Ever passed by a place dozens of times on the way somewhere, pegging it in your mind for a longer, lingering glance but have never stopped in? That happens to me a lot in Sydney where a new, bright, shiny restaurant or cafe seems to emerge from the restaurant ether every few days or weeks or so. And whilst I have walked past The Winery many a time either in or out of Thomas Dux next door or on my way to another appointment I never quite made it in. Which meant that the suspended peacocks and Elvis room hadn’t excited me until today. And well of course taxidermy always gets me excited.
The Elvis room
Having a business meeting is always made that much more pleasurable when there is lunch or food involved. And when the people you are having the meeting with don’t mind you whipping out the camera and taking photos of the food well, all the better. Who am I kidding? I used to do it even before the blog 
We’ve ordered a selection of food to share among the six of us.
Crispy little fish White bait, chipotle & lime mayo $18
The entrees come out before long and little fishies are coated in a crunchy, light seasoning like a fine polenta and deep fried and served with a spicy chipotle and lime mayonnaise. They’re not bad and the fish flavour is quite pronounced on these and remind me of whiting (as opposed to the smaller whitebait that you can buy sometimes called nanata that are served in fritters).
Stuffed roasted mushrooms with ricotta, pinenuts & pesto $18.50
The stuffed roasted mushrooms are simple but well executed with a nice balance of flavours. There is milky, creamy ricotta and the pesto mushrooms are juicy and slightly addictive.
Brandied chicken liver pate & toasts $19
I find that some pates have a stronger livery taste to them than others and this one has one of the stronger livery flavour-for those that especially love the flavour of liver. It’s a very generous serve and comes in a glass mason jar with bread and more bread is offered and given when we run out.
Veal & chorizo sausage roll with a tomato & chilli jam $19
I’m a bit of a sausage roll fiend so I felt compelled to order this especially as I had made chorizo sausage rolls at home a few weeks before so I was curious to see how they compared. It comes out sliced into five pieces and while it is good, I think this has got to be the most expensive sausage roll on the market at $19 and it really needs more chorizo than veal. The tomato and chilli jam is good.
Crab toastie Lemon mayo & hand cut fries $18
Like the pretty girl at school, a toastie is always going to get some interest and this one has four of us wanting to order it. But lovely Cas orders the ravioli because she knows that I need a little variety for the blog. Tom and Dave order the toastie and I order a chicken salad but get half of Tom’s toastie. It is full of crab meat sandwiched between buttery bookends of toast, a squeeze of lemon and some salt and the lemon mayonnaise and it’s the pick of the lunches. And the fries? Well they’re cutely presented in printed paper and a little floury but we’ll spend our calories with the toastie.
Rosemary salted chicken salad Goat’s cheese, beets, orange & pecans $25
I ordered the salad which has a large lightly grilled rosemary salted chicken breast sliced in two on a bed of salad leaves, torn pieces of rich goat’s cheese, orange segments, green beans, roasted beetroot slices and halved cherry tomatoes with a honey vinaigrette dressing. The pecans are a little soft, some toasting would have been lovely or last minute adding to the salad to provide a nice crunch but overall it’s a satisfying and filling salad.
Pumpkin, ricotta & sage ravioli with Pine nuts, burnt butter with confit cherry tomatoes $24
Another favourite is the pumpkin, ricotta and sage ravioli or rav as they call it for short with a bunch of confit cherry tomatoes perched on top.
Steak frites’ Grilled sirloin, Cafe de Paris & hand cut fries $29.50
I try some of Mani’s steak, cooked medium rare, and it is delicious with a little dunking into the melted disc of Cafe de Paris butter. He notes previously that the fries were more the shoestring French Fry thickness.
There’s no time for dessert as we are in a rush to get back to a meeting (forgive me dessert gods for I have sinned!).
Retro bathrooms
So tell me Dear Reader, is there a restaurant that you’ve walked past and always wanted to try but never have?
The Winery
285A Crown St, Surry Hills NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9331 0833
http://www.thewinerysurryhills.com.au/
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44 Comments | Add your own
I do that all the time
I walk past a place and I just never go in…and i usually kick myself after I’ve tried because its really nice ~
i wouldn’t have having this food for a meeting but hahaha i’ll just skip the main and go straight to desserts
I like this place a lot. I’ve been here twice, both times in the evening when everything is lit up with pretty lights.
Both times I have been, it has been very busy and I have had to wait for a table…I think we even booked once and sitll had to wait a bit. They say you can have a drink while you’re waiting, expecting you to buy something expensive when all I dirnk is tap water. Sorry, you wont ‘value add’ with me around:)
I went here with my girlfriends once. Loved the pate, the ambiance and the drinks. Would love to try the crab toastie!!
I haven’t tried this place…a friend of mine who still believes that Elvis walks this earth would love it!
Lorraine, how many people did you say there were at lunch? It would be difficult to choose amongst all those dishes as they all look o good!
I do love the look of this place. How quirky! Very typical of Surry Hills. Love that Elvis room. Great selection of food.
the food looks great…but I wouldn`t go to this place…not a big fan of poor dead animals as decoration (they deserve a little respect)
There’s a sudden winebar that’s appears inside our favorite pizza place in newtown, but being old regulars, we feel weird going there, so we just walk by.
I’ve noticed a trend of places serving butter discs on pork or steak. When did that become a thing?
Love the decor! Quirky is gonna get me every time
I don’t think any sausage roll is worth that much money, but the pate sounds lovely.
Wow, the crab toastie
I went there for dinner last night – it’s one of my favorite places. We both had the sirloin and it was perfect as always. Great vibe, relaxed atmosphere and fantastic food
Don’t worry Lorraine, I had dessert for you…. Warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and fairy floss… Magic!
The food looks so good, especially the sausage rolls and ravioli. Will I ever get to eat here?
This place is on my list to try!
My SIL went there a couple of weeks back, and loved it. I am even more keen now that I have seen the CRAB TOASTIE!!!
Happy Australia Day Lorraine, Mr. NQN and everyone!
I have to say Marque in Surry Hills, have walked past this many times on the way to other restaurants . One day I will book and dine there as I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
Looks great. Was trying to go here for my birthday last year but never quite go there. One day…
Oh yes, another one for my Sydney list
! Love the look of the quirky ambience [including that bathroom decor] and there seems to be a big choice of rather appetizing food to satisfy and please! The roasted mushrooms and chicken salad especially appealed . . .
Happy Australia Day, Lorraine! This food looks great. What lovely sausage rolls…
With so many restaurants to choose from, I find myself often waiting to get a good review from someone I trust.
What a funky looking place
The crab toastie sounds delicious!
Not an answer to your question but a question of my own. You mentioned occasionally being able to get the small whitebait……….I have tried for years now to get them after going to NZ and making whitebait fritters……..where can you find them here in Oz???
I always wanted to try some restaurants that I pass by but keep forgetting
I love the decorations. I was kind of expecting somewhere fancy, but that’s only because the Winery Restaurant by me is insanely fancy.
This place has been on my (never ending) list for a while. I REALLY have to go there soon!
What a wild looking place. Love the bathroom door decor. And that crab sammy? I’d be all over that.
The taxidermy doesn’t really do it for me… and elvis…??? I have never really understood that, but the food looks amazing!
I could really go a glass of wine right now actually!
I’m also guilty of mentally making note of some place and then forgetting all about it – total brain fail.
The decor here looks to be wonderfully eclectic – and who could go past an Elvis room.
I think maybe I would check this place out for a drink and a small bite to eat but I don’t think I would be able to look at dead animals for too long. Maybe the Elvis room? Now that I could handle. The Ravioli looked delicious and that is something I would try.
Hi,
I have been reading your blog for a while now and have noticed that whilst you comment on each dish you never really give an overall opinion of the venue. Is it deliberate?
Love the eclectic interior design! I could happily grab that sirloin – it is Australia Day, after all. Perhaps Vue De Monde – I’d like to try that.
@ Peter – taking on the nature of this area of communication, how on earth could it be otherwise? You are given some extraordinary information you would probably otherwise not possess: surely your individual judgement and subsequent action is up to you!
!
Thanks to you, I’m suddenly craving for a good steak with a proper knob of butter melting on it!
I’ve eaten here a few times and never been disappointed. Also had great desserts at its sister, Gazebo in Kings Cross. Both are worth a visit.
NQN – one for your list to check out is Double Roasters in Marrickville – awesome coffee and pork belly sandwiches!
Love the eclectic atmosphere as well as the food!
sussie Q
Oh my, check out that Peeping Tom in the woman’s bathroom painting/photo!! *giggles*
i was going to try out the winery yesterday but the horrid rain stopped me. now i’ll know to try the crab toastie when i finally do go!
Many many times I walk past a restaurant I would like to try. Unfortunately some I will never get to, thank fully you can try most of them for me!
Lorraine, that restaurant has the wackiest decor I’ve ever seen. The food would have to be good because I wouldn’t be able to stop laughing.
You read my mind. Been wanting to try The Winery too. Speaking which- I finally tried your five minute chocolate cake in a mug. It was a mistake. I now have access to fantastic chocolate cake whenever I want! What have you done to me?
Also I added a little cream cheese which was lovely.
Looks good -you should definitely try the place next door (in front of Thomas Dux) Zushi. My favourite Japanese.
All. The. Time. And that crab toastie looks delicious!
You go to the coolest places!
This is one restaurant I wouldn’t be tempted to try – could not enjoy food with those stags’ heads. There are so many ways of decorating a wall, why dead animals?
@ Margie – The stags’ heads are not everywhere in the restaurant. I never saw one there…maybe they are upstairs? If I did have next to me I would be scared, like I am when I see the stuffed animals at the musem. I hate that display!
LOVE the retroness of this restaurant — with nostalgic posters.. Ah, Elvis
Walk past Red Lantern. Still not walked in. And so many more that I walk past over and over again. I need more stomach estate.
I love this place. We have had many a lazy Sunday long lunch here. My favs have always been the stuffed mushrooms and sausage roll and of course the many cocktails and jugs of sangria
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