When most people go to a bank, it’s not for anything particularly exciting. It’s usually something rather mundane such as depositing or withdrawing money and usually involves waiting in a queue for ages only to have your hard earned cash whisked away from you.

So when I alight on Elizabeth Street outside the ornate marble building of the Commonwealth Bank I’m not quite sure whether I’m at the right entrance at all. Until two smiling men in suits open the doors for me and usher me downstairs. “Everyone is downstairs” they tell me and I click my heels against the marble floor and descend the steps to the area underneath the bank just outside the safety deposit boxes and the vault. A long table is set for us and there are various people standing around chatting including Firass Dirani the Underbelly actor.

Robbie Robertson

Table4Ten is an annual charity event for the Prostate Cancer Foundation which has a rather clever dining idea behind it. In Sydney almost 60 of Sydney’s top restaurants including Tetsuya’s, Marque, Becasse, Buzo, Pier, Quay and Rockpool among many others donate a table for ten people in their restaurants. Each table is hosted by a person who is responsible for coordinating the $250 a ticket table and to get a seat at one of the invite only tables. Then before the event, each host is randomly assigned a restaurant. And at the end of the evening, cars take each table of ten to a mystery location for an after party where everyone can party together!

GQ’s Nick Smith and Firass Dirani to his left

Sean Connolly

We’re being hosted by GQ magazine and Robbie Robertson, the Table4Ten chairman whose father underwent treatment for prostate cancer. In 2008 the event raised $100,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). We’re lucky enough to be assigned a very rare place to dine-the Commonwealth Bank Vault which is rarely opened for special events.  I am sitting next to chef Sean Connolly and the Restaurant Associates (which sounds like a band to me) who are creating the food for tonight. On my other side is Selina from Home Ideas Magazine who is a regular reader of Not Quite Nigella along with her office mates! The wines are by Glandore Estate wines who has supplied the wines for the last three Table4Ten events.

Appletini

King crab sandwiches

We’re served delicious Appletinis and canapes on our arrival. The King Crab sandwiches are a favourite of mine as I love a lovely, soft pillowy crab sandwich as it has microherbs sprinkled on top giving it a zingy flavour.

Goat’s cheese croquette with smoked paprika aioli

The goat’s cheese croquette is rich with the goat’s cheese and has a slightly mustardy flavour to it. The outside is crunchy and golden and the inside is soft and velvety.

Jamon Serrano wrapped watermelon and rockmelon

I get a stick of jamon serrano wrapped in a juicy cube of rockmelon which is refreshingly quenching, salty and rich at the same time.

Johnny Love Bite Gazpacho soup with poached lobster and prawns

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Oh hai!

It’s a Dog Day Afternoon. Literally. The sun is shining, there is a cool nip in the air and  Mr NQN and I look to our left and right and we’re surrounded by a happy jumble of dogs. Where am I? Outside the Chew Chew Dog restaurant in Wollstonecraft where dogs can dine on goodies such as doggie cappucinos and doggie cup cakes.  And the rules? “There are no rules at all here! Dogs can do as they like!” Chew Chew owner Naoko says happily.

Naoko

I hope you’ll forgive the slight departure from our human restaurant reviews to something more for our canine friends but I thought that this was the cutest idea I had heard in a long time. Naoko has been making healthy dog food for dogs for three years already. She started  her business off making organic, healthy food for sick and ailing dogs and it is has since grown into a restaurant which has been open for one month. Here little furry creatures have their choice of a one of six main meals which can include fish soup, chicken mince with sesame, grilled salmon with herbs and spaghetti bolognese. All of the meat used is organic and Naoko helpfully gives dog dietary advice to anyone. And before anyone starts going on about spoiled pooches eating designer dog food the prices are very reasonable here with a main starting at $3.80 and a dog cupcake being $2.20.

Lucy

Dash

Joining us today is The Second Wife’s main man Gravy Beard (she’s busy jetsetting overseas) and their two adorable poochies Dash and his older sister Lucy. They’re also joined by a gaggle of other dogs and their owners who stop by to buy a special meal for their four legged buddies. There’s a man who is opening up his own dog hotel in Chatswood and his seven very well trained poochies (the top pic) and his girlfriend who has two of her own.

The restaurant itself is quite small, one room really and Naoko prepares all of the meals fresh to order. As it is small you may have to wait your turn while other dogs eat their food (but let’s be honest, dogs eat quickly and they don’t really linger to chat) or they can eat outside al fresco on the grass. There are also ready made foods and dog snacks available for purchase.

Dining doggies

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**This cafe is now closed**

“Morning Lorraine! Have you been to …at Perry Lane in Paddington? I grabbed coffee there on Sat & it was packed-wld love to hear your take!” said the lovely MsUnreliable from That Unreliable Girl in her twitter message to me. Upon further reading I find out that it’s bit of a local’s secret cafe in a little laneway cafe that’s only open as a cafe on Fridays and weekends so I immediately put it in the black Moleskine. One Sunday I had a meeting with a girl called Piglet and At Perry Lane it was. And little did I know that there would be Tarot reading involved…

Approaching it, it is indeed a hidden away cafe at the back of the Oxford Shop on Oxford Street in Paddington. It’s a multi level space with the kitchen set lower and chairs and tables set on three levels. I sneak upstairs as it’s busy and nab an empty table. I look down and a few minutes later there’s a smiling face looking up at me which I later learn to be the owner Chris. At Perry Lane is run by Chris, his mum and his partner all doing the cooking, coffee and waitering duties and on weekdays the space is hired out for fashion shows, events and commericals as well as Tarot and Jewellery reading. But more on that later!

He shows me the menu and explains that it’s a reduced size menu today as the chef is away and normally there are more complex choices but I am relieved to see that there is an all day breakfast available (you’ve got to love those fellow late risers in Paddington).  Prices are  reasonable with the most expensive item hitting the $16.50 mark with most around the $13-$14 mark. Teas are by T2 and coffee is by Campos and there’s a selection of several types of breads from a kalamata olive roll to a rye sourdough as well as gluten free bread (although they are out today). Piglet chooses the Proscuitto, two poached eggs and asparagus on kalamata olive bread and I choose the French Toast with bacon, banana and maple syrup.

Cappucino $3.50

The coffee is that uber rich and heady blend that Sydney siders clamour for. I’d love a little more foam on my cappucino but the coffee is fantastic-rich and with that unmistakable Campos flavour.

French Toast with Bacon, Banana and maple syrup $12.50

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