Eastern Sydney Restaurant Reviews @Not Quite Nigella

Category Archives: Sydney - East

Eating adventures in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney

Manta, Woolloomooloo Bay Wharf

I am an odd creature in Winter time. During Summer I am a night person and love going out at night but in Winter I prefer to stay in at night and huddle close to warmth. My solution to this Winter Night-time hibernation is going out during the day when the sun is shining and then retreat back into the house at night when the sun has gone down and the temperature dips. This also is good for the species Foodus Bloggerus. This ensures that we get enough light to photograph our meals whereas dining at night means that I don’t have to eat at 5pm to catch the last vestiges of light. So on Sunny days you’ll find me perched outside, lizard style, bathing in the warmth and getting my Vitamin D before scurrying home. One such day was our Sunday afternoon lunch at Manta on the sexy Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, just around the corner from where Russell Crowe and other lucky individuals live.

We’re seated across from the wharf where in October, they’ll host an Oyster festival featuring the best oysters of the season. We take a look at the menu – Manta is known for its seafood but their meat page (done in a leather look material) is beckoning. Is it silly to go to a seafood restaurant and order steak? Perhaps, but Mr NQN is liking the look of the steaks. We order some entrees and mains based on their recommendations (I always ask for staff recommendations) and sit back and soak up the sun while nearby boats bob up and down on the sparkling water.

1/2 dozen chef mixed oysters $25

We’re served three types of oysters: the Clair de Lune from Batemans Bay, Coffin Bay Pacifics and Sydney Rock Oysters from Port Stephens. As similar as oysters appear to be, when faced with the three different types we taste they’re also quite distinct. The Clair de Lune is sublime and my favourite of the three, the Pacific is rich, creamy and enormous and the Sydney Rock is all briney deliciousness.

Raw Selection $38

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38 comments | August 5, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

Romance, Kingsford

“Help! I’ve been held hostage by the Russians…” Naomi texts her friend late at night on a Saturday night. No, we haven’t gotten ourselves embroiled in a cross cultural post-Glasnost imbroglio. We’re dining at Romance, a Russian restaurant on a quiet corner in Kingsford. But more on our hostage taking later. Allow me to rewind to 7.30pm that night when The Second Wife, Gravy Beard, Naomi, Mr NQN and I entered Romance. Open just two nights a week it’s said to be totally and utterly Russian and a great experience to boot – if you understand that your main will hit your table at about 10.30pm and they do things their way. As I step in I am suddenly transported back to my teenage years with my Russian best friend. She and her family would take me out to Russian dinners at places just like this. The Second Wife tells me “Our booking tonight is for 7.30pm because that’s the earliest sitting” and by now the restaurant is in full swing.

The sight that greeted us as we walked in

Just like I remember, there are cold plates of colourful food set on the table. It looks like a bountifully dressed Christmas table and our eyes widen with excitement. And did I mention that these are just the cold entrees? There are hot entrees to come as well as a main as well as drinks and shots of vodka and all of this for $65 a person (and it’s assumed that you will have the set menu unless you specify so when booking). If you order a la carte, entrees are on average $14.90 and mains $24.90 and $29.90. Jugs of drink are a steal at $5, shots of vodka with a thin slice of lemon $10 and complimentary jugs of raspberry cordial are replenished throughout the night by the young waiters in civilian clothing.

Gravy Beard points out Jack White also tends the bar and waiters here

Salmon and blini platter $19.90

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43 comments | July 28, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

Donna Hay General Store, Woollahra

Donna Hay Shortbread biscuits

Old fashioned wax straws

The amazing thing about girlfriends is their innate capacity to shop and consume sweets. I couldn’t live without them (girlfriends, shopping or sweets) and so when Teena, Gina and I finish our 6 course meal at Marque, we jump in the car looking for more things to eat and buy. Zumbo was a little too far out of Gina’s route home so we decided to pop in on the brand spanking new Donna Hay store in Woollahra.

Bird house decorations

Route 29 goodies

Set in a residential street, it’s not the place you’d necessarily expect to stumble upon a store. Beautifully merchandised, it’s filled with Donna Hay merchandise that is not available at David Jones as well as other boutiquey brands from all over the world, many of which I haven’t seen in other stores. Things are definitely on the adorable side although they aren’t without a price tag to match with a teddy bear retailing for $360 and little bird feeders for $200+ and twine for $30. It doesn’t stop me from wanting many things though.

Baby Eames Replica chair – me wanty!

Other items such as the Baby Eames replica chair are priced at $800 (is it wrong that I think that this is good value?). Of course no visit here is complete without a cupcake liner purchase and I’m happy to see that they’ve got two sizes of the French pleated liners that I’ve been carefully rationing.

Cupcake liner heaven

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45 comments | July 10, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

China Doll, Woolloomooloo

“You just don’t know how to hold the reservation and that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.” A quote from Seinfled is usually how I like to begin my days and on this sunny Winter’s Day on Woolloomooloo wharf, my dining companion Carbon Debit has called me while I am on my way to China Doll for our lunch with Soph. They seem to have lost our reservation. Thankfully, unlike Seinfeld, there is no issue getting us a table outside. We deduce that they probably misspelt it and possibly have it under the wrong name. Seinfeld moment over.

It’s a long time coming this visit to China Doll. It was spurred on by the recent apperance of the chef Frank Shek on the Australian version of Masterchef. I was not an instant convert to the show. I disliked the way they seemed to wring every bit of emotion or tears out of the contestants and play the sappy, emotional music to bring out what little emotion there was. Where was the cooking? Finally after the selection process, they started the real show and I’ve been glued ever since (did anyone catch the appearance of the Brad Pitt of the foodie world Adriano Zumbo the other week?). I’ve even gotten used to George Calombaris’s comments like “make the food look as if it had fallen on the plate like autumn leaves” and now find them endearing. Then there’s Matt Preston’s incongruous pleasure face – you know the one where when he eats his facial expression looks as though he’s repulsed by the food, only for him to say how wonderful it is.

I disgress, we’re back to China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf and for the Russell Crowe fans, yes Woolloomooloo Wharf is where his apartment lies (although we miss out on any Russ sightings). This is one of Sydney’s nicer looking Chinese restaurants and when I sit down I see familiar blue and white plates that just happen to be the exact ones that we use at home every day. This blue and white plate pattern is echoed throughout the whole restaurant with a wall in the same pattern and the small version of the plates on the toilet doors.

Our waiter is friendly and comes back a few times for our order as we’re busy catching up. We ask him for the specialties and he gives us about half a dozen and we choose among them. The menu is a pan Asian one with Japanese and Malaysian influences but since it’s supposed to be a Cantonese restaurant we try and go for the Cantonese dishes (with the exception of the sashimi). Service is good throughout the day from him although there is one waitress who seems determined to follow the Chinese waiter’s version of service and without finesse, dumps the plates on the table wordlessly.

Hiramasa Kingfish & Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi w Blackened Chilli Dressing $25

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47 comments | June 25, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

Tastevin Bistro and Wine Bar, Darlinghurst

Supper hour is an hour that goes largely uncatered for in Sydney. If you have a hankering for something late at night, most restaurants will have their last orders around 9.30-10pm and aim to have you out by 11pm. So for the supper loving or those the choices usually involve a trip to Chinatown to partake of some BBQ King or Mamak. Tastevin in Darlinghurst however keeps Night Owl hours opening their bistro until midnight and their wine bar with snacks until 2am.

Tonight Mr NQN and I are dining at a more “normal” time for my birthday dinner with Teena, Gina, Philippe and HotDog. When I get there I accidentally walk into Spice I am next door before I realise I’m in the wrong place. It’s tastefully decorated in a Parisian apartment chic style (oh how I love thee!) and we’re seated at a banquette, which they assure us is the best table. They know it’s my birthday and they’re very sweet and accommodating. Lighting is of the “romantic” kind (i.e. dark – especially the bathrooms where we almost feel our way about!) so please forgive the photos.

As I’ve been eating all afternoon I opt for a couple of entrees so we order a good range of things from the menu.

Bread selection $12 for 3

The bread selection is nice and fresh. There’s a seeded bread with fennel seeds and a fresh white baguette. I prefer the white baguette although the amount of French butter so this serve is minuscule with a small 2.5cms diameter round slice (we don’t get three times the amount of butter which we should have given that we’ve ordered three lots of bread).

Rock Oyster with Champagne vinegar and cracked black pepper $3 each

Gnocchi a la Parisienne, sauteed mushroom and white truffle mornay $16

My Gnocchi a la Parisienne is delicious. Tiny potato gnocchi are interspersed with pieces of soft mushroom and this is all coated in a creamy mornay sauce with cheese with a lightly scented truffle oil. I eat every last drop of this, scraping the plate with my spoon.

Endive salad with Roquefort mousse, citrus and candied walnut $16

Mr NQN’s endive and pear salad certainly looks impressive. I usually steer away from endive as I find it too bitter but this one isn’t at all, with the sweet balsamic dressing and creamy Roquefort mousse assisting in this regard.

Pithivier of Escargot with beetroot $17

I love Pithiviers (little pies) and this one has escargot (snails) encased in a little igloo shaped puff pastry pie. The escargot when encased in a pie aren’t particularly distinct tasting, in fact they could be mushrooms or something similar and it’s mostly puff pastry rather than filling, but it is delicious, particularly with the sweet beetroot emulsion.

Confit of Duck $29

My husband’s confit of duck is delicious and as you’d expect, it comes away from the bone with ease.

Spatchcock $28

Lemon Sole $28

The lemon sole is moist and soft with most of the lemon flavour on top. It’s a whole sole so the serve is generous and it is accompanied by peas. I usually adore peas but these are underseasoned.

Beef $29

The beef is deliciously tender although Teena and Gina say that they prefer a classic Bernaise to the rich Roquefort which they feel overwhelms the beef.

Apple Tart with Honey Almond Nougat icecream $13

The apple tart is a thin layer of very buttery pastry with paper thin slices of apple accompanied with a lightly crunchy honey nougat ice cream. The tart is delicious, very freshly baked so that it is crisp and the ice cream is a delicious accompaniment and a nice alternative to vanilla. And since it’s my birthday it comes with a sparkler and a song!

Chocolate Cake with vanilla bean anglaise $12

Sadly, the chocolate fondant is a disappointment. The flavour seems almost watered down for what should be a deliciously rich dessert.

Creme Caramel de Maman $11

On the other hand, the Creme Caramel which is sublime and moreish. I adore this and the custary eggy texture and scoop up every drop of the delicately wobbly custard edged with caramel.