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

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: 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

Yellow

Hot off the press, chef Brent Savage has just won the 2015 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year award and there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Yellow, is Savage's newest venture in Potts Point taking a more conventional approach to Australian bistro dining. Meanwhile, his flagship restaurant, molecular gastronomy haven of Bentley Restaurant & Bar has taken a more imaginative turn jettisoning into the Radisson Blu in Sydney's CBD. The restaurant scene has been quite tumultuous lately, to say the least with fresh names popping up every second day, abrupt closures and chef's hats flying left, right and centre. Only a year ago, I was reviewing an entirely different restaurant at this exact address (a pop-up mind you, but still). How bizarre!

First thing's desserts. Talk about wow factor: an intergalactic sphere of chocolate, passionfruit curd & coconut marshmallow. A fantastic combination and the wafer thin dark chocolate was delicious. A note on the curd though, which was probably closer to a custard (with a more soupy texture) - quite different from what you'd expect from the menu

With the experience of Savage and a toque already in it's holster, Yellow sets to fill the gap between fine diners looking for a matched wine degustation and the lucky few who can secure seats at the eternally popular Monopole wine bar (also on Macleay St). This new iteration of Yellow House circa 2013 suits Potts Point locals to a tee. Open 7 days a week for dinner and brunch on weekends, there's something here for everyone.

Another extraordinarily dimly lit eatery. Energy efficiency to extremes?

The dining room is another Pascale Gomes-McNabb creation, an architect and long term collaborator who seems to be leaving her mark all over this town. With cutout mirrors and a jigsaw of shapes adorning the walls; it's a cross between an Eames aesthetic and geometry class but it gets the job done. The menu is a straight forward affair with relatively limited options compared to some of the tomes out there (first. world. problems.). The wine list however, is a different kettle of fish. Presumably on loan from Monopole a few doors down it is in a word, EPIC. I will note however that there is no dedicated vegetarian main. One would be forced to order a series of vegetable side dishes to make up for it. Shame.

For starters: char-grilled pork neck, prawn, black pudding purée & orange. This was probably my favourite dish of the evening. The pork was meltingly tender and gelled really well with the prawns which, mind you were verging on undercooked. A thoughtful and standout dish early on

Cured snapper, avocado and mullet roe (left) and roast cauliflower with mustard leaves and parmesan (right). The snapper was a deliciously tiny morsel. It's not often you see snapper cooked this way. The cauliflower was cooked in several ways but seemed to have an overpowering creaminess and richness about it. More of the roasted/shaved cauliflower might remedy this

Corn-fed chicken, charred carrot, buttermilk and cavolo nero. Sous vide chicken with a charry black carrot purée. A new 'chef-y' twist on the Sunday roast

O'Connor Scotch fillet with Jerusalem Artichoke and mustard. A very nice and well cooked piece of steak. I did find myself missing more of a sauce which was basically pan juices. Always a fan of jerusalem artichokes, the combination of roasted and shaved slices worked well. 

Mulloway with celtuce & shimeji mushroom (left) and baby kipfler potatoes, sour cream and shallot powder (right). The fish was cooked to perfection, a very simple dish at its heart, but executed well. The potatoes were instantly reminiscent of sour cream & chive crisps (but infinitely better)

DOLCE

Magnifique, non?! Melon sorbet, macadamia & dates. On reading the menu, a list of ingredients in each dessert gives nothing away. To see this presented, a vision draped in a veil of translucent melon was a real treat (the mandolin strikes again!). A macadamia crumb sits atop melon slices and a quenelle of sorbet on a delicate slice of date cake. A match made in heaven

Apple with green raisins & buttermilk chantilly. This dessert looks rather unimpressive on the surface but the combination is good one. A pile of crumble, may be a little stingy?

Yellow, as a new venture in a difficult climate is a laudable effort. Savage and his team function like a well-oiled machine delivering seasonal dishes designed for the individual, but you'll get away with trying a bit of everyone's. For me, there were a few highlights and no particular low-lights but that's just it. I was looking for a little bit of magic, a dish that I would return for again and again (the pork-neck was nearly there) or a new and inspired idea. In terms of fulfilling the brief, sure Yellow has it down and I can't argue with the full house night after night but I'm looking for something a little bit extra. Call me crazy.

"And it was called, Yellow..."

Thanks for reading chickens!

xGourmand

Cho Cho San

Jonathan Barthlemess and his assembled A-team have taken Macleay St by storm, again. This time with a touch of Japanese flair, Cho Cho San has taken over the former Shogun restaurant site replacing old world Japanese with new. Potts Point has always been a delectable melting pot of restaurants and bars so a new opening like this is always looked keenly upon. Strolling towards the restaurant, CCS is lit up like a beacon, attracting hipsters like moths to a flame. The media has certainly done a great job creating a stir around this place. I was almost surprised not to see a mob at the door clamouring to get in.

Skipping straight to dessert! The rather lush steamed yuzu pudding, perfect for this cool blustery weather. The yuzu in this dish served as a little palette cleanser. Topped with cream to seal the deal

Let me just put it out there that this is a gorgeous restaurant, with minimalist hues of white, birch ply and bare concrete. Employing once again, the services of interior designer George Livissianis who has rendered one of the most photogenic restaurants in town. The backlit ceiling is punctuated with perforated beams which hide the air conditioning and audio system, also acting as sound absorbers. The soundtrack, as if straight from my own playlist (weird) features SBTRKT, Glass Animals and Lorde. So far, CCS is getting big ticks.

The geometry of the table settings; the food is certainly designed to share

Following the successes of The Apollo, Cho Cho San takes loose inspiration from Japanese cuisine which has been rejigged into something rather new and exciting. Combining the very best seafood Australia has to offer with more traditional techniques of pickling (all. the. rage.) and grilling over a hibachi; Barthelmess has created a menu that is adaptable. Be it for some casual drinks at the bar with snacks or a veritable feast, it all works. Mind you, the good stuff doesn't come cheap (but what does in Sydney these days). What's more, they open 7 days so you can maximise your chances of getting a table (so not kidding here). Failing that they're also open for lunch Fri-Sun. 

Down the barrel, communal dining at its best. The bar seats have little bag hooks so all your devices are within easy reach, haha Credit: Hayley Morgan for Two Thousand

Already, in its early days there are some crowd favourites. I had read the high praise for the fried chicken alone (done) in Gourmet Traveller and seen their soft-serve cones all over Instagram and the like. Initially a vibrant green tea version, the ice cream and the menu have had a few seasonal tweaks to change things up. The service was excellent, and staff were happy to accommodate for dietary requirements at the table. It was all good fun going through the procession of dishes we had ordered (crazies), almost like a custom degustation. Roll up!

From the raw bar: Petuna ocean trout, black pepper and wasabi (left) and Tuna, avocado and pickled eggplant (right). Both of these dishes were delicious, not only because I am a total sucker for sashimi. Sliced to order, the fish was of phenomenal freshness and quality. I probably could have polished them off myself!

Fried Chicken. Simple in name but there are some subtleties to delivering one this good.  There's a lot more finesse involved in creating a dish like this. Tender and juicy chicken, still succulent and piping hot with a familiar crispy, crunch on the outside. Be warned, the wasabi mayo is addictive

Prawn buns (left) and fried miso eggplant (right). No boa for us, these prawn buns were super tasty, I think fresh prawns and kewpie had a lot to do with that. But at $9 a piece...REALLY?! The eggplant was a nice dish but I tend to prefer the more traditional version  of nasu dengaku (miso glazed roasted eggplant)

Japanese charcoal chicken, read: spatchcock. The bird was cooked really well, with a delicious black charry crust (the best bit). Finger lickin' good

King crab omelette, Japanese curry. A very mild curry flavour allows the crab to shine through. The egg was also nice and soft, not overcooked and dense

Teriyaki T-bone, onion salad. Simply delicious, mop up the dark soy sauce and let the meat do the talking. Thank goodness it came ready carved

Miso cod, celery, ginger (left) and brown rice, shitake mushroom, egg (right). The former dish sort of faded into the background compared to some of the more tasty dishes. The cod was cooked well but none of the miso really came through over the burnt crust. And at $40, was rather meagre. The fried rice was respectable, and a good way to marry everything together

Two green lights: banana soft-serve cone, peanut, caramel. I make no apologies for the amount of food we managed to order. The ice cream was the perfect way to finish the meal. The salted caramel was perfectly balanced but still allowing the banana flavour to come through. Bringing out the inner child in each of us - a triumph!

Cho Cho snow: ginger custard topped with shaved ice, jackfruit. A nice little number but I was a bit distracted by the ice creams. Sorry

In all its bright and spangly newness, Cho Cho San is the place to be. An oasis all in white and timber, CCS represents a rather exciting venture in Potts Point. Offering a rather watered down version of Japanese cuisine, this is dining for the well-to-do masses. Ultimately, the variety of dishes and balance in flavours wins you over - it's almost all too easy. When The Apollo burst onto the scene, critics were quick to sing its praises for bringing a renewed energy and innovation to the dining scene. I think it might be time for round two! 

Cho Cho San, positively glowing Credit: Tom Ferguson for Yellow Trace

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand