Moon Park

On an unassuming corner block, fringing the dodgier end of Redfern is Moon Park. With a name like that, you probably couldn't get any more Korean if you tried. And that's the aim, to deliver a decidedly modern and refined take on Korean cuisine in the heart of Sydney. South American food and BBQ was a bit of "a thing" some years ago, now there has been a resurgence of Korean venues with Ko&Co, Kim and Danjee leading the charge. Hello, kimchee and soju!  

Sea urchin and black garlic on seed biscuit. The first morsel to land on the table - a rather beautiful amuse bouche that ticks all the boxes. Salt, texture and delicate - you must have one each!

Once you ascend the winding staircase to the first level dining room, one is met with a pared-back fit out with accents in dark timber and tables winding around the outside verandah (surprisingly noisy). It's small, cosy and has homely vibe (a.k.a. wouldn't you love this to be your dining room) which suits to a tee. The front of house staff were great and really added to how enjoyable the meal was. The overwhelming feeling of the place was of a 'calm', perhaps 'before the storm' yes but everything was handled with efficiency and a smile. What more does a diner want?    

The dynamic duo in the kitchen: Ben Sears and Eun Hee An, both of whom are alumni of Claude's Credit: Anna Kucera for Time Out Sydney

The food takes traditional Korean and elevates it with stunning results. Small share plates are the name of the game, because you'll want to try a bit of everything. If one was feeling rather indulgent, you could take on the tasting menu which is the chef's selection from the menu. Vegetarian options abound and are pretty much encouraged. Everything looks enticing, just ask for some recommendations and you probably won't be disappointed.  

Charred eggplant, egg custard, pickled garlic scape and lotus jorim (left) and cauliflower with royal pine nut sauce, ohiji and charred ssamjang (right). Every element contributes something to the dish. The egg custard was wobbly and delicious with the lotus root

Bibimbap: oxtail and rice, walnuts, kohl rabi and cured egg yolk. Perhaps one the of my favourites. Underneath the layers of garnish was a delectable mix of perfectly cooked rice and meltingly tender oxtail. I would go back for this, in a heartbeat. You can find the recipe (and all its secrets) published at Gourmet Traveller

1/2 a BBQ holmbrae duck with blood sausage, pine nut and perilla leaf kimchi. The main event, the duck was cooked slightly under, the fat not quite rendered enough. Admittedly we were in a bit of a RUSH (first world problems) so probably couldn't allow enough time for the duck to rest etc properly (all those tedious things). I am certain under other circumstances they would have nailed it

DOLCE (Sweeties)

"Moon pie": prune, muesli marshmallow, ginger jelly and white chocolate pudding. Totally winning with this one. A bit of this and that but even better when combined. The ginger jelly and white chocolate pudding were subtle in flavour and definitely not too sweet (something I greatly fear!)

Patbingsu: pear, red bean, shaved milk ice, burnt honey & bee pollen. This mushy bowl of ice is to be devoured in a matter of seconds (before it becomes a sloppy mess). A nice combination of ice and very Asian ingredients to make a refreshing palette cleanser

The quiet appreciation across the dining room, speaks volumes and the service was an absolute delight. I'm always on the look out for little restaurants like this, little gems I file away in my head. Maybe it's just me but some of the ridiculousness about securing a table for dinner these days has made me a bit non-plussed and perhaps even wary (beware the hype machine!). I just want to eat out and enjoy...it's really that simple! One of the lovely things about this place is its originality. Not many restaurants are delivering such unique and elegant food as this. Moon Park takes the essence of Korean food; balance of flavours, carefully thought out presentation to give us a distilled version of the original. Definitely worth a visit.

The minimalist but sleek dining room - job done. Credit: Anna Kucera for Time Out Sydney

Thanks for reading another instalment!
xGourmand

Snapshot: Sydney Cafés IV

Luxe Bakery Café

195 Missenden Road, Newtown

Credit: Sophie Roberts (Broadsheet Sydney)

As if Sydney didn't already have enough cafés but perhaps Luxe can claim to be one of the originals. With multiple branches around town, Luxe Newtown is also the site of their bakery, a converted 5-bedroom house on Missenden Road (alrighty then). If it weren't for the big love heart adorning it's side wall you might totally miss it. If there is no wiggle room in Campos (the coffee aromas coming from that place are off the charts...) then Luxe is surely your best bet. That or Black Star Pastry, Brewtown Newtown (with their  enticing pistachio affogatos at The Affogato Shack) or 212 Blu...Plenty of choices!

Tea smoked ocean trout omelette, creme fraîche and trout roe. A sure-fire winner in my book and very pleasing to the eye!

My only gripe with this café is that it becomes super heated in the summer heat. The ceiling fans do little but circulate that hot air around. Yes, I did resort to fanning myself like a lunatic. Maybe it's oven firing out the back, churning out great organic sourdough loaves to envy the baking big wigs. There's also a good variety of pastries for the sweet tooth. Scrawled on the blackboard menu is a standard selection of eggs, eggs with carbs, eggs with protein, carbs and more (you get the picture). The brekkie and brunch service easily rolls into lunch time and with coffee like that, you'll soon be grinning ear to ear.

The one stop shop for your daily bread Credit: Sophie Roberts (Broadsheet Sydney)

Twig Cafe

357 Cleveland St, Redfern

The perfect hangover cure: grilled sardines, baked egg, haloumi, avocado and whole grain bread. Plain awesome

Finding inspiration in London's Petersham Nurseries, Richard and Rainey Francis' Twig Cafe shares the green oasis of Garden Life. The result is a relaxed urban café surrounded by water features and greenery aplenty. You can tell by the crowds milling outside and number of dogs tied outside the popularity of this place amongst locals. The menu is 'classic' breakfast with a few Twig twists. They are well known for their Egg in the Basket and house made Toasted Date and Walnut Brioche (served with ricotta and wild honey). What's more the prices are quite acceptable for these parts. Make tracks...

A simple interior with a lovely outlook onto the garden Credit: George Popov (Broadsheet Sydney)

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xGourmand

Snapshot: Three Williams

Come get your narnies! Now doesn't that just sound rude. You can find these curious hybrid sandwiches at Three Williams, a new Redfern café that has plonked itself on Elizabeth St. These are just some of the offerings from ex-Aria chef Tim Bryan, as well as some flipping good coffee from Single Origin Roasters. Three Williams is the latest to join a swag of café and restaurant openings in the the Redfern area which is certainly on the rise. 

A riff on the humble sarnie: grilled prawn, avocado, corn and tomato salsa narnie. The narnie itself is a glorious house made naan bread that is buttery soft. All in all, it makes for one happy camper!

Curiously enough Three Williams isn't named after it's owner(s) but takes its name from important figures for the area like William Redfern. The first thing you'll notice about the space is how cavernous it is, as it was converted from an old storage warehouse. It's no wonder the fit-out looks like it's come from a flat pack, but it certainly gets the job done. It has a slightly retro feel with ochre bench seats running down the length. The marble topped tables (though tiny) give a little touch of class.

The first and most important order of the day - coffees

The menu is of a decent size, but why not go for a signature narnie or two? The crunchy brioche french toast and caramelised cauliflower  tabouli also look amazing (separately, of course). The service is cheerful and efficient. They have a lot of ground to cover between trips to the kitchen! The vibe is nice and chilled so you don't feel pressured to finish and pay like you do in some cafés (which can spoil the meal entirely).

Fish croquettes with lemon and aïoli, a delicious starter with a lightly crumbed and crispy outer. The aïoli was a winner for me with it's lovely whipped texture Source: Daily Addict

Get your hands dirty with the grilled beef brisket, slaw gherkins and chipotle mayo narnie. A definite crowd pleaser and jam packed with fillings

Three Williams is sure to be on the regular visit list, especially for locals. Funnily enough, I spotted Hugo Weaving dropping in to grab a coffee that day too. The national obsession with café culture and coffee is going strong. Make Three Williams your next café destination.

Three Williams, another win on the café front

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Snapshot: Sydney cafés II

On a drizzly Monday afternoon, I'm happy to be relishing in the great indoors. I thought it was about time I did another café post seeing as they're starting to number in the squillions across Sydney. Today I'm jotting a few things about a Sydney café that needs no introductions, receiving a toque by the GFG 2014 in its first year of opening (scoring 15/20 by T.D.). 

Kepos Street Kitchen

96 Kepos Street, Redfern

Sprouting up in the old Strangers with Candy Restaurant site on the Waterloo side of Redfern, Kepos Street Kitchen is already winning praise with locals and the media. Chef Michael Rantissi, formerly of Bathers' Pavilion is at the kitchen's helm, adding some Middle Eastern flair to the expansive café menu. Another thing worth mentioning is that they are also open for dinner Wednesday - Saturday. So for a reasonably priced night out i.e. mains under $30, KSK is a good bet. If you can get a table that is!

Jill Dupleix rates it: Soft baked eggs and tomato shakshuka, coriander tahini, sourdough $15. A signature dish of sorts, this is a fantastic way to start the day. Oozy baked eggs and a fair whack of paprika, plus carbohydrate for mopping up is mandatory.

Tucked away on a leafy corner in Redfern, Kepos Street Kitchen is the place to be rain, hail or shine. Photo credit: Kepos Street Kitchen

With a pared back interior, KSK welcomes you with open arms and a rather impressive spread of cakes and other bakes on the front counter but more on that goodness a bit later ;). It really is a miniscule place, with the kitchen hidden in what looks like the garage. Be warned that on weekends you could be in for a bit of a wait, it gets rather packed rather quickly. Early is probably best if you can even fathom setting an alarm for a Saturday...

It's curious that I've tried coffee from the Grounds without actually having been there. For the record, it ain't bad but I refuse to queue up over an hour for breakfast!

Tunisian style seared yellow fin tuna, eggplant, tomato, cucumber, egg, potato, harissa dressing $19. This is a very generous portion size and ideal for sharing (or stealing). The tuna is largely left alone which makes it all the better. Lashings of fresh herbs liven it up - a perfect choice for luncheon

Steak sandwich, caramelised onion jam, wilted spinach, aïoli, roasted tomatoes $19. Something would be amiss if there wasn't some sort of burger or steak santa on the menu. This one is on the larger side, so an obvious for the guys. That melty cheese is making me weak at the knees.

You know me, I couldn't resist a little early afternoon tea...

If I was motivated enough to have this photo printed and framed, I'd do it. I'm already reminiscing about this cake (cray cray!!!). A triumph at the hands of the pastry chef, this hazelnut torte is crowned with strawberries and cream and chockablock with hazelnuts. So incredibly good without drowning your palate in sugar. Give it a go, I dare you.

KSK churros, salted caramel. Call it overkill if you so wish but I thought this was rather unmissable from the menu. More shell than anything else, the churros were good though could have been a bit fluffier on the inside. The salted caramel thing is a total fad thing but I went with it that day. 

This is a particularly hedonistic close-up. Enjoy.

If I had my way, I could probably eat my way through the day at Kepos Street Kitchen. Rantissi does a brilliant job of lifting the reputation of the neighbourhood café. Good coffee, great food - it really is a simple formula but often so difficult to execute (in this economic climate, amongst other things). The rave reviews about KSK certainly weren't lying. Take a gander, have a taste.

And now a quick recipe to whiz up in minutes, literally

KSK Green Tahini recipe from Delicious magazine (April 2013)
Suggested to be served with felafel or to dollop on that lush shakshuka! One batch makes a 3/4 cup

Ingredientsss
2 bunches coriander, roughly chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup tahini paster

Method
1. Whiz coriander and lemon juice in a blender until combined
2. Add garlic and tahini, then blend until smooth
3. Season with 1 tsp sea salt

Have fun and thanks for reading!
xGourmand