bistro classics

A favourite restaurant is like an old friend. It’s there for you when you’ve had a shit day and all you want to do is be around people who know you well enough to drop a negroni on the table by your hand and a plate of something delicious in front of you. They’re happy for you when you fall in love and share it with other people and through rain, hail or shine, they’re there.

This weekend, Bird Cow Fish, one such favourite Surry Hills neighbourhood haunt, is bidding adieu to its loyal followers with just two more nights of service left. It got me thinking about how we should embrace our old faithful restaurant and bar haunts and just remind them that we’re there for them, just like they are for us.

Bird Cow Fish

Chef Alex Herbert is one of Australia’s most iconic female chefs. Outspoken and supportive of regional Australian produce, her humble Surry Hills bistro is full of simple, delicious food that contains no tricks, just produce at its best. Dishes like fluffy pillows of gnocchi with sweet prawns, or beef cheek pie will be on the farewell menu, so duck in for a glass of something delicious and a plate of something even tastier and say ciao.

Shop 4/5, 500 Crown Street Surry Hills

(02) 9380 4090

Il Baretto

Tucked in the back streets deep in Surry Hills, Il Baretto has long been known for its epic duck ragu, thick ribbons of sauce-coated pasta and chunks of rich flavourful duck pieces, as well as its spaghetti vongole. You used to have to head over to The Carrington to wait it out until a table came up, and these days, with The Carrington’s new injection on life, it might be the opposite, but winning dishes like these are worth waiting for, queue or no queue.

496 Bourke Street  Surry Hills NSW 2010

(02) 9361 6163

Fish Face

Chef Steve (Hodgo) Hodges knows everything to know about fish. At his tiny little Darlinghurst fish café, fish are kept at different temperatures in order to maintain their integrity – they are never rinsed with tap water and when they reach the table, they’re the best they can possibly be. Add to this, a bustling, atmospheric environment, friendly service and a menu that could have you just pop in for fish and chips, or stay for a full on extravaganza starting with freshly shucked uni (sea urchin), pristine sashimi and other winning ways with seafood, if you’ve never visited, shame on  you. Remedy that situation.

132 Darlinghurst Road  Darlinghurst NSW 2010

(02) 9332 4803

bar bar black sheep

If we said it one last year, it was said a thousand times: small bars - they're awesome. Also, they're everywhere. And while it does beg the question 'when will the bubble burst', let's tuck that question under the carpet for now and just focus on all the good things they represent: individuality, variety and fun.

Here are 3 new places to check out this Australia Day long weekend:

Tio's Cerveceria

Last year, we went on about The Baxter Inn, that hidden away little gem in a basement somewhere on Clarence Street in the city. Well, the guys that brought you this and their trailblazing first album, Shady Pines bring you more "I don't give a damn"-ness in their latest place, Tio's. A charmingly dishevelled, rough and tumble bar, slotted between interior style haven Spence & Lyda and The Hollywood pub in Surry Hills, it's filled with Mexican Catholic kitsch, loud music, fistfuls of chilli popcorn and a shedload of tequila and beer. The place to visit for a hard drink in a dark bar, where the service is friendly, but the hangovers are not: prepare to get rowdy.

4 Foster Street
Surry Hills
http://www.tioscerveceria.blogspot.com/

The Roosevelt

Those who are serious about their cocktails have had Eau De Vie's address firmly fixed in their hearts and on their credit card bills for quite some time now. Having developed this reputation for knowing their shit, owners Sven Almenning and Graham Ette have created yet another perfectly formed cocktail palace in the shape of The Roosevelt in Potts Point. Featuring all things Forties, you can expect a lot of style and a whole lot of showmanship in this bar-cum-restaurant, where cocktails are matched to food by chef David Leitzen, an import with a world of fine dining experience.

Frock up and step out, Sydney.

32 Orwell Street
Potts Point
5pm - Midnight, 7 days
http://www.theroosevelt.com.au/

Mr Falcon's


Those with less coin or perhaps just a more relaxed approach to going out should check out Mr Falcon's in Glebe. The evening scene has perked up a bit in recent years with a host of bars and quality eats cropping up, and Mr Falcon's fits into the small bar scene with all the relaxed ease of a well loved pair of jeans. Featuring a respectable boutique beer list, as well as cocktails aplenty, there's a lot to love about the thrown-together vintage furniture and chilled attitude. Cheap eats come in the form of classic comfort food - cheese toasties, even more cheese in the form of platters, mezze plates...and we're told (if you're lucky), fairy bread. Magic!

92 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
4pm - Midnight M-F
2pm - Midnight Saturdays
2pm - 10pm Sundays

pedestrian presents start up

Last week, I had the honour of speaking at Start Up, a series of creative talks hosted by Macleay College in Sydney's Surry Hills. It can sometimes be really hard to find a way to get to your dream creative job and while there's a lot to be said for finding your own way, it's certainly interesting listening to how others have done it.

Alongside an incredibly talented bill of people including John Safran (faint), Kate Waterhouse, Jaime Wirth, Naked Communications, Russh Magazine and The Grand Social (what was I doing there?!), I managed to recount my story so far (I'm not done yet, world) and hopefully give a few bits of advise based on experience.

Thanks to Pedestrian.TV for hosting the event and for having me along.

Start Up Creative Talks - Melissa Leong - Fooderati from PEDESTRIAN.TV on Vimeo.

a very worth cause

A few weeks ago, the news reported that Alira Restaurant's fearless leader and industry veteran Mikee Collins fell 8 stories from a balcony over Christmas, causing horrific injuries and has left him fighting for his life. After several rounds of serious operations, it's a relief to hear that Mikee is in a serious but stable condition.

Those who have experienced a friend or family member spending extensive time in hospital knows how much of a toll it can take on emotions as well as finances.

To that end, Mikee's friends and members of the food industry have rallied together to raise money to help Mikee and his family get back on their feet after this terrible accident - and all you need to do to help is eat and drink...you can do that, can't you?

On January 30, Cargo Bar will host an amazing evening of food, wine and glittering auction prizes, including a round the world ticket from Flight Centre or dinner at any restaurant of your choice with the dashing Simon Thomsen.

Tickets are just $80 with all proceeds going towards helping Mikee recover from this horrible accident.

Click here to book or hit up Facebook for more event details.

You can also donate what you can here.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

This Sunday is a particularly important one for the Chinese community: According to the Chinese lunar calendar, it's the New Year on Monday, which means that the eve is traditionally spent with family at what we call Reunion Dinner.

The idea is that everyone including extended family and friends (the more the merrier) come together to celebrate and wish for a prosperous new year. At our gatherings, it's not unusual to find Singaporean pepper crab, Peking duck, and of course, oodles of noodles (these represent longevity, so you should never cut the noodles when you're serving them).

You don't need to be Chinese or have an adopted Chinese family to take part in the festivities. all throughout Sydney's Chinese communities, there will be plenty of firecrackers, food and festivities to go around, so here are some great ideas to join in this weekend:

Chinese New Year Launches: TONIGHT! 

The City of Sydney kicks off celebrations for the Year of the Dragon with a huge party at Belmore Park tonight in the shape of the Chinese New Year Markets.

All the cultural trimmings will be there including the dotting of the eyes, to bring the dragons and lions to life, as well as firecrackers to scare away the bad juju to make way for a fresh start to the new year.

There will be a whole bunch of food stalls representing all part of the Chinese region, including Sichuan food from Chengdu - a special highlight of this year's festivities, so be prepared for the spice. There will be plenty of entertainment happening to, so you can bop away while you munch on street food well into the evening.

The markets will continue throughout the weekend from 4pm - 11pm daily and will incorporate cooking demonstrations to boot.

Where: Belmore Park, across from Eddy Avenue, Central Station, Sydney
Cost: FREE to enter the festival
Check out all the info here.

Chinese Tea Appreciation

If you think Chinese tea is 'just' Chinese tea, you're in for a pleasant awakening. Christina and her dad Raymond's beautiful tea shop in Redfern is just the place to get a crash course on the finer points of Chinese teas, from Pu'erh to Iron Goddess and Oolong, it's a very chilled out way to spend the afternoon, and a few steamed dumplings don't go astray either.

When: 14 - 29 January, 11.30am - 6.30pm
Where: Zensation Tea House 656 Bourke Street Surry Hills
Cost: $45 includes dim sum and sweets to match the tea
To book: 9319 2788

Each session takes about 2.5 hours, bookings essential

Spice Temple does Chinese New Year


For a slightly fancier something to do, Neil Perry's Spice Temple is doing a set banquet for just $110pp.

Each element of the menu represents an aspect of good luck to focus on for the New Year, so you can feel confident that The Year of the Dragon will be a mighty one.

Fortune Cocktail: Aperol, Cointreau, Peach & Cava 

 Cabbage and radish 

 Sichuan pickled cucumber, shiitake and bamboo shoots (wealth) 

 White cut chicken with ginger and spring onion oil (happiness) 

Shanghai sesame noodles (longevity) 

 Northern style lamb and fennel dumplings (family unity) 

 Tea eggs with salted olive and black bean (fertility) 

“The most delicious dish under heaven” (money) 

 Hot, sweet, sour and numbing pork (wishing for a large family) 

Chilli, sugar, black vinegar and Sichuan peppercorn 

 Crispy lucky duck with steamed bread, shallots and hoisin (fidelity) 

 Steamed king abalone mushroom, garlic stems, chives and ginger (prosperity) 

 ‘Beggar’s Purse’

Where: 10 Bligh Street Sydney NSW 2000
To Book: (02) 8078 1888
Check out more here.