rollicking fun night out. They're also open for brekkie and lunch in case you're wondering. You better get in while it's hot as it's due to close (noo!) in roughly a month's time. We need something like this for keeps! My eyes and ears are peeled for the next chapter. Exciting times ahead.

Missing SSM already! Let's hope they reincarnate into something else pronto Credit: Alana Dimou, Broadsheet Sydney

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Cafe Paci

Blink and you'll miss it. Chef Pasi Petänen has pulled a rabbit out of a hat with his first solo venture in Darlinghurst, Cafe Paci (ex-Cafe Pacifico with the 'fico' now scrubbed). It is a triumph on all accounts. The restaurant stakes in Sydney have just been edged up a notch, much to the delight of diners. Whether you're a glass half full or empty kind of person, this restaurant is only around for a year. Opening in August last year, Cafe Paci will be closing its doors so I'd advise you get your skates on.

Cue the fanfare! Surely a contender as one of Sydney's best desserts, Petänen's yoghurt, carrot and liquorice Credit: Time Out Sydney

Petänen has kept a rather low profile, working as head chef of Marque for 8 years before searching for a site to call his own. The restaurant is a Spartan grey which has been applied liberally by  George Livissianis (also designing for Apollo), right down to the tables and chairs. It's as if a paint bomb has gone off and the day's work was declared done. The sparse lighting also had the effect of the room getting darker and greyer as the evening progressed. Quite peculiar! Being such a huge garage space, the restaurant has a slightly underground feel which matches the experimental food nicely.

Going for the stark grey on grey look @ Cafe Paci (Pah-si) Credit: Urban Walkabout

The menu gives practically nothing away, purely listing ingredients but behind the scenes is a different story. The technique, time (read: hours) and effort that has gone into each of the dishes is immense! You can almost imagine Petänen 'tinkering' as he experimented with new flavours and ingredients. The restaurant's kitchen sits shrouded behind a heavy grey curtain as if from a stage show (behind is where the magic happens). It really felt like the Wizard of Oz. The menu is set, like a degustation but for the bargain basement price of $85 (oh yes, you read right). We are left intrigued none the less as to what lay ahead.

Part 1. Snacks

The idea is something quite similar to Sixpenny, a restaurant dear to my foodie heart. These offer the perfect opportunity to improvise and try new things with a hungry audience.

A tribute to Cafe Pacifico, rye taco with sticky rice, egg butter, sour onions and chives (left). And (from left to right) rye crostini with dehydrated duck, rose and butter. Sweet corn with butter and shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice). Cripy salt and vinegar barramundi skin. Butter seems to be feature prominently here!

Normally I wouldn't bother to show your bread, because hey - how interesting could it be? But boy, this mini loaf was incredible. A mix of rye and potato, then coated with sticky molasses for an extra sheen. This bread was a mini highlight from the start. The freshly churned butter doesn't hurt either

Part 2. Entrée & Main

Blue swimmer crab, sorrel, plum. A collective "Wow" was breathed when this arrived at the table. Such a beautiful dish showcasing seasonal produce in all its simplicity. The crab mixed with sorrel and mayonnaise was lovely and creamy but I think the fruit topped it off. Such an inventive combination. And that red plum! Probably the best I've ever eaten

Veal tartare, smoked bone marrow, broccoli, anchovies, onion. A splatter of shaven broccoli to garnish the tartare of the finest veal. It was a winner

B.L.B (Bacon, lettuce, bonito). A take it or leave it course (well, compared to the rest anyway) this was a re-worked Caesar salad. The baby cos (vegetable) component was a welcome relief, only to be laced with smoky bacon 

Photato: a new version of the Vietnamese classic. I was expecting a broth to be poured over the top but no. To be frank, the dish barely needed soup because everything works so well. The lightly seared Blackmore wagyu steak was incredibly tender and the fresh Tasmanian wasabi a nice accompaniment. Enoki mushrooms intermingle with potato noodles (resembling rice vermicelli only in looks), garnished with fried garlic chips, watercress and grilled Meyer lemon. A meal in itself!

Part 3. Dolce & Petits Fours

An unassuming dish at first glance, Petänen's carrot, yoghurt, liquorice dessert. Oh my word, this was AMAAAZING. A delicate cloud of yoghurty who-knows-what (perhaps mousse is the best word) hiding a very delicious secret. Inside is a carrot sorbet topping a thin layer of liquorice cake. The carrot is rather nondescript in flavour but the aniseed really comes through, and rather pleasant at that (understatement of the year). A clever play on the humble poached egg

Malt, banana, parsley. It was an impossible task to out-do the first dessert course but this was a stirling effort. A dessert inspired by a Marque original, a rich dark chocolate mousse coated in chewy malt (an inside out malteser), banana purée and parsley sorbet. The candied parsley leaf was a nice touch

Corn & butter (left) and pork & fennel (right). Fairy floss dusted in popcorn anyone? Finally, pork crackling covered in chocolate, salt and fennel seeds. What a Finnish (pun intended)!

Compliments must go to the chef. If this doesn't win you accolades, I don't know what will. Cafe Paci offers some of the most innovative food in town and it is all bloomin' delicious. Pasi Petänen is amongst Sydney's 'New Guard', mentioned in the Fin Review. Terry Durack gave it a sensational 16/20, a real breakthrough! Probably one of the best things about this restaurant is its creative freedom. Based strongly on technique, Petänen has developed a very interesting and conceptual menu that mixes Finnish, Vietnamese and Mexican influences (go figure). The details in every dish are both intricate and exquisite, a real joy. May I suggest you try it before it's gone for good!

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Buffalo Dining Club

Michael Fantuz is onto something. He has encapsulated the secret to a rollicking good time. Owner of Table for 20 and now Chester White in Potts Point - his empire is quietly expanding into tiny nooks in the East. Buffalo Dining Club lives in this wee terrace on Surrey St, Darlo where cheese and wine are Italian styley BFFs. Recently named People's Choice in the Time Out Sydney Food Awards, the hoards that surround this place of a weekend don't lie.

Trading since 2011 and going strong if the wait list is any indication. Logo design by Tony Zafirakos Credit: Desktop Mag

But be prepared, the Buffalo is of the no-bookings tribe so you'll be slapped on a wait list as long as the night. We made a detour to Li'l Darlin across the road for an apéritif (or several), camping out for the wait. The wait comes as no surprise actually when you step inside to be met with waves of noise, vino and cheese wafting out at you. Did I mention noise? It is tiny! Shepherded upstairs to our table, it took some serious contorting to read the black board menu. The wine list is a single A5 page, and not too shabby/exxy. The Malbec was my personal favourite. 

My round-up of the food stakes:

It's in the name: buffalo mozzarella, Jamón Ibérico (peeking in the distance), potato croquettes, grilled broccolini, toasties and taralli bread. The Jamon and buffalo were obvious stand outs, obviously. A perfect way to start an Italian fiesta

Them cured meats, closerrr Credit: Best Restaurants Blog

Lamb ragù orecchiette: this pasta had a nice tender ragù, the orecchiette was slightly overcooked however. A hearty serve to complement that splendid glass of red

If there ever was a signature dish, the cacao e pepe would be IT. Served with theatrical flourish out of a whole wheel of buffalo milk pecorino, this simple pasta dish consists of 5 things: spaghetti, pepper, cheese, parsley & olio = dynamite, apparently! I was quite amazed this was such a hot ticket, lots of people could give this a good crack at home

Enter tirumisu entry #456 (no, seriously). Freshly made in-house, this dessert was light & delicate with a good kick of coffee. I think the appropriate word here would be 'demolished'

The Darlinghurst masses have been flocking to this place for years now (well, 2). A full house (given it seats 25-ish) every night can't be a bad thing. The man himself (Durack) has given it a solid 13/20 in the Herald. Buffalo has set out for a singular purpose: the anti-establishment (fine dining, that is). Conceivably not one of Sydney's culinary finest, come to BDR for wine, nibblies and assured good times. That is all ;)

Word as art: the typography wall by Georgia Hill Source: Behance

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand