SYDNEY REVIEW: Dunbar House

The charming Dunbar House.

I had two amazing culinary experiences while visiting with my lovely sister in Sydney at An Restaurant and the amazing Rockpool. When I then went to stay with my lovely best friend, she wasn't about to let the food adventure end. We caught an exciting ferry out to the absolutely stunning Watson's Bay and I got my first look at the historic Dunbar House, resting prettily on a undulating rise near the bay.


Such a pretty building, with picture perfect blue skies.

The house was built in the 1830's  for the Colonial Treasurer before becoming various hotels until 1924, when it then became the Vaucluse Council Chambers. Finally, Dunbar House underwent it's final transformation into the charming venue it is today. It's been lovingly restored with a modern take on a period dining room, with embossed wallpaper and impressive fireplace. Since we visited on a sunny early spring day, we decided to sit on the patio and take in the sparkling water views.


The beautiful dining room with modern touches.

The menu at Dunbar House was extensive, with many different options from venison to duck, burgers and pastas. My friend chose the Slow Cooked Berkshire Pork Belly, Celeriac, Apple & Radish with Spiced Crackling ($27) with a glass of 2014 Botolobar Shiraz ($11). I went with one of the many seafood options, the Macadamia Crusted Barramundi Fillet with Fennel, Asparagus & Zucchini, Dill Pesto ($29) and a glass of 2013 Charlotte Sounds Sauvignon Blanc ($11).

The pork belly soon to be in a belly.

The pork looked really tempting when it came out and it was a good size. The salad that went with it cut through the fattiness of the meat and the celeriac, apple and radish were classic accompaniments to the pork. The pork was slightly overdone on the outside and as a result the layer of fat under the top was not very rendered very well. It didn't ruin the meal but it might have benefitted from being cooked longer on a lower heat.


The barramundi soon to be in a mundi? Doesn't work as well as the pork belly one.

My barramundi was very good with a nice crispy skin underneath the macadamia crust. The portion was well-sized and the salad was fresh. There was not a lot of fennel, but for me, this is a good thing as I find it can be very strong and sometimes overpower a dish. The fish was cooked well, still a little fleshy and soft in the centre like it should be. It was a very nice dish, perhaps ever so slightly bland but I do have quite a strong taste for salt.


I see you, Moon! You think you're so clever being out in the day but I see you! Go home, Moon, it's not time for youyet!

After we went to a bar across the way in Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel called The Beach Club where we had a few drinks then had a hilariously difficult ferry ride home but that's another story.


Ahh what a beautiful day!

In summary, lunch at Dunbar house was lovely with one of the best views I've ever had the pleasure of eating in front of. It was so peaceful and relaxing to look at the bay. The menu is not particularly inventive but there's nothing wrong with sticking to the classics.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5

REVIEW: Vintaged Bar & Grill

Wine, a way to open the wine and a cow! What more could a person want?

I have a miniseries of Sydney restaurant reviews that I am so looking forward to sharing with you but I must not cheat. I have one more Brisbane review before we get to that but what a pleasant restaurant it is. My lovely lady friend and I decided to catch up before my Sydney break and chose to have a classy little catch up at Vintaged Bar & Grill.

Vintaged is located in the Hilton on Elizabeth street. I'm always a little hesitant to eat at hotel restaurants. They can seem a little naff and stuffy. And dated. And uninspired. But when I checked out Vintaged menu online, the menu offered a lot of fresh takes of classic dishes. Plus they had a lunch deal for a main and a glass of wine for $25. A meal AND wine? Sign me up.


This is the cool bar area in the lobby area of the restaurant.

Once we arrived at the Hilton and made our way up to level 6, we stepped into a spacious atrium with a funky bar area. The ceilings extended high into the building, which kinda gave me vertigo when I looked up. In an awesome way. The restaurant itself sat on the other side of the lobby where the ceiling came much lower, the lighting was dark, intimate and warm.


The warm space inside Vintaged.

We were seated and since I was on my lunch break, we ordered straight away. We both went with the $25 lunch special as who could pass that up and the selection available was really varied! My fair dining companion chose the Bavette Steak with Creamed Potato and Young Carrots and I went with the Barbecued Ocean Trout with Tahini and Cous Cous Tabbouleh. We had a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc from the Bay of Shoals Winery...which were delicious! I drink wine cos I'll drink anything but I very rarely can tell the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100 bottle but this wine made me actually ask after the label. So that's good.


Salty capsicumy spread and char grilled bread. Yummers!

Soon after we ordered, we were bought some complimentary sour dough with a capsicum and anchovy spread. I'm so easily impressed, bring me free food and watch me smile. The bread was lovely and crispy with a chargrilled taste. The capsicum and anchovy spread had a pleasant salty taste, obviously from the anchovy. Salty is always a good idea.


Action shot like a pro.

The mains came out shortly after our delightful free bread and they looked appealing! We had both wondered what a bavette steak was, and my guess was it was a word for petite but apparently not as the steak was a nice size with a good dollop of creamy, smooth mash. The side of mushroom sauce was also generous. For your information, a bavette steak is another word for a cut from the flank. I've read it was the flap cut. I don't think flap steak sounds very nice, hence why they call it bavette. Clever.

I find that Ocean Trout is the best type of trout. Wait...are there other types of trout? River trout? I reserve my decision til I've had both!

My ocean trout was also really nice. It was cooked really well with a nice flakiness and slightly pink inside. The cous cous was delightful and the schmear of mayonnaise was pretty and tasty! Is there any better combination to be? The trout had a nice crispy skin but for some reason it was placed so the skin was on the bottom. It's probably over-pedantic, but it might have been cripsier had it not been placed on the moisture of cous cous. After I had finished the fish, I felt satisfied but not heavy and I didn't feel weighed down for my return to walk. The wine certainly hit the spot too.

Could totally get white girl wasted on all that wine...

As we paid, I asked if I could take some photos of the kitchen and the helpful hostess suggested I take a photo in the wine room. It was very impressive with glass walls and up to 1,000 bottles inside! Vintaged offers wine tasting and pride themselves on their extensive Australian boutique collection.

The open kitchen...also, they're not guarding that bread. I could have totally fit that into my purse.

I really enjoyed my workday lunch at Vintaged and was impressed that we were in and out within 45 minutes. The meal was great value and I returned to work with a happy tummy.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5


 

REVIEW: London Porterhouse

London Porterhouse!

I'm dying to try the duck ragu at Beccofino. Just dying to. So when my sister came up to visit, after some initial negotiations, we decided to go to Beccofino at Teneriffe. Now I know you can read and the title of this post is London Porterhouse, not Beccofino so you know something is up. Beccofino in their great wisdom do not take bookings. I'm sure this benefits them and ensures they are able to keep the restaurant turning over but it does not benefit my intense, burning desire to eat their duck ragu! Why won't you take my money, Beccofino?

Since we couldn't stand around for an hour while a table freed up, I remembered there was another restaurant I had been wanting to try close by so I called them up and they could seat us straight away. London Porterhouse is an Argentinean inspired meat-centric restaurant, which I think is slightly misleading given the English sounding name. It is a pleasant deception though as it is not soggy pub fare but rather robust steaks and smoky ribs so I knew as a group of keen carnivore's, we'd be well fed.

We arrived and were seated at a nice large table in the outside seating area which was perfect in the cool evening breezes. Noel, the owner and manager was very helpful in assisting us to order drinks and they arrived quickly. With our thirsts slated, it was on to the ordering. For entrees, we ordered from the tapas menu.

I don't see any mint on this plate but it was not missed.

First up there was an order of Pan Fried Haloumi with Fresh Lemon, Mint and Balsamic ($9). It came out with a crumbed coating which was unexpected but was very useful in soaking up the lemon juice. I've never been that crazy about haloumi and didn't find this mind blowing but perhaps if you're a bigger fan of the Cypriot cheese, you'll be more excited. I did like the crumbing which lends itself to my fondness of crispy fried things.


Oysters Kil-bolognese



A half dozen Oysters Kilpatrick ($20) was next for an oyster connoisseur and a very tough critic. These were reportedly very good, not amazing, though they were all devoured quickly. I did think the presentation could have been improved as the Kilpatrick sauce reminded me of Bolognese.



Perfect 'C' shaped bites of prawny flesh.



For the next entrée, Mr. Cakes got the Porterhouse Chilli King Prawns ($18) and the presentation of this dish was much more impressive! The spices were visible and it was a generous portion, they did not skimp on the prawns. The flavours were well balanced and the chilli did not overwhelm the prawns. Mr. Cakes said that some of the prawns had a over-soft texture which might be an indication of them being frozen.


Pork belly with delicious caramelised apple on top.



Two of the happy diners were less indulgent than the rest of us and shared the Crispy Pork Belly with Caramelised Apple, Red Slaw and Seeded Mustard ($15). The presentation of this was also well done and the portion size was generous for the price. The coleslaw cut well through the fat of the pork belly and the seeded mustard was a classic pairing. The caramelised apple appeared to be poached with a nice firmness. The fat could have been a little more rendered but overall, it was crispy and delicious.



My ill-chosen mussels. 



The final entrée was mine and I selected the Beer, Chilli Jam and Coconut Mussels ($16). I had been hankering for mussels for a few weeks and couldn't pass up the opportunity, even though I was slightly concerned about the beer as I'm not a beer drinker. Unfortunately I was right. The chilli and coconut flavours were amazing and again the portion size was generous. The Turkish bread pieces were great for mopping up the juices but with each mouthful I could taste some sort of bicarb-y flavour which I can only contribute to beer. I really think this was a poor choice on my behalf more than the dish though.


The first Rib Eye...the other one looked just like this but with potatoes. Imagine it in your mind tank.



With the entrees being a little hit and miss, we moved on to the mains. Steak proved to be the most popular with four out of six diners choosing some sort of steak. Two 300g Pasture Fed Rib Eyes ($33), one with steamed veg and roast potatoes and the other with steamed veg and fries were ordered. The South American influence came through with chimichuri sauce on the side. Both rib eyes were juicy, cooked as requested and the chips were amazing.


The ever so lady like eye fillet.



The 200g Grain Fed Eye Fillet ($31.50) with veg and roast potatoes was a plump medallion of tender juiciness. The platter of plate that the steaks were served on dwarfed petite serving but anyone who orders an eye fillet knows it's quality over quantity with this cut. Seasoned well and cooked well, steak was proving to be a good choice.

The Porterhouse of London Porterhouse. That would have been my choice had I not already won the ordering game.

The last steak was the 400g Pasture Fed Porterhouse ($36) with chips and veg also. The namesake steak proved that good red meat was the star of London Porterhouse. The porterhouse was also nice and juicy, cooked perfectly.

Ahh what lovely presentation!

One of the only two non-steak meals ordered was the Oven Roasted Barramundi with Baked Potato, Steamed Asparagus and Lemon Butter Sauce ($27). Here the finesse of the kitchen really shone through, with the presentation being more fine dining than steak house. The skin of the barramundi was crispy and the asparagus spears were steamed to perfection. The fish itself was moist and not overcooked like fish can so easily be. The lemon butter sauce was delicate and was delightful with the asparagus. Highly recommended.


Yabba dabba do!

Now for my dish which if I do say so myself, was the absolute winner. I ordered the Beef Ribs in Red Wine, Tomato and Sweet Chilli Glaze, in an entrée size ($17) and because I'm a genius, I ordered the Chilli Maple Onion Rings ($8.50). This single Flinstone sized rib with chips was served to me and I was in heaven. The bone pulled out cleanly and the meat fell apart in the most delectable way. It was sticky and unctuous. And if this was the entrée sized, heaven help the person who orders the main sized. And the onion rings. Oh me oh my. Huge circles of sweet onion fried in the crispiest light batter with a maple chilli creamy goodness. I was very sorry to have to share with the silly people who did not order their own. If I was a dog, I would have growled. The takeaway message here is get the onion rings!


Mmmmmmm hmmmmmm....

And just for you, here's another shot...I could stare at this all day.

 I'm not usually one for dessert as I'd rather stuff more savoury in but in the face of incessant pressure, the House-made Doughnuts with Chocolate and Caramel sauces ($9.50) were ordered. They were wonderfully warm, freshly cooked and sweet. Everyone at the table thoroughly savoured their nibble and the sauces were lovely, with the caramel being especially nice.

London Porterhouse was a little shaky to start with some of the entrées being underwhelming but they finished strong with all the mains wonderfully cooked and all the servings were generously sized. Service was wonderful and the staff served were happy, helpful and accommodating. And I would go back for those heavenly, sassy onion rings.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 3/5