Momo Brasserie, Sydney CBD

Situated in the heart of the business district in Sydney near Martin Place, Momo Brasserie delivers hearty food that you may find at a New York brasserie. I have made regular trips to this cafe for coffee nearly every morning but not so much for their food. Making good use of the distance between Momo Brasserie and my work place, I eventually got the chance to check it out for more than just a morning coffee run. 

Considering the location, it's no surprise that most of the people dining at this cafe were office workers in the area. While it claims to be an 'Upper-East Side restaurant, the vibe is down-to-earth and easy going. The atmosphere was relaxing with people sitting down for a meal and those standing near the counter waiting for a coffee. There are so many options to try here that you wouldn't know where to start. Since there are a couple of posters for pastrami at the front, I knew I had to get something that involves the signature meat. In Sydney, there doesn't seem to be many places that include pastrami on the menu except for a few places that serve the Reuben sandwich (an American classic) so might as well make the most of it. 

At Momo, one of the meals that they offer on the menu is an open sandwich with pastrami meat titled the 'New York Pastrami'. I don't know how the New York delis do it but I thought that Momo's version is incredible. There were epic stacks of pastrami piled on top of 2 slices of toasted rye bread along with American mustard, pickles and slaw. It was hard to eat this without getting your plate messy. Having said that, I thought that this was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. The house-made pastrami takes nearly a week to make starting from the process of curing and pickling the beef brisket then rubbing and seasoning it with various spices and herbs (including peppercorns which I'm obsessed with right now) and then smoked to make succulent, pull-apart, peppery and very flavoursome pastrami. It is perfect to have with the crusty toasted rye bread  as it was strong enough to hold so many ingredients though it was messy to cut and incredibly filling by the end.

New York Pastrami - warm house made pastrami served on open toasted rye, and served with slaw, pickled cucumbers and American mustard ($17.50)

You get a choice of salad or fries as a complimentary side to your meal if you order anything under the deli menu or if you decide to have the Wagyu burger or the Momo sliders. I stuck with the salad which is actually big for a side but it helped a lot with balancing the meaty flavours as well as the carbs from the rye bread with some much needed veggies. And you won't get even more full than you already are.

Complimentary salad

On another visit to Momo, I was craving for more pastrami but with something a little different. This version is served on a bed of potato latkes and veggie greens (I'm assuming it's spinach but this was not mentioned on the menu). I remember loving potato latkes (shredded potato cakes) when I was a kid and mum found a recipe on it in one of her old cookbooks. Unfortunately it's high in carbs but it was a total guilty pleasure. So crusty and crispy on the outside and quite soft inside, I just love digging into shredded potato. Again, the pastrami was well seasoned, tender and juicy. In addition, the slaw, spinach and the slightly sour pickled cucumbers helped in toning down the amount of starch and meatiness of this dish. Like the New York Pastrami open sandwich, this was a generous serving for one person. It will keep you very full for the rest of the day.

Warm Pastrami served with Dijon mustard, pickled cucumbers, potato latkes & sour cream ($19.00) 
 

FOOD PORN!

Thought that this version of lemon, lime bitter was a bit too fizzy for my liking. Still enjoyed the drink regardless.

Lemon, lime bitters ($4.50)

On yet another occasion, work was incredibly busy so I didn't have enough time to head out and have lunch. Momo Brasserie offers a separate take away menu with some of their menu items listed at reduced prices. They sadly didn't offer the New York Pastrami sandwich on the Take Away menu but they do offer the Reuben if you need your pastrami feed. You also get the option to order 100g of pastrami for take away (funny enough this was listed on the website but not on the take away menu at the restaurant but they still offer it when I requested this).

After watching an episode of Man v Food where the host was talking about pulled pork, I was having epic cravings for decent pulled pork in Sydney. Was pretty stunned when I saw that their pulled pork roll only costs $10.00! Like the New York Pastrami, the serving size for the roll was huge. The pulled pork, tangy barbeque sauce and creamy slaw are sandwiched inside a damper roll like a burger. As for the roll, it has a fluffy and slightly crusty texture while the pork was soft, well cooked and packed with flavour. This was also very messy to handle and bits of pork ended up everywhere in the box.  

Pastrami ($3.60 - take away), Pulled pork roll ($10.00 - take away, $17.90 - eat in)

As for the coffee, I found it to be very helpful in getting me through the working day. The mocha coffee had a decent balance which isn't too sweet nor is it too strong though it was quite creamy. 

Mocha (small: $3.00, large: $3.50)

 

Whether you are keen for breakfast, brunch, lunch or just a coffee, Momo Brasserie caters for most of the day from 7am to 4pm on weekdays so it is definitely catering for full time city workers than hungry students late at night. However, the prices are reasonable especially given the portions and if you order takeaway then it's even cheaper. What's even more amazing is that while the food is made to order, it gets delivered from the kitchen to the table quickly. In addition to fast service, you also get friendly and helpful service from the staff. Definitely check this place out when you are in need of something hearty, filling, tasty and a little bit fancy without the pretentiousness.

Momo Brasserie
65 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9233 8838
http://www.momobrasserie.com.au/

Mr Crackles, Darlinghurst

If there is anything more guilty than sweets and carbs, it's pork belly and pork crackling. Think of all the fatty layers and juices of pork dripping down onto your plate. If that is not foodgasm for you then I don't know what is. Otherwise, rejoice pork lovers! Mr Crackles has opened its doors recently to satisfy your juicy pork belly and irresistible pork crackling cravings

PORK CRACKLINGGG!!!

Recently opened on Oxford Street where the old New York Slice Pizzeria used to operate, Mr Crackles is running in the same way as the local take away pork roll shop (Think Viet Hoa in Cabramatta, Marrickville Pork Rolls or Hong Ha in Mascot for example). Don't expect to come here thinking you will be seated at a table like a restaurant (though there is limited seating). This works as an advantage to the hurdles of nearby office workers lining outside this eatery to buy a quick and easy lunch during the day or a bunch of drunk people looking for a late night-early morning snack.

If you're keen for a roll, you get a choice of a small size for $7 or a large size for $10. Remember to specify if you want a small or large size. I think the default size is the large one if you do not mention the size when you are ordering based on previous experiences. Not that it's a bad thing.

Crackles Classic Roll - Small ($7.00)

Of course the one thing that you should order at Mr Crackles is the rather addictive 'Crackles Classic', which consists of crispy pork belly, Vietnamese salad (the pickled veggies that you would usually get in a Vietnamese pork roll like cucumber, carrots and coriander) and as much chilli as you can handle. Just like your average pork roll shop. The pork belly is so crispy, tender and juicy while the Vietnamese salad helps to counterbalance the meat with its cool and fresh ingredients. It is filled inside a bread roll which has a very crunchy and crusty texture as you bite into the roll. It's a must order if you ever stop by Mr Crackles! You also have a variety of other options if you don't eat pork. Roast meat flavours include the Wagyu beef, Lamb, Classic Chicken, Sweet Pork, Vego and a special Roll of the Month. For those who LOVE their meat, you can get the Manwich for twice the meat and half the salad in the roll. ZOMG...

Crackles Classic Roll - Large ($10.00)

Another thing that I always order every time I head to Mr Crackles is the Cup of Crackling. Yes that's right. Pork crackling. This is the ultimate crunchy crackling. Despite its original name as 'salted crackling', it actually isn't too salty and also has a slightly sweet taste though I'm not sure what that is exactly. If you try eating it at a really quiet place, everyone can hear you chew that pork crackling very loud and clear. It is that crunchy. What's even better is that you can leave it for a day or two and it still doesn't get soft. Or you could be like me and eat the whole thing then want even more!

Cup of Crackling ($5.00)

If you are feeling guilty about eating carbs but you don't mind eating some fatty pork belly (hehe gotcha) or you're just keen for other types of meat and salad without the bread roll, then this place offers a salad with roast meat filling option. One evening, I stopped by Mr Crackles and saw heaps of diners ordering the salad with Crackles Classic meat a lot more than the Crackles Classic roll. It is quite oily and once again the salad helps in balancing the ingredients and flavours. And it was incredibly filling! Felt so full after eating the salad haha. 

Roast meat with salad: Crackles Classic with Vietnamese Salad - Small ($8.50)

VEGGIE CORNER: If you can't eat any meat at all, don't let this place sway you away. Mr Crackles also has a vego roll filled with cinnamon, coriander, spiced roast pumpkin, caramelised onions, tahini and watercress salad. You can also have a salad without meat option or just hot chips on its own (just don't get the chicken salt).

If you are looking for somewhere to eat very late at night and you are sick of greasy kebabs, this is a great alternative as it opens till 3am on Friday and Saturday night. It is also a great place to eat during your lunch break as they do make it quick enough for you to get back to work on time unless the lunch time queues get crazy, which is sometimes does. Will come back to try the other flavours as well as the hot dogs and chilli fries. But it's really hard for me to take my mind away from the pork belly roll and the crackling cup every time I visit here. It's that good.

Mr Crackles

155 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
(02) 8068 2832
http://www.mrcrackles.com.au/

Hugos Bar Pizza, Kings Cross

Situated on the troubled Bayswater Road in Kings Cross where clubs like The Trademark, Candy's Apartment and World Bar rule the street and many restaurants barely last for 6-12 months before closing its doors permanently. It is a surprise that on a street full of restaurant losses, there are still a few successes that have lasted for a good amount of time. Hugos Bar Pizza is one of those well known restaurants that has lasted for many years and, judging by what I've seen that night, it's still going strong with Hugo's Lounge running upstairs and another branch in Manly.

Glass of sangria - yum!!! ($35 for a jug...)

We were having trouble deciding on a venue for CC's birthday dinner but eventually we settled with Hugos Bar Pizza as we have heard about how good the award-winning pizzas were, the mad parties and the decent selection of drinks. Plus it's great for large groups as long as you make a booking in advance. As the lighting inside the restaurant was very dark, the photos didn't turn out too great. Many apologies! In terms of the atmosphere, the dim lighting brought a classy, intimate, relaxing yet buzzing vibe to the restaurant.

For entrees, we settled with polenta chips and home made tomato sauce. While it was crispy on the outside, these chunky bites were fluffy, hot and quite moreish. Great to share with others. CC thought these polenta chips were better than the ones at Jamie's Italian as it was not too salty. The sauce was slightly spicy which is the perfect match with polenta which can get bland after a few digs.

Crisp polenta chips with tomato salsa ($10.00)

Of course we were here for the pizzas and they did not disappoint us. The base was thin, crispy and light; and the toppings were full of flavour. It was similar to the traditional concept of pizza where only 4-5 toppings are necessary. Simple ingredients with luscious flavour. Everyone was eager to grab a piece so it was no surprise that each pizza ran out so quickly. It was slightly tough to cut the pizza slices if you prefer to eat it by knife and fork. Eventually I gave up and picked up the slice by the hand. Fancy much?

Though that the prawn pizza had an interesting selection of toppings including chilli prawn, roasted capsicum and tomato topped with salsa verde. I love anything with salsa verde and it certainly adds a tangy flavour to the well-cooked prawns. The mates gave this a thumbs up.

Prawn pizza ($28.00)
chilli prawn, roasted capsicum, tomato and salsa verde

Who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned Margherita pizza? Hugo's certainly does a reasonable job with this pizza by adding a few more necessary ingredients rather than just overloading the pizza base with cheese. And when it comes to buffalo mozzarella on a Margherita pizza, I'm totally there! I'm also a fan of anything with fresh basil as it adds a good amount of aromatic flavour to the pizza. 

Margherita pizza ($20.00)

Roma tomato, buffalo milk mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil 

Spanish influence has played a role in the Chorizo pizza with the use of chorizo sausages and chipotle sauce. Overall it had a smokey yet zesty flavour from these ingredients 

Chorizo pizza ($28.00)
chorizo, olives, peppers, sundried tomatoes, chipotle dressing

It may look a bit similar to a Margherita pizza but it still has its own flavour with those succulent pepperoni slices. While pepperoni pizzas at some pizza chain stores is mainly just a tomato-based pizza topped with cheese and littered with pepperoni slices; Hugo's pepperoni adds variety with the aromatic mint leaves and creamy dollops of buffalo mozzarella.

Pepperoni pizza ($26.00)

pepperoni, tomato, mint, buffalo milk mozzarella

I would not jump the gun and declare Hugos Bar Pizza to have the best pizza in Sydney but it did satisfy my taste buds that night and everyone at the table were impressed by the food. The service was pretty quick though they do get busy at times. In terms of pricing, it is leaning to the expensive side but if you bring a large group to share the pizzas, it's not too bad. I've also checked out Concrete Playground's Seven Days of Cheaps Eats in Sydney which includes Hugos Lounge serving $5 pizzas on Wednesdays. Good bargain if you ask me. The only minor issue was fitting many pizzas on the table along with wine glasses and small glasses of water without spilling anything. Luckily nothing happened. I'd recommend Hugos Bar Pizza for group outings, birthdays and hens nights since most of the menu has decent servings to share. Give this place a try before it disappears like many other restaurants on Bayswater Road!

Hugos Bar Pizza
1/33 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross NSW
(02) 9332 1227

Arisun, Chinatown - Haymarket

Arisun is one of those restaurants where you should have been there by now. At least according to pretty much everyone on my Facebook. I probably have at some point during uni but nowadays it has been a blur. After hearing raves from everyone about Arisun's fried chicken, I gotta check it out soon. One Friday night, we were supposed to have dinner at Chefs Gallery but it was already too full for 5 hungry diners so we headed to Arisun since it was closer to where we were planning to go for karaoke afterwards.  

Complimentary Kim Chi

This restaurant has your usual Korean favourites including your complimentary kim chi and other starters, hot pot, seafood pancake, Korean BBQ and various noodle and rice dishes. We started with the usual complimentary Korean starters including the good ol' fashioned kim chi which wasn't overbearingly spicy that it usually is so I was able to try more pieces than the usual. The guys asked for rice to accompany with some of our dishes and the waiter delivered a huge bowl of rice for everyone to share.

Bowl of rice ($2.00)

The guys were craving for some Korean BBQ beef so we decided to try this as well. It was delivered to us on a hot plate in a similar way to the hot plates I've seen at Chinese take away shops around Haymarket. The waiter poured the beef, onion and other sorts of veggies onto the hot plate where it sizzled intensely. Bits of the hot oil were flying everywhere while we watch the food getting cooked. The beef was lighter, less stodgy and more succulent than the beef I usually get from those Chinese take away shops. I was almost eager to have more than I needed but we have more dishes coming up.

Korean BBQ Beef ($24.00)

One of my favourites that I notice at Korean restaurants was the black bean noodles - also known as Jajangmyeon. It wasn't the prettiest looking dish and it does require some effort with stirring the noodles and the thick, rich sauce together. Despite that, it was still delicious since it was something I have not tried as often. And I enjoyed slurping up these slippery, savoury and slightly sweet noodles. While this meal costs $11, the serving is generous that you can have the whole bowl for yourself at a small price.

Black bean noodles ($11.00)

The guys ordered their share of the black bean noodles but with seafood instead of meat. Also the noodles were already stirred thoroughly before the seafood and veggies were added. Enjoyed this version as it adds variety to the meal rather than just noodles and black bean sauce plus it wasn't as thick and rich as the former. Again, the price is very affordable considering the size of the plate.

Seafood black bean noodles on plate ($13.00)

One of the guys was planning to have this dish all for himself but when we saw it, everyone was so eager to have a piece to the point where I could not get a shot of the full seafood pancake. It was much thinner and a bit less crispy (but not soggy!) than most other seafood pancakes that I've tried but I'm glad it was a lot lighter as we were already starting to get full. The batter did not overpower the pancake so I found this pancake to have a balanced amount of flavours from different ingredients. We finished this off so quickly before we knew it and the guys were still keen for seconds but we still have to wait for the fried chicken.

              

 Seafood pancake ($13.00) 

And finally it shows up! Here at Arisun, you have the choice of the Original Fried Chicken, Soy, and Sweet and Spicy. Regardless of your choice, the price is $30 where you get an epic load of chicken pieces that I would recommend to share with 4 or more especially if you order heaps of dishes like us. Otherwise, if there is one thing you have to order at Arisun, it has to be this and even then, I would still recommend to bring at least 2 hungry friends to finish off the chicken.

Was it worth the hype? My verdict: it was some damn goooood chicken! Crunchiness was everywhere on these juicy and lightly seasoned chicken pieces. It was delivered in small golden brown chunks but it was enough for us to fill up without getting too bloated. What makes this even better was that it wasn't oily at all despite being fried and incredibly crispy and most of them were boneless pieces so we didn't have to worry about picking too many out. It wasn't the best fried chicken I've ever had (sorry but my heart still goes for Hartsyard's fried chicken) but it's up there for best Korean fried chicken with its succulent batter which got us addicted and compelled to finish every single one of them.

Original Fried Chicken ($30.00)

As it has an outdoor seating area, the atmosphere was very social and enjoyable (we were probably the loudest group that night!) and the staff were generally attentive. Plus the prices were reasonable since we shared all of the dishes. If you are keen for purely Korean cuisine, I'd give this place a go as they do a tremendous job with it. Will come back soon particularly during the colder months as I've heard that Arisun does a mean hot pot. I can understand the appeal for Arisun and their crispy Korean fried chicken and wouldn't mind trying out the other flavours of chicken soon as well as having a shot of soju or two if we're planning to have a crazy night out.

Thought this was real...

Arisun
1 Dixon Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9264 1588

Mejico, Sydney CBD

Around 5 years ago and more, I would have complained that there's not enough Mexican food in Sydney. These days lots of people would be complaining that there's way too much Mexican food in Sydney. Not me, I would say bring it on but I'm biased because I looooooove Mexican food. One night I was stumbling back to the station after a night out at the club and walked past this restaurant just setting up and getting prepared before its grand opening about a week later. Judging by the menu, it looked like something I really want to try. It's also fairly close to work as well as being in the heart of Sydney CBD so it fast tracked itself to nearly the top of my list of places to try during my lunch hour.   

Mejico has an electric, funky and modern feel by its neon pink and black decor and fancy setting. Though it is not cheap like El Loco or Guzman Y Gomez. Looking at the diners, it's seems to be appealing towards the city workers looking for somewhere to meet for a work lunch. Funny enough, it's right next door to Jamie's Italian and its pasta machine and with someone standing at the front making the restaurant's signature blackened corn on the corn grill. Bit of a sneaky move but it makes the impatient and hungry diners happy rather than waiting 60+ minutes for a table at Jamie's. They offer an extensive selection of drinks at the bar and they even use their tequila bottle for the water. Again hilariously sneaky into making you think you are getting free tequila.

Water in a tequila bottle :p

The first thing that attracted me to this restaurant is the tacos. Especially lamb braised shoulder tacos...mmm lamb tacos. And it has gremolata which makes it even better for me (if you like gremolata that is). When it arrived, I was stunned at how small it really is. Really really small actually. If you are keen on coming here and just ordering one set of 3 tacos alone, it will not fill you up. Which is a bit of a bummer since it is $16. Despite that, the smoked lamb tacos were very delicious and incredibly juicy and the filling inside the tortilla is a generous serving. It has a Middle-Eastern taste with the smoky lamb that melts in your mouth, the crumbly gremolata and the zesty mint-infused mayonnaise.

Braised Lamb Shoulder ($16.00)

Still keen for more, I ordered another set of tacos but with pork belly that was smoked for 20 hours (hello to all the pork belly lovers!). The pork belly was cut into thick cubes and was accompanied with black bean hummus and tomatillo salsa on the side. I loved filling the tacos with the salsa as it just gives them a zesty taste. And the meat is so soft, juicy and scrumptious when you bite into it. Very tasty though I wish the tacos were bigger.

Smoked Pork Belly Tacos ($16.00)

So tiny!

Since trying the ceviches at various places like Queenies and Eat Art Truck, I am now a big fan of this colourful, refreshing and reasonably healthy meal. Mejico offers three variants including Pacific scallops, Hiramasa kingfish and Atlantic salmon. I selected the kingfish ceviche mainly for its ingredients including ruby grapefruit, watermelon, pepitas, radish and chilli flakes. These were presented as 4 bite sized treats with the filling laid on a thin and crispy cracker-like tostada. The filling tasted incredible with the colourful ingredients, the softness of the kingfish, the sweetness from the watermelon and the spiciness from the chilli flakes. Once again, my only disappointment was the size of these treats as I was hoping for the ceviche to be presented on a bigger tostada instead of an easy-to-break cracker.

Hiramasa Kingfish Ceviches ($16.00)

When arriving to my table, I immediately noticed the mortle and pestle placed there. Then I spotted a number of nearby diners ordering the signature Market Fresh Guacamole. with plantain chips. With so many restaurants serving guacamole, there must be something special for it to be one of Mejico's signature dishes. Sure enough, it turns out that it is freshly made. And by freshly made, I mean the waitress brings out a tray containing separate bowls of ingredients and makes the guacamole on the spot in front of you.

It was entertaining watching the waitress mixing and mashing the ingredients together to form the guacamole. Hopefully next time there is the option to make the guacamole ourselves to save time and effort for the staff. While it has traditional ingredients like avocado, coriander, Spanish onion and lime juice; there were several unusual ingredients including walnuts, serrano chilli and wasbai (whaaat?!). Despite the couple of odd ingredients, the wasabi and the chilli brought a nice kick to the guacamole as it mostly just tasted like avocado. The plantain chips were much bigger than I expected. These chips were a delightful treat to scoop up heavy chunks of the guacamole rather than the usual corn chips. 

Market Fresh Guacamole ($9.00)

Plantain chips

Recently, I returned to try a few more dishes after a hard morning at work. The other thing that attracted me to Mejico were the Sweet Potato croquettes but knowing how filling they will be, I didn't get to try them back then. The croquetas were golden and crunchy with a soft and sweet potato filling. Thanks to the sweet potato, this side dish ended up being very filling. The manchego cheese inside them tasted quite light that you wouldn't notice that it was there until you pull the croquette apart and watch the cheese drool. While I enjoyed the slightly spicy (possibly chipotle flavoured?) dipping sauce on the side, the spiciness does overpower the cheese when you dip it in. 

Croquetas ($8.00) 

Another signature is the blackened corn that was grilled in a husk as demonstrated at the front of the restaurant as you enter inside. I'd say that the corn is substantial if you order this for yourself or with one other friend and have two pieces each but individually for 4 ppl, it is quite small as well. I am guessing this was one corn cut into 4 equal pieces. As for the taste, I liked the grilled texture as well as the parmesan cheese and garnishes on top of each corn. Having said that, there wasn't much cheese on each corn so the cheese and corn lovers will be disappointed about this.

Blackened corn ($7.00)

By this point, I've realised that most of the food at Mejico has garnishes of fresh parsley on top...

While the majority of diners were office workers, it has the hip atmosphere from the music to the decor which made it vibrant and chic. The service was decent during my visits and I enjoyed the entertainment from seeing the waitress making the guacamole from scratch. In regards to the food, it was a mixed affair for me. Notably, the serving portions for some of the dishes seem small considering the value and it was pricey  I still won't mind coming back again to try the ribs as I've heard how amazing they are as well as the Agave-glazed Caramel Fudge for dessert. With Mejico aiming towards modern Mexican dining with its fancy vibe, this may set the trend in branching the ever-increasingly popular Mexican cuisine to more than just fast street food or yet another addition to a pub/bar menu. Does it work? Well it gets a packed crowd at lunch on a weekday so they must be doing something right.

Mejico
105 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9230 0119
http://mejico.com.au/