BUTTER - Surry Hills, NSW

I mentioned that I had a disappointing experience with southern fried chicken lately right? Worry not, this disappointment quickly disappeared when I had the opportunity to dine at BUTTER a couple of weeks ago. Ever since they opened up, I'd been dying to hit up BUTTER but I hadn't had the opportunity to (I'd walked past the outside heaps of times but never got the chance to dine there with the Mrs). We finally got our chance a couple of weeks ago when my sister invited us out for drinks in the city. We decided to head out and hour or two earlier to the city so we could grab dinner before drinks. Ever since the George St closure, the city has become a horrid place to try and find parking (it was pretty bad before but now it's just unbearable). Surry Hills still has some parking but if possible, I'd suggest avoiding the drive altogether.

We got to BUTTER around 5:30pm and despite being Saturday, it was still pretty quiet (in terms of the expected crowd).This place is in no way "quiet", as soon as you walk past the gigantic glass wall of flashy sneakers, you hear gangster rap fill the room with a strong bass line and the rapid succinct flow of the wordsmiths. Everything from the deliberate neon lights to the menu and beyond points to one theme: this place makes you feel like a baller. The same decadence can be identified in their menu.

Being just the two of us, we opted against getting the size 13s ($60 worth of fried chicken served in a shoebox) but instead, the Mrs left me to order the appropriate amount of food for the two of us. To that end, I opted to grab a 3 pac, chicken sandwich and fries. To quench my thirst, I also decided to grab a melon slushie. To be honest: I could have done without the slushie...it taste very much like the artificial watermelon lollies and whilst it was an interesting flavour to begin with, it lost its charm rather quickly and left me wanting a more refreshing alternative.

In my opinion, southern fried chicken needs to meet 3 basic requirements: the batter needs to be extremely crunchy (lots of little crunchy bits sticking out), the coating needs to have a strong taste of the spice mixture used and the meat needs to be white meat (I'm normally all for coloured but in this one case, it needs to be white meat). BUTTER definitely meets these requirements and more...in fact, I don't think I've had southern fried chicken as good as they make it at BUTTER (maybe Hartsyard?). The chicken meat is so wonderfully juicy and tender and it's covered in this spectacularly crunchy shell. You get four choices of hot sauce ranging from O.G to some super hot level I'm tempted to try one day. Since the Mrs was having the 3 pac, I decided to keep it light and pick the O.G. I'll be honest, I appreciate hot sauce with my chicken but this tasted wayyyy too much like the korean chilli sauce that you have with noodles. If it actually tasted a bit different, I think I could have appreciated it much more. The slaw was really good though! Creamy and crunchy, it does initially taste just like KFC slaw but as you continue to savour it, other layers come in and make it a much more interesting experience.

Now, the next dish I've been craving for ages. It perfectly encapsulates the experience that is BUTTER...decadent and excessive but in all the right ways...utter and absolute gratification born in the form of the chicken sandwich. The same delicious fried chicken is wedged in between a milk bun that's been soaked in this delicious dashi butter with a pickle or two. As you take each bite, the crunchy batter, chicken juice, succulent chicken meat, fluffy milk bread and smooth, savoury butter all intertwine and make this overwhelming reaction of deliciousness. This reaction extends and permeates your entire body until it hits your stomach...and eventually clogs your blood vessels. Seriously, if you love heavy, thick flavours then this is the ultimate sandwich for you.

We also had the fries which were great in that they were really well seasoned but I could have done with not having the smoked aioli...too tart in my opinion and didn't really add to my experience. Overall, I really, really enjoyed my night at BUTTER. In fact, in the weeks since, I've recommended it to everyone and a few have found their ideal restaurant in BUTTER. If you too, love fried chicken, champers and rap music...I'd definitely recommend giving BUTTER a try.

Paramount Coffee Project - Surry Hills, NSW

The Mrs has been wanting to go to Paramount Coffee Project for years but we've just never had the chance. I mean, with so many new and exciting places opening up all the time, our list of ever expanding options just grows and grows right? Luckily, a couple of Sundays ago, we had a little breathing space to go out for a shopping spree. Since a majority of Surry Hills eateries weren't open for business, you're effectively left with the ones that are. As if following some kind of god given sign, we walked in, put our name down and waited for a table.

Paramount has been a popular lunch/brunch destination for some time now and you really see why when you walk in. I remember this being one of the first places I saw the minimalist white and wood industrial outfit that's become so popular recently.  The wide open space gives it a really inviting atmosphere and despite the frantic pace, you can feel comfortable tucked away in a corner having a private conversation.

As with any brunch, we ordered coffee as soon as we sat down. Maybe owing to how busy it was that weekend, our coffees didn't come out until we decided to order food (which was sometime after we'd seated and got comfortable). I wasn't sure if it was just me or if I was losing my palate but I really couldn't taste anything special or outstanding about the coffee at paramount. Granted, I remember it being creamy and nutty but it lacked depth for me.

We were seated right next to the little window where food went through the pass and so we could see when our dishes came out. The Mrs ordered the soft baked eggs which came out in a little clay ramekin. A good dollop of creamy labneh sat on top of a red chorizo sauce and green relish. This also came with a slice of sourdough toast, the Mrs at a bit and said that it wasn't suiting her palate as it was a bit too spicy. Good for me because I didn't much enjoy my dish so we swapped.

I ordered the southern fried chicken and waffles which on paper sounded like the most substantial and satisfying meal. I was rather disappointed with my first bite as the combination came across far too sweet for my liking. I suspect that there was maple syrup added to the waffles which in addition with the maple hinted gravy, overpowered the chicken a fair bit. I was also disappointed inthe batter of the chicken in that it lacked the crunch and spice you typically expect from southern fried chicken. The chicken itself was juicy and full of chicken flavour but the choice to use coloured meat may have affected the texture of the chicken. I knew I should have gone with my gut feeling and ordered the cheesesteak but, in the end, the Mrs ended up liking my dish more which meant it all worked out in the end.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm rarely this negative about food in general  (to be fair: it was still a good, hearty delicious meal) but I think the two years of anticipation really set us up for a bit of a let down. Though, that said, I'm also very willing to return since I'm convinced that the fault lied with me ordering the wrong thing. I've also recently had my southern fried chicken craving satisfied so if I do return, I'd be happy to try the other things they have on offer.

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.

Nomad - Surry Hills, NSW

I'm really glad that the Mrs and I are super corny. Despite having just been married, we both still care deeply about our dating anniversary and make an effort to book dinner in celebration. Yes, part of it may be an excuse to dine at really good restaurants and eat great food but still, a large part of it is because we'd both like to uphold a meaningful tradition. This month, being 6 years to the day that I got together with her, I took her out to a restaurant that I've been wanting to go for a while: Nomad. 

I knew almost nothing about Nomad other than the fact that they produced a number of great chefs...needless to say, I had no idea what was in store for us. We arrived 15 minutes earlier than our booking time and they were kind enough to accommodate us which already set our night off to a good start. We were then seated at a small, intimate table where we had great lighting and a good view of the open plan kitchen...second tick of approval. Quickly thereafter, we were attended to by a very friendly, helpful and jovial floor staff member. Not only did he bother to converse with us (you'd be surprised how often that's not done), he really helped in sorting us out and picking the appropriate amount of food to order (a lot)...hats off to you good sir!

We started our night with an order of okra which really surprised me in how good it was. I like okra but the carnivore in me tends to shun any attempt to appreciate vegetables...this dish made that same carnivore stop and do a double take. Smokey, salty and with a nice aniseed-ey flavour (from what I guess is the fennel seed), it's the perfect way to pique your appetite for the coming feast. I especially liked the peppery element which came on gradually and left a tingling sensation on your tongue...very fascinating.

Our second snack came shortly after and quickly became on of my (our) favourites of the night: smoked brisket empanadas. A golden, thin and crunchy dumpling that yields this meaty, rich and fatty beef that is not only moist but ever so moreish. They also provide a jar of hot sauce for you to add an additional but of heat and vinegar to cut through the richness.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more impressed, then came the small dish that almost stole the show: zucchini flowers served with pecorino and truffle honey...oh man, this was good. The coating on the zucchini flowers was so airy and delicate that it cracked and crunched with the lightest bite. The pungent smell of truffle wafts through the air but gives is veiled behind velvet smooth honey and pecorino cheese.

The food just kept getting better and better as we moved onto the kingfish ceviche with finger lime and coriander crackers. The Mrs is normally not a big fan of ceviche as it can occasionally get slimy depending on the freshness of the fish but this was spot on, cubes of the freshest hiramasa is mixed with tiny pieces of finger lime, chopped coriander, chilli flakes and delicious avocado cream and then eaten on herby, crunchy crackers. It was the most refreshing thong to have on a scorching hot Sydney night.

Our feast then hit a crescendo with the main: the ranger valley hanger steak served with squid ink aioli, grilled cucumber and mustard. The wait staff who brought this dish to our table expressed his passionate love for this cut of beef and after we ate some, we agreed with him. Imagine the richness and fullness of flavour that you get in brisket, compacted into a tender, meat steak...that's how good this is. Nomad does this particularly well as it was cooked to a perfect pink middle and had a delicious crust on the outside. I also thoroughly enjoyed the grilled cucumber as I never thought of cucumber as something you could enjoy as a side to steak...really crisp and clean which worked really well in cleansing your palate for the next bite of steak.

As an additional side to our steak, we also ordered a side of cauliflower which was fried and served with middle-eastern accents, to which I mean labne. The herb and cauliflower was rather tart by themselves but have it with a decent dollop of that middle-eastern yogurt and it becomes sensational: creamy, savoury and equally meaty to the steak, if you aren't completely stuff by this point you will be.

In certain ways, my dinner at Nomad was very reminiscent of the amazing experience I had at RONIN in Hong Kong: both were examples of amazing food served by passionate and lovely people. Both were genuinely wonderful experiences that I'd be happy to have again and again. I'm glad that our 2016 is getting off to a good start. Despite both of us having moved out and having more responsibility thrust upon us, neither of us has been really cranky with each other (yet). I'm so grateful that we both have the energy and resources to go out and enjoy a nice night out like this every now and again. 

Mama's Buoi - Surry Hills

As winter comes into full swing, we find ourselves at the end of another school term. What this normally entails is a fun filled celebration with the Mrs and her education posse. Last week was no exception as we all got into our 'end-of-term' best and headed out to the Sydney foodie's mecca, Surry Hills. One of the Mrs workmates had suggested we check out Mama's Buoi (which was a very welcome suggestion, always up for some Vietnamese food).

What I neglected to remember was that it was Friday....at one of the most popular restaurants in Surry Hills. As soon as I had parked my car, I headed over early to the already packed out destination and tried my luck. My request for a 6 person table was answered with a playful laugh from the maitre d' which pretty much answered my question, but our story didn't end here as the same party member who made the suggestion had recently enjoyed a lovely 40 pax function there (and she says that's what got us the table)...score!

After being seated at one of the open air tables in the back which really wasn't that cold at all despite what we were warned about. We were promptly served by a delightful service staff member (who we later learned ran the place!). She even offered to get our orders out quicker which was a lovely gesture. I can honestly say I haven't had service nearly as good as at Mama's Buoi. Our drinks came first and then not long after, our food. Our night was off to a spectacular start.

For drinks, the Mrs and I decided to be fancy and order cocktails. I chose to have the Lychee and Watermelon Martini and the I chose the 'A Day in Ha Long Bay' for the Mrs. The Martini was refreshingly sweet yet didn't smother the taste of the alcohol but instead made it a much easier drink to sip and enjoy. I have to admit that on this occasion, I chose the better drink for the Mrs (...as I had intended). The Ha Long Bay had ample tartness from the green mango and lime which was complemented rather well by the green apple liqueur and from memory, a slight fizz that drew out the drink. The Mrs and I were thoroughly impressed with our drinks.

Our friend had ordered Thit Ko which was a pot/bowl of caramelised pork belly and eggs braised in a coconut juice. I unfortunately couldn't bring myself to ask if I could try any (the Mrs and I ordered a lot of food) but couldn't stop myself from staring at it as he ate it. The layered and fatty cubes of pork belly sat in a gravy-like sauce which I could only assume would have been heavenly what with it's abundant amount of aromatics floating around.

The Mrs ordered a Mixed Skewer platter which came with three skewers of beef, pork and chicken. This was also served with lettuce cups, pickles and a dark, savoury sauce called Nuoc Mam. The beef wasn't my personal favorite and judging by which skewers were left till the end, it wasn't the Mrs favourite either. It was tender but lacking in a bit of fat which meant it wasn't really that charred and didn't have a potent flavour of beef. The pork was better though with it's fatty bits of soft meat and delicious lemongrass marinade. The best was definitely the chicken which was grilled to a perfect char on the outside. The meat was delicately sweet and juicy which accentuated the whole dish. I was a really big fan of the sauce (big flavour hit of liver pate in it) but as the Mrs doesn't like liver, she opted to avoid the sauce.

I ordered the Pho (as I typically would...noodles anytime, anyday) and I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the Pho but the broth was really aromatic which was a delightful surprise! The Mrs also enjoyed the thickness and the snap of the rice noodles. I would have preferred to have the broth hotter in temperature but overall, it was a decent package. For the price they charge and relative to the size of the bowl, a regular Pho connoisseur might be a little disappointed but take it as an interpretation of the Vietnamese classic and you'll be able to take it for what it is...a great bowl of noodles.

As a side, the Mrs and I also ordered the pork spring rolls which I have to say, were absolutely delicious. The wrapper/skin almost had a dumpling-like consistency with it's springy and chewy texture. This is probably due to the conscious choice of using rice paper is the spring rolls wrapper. This really helped in contrasting the crunch from the fried exterior and also helped to bring out the savouriness of the pork and fillings. 

I won't really go into the details of the rest of the night because frankly, it was just a great night out. But it wouldn't nearly have been as good if we didn't start it off with the delicious culinary delights we were able to have at Mama's Buoi. Absolutely brilliant service paired with amazing food and home-style Vietnamese food done really well makes Mama's Buoi a MUST return destination.

Haven Specialty Coffee - Surry Hills

Brunch isn't exactly my thing...we've established that, right?

Well, it just became my thing....but only if we're going to Haven Specialty Coffee. No seriously, it's that good. I've eyeing off this place for weeks now since I'm able to catch a glimpse of it every morning when I get off the train and every night when I go home. It really is that convenient (located right outside of Central station Surry Hills side)

That's why when the Mrs and I went out for sunday brunch, although we didn't have a place in mind yet, I was already secretly leading her towards Haven. For a brunch place in Surry Hills, we were still able to find a table rather easily (by rather I mean immediately, they have a lot of tables so don't worry about waiting around). Another thing I love about Haven was the fact that they have a proper kitchen fitout which meant no excessive wait times for your food. The staff at Haven are also extremely friendly, attentive and seem to know a lot about their craft (one particular staff member the Mrs couldn't stop ogling cause "she's just so pretty")

As with all brunch places, you would tend to order coffee with your food (for some coffee is the star of the show, not the food). At Haven, ordering coffee is a MUST, mainly because one of their biggest selling points is how you can tailor your coffee to your specifications and tastes. What that means is that you can choose to have your coffee extra nutty, sweet, aromatic, acidic or an otherwise endless combination of specifications. I opted to go for my usual (a cappuccino...I know, boring) but the Mrs ordered the Mocha...I mean, how could she not? 73% Madagascan Dark chocolate in and around the whole thing...simply indulgence defined.

The food came shortly after which was great! (less time starving, more time enjoying). The Mrs ordered the G'morning Haven Big Breakfast which was made up of two poached eggs, avocado, balsamic roasted cherry tomatoes, broad bean pesto and crispy bacon on a piece of soy and linseed toast. Altogether it was a delightful package, particularly the broad bean pesto which was such a refreshing element with new flavour profiles I'd never tasted before. 

Normally, I'm not braggy about my selection but this time I just had to gloat a little because my dish (the Pork Belly Kimcheese Burger) was that good. Haven's signature five spice pork belly (traditional taiwanese style I believe) on a soft burger bun with kale, apple slaw, sesame omelette, kimchi, boccocini cheese and shaved radish. This dish turned me into a fan, if all the brunch dishes I've previously had were this fulfilling, I would never have a problem going to brunch. The pork was ridiculously soft and tender, falling apart with every bite. Then add in the kick from the kimchi, the creamy mellow from the cheese and the crisp sweetness of the kale, apple and radishes....oh my gee, it was good. 

Normally, we'd end the post right here but as we had enjoyed ourselves so much at Haven, we went out on a limb and did something we don't normally do: order dessert. For dessert, we chose to have the Masfogato which was a 73% madagascan brownie, frozen mascarpone, walnuts and a shot of their house espresso in a lovely cup. We demolished it...I mean it would have been lovely if the mascarpone was easier to dig at but I blame our espresso pouring skills for that. The combination of sweet and creamy mascarpone, fudgy brownie and nutty, smooth espresso made for a delectable party in your mouth. 

I honestly cannot praise Haven enough for the wonderful time they showed us while we were there. The food was spectacular, service was top-notch and coffee really is taken care of to the finest detail. If Haven was able to convert a firm anti-bruncher like me, I'm positive that you'd have a great time as well.