Kensington Street Social

The Mrs just celebrated her birthday this Monday and while she didn't get to have the most perfect birthday ever (no thanks to her useless husband) we did get to enjoy a very impressive dining experience at Kensington Street Social. I'd been planning this dinner for a while now and as usual, it's rather hard for me to keep it under wraps since the Mrs is rather intuitive about these things (and I can't keep a poker face to save my life).

We got to the area with some time to spare but still had some difficulty finding parking...to be expected though because it is the kensington street. My advice: go earlier or take the train. Luckily, we managed to find parking in the nick of time and arrive at the restaurant 8pm on the dot. As we go in, we're led to a spot which they advised were the "best seats in the house"...they weren't joking as we got seated right at the bar where the open kitchen was. This meant we got front row access to the pass and all the action in the kitchen.

We started with some cocktails (it was a tough Monday for the both of us) and being a know-it-all like I am, I offered to pick our cocktails. I chose the cereal killer for the Mrs and the three little maids for myself. I would have thought she'd have liked the cereal killer since it looked sweet and creamy but I neglected the fact that she like sweet, fruity flavours more...so I ended up swapping with her...which was great! I liked the drink a lot more anyway.

The first dish to come to us was the squid ink crackers. Now, if you had to start your night at KSS with any snack, this is definitely the way to go. Imagine prawn crackers on flavour steroids..the salty, savoury crackers do really well in opening up your appetite and the creamy, airy mousse with trout roe that you dip the crackers into is simply divine.

Second to come was the vine tomato with burrata. This is probably the dish I see the most on Instagram and since the Mrs knew nothing about Kensington Street Social, I had to do some hard convincing for her to let me take charge and order it. That said, I'm positive that she's glad I did because this dish was mad impressive. A sweet and fresh tomato casing houses this intensely creamy burrata that when eaten creates this vibrant party in your mouth feeling. This combination is made richer and more moreish by the capers and the aged balsamic vinegar they pour on top. I've never had caprese salad before but if it's anything like this, I'd be happy to have that salad anytime.

After that, we got to sample one of the best dishes of the night: kingfish tataki with kohlrabi...I love raw kingfish possibly as much as I love salmon but I've only ever had it sashimi, as sushi or aburi (torched). I've never tasted kingfish in this fashion and I must say, its absolutely delicious. There's this vibrant verdant liquid that the fish sits in and along with the creamy dollops on the plate, each piece is elevated to a new level. Add to that the aromatic and herbaceous dill tips and man...sensual overload.

At this point I'm (we're) sufficiently impressed with each dish that's come out of the kitchen. One resounding thing we've noticed with each dish is that a lot of care, attention to detail and thought goes into everything. You can tell that each flavour profile is analysed and paired with the most appropriate elements to maximise enjoyment and satisfaction. This is why it came as so much of a surprise to me that the next dish (which I had the most hopes for) just didn't work. From the description on the menu and even as it is presented to you, everything looks great: charred kernels of corn sit in this corn puree that cups a lightly cooked organic hens egg. This is all topped with crunchy chicken scratchings and the gravy/sauce (poured from a cute little chicken shaped boat). In a visual and olfactory sense, this dish should be ticking all the boxes but I found that the husky, charred corn kernels just didn't work well with the puree. It made the dish taste too much of corn and frankly, I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd liked to.

But aside from that, the next couple of dishes were back to impressive which was great! It took quite some time before we got our mains but when we did we were so glad...first on the table was the wagyu rib eye with miso butterscotch and eggplant. There wasn't much eggplant to go around and the miso butterscotch tasted like vegemite (which is a divisive taste) but my god, that rib eye is good. I mean, it's wagyu so it has to be but it is good. Cooked to a perfect medium rare and so tender yet still so meaty...I'm sure this ticked all the boxes for the carnivorous Mrs.

My personal favourite of the night was the crispy skin mulloway with pippies and potato dashi and there's a reason for this: I don't generally like cooked fish...but I like this a lot. The mulloway was flakey yet still has a lot of texture to it and as you chewed you could really taste the freshness of the ingredient and how well balanced the seasoning was. The pippies were just slightly cooked so they were still plump and that unbelievably nice potato dashi is a thing to try...I'd just wished there was more.

As previously stated: despite the longer than expected wait for our mains, one particular point of service that irked us (I won't go into detail) and the disappointment of one particular dish, our experience at Kensington Street Social is definitely positive. Kudos to the kitchen staff who work so hard to push out these dishes because to maintain such quality and consistency in a high pressure environment is unbelievably difficult. I will say though that price wise, we paid almost the same amount as we did at NOMAD (not $$ but definitely not $$$) but we were more satisfied at NOMAD than we were at KSS. The Mrs and I believe it had to do with the flavour profile: the general theme we got around every dish was clean, crisp and fresh. Each dish worked to highlight the natural flavours of the produce and let the food speak for itself but in that, we also lose that moreish satisfaction. Still, Kensington Street Social is definitely a great place to eat at and worth it if you do go...I'm certainly glad I went and I encourage anyone else planning a visit to give it a try and see what you think.

Sushi Ichi Bar - Parramatta, NSW

One of the biggest parts of moving out and being responsible is budgeting. In order to survive comfortably, you have to make sure to count every penny going in and out. This is a responsibility that the Mrs has begrudgingly taken up on a weekly basis and she's been doing quite well at it. This week, I was informed that despite our usual expenditure, we were doing rather well for budget and so, we could enjoy a nice dinner out. I took this as an opportunity to gorge on something I hadn't had the chance to eat in a while: sushi.

That's why early in the morning, I made a booking for two at Sushi Ichi Bar, located on the far end of Cowper Street near Harris Park. I'd seen some of the photos of this place from sweetandyummie about a month ago and I'd be dying to try this place as soon as we could. The possibility that there could be a good sushi place so close to home meant I just had to go try it. We'd been waiting on a delivery all day and had barely made it in time for our booking but I'm glad we did. In my opinion, Sushi Ichi Bar is in a prime location being so close to Harris Park/Parramatta station and being just down the road from Anytime Fitness...so convenient for people looking for a quick bite after work or a post-gym feed.

I'd wanted to order the sushi best deal which was this massive boat of nigiri but the Mrs was against it as she didn't find the crunchy roll appealing. Maybe next time I can ask them to see if they can substitute it for the aburi roll...but oh well, we still ordered enough (I guess) for the two of us. First to come was the nigiri lovers B which was four pieces of salmon nigiri, four pieces of aburi salmon nigiri and eight pieces of raw tuna hoso maki (little rolls).

As an avid lover of sushi, Sushi Ichi Bar is impresses me a lot in both the speed at which the lone sushi chef can churn out their delectable food items for 3 tables of guests as well as how fresh and immensely delicious their sushi is. For me, The sushi shari is on the softer side but I'd much prefer that to underdone rice. I mean, for a local sushi joint, the quality and balance of the rice is spot on: mildly acidic yet sweet at the same time, the sushi rice is a perfect vessel to ferry those fresh, flavoursome slices of fish into your mouth.

Additional to the nigiri lovers, we also ordered the ichi salmon aburi roll. In this roll, you as the diner get to choose whether you want seafood salad or salmon in a roll with cucumber and avocado. The roll is then topped with additional slices of seared salmon, spring onions, tobiko (flying fish roe) and sauces. Seriously...I cannot stress my immense joy and satisfaction at how good this sushi roll is. The torched salmon slices and chunky salmon meat intertwine in your mouth and give you this textural contrast that makes each bite heavenly.

That not being enough for us (me), I ended up ordering the noodle and sushi deal as well of which I chose to have the udon with three pieces of additional salmon nigiri. At first glance, the size of the bowl might be a bit small but when you start eating it, you realise they do give you a decent portion of noodles. It comes with a fried prawn tempura, a stick of seafood extender, a slice of tamago (Japanese sweetened omelette) and a slice of aburage which is sweet tofu skin. The soup is heavy on the umami and you can clearly taste the dashi stock used to make it. Needless to say, I enjoyed every moment of my udon noodles and I savoured my last three pieces of salmon nigiri even more so.

In my opinion, the most impressive part of my experience at Sushi Ichi Bar wasn't the just that they had really, really fresh and authentic sushi available (though I did love every piece of sushi I ate), it was also the fact that all of our items came to a very reasonable $46.40. I really think that the general area that Sushi Ichi Bar gets overlooked but I'm hoping traffic and business will pick up there very soon. Until then, I very much hope to become a regular at this humble little sushi bar.

The Elevation - Parramatta, NSW

It's Saturday, just before noon and the Mrs and I have been diligently cleaning all morning. We start to get hungry, so we decide to walk to Church Street, check out Eat Street Vibes and possibly get a bite to eat. Along the way, we notice a new cafe had opened up right next to Coco Cubano and Rio Brazilian BBQ: The Elevation. My interest was immediately piqued by the hipster looking decor and clean environment. Fortunately, the Mrs was also convinced to try the place and so we decided to pop in on a whim and enjoy a nice lunch.

I personally think they did a wonderful job with the shop fitting. You have the almost-standardised industrial fit out but it's bright and clean. The light fixtures are hung up above the counter and all over the roof in criss-cross patterns. The simplistic tubes of fluorescent light shine upon the mostly wood and concrete coloured surfaces. Strewn throughout the cafe, there are separate terrariums that sit below the counter and around the front of the cafe which bring a little green into the mix. Overall, I'm really, really impressed with how this place looks as it's exactly the theme I want for our apartment. 

We decided on what we wanted to eat so I flagged down one of the helpful staff to order but I'm then reminded by the Mrs that it's specified on the menu to order at the counter... Silly me! I get up, place our order and we patiently waited for our food and drinks to come. It wasn't long before our drinks arrived at our table, the Mrs opting for an iced latte on a moderately hot day and me going for a cappuccino, my regular selection when I go to work. The coffee here is rather nutty and creamy which is great since it's exactly the way I like my coffee (I don't appreciate acidity much at all). The Mrs was also very impressed with her iced latte as it stayed robust in flavour despite the ice melting.

There was a tiny bit of a delay with our food coming out but I'm always okay with that as new kitchens need to be given some time to find their feet. The staff also apologised quite a few times which helped quite a bit (you tend to care less when a place acknowledges that something isn't ideal). When it did come, the Mrs order was the first to arrive and boy did it look delicious! The Mrs ordered avocados on toast with onsen eggs. This arrive in the form of two jiggly, barely cooked eggs sitting on top of two slices of rye bread with smashed avos mixed with chia dukkah and lightly dusted with matcha powder. The Mrs was rather impressed with the bread as it was fresh, doughy and the perfect vehicle for the other components. The chia dukkah provided a really nice nutty and smoky element and there was a nice textural balance from the crunch in the sunflower seeds which was mixed in with the avocado. The jewel on top of the crown had to be dusting of matcha powder which allowed it to stand out amongst the many smashed avocado dishes out there. It also provided a really nice bitterness at the back of your tongue, making the dish all the more savoury.

Me, being the carnivorous meathead that I am, couldn't bring myself to order anything but the ultimate breakfast: a smorgasbord of all the delectable items on offer. The plate is made up of maple bacon, chorizo, onsen eggs, miso mushrooms, blistered cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach and two slices of sourdough toast...try not being satisfied after that. To be honest, I was expecting more from the maple bacon as it ended up tasting like normal bacon...more of that sweet, maple goodness would have been better. Still a great dish though as there were the earthy, umami packed mushrooms and delicious chorizo to eat as well. The eggs were gooey, rich and buttery and the sweetly acidic tomatoes and refreshing spinach made it an awesome meal.

The Elevation also had many delicious looking cakes on display but unfortunately, the Mrs and I were stuffed once we'd finished our plates of food...oh well, we'll try it next time since we live so close! I honestly fell in love with this cafe instantaneously as the decor, staff and food were all amazing. In addition to that, their coffee game is strong. Luck for us, they sent us off with a complimentary bottle of cold brew! We had it as soon as we got home and it was delicious!!! Smooth and not a hint of acidity with a humble sweetness that made for an awesome, refreshing caffeine hit. Thank you guys at The Elevation, the Mrs and I will surely return for many more lunches and brunches in the future!

Salaryman - Surry Hills, NSW

I've always, always wanted to be a cook or a chef...I never made it but I still dream about it day and night. It was only in the last couple of years that I'd found what I was truly passionate about and that's ramen. It all started when I had my first legitimate bowl of ramen in a tiny shop in the heart of Tokyo a little more than a decade ago. Since then, I haven't had enough of the stuff. One day, when I have enough incentive and nothing to stop me, I'll fly to Japan and sign up to ramen school (yes, that exists). For now, I'll need to live vicariously through my dining experiences of which, my most recent was Salaryman (last night).

I managed to separate myself from the Mrs and had the opportunity to eat out with a mate. Knowing that he is as much of a foodie as I am, I decided to set the location at a place I assumed we both wanted to try out. We arrived at roughly 6:30pm and got seated right at the bar where the open kitchen was situated. My mate is a really, really chill guy but I genuinely felt horrible since my focus was split between maintaining concentration on the conversation we were having, and being distracted by the magnificent work of the brilliant chefs who were just an inch from where we were seated. Seeing the chef delicately and meticulously slicing bonito just fascinated me to no end. So clearly, it was the perfect seating arrangement.

Once we'd made our decision on what we wanted, we promptly placed our our orders and waited patiently for our dishes to arrive. I find that it's nice to occasionally catch up with a friend you haven't seen in a sometime. It breaks the  monotony of daily life and gives you a bit of context and insight into theirs. As we got into our discussion, our first order arrived: oysters! A dozen of them! I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for decadent, luxurious things...foie gras, caviar, uni and oysters...I love it all. Salaryman does this particularly well which is great.The oysters are super fresh and still retain that briney flavour, but are light enough that I think even people who don't regularly enjoy oysters could appreciate this. The vinaigrette has hints of ginger and rice wine vinegar (I think) which is great for cutting right through it and opening up your appetite.

Shortly after our oysters, our order of prawn toast okonomiyaki arrived. This was a really, really interesting dish to me as I'm a Chinese guy who has a palate way more in tune with Japanese flavours. This dish felt like the best of both worlds. Prawn paste is sandwiched between two slices of white bread, crumbed and then fried for a really crunchy texture. Next,  they just pack on the umami by adding okonomiyaki sauce, kewpie mayo, bonito flakes and aonori. Flavour wise, it tastes just like your favourite do-it-yourself Japanese pancake but texturally, it's definitely a prawn toast (minus the excess of sesame seeds and overused, greasy oil).

We finished up our starters and watched as the kitchen prepared our mains. The first to reach us was our order of the bone marrow with duck ham and fried milk bread. Seriously, this dish was impressively delicious. It's fatty, rich and beefy but has so many different elements that come together and make it great. The bone marrow is legit just that: two pieces of beef fat roasted over an open wood fire. You then eat it with soft, pillowy fried bread and the duck ham which gives it this savoury, salty element. I'd be able to down one (or three) of these by myself.

Finally, my most anticipated dish arrived: the pork and pipi ramen. Visually, it looks nothing like any other ramen you've had: it's much smaller which can be confusing because of the price they charge, but straight away, you can tell that a lot of thought went into this humble bowl of noodles. The soup stock isn't gravy thick like other Sydney ramen establishments but had an almost equivalent meaty depth to it. The pippies were cooked in the wood fire until they'd just opened up, yielding that delicious meat as you tear the pippies from their shells. The thick cut pork belly was super fatty but could have been a bit softer or more tender in my opinion. The noodles were wavy and clung to the soup well with a delicate yet springy snap. Finally, the black garlic and sesame oil rounds out the whole bowl by giving it that additional layer of moreish, aromatic flavour. The best bits of the ramen were actually the two ajitsuke eggs that sit on top. Eggs in ramen are usually just salty and molten, whereas Salaryman's rendition has a defined acidity to it which really helps cut through the richness of the whole bowl... It's an experience and a half eating one of those eggs. It's a really, really great and interesting bowl of noodles but the combination of all the heavy flavours can leave you a bit stuffy even much later into the night.

Salaryman claims to be the best ramen in Surry Hills (on their website) and while I personally don't think I can attest to that (at least until I've tried Komachi) I certainly think they do what they do really well. They've sold Surry Hills (and greater Sydney) on the idea of delicious, well-done Japanese inspired dishes. The flavour of the ramen they create isn't the traditional type of ramen that makes you reminisce about the streets of Tokyo. Instead, they are edgy and dynamic, which in my opinion is more reminiscent of the David Chang/Momofuku Noodle Bar movement. With that in mind, I very much like the direction that the Sydney food scene is going.