Signorelli Gastronomia, Pyrmont

As part of my latest (bi)monthly bookclub meeting, a group of friends and I organised dinner at Signorelli Gastronomia - an Italian restaurant in Pyrmont that was part-taking in the Good Food Month with a Vertical Garden dessert!

Restaurant from the outside

The restaurant is less than 10min walk from Pyrmont bridge and is actually around the side of the Accenture building. My walking buddy (from Wynyard) and I almost walked past the restaurant as the exterior isn't very prominent and is sort of hidden behind trees and cars parked on the street.

Upon walking through the entrance and down a set of stairs, you walk by the open kitchen on the left (with windows along the wall for customers to peer inside and get a glimpse into the workings of their kitchen) and racks filled with purchasable goods (such as pasta, risotto rice, pasta sauce, biscotti) on your right before you come across the reception area.

Since we booked a table in advance, we were quickly led to our table and offered table drinks whilst we wait for our late-coming friends:

Watermelon gazpacho - offered to customers on arrival (free)

Picture of the back of their menu, which acts as the place mat for each customer
It looks like they change their menus on a monthly basis as the menu
presented on the table listed out unique specials/events for Oct and Nov. 

When all my friends finally arrived (by which time, I was starrrrvvinnnggggg...), we were ready to order our food. The pizzas came out soon afterwards (15-20min after ordering), along with the two pastas that we ordered:

Pizza with Italian sausage, gorgonzola and potatoes ($24)

Pizza with three mushrooms, taleggio and parmesan ($25)

Calzone with ham, mushroom and ricotta ($23)

Pasta of the Day - squid ink fettuccine with large prawns, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs (M=$30)

Orecchiette with pan-roasted pork and fennel sausage, mushrooms, white wine sauce,
fresh herbs, finished with soppressa wafer (E=$18; M=$27)

The pizzas were good (or it could have been the hunger) but could have been improved with a bit more seasoning (none available on the table). The squid ink fettuccine was more of a novelty and interesting to eat although the pasta, having been be cooked 'al dente', was a bit too firm for my taste - I prefer not to chew so hard in order to eat pasta. The orecchiette wasn't cooked al dente so was easier to eat.

Finally, it came to the highlight of the evening - the Vertical Garden Dessert! Every table in the restaurant ordered this after 8pm (it was literally flying out the kitchen in a constant procession!).

Good Food Month - The Vertical Garden Dessert Offer
The bespoke creation by our Celebrity pastry chef Vincent Gadan - frozen nougat, rose blossom loukoum, 
lychee jelly and pistachio wall with a glass of Yalumba wine ($20pp)

Close-up of dessert.... nomnomnom...

This was by far the best dish of the night - beautifully presented and the flavours were amazing! The only element of this dish that I wasn't sure about was the lychee jelly. which was seriously wobbly and mushy (could have done with a bit more gelatin?) ...

I absolutely loved the frozen nougat - however, by the end, it was a total sugar overload due to the addition of the rose blossom loukoum (a.k.a. Turkish delight) in the frozen nougat. It could be improved with something slightly savoury to offset the excessive sweetness (even with the pistachio wall, raspberry coulee and choc biscuit crumbs/dirt).

Overall, the meal cost $42pp - a bit steep for the likes of me (given the fact that it WAS pizza and pasta, followed by a sugar-filled killer dessert). I would definitely recommend people go for any desserts that they might have on offer in the future for Good Food Month/Sugar Hit.

Good Food Month: Momofuku Seiobo & Signorelli Gastronomia, Pyrmont

October could possibly be the most exciting month of the year. It's more than a lead up to the holiday season because in Sydney, this is the Good Food Month. A time to embrace all things edible and try something new.

Momofuku Ssam Bar, Momofuku Seiobo

As part of the "Hats Off Dinners" for Good Food Month 2014, Momofuku Seiobo is giving us a blast from the past: Momofuku Ssam Bar 2007 - a la carte, no bookings, best of New York's Ssam Bar menu from 2007.

Queue outside Momofuku at 6:00 PM

Credits go to the Pianoman for discovering this event. It is such a rare opportunity to go to a '3 hatter' with spontaneity and no fixed menu. That was all the excuse we needed, friday night, myself and 4 foodie friends join the queue for Momofuku.

The ambience wasn't what I'd expect from a 'three hat' restaurant. In fact we saw a family of 4 (incl two young children) occupying a table nearby - which sparked a can of worms topic: "Young children at fine dining establishments?" Momofuku had a wonderfully friendly atmosphere, different to other 3 hatter's but very welcoming and refreshing. It was obvious they were exceptionally busy on this night though, as waiters were run off their feet. On several occasions, we were hard pushed to get someone's attention.

Ssam Bar 2007 Menu

Unfortunately we had to split tables, so we sampled a smaller selection than we had hoped. But this was somewhat expected of special event dinners.

Steamed Buns - pork belly, hoisin, cucumber, scallions $18 (for 2 buns)

The signature pork bun. Easily the most highly anticipated dish of the night. We were so eager for this, Pianoman and I made a number of 'back up plans' to feast on imitations of the pork bun if we hadn't gotten into Momofuku. And it was wonderful indeed. I find it perplexing how such simple flavours became such a global phenomenon, but it is that simply amalgamation of the 'bao' and 'peking duck' flavours and the melt-in-you-mouth pork belly that just hits the spot.

Pan-Roasted Asparagus - poached egg, miso butter $19

I just had to order something with egg. A good restaurant, cooks a good egg - that's my golden rule. This asparagus dish is wonderful and light. They were rather generous with the miso base, which got a little salty towards the end. I could happily eat those aparagus with just the egg.

Tello's Chawan Mushi - black truffle, snails, edamame, scallion $28

The egg was so incredibly smooth and delicious. Once again, we felt they were a little generous with the snail and truffle sauce. I guess we just have a subtle palate? But the sauce did get a little overpowering after a couple of spoonfuls.

Marinated Hanger Steak Ssam - ginger scallion, kimchi, bibb lettuce $32

An absolutely perfectly cooked steak! Intended to be eaten with kimchi, scallions, wrapped in lettuce. Sounds familiar? 'What's that? Korean BBQ you say?' Did remind us a little of that. But the quality is unquestionable in this dish.

Rice Cakes - Pork sausage, kale, kimchi $20

Possibly my favourite dish of the night is the ddukbokkie. It tastes like spag bol + kimchi with rice cakes! (David Chang will shake his head at this comment I know). Pianoman and Ms Strawberry both agree, but we loved it!! The flavours really work. Ms Strawberry and I almost fought over the last piece.

Contributions from Will-Eat-Yum*:

Spicy Honeycomb Tripe $18

Pig's Head Torchon - mustard, pickled cherries $21

Squid Salad - ginger scallion $16

Smoked Prosciutto - red eye mayo, baguette $15

These were dishes the boy's table ordered. I can't say too much as I didn't eat all of them myself. I tried some of the squid salad. It was a pity I didn't get to try the tripe, Pianoman and Will-Eat-Yum both agree this was the most outstanding of that night. 

Let's Do Dessert, Signorelli Gastronomia

Previously called 'Sugar Hit'(s), 'Let's Do Dessert' is a signature event every year, when hotel restaurants open their doors and offer dessert plus a glass of wine for $20. And we couldn't think of a better way to end the night

This year, Signorelli Gastronomia offers "Il Giardino Verticale" - the vertical garden.

Il Giardino Verticale - Frozen nougat, rose blossom loukoum,
 lychee jelly, raspberry yolk and pistachio wall $20 (incl wine)

Each one so delicate, so perfect, filled with a creative array of textures and flavours. And it tasted as good as it looked! I wish there was more lychee jelly as this was my favourite part. The green hard candy antennas were good fun too. It gave us something to suck on, long after we'd finished our dessert. 

A most wonderful night, probably not a dinner I would repeat in a hurry, but it was enjoyable fine dining nonetheless. And dear readers, do you have any 'Good Food Month' experiences to share?


*Credits: Photo donations from good friend Will-Eat-Yum. Thank you for your contributions.
All meals independantly paid for.

Jamie's Italian and QT hotel, Canberra

The most exciting thing about Canberra is... *drum roll*... probably what snacks you get on the plane on the way there and back.

In-flight snack: Qantas Economy

Okay, that's playing not fair. There is probably plenty to see in Canberra, but as part of my work trip I had a limited experience (especially considering most stores close by5 pm). After an hour of walking around I finally found the main restaurant district and chose to treat myself to Jamie's Italian.

Jamie's Italian Canberra.

It was quite busy for a Thursday night, I was told by the waitress there's a 40 min wait for a table - this certainly raised my expectations for the place. Finally after 30 mins, I receive a call from the restaurant informing me they had a table ready. Was it weird dining alone? I was a little worried at first but it wasn't too bad.

 I'm all about variety, so I chose 2 entrees: Fish Plank (for 1) and Sicilian Tuna Fusilli.

Fish Plank (for 1) - Cured & crispy fish, Italian cheese, pickles & crunchy salad $13.50 per person

As you can probably guess, I was pretty excited about the 'variety'. I enjoyed the slaw, my piece of cured fish; various fried fish fingers with the cheese and pickle nibblies. The mussels and clams were cold, I'm not sure if that was the intention, but their flavours were good. There was some sand in the clams but I've eaten enough clams in my life to not be too fussed. 

Crispy fish: mini fritto misto with yuzu mayo; Roasted shellfish

The fish fingers were excellent and made from 3 different fish. I did question the fried salmon finger, as its fatty nature isn't complimented by a greasy coating and more oil. The mayo worked well with the other fish frittos, although I couldn't taste the yuzu.

Beetroot cured salmon; shaved carrot & beet salad with lemon & mint;
smoked mackerel pate, pickle, green chilli, green olive, caper berry

From afar I thought these were some kind of dessert thing, but nope, its the cured salmon!

Sicilian Tuna Fusilli - Albacore tuna slow cooked with tomatoes, garlic, herbs & cinnamon
 with crunchy, herby breadcrumbs $13.50 (E)/ $20.00 (M)

The pasta was a little firmer than I would have preferred. I enjoyed the garlic crumbs, they added an interesting texture to the otherwise simple pasta dish.

Unfortunately there I didn't anything spectacular about this meal. This was a little disappointing as I'm a fan of Jamie Oliver recipes. But then again, simple is his style. The service could possibly be perfected (eg if they brought the pasta to me after my antipasto plate - so it wasn't cold by the time I got to it). It was fairly priced though, especially considering its neighbours were charging $20 just for a Pad Thai.

QT Queen @ QT Canberra.

It was 9 pm by the time I got back to my hotel. I wanted to make a quick note on the QT Canberra - replaces the old Rydges Lakeside Canberra - because I really enjoyed it. It wasn't 5 star but I liked the quirky aspects, the clever and well thought out room facilities and decor.

Cutie doggie cushion

 

Coffee machine & teas make my day

The buffet breakfast each more was also terrific and worth a try if your staying here. 

How was your experience of Canberra?

Melbourne 2014 - Part 2

So the days leading up to the Melbourne trip I did some intensive research, in hopes to create an awesome foodie itinerary. Much to my disappointment, the search term 'Melbourne Foodie Itinerary' brought up many paid food tours but limited blogs on DIY food adventures. So here's my noob, last minute version of...

A Foodie's Walking Tour of Melbourne.

We started the day with a hearty breakfast. Because Aunt-T loves a good breakfast.

1. Cumulus Inc.

Cumulus Up! 2013 Duck waffle, foie gras & prune $9

Its the talk of the town! Cumulus Inc. serves a great... breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. In my 2013 trip, I managed to sample the wonderful Duck waffle from Cumulus Up! But my greatest regret was missing the breakfast.

Shakshouka - baked eggs with roasted peppers and shanklish $17

I'd been looking forward to this for over a year. Did it disappoint? No! Greed & gluttony took over as I ate the whole pan myself (Uncle G is a sleep-in kinda guy, so more Shakshouka for me mwhahahaa!!).

Smoked bacon bap, gentleman's relish $12

Mushrooms on toast with Parmesan & (no) 65/65 egg $16

CT must have been really hungry, because he monstered both dishes. I tried some of the mushrooms, they were nice but probably needed the eggs to make it something special. CT was able to compare his Bacon Burger yesterday at Hardware Soc. with this one. Winner? Cumulus Inc. The bacon here had a little something extra.

Let's start walking after that big meal. Hopefully if you're following this itinerary you didn't get too full from breakfast, because stop 2 isn't far.

2. Waffee

Oh Mai Gawwddd hot waffles been made in from of your eyes! I am especially fond of hot, freshly made Belgian waffles as they are attached to fond childhood memories.

A selection of original, chocolate glazed, cinnamon, chocolate stick or blueberry.

Chocolate stick wedges chocolate in the middle of the hot waffle, so its full of melty chocolate goodness as you bite into it. A natural choice. Uncle G, Ms Strawberry and I share this.

Nom nom nom! Sticky and golden, crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and oozing with chocolate. I liked it so much I came back for seconds! This time chocolate stick and cinnamon. Cinnamon is a winner!

Now at this point, if you're a hot chips fan, its time to visit some Lord of the Fries, but we passed as we have our own in Sydney now.

If you walk north on Swanston St, then turn left at Elizabeth you will arrive at...

3. Ganache Chocolate

Allegedly this place has the best chocolate cake ever - the Brownie Mousse Slice - we happened to walk past so we just had to try!

Brownie Mousse Slice $8.50

It was everything you'd expect. Rich, heavy, decadent - personally I would have preferred some plain cream to cut the richness.

The Fifth Avenue $8.50

This was everyone's favourite! Still with a rich chocolatey mousse but contrasted by crispy chocolate & raspberry interior.

Passionfruit and Mango $8.50

For those of us who aren't so into chocolate, this is the one. Another delicious option.

[Clockwise from top left] Iced Chocolate; Strawberry and Cream Tea for two; White Chocolate Chai; White Hot Chocolate

After this morning tea, we casually stroll to Hutong Dumpling bar, "the best dumplings in Melbourne". We found them to be quiet mediocre. I was especially unimpressed when the waiter tried to pass "Guo Tie" for "Shen Jian Bao". I was so disappointed I didn't even snap any photos.
But there's so much to eat, I wasn't particularly bothered.

4. La Belle Miette.

Let me explain. Aunt T is not a fan of macaroons (! Blasphemy). I'm always roped into trying them by Uncle G's sweet tooth, so I've actually tried a number of macaroons including Pierre Hermes in Paris.

[Clockwise from top left]Earl Grey, Blueberry, Rose, Salted Caramel $2.50 each

So three friends and I were completely stuffed after so much eating, we intended to share 1 macaroon between four. We ended up each one each and buying a 6 pack to take back to Sydney (mine never made it so far).

[Left to right] Passionfruit; Blueberry; Salted caramel; Raspberry; Earl Grey  $2.50 each

The Earl Grey was by far the favourite. It was unique, with distinct Earl Grey aroma and just the right level of sweetness. Salted Caramel was wonderfully chewy. Blueberry was abundant in real berry flavour and blueberry jam centre. Raspberry was also outstanding!

5. Sea Salt.

Tucked away amongst the cafes is this little seafood gem. I'm glad Ms Eyes. insisted to take us there.

Ms. Eyes says these are the best sushi's ever! (In fact she bought all the inari pictured). We sampled their sushi - it was indeed delicious! Unfortunately we couldn't stomach anymore, we would definitely visit again to try their fish and chips.

Wedding @ The Willows.

Finally I want to include a little tribute to the reason we were down in Melbourne. The weather couldn't be better, the day wouldn't have gone smoother, we couldn't have been happier for our newly wed friends. Together we celebrated the joining of their families at Fitzroy Park.

Following a perfect ceremony, we attended the reception was held at Willow's Restaurant, a quaint function venue perfectly suited to a garden theme.

Simple & sweet, like a Roman holiday, yes? (That Audrey Hepburn movie).

We took our names tags, wrote the answer to the question "Love is...?" and popped it into the bottle.

[Clockwise from top left] Pumpkin risotto, Chicken Caesar salad, Salmon filo parcel

After much photo booth, candy bar and canape fun; it was meal time! The risotto hides inconspicuously amongst protein choices but this entrée wins favourite dish of the night!

[Clockwise from top left] Porterhouse steak; Chicken stuffed with bacon; Fish

Apologies for the vague descriptions, especially for the fish dish, but nevertheless it was a great dish and the potatoes were divine! Ms Strawberry was initially reluctant about ordering the fish but was glad she did in the end. The favourite main of the night, however, would have to go to the chicken.
What's there not to like about chicken and bacon? Its amazing to get chicken so tender and moist in a large function. We were all fans (only wish we had more).

We had the wedding cake for dessert with a choice of Messina Gelato. I really liked this idea actually, as often after dessert no one eats the wedding cake. Its clever planning and maximising resources at its best! I would happily recommend The Willows as a wedding or function venue without hesitation.

It was a superb wedding. If Mr & Mrs Newly-Weds are reading this, congratulations! Thanks for allowing us to share such a special moment with you.