Enter the Quaniverse

I’d certainly noticed Haven on the little stretch of Chalmers Street between the two entrances to Central Station, the one across from the bottom of Foveaux and the other at Devonshire Street. This place had such a buzz when we walked by one Sunday.

A few weeks later, I stopped by for a quick coffee before a meeting in the neighbourhood, and voilá! Look at this: coffee on a cute little board, with a handful of currents. I’m not sure about the trend of food on a wooden board (anymore, I thought it was cool the first time) but I’m on board with coffee on a board. My latte was delicious, strong and milky and just right.

Then, the next day, although I’d suggested breakfast at Cornerstone at Eveleigh Market, I checked and it wasn’t open until 10am. Though Haven’s website doesn’t have their opening hours anywhere (ahem…), their Facebook page told me they were open at 8am, so we headed over.

It has a stylish, bright atmosphere, and it wasn’t busy right at 8am on a Saturday morning. S. had crispy polenta, with mushrooms and eggs and said it was delicious.

I couldn’t go by the potato latkes (I rather like a latke) and they were delicious and thin and crisp, and there was a really generous serve of bacon (also nicely crisp) to go with the eggs. 

Both dishes and two lattes came up to about $40, which, for Surry Hills, I think is pretty good. Being across from Central Station, the strip doesn’t feel that ‘cool’, but Haven sort of makes it cool, and seems to bring in a cross-section of Surry Hills hipsters, foot traffic, and Asian students and foodies who live nearby: an interesting and vibrant mix.

Also, I think our waiter was the guy in the huge blown-up photo of a guy pouring coffee. It kind of felt like we were being served a handsome celebrity. He had a good accent too.

The lunch menu looks particularly interesting, with an Asian influence (what is a Kimcheese burger?). So I’m looking forward to trying it out sometime.

I noticed that Fifi Foveaux was gone, the corner cafe in kind of a garish shade of red. I can’t barely remembering trying the place, but I think I did once. Apparently, the owners of Cup Half Full bought Fifi about two years ago, but just recently have given it a name change and a full change of decoration, really putting their stamp on it.

Hurrah. I was expecting a regular cafe meal and we got the extra touches that will hopefully allow the cafe to survive with so much competition around! My crumbed egg was unexpected, sort of like a scotch egg without the pork, served atop a generous serving of green peas, and though they called it a ham emulsion, it tasted more like a light pork broth. Though in the photo it does look nicely like a foam. I thought it was delicious and unusual. Oh, with a few slices of chorizo, it was delicious.

My pal was happy with his pork belly sandwich, and the thin fries were very good. All in all, a very nice experience.

I consider it a good thing to have to look up the names of food on a menu and for three items in both of the amazing ‘plates’ at Brickfields for lunch on Sunday, I did. My plate of kisir (a Turkish side dish with bulgur, parsley and tomato paste) was surrounded by some sour skordalia (a greek puree), some beautiful roasted carrots, deep purple not orange, and a generous handful of fresh herbs. Such a pretty dish, so tasty and unusual.

My pal had an egg on smoky eggplant, on toast, with a middle eastern sauce called zhoug. He loved it too.

It was packed when we were there, and their bread, pastry and sandwiches also looked superb. What an interesting and great place, tucked away on Cleveland Street, between Regent and the university, not really a pretty area but they’re making it charming!

So, I was thinking of correcting the colour of the photos here, but the thing is: the name of the restaurant is orange, the waiter was wearing an orange apron, there were fake oranges hanging as decoration from the trellis outside and yes, the lighting is kind of orange.

And the food, at this tiny restaurant, only open for four months? Well, it was pretty darn good. The Korean Fried Chicken was stunning: perfectly crispy and light. I liked the radish vegetable strips, the two different dipping sauces and that unlike a few other Korean restaurants in town, I didn’t have to guess which KFC to try. While usually there are about 4 or 5 different varieties, the choices here are: medium and large.

The various kim chee and pickled accompaniments were fine. Tasty. Nothing special.

We had a very nice bibimbap in a very hot bowl so the bottom of the rice became crunchy before we could finish it. Mmm…

We had lamb skewers in five spice, recommended by the waiter. A bit sweet. Tender. Quite nice.

Oh, and the homemade pork and shrimp dumplings, lightly pan-fried were really very good. They tasted homemade.

All in all, we were quite impressed. It didn’t taste modern, but rather traditional. Cheap and cheerful. A menu that was big, but not too big (and confusing), and would tempt me back another time.

$60 for the two of us, and while we didn’t drink that night, looks like there’s a nice selection of Korean beer, and other grog. Thanks for the recommendation, Larry! It was a good one.

Am I behind? Like really, really behind? I stumble on these reviews for the Devon which went from one location on Surry Hills to another on Danks Street. By the time, I try it, hidden in that strip of restaurants on Devonshire between Elizabeth Street and the entrance to Central Station, I find out it’s been there for TWO YEARS.

Two years during which I could have more of the above breakfast, delicate salmon, a tasty radish salad, smoked eel croquette and one of those fancy eggs cooked at a particular temperature. OK. It was $25… but it was absolutely stunning.

My pal liked his much simpler dish, and I spotted a cronut at the counter, the first time I’ve seen one in Sydney. When I express surprise that they’ve been around as long as they have, the waiter humours me and says it’s because the chef is famous, having worked at Guillaume, and the other location is getting attention.

For months afterwards, I try to stop in and get a cronut but find out they only make them at a certain time and then eventually not at all. No cronut for me.

And in January, my in-laws from Perth go here, not because of my recommendation but because of Zomato reviews. They rave about the French Toast and fairy floss, but my god it looks sweet. By the time, I get there, my salmon blini is perfectly fine (and absolutely beautifully presented). Love this place…

Let’s make this clear right off. That ox cheek was delicious. With some cute little shimeji mushrooms, togarashi spice, and ‘smooth’ potatoes. Well, I’m not sure I even noticed the potatoes much. The cheek was tender and melty and delicious. I loved it.

We headed down to Gantry on a wintry night. There’s not a huge selection of restaurants pre-theatre at Walsh Bay, and not only did I have an entertainment coupon but there were some really good reviews, so good that I’d put it in my list of restaurants to try. English chef, working with artisanal producers, something about a contemporary philosophy of food, chef to David Beckham, worked at great restaurants, blah, blah, blah.

When we arrived, I was surprised. It’s the new incarnation of Front restaurant at the Sebel Pier One hotel. We’d been here before (also with a coupon…). The thing is: its weaknesses

haven’t changed. It feels like a hotel restaurant (and that impression was confirmed by some sort of convention or meeting out at the bar which sounded like white guys yelling rap, never great background music).

The view and location is stupendous, of course, with a view out to the Harbour. The prices, because it’s a hotel restaurant, are steep ($20–$25 for starters, $30–$40 for mains). I just noticed that they have a pre-theatre menu, which we weren’t offered even though we arrived at 6:30pm.

I liked my jerusalem artichoke and chestnut soup, though didn’t love it. I don’t know. For a $20 soup, I want to go: wow! Our duck fat potatoes, ordered as a side to share, without really thinking that we were getting potatoes with our cheeks (we ordered the same main) were not as crisp as I would have liked.

So, I couldn’t shake the feeling, with the ambiance, and sweet but not necessarily polished service, that we were in a hotel, and not in a good way, but a slightly overcharged and lacking in ambiance kind of way. I’m always a bit confused when my opinion is so different from others. Are the other reviewers business travellers and like the feeling of a hotel? Did they get charmed by a hospitality event or the mention of David Beckham? Was it an off night or was I particularly grumpy? Life’s too short to worry about it, but I think I’ll be passing on a second visit here.

Hipster paradise, here at Stinking Bishops. The waiters were hip and Inner West. The patrons looked like they were in the know. The first times I’d looked, they seemed to close early in the day, but I believe demand is high and they’re now open for dinner every night of the week except Sunday and Monday. We grabbed a reservation for a meal before seeing Avenue Q at the Enmore Theatre a few weeks ago.

The thing is: we should have done their specialties: plates of cheese and charcuterie. But their fish pie looked soooo good. So good that both of us had the same thing. And you know, it was absolutely delicious. With some tasty wine, it was a perfect pre-theatre meal, though having only tried one thing on the menu, I can’t say that it feels like I’ve properly experienced it.

(A stone’s throw away from Hakiki, I’d recommend grabbing some Turkish ice cream down the way for dessert…)