Bloodwood - Modern Australian - Newtown Gem

Bloodwood

 http://bloodwoodnewtown.com/

 Location: 416 Kings St, Newtown

Cuisine: Fresh, Seasonal, Modern Australian

$$$ per person spent inc drinks: $70

Look, the name Bloodwood is not really appealing… is it? Yes, we all know a Bloodwood is a type of tree, also known as Corymbia terminalis, native to Australia. “The tree is most well known for the distinctive red kino that it exudes. Australian Aboriginal people collect bush coconuts (a type of bush tucker) from the tree, which are produced by an insect in gall.” – Wikipedia. The restaurant however, doesn’t feel earthy, it feels a bit industrial… dark… but friendly at the same time. Great first date vibe – hello singles out there!! It’s smart, and the service is impeccable… but we were most interested in the food so here’s our review Fouchies!

 

AMBIENCE

Dels says ‘ Brick walls, dim lighting, comfy chairs, the one thing that truly stands out in this place is the food ;)’

DKay says ‘great décor. Warm lighting and love the attire of the waiters. Super friendly and helpful too. Tables could be a little bigger.’

Kaan says ‘This place is very cosy & eclectic, it just fits in with the whole Newtown vibe! I think it is a perfect spot for a romantic winter date!’

Bron says ‘Great eclectic vibe, but small tables! I loved the cushions though, and the décor is really smart!’

FOOOODDDDD

We ordered the following:

Polenta chips $9

DKAY – Not usually my thing but these were sensational! Melts in your mouth and when combined with that gorgonzola (only small amount needed – super filling!)…. Very tasty.

Kaan - Love these and would probably order these every time I visit this place. It is a must have dish! Never had polenta chips this tasty and crispy!

Dels - Great starter for a group to share. This would be quite filling for 1 or 2. The Gorgonzola sauce makes this dish. So tasty!

Bron – GIVE ME MORE! Love polenta… but polenta chips? That’s like saying… have some healthy chips isn’t it? J ‘

Crispy rice balls $12

DKAY – Crunchy, chewy bite size wonders. Lovely Asian flavours. I don’t think they’re going to be to everyone’s taste but I’m a big fan.

Kaan - Very nice but it wasn’t something that really stood out for me! 

Dels - Oh my God this was one of my favorites on the night. So packed full of flavour, you will want to eat all of them! You cant go past this dish.

Bron – Yum, lovely sauce with it too! Order this dish!

Braised lamb nuggets $17

DKAY – Nothing great. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad dish but compared to the calibre of the rest of the dishes, it didn’t stand out for me.

Kaan - These where pretty much lamb kofte’s, Being a Turk I did like the taste but I have had much better Kofte’s in other traditional Turkish restaurants.

Dels -  I thought this was a great idea for a dish and it tasted great as well. The lamb was soft and succulent.

Bron – these were OK, I’ve had better. The lamb was lovely and tender though. Well if you’re feeling for lamb, go ahead… personally though, I’d choose something else.

Socca $18

DKAY – Yum! One of, if not, the best savoury pancake I’ve ever had. And it’s vegetarian. Who would have thought my fave dish of the night would be a vegetarian dish! The combination of ingredients really packed a punch.

Kaan - Another dish that has no meat but I was blown away with the flavours! You have to try this dish when you are @ Bloodwood.

Dels - his was another favorite dish of mine. I absolutely loved all of the flavours, it was so fresh and tasty and the dill was perfect. Ive gone back for this dish.

Bron – Yes, something different… cooked so well, so tasty! Love!

Fried green tomato and goats cheese $25

DKAY – Another great dish. And once again vegetarian! Great cheesy, doughy goodness. Nice & fluffy. Only downer was the lack of tomatoes. Slightly disappointing since it is the name of the dish…

Kaan - This sort of dish is very close to what I grew up with but the dish had many different cultures mixed up into, which I initially thought it was a crazy mix but I was pleasant surprised. It ended up being one of my favourite dishes of the night! Goat cheese, Okra and Yorkshire pudding – is the new match made in heaven! This dish showed me what Blood wood is capable of and I was very impressed!

Dels - Not a bad dish but I didnt think it was anything special.. An interesting dish none the less’

Bron – One of my favourite dishes! Just brilliantly paired sweet and sour fried green tomatoes with the creamy goats cheese!! OMG.

Angus Beef brisket $30

DKAY – Super soft and super tasty. Well braised and very flavoursome.

Kaan - Very yummy but I still think the Brisket at Hartsyard is better!

Dels - So incredible tasty! The sauce is amazing, you cant get enough of it and the beef is very tender. Loved this dish!

Bron – Delicious. That is all.

Sticky chicken wings $20

DKAY – Hmm… a little disappointing. Was well fried but nothing exciting.

Kaan - These wings were AMAZING! And yes it was smothered in sauce & was very sticky just the way I like it!

Dels - Skipped this dish

Bron – You know what… you could go anywhere for this… skip it! Just like Dels did…

Gluten free banana pudding with caramel sauce, tapioca and pomegranate $14

DKAY – best of the bunch. It was tasty without being spectacular. Just…. nice.  Yet it was still the best out of them all.

Vanilla Goats Cheese Panna cotta $14

Kaan - Shelve Shelve Shelve!! See comments under SHELVE!

Bloodwood Trifle $14

Dels - I love trifle but I didnt love this... at all...

Chocolate Torte $14

Bron – Far too rich… to be honest, I think Bloodwood is fantastic for food, but try too hard on their desserts…. Not a fan! The only dish I would rate is DKay’s Banana pudding!

OVERALL TEAM VIEWSSSS

Dels says ‘ So many amazing dishes at Bloodwood, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have been back a few times since. I love that this place is all about the food more than the decor or ambiance.. and the food is consistently good. Service is attentive and friendly. One of my favorite Culinary Club Experiences..’

DKay says ‘Amaaaaazing food. Will definitely go back. So much more I want to try and some others that I must repeat! Desserts I’ll pass though. Which is ok by me. More room for more dishes. ; )’

Kaan says ‘If I wanted to dine in Newtown this will probably one of the first places I would want to visit. I still think the food at Hartsyard is better but the Bloodwood does the whole package better like the service and the venue!.’

Bron says‘Bloodwood is amazing. Honestly, lovely vibe, different but delicious food, impeccable service… just not the best on some desserts but you could always pop into Surry Hills for some Messina afterwards couldn’t you? *wink* Please try this place!

KAAN WILL SHELVE (i.e. not very good)

1.  I would have to shelve my dessert! The vanilla goats milk panna cotta. The waiter pretty much raved on about and forced me to have this dish but description definitely didn’t match the taste! It’s probably the worst dessert I’ve had in years and everyone on the night also agreed with me. The texture was fine but the goats milk was really overpowering and the dessert didn’t taste sweet at all it was more savoury then anything. YUCK!

Two down, Three to go… sorry for the wait our fellow fouchies… hopefully you enjoy this blog though!

The next blog will be up soooooonnnn

Hint : An Italian Masterpiece in Darlinghurst

Date we visited BloodWood. 07/08/2013 (again, yes we know!)

The Fish Shop - Seafood Baby - Seaside Town in Sydney

The Fish Shop

 http://merivale.com.au/thefishshop/

Location: 22 Challis Avenue, Potts Point

Cuisine: Seafood (dah!)

$$$ per person spent inc drinks: $50

OK first of all – the place serves up a few GREAT cocktails AND… it’s happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, 7 days a week. So this got off to a good start didn’t it! *winks* The Fish Shop has taken the good ol fish and chips vibe to a funky little level – well done Merivale! Inside it reminded us of a cute little seaside fish and chips shop – somewhere you might find in say the quiet little whale town of Hermanus in South Africa for example… never been there? Think Brighton beach in the United Kingdom, or Valencia in Spain… You get the picture, it’s cute, well decorated and they serve up some mean cocktails… now here’s our review! Enjoy :-D

AMBIENCE

DKay says ‘Has a great seaside shack vibe. Awesome décor. Does make you feel like you’re in some beach hut by the sea and not in the middle of Potts Point.’

Kaan says ‘The fish shop is tucked away on a side street in Potts Point which adds to the charm of this place. The layout is designed to make you feel like you are at a traditional British fish shop like the ones on Brighton Pier with all the maritime decorations! The set out and design of the restaurant complements the simple easy seafood dining experience on offer at this establishment! This place makes you feel at home and want to just hangout over some drinks. It’s a perfect spot for a few afternoon drinks!’

Bron says ‘Great mid-week or Friday spot to chill out – it has a really relaxed seaside atmosphere’

FOOOODDDDD

We ordered the following:

Fish Croquettes w/ tartare sauce $13.0

Dels says ‘Mmm these were some of the tastiest, softest, fluffiest, juiciest croquettes Ive had. They were so good we ordered a second helping.’

Kaan says ‘I love any type of croquettes and without an exaggeration this was probably the best croquettes I have tried in Australia. It had a perfect balance of fish flavours and the perfect crunch on the outer layer. I could have had 2 of these dishes as my main and I would have been the happiest bloke that night!’

Bron says ‘These were delish!! So so yummy – creamy, only a little fishy, croquettes. And the sauce was so complimentary too’

Fish ‘n’ chips $19.0

Bron says ‘Biggest call as this is a classic… but to me, best fish and chips I have had in a very, very long time.’

Fisherman’s basket $29.5

Dels says ‘I was surprised to see small pieces of fish come out with the fisherman's basket.. I was expecting a large(er) fish fillet with the crumbed prawns and calamari. I thought it was a plain in flavour and the coating was a little thick to my liking but the tartare sauce and chips made up for it. I was secretly eyeing the seafood platter and will probably order that if I come back.’

Kaan says ‘This was a perfect seafood basket – I totally recommend this to anyone wanting to have a taste of all the fried seafood on offer. The fresh oysters was also a very nice touch! If you like malt vinegar it’s a must with this meal.’

The Fish Shop platter ( for two) 69.0

DKay says ‘Yum! Had a great selection of cold seafood and fried seafood. Definitely a good solid amount of food for 2 ppl. Very reasonably priced. My only negative would be the battered fish. The fish used wasn’t anything special and in the end, you always want good fish.  The fish croquettes were a sensation though. Real melt in your mouth. Oysters and cold prawns were very fresh and tasty.’

Ice cream sandwich & salted caramel $9.0

Dels says ‘I was feeling ill that day so had to skip dessert. Looks yummy though!’

DKay says ‘A little disappointing to be honest. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t anything special. Presentation was a little lacking too’

Kaan says ‘This was probably my least favourite dish of the night. However, I was still not disappointed in trying this sandwich. The        sandwich itself was very nice but the caramel sauce was way overpowering and just drowned the whole dish.’

Bron says‘This wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. It was a little too sweet, and I couldn’t really taste the salted caramel’

OVERALL TEAM VIEWSSSS

Dels says ‘ About time a place like this opened up! I love the idea of this place; an upmarket fish and chip shop where you can have some cocktails! Decor is great and service is knowledgeable and friendly.’

DKay says ‘Great spot to go for an inner city seafood meal. Very reasonable prices and pleasant atmosphere.’

Kaan says ‘I would definitely be coming back to this place for some old school seafood, it has a very charming layout. Also has a very good cocktail list that is worth trying! The seafood is prepared perfectly in the old school flavours.’

Bron says‘I really enjoyed The Fish Shop for something easy and relaxed while still enjoying a well-made favourite! Great for mid-week or Friday night relaxed dinner with friends. J’

KAAN WILL SHELVE (i.e. not very good)

1.  Honestly there is nothing  to shelve at this establishment – everything from what we saw and tried were all worth trying!

Team has decided to get more on top of all of their blogs!!! We’ve been getting slack and we apologise to all those waiting to laugh at or actually enjoy the blog haha

The next blog will be up soooooonnnn

Hint : a Tree in Newtown

Date we visited The Fish Shop. 26/06/2013 (yes, yes, we know! ;P)

Bar H Surry Hills - Modern Australian with Asian Influence - Under my Umbrella

Bar H – Surry Hills

 http://www.barhsurryhills.com/

Location: 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills

Cuisine: Modern Australian with an Asian Influence

$$$ per person spent inc drinks: $50 (normally $80+)

 Bar H – not sure why but we expected this restaurant to be bigger. Maybe it was because of its advertising on Masterchef with celeb chef Hamish making many an appearance? But surely, with a name like Bar H, one would not literally be made to sit in a very small, dark little bar to eat at what is rated one of Sydney’s best restaurants to try? Maybe this was all part of its lure… small dark tables around a rather large and very well ‘equipped’ dark bar, squashed together into a little dark corner… Probably the best place for a first date! But let’s get to the food… our very own Fouchie DKay and her love of Asian influenced food was in her element… and with an eight course banquet, we were to experience the best that they had to offer… here we go!

AMBIENCE

Dels says ‘Very sleek cozy bar for cocktails and something to share. But too small and crowded for dinner.’

DKay says ‘Small, dark but cosy. Good if you’re going for a drink but our table was simply too small to cater for 4 ppl. The food didn’t fit and I couldn’t see what I was eating’

Kaan says ‘I loved the way they designed the bar as open plan and the kitchen was also a part of the actual bar. Which allowed you to see exactly how they prepared your meal. The windows facing the bar was also wide and open which gave some character to the venue. The only let down was the tables. They were very small. I think I have never dined on a smaller table then this. The table would barely fit 2 people comfortably but they wanted 4 of us to dine on this through an 8 course banquet!

Bron says ‘An intimate venue indeed… Do not go here with your work colleagues or you will be up in your Financial Manager’s business.. AWKWARD! A little more space and light would have been appreciated’

FOOOODDDDD

We ordered the eight course banquet:

Crisp fried oldman salt bush with chilli mayo

Dels says ‘Was so impressed with this dish! So incredibly tasty, I wanted to finish the whole plate to myself! Props to the chef for making leaves taste SO delish!

DKay says ‘Really interesting and so tasty! It was creative and got me excited for the rest’

Kaan says ‘Absolutely loved this dish! It was my dish of the night and being the first dish it set the standard of expectation for the other courses. The combination of the mayo and the fried bush leaves. I haven’t had anything like this so far dinning in Sydney. Very unique - I would go back just for this dish and have it with some cocktails!

Bron says ‘I honestly expected it to be fish, not leaves… this was so tasty and so unique… highly highly recommend this dish!’

Cucumber and black fungi salad

Dels says ‘Simple flavours, light and tasty.

DKay says ‘Very tasty and refreshing. Interesting textures. One of my fave dishes.

Kaan says ‘I wasn’t too amazed by this dish but it was very flavoursome for a mushroom salad.’

Bron says ‘This wasn’t something that stood out for me… it was a nice, fresh, light dish.’

Steamed chicken and prawn wontons with chilli dressing

Dels says ‘There was nothing really special about this dish.

DKay says ‘Nothing special to be honest. Comparable to one’s local Chinese takeaway shop.’

Kaan says ‘This was a very yummy dish. I like wontons in general maybe that’s why I’m bit biased. The flavours did burst in your mouth with this first bite. It was also bit tangy which I enjoyed. However, I’m sure you can get better wontons in Chinatown and for a better price.’

Bron says ‘I’ve had much better for less’

Crisp sesame leaf with pork and kim chi

Dels says ‘Tasted too much like the first dish. Didn’t understand why they would have a dish so similar to the salt bush?’

DKay says ‘Sesame leaf was interesting.’

Kaan says ‘I also enjoyed this dish allot. It was bit too porky for my palate but I could look past that as the whole concept was interesting with the pork being fried in a leaf. Another dish that I would like to have as a snack whilst having a couple of cocktails.

Bron says ‘I really didn’t enjoy this dish but then again, I am not the biggest fan of pork dishes unless it is crispy bacon, or a really well done pork belly… I would skip this’

Warmed silken tofu with black bean and chilli sauce

Dels says ‘This was some yummy tofu! Silky, fluffy and the sauce added a great flavour.

DKay says ‘I love tofu so can never go wrong in my eyes.

Kaan says ‘I didn’t think much of this dish. It was actually probably my least favourite dish on the night. The tofu was way too gooey for my liking!

Bron says’ l loved this dish – the tofu was perfectly balanced with the black bean and chilli sauce. Very nice light dish overall’

Braised beef cheek with winter vegetables

Dels says ‘The beef tasted over cooked. Didn’t like the flavour at all.’

DKay says ‘Nice and soft. It had some great flavours and perfect for a cold winters day.’

Kaan says ‘This dish is a perfect winter warmer – loved how the beef cheek was so soft succulent. The only thing that was a letdown was the way it was served. I don’t think it is an ideal dish to share and probably should be served for one person. The whole point of this menu is for sharing and I felt like this was the wrong dish to have on a sharing menu.

Bron says Trust me, this is a great dish, but it’s nothing I haven’t had before…so far I’m not sold’

Crisp skinned spatchcock with five flavoured sauce

Dels says ‘Contender for my favorite dish of the night. The spatchcock was very moist and flavoursome, and the sauce was a great accompaniment’

DKay says ‘Spatchcock was nice and crisp and cooked perfectly. Nice end to the meal.’

Kaan says ‘They did the spatchcock really nice. I haven’t had spatchcock served with Asian flavours before and I thought it worked really well. The spatchcock was succulent and not dry and the five sauce concept worked really well.’

Bron says ‘One of the better dishes of the night for me – I did enjoy this, although I was trying to get the essence of this ‘famous’ five flavoured sauce, but it’s nothing too special… sorry to say’

OVERALL TEAM VIEWSSSS

Dels says ‘I came with high expectations and I received a bit of everything. Loved the look and feel of the place, would definitely be the place to go with someone one on one. You would expect fantastic service in a place like this that has a great reputation; I found them less than friendly and unhelpful with more than one situation. Half the dishes were good and the other half, not so good… I will give them another chance to redeem themselves though J

DKay says ‘Expected more to be honest. Place has a nice ambience for a quiet drink but for a meal, it was little too dark and trying to fit 4 people around a small square table is ridiculous.

Kaan says ‘In general I did enjoy the food, even though it was struggle to eat our food on the world’s smallest dining table for 4 people! I might even go back for some of their dishes and have them as snacks with their amazing cocktails. You have to have a cocktail when you visit Bar H as they a proper cocktail bar and know how to make them properly.

However, the biggest thing that stood out was their SERVICE! It was probably the worst service I have ever had at a chef hatted establishment in Australia! The waitress was rude from the start and to top it off at the end of the night she made us fetch our own umbrellas from a bucket in the darkness where we spent some time trying to figure out which umbrella was ours. To top this off my very expensive umbrella got STOLEN and the manager on the night was not even apologetic. They asked me if they could take my umbrella without informing me that my umbrella would be accessible by anyone in the venue which was sitting in a bucket next to the toilet! At the end of the day I would have not trusted them with my umbrella if I was made aware on how they would handle it and where they would store it. For this reason I will not be going back to Bar H as they really handled this situation extremely poorly by simply saying “these sorts of things happen” and they are “not liable” and that this was an acceptable reason for me.

Bron says ‘This is my biggest disappointment in the history of Sydney dining… no, it wasn’t bad… this was an OK restaurant, an OK vibe, and OK food… but that is not what I expected after seeing Hamish on Masterchef… I was too excited to try the famous Bar H… boy, disappointed deluxe. I would have gone back for a second try if the service was up to scratch – but there is no way I will pay someone money to be rude to me’

KAAN WILL SHELVE (i.e. not very good)

1.  I will double shelve the service! If you want to be treated like you’re dining at a fast food restaurant then this place is for you! The only difference is that at MacDonalds you will pay $10 for a meal but here you will pay $80 for the same treatment. At least at Macca’s they are fast and efficient!

AND THE Stolen Umbrella GOES TO:

Dels says ‘The oldman salt bush for sure!’

DKay says ‘The oldman salt bush!.’

Kaan says ‘I’m going to go with the oldman salt bush with chilli mayo and their cocktails!

Bron says ‘The oldman salt bush’

Team has already gone to the next experience actually eek –we are getting bad at putting these up on time… but you see, this is because we have jobs to attend… the troubles of paying bills in Sydney :D

Hint : There’s a shop for those under the sea

Date we visited Bar H. 22/05/2013