Buffalo Dining Club, Darlinghurst

If I can name my favourite Italian restaurants in Sydney, Buffalo Dining Club is guaranteed to be in the top 5. Maybe even top 3. It has been opened for a few years and it's still going strong with lots of people waiting for a table on a Wednesday evening. Even though there were little changes to their simplistic menu over the years, it has still got me coming back again and again to this day.

Scamorza with pumpkin croquettes and cherry tomatoes ($20 including 2 sides)

With the name of the restaurant, it was no surprise that cheese was the main feature of the menu. You can try one of their fresh cheese plates with a choice of two sides. You can choose between buffalo mozzarella, burrata, scamorza (wood smoked cows milk cheese) and caprino (organic goats cheese). The scamorza that I ended up trying was delectable, smoked and stretched. The pumpkin croquettes were soft with a crisp, crumbled coating while the cherry tomatoes was refreshing on the palate. Along with three slices of bread, these ingredients were remarkably tasty together. 

San Daniele Prosciutto ($7 for 30g, $10 for 60g, $15 for 90g)

Similar to their sister restaurant, Chester White Cured Diner, Buffalo Dining Club boasts a small but solid range of cured meats on their menu. The San Daniele prosciutto was sliced so thinly to the point that it melts in your mouth. 

Negroamaro - Tornicola 2013, Salento Puglia Italy ($13/glass, $52/bottle)

Along with the cheese plate, the waiter kindly recommended a glass of Negroamaro from the Puglia region in Italy. Its deep, bitter and bold tones complemented well with the smoked flavour from the Scamorza cheese.

Cacio e Pepe ($20)

My favourite dish at Buffalo Dining Club has always been the classic Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper), which is spaghetti served in a pecorino cheese wheel. You get to check out the waiter carrying that giant wheel of cheese containing the pasta and stirring everything before your eyes. Like a theatrical performance. Everything about this dish was just too good to finish. Served with crumbly chunks of pecorino cheese mixed with parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil, the pasta was filling enough on its own that will keep your tummy satisfied for hours. It's impossible to resist that temptation of trying this dish from the look of that epic cheese wheel alone!

This has been one of those restaurants that has got me wanting more after the visit. All of their dishes are made to share however it is a small venue so a large group might be harder to fit. Looking forward to making more visits to try more of the cheeses, pastas and cured meats to satisfy my constant cravings. 

Buffalo Dining Club
116 Surrey Street, Darlinghurst NSW
(02) 9332 4052
Wed-Sat: 12:00pm - 11:00pm
 

The Stinking Bishops, Enmore

Apologies for my lack of action in blogging lately. In the last few weeks, I have been settling back to full time work, getting active at high intensity training, attending bdays and various special events, and watching endless repeats of 'If You Are The One'. Mostly the latter. Got a few good reviews lined up especially for those who love Japanese food. But more on that later. This review is all about the cheese!!!

It may be hard to believe now but I actually despised cheese when I was a kid. In fact I still wasn't too fond of cheese until a few years ago when I visited Hunter Valley for the first time. That's where I tried some of the cheeses that I wouldn't have touched including washed rind and blue cheeses. Going to The Stinking Bishops in Enmore when it opened last year was when I really fell in love with the formaggio. Sounds cheesy (pardon the pun) but it's true. Even though the name of the venue itself may not sound as enticing since it's named after a washed rind cheese renowned for its pungent smell.

By now CC and I have probably visited The Stinking Bishops at least 10 times over the last year. We are both diehard fans of this cheese and wine bar since our first visit. Everything we've tried here has been incredible. The dishes mentioned in this post is just a sample of what we have tried during our many visits. Mainly because most of our visits were at night where the lighting wasn't as awesome. There's not much seating at the venue and it fills up quickly at night so there's often a waiting list for dinner.

Three Cheese Board - Clockwise from Top: Bert 3 Latte, Quickes Oak Smoked Cheddar, Epoisses ($29.00) 

Three Cheese Board - Clockwise from Top: Isle of Mull Cheddar, Cashel Blue, Bruny Island Oen 

The Stinking Bishops has a wide selection of different cheeses to choose from whether it's a hard/semi-hard, washed rind, white mould/surface ripened or a blue mould cheese. Despite the numerous visits, it is still very hard to narrow it down to a four cheese board (let alone three or two) especially with that many options. You can get a two cheese board for $20, three cheeses for $29 or four cheeses for $36. This was served with a basket of sourdough bread and crackers, muscatel grapes (had fresh and dried ones on separate occasions), quince paste and a slice of fig and walnut log. 

While I would suggest to try most of them, my recommendations so far have been the smooth and creamy Bert 3 Latte (with cow's, goat's and sheep's milk); the runny washed-rind Epoisses, the soft Bruny Island Oen wrapped in vine leaves, the hard, crumbled and smoked Quickes Old Smoked Cheddar, the semi-soft, milder Irish Cashel Blue. Others faves not pictured would be the bitey French Comte and the smooth and nutty Holy Goat Brigid's Wall. 

'Mr Crispy' Sandwich - Smoked Wagyu Beef, Le Gruyere, house made pickles and horseradish mayo ($12.00) 

Besides the platters, another fave of mine at The Stinking Bishops has been the 'Mr Crispy' toasties. I actually only started liking toasties recently thanks to this dish. The cheese was slightly stringy (the best part!!!), the beef was tender and smoked while the rest of the contents balanced the fillings to make this one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Sadly it's only available for lunch but give it a go if you work around the area or pass by for lunch during the weekends.

Mac n' Cheese n' Onion ($21.00)

Personally I thought the cheese taste and smell in the Mac n Cheese was slightly too strong for my liking especially after digging into all the of the other cheeses. It was certainly a carb feast just going through the bowl. It's great dish to have as a comfort meal during the colder winter seasons. 

Pinot Grigio ($12.00/glass)

Pinot Noir ($11.00/glass)

Of course there was a bit of wine action when cheese is involved. Can't think of anything else more suited to each other than this. 

Other dishes I would recommend would  be the cured meat platters. If only I could do a combination of meat and cheese platter. Hopefully one day. The only qualms were that you had to get there early to get a table if you are there for dinner. It can also be quite noisy at times. Plus the prices aren't cheap which was to be expected for a boutique cheese bar.  If you love your cheese, The Stinking Bishops is a must visit. The staff are super friendly and they REALLY know their cheese! If you aren't a huge cheese fan, this may actually convert you. It certainly has for me. Looking forward to making 1000 more visits for 2015 and beyond hehe. 

The Stinking Bishops
Shop 5, 63-71 Enmore Road, Enmore NSW
(02) 9007 7754
http://www.thestinkingbishops.com/