I look up and there is a piano suspended from on the wall above. A red chair and a wooden desk greets me to the right. I walk in and down the stairs past the displays of fruit, spices, teapots and vintage couches and spy a couple of old fashioned rotary whisks adorning the walls. Two of my travelling companions Tina and Mariam from my recent trip to Canada sit against the banquette on this quiet Monday night. We’re early granted for this neighbourhood, and there is one other table quietly dining near the window.
The somewhat mysteriously named Food Society is not actually a food society or club that requires membership to pass under the piano above but instead it is a restaurant that serves Eastern European food, a sector of European food not particularly common in inner city Sydney. At the bar are two gentlemen in checked shirts and bow ties and there are pots of mulled wine well…mulling including one spiced apple pie drink (curses, I’m driving and can’t drink!) as well as Svarak which is a mulled red wine.
A faux fireplace glows and we quickly shed our layers. We’re dining mid September and Spring is definitely in the air but it’s still a bit of Winter here with the fireplace and a Winter menu (said to change soon). We take the waiter’s recommendation for entrees and mains and it’s the mains we have the most trouble deciding on as there are four must try sounding ones. Orders are taken via iPad and the waiter proudly shows the system where the kitchen can feed back to him how many portions of a dish remain. Dishes are designed to be shared and many of the mains are smaller than normal but the prices reflect this with most mains under $25.
Pierogi with organic pork, roasted shallots $10.50
The pierogis come out first on a long plate as four pierogi dumplings that have been filled with organic pork meat and then boiled and then pan fried with a roasted shallot and speck butter sauce. The pierogi are a sturdier dumpling with some bite back and are good stomach fillers for cold nights.
Beetroot and vodka cured ocean trout blini, dill cream $16
Both this and the pierogi came out in serves of four and the blinis are about the size of 20 cent pieces and topped with a lick of dill cream and a folded over portion of beetroot and vodka cured ocean trout which has a slightly sweet flavour to it. They are delicate tiny mouthfuls.
Spinach, ricotta burek with ajvar $11
Cutting into this there is a satisfying crunch coming from the pastry. The burek comes out as a filo pastry rectangle portion that is filled with spinach and ricotta although some of the edges have little pockets of baked egg white in them. It sits on a bed of smooth eggplant puree which is edged by some red capsicum puree, both quite mild and silky. There were little deep fried garlic crisps on top and to be honest both Mariam and I preferred this without the puree. It also needed some seasoning and we add some salt to it.
Potato dumplings with slow cooked oxtail, roasted pearl onions, cavalo nero and red wine jus $24
Time for the mains and we found ourselves enjoying the mains a bit more than the entrees. The slow cooked oxtail was served in a cast iron pot with the oxtail cooked down with red wine and shredded. There were also whole roasted pearl onions, leaves of braised cavalo nero (Tuscan kale similar to silverbeet) and three terribly good potato dumplings which was good to break up the richness of the meat. If anything the dish could have done with more of the dumplings as the ratio of the meat to dumpling wasn’t quite balanced.
Selsko Meso Balkan style slow cooked pork neck, peppers, tomato and spices $22
The Selsko Meso is a perfectly seasoned rich, spicy tomato and capsicum based soup with vegetables and soft chunks of pork in it and a swirl of sour cream that reminded us of a goulash type of soup. It is warm and comforting and we take up their offer of some bread to dip in the soup to soak up the flavours.
Ten hour braised lamb shoulder, field mushroom, white bean puree and mint jelly $26
The favourite main was however the ten hour braised lamb that was so soft that you needed a spoon to fish out a portion from the deep recesses of the dish. It sat on a smooth, rich white bean puree with a whole braised field mushroom and a squirt of delicious and sweet mint jelly that rounded off the flavours and cut through the richness of the slow cooked lamb.
Potato salad, dill pickle and egg $9
I grew up eating Russian potato salad as my best friend in high school was Russian and since then I’ve always loved potato salad with dill pickles and eggs. We all adore this potato salad with large chunks as well as softer, smoother bits of pureed potato, chunks of boiled egg and sweet dill pickles on top.
Lavender cream and sour cherry trifle $12
Dessert time! The lavender cream trifle is a top layer of lavender cream, strong in lavender and a bottom layer of sweet sour cherries. The lavender is very strong, for lavender lovers only and even a trifle excessive (no pun intended) in lavender for me but the sour cherry base is good as is the strawberry ice cream.
Society baked pashka $12
The pashka is made using a cottage or ricotta type cheese and comes out as a square with a macadamia nut crumble on top and a side of soft strawberry sauce. The cake by itself isn’t very sweet although it is creamy but it comes together with the crunchy crumbs and the sweet strawberry sauce.
Honey vodka
By now the crowds have come in and there are quite a few other tables dining. They offer us a complimentary parting gift, a taste of honey vodka but alas my license means that I can’t try any-next time perhaps! And we like the thoughtful gesture where they have already worked out the cost per person of splitting the bill in three.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever keep in touch with people that you have met on your travels? And do you ever eat out on Monday nights?
Food Society
91 Riley Street, Darlinghurst, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 8090 3462
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44 Comments | Add your own
Very cool spot — the suspended piano would freak me out. I’ve had a Hungarian version of Honey Vodka called Mézes Palinka — one of the most disgusting drinks I’ve ever had. I NEVER drink when I drive the car – it’s a rule I made for myself when I learned to drive at 16; therefore, I seldom drive!
I love it! that 1950s credenza/sideboard thing is cool – it would look tops in my house! can you please send it? thanks. AAnd seriously, all that nosh for under $60? next time I’m in Sydney…I swear.
T x
I like the interior – looks very homely:) However, the pierogi look disappointing. They don’t even look like pierogi!
The meals look really interesting! I will have to try the oxtail next time I am in Sydney.
We do tend to keep in contact with people we meet in our travels, especially if they have kids and travel alot
haha I am such a nana – and would RARELY eat out on a Monday night lol.
ps – I miss mulled wine
I love to eat out during the week. It is usually not as busy as the weekend, and my hubby and I can linger…
Oh pierogi’s!! My granny used to make them filled with cheese and she served it with a big dollop of sour cream, love:D
I rarely eat out on Mondays, it’s fun to mix things up though! Some people I have kept in touch with on my travels, one girl in particular – in Wales. I adore her. SO far away though! The Pierogi look delicious, love them!
Heidi xo
I wish restaurants have a digital menu. They are fun to look at and you can include visuals too! Then i wouldn’t be so tough on myself when deciding what to eat… hehe
Just delightful! I gave been meaning to try this place. The oxtail, pork neck and burek are definitely on my ‘to-order’ list, yum!!! Thanks for the post xx
What an intriguing place – I like it. I would dine out on a Monday if someone would come with me. As for keepig in touch with persons I meet on my travels, there’s always the ones who give you the big line about keeping in touch, but never answer your email, so I now smile and take it with a grain of salt. I am sure there are genuine people out there who mean what they say about keeping in touch, but in my experience, the vast majority just use it like the “I’ll call you” phrase in the dating game.
I love the decore. What an ecclectic mix. This seems to apply to the food as well.
Everything looks great! I understand with your no drinking. I only just got my full license but I dont think I would drink anyway. Stud usually drives as driving terrifies me
I love the poster on the wall in the next to last pic. Says things like Enjoy your Food, Enjoy the Company. Wish I could read it all though!
Never heard of Pierogi before. What a fascinating blog this is!
My kids and I will often eat out on a Monday night as a few places do ‘kids eat free with paying adult’ so it makes it a bit cheaper. And yes, I’ve made some good friends on my travels and stayed in touch.
I would like to see what else they have on the menu. I don’t think I’m that fussy but nothing really appealed to me. I would never order anything lavender flavoured!
I love the fact that they worked out a per-person cost. I guess if 3 females are dining, splitting the bill would almost be a given – thoughful!
That all looks amazing and I love eastern euro food which seems to get over looked so often. Would love the re ipe for the beetroot and vodka cured trout!
I’ll eat out any night, why be picky? Actually it’s usually a lot quietercearlier in the week for bookings, but you run the risk of head chef having the night off and being stuck with the apprentice instead kinda like an afternoon matinee theatre experience where you get the understudy.
I love the sound of the food, and think it could be a great niche market, but I was disappointed there was no secret handshake to get in, a secret food society would be sooo cool
Do like the ambience, but coming from Eastern Europe myself feel the food not exactly typical – shall we say, SE Europe/Balkans perchance. Some looks nice, but I agree with a previous writer that the pierogi look anything but, and, to be honest, that paskha would have been returned to the kitchen by me! Nothing like what it should be
! Some of my best lifelong friends have been made on travels and we do keep up. As for Monday nights, as long as the head chef is cooking, yes, yes, yes! Quieter, slower, better food 
! Both of my marital partners absolutely refused to go to try a restaurant on a busy Saturday night – that was/is always for friends eating at home!
Wow Lorraine, everything looks so nice and so tasty…we eat out any day of the week…and I would not mind trying this place out…the only problem is the distance
Hope you are having a fantastic week and thanks for this nice post.
Sounds like an interesting place! Piano hanging from the ceiling! And that burek…! I’ve only ever had meat, cheese, or apple burek. This looks good too!
Alas, I’m a touch disappointed to see another “Eastern European” restaurant that focuses on the cuisine of certain Eastern European countries (perhaps one or two) but ignores others. People miss out on truly wide and varied Eastern European cuisine like this.
I dare someone to open a Romanian restaurant (for example)
Looks like an interesting place. I’m dying to try a pierogi, my friend loves them but I’ve yet to try them.
Love the place, love the food and now…am starving. I eat out seldom but now wishing I was there!
I love the look of the restaurant… so quirky but homely.
Food looks very wintery – perfect for grey days like today
Yes I do dine on Mondays quite a bit. Mostly with my parents though… mum likes to get out of cooking whenever she can now ‘the kids’ have grown up.
I hate waiting in queues so if a restaurant deigns to open on a Monday, I’m happy to eat there!
That place has so much character. And it also has some mighty fine looking oxtail — my total weakness.
I’ve been noticing all these iPads popping up in many restaurants! God I love technology. I love the name of this place, but a bit disappointed that it’s not a secret club for foodies or something exciting like that.
My friend would LOVE that lavender cream trifle…she loves the lavender flavor to really pop out.
Oh wait, the piano was on the wall. Still awesome!
How thoughtful of the waitstaff to figure out the split bill for you without prompting! The place looks lovely, too. I adore the red desk and chair in the entrance.
food looks delicious, especially the vodka cured ocean trout. close to my work too so gotta give this place a try!
Love the name and I got totally addicted to pierogis in Poland so think I would love this place.
I am dreaming of the 10-hour braised shoulder of lamb. I am not a lover of Monday night dinners out. I decided not to go out on my birthday last Monday because it just isn’t a fun night to celebrate. Postponed it to Friday night instead!
I’ve not had much opportunity to sample Russian food, but your post is making me want to go out and track some down – or at least try cooking some of the dishes at home.
I want that desk.
Interesting dishes, some look unusual. The Pierogi that I am familiar with is pie but with a different shape. And ajvar has more capsicum (about 3/4) instead of other way around. I love it, had it yesterday. I guess its been modified to suit the society clientele:)
I thought the atmosphere at the Food Society charming, Lorraine. Very much like someone’s home. The piano on the wall was a little odd. Was there a reason for it?
The food certainly looks delicious. I had a friend years ago who gave me a recipe for pierogi. Haven’t made it in ages.
Absolutely! I love my travel friends, usually because we connected over a love of (guess what?) travel and food. Love the sound of the lavender dessert!
That cured trout and those dumplings look delicious! I tend not to eat out on a Monday night as it makes the week seem even longer…but maybe I should – what better way to start the week than with a wonderful meal?
Wow, how coooool. I love the piano, you must of had a buzz after seeing that? Some of my dearest friends are those I’ve met on my travels, and Monday dining out just doesn’t hPpen in this town, everyone shuts on Mondays for some reason. Wish we had a cool venue like this though.
Haven’t received your blog for 2 days – what’s happened???
Hi JayCee-We will definitely look into it. Several people haven’t received it so I’ll definitely find out what has happened. Thanks for letting me know
So many restaurants starting this iPad menu thing… don’t know if I like or hate it. (and I love my ipad)
The thing that strikes me most is how they helpfully divided the bill for you – it’s the little things that count!
The beetroot and vodka cured ocean trout blini look delicious.
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