Dinner

Butter

Posted on by leolawrence94

Butter, Sydney, Australia (our farewell to Sydney!)

Warning: this post contains images that may cause drooling.

Brace yourselves, boys and girls, for I am about to recount to you the tale of the most wonderful restaurant concept upon which I have ever stumbled. The place: Butter. The time: fried chicken time. If you have been keeping up with my blog, you’ll be aware that fried chicken is probably my most raved about food because I believe it is terribly underrated (see post: Bridge St. Garage), but for all those newbies out there let the record state that I love fried chicken with all my heart. Interestingly enough, I also love champagne. Perhaps even greater than my love for champagne is my love for sneakers. Enter: Butter, a hybrid sneaker, fried chicken and champagne bar located in trendy Surry Hills.

On arrival, two things stand out at this establishment (things that one has a fair amount of time to ponder while inevitably waiting for a table at this popular joint). The first is the giant glass wall showcasing the best of the best sneakers around, adorned lazily with champagne bottles. I’m talking Jordans galore. The second is the sweet sweet sound of hip-hop music. These snazzy kicks combined with hoppin’ beats and champagne bottles make for an atmosphere reminiscent of what I should imagine an after party hosted by Drake might look like. One can only hope that I discover whether my suspicions are correct in this regard. Once you’ve wrestled your way to a table (try and hold out for the bar at the window for ultimate people watching between the sneakers), the menu will grab you. You have a choice of different amounts of fried chicken (3 pac or size 13s – genius) or a number of other options such as the cheezus sandwich, which has my personal recommendation.

As if the names of the items on the menu weren’t witty and amusing enough for hip hop fans, the heat rating of the sauces you can choose is also original and fantastic. It starts out with naked, then OG (original gangster, if you didn’t know), fire and finally hot AF. I’ll leave you to google the last one if you aren’t a millennial or present on social media but, for the avoidance of doubt, this one is really really hot so tread carefully. I went for the cheezus sandwich with a side of shoelace fries. The sandwiches come with their own sauce so there is no need to choose how hot you’d like it, which is helpful since I don’t trust myself to make the right decision in this situation. The cheezus comes with a delightful honey mustard sauce and coleslaw. I appreciate the tradition of coleslaw with southern cooked meats but will always think of it as a pointless garnish, so I will leave you to decide how the coleslaw rates. Sorry, coleslaw.

Having been fortunate to try more than my fair share of fried chicken and even more fortunate to sample this delicacy in the Deep South aka the home of fricken, I came in with high expectations since this is perhaps the only food I feel almost qualified to be snobbish about. I can happily say that Butter met those expectations with flying chickens, which were juicy and tender while the batter was crispy with minimal grease. A solid show all round it appears, as Ole Sib seemed very taken with her OG 3 pac also.

To conclude, Butter is an excellent establishment to enjoy some good quality fried chicken and feel classy while enjoying the large selection of champagne. Plus, you can rest assured that all your friends will think you’re super cool and you can leave the establishment safe in the knowledge that now you will be the OG of your friendship group since you clearly have impeccable taste in restaurant and sneaker.

http://www.buttersydney.com.au

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Ze Pickle

Posted on by leolawrence94

Ze Pickle, Sydney, Australia

Surry Hills, a bustling suburb of inner Sydney, is a veritable mecca for the foodie in search of quirky cafes and funky restaurants. Falling into the latter category is Ze Pickle, a craft beer and burger joint with an original menu and a too-cool-for-school vibe located in the heart of the suburb. Like many restaurants in Surry Hills, Ze Pickle is decked out like a converted warehouse with exposed brick walls and industrial light features. However, this establishment differs in its sense of character. Neon Pac Man fixtures adorn the walls, but not in a garish way, while one whole wall is covered in burlap sacks printed with marijuana advertisements. If you look up at the ceiling next to this wall, you’ll find a pair of black sneakers hanging by their laces, a signal that, in the real world, means this is a place where one can purchase illegal substances. To Ole Sib and me, our recognition of this just meant that perhaps we were almost cool enough to be in seen in this restaurant (doubtful).

With items on the menu such as the ‘Doughnutfukwitdis,’ (this place is clearly not for the fainthearted parents out there) which features Nutella smoked bacon and a glazed doughnut in place of a bun, ordering was no easy feat. We both settled on the 3AM burger, a wagyu beef burger with maple-glazed bacon, guacamole, ZP house sauce and ‘Kanye’s cheeze sticks’ – a South Park pop culture reference about which Ole Sib enlightened me. I was just enjoying the fact that they spelled cheese with a z and chicken wings as ‘chicken waaangs.’ What a place. Before we tucked in to our burgers, we started with Ze Chips, a visually stunning and gastronomically outstanding plate of fries drenched lovingly in an IPA beer cheeze sauce, ZP sauce and maple bacon. I have no more words to describe this so please refer to the photo below and attempt to contain your drool.

Next up to bat was the star hitter, the 3AM burger. This was possibly the most unique burger I’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling. The maple-smoked bacon had a delicious sweetness that was unusual in a burger but welcome nonetheless, however the feature to write home (or a blog) about was without a question the cheeze sticks. The molten cheese was a glorious shade of orange and flowed out freely from the crispy golden packages nestled within the burger. I wasn’t aware that cheese sticks were a necessary component of a magnificent burger before this experience and yet now I feel that no burger would be complete without them. What a conundrum. The only tiny opportunity for improvement in this outstanding creation would be the addition of more guacamole but with the extortionate price of the avocado only rising (to keep up to date with this pressing issue, Google ‘First World Problems’), I won’t hold Ze Pickle accountable.

One would think that after the aforementioned gluttonous feast had been demolished we would be sent rolling home to vegetate in a preferably horizontal position but, alas, no. We had more land to conquer and it took the form of deep fried Oreos in doughnut batter with toffee caramel ice cream and liquid Nutella. I have previously not been the most eager of food lovers to jump on the deep fried dessert bandwagon but thought it my duty as the creator of this educational blog to quell my nay-saying brain and dive into the deep end (a risky play, given my unequivocal love for Oreos) with this unchartered territory. I was overwhelmed with joy upon realising that this bold dessert only enhanced my passion for Oreos and swiftly pushed the decorative glacé cherries (empty calories, amirite?) away to allow for a more efficient attack. A show-stealing finale in a show full of show-stealers.

We finally called it a day and trundled home in a warm, carb-induced stupor, knowing that we had battled triumphantly against our restrictive stomach walls in the name of culinary research and lived to tell the tale. In long overdue conclusion, if you ever had any doubts about deep fried cookies, let me assuage your fears as someone who has made it through the tunnel and safely out the other side with a fresh perspective on battered sweet goods and possibly 5-10 more pounds of body weight.

http://www.zepickle.com

The Argyle

Posted on by leolawrence94

The Argyle, Sydney, Australia

If you’re looking for nightlife hotspots and funky restaurants that will spice up your Instagram feed, look no further than The Rocks, Sydney. This area is popular for the aforementioned features but the main draw is its proximity to the famous Sydney Harbour (which – fun fact – is actually called Port Jackson) where you can take as many Harbour Bridge and Opera House selfies as your little heart desires. Unsurprising, then, that there are so many places to wine and dine in this tourist trap. Once you’ve finished trying to avoid photobombing seagulls at the harbour, The Rocks is the place to be.

The Argyle, located at The Rocks, is definitely one of our favourite stomping grounds thus far and this is mainly because you can do literally everything there. It’s the ideal location to choose for a relaxed beverage on a Sunday afternoon, an all day drinking fest, a nightclub, a restaurant, an outdoor movie theatre etc. etc. etc. The list goes on. It’s a pretty sizeable venue with two floors, the second of which turns into a dance floor for the more hoppin’ evenings of the week, as well as a vast outside terrace with its own bar. The best way I can describe the décor of the inside area is as a retro Hawaiian lounge. The lighting is very moody and there are palm trees and lounge chairs in smaller groups as well as high tables and stools if you’re going down the food route.

Be prepared to question everything you thought you wanted to eat upon arrival when you take a look at the menu. Ole Sib and I went in there contemplating some classic burgers and somehow ended up with a mozzarella and bruschetta bar, cheesesteak egg rolls and fried mac n cheese balls in front of us wondering how we had come this far and questioning all of our life choices up to this one moment of pure happiness. Who needs burgers when you can experience these crazy culinary creations? (I’m sorry, that was rash. I will always need burgers. Please forgive me, burger gods.) Rest assured, however, that there are so many options ranging from wood fired pizzas to burgers to barbecue ribs to salads (no thanks) that there really is something for everyone and for every occasion.

We began our feast with the mozzarella and bruschetta bar. It was presented on a cool wooden platter with sections for each food item. The sections were filled with mozzarella, caponata tapenade, pesto and a crushed tomato sauce. In a create-your-own kind of situation, these flavours came together beautifully on the crusty (another word that is only acceptable when referring to food. See Muriel’s Kitchen post: moist.) Sourdough bread. Bread and sauce and cheese are three of the major food groups of my life and all three were satisfactorily featured in this meal. The journey continued with the cheesesteak egg rolls. I am a big Philly cheesesteak fan but, of course, am used to the more conventional sub roll as the foundation for this iconic sandwich. The egg roll aspect was surprisingly wonderful in the sense that it added a welcome crisp to a usually sloppy experience. A drizzle of sriracha ketchup made for a solid Asian-American fusion flavour.

Ok, everyone. Let’s talk about those mac n cheese balls. Now, before this impromptu gastronomic adventure, I had indeed heard of such a thing as fried mac n cheese balls and could only dream that one day I would be so lucky as to be able to experience them. Thankfully, they lived up to my astronomically high hopes. They were little golden parcels of joy resting angelically on a light bed of blue cheese mayonnaise and on top of each little ball was a delicately placed piece of crispy bacon. Salivation had kicked into overdrive by the time the fork reached its destination on this one. My sincerest compliments to the imagination from whence this glorious idea sprung.

After demolishing the most wonderfully random combination of platters, Ole Sib and I were stunned into silence. What a journey. Whilst we reflected on the good times, a talented musical duo played some welcome acoustic 90s R&B tunes and all was right in the world for a little bit longer…

http://www.theargylerocks.com

Macchiato

Posted on by leolawrence94

Macchiato, Sydney, Australia

Apologies for the delay, beloved followers. We have made the journey now over to Australia. Hold on to your hats and let’s see if we eat any kangaroos… First up, Macchiato, Sydney.

You know when you visit the same restaurant twice in one day that you’re on to a winner. Or you have a self-control issue… Either way, Macchiato was that lucky restaurant one rainy day in Sydney. We got a feel for the rustic-chic pizzeria in the morning when we stopped by to meet some friends and enjoyed a chocolate milkshake and an elderflower lemonade. The milkshake was thick and the perfect amount of richness while the lemonade was effervescent and refreshing.

Hopped up on bubbles and chocolate, Ole Sib and I decided to go all out and visit Macchiato that evening to grab some grub in the form of their wood-fired pizzas. The restaurant is perfect for this kind of food as the décor is reminiscent of a spacious Brooklyn loft with brick walls and industrial light fixtures. We definitely didn’t feel hip enough to be there and proceeded to show up in our finest active wear to exude coolness and nonchalance that was only slightly ruined by the torrential downpour that perhaps dampened said coolness but certainly not our spirits.

We ordered a couple glasses of white wine and settled in at a long bar with high stools. Very chic. Unsurprisingly, I elected to have the Carne pizza to get the most bang for my buck without getting an actual buck on my pizza (only pigs and cows allowed here, please) and Ole Sib chose the New York Slice, an ode to the pizza capital of the world (calm down, Chicagoans). Whilst the glorious doughy masterpieces around us were being delivered on these nifty tiny metal stools to the table, our pizzas showed up in a slightly less glamorous fashion on, god forbid, plates. Clearly our drenched getup didn’t warrant the fancy tableware.

Not to be deterred, we tucked in to two excellent pizzas. Wood firing is always a wonderful way to cook these cheesy delights and Macchiato most definitely pulled through with a solid version of the timeless classic. Ole Sib’s New York Slice had great meatballs that were more the size of meteors and the meats in general on both pizzas were flavoursome and abundant. The addition of mascarpone on my Carne base was a tasty touch, too. The joy of a wood fired pizza is also that those pesky crusts are something to look forward to instead of passing off to your younger sibling and/or pet…

After a remarkably filling main course, I thought it only appropriate to order cheesecake for dessert. Every day is cheat day, folks. I was tempted mainly because it was a blueberry cheesecake, which is my favourite, and I rolled away from the table at the end of the night having regretted nothing. Wonderful pizza, delicious cheesecake and a fun atmosphere. We ambled out of the restaurant (it was pretty impossible to move our bodies any faster) hopeful and satisfied, believing in the good in the world and mankind… Before being pelted with another downpour.

http://www.macchiato.com.au

 

The White Horse

Posted on by leolawrence94

The White Horse, Richmond, UK

The White Horse pub in Richmond was the next destination visited to elude the Jonas storm-soaked streets of London. A classy, family-friendly gastropub, The White Horse offers an excellent foodie alternative to the more traditional pub, The Red Cow, around the corner.

Having chosen to dine here on a Thursday evening, the vibe was lively as the weekly pub quiz was about to take place. Despite being more on the upmarket end of the pub spectrum, The White Horse boasts an excellent entertainment schedule throughout the week including the pub quiz, an open mic night and important sporting occasions (for example, it will be showing the upcoming England Six Nations Rugby games).

We were seated in a quieter corner of the restaurant because of the impending pub quiz and proceeded to peruse the menu, which was extensive and featured classic pub dishes. The cool thing about the menu, however, was that it was presented to us attached to comic books and old cartoon annuals. Ours were Spongebob Squarepants and Pokemon annuals – an enjoyable throwback to my E-number fuelled childhood and an entertaining touch for young and old!

Now for the food. We started with the salt and pepper squid. Suitably salty and peppery, this was a great start to the meal with a light lemon mayonnaise that can make even the mayonnaise doubters of the world (me) reconsider. Thankfully there were also only a few full squid that popped up in the bowl, which is a positive for me since personally I prefer to eat only the squid rings. I could talk (or write) for many hours about the ignorance of human carnivores in understanding and accepting where their food comes from and the gap in education in this situation but, alas, I shall save this for another time. All this to say that I, too, am a culprit of denying that my food was once a living being.

On a lighter note, our equally carnivorous main course of steak and chips was excellent. As rare as requested, the meat was tender and juicy and the hand cut chips were everything that one celebrates about British pub food. Combined with a delectable mushroom sauce and a bottle of Malbec, the main course was a success and was very nicely presented without being too annoyingly fancy for such a classic dish.

For dessert, we were recommended the sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel ice cream, which presented a conundrum since I love sticky toffee pudding but haven’t come around to the salted caramel hype. With a leap of faith, we took the recommendation and it paid off in spades. The sticky toffee pudding (apologies for the repetition of this long dessert name but the abbreviation to STP made it sound like something one wouldn’t be inclined to consume for dessert) was sticky but not too heavy and – shock horror – the salted caramel ice cream was a welcome addition. I will eat my words. And more salted caramel ice cream as long as it comes attached to a sticky toffee pudding.

All in all, a lively but still tasteful pub atmosphere was accompanied by a wonderful meal featuring some poor sea creatures (RIP) and excellent British classics. The only other thing I will mention is that the dessert wine is only sold by the bottle, so be warned that when you want to be fancy you may also get a little sloppy, but this will probably only add to your pub quiz experience.

http://www.whitehorserichmond.co.uk