Mr Taste and I were recently invited to take part in New Shanghai’s first ever Wine & Dumpling dinner, which also coincided with the launch of their brand new wine menu designed and compiled by Treasury Wines.

The new wine menu features aromatic whites with dry lean characteristics and robust reds that are full bodied in finish. The wines are designed to both complement and contrast New Shanghai’s menu, not only to cleanse the palate but also balance out the rich flavours.

I was particularly impressed with the selection of whites, which included a Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling 2011 with subtle pear and apple notes and the Angel Cove Marlborough Savignon Blanc 2010, which had a refreshing cut grass and fresh capsicum quality. Sadly, both wines are restaurant exclusives, so do give them a shot if you spot them.

To ease down the wine, we were served six courses of New Shanghai’s signature dishes, including their famous panfried pork buns and xiao long bao – which need no introduction at all!

Pan fried pork bun and pan fried pork dumpling

Steamed soup dumpling, mini crab meat and pork bun, steamed vegetarian dumpling

We began with a cold platter, including pickled cucumber, kelp and drunken chicken. All three are considered ‘drinking snacks’ in Chinese, so it was a great way to start the dinner.

Shredded kelp in spice and vinegar, chopped cucumber with fresh garlic and drunken chicken, soaked in Chinese wine

I was a big fan of New Shanghai’s shepherds purse dumplings, which sat in a nutty sesame butter emulsion. The topping of grated cucumber added some subtlety and crunch to the dish.

Shepherd

The main course of crispy chicken and sticky pork belly was also a standout. The pork worked perfectly with the Penfolds Koonunga Hill 76 Shiraz Cabernet 2010 which I found too overpowering sipped alone. But together, the wine brought out a lovely plummy caramel quality in the pork belly. All hallmarks of a great pairing!

Braised pork belly and deep fried chicken in special garlic and chilli sauce

The dessert of slow cooked fungus was a bit of a wildcard. As it was slow cooked, the fungus was quite ‘slimey’ and made it a difficult flavor and texture to grasp for the uninitiated. I didn’t mind it so much, as it was a welcome sweet respite at end of the meal.

Slow cooked white fungus with papaya soup

New Shanghai will be holding a series of Wine & Dumplings dinners this summer, with the next one scheduled for the Charlestown store in November For full details, please visit www.newshanghai.com.au.

New Shanghai
Chatswood Chase
Victoria Avenue
Chatswood NSW
# 02 9415 3536
www.newshanghai.com.au

Located next door to Berta, this tiny 22 square cafe is owned by Yu Sasaki, a trained chef who cut his teeth at the steamy kitchens in Universal.

Though small, Cre Asion pumps out regular batches of macarons throughout the day. This ensures the supply is fresh, moist and in tip top form – all hallmarks of a good macaron.

Zumbo fans will enjoy Cre Asion’s selection of weird and wonderful flavours, including white miso, bamboo charcoal and black sesame, wasabi and grapefruit, yuzu and red bean. All flavours are made from scratch using real ingredients, which shows in the end result. Macarons are priced at $2.70 each, $19 for 8 or $30 for a box of 14.

If you’re lucky enough to nab a seat in this cafe, you’ll love all the thoughtful touches, such as the pashmina throws, the charcoal blocks in the water jugs (to catch the impurities, Yu tells me) and the fully expandable glass walls – perfect for the summer or when the crowds get unbearable!

Big props to Chocolatesuze for discovering this gem!

Café Cre Asion
21 Alberta Street, Surry Hills
www.creasionmacaron.com

Open from 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 8.30am to 4pm on Saturdays

With the aim of drawing diners to what was once an empty retail space underneath Chatswood Central, Eat Street has courted the likes of Bavarian Bier Cafe, Three Bean, Crazy Wings and the tour-de-force that is Mamak.

We stopped by a few weeks ago at the invitation of Eat Street and enjoyed an east-meets-west progressive dinner at three of Eat Street’s restaurants: Bavarian Bier Cafe, Izakaya Arigato and Rocket Restaurant.

Our first stop for the evening was Bavarian Bier Cafe, which was buzzing at 7pm with a healthy crowd of after work folks. We start with beer and a pretzel – it’s the German way, we’re told. Not long after, we move onto the Bavarian Tasting Platter, which induces bouts of guilt as it drops on the table. Pork belly, schnitzel and sausages all in one heart clogging hit. But boy does it taste good – from the crunch of the crackling to the moist tender chicken breast, it’s so darn satisfying. The rocket salad does makes us feel a little better.

Next stop was Izakaya Arigato, well positioned between Bavarian and Mamak. We order a plate of sashimi and a beef sukiyaki. While the tuna is a little veiny for my liking, the salmon and kingfish are fresh and sliced thick for maximum enjoyment. The sukiyaki offers a nice mix of beef and mushroom, but is unusually spicy. We’re left a little numb and runny at the nose. Thankfully the apple sour soju soothes the fire.

Our final stop for the evening was Rocket Restaurant, which was noticeably quiet compared to the first two restaurants. We are treated to a champagne granita to start. This beautiful little refresher readied our palates for the desserts ahead, which included a mixed berry souffle, chocolate marquise and mango and raspberry parfait. The chocolate marquise was the highlight of the three, despite being the one I was looking forward to least. The luscious mousse wrapped in glossy chocolate ganache and accompanied by spicy cherries was sinfully decadent.

While Mamak may be the drawcard for most diners heading to Eat Street, it’s worth checking out the neighbours. You never know, what you find may surprise you!

Eat Street
1-5 Railway Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
www.eatst.com.au

I’ve noticed a new brand of cider pop up around town and decided to give them a try. Rekorderlig Cider from Sweden, is made from pure spring water from a family brewery in Vimmerby. Available in apple, pear and strawberry, the cider comes in generous 500ml bottles. The ciders taste very similar to a sparkling muscato – such as Riccadonna, Rosemount ‘O’ and the classic West Coast Cooler – so I can see it being very popular with the girls. It’s also low in alcohol (at around 4.5%), which is around half of that in champagne.

The apple cider is sweet with a nice rounded flavour and a sharp finish. My favourite is the pear which is aromatic and slightly tart with hints of vanilla. Meanwhile, the strawberry-lime has a lovely berry flavour with subtle citrus undertones.

All three are incredibly refreshing, especially poured over ice and served with mint and lemon.

Rekorderlig Cider is available from selected bars, restaurants and liquor stores, including Dan Murphy’s, 1st Choice and Camperdown Cellars. Check out www.rekorderlig.com.au for further details.

Thanks to Exposure PR for putting us onto the new cider. We’re much in love!

I was invited along to Zeta Bar at the Hilton Hotel last week for a sneak peak of their new Winter Concept promotion, which sees their rooftop terrace transform into lively outdoor fare inspired by London’s Convent Garden.

It’s just one of the many pop-up events taking place around Sydney this winter, including Winterland at Carriageworks, Bondi Bergstation and Ice Blue Festival at Burwood.

Every Friday night this winter, Zeta Bar will offer an array of winter-inspired Zeta creations including mulled wine (spiced with cinnamon, ginger and orange), Hot Toddy’s ($12) and roasted chestnut infused cocktails ($19).

Zeta Bar has also introduced Nitro Eggnog ($5) to the menu, which takes a playful and experimental twist on the classic winter drink. It reminded me a lot of the Nitro Puffs from the Cryogenic Sorbet launch earlier this year. The puffs tasted like eggnog ice cream, only creamier with a nice spicy finish. It was such joy to watch the guys at the bar make this number and even more fun to eat!

The mulled wine ($8) was a particular highlight for me. I’ve never had one before and was surprised by how soothing and comforting it was (and not just because I’ve had a busy week at work!). The mulled wine is served piping hot to order, perfect for battling the winter chill.

And how could I overlook the roasted chestnuts ($6)! One of my favourite winter treats, chestnuts are notoriously tricky to cook, so it was nice to see these on the menu – along with toasted marshmallows ($5).

The menu isn’t the only thing that’s changed. For Winter Concept, Zeta Bar has also brought in buskers, street performers, jugglers, live music, a caricature artist and even a shoe shiner!

Zeta Bar
Level 4, Hilton Hotel
488 George Street
Sydney
# 02 9265 6070
www.zetabar.com.au

Thanks to Horizon Communications and Hilton Hotels for inviting us along. Photography provided by Hilton Hotels and Bar Solutions.

When we were last in Melbourne, we spent the good part of an afternoon walking up and down Brunswick Street in search of the Alannah Hill outlet (we later found out that it had moved a kilometre from its original spot). After an hour of frolicking through piles of beaded cardigans and tulle dresses, we were in desperate need of a drink.

No less than 20 metres away, we found Little Creatures Dining Hall, a warehouse sized beer cafe jam packed with punters in need of a late afternoon pick me up. There was something oddly church-like about the place, only the thing being worshiped here was beer.

Awesome beer aside, Little Creatures does fantastic pub grub. It’s tasty, fast and goes along so well with beer.

Our first order was the garlic prawns, which were served whole to retain most of its original flavour. The garlic wasn’t too overpowering and I found myself chomping through the whole prawn – even the head which I’m not normally a fan of.

Whole crystal bay garlic prawns - $15

The chicken wings were also well received, we just wished there was more of it. Barbecued with a tomato based marinade, the wings were tasty and had a little kick in them too.

BBQ'd chicken wings - $14

The highlight for me was the grilled flatbread, which came with a very satisfying bowl of chunky beetroot and feta dip. The flatbread was very soft and still warm from the grill.

Beetroot and feta dip with grilled flatbread - $9

When we polished off the last chicken wing, we called over the bill, which arrived tucked into a Little Golden Book entitled “Mickey Mouse and Goofy: The Big Bear Scare”. I couldn’t help but squeal a little, it was so adorable!

No doubt a great place to go if you’ve got the afternoon munchies, but we were a little let down by the portions at Little Creatures. Judging by the size of the beers that were filtering out of the bar, we could’ve done with an extra prawn or two.

Little Creatures Dining Hall
222 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy VIC
# 03 9417 5500
www.littlecreatures.com.au

Fortunately, Surry Hill’s Toko is not one of these places – it has style and substance.

Smack bang in the middle of Crown Street, Toko is a real spectacle from the outside. It is architecturally striking as it is beautiful. Inside, Toko is a haven of dark woods and communal tables, with a discreet private dining room at the back.

Toko’s cocktail list is twice the thickness of the dining menu and it takes me a full 20 minutes to decide what I’ll be drinking. I settle on a Lychee Mojito, which packs a punch but with a delicate and fruity top note. My dining partner, Wendy chooses the lemon caprioska which has a really strong lemon flavour but is surprisingly sweet at the same time.

A word of caution – the prices listed on the menu are for a set quantity (even though this isn’t disclosed, but is usually for two), so if you are dining with a group, Toko automatically adjusts pricing and quantity to your group. So don’t be alarmed when you order something that’s $10 on the menu and appears as $40 on your bill.

Kingfish yuzu - $15.80

We kick off our meal with an order of kingfish carpaccio, a comforting staple dish that never fails to disappoint. The kingfish is served a tangy yuzu dressing, which strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sour.

Miso black cod - $29.50

We order the miso black cod for no better reason than to see how it would compare to the one at Nobu. Given my newly discovered allergy to certain fish, I could only afford a small nibble. The flavour is mellow and sweet while the texture is firm.

Chicken yakitori (two serves pictured) - $17.60

Beef skewers (two serves pictured) - $29.60

The kushiyaki at Toko is markedly better Azuma. The meat is more tender, tastier and the portions are quite generous (that said, Toko is significantly pricier).

The chicken and beef skewers are very tender and have retained most of their natural juices, despite being grilled over an open fire.

Pork belly (2 serves pictured) - $23.60

In true Japanese style, the pork belly skewers are cut into perfect rectangles and are pretty as a picture. The meat is very tender and well seasoned.

Wafu zucchini - $14.40

Though an unusual choice, but the wafu zucchini turns out to be Wendy’s favourite dish of the night. The zucchini is cooked just right and the tangy ginger sauce provides the perfect accompaniment.

Pork spare ribs - $17.80

The pork spare ribs were my favourite dish of the night. Slathered in bbq sauce, the ribs are very tender – the meat is so soft, it melts off the bone. No real effort is required to eat these, which is always a plus.

Grilled scallops (one serve has three scallops) - $18.80

The scallops were another highlight for me. While they were a tad overcooked on the outside, they had a very supple centre and I enjoyed the contrast in textures.

Lamb cutlets (three per serve) - $21.80

The lamb cutlets were a bit overcooked for Mr. Taste (who prefers his meat raw) but they were just right for me. The pickled eggplant was an unusual side and I still can’t figure out whether I liked them or not.

Squid tempura - $13.80

The squid tempura was another hit with the table. The dish came with detailed instructions from our waiter on how to prepare the sauce, which involved tossing the onions and corriander through the sweet and sour sauce. This gave a very subtle flavour that worked nicely with the crispness of the squid.

California maki roll - $15.80

Surprisingly we only opted for one sushi dish. Compared to all the fried, grilled and braised dishes featured on Toko’s menu, the sushi selection didn’t seem as sexy. Our california maki roll was very well made and the crab meat (the real deal) was sweet and very satisfying.

Toko Dessert Platter - Sorbets, trio of creme brulee and chocolate fondant

By the time we finished off our 12 odd courses, we put our hands up for the dessert menu. We all agreed on the chocolate fondant, creme brulee and assorted sorbets. All three desserts arrived on a bed of ice, adorned with fresh fruit. It was very decadent and we felt very spoilt.

As the table next to us watched on in awe, we made our way around the platter and compared notes on what we thought was the winning dessert. The tonka bean sorbet was my choice – the velvety texture accompanied with the subtle flavours was just what I needed to finish off the night.

Toko
490 Crown Street
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
# 02 9357 6100
www.toko.com.au

Zeta Bar is redefining the way Sydneysiders wind down on a Friday night with the launch of an innovative menu of ‘cryogenic’ sorbets and cocktails. Remember Richard Blais’ wacky liquid nitrogen experiments on Season 4 of Top Chef? Zeta Bar takes it to another level with alcohol. That’s right, frozen alcohol. Didn’t think that could happen?

The liquid nitrogen and dry ice used to make the frozen cocktails and sorbets drops the temperature of alcohol to its freezing point – and because it does this in a matter of seconds, the resulting product is devoid of crunchy ice crystals and tastes incredibly smooth. It’s almost like a puffed ball of alcoholic air!

The new menu includes:

Zeta Sorbet – A summer inspired collection of all time favourite classic cocktails and champagne fixes – deconstructed and frozen in to cold palate cleasing sorbets. Flavours include: Black Raspberry Clover Club, Champagne, Mojito, Margarita, Pina Colada and Spiced Black Raspberry Mule.

Nitro Puffs – A selection of classic cocktails freshly made to order and cryogenically frozen with liquid nitrogen and served as an edible trio on a platter.

Champagne Ice Blocks – Served on the terrace from a bed of steaming dry ice. Perfect for a refreshing summer cocktail indulgence.

Cocktails – A selection of bespoke Belvedere Black Raspberry Cocktails.

Thanks to the team at Hilton for providing us with an entertaining and exciting entree into molecular gastronomy. Now, if only I took a barrel of liquid nitrogen home….

The Cryogenic Sorbet & Cocktail Bar is available from the Terrace Bar every Friday night until the end of March. Sorbets and cocktails start from $4.

Zeta Bar
Level 4, Hilton Hotel
488 George Street
Sydney
# 02 9265 6070
www.zetabar.com.au