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

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What’s in a name? When Queen Viv and I drove past Butch Foods one afternoon we were taken by the look , a homespun inviting look but also a name. As someone that was really supposed to be called Selina but never was (and I think it suits me better) I know what a name can do to you. So  earmarked for a visit in my notepad I noted the first of that day’s good omens: a miracle park outside (1 hour yes but because we were sitting in the window I could lookout for parking inspectors) .

Belgian hot chocolate $4.50

Formerly a family run takeaway business for 20 years the building was built around 1886 and was infested with termites which necessitated a gutting and rebuilding using sustainable and recycled materials and equipment. The service is friendly from the young guy behind the counter who is very sweet and enthusiastic. We order a “hot chocolate with sticky marshmallows” (just regular marshmallows, I thought Sticky was a new brand!). And a chai latte which is so spiced Queen Viv’s eyebrows shoot up and her eyes pop. The hot chocolate is good although it tastes more of cocoa than chocolate. It comes in a sizable mug and try as I might I can’t finish it.

Clayton’s Jaffles $4.50

I’m delighted to see a jaffle on the  menu as a homespun touch.  They’re not made in those nifty jaffle makers that seal the ends rather it is done more as a toasted sandwich in a sandwich press. And although we ordered a ham and cheese one a cheese and tomato one arrives. Nevertheless it is quite good and with just the right amount of butter, enough to give it flavour but not enough to grease the fingers.

Pork and beans pie $7

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A few years ago I thought it would be fun to make pies for a living. I made them for a restaurant and I made them using the owner’s secret recipes. They were brilliant recipes but sadly I was sworn to secrecy so I am not able to share the recipes with you. So when I come across a pie shop that makes their own pies I always get a bit excited. Because it gets me closer to my favourite thing in the whole world: pastry (well after Mr NQN ).

Just off King Street in Newtown, The Pie Tin is housed in a heritage listed building. In the front is a large cafe area with separate tables and a large communal table made from a converted trolley. Ordering is at the counter which is where the selection of pies begins. I’m meeting my friend Christie from Fig & Cherry for lunch with her adorable bub Poppy and I go up to the counter to order. It’s a hard choice-we want to start with a savoury pie but we walk past the tempting display of fourteen sweet pies including a peanut butter and chocolate pie, coconut cream pie, cherry ripe cheesecake, American style sweet pumpkin pie, sour cherry pie, a massive apple pie and Oreo pie…oops there I lost myself for a second didn’t I?

But I’m trying to set a good example for Poppy who is eating her own version of carrots and risoni so we start with a savoury pie. There are several options with beef, lamb, pork, chicken and vegetarian pies with flavours like butter chicken, Moroccan lamb and hearty lamb and rosemary as well as a couple of sausage rolls and a Cornish style pastie. A pie meal with two sides on a metal plate is $10 and so we go for the Southern Style pork with apples and a beef & ale pie with potato based on a staff recommendation.

Poppy, just because I adore her

Vintage pie tins and pie funnels

There are four sides to choose from to go with your pie including mushy peas, potato mash, sweet potato mash and baked beans and I want them all but I also love chips and gravy so we have that with one and the sweet potato mash and baked beans with the other. There is also a choice of three salads but I honestly forgot about selecting them-truly! On a side table are house made condiments including a slightly textured tomato sauce and a bbq sauce. And while you’re choosing , behind the counter is a large kitchen where the chefs are preparing the pies.

Big Bertha $7.60

Because I tend to love anything either oversized or miniature I bought a Big Bertha beef pie to take home to Mr NQN. A stocky six centimetres high it is topped with buttery, flaky pastry and generously filled to the top with nicely seasoned tender beef mince and no gristle in sight.

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