North Ryde Golf Club, North Ryde

Finally - finally! - I was invited to a wedding reception that was relatively close to home and civilisation. Whilst I have driven past the North Ryde Golf Club on many occasions in the past (en route to my childhood piano lessons *shudders*), I have actually never ventured beyond the main road and visited the site.

Main Entrance of Golf Club

Unsurprisingly, there is ample on-site parking that allows for quick access to the golf course but in order to access their restaurant (La Fontana Ristorante), you need to walk around the building (from the golf course entrance) to the main entrance. The restaurant itself is rather large and provides an awesome view from the outdoor balcony overlooking the golf course and nearby water feature.

The Dining & Co, North Ryde

For the catch-up between the former three musketeers, we decided to have lunch at The Dining & Co, which was recommended by MoosesDigest's sister.

Outside of Cafe

The Dining & Co turned out to be a relatively new cafe hidden within the inner streets of North Ryde. The interior is very hipster with clean wooden tables and chairs, large mirrors along the back wall to reflect the sunlight from outside, and black metal frames to display plants and decor.

Incredible Chicken, Eastwood

Entrance of Restaurant

After realising that our old Korean haunt was renamed 'MIRAC Korean Restaurant' (same or new management/restaurant?), we decided to bite the bullet and try out the relatively new Incredible Chicken next door. I had previously walked past it en route to Aldi from Eastwood station and noticed that the chicken menu somewhat resembled The Sparrow's Mill (... are they related?):
 

Menu Board Outside Restaurant

For a Thursday night, there weren't that many people inside the restaurant and surprisingly the wait-staff were both male (they tend to be mostly female).

As per other Korean restaurants, sides are served with your meal:

Sides (from left, clockwise): Sweet Potato, Peanuts in Sweet Soy Sauce,
Sliced Dried Bean curd, Bean Sprouts, Kimchi

However, the kimchi had a distinct 'off' smell/taste, so it was promptly set to the side. This is probably the first (and only) time I have ever been served with kimchi that had gone bad (perhaps due to the relatively warm weather that we have been having in Sydney lately) - but surely the staff, or other customers, would have noticed?!

The other sides were fine but my only comment is that the peanuts (a take on the sweet and savoury Korean soy beans?) should ideally be cooked for longer in the sweet soy sauce so that the peanuts were entirely soft.

Black Sesame Chicken (H: $17)

Despite the name, there was minimal black sesame (a pinch max.) stuck to the deep-fried boneless chicken.. at least sprinkle some on top! The external batter was rather peppery (reminiscent of actual KFC wicked wings) but the chicken was surprisingly still moist and tender. I think I prefer my chicken to be smothered in some sauce to give it some point of difference from actual KFC.

Bibimbap ($13)

The bibimbap stone pot was super hot when it was served at the table so the rice had already started crisping up, even as we were mixing the rice. In the end, the resulting rice was part-soft-part-crunchy without the typical crispy rice at the bottom.

Verdict - just stick to the chicken. All of the other (Korean) customers were eating it.

KIN by Us, Macquarie Park

Located on the ground floor of a recently-built apartment block close to Macquarie Uni station, this place can be easily missed with the trees and bushes lining along the pathway along Herring Road. However, if you know where to look, you'll discover a hidden gem.

KIN by Us is opened by cooking duo Uel and Shannelle of MKR fame and brings an Asian spin to otherwise Western dishes:

I thought the drinks and food menus were simple and well-designed - each menu item is accompanied by a brief description and a small picture:

Drinks Menu

Food Menu

With such a great (but small) selection of food on the menu, it took us a while to decide on what to eat/drink:

Black Sesame Shake ($8)

Durian Affogato ($7)

I thought the black sesame shake could have done with more black sesame mixed into the drink (beyond the small amount sprinkled on top) and the mound of whipped cream on top just made it feel gluttonous - it seemed a little over-priced (like the Golden Gaytime Shake) compared to the other drinks. The durian affogato was an interesting spin on the standard affogato (also available for the non-adventurous types).

And then came the food:

Waffle Belly: Caramel Soy Pork Belly, Potato Waffle, Onsen Egg,
Mushrooms, and Cabbage ($17) 

A take on the normal waffle + bacon combo, the Waffle Belly was the perfect combination of the sweet, salty and pure indulgence.

Miso Yummy: Miso Salmon, Onsen Egg, Sesame Spinach, Sourdough ($17)

 
I looovveee the onsen egg (soft-boiled egg dipped in a subtle soy sauce) and there was two(!) served on the plate *high five*. The salmon was well-seasoned and infused with a distinct miso flavour - definitely a plus on my side - although I thought the ball of sesame spinach was a bit weird presentation-wise (you could form a face on the plate? Hehe...).

From visit #2:

On a rare day off, I came back for a late lunch and tried their Sub-marine:

Sub-marine: Soft-Shell Crab Brioche Roll ($18)
Milo Mocha Dinosaur: Milo Mocha Shake ($5)

The soft-shell crab was placed in a soft brioche roll that has been smothered in a thick, spicy, curry-like sauce, which I thought was amazing, and topped with coriander and sliced chilli - definitely an item to be eaten using a knife and fork. The milo-mocha shake was average but was enough to fulfil a milo craving, accompanied by an added coffee kick.

You're best to travel here by public transport as there are limited parking spots along Herring Road and you'd need to compete with shoppers if you park at the nearby Macquarie Shopping Centre (3hr limit).

The Missing Piece, Macquarie Park

There is a lot of hype surrounding The Missing Piece, especially about their funky drinks and their amazing coffees. The constant line of expectant customers waiting patiently for a free table proves that this cafe has a loyal fan base despite its location at the end of the fashion section of Macquarie Centre.

After the prerequisite wait, my friends and I got seated at a small table overlooking the void. Note to all future customers - these tables along the glass barriers are suited to two people only (i.e. one on each end and not along the aisle) because the waiters, and customers, will bump into you EVERY TIME they walk by, no matter how close you sit to the table.

Cacaonut: Cacao Powder and Coconut Milk ($8)

Coffee ($3.50)

I tried the Cacaonut as I'm a major fan of coconut milk and chocolate (who isn't!), however I found the drink really hard to consume. Firstly, it was topped with the biggest branch of mint possible, which was promptly discarded, and the drink itself was seriously thick and unsweetened - it was like as if they poured coconut cream/milk from a can into the cup and mixed/topped the drink with cacao powder! Drinkable coconut milk is normally diluted and lightly sweetened to enhance the coconut flavour and adding the cacao powder, which is naturally bitter, did not help at all.

After a 20 min wait, the food finally came along:

Old-Fashioned: Bacon and Egg Roll, with Crispy Kale and BBQ Sauce ($8)

Smashed & Smoking: Smashed Avocado on Sourdough, topped by Marinated
Wood-Smoked Salmon, Lime and Olive Oil ($15)

Brioche Sliders with Slow-Cooked Shredded Pork and Coleslaw,
served with French Fries and Tomato Sauce ($16)

The smashed avo and salmon on sourdough was average (wouldn't you serve the lime on the side, rather than on top? The plate was funky though) and it was hilarious watching my friend eating the bacon and egg roll as it kept dripping oily juices onto the serving board whilst she was consuming it. Despite the coleslaw, the brioche sliders were a little dry without any chutney or sauce inside and lacked seasoning - I had to alternate between bites of the sliders and fries to achieve the right salty balance. 

I really wanted to like this place but I thought it was a bit of a let-down. There are a lot of cafes that offer a better selection of food (and tastes better) but it does require you to travel further - personally, I'd make that extra effort.

However, they do stock flavoured cronuts to tempt anyone with a sweet tooth:

Cronuts (Peanut Butter; Cookies and Cream) ($6.50)

The deep-fried oily goodness is not for the faint-hearted and definitely to be eaten in moderation.

The Vogue Cafe, Macquarie Park

Hidden in a corner off the main shopping areas of Macquarie Centre, The Vogue Cafe can be identified by its long queue, tables overflowing into the pathway, and their eye-catching display of food and drinks:

Selection of Slices and Cakes

More Baked Goods *drools*

Assorted Cronuts ($6.50) - just look at that oil seeping onto the serving platter...

The Vogue Cafe is well-known for their funky-looking specialty drinks so I decided on the try one on offer:

Coffee ($3.50)

Salt Lake City ($9) - Smoothie using Salty Pretzels,
Organic Coconut Oil & White Chocolate,
finished with Awesome Surprises

The Salt Lake City looked amazing, as do most of their drinks, however its taste did not match the visual expectation. I'm not sure how much organic coconut oil was blended into the smoothie but it tasted like they mixed in thickened cream (and I'm not referring to the healthy dose of whipped cream at the top), making the entire experience off-putting. I didn't finish it. :(

Lemon (or was it Orange?) and Poppyseed Cake; Nutella Scroll

When you order cakes to eat in, they get served on a platter with a drizzle of choc and is decorated with lollies. I found the lemon/orange and poppyseed cake to be rather dry and the buttercream wasn't any good (too much butter, not enough icing). On the other hand, there was a general consensus at the table that the nutella scroll was good and definitely the better dessert of the two - this was potentially down to the generous amount of nutella in the scroll.

I'd be hesitant to try another of their specialty drinks - they're rather expensive for something that looks good but tastes meh. Maybe I just lucked out and got a dodgy one. However, I would recommend the nutella scroll - unfortunately The Vogue Cafe (and its sister cafe - The Missing Piece) make their desserts on rotation so these are not always available.

The Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant, Gladesville

Once a jolly swagman...

We joined in the celebration of Ms Einstein's '21st' birthday at the Banjo Paterson's Cottage Restaurant. Dinner begins with a history lesson. This cottage was the old residence of the renowned Australian author and bush poet Mr Banjo Paterson, whom you may know from his famous works: Waltzing Matilda, The Man from Snowy River and Clancy of the Overflow.

Side view of the cottage

Sunset on the pier at Banjo Paterson Park

Uncle G and I arrived early, with time for a stroll down to the pier. If you do come here for dinner, I strongly recommend coming around sunset and walking down to the park area. You can probably tell from the photos why I recommend this.

Mini cottage exhibition while you're waiting to be seated

Our private dining room

The restaurant was converted from an old residential cottage. So it comes as no surprise, the dining areas are scattered over a number of rooms. If you have a larger group (we had 15 people), you may be lucky enough to get a private area all to yourself.

Pumpkin Bread

Surprise! Piece of pumpkin in the bread.

The waitress kindly arrived with a basket of warm bread. We were told there were only 3 pumpkin rolls lefts which were offered to the ladies at the table. I was one of the lucky 3 and I soon understood why they were running out. Besides the decorative pumpkin seeds, these rolls had chunky pieces of pumpkin rolled within. This probably helped retain the moisture of the bread and added a wonderful sweetness. Thumbs up for the bread!

Sydney Rock Oysters w Gochujang Aioli $23/37 (half/whole dozen)

The oysters were lovely, briney and fresh. My friends were quite excited about the Gochujang Aioli. I'm personally not convinced about raw oysters and a creamy sauce (as opposed to tempura oysters + aioli), so I happily enjoyed them with just a squeeze of lemon. Hmm... still delicious!

Pan Fried Gnocchi w Oyster Mushrooms, broccolini and Cashew Crumb $21/28

The restaurant is great if you have a number of vegetarians amongst your guests, offering a number of choices on the vegetarian menu. The pan fried gnocchi was one of these. I personally prefer the gnocchi charred a little more. But my friends seemed to love it. I'm just hard to impress with gnocchi I guess.

Seared Scallops w Pumpkin Mousse, crisp zucchini flower and Hazelnut crumbs $23.50

These were lovely, cooked perfectly and the zucchini flowers added a delightful crunch. With such perfect accompaniments I only wished there were more!

Soup of the Day - Prawn bisque

Soup of the day - Seafood broth to be added to the prawns

Upon seeing the soup, I wish I had gotten the soup of the day too. I tried some of Ms Einstein's and was instantly envious of the light yet flavoursome entree. It was especially well balanced to bring out the sweetness of the prawns.

Beef Tenderloin w braised spinach, porcini and potato puree,
red wine jus $39

Barbequed deboned Spatchcock w corn and cauliflower polonaise,
chicken chorizo and cashew crumbs $38

For my main I went with the Barbequed Spatchcock. I didn't taste a variety of dishes that night, as Uncle G and I chose the same main. The spatchcock I found was ok, there were a few fatty bits, and the chorizo and cashew crumbs were somewhat bothersome to collect with the fork.

Lamb Loin - Zartar spiced w Babbaganoush, tabouli,
yoghurt and sesame dressing $38.50

Sesame and parsley crusted yellow fin tuna
w pickled cucumber, avocado and Yuzu aioli $39

Seared Kangaroo w broccolini, soft quail egg, fried basil,
horseradish and onion cream $38.50

Overall most of the guests were satisfied with their mains. There weren't any spectacular standouts but it was a well presented and decent meal.

Sides - Shoestring Fries $11

Sides - Paris mash $11.80; Rocket, pear and Parmesan salad w red wine vinaigrette $14.80 

I have to say I really enjoyed the sides. I guess how can you go wrong with fries, mash and rocket salad eh? But it's the simple things in life that really hit the spot! Oh and don't get me wrong, if this was a wedding or function I would be more than impressed with the mains.

The Birthday Cake

Cake-age - served with vanilla ice cream, seasonal fruit and raspberry coulis  

At this point I think the service at this restaurant really warrants a comment. We found our waiter/ress(s) delightful! Particularly the Indian waiter who attended to us most of the evening; the man was hilarious! The service was most attentive, from ordering to the cakeage and it made a real difference to the atmosphere and experience of this place.

Petite Four on the house

Banjo Patterson Park

And there's a final few snapshots of the views. We weren't here for a wedding but I can imagine this would be a terrific function venue. Perfect for a small wedding with space for the ceremony and reception.

I probably wouldn't return for a casual dinner but definitely a destination I would head to for a special occasion.

Sunset in the outdoor dining area