Jazz City BBQ, Darlinghurst

I think it has all been a while since the anticipated opening of Jazz City BBQ with the promise of lots and lots of barbeque meat! LB Slaya, Cassanova, KC and I arrived early this Thursday night just a little before 6, perhaps a little too early as they hadn't even opened their doors yet (we were just a tad too keen). But once inside, we instantly felt like we were in one of those cute American diners with the red booths lining the walls of the small restaurant.

Menu

The menu is short and concise, offering five items with the promise of Southern American smokey char. It's simple really, you just let Chef Dan McGuirt exactly how much of each meat you want and he'll cut and weigh it for you!.

Dan slicing up the beef ribs

Are you guys digging his shirt or what? When he was about to cut us our beef brisket, he asked us, "Would you like the fattier or leaner cut? I would recommend the fattier cut, it's much more tender and juicy." How could we disagree with the man?

Housemade sauces

There are plenty of sauces for you sauce junkies to choose from. And if you're anything like us, you're just going to go for the whole shebang and may as well try everything!

Clockwise from top: cornbread / complimentary sliced white bread / pork ribs / beef ribs / beef brisket / coleslaw / complimentary raw onion and pickles / pulled pork (centre)

While I did love the flavour of the pork rib, it was a tad on the dry side, as was the pulled pork. But with all the sauces on offer, may as well drench it with that, hey? And let me give you a little tip - ride the sauce rainbow. You may be asking, what the heck is that? Mixing all of them together of course! The beef brisket was indeed awesomely fatty as promised and fat is flavour when it comes to barbequed meats. I was pleasantly surprised by the beef rib as I normally prefer pork ribs over beef ones but this was beautifully smokey with every bite. The meat slid of the bone real easy as we bit it straight off the bone - gotta get those fingers dirty when eating ribs! But what I really fell in love with were those pickles. Sweet with a little punch of sour, I couldn't help going back for more. And that cornbread. Soft, fluffy like a good muffin, and slightly sweet, our only regret was ordering one to share. Next time, one for each person!

I forgot to take a picture of the pecan pie we had. Though tiny, it was a pretty sweet end to the meal. Unfortunately they didn't have key lime pie on the menu tonight which was not a problem for us. We ventured down to Jazz City Milk Bar for dessert!

Banana cream pie, $10.00

I have nothing to say but this.

Oh. My God.

THIS WAS AMAZING. SO AMAZING. Well worth the trek here. A crispy base, layers of vanilla custard chocked full of banana pieces in between, along with whipped cream on top, made this dessert so delicious. The ripe banana really made this pie - it felt like I was eating banana custard!

Satisfied with the ending to our Southern style meal of comfort foods, we slowly walked back towards the city. But not before making a pit stop at Hungry Jacks because Cassnova and KC have black holes for stomachs. Next time, that key lime pie will be eaten :D

Jazz City BBQ
200 Goulburn St
Surry Hills, NSW, 2010

Opening Hours 
Lunch Wednesday - Friday: 12:00noon to 2:00pm
Dinner Wednesday - Saturday: 6:00pm to 10:00pm (or until Sold Out)
Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday 





Jazz City Milk Bar
Republic 2 Building Courtyard
Palmer Street (between Liverpool and Burton Street)
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010

Opening Hours
Lunch  Thursday-Saturday: 12:00-2:00pm
Dinner  Tuesday-Saturday: 6:00-10:00pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

Papparich, Ultimo

With over 70 restaurants open across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and China, PappaRich first graced its presence with a restaurant in Chatswood. However, the north shore is quite a trek for me so I was happy to see the opening of a restaurant right next to my university campus. Malaysian food is probably one of the Asian cuisines that I am less familiar with but a flaky, crispy roti is something that is always welcome.

Menu

There is quite a line happening outside the restaurant upon arrival at 6:30 but the rate at which it moves is very fast. Signs that service inside is efficient. Gingerbreadmanne and I were seated quickly and menus were produced. Ordering here is different from what you would receive at normal restaurants. Provided on the table are pencils and a pad with you fill in the dishes that you want. The dishes are numbered on the menu so you simply just jot it down and the waitress takes it away to process it once all is decided. It took a while to pick and choose though - the menu is very extensive.

Coconut delight

Gingerbreadmanne and I couldn't resist ordering the coconut delight to share despite the cold weather outside. What's not to love about this concoction of ice blended young coconut juice, a dash of coconut milk and a sprinkle of coconut flesh on top? Refreshingly sweet.

Biryani rice (2 dishes) with beef rendang & sambal prawns

This was the first dish to arrive and was quite a spectacle with the circular papadum on top and it's large serving. The bright yellow colour that is a signature of the tumeric rice would have benefited from soaking up the sauce of the beef rendang and sambal prawns as it was quite dry by itself. But there was much too large a portion and much too little sauce from the small size of side dishes and end up leaving majority of the rice untouched. I can imagine how the cucumber would have provided a nice cooling effect if the prawns and beef had been spicy enough.

Curry laksa (chicken)

I'm not sure how this would fare compared to a good laksa as it was my first time having laksa. There was a beautiful rich coconut fragrance to the broth which I would normally equate to desserts such as coconut sago. It came with a generous amount of toppings - chicken, bean sprouts, tofu puffs, bean curd skin, eggplant pieces and sliced fish cakes.

Roti

The roti was a saviour though. We were expecting to be able to mop up the sauces with a extra side of roti however there wasn't much for us to do so. No matter - even eaten by itself, the roti was very moreish. Buttery and flaky with a crispy outer, there was a slight sweetness that would've easily tipped it over to becoming a dessert with just a slight sprinkle of sugar more.

Egg sago pudding

And you all know me with my weakness for everything coconut. I know coconut sago is easy enough to make at home, but how could I not order it? This one had a cute egg pudding snuggled in the centre of the tapioca pearls and coconut milk mix which had a texture very reminiscent of the firm, jelly-like ones you can buy in plastic tubs at your local Asian supermarket.

Overall, we left PappaRich a bit underwhelmed with the whole experience. Half our order had been cancelled without any mention of it to us by the waitstaff and it was only when we asked that we were informed they didn't have any of the ingredients left in the kitchen to make it. A shame because I was very looking forward to the deep fried chicken skin. However, everything else is what you would expect from a chain restaurant - service is efficient, food is served one dish after the other at a quick succession and is of decent standard. Good for a quick bite to eat during uni classes throughout the day.

PappaRich
Shop 5 / 185-211 Broadway  
Ultimo, NSW, 2000

Opening Hours
Sunday - Wednesday: 11:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday - Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm

The Carlisle, Potts Point

I don't find myself in Kings Cross very often but upon a tempting offer of trying out tapas and cocktails at The Carlisle's opening, I found myself venturing out to the Cross with Steph and Vanny!

Waiters serving champagne upon arrival

Candle

Interior

Bar area

Celebrity chef Chrys Xipolitas designed the menu, inspired by Asian and Mediterranean flavours while there was a modern twist of traditional Martinis, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds on the cocktail menu.

Carlisle plate

Dips, feta and marinated olives kept us bloggers satiated before the tapas were served.

Bartender making clover club cocktails

Grilled haloumi cheese, topped with purple grape and balsamic reduction

Seriosly, this was the perfect flavour combo! The grape really helped add a touch of sweetness to the haloumi.

Clover club, $18.00

Lightly floured and fried prawn cutlet, served with soy teriyaki & wasabi aioli

 Yum, deep fried prawn! The sauces were what really made these morsels delicious. I thought the wasabi would be too strong but it actually provided just the right amount of kick.

Eastside Fizz, $18.00

BBQ spicy marinated chicken thigh fillets

 I happened to get a fatty chicken piece which made it super delicious. I would like to know what's in that secret sauce on the side though!

South of border, $18,00

BBQ beef tenderloin rolled in mixed peppers with a bourbon jus and garlic chips

The beef was cooked to a lovely medium rare and was very tender to eat. What I couldn't get enough of were those garlic chips! Crunchy hit of garlic - such an ingenious idea.

Blood and sand, $18.00

Overall, I really have to thank Bonnie Wu for being a wonderful hostess throughout the night. It was lovely meeting all the various bloggers during the event - it was great to chat and put faces to blog names :D We had endless cocktails topped up throughout the night and we were definitely encouraged to drink more than our fair share ;) Word f warning though, these cocktails are mighty strong!

Crystal Noir attended the opening launch courtesy of Bonnie Wu of The Carlisle Bar however all opinions are her own.

The Carlisle Bar
2 Kellett Way
Potts Point, NSW, 2011
http://www.thecarlislebar.com.au/

Opening Hours
Monday - Wednesday: Closed
Thursday - Sunday: 6:00pm - late

Waitan, Haymarket

Say hello to the newest restaurant addition to Sussex St in Chinatown whose concept is to connect east and west, old and new like never before. If you thought house renovations were expensive, think again. The price tag for this creation was over $10 million! Thanks to an invitation extension from Krissie Vitasa of Hill + Knowlton Strategies, I attended the launch party for this lavishly fitted out restaurant. They sure did hit us with the wow factor first thing. We hadn't even walked into the restaurant before we were greeted by a long line of models at the doors!

But then we were greeted by this fella.

I have to say that I really loved the interior design of this place. This main dining area clearly has a lot of traditional influences, yet embraces the contemporary with an end result that is very stylish.

More intimate areas can be found in the Opium Den. No, it is not ACTUALLY meant for anyone to smoke in this area, but instead to provide a more private setting for smaller gatherings for a drink or two. The cushions and plush seats definitely help the area look very inviting.

Look at the production line go to get those Peking Duck pancakes out the door! Well, not really a production line - one chef and many waiters trying to get him to hurry :P Who doesn't like Peking Duck pancakes? These ones vary from any traditional pancakes you've had though. One particular difference I noted was that they used raw red onion instead of the traditional sprig of spring onion. The flavour profile is also different, having been cooked in a cherry sauce. You can see the oven over in the background. I spotted at least 20 ducks hanging inside, cooking! Duck Master Mr. Yuejin Ma was flown in specially from Beijing to cook up a duck feast storm in Waitan's signature brick oven.

Oyster Bar

Veuve champagne served at the bar

I was surprised with the Veuve champagne, which has a definite tang compared to the likes of Dom Perignon and it went down quite easily with the canapes being served.

Spring rolls with satay sauce

The spring rolls were stuffed with plentiful of prawns, and the chefs seemed to have ditched the traditional short spring rolls in favour of ones that are long, streamline and skinny. Much like our jeans in contemporary society these days.

Wagyu beef buns

I really enjoyed these as the wagyu beef was tender, wonderfully smoky, peppery and was lovely with the burst of flavour from the pickle.

Deep-fried quail egg with tofu

Quail eggs are so delicately bite-sized! The broth it was sitting on top of was very subtle yet had a beautiful flavour.

 

And just because all those normal sized champagne bottles weren't enough, they had to crack out the omega sized one! It definitely was amusing watching them struggle with trying to pop the cork :P

I've yet to try out their normal menu, though I am curious to see how they would fare with their food after blowing so much on decking the place out from head to toe. I think it's time you all see what this new and extravagant place is all about, so what are you Waitan for? ;)

Waitan

405 Sussex St

Sydney, NSW, 2000

8218 1000

Opening Hours

Monday - Sunday: 6:00pm - 12 midnight

Movida Aqui, Melbourne

When in Melbourne, I managed to catch up with my doctor girlfriend A for dinner! And to give her 21 macarons for her 21st birthday from my Sydney friends and I ;D (oh the cheese). I managed to spend a lovely night chatting with her and  her boyfriend at Movida Aqui along with dessert at Brunetti afterwards! I know there's a Movida in Sydney now, but there are so many Movida joints in Melbourne so I couldn't help myself from dining at one.

Sangria, $9.00

We started with a glass of sangria, though a jug would've been preferable ;) There's something so refreshing about sangria with all the addition of fruity goodness.

Complimentary bread

 Nice crusty bread with olive oil to begin our meal.

Carrillera de buey, $23.50

I couldn't help myself from ordering the slowly braised beef cheek in Pedro Ximenez. It came sitting on a beautiful cauliflower puree that tasted almost like a dessert! It was so creamy and delicious that I could probably just eat a bowl of it by itself :P The beef cheek was extremely tender and just fell apart as soon as I prodded it with the spoon - win!

Cordorniz con lentejas, $21.50 + not sure how much extra for the third piece

I was very fascinated as to how rabbit would taste as I've never had it before. The rabbit had been minced and stuffed inside the quail along with pinenuts and jamon. The quail itself was still a shade of blushing pink and very tender and came sitting atop a bed of braised green lentils.

Movida Aqui seems to be a lovely place for social gatherings - it was very busy when we popped by and looked to be very popular with the locals!

So do let me know, has anyone tried rabbit and if so, what was your experience like?

Movida Aqui
500 Bourke St On Level 1
Melbourne, VIC, 3000

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 12:00pm til late
Saturday: 6:00pm til late