Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 in review

We haven't done this before but we thought we'd put together a list of things we've liked and disliked over the year.

In no particular order these are our top 10 dishes/dining experiences of the year

1. BBQ Wagyu ribs with potato salad and coleslaw matched with Hard Rock (bourbon, blood orange juice, vermouth and cherry brandy) from Cafe Vue Cocktail Night

cafe vue© by haalo

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Breakfast @ NorthSouth Eatery

We're back for breakfast and hurray the eggs are on!

NorthSouth Eatery© by Haalo

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Dinner @ Josie Bones

While our attempt on Tuesday failed as Josie Bones is closed on that day, we did persist and finally made it on Sunday.

Our fellow eators, Al and Elle have already dined here and were very enthusiastic about their experience, so we've joined them tonight for a second go at the menu.

You'll probably know that the food here is served to share and the focus is on nose to tail eating and on beers - the beer list is most impressive (160+ ) and the non-beer options while small, are well considered.

Josie Bones© by Haalo
Trotter Fritters with Romesco Sauce

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Christmas Cocktail Night @ Cafe Vue at 401

Usually the Café Vue cocktail nights are held in the city but for this special Christmas edition it's being held at Cafe Vue at 401.

We begin with

Cafe Vue at 401© by Haalo

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dinner @ Jorg

We had intended to dine at Josie Bones tonight but typically, it was closed. No matter we thought, there are plenty of places to eat around here. We tried venturing up the road to Huxtable but it was booked out so we decided to look further afield and headed off to Scopri. Unfortunately, it was also booked out. Our next stop was Jorg and luckily for us, they had a free table.

We started with a few dishes to share:

Jorg© by Haalo

Monday, December 13, 2010

Breakfast @ Demetri's Feast

It's been a while since our last visit to Demetri's Feast and there has been some changes, most notably, the arrival of a new chef. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the new year - until then, we can still enjoy the old classics we've come to love.

Demetri's Feast© by Haalo

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Breakfast @ NorthSouth Eatery

Our first surprise came as we arrived at NorthSouth to find that it wasn't going to be open until 9am - fair enough, there were things to do to pass the time. The second less pleasant surprise came when we were told that those famous 60° eggs wouldn't be available until later - probably after 10am.

To be honest the menu isn't very large and to have your main attraction unavailable isn't a good thing. Eventually we did manage to selection something.

NorthSouth Eatery© by Haalo

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Lunch @ Maze

There's been quite a few changes in the personnel at Maze and Maze Grill - the question in these cases is how is the food fairing? Only way to tell, is to go out and try it.

We're opted for the degustation which begins as always with this:

Maze© by Haalo

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Breakfast @ Pillar of Salt

There's a new cafe on Church Street located right next door to the Royal Saxon and as it's we pass it on our way to the market, we thought we might pop in for a spot of breakfast.

Pillar of Salt© by Haalo

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Dinner @ Fenix Restaurant

Even though we weren't overly impressed with our lunch our intention was always to return and see how it was progressing. We've kept an eye on the buzz and reading reviews on Urbanspoon did leave us a bit concerned.

As we drove past we noticed that the restaurant looked empty - not a good sign we thought. On entry we discovered that wasn't the case at all - just that all the customers had been herded into the dining area at the back. We're not ones for crowds, so we elected to be seated downstairs by the windows.

Another surprise was in store with the menu -  a special limited December menu was available with a choice of 5 entree/5 main/5 dessert.

For starters:

Fenix Restaurant© by Haalo

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Dinner @ Cafe Vue at 401

We're back with Elle and Al for another dinner but this time we aren't the chicken! We've ordered a mix of dishes - from Menu du Jour and A la Carte.

For starters:
Cafe Vue at 401© by Haalo
Seared Scallops with Truffle Pommes Mouselline and Cauliflower puree

Friday, December 03, 2010

Lunch @ Barkers Wine Bar

There has been quite substantial changes to Barkers since our last visit. Michael Lambie has gone, Head Chef Tony Twitchett is on his way back to Taxi and the place istelf, sold to a new group. What do all these changes mean for Barkers?

On first glance, nothing seems to have changed, the menu is exactly the same so it's going to be very easy to compare the past with the present.

To start:
0412-2032.png

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Dinner @ Ellery & Co

We're really doing something different now - time for another dinner at Ellery & Co. Unlike our last visit, the place is full - this even includes the new dining room. They must be doing something right.

The menu is quite small - there's a selection of shareable dishes as well as a few entree/main options. We begin with some dishes to share:
Ellery & Co© by Haalo