I am staring at my phone. It is 4:55pm and I am awaiting a text message which will get me one step closer to knowing where I am dining this evening. You see I have no idea where I am eating tonight except that I know it is in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. At 5pm my phone beeps. The suburb is Darlinghurst and there are instructions to head there and at 6pm the address will be given. I don’t quite have the inclination to wander the streets or bars of Darlinghurst by myself so I sit tight and wait until 6pm to receive further messages.
The Library
At 6pm a simple address is given: “32 Burton Street, Darlinghurst”. Hmm I say to myself, I know that address! I pop it into google and up pops The Commons, which was formerly The Pond, a pop up restaurant I had visited a while back. Built in 1842 or 1850 it was formerly a dairy with convict common gardens located on the corner of the site. A small creek ran down from Taylor Square to Wooloomooloo past the property. During the sixties John Singleton had his first office there (he and a friend planted the giant Jacaranda in the backyard with a plaque that read ‘As long as we live, we shall grow’). Then during the seventies the building became a restaurant called The Different Drummer before changing hands where it then lay dormant for years. The building owner posted a sign outside that asked passers-by for suggestions on ‘What do do with this cottage? Interesting ideas invited’ and apparently he liked this idea just fine.
I make my way there and arrive at The Commons. Bicycles are lined up outside and the whole building is actually an 160 year old structure that has been renovated with greenery and lots of wood. In fact the come hither comforting Wintery smell of a wood burning stove pervades throughout. I ask where the Secret Foodies dinner is being held and am directed “Downtown”. Downtown means the basement level bar of this renovated 160 year old house where pre 1960′s cocktails are served and little plates of food are offered. I walk past the kitchen and the chef gives a friendly “Hi!” and past the vintage books in the display cases.
I join the three secret foodies that are already gathered and meet Alex aka Ms Darlinghurst who has organised the Secret Foodies dinners. So far she has held 24 of these events ranging in size from tonight’s 14 people up to 50. The concept is simple, people sign up and pay for a dinner knowing a vague location and a date and time and on the day, two hours beforehand they receive the suburb and one hour before they receive the address. The restaurant is usually somewhere new although at times there may a golden oldie being rediscovered thrown in.
Negroni Sbagliato
I start with a negroni sbagliato which is Campari and sweet vermouth on ice with prosecco. It has that familiar bitterness from the Campari plus a sweetness from the prosecco and is quite potent indeed! And even though I seem to be the only person by myself (note to most, you may want to come with a friend) people are friendly and chatty.
Mixed cured meats
A selection of mixed antipasto plates come out. The first plate is the salami, breseola and pancetta which is excellent. Soon after, the rest of the 14 people arrive and fill up the Downtown section that we’re occupying which was in fact the former servant’s quarters.
Vegetarian antipasti
Another table gets a vegetarian antipasti and we get a bowl of olives. We don’t get the antipasti plate and the waitress tells us that only three plates of each will go out whereas there are four tables of us which seems like a bit of a glitch as people were interested in trying everything. Also on the menu there are mentions of three plates which we didn’t get which is quite disappointing as they sounded rather good. They were cheddar and pickles; potato skins and ketchup and tumbleweed calamari as well as bread and oil. I didn’t see hair nor hide of these so I’m not sure where they went!
Stuffed zucchini flowers
Our last antipasto dish is stuffed zucchini flowers which are crunchy deep fried zucchini flower stuffed with a seasoned cheesy filling. They were served piping hot and were crunchy and full of flavour.
Alex asks Rob the owner to come out and have a chat to us which he does. He and his friends built the tables and stools that we’re sitting on (in fact they are blown up versions of Dutch milking stools). The bookshelf and the area behind called “The Library” are used for spirit masterclasses and careful not to take out or browse one of the encyclopaedias that sit on the bookshelf as the books help keep the bookshelf upright as part of a carefully balanced act!
After spending an hour “Downtown” we head “Uptown” aka the private dining room. The table has been set up with masks which we can put on for photos to make it a truly “Secret Foodies” experience. Wines and mineral water are included in the price and this evening features two red wines.
Secret House made pasta served with Joseph Chromy “Pepik” Pinot Noir, Tasmania
We are told that the pasta entree is made by some rather grumpy Italian nonnas! The pasta is a vegetable cannelloni with lashings of bechamel sauce. It’s very creamy and filled with some mushrooms and is comforting although I would have preferred some more mushrooms.
“Beast of the month” veal osso bucco served with Natural Selection Theory 2010 Red SA/NSW
Our mains arrive. The veal osso bucco is divine-rich and full of flavour right down to the core. The rice is soft but not soggy and also sings with flavour. The prize of course is the marrow which needs to be picked up with the hands and sucked dry. It’s so moreishly rich and flavoursome that I go back several times for more servings.
Best of Farm vegetables
These vegetables come from Windsor and Hawkesbury and about 75% of their produce comes from within 200kms of Sydney. The Best of Farm vegetables are a mix of Italian cima de rapa which is tasty and cooked until soft, fennel gratin which is soft and lightly aniseedy with a salty hit from the cheesy crust and the corn which needed some seasoning.
After the mains Alex asks the chef Galia (just “G” to everyone) the chef to come out. Prior to living in Sydney he was in Canberra and he’s friendly although he admits to knocking back a couple of drinks before coming up to see us (chefs are a shy bunch!). Galia tells us that the emphasis is on “simple not pretentious food” as he feels that Sydney has enough of the latter. Alex asks him some questions (his favourite food is Chinese, he loves beer and his latest kick is gin and he’s a car fanatic) and the floor is then opened up to the diners to ask him any questions.
House made doughnuts in rosemary sugar served with Bress Cider NV Methode de Champagne, Macdeon Ranges, Vic
The final bow has to go to the house made donuts brought out platter style with rosemary spiked sugar sprinkles aplenty. The smell of fresh donuts is of course impossible to resist and we pop a hot, fresh donut in our mouths and savour each bite. Some debate whether vanilla bean ice cream would have been a good accompaniment and I agree it would be a great match indeed.
The clock strikes 11pm and it feels like we’ve only started.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like surprise dinners or surprises in general or do you like to know where you’re going to eat ahead of time?
NQN dined as a guest of Secret Foodies
Secret Foodies
http://secretfoodies.com.au/
The Commons
32 Burton Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Tel: +61 (02) 9358 1487
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68 Comments | Add your own
Surprise dinner sounds really exciting. Mystery, excitment AND you get to eat!
Do i like knowing where I’m going? LOL I’m a control freak! YES I NEED TO KNOW. reminds me of a story about my ex actually and a bday dinner he tried to organise for me – too long to regale here but should tell you about it some time, pretty funny and evidence that i HATE surprise dinners! BTW the stuffed courgettes look amazing, there’s a restaurant here that does a similar thing and I LOVE IT.
That’s so fun! All that suspense. Love love love surprises! But I rarely get any =(
oooh what fun!
What an interesting place with so much history, and a lovely dinner. I would like a food surprise like this – I don’t need to know the type of food in advance.
I’m same as Catty, I want to know, and not just an hour ahead of time either… that’d make me very uncomfortable, and not sure it’s really necessary – are they worried about gate crashers or just trying to hype some cachet?
The evening looks wonderful though, but I don’t really get the idea of bringing out only 3 of each plate if there are four tables. Was there a reason given for that or do you think it was just poor planning or some other strange reason?
I like surprise meals but only on my birthday. My university life presents a surprise at every turn, I personally cannot handle it well.
That looks so much fun! I love the concept of a surprise dinner. I wonder if they do it in Melbourne as well? I want to go to one!
Lorraine your photo’s are amazing! Love the post and thank you for coming. Always a pleasure seeing you.
xxMs D
What a fun idea! And what food!
What a lovely idea!
I have to ask, Lorraine – is one of the pictured bicycles yours?
surprise dinner sounds great but i would like to know where i am going prior! the anticipation would drive me mad! hahahah
oh i quite like the commons – havent been for dinner, but the breakfast is quite lovely!
Oh how yummy do those doughnuts looks my dear …. suprises yes but when its just two going out … certainly do not like coming home to a suprise of everyone waiting for me kinda thing.
The food looked great – very Italian. I wonder why osso buco has an added c in Australia. I prefer to know where I am going.
we are 2 mid 60′s ladies. Love going out for dinners etc but not searching for for partners. Now, on average what age group attends these terrific dinners? We’d fit in perfectly with almost everything except the age group… we don’t want to be the odd ones out within the age group.
Should you know of similar groups that cater for our group mid 60s please let me know.
Sounds terrific in what your’e doing – keep it up.
All the best
Kate
~~The “doughnuts in rosemary sugar” look superb.
I would definetely want the surprise. I’ve found that the most unexpected things in life are the most stimulating & interesting. xxXX
I’ve seen these alot on Twitter after following Alex and have been dying to go. I love the idea that its a surprise and they’re always great places.
I’m in!!
If you need someone to go with next time, let me know
Let’s say: I would love to have been there! Comfortable (except for those stools?), fun and with ‘real’ food appetizingly presented! Reminded me of all the ‘progressive’ dinners around the E Suburbs I used to go to in bygone days – now the RBTs are there that would be a dangerous occupation! I oft mind surprises in the rest of my life, but NOT with dining
! As long as I’m not dressed in jeans and others in silks and satins with all their bling! 
!
I love surprises , most probably because I never get any
My lot are not into anything like that, my husband would think it a total waste of time, my youngest daughter absolutely loathes surprises so I’m pretty much out of luck in the ‘Surprises’ department! Which makes me want them even more lol.
The whole evening looked like so much fun Lorraine, the food looked appetising but don’t know if I could go to one of the things alone though.
My cousin attended a secret foodies event and had a great time. I’m going with her next time and I can’t wait
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to Google the address when I went on a Secret Foodies dinner recently. So much fun!
Good lord, the osso bucco looks amazing!
LOVE surprises, TRUE!
Enjoyed expereincing your surprise through your view!
WHO doesn’t like some mystery and intrigue for a foodies dinner?
I think the concept is an absolute winner!
WHOO HOO!
Sounds like so much fun, Lorraine. Except, I don’t drive so that may be problem, lol. The zucchini flowers look incredible though.
Awesome! What great way to discover new restaurants. Fabulous dinner.
Cheers.
Velva
secret foodie club??? that sounds like SO MUCH FUN. i want to be part of one!
This looks like a lot of fun! The veal osso bucco looks delicious, I could definitely eat that today.
I love the idea of the Secret Foodies Dinner, although in general I don’t like surprises – I have a prior-to-arriving-menu-reading obsession
I love to be surprised… But I have dietary needs – I could have only eaten about half of your secret dinner without making myself truly ill!
However, if this was not the case, I would most definitely LOVE to do this!
i love the look of this place, and a secret dinner sounds like a fab idea!
I love surprises but I also like to know what sort of dinner I’m having. If it’s going to be a big meal I try not to eat too much that day to save stomach space.
Sounds like fun to me! And I have a friend who loves to be surprised – so much so that he likes to not see a degustation menu until after he has it! We went to Josef Chromy when we were in Tasmania – they have some great pinots!
@ Debra Kolkka – thank you for ‘osso buco’ – love to learn. Think I did spell it correctly way back when!
@ Matilda – alone is oft the most fun way to go anywhere: remember being first divorced, in Sydney for a few days, wanting to see an opera all my friends already had: well, did go alone – within five minutes had two couples approach me: would I like to join – and three perfectly respectable guys, also alone, hoping to buy me a glass of champagne! We all ended up at the Intercontinental for half the night! Have taught a lot of g’friends since!
@ Kate – please don’t put yourself into an ‘age slot’. I have more than a decade on you and yet have over 20 fun Facebook friends under 30! And go out with all ages in ‘real’ life! Mutton dressed as lamb? Nope! I just don’t think about the years!
!
I love surprises. I’m taken aback by a bit of the pretension of a dinner that serves rather rustic food. I like rustic food, but the whole beauty of it is its approachability. This is trend that seems to be world wide now. The pasta dish looks awful, but the veal looks succulent. The real disappointment is donuts for dessert. No Italian would serve such a thing. But, I tell you here in Nashville, that’s exactly what you would get for dessert and I still don’t get it. But, I’m am impressed this secret thing let you photograph. You can charm anyone.
Those donuts… look too good!
Sounds like a wonderful evening. Just the kind of surprise I would like. xoxo Mum
Surprises are great – as long as they’re nice surprises
This dinners sound interesting, but I probably wouldn’t go on my own…that’s like a blind date with 20 people! Pity the tasting plates were a bit hit and missing.
How exciting! I’ve always enjoyed The Commons, it has that nice home comfy feel. Great food too!
I usually go exactly where I’m going to get my latest craving satisfied so I don’t think I’d want to be surprised. The rosemary donuts look fantastic though, such a unique idea!
I so love surprises and try to make all the family keep things secret from me as long as possible. Usually it’s a disappointment though. I love the sound of this. Planning now!
I have been on the Secret Foodies email list for a while now, but have yet to partake in a get together. The Commons looks like a lovely intimate establishment.
I can’t do a surprise dinner because I need to know if it’s worth paying for a babysitter. So I really do need to know it is yummy (even if it’s free, it’s not free for poor single parents), and it’s worth paying a king’s ransom to taste such delicious food. And to miss out on some of it? Sacriligeous. (Sorry about spelling, I have vertigo. Truly)
I was sorry I missed this one. I had planned to attend but something came up and I had to miss it
Looks like a great evening. I can’t wait for the next event, they look like a lot of fun. Yum!
I love those stuffed zucchini flowers especially with ricotta cheese.
Going to a place like this is like going on a blind date with strange and mysterious women
I must admit I like to know where I’m going, partly because when I’m heading out to dinner (and I have a say in the matter) I need to feel convinced I’ll be having an awesome dessert
I’m so sad the cheddar and pickles never arrived! That sounds perfect to me
I’ve always wanted to host one of these mystery dinners or pop up restaurants. I love a bit of mystery!
Such a great premise. I love the idea.
Can’t wait to try it out.
Love The Commons. Great food and such a homey feeling.
How fabulous! I’ve never heard of Secret Foodies Dinner before. You’re very brave going on your own! Even though I’m a bit of a control freak, I must admit to loving the odd surprise.
That is just too cool! I love dining with a bit of mystery or something unusual, and this definitely fits the bill. I particularly like the look of those zucchini flowers, they’re calling to me…
What a wonderful idea these events are! I’m going to have to look into this after my baby is born because unfortunately have the stuff on that delicious looking menu is off my list of “can eat”
Love the concept. Shall be studying it with intent
How fun is that? Sounds like it’s James Bond for the foodies!
This looks like such a fun night… I’d love to go to a secret dinner party!
I don’t necessarily have to be told where I’ll be eating beforehand, although I hope that there’ll be at least one thing on the menu that I would like to eat…
I’ve never been thrown a surprise party or dinner – I don’t have friends to do that!
This sounds like so much fun! I love how you were texted the address right before dinner…sounds very James Bond! The food sounds great too, love your description of the veal osso bucco!
ohh i was sooo tempted to sign up because it said ‘for pork lovers’ and i just happen to be a great fan of the magical animal. unfortunately, i had something on that day so i hope i can go to the next one..and hope to see you there too!
What fun!
Am absolutely terrible with surprises. My poor brideslaves trying to organise my hens day- I just couldn’t bear to hand over control. NB, am so impressed that you’re able to take shots of that quality after a negroni. I’m usually scrabbling around on the floor.
I am a huge fan of these kinds of surprises. The thrill of anticipation is quite different, even if you have dined in there before. The company obviously is a huge factor, and looks like you had a wonderful evening. Cheers!
A modern day version of the progressive dinner. Especially when no one has to do the work. Love the idea. Maybe you could take it even further and do a progressive dinner with restaurants in the one area. Would have to be early in the week but what fun and it WOULD BE GREAT ADVERTISING FOR ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS AND BARS INVOLVED. I WANT THE PATENT ON THIS IDEA!!!! Or at least an invite next time I am in Sydney. I should start this in WA – REMEMBER THIS IS MY PATENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1Cheers
Ms Darlinghurst really does a lovely job with these dinners. It’s so nice to go out to dinner with other foodies who notice all the same little things that you do. Often amongst friends I feel like I’m being too critical because they don’t share the same passion and level of detail for good food and ambience that I do. It’s nice to be amongst friends in that sense
What a fabulous idea…. love it. Want to host a mystery dinner or somewhere at a crazy destination myself.
Oh wow, what a wonderful idea!! Much like Catty, I usually like to know where I’ll be dining and check their website/online menu etc… but this sounds like sooo much fun! As much of a control freak as I can be (because I can be quite a fussy eater), I think it’d be great to be dragged out of my food comfort zone like this!
This would have me imagining all sorts of scenarios and cuisines. How excitement!
007?
Wow this seems like so much fun and a bit like a secret supper club or something. Love the whole concept and all the food! I’ve got my eye on those little fried doughnuts too. How pretty and casual, the whole thing is definitely simple and not pretentious! x
That looks like my dream evening. How wonderful for us that you were able to experience it and then share it!
The Secret Foodies Dinner sounds like such a fun idea! Wish I could have participated… the food looks delicious
I love the sound of this! It sounds very exciting (and tasty
)
Thank you to all of you for your lovely comments and interest in The Commons and Secret Foodies. Of course, a big thank you to Ms Darlinghurst for organising such a beautiful occasion, Secret Foodies is certainly a great way to experience food and meet new people, and we had a lot of fun hosting the evening. Last but not least, a huge thank you to Not Quite Nigella for a very well written account of the evening and some great photos. There is a reason that this is one of the most popular food blogs around. Eat well, be well and we’ll hopefully see you all soon.
great fun experience – sounds like the sort of place I would love if only I could get myself organised to get out more – those donuts look amazing
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