Lochiel House, Kurrajong Heights

Nose-to-tail pork

Have you ever travelled a long distance just to visit a particular restaurant? Since I’ve started to dabble in the world of food, the thought has started to play on my mind. Perhaps a whirlwind visit to Attica in Melbourne to experience Ben Shewry’s creations, or even a tour of Tasmania sampling the finest produce in all of Australia. And what about the rest of the world? Well that’s the dream anyway.

Lochiel House – in Kurrajong Heights at the bottom of the Blue Mountains – has long been on my list. In food blogger circles, I’ve heard about this restaurant, which specialises in pig and its nose-to-tail cooking that is present in almost all of its dishes.

The drive past Windsor and Richmond is uninspiring at best; I’m guessing the more interesting parts are leading up to Kurrajong and beyond. Feel free to leave a comment if I’m being blinded by my ignorance. But the food makes the trip to Lochiel House worthwhile.

shiitake seven: Eric Tan, Chophouse

Baklava semifreddo at Chophouse

When I went to Chophouse this year, I was really impressed with its staff, food, produce and the overall experience. Recently I had a chat with its head chef Eric Tan, who had some interesting things to say about cheffing, My Kitchen Rules and where he likes to eat. Read my review of Chophouse on Concrete Playground here. 

What would you have as your last meal?

Freshly shucked oysters just out of the water from Pambula Lake, anything cooked by my wife (she always puts a lot of love into her food), and to finish Delice de Bourgogne, triple cream, white mould cheese.

What do you think about TV shows such as Masterchef or My Kitchen Rules? Would you ever hire someone from the show?

I think that it’s a great medium that educates and lets people know about products and methods in the industry that may otherwise be inaccessible. It’s also very entertaining as there is always drama between workmates and never a dull moment in the kitchen. It generates interest in the food industry and hopefully results in more people dining out and supporting local businesses.

I would definitely be open to hiring someone from either show. If they have the same level of commitment and dedication in the Chophouse kitchen that they portray on the show, that’s all any chef can ask for I think.

What do you love about cooking?

It’s one of the few activities that across all cultures and nationalities, brings about a sense of community and commonality. Everyone enjoys good food and through this people are brought together.

What don’t you like about the industry?

Chefs and industry people who think that they are more important than the guests that support them. It’s not common but when you see it it’s disappointing.

What is the dish you are most proud of creating?

I was always taught that you are only ever as good as the last dish that you plated. So at this stage it’s going to be the Petit Chicken with Sauce Cassoulet that is coming to Chophouse menu.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

This is a tough one! Temasek in Parramatta is perfect for a great cheap feed and awesome flavours. Momofuku Seibo is fun, quirky and left of centre which puts a smile on my face.

Who do you look up to, as a chef?

The chefs in my kitchen who often have to meet my unreasonable requests on standards and my unrelenting desire for knowledge on all things food. They persist day in day out and turn up to work every day with the same passion and dedication that keeps Chophouse going.

Morena, Surry Hills

Peruvian ceviche

I don’t know a great deal about Peru. In fact I know nothing about the South American country. Thankfully, an episode of Maeve O’Meara’s Food Safari about Peruvian food aired the week before I dined at Morena in Surry Hills, giving me an idea about the culinary delights and traditions of the nation.

What I ate today: salmon don at Sushi Tei

Salmon don ($16)

They say you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. I sure as hell hope we don’t overfish salmon to the point of extinction, because that stuff is delicious.

The staff at Sushi Tei certainly knows how to do salmon. The delicate slices on the salmon don ($16) are almost identical in size, sheltering warm sushi rice beneath it. Proper fish roe is placed on top and the dish is really quite a picturesque one.

The menu is enormous at Sushi Tei. I love ordering nigiri sushi, especially if you’re sitting at the bar where you can watch the chefs in action. Worth a visit.

http://www.sushitei.com.au 

Wooden Spoon Bar and Restaurant, Cremorne

Chefs at work at Wooden Spoon Bar and Restaurant

How many restaurants are there in Sydney? Far too many to count. Sure everybody’s talking about the amazing Mexican cantina in Surry Hills, or the spectacular two-hatted bistro in the city. But what about the neighbourhood restaurant which quietly churns out quality food every night, without even a mention in Good Food?

Wooden Spoon Bar and Restaurant slots into this category. There’s no chef’s hat, no celebrity chef and a lack of press clippings. Sometimes, it’s nice to get away from all that.

Jazz City Milk Bar, Darlinghurst

The hot dog trio: Santa Fe, Chicago-style and a New Orleans fried oyster hot dog Picture: Facebook

There are some places where people are transported back to their childhood. Dan McGuirt’s new Jazz City Milk Bar is one of these charming establishments. Situated just around the corner from his popular Jazz City Diner, McGuirt’s milk bar has long been his dream since moving to Australia from the United States.

The milk bar is amongst good company, tucked next to Universal, Phamish and Lucio Pizzeria in the lively Republic 2 courtyard. Decorated in a classic diner style, the floors are chequered and topped with stainless steel benches and diner stools imported from the USA. Cookie jars line the bench top, with various sweet and savoury smells wafting from the kitchen.

Part of the philosophy of the milk bar is for people to visit with their friends to enjoy American sweet delicacies like pies, cookies, cotton candy and ice cream sandwiches. However, McGuirt has included dinner specialities like gourmet burgers and hot dogs, to more adventurous dishes like a New Orleans BBQ Shrimp ($28) and A&W Root Beer Braised Chuck Steak ($24).

Even the drinks are authentic. Adding to the American beer and wine list, order the Coca-Cola float ($8). Instead of a dollop of ice cream dropped into the soft drink, the ice cream is in the bottom of the glass, with the Coke poured in. It makes all the difference.

Ask McGuirt which dish he’s particularly proud of and he’ll say, “it’s all good” but he recommends the pastalaya ($24), his version of the famous jambalaya. It’s generous on the toppings with plenty of juicy sausage (similar to chorizo), tender chicken and fresh prawns tossed in a light creamy sauce and al dente spaghetti.

To finish, try one of the milk bar’s pies, all made on the premises. The strawberry pie ($8) is delicious, with ripe strawberries bound together with strawberry jelly on top of a crumbly biscuit. Add cream and ice cream (extra $3) and you’re on top of the world.

Other diners are digging into the mammoth banana split ($9), complete with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream together with pineapples, chocolate and strawberry syrup, nuts and a cherry.

If you’re keen for a breakfast fix, Jazz City Milk Bar is open from 8am on the weekend. With an assortment of pancakes, omelettes, to more adventurous options like the shrimp egg foo young ($17) with bean sprouts, mushrooms, shrimp, green onions and a chicken oyster sauce, the milk bar sounds like the perfect cure after a big night.

Jazz City Milk Bar is perfect for anyone looking for an authentic American experience. Most important of all, it’s a whole heap of fun.

- This article was first published on Concrete Playground in January, 2013. Read it here.

 

 

Ms. G’s, Potts Point (Kings Cross)

Stoner’s Delight 2.0: doughnut ice cream, peanut butter, raspberry jam,
candied bacon, potato chips, mars bar slice, banana fritter ($12)

I’ve never fully understood the term ‘modern’ used to describe a particular type of cuisine. Modern Asian this, modern Italian that and of course, modern Australian. I think it means, take a ‘traditional’ dish, add some tricky shit to it (preferably something that’s trending at the moment). And there you have it…modern.