Kepos Street Kitchen - Redfern, NSW

So, the place I'm about to blog about is a bit special to me. Reason being that the Mrs had been talking about this place for almost two years now and each time she does, she tells me how amazing the food was and how memorable her experience was. Not once had she ever been back with me (not for a lack of me trying to suggest it). That was until now...a close friend of ours just happened to be back in Sydney visiting friends (she flew in from Melbourne) and was staying in the inner city area so I immediately thought "what better opportunity for us to finally go and eat at Kepos Street Kitchen!"

It wasn't a particularly sunny spring day and there was a slight bit of precipitation but this did not dull my excitement to go and dine at KSK (oh...and to see my friend). I was gonna go try this place regardless of how difficult the drive was, how horrible the parking would be and how long it would take for me to get in. Fortunately however, the weather held up, parking was a breeze and we got in within 10-15 minutes of us arriving. The place was quaint with a limited number of tables so I was really surprised with how quickly we got it. Soon as we sat down, we immediately set about getting comfortable with a few drinks over a good catch up session. I ordered my usual weekend coffee (cappuccino with no sugar) and the Mrs ordered the chai tea with soy milk whilst our friend ordered a chocolate milkshake (great choice).

It didn't take us long before we decided what we wanted to order for lunch but the Mrs insisted that at the end of it all, the Mrs insisted that we had to order the churros (more on that later). The Mrs ordered the wood fired hot-smoked salmon salad with olives, kipflers, soft boiled egg and dukkah (again) and though she has had every opportunity to do so, the Mrs never changes her order (for good reason)...it's really, really delicious. The salmon is super fresh tasting and combined with the other components of the salad, make for a really refreshing and filling meal. I especially like the flavour profile that the dukkah seasoning provides.

My friend and I decided to go HAM and we both ordered the southern fried chicken sandwich. Rather than a sandwich, I felt this was more along the lines of a burger (since it was served in a burger bun) and I normally associate sandwiches with not-really-being-that-full but this really hit the spot. It was almost like they managed to wedge two super juicy pieces of deep fried chicken and some moreish, spicy, herb slaw in between a soft pillow-like burger bun then decided to be humble about it and call it a "sandwich". Luckily, I had plenty of experience taking down huge burgers so I knew the tactic had to be divide-and-conquer but if I didn't, it would have ended up a hot mess.

After all that (as if we weren't yet full), the Mrs continued to insist that we had to have the churros so without hesitation, I flagged down one of the lovely and helpful staff members and placed an order. Shortly after, out came this brown paper bag containing 4 pieces of cinnamon sugar dusted churros with a luxurious dollop of salted caramel on the side. I, unfortunately, gobbled my portion without taking photos of the actual churros (novice mistake) but I can confirm they were as good as the Mrs said they'd be. Crispy on the outside with a fluffy, sweet interior...almost too good when you dip it in the salted caramel.

It's the good times like these that make it a worthwhile hobby...to be honest, this post has been sitting around in my drafts for some time now. I've been going through quite a bit in life and as a result, I haven't been able to muster any motivation write about my experiences. I'm glad I finally managed to make an effort and finish this one off (even though I can't say this was much of an effort).

Belly Bao - Sydney CBD

If I had to give this week a theme, it'd definitely be fried chicken....so.much.fried.chicken. I'm not complaining (I love any deep fried poultry) just that we've probably had more fried chicken in a week than we normally do in a year. Tonight's blog will be about our visit to Belly Bao. Now, I'd tried to visit two weeks prior (mainly because I wanted their famous baoger so badly) but we couldn't find a table and there was a sign that said it'd take 90 minutes. This week, I was smart enough to make a booking ahead of time so I was guaranteed a spot.

We start our night off with a bit of dessert-before-dinner at Aqua S. They'd just introduced their new flavours: Milo and Fruit Punch. Not being a huge fan of fruity items, I'd opted for the sea salt and milo. Oh what a wonderful choice it was...If as a child, you weren't able to indulge in your love of milo, this will literally blow your mind. The creamy and wonderful texture of the ice cream paired with that intense chocolate and malt flavour just made for a spectacular start to the night. I urge any fan of milo to just get a cone and indulge, don't worry about the other flavours...the milo is all you need.

I've had very good memories with Goodgod small club as the previous food providers, The Dip run by Andrew Levins was my legit FAVORITE place to grab a burger. Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive about trying the new guys as I didn't want my memories tarnished by a disappointing meal. Well, disappoint they surely did not! First to come were the sweet potato fries which we crispy on the outside and sweet and fluffy on the inside, exactly what you want it to be. The chilli mayo drizzled on top really gives it a good kick of heat which just pushes the whole package to a new level.

Next came the main reason the Mrs and I were so stoked to try this place: the much loved bao-ger. Though a little disappointing when you first set your sights on it (looks tiny to someone with a massive appetite), this thing is dense. Not dense in a bad way but dense as in it's a immense flavour and texture hit for something so small. I loved the interplay between that perfectly cooked burger patty, melty american cheese, pickled radishes (think sushi ginger), big mac-esque sauce and the soft, pillowy yet crispy steamed/grilled bun. I would have had another if I wasn't aware of what was to come next...

Realised that flash was better than no flash.

oooze shot.

The Belly Bao Fried Chicken...yep, a whole chicken between 3 people (I forgot to mention, the brother-in-law was also with us). Unexpectedly, they do fried chicken really well here too! I was initially expecting something more asian influences (like korean style fried chicken) but found the batter to be closer to the OG Kentucky Fried Chicken experience. The crispy batter was spicy and peppery which when doused with the chilli sauce (pretty much straight gochujang) made for a mouth numbing dining delight.

BB fried chicken with chilli sauce 

To be honest, I do still miss Levins and his amazing hot dogs and watermelon burgers but I have to say, Belly Bao is a mighty fine replacement. I'm so glad they now have a dedicated spot to sling steamed buns and I can say for sure I'll definitely return for more bao-gers (possibly with a much larger group next time).

@ the corner - Peakhurst

It's been a bit of a dry week for the Mrs and I (mainly cause I'm limited by how much money I have left to spend until pay day) but also because the Mrs and I haven't been all too free. The next week is gonna be a good time (stay tuned) but for this week, bear with us a little. As you all know, the Mrs loves brunch and with the expansion of options in my area, I decided to take her to a new local place that came at the recommendation of a fellow insta-foodie, @ the corner.

Being that it's legitimately less than 3 minutes drive from my residence, it's a super convenient place to check out for a quick brunch. The Mrs and I also decided to bring along the mothership...you know, the more the merrier! They have plenty of parking on the street and the cafe was rather large so it looked like it could seat a number of people so that was good. Seating came immediately so that's another plus in my books. The menu is brief but not limited (which is the way it's supposed to be) with some seasonal specials on the blackboard. Sadly, I had missed the soft shell crab burger's run but I'm hoping that it makes a return for my next intended visit. The pastry selection is also rather wonderful with three flavours of cronuts on offer.

The mothership ordered coffee and the salmon sandwich which was a good choice as it was quite delicious. A soft boiled egg, flaky bits of smoked salmon and rocket encased in two slices of some of the best bread I've had. I'm always glad to eat with my mother because she rarely ever finishes her own food, which means more for me at the end of the day.

Would you like some??

Look at that egg!

The Mrs blew out and ordered scrambled eggs and toast with mushrooms, bacon, and avocado. According to the Mrs, the dish as a whole wasn't amazing (bear in mind this comes from an experienced brunch snob) but it was decently filling and satisfying. Appropriately sized for the price we paid for it. In all honesty though, I would have been glad to have her dish when compared to mine...

I'd have to say the biggest disappointment to me was my dish: the cheeseburger. I mean, Sydney's new wave of hipster burger purveyors are both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, we have amazing, greasy burgers that rivals the states...but on the other hand, an otherwise standard cafe burger is detrimented in comparison. Make no mistake, it was a decent burger but for me, the patty was too "industry" and lacked the charred, beefy, grisly flavour and texture I desired. The lack of melty american cheese, sauce and pickles didn't exactly help either. The typical lettuce, tomato and slices of tasty cheese just doesn't do it for me anymore...the fries (more like wedges) were good though, fluffy on the inside and lightly seasoned.

Looks a little small cause of the angle, but it was decently sized.

Inside shot

Did I mention I also had a nutella thickshake?

@ the corner is a great place for what it is, local and accessible. It provides the proposition that you don't have to go all the way out to the inner city suburbs for good brunch. Ignore your previous experiences with other places, take @ the corner for what it is and you'll be able to appreciate this cafe for it's simplicity. It really is wonderful to see the local scene develop and grow.