Not Quite NigellaThe cooking, eating and travel blog of a hungry blogger from Sydney, Australia featuring original recipes, interviews and articles on all things food @

El Bulli, Surry Hills

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:00:13 +0000

Hola! Yes, not the El Bulli (where I hope to make it one day) but the Surry Hills version. This was our third attempt at securing a table at El Bulli. The first went wrong when I tried to book for Mr NQN and I. They told us that they don’t take bookings but if [...]

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Delicado Foods, McMahons Point

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:00:20 +0000

MamaMia and I were hungry, it was 9.45am and we were driving around the North Shore in search of food. She stopped in front of Delicado Foods in McMahons Point and pointed at the striking red and black facade. “That’s the place I was telling you about, it’s always full. Always.” It was music to [...]

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Japaz, Neutral Bay

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:00:47 +0000

My stomach was growling and I was sure everyone could hear me. I looked around but everyone else pretended to be doing other things. I had specifically saved my stomach for tonight. No matter how much I was tempted, I had to keep focused and my eye on the prize. The prize being a dinner [...]

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Emmilou Lounge & Tapas Bar, Surry Hills

Not Quite Nigella — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:00:13 +0000

It’s a cold, cold Winter’s night the evening we head across the bridge for Emmilou, a Tapas style restaurant in Surry Hills. It seems that no matter how many layers I wear (four), the wind penetrates to my core and when we see something floating down softly from the sky my husband and I say [...]

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Mumu Grill Take It Slow dinner #2, Crows Nest

Not Quite Nigella — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:00:31 +0000

Despite how it sounds being Tweeted is not a bad thing. Particularly when you’re tweeted things such as “2 Prime rib into the oven for 4 hours. Tonight’s take it slow dinner.” and “bone marrow roasted, mixed with chopped parsley and into sauce” from Chefmumu (aka Craig MacIndoe) who is busy preparing the night’s dinner [...]

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Take It Slow Wine Dinner at Mumu Grill, Crows Nest

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:00:48 +0000

Craig Macindoe from Mumu Grill Some restaurateurs are canny. Craig Macindoe from Mumu Grill is one of them. Whilst some restaurants lack even a basic website, some realise that not only is a website crucial, but your presence is also commanded on places such as twitter and facebook as that is where your diners are [...]

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Mumu Grill, Crows Nest

Not Quite Nigella — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:00:07 +0000

All meat is just not meat, that much is clear from our first turn of the Mumu Grill’s menu page. It is a place that takes its meat very seriously. Sustainable and organic produce is their focus and it serves only grass fed beef, a beef that a lot of restaurants eschew because of the [...]

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Bodega, Surry Hills

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:00:08 +0000

The one restaurant, most recommended to me by food loving friends most recently has been Bodega. One of those places that will not take bookings (oh how they make my dining life difficult!), it’s a Tapas place (yes another one for Sydney) that has a lot of buzz. For as it is 5.55pm this Saturday [...]

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Japaz, Neutral Bay

Not Quite Nigella — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:00:01 +0000

Going out with some of my longest and dearest friends Queen Viv and Miss America is always an adventure. They’re adventurous enough and always appreciate a good meal, no matter how unusual it is or how far we have to venture. Tonight, we’re headed somewhere a little closer to home, Japaz in Neutral Bay. A [...]

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Catalonia Spanish restaurant at Kirribilli: Birthday dinner #2

Not Quite Nigella — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:00:49 +0000

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a Kirrbilli markets fan and every month I make my way there to buy whatever takes my fancy. And since November last year, every month I’ve walked past Catalonia, stopped by the menu and wistfully gazed inside. Call it an infrequent OCD ritual. This month, I’ve booked [...]

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