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

Snapshot: A. Baker

A. Baker is a jack-of-all trades it would seem. Opening from 7am through 10pm, it wears the hats of restaurant, café, bar and bakery. Occupying a part of the New Acton precinct (which was destroyed by fire in 2011), this area now plays host to a entertainment and dining hub. A. Baker is a venue that seems to tick all the boxes, offering a frequently changing menu showcasing local produce and wines. Chefs Adam Bantok and Bernd Brademann are in charge of the kitchen offering dishes such as slow cooked Cape Grim beef cheek, Bredbo asparagus, peas & pickled mushrooms or a dish of Tumut River trout, smoked corn, lardo & sorrel. It all sounds rather enticing...

A sample of the pastry cabinet. A lemon meringue tart (fluffy peaks of lightly torched meringue, um hello?!). It gets me every time...

In case your were curious, A. Baker proudly lists online all the producers and providores from whom they've sourced their ingredients and wines. Sounds like one hell of a shopping list. Another big ticket is their bakery, with their house made sourdough and a selection of pastries available daily. Come for brunch or perhaps in the evening for a visit to the bar downstairs to kick the night off - or Parlour Wine Room is literally metres away. All day dining venues such as this are blurring the boundaries between restaurant/café and bar. I think that suits us just fine! 

The rather versatile dining space catering for brekkie, lunch and dinner

The design of A. Baker is certainly a talking point. With basically a blank state to work with, DesignOffice has turned the space into a functional dining room and bar on a lower level. Evidence of the fire still marks the bare walls adding an extra flicker of character. The open kitchen acts as an arena where all the good stuff happens. Industrial and chic, the space gets the job done and feels hopelessly trendy. 

The stairway down to the bar, punctuated with black and steel

The original interior which had been gutted by fire has been retained giving an abstract-painted kind of effect

Did someone say sourdough?! A. Baker is also the perfect option for the busy work crowd who can duck in for a quick coffee and takeaway lunch

A. Baker is yet another restaurant to add to the burgeoning Canberra scene. Things are definitely looking up for our previously sleepy capital. Focussing on great design, and bringing together the very best produce and wines of the Canberra region - you can't really go wrong. Perfect for any occasion, A. Baker really is a chameleon. Make tracks.

Lunch on-the-go: slow cooked pulled pork pie with vegetables. The pastry was flaky and divine, the filling nice and chunky. All topped with house made tomato sauce. A rather posh meat pie indeed!

Side salad of baby spinach, radish and Spanish onion dressed in a light vinaigrette

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

St John

London has fought many battles to get itself on the culinary map. With a cuisine built on stodgy suppers (with good reason, mind you as it's perpetually FREEZING) and the classic meat and three veg, there's not too much room for development. Enter, Fergus Henderson and his St John branded empire. A man who practically invented nose-to-tail eating and elevating offal to fine dining; for twenty years he has been redefining British cuisine for the discerning diner.

This utilitarian all-white restaurant runs like a well oiled machine, honed over the past two decades Credit: St John Group

Flush on the doorstep of Smithfield market, the original St John Bar and Restaurant stands as a bit of an icon in the area, having been operating since 1994 (positively eons by today's standards). Two years ago, I went away from St John absolutely beaming. Not only was the food exciting but it also shone a light on much neglected ingredients. The magic obviously worked on me because I left telling everyone, "You have to go, it's the best!" Today's little revisit was to reaffirm my beliefs about the place because when done right, offal can actually taste really, really good. Be adventurous and give it a go!

The unmistakeable no. 26 St. John Street, like a charismatic old friend

St John is certainly a modest space, based in a former smokehouse. The beauty of it is that there is something there for everyone, at the ground level is a casual bar space with beers on tap and some ripping bar snacks (crispy pigs ears anybody?) but the upstairs mezzanine is where the action's at (the formal dining room). A zen oasis decked in white-on-white. The reputation of this restaurant isn't for nothing, the service is efficient with professional, knowledgeable staff. 

Welsh rarebit with Worcestershire sauce. An absolute workhorse of British cuisine. This rather wholesome toasty was easily a meal on its own. Grilled to golden perfection this dish is a must

The menu is rather lengthy despite the rather minimalist descriptions like "Pigeon & Beetroot" (sounds delicious already!). You'd be a fool not to tackle a dish featuring offal or game. The old British classics are in the mix with some more left of centre dishes. It's a difficult game narrowing it down, too often my eyes are bigger than my stomach. St John also serve their house made sourdough which is the bomb (technical term) and offer a selection of their own St John vintages of wine (so sold). I tried the lovely Edelzwicker from Alsace (doesn't that sound fancy).

Crispy pig skin salad with watercress, green beans. Looking deceptively simple, this dish was full of surprises - the salty pop of capers, the textural pork and zippy dressing tying it all together. Completely delicious

The dishes come to the table in quick succession and a rather small table is jammed from corner to corner with white plates. I ended up nesting my glass of white on the windowsill (if you don't mind...).  Where the presentation leaves much to be desired it would simply make no sense to be mucking about and jazzing up offal. The flavours do ALL the talking, there's absolutely no need for bells and whistles. What you see is what you get and I respect that boldness.

Blood cake and fried eggs. This is precisely what you got! The black pud was rich and crumbly, possibly the entire year's worth of iron and protein right there

A little experiment in sweetbreads: (left) lamb sweetbreads turnip & bacon circa 2012 and (right) lamb sweetbreads, broad beans and bacon (2014). I obviously couldn't get enough and ordered the dish again. The sweetbreads have a rather unusual texture (an unexpected creaminess), but they are cooked so well. A gold standard in terms of sweetbreads!

DOLCE - a mash up of 2012/2014

Bitter chocolate crème & prunes (left) and lemon sorbet & vodka (right). This pair of rather adult desserts from 2012 were absolute dynamite (and not just from the post-shot burny feeling)

It doesn't get much more old skool than this: eccles cake and Lancaster cheese circa '12

The New Guard, 2014: baked cheesecake with rum-soaked raisins (gosh, they were ALCOHOLIC) and rhubarb sorbet & vodka (gosh that was ALCOHOLIC). The cheesecake was utterly moorish, I wasn't missing a biscuity base at all. The sorbet was more of boozy slushie in the end = AMAZING

At St John you'll find nose-to-tail eating at its best and most original. Fergus Henderson's St John brand is a sure fire winner and comforting at any time of year. Twenty years later with a Michelin star in tow, it is still in fine form and highly recommended to one and all. If you can't find the time to dine in or can't get a table (likely), be sure to duck over to the bakery and purchase some of that amazing sourdough for home (they sell halves as well which is rather nifty). Totally worth the trip, and the food baby.

Right before it got really busy. This photograph was really pushing the limits of my point-and-shoot camera but hey, it worked!

Thanks for reading this rather epic edition!

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

La Fromagerie

This rather excellent cheesemonger calls Marylebone home and isn't it in good company. Not only is there great shopping (Daunt Books & The Conran Shop are essential) but the food offerings focus on artisanal and organic produce = top notch. If time were on my side I would have loved to give both The Natural Kitchen (café), The Ginger Pig (butcher) and Aubaine (a bit schmancy) a go. I suppose there's always next time (spoilt rotten...)!

Did I just die and go to heaven?! The famed cheese room Credit: hg2london

La Fromagerie is exactly as the francophile name suggests, enough to make anyone lactose intolerant weak at the knees. They pride themselves on sourcing the best regional cheeses and they've curated a perfect selection for the discerning cheese lover. I was amazed when one of the staffers was able to identify a cheese M had been hoping to find after several years...a comté no less! It was like playing 'guess who' (with a few wild stabs in the dark), needless to say both parties left the transaction quite chuffed. Neal's Yard Dairy better watch out!

The rather stylish interiors of the deli Credit: hg2london

The brilliance of this place is not to be understated. Open Monday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & pre-theatre supper - it is here for any occasion. Split into separate sections, the store also has some designated seating for you to while away an afternoon. Chill back with a shared cheeseboard and glass of your favourite wine and everything else will come easy. I happened to choose (a very generous) glass of Chablis Vieille Vignes 2011 which was incroyable! 

The French cheese board running order (left to right). Those starred are not to be missed!
*Bleu D'Avergne - a stinky but delicious blue
Vieux Bologne - soft cow's cheese with beer washed rind
*Morbier - mild semi soft cow's cheese, more delicate
*Mothais a la Feuille - goat's
Brique du Larzac - soft, tangy sheep's milk

I was quite stoked with this cheese board, and you get the feeling that you are in very capable hands. If there's anything that the Brits (and French) can do well, that's cheese and dairy. In addition to the in-store offerings there is an online cheese room, as well as suppers hosted on Mondays (No 6 at La Fromagerie) and tasting events for the aficionados. Now, if only this was my corner store...

A nice selection of homewares for all your baked/fried/grilled cheesy goodness

Not that Australian cheeses are anywhere close to the quality of those produced in Europe but we do have a few decent purveyors to tickle one's fancy: Formaggi Ocello, Simon Johnson and Paesanella are good starting points. And more recently, The Stinking Bishops has opened up in Enmore; a café haven for cheese lovers. The future is looking bright for us Aussies!

I couldn't resist another shot from the cheese room. The variety is endless, you could literally spend hours in this treasure trove!

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Bar Hop, London styley

Let's just state the obvious and say I'm a total nerd when it comes to travel research. Archivist, collector or chronicler - I simply love to read about restaurants and bars to visit across the globe (let alone my own backyard). Now that the world has become that much tinier (an oyster perhaps?), no distance is too far i.e. challenge accepted! A 24-hour flight is a mere trifle (though ask me again en route and I probably couldn't string a sentence together). Presenting, a couple of London bars I 'dropped' into that I'd like to share with y'all.

Talented Mr Fox

1 Leicester St, London WC2H 7BL

Two years ago I could have sworn this place was something entirely different and I wasn't mistaken. Gone is the old St John restaurant and hotel to be replaced by boutique hotel digs of One Leicester Street (no prizes for that name). Talented Mr Fox has taken up residency on the second floor with style that could only be described as dashing. The understated modern fit out puts you at ease as soon as you stride through the double doors, only to be met with the far wall. It is TINY, like postage stamp tiny.

Loving how this place is decked out, the retro furniture is a big win Credit: Time Out London

It's clear from a quick perusal of the menu that one of TMF's founders, Matt Whiley loves his mixology (I have strong feelings about this word, but moving swiftly on...). The drinks bring 'molecular' to a head utilising some weird and wacky ingredients and techniques. These wouldn't go astray in a Michelin-starred kitchen, let alone a small bar! Perhaps not for the faint hearted but if you're feeling adventurous, TMF will fit like a glove.

The infamous Bloody Mary (left) and Urban Foxtail No 2 in all it's wheelie bin glory (right). More consommé than cocktail, the Bloody Mary takes the traditional and takes it to another universe entirely. Prepare yourself for the delights of pigs blood, black pudding, clarified tomato juice and spice hydrosol in a glass. Let me warn you it's pretty out there. It makes the Urban Foxtail look like a tea party. Made with diplomatic rum, cumin syrup, cider and tangy apple bin juice (no kidding)

TMF issues good vibes by the boatload. The staff are friendly and the place is as bustling as the streets outside. Snag yourself a window seat (or a seat at all) and you're in for a good time. The clear successes of TMF have led to another venture, Peg and Patriot which has just opened in East London (hot off the press, people!). Some of their house cocktails sound pretty funky e.g. Rice Rice Baby (in a 'I'm kind of intrigued' way?). Someone will have to report back because I didn't have nearly enough time to go everywhere I wanted (that my friend, would take years). Maybe next time :)

I come, I fox shit up, I leave. A bit of a hipster "Veni, vidi, vici" perhaps?

Archer Street

3-4 Archer Street, London W1D 7AP

As far as 'It' bars go, I think Archer Street is pretty up there. A multi-storey bar in the backstreets of Soho, the real challenge lies in getting a drink in the space of 20 minutes. Siobhan MaGill is the gal behind this bar backed up with 30 years experience in the industry. The interiors by designer James Halliday are rather chalet chic, with the street level cocktail lounge reminiscent of a hotel lobby in the alps. I'd recommend you make a bee-line downstairs for Piste Bar, where all the action is. 

It's hard to admire the decor when one is crammed like a sardine in the space so here it is Credit: Bar Magazine

On the surface Archer Street looks like any other bar but it certainly has a wild streak. Much to my surprise (and delight) the multi-talented staff would spontaneously jump atop tables and belt out tunes. And boy can they sing! We were privy to stellar renditions of Royals and You've Got the Love. It gives Idol a run for their money, quite amazing! Soon after they opened in 2013, the bar ran Archer Street's Got Talent, a singing competition as a tribute to the history of Archer Street as a hub for West End musicians and arty-types in the roaring 20s. 

Oozing class downstairs at the Piste Bar. I hope that was supposed to be a pun Credit: Archer Street

Archer Street has quickly cemented it's place amongst the after work trendy types. Perfect to have a few drinks and bust a move as some would have it! What's brilliant is that you can go to bars like this and be stumbling distance from Piccadilly Circus (hello London!). What can I say other than it was awesome fun (free-poured G&Ts may have come into it)! Hot foot it there, skates may be required.

Forget the sign, you can't miss the bass and the rabble ;)

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand