Chi and Co, Canley Heights

I remember going to Canley Heights for temp work a few years ago when Holy Basil just opened. The restaurant life was mostly your old school Vietnamese eateries and there was barely any other options when you weren't in the mood for Viet food back then (surprising right?). How times have changed! Now there are so many late night restaurants in Canley Heights where you can decide whether you want a bowl of pho, fried ice cream or waffles for dessert, or a degustation of Asian-inspired tapas! With the addition of the modern Asian restaurant 'Chi and Co', it's one step closer to bringing out the "Surry Hills" foodie melting pot into South West Sydney.

I purchased a voucher to try a 6-course meal for two at $39 where I get to have a taste at a selection of dishes from Chi and Co's expansive menu. The dishes were inspired from different Asian cultures (Vietnamese, Thai, Laos, Malaysian) but with a modern kick. Some of the dishes were a bit similar to the ones I've noticed at Chin Chin in Melbourne, which is good if the lines were too much hassle for you. 

Berry Rose Cake ($16.00)

Although the drinks weren't complimentary, we were so thirsty after a long day out. I was instantly attracted to the Berry Rose Cake cocktail, which was described on the menu as a "Black Star Pastry-inspired cocktail". This was no surprise since it contains strawberries, watermelon, vodka, strawberry liquer and finished with a rose foam on top. It was quite sweet but not overwhelmingly. The vodka didn't taste strong either which is good for a chilled and relaxing night. And it really does feel like drinking BSP's signature strawberry and watermelon cake hehehe.

Mocktail ($9.00)

While I couldn't remember the name of this mocktail, it looked very appealing especially with the abundance of strawberries and lychees clouding around inside the drink. 

Chicken Lettuce Delight ($11.00)

The dishes arrived to our table very quickly especially the entrees that arrived at the same time. The first dish I tried was the chicken lettuce delight, which was basically a san choy bao consisting of lup cheong, mushrooms, water chestnuts and crispy glass noodles. The lettuce and the glass noodles delivered a nice crunch to the fillings. While the overall flavour wasn't as flavoursome as I preferred (it was CC's fave dish though), it ended up being a relief since most of the other dishes were quite spicy. 

Pulled Beef Sliders ($9.00)

The pulled beef sliders (pulled beef rib, steamed bun with mint and house pickles) was actually one of my favourite dishes out of the six courses. The steamed bun was soft and fluffy while the pulled beef was very delicious and tender. Did not expect this to come from a beef rib at all but it's very succulent. Pricey though considering the serving size. 

Son in Law Eggs with house XO sauce ($7.90)

The son in law eggs was the dish I was looking forward to trying from Chi and Co the most out of all the other dishes. The yolk and filling was well cooked with the sambal and XO sauce placed on top. CC wasn't a fan because of the spices and the strong flavours but I enjoyed this dish because of the unusual ingredients, the runny egg yolk and the crisp and fried outer casing of the egg.

Smoked Trout on Betal Leaf ($8.40)

This may look like a simple dish but the smoked trout on betal leaf was another flavour kicker from the shredded trout pieces to the roasted chilli and galangal. Especially when you eat the whole dish in one go. While the roasted chilli wasn't spicy, it was still loads of excitement to your taste buds. Again, it is pricey given the size of the dish but I am still keen to try the spanner crab version on my next visit.  

Shaken Beef ($23.80)

Our main dishes arrived starting with the Shaken Beef. Between two people, the serving was a tad smaller than we expected but decent enough for our stomachs with all the other courses we've had. The tender beef scotch fillet cubes were seasoned with aromatic garlic and pepper sauce to give off that caramelised and tangy flavour kick. Reminded us of our own families' version of Bo Luc Lac at home and this version is certainly very delicious.

Fried Salmon Salad ($20.80)

We also got the fried salmon salad for our main dishes, which was equally delicious. This consists of chunks of fried salmon fillet with green papaya, Vietnamese mint and garlic. The papaya salad was made Vietnamese style so it's milder than the Thai version. The salmon fillets were well cooked and juicy with a crisp exterior but the biggest hit of this dish has gotta be the crispy salmon skin. It was so crunchy that it was harder for us to share this between two people. Goes really well with the fresh, sour and tangy papaya salad too.

Stir-fried greens ($8.00)

We also received a plate of stir-fried greens and steamed rice along with the main plates. The stir fried greens consists of broccoli, snow peas and bok choy. It was a nice change from the other flavour-intensive dishes though it again it felt very similar to the one that mum cooks up at home. Still liked the flavour and texture of this classic dish.

Steamed rice ($4.50)

I haven't eaten steamed white rice as much these days but I enjoyed Chi and Co's version especially with its fluffy yet firm texture. Great to have with the Shaken Beef.

Kaffir Lime Brulee with Coconut Sorbet ($11.90)

The Kaffir lime brulee caught my eye immediately since I haven't had creme brulee for a long time. The brulee topping was a bit too thick so it was initially harder (but hey at least it wasn't too thin :p) to crack but it was nonetheless a lovely dish especially with the smooth custard the overall light flavour. I would say that this brulee is good to have on its own. Was getting full by this point so I didn't have much of the coconut sorbet - though it did felt heavy and dense when I had a few bites. It was also cold that evening so I could imagine this would be lovely to have on a warm day.

Panna Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote and Honeycomb ($11.90)

The panna cotta was creamy but the mixed berries were too sour for CC's liking. Surprisingly, the honeycomb ended up balancing the overall taste of this dish. 

Since we only need to pay $39 for a 6 course meal for two people, this was actually a bargain compared to paying the full prices from the A La Carte menu. Considering the serving size, the prices are expensive especially with all the cheaper options in the area that will get you full instantly. However, I was pleased with the dishes they offered as well as the friendly service. And it's good to see a slice of Surry Hills in Canley Heights with its chic and funky layout, atmosphere, and the modern approach to classic Asian dishes. While it isn't a restaurant I would return to very often, it is a good local place for a special occasion with a group of friends especially with the attentive service and atmosphere.

Chi and Co
Shop 3, 264 Canley Vale Road (entrance on Derby Street)
Canley Heights NSW 2166
(02) 9727 2068
http://www.chiandco.com.au/
Tue-Thurs: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Fri-Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Candelori's Ristorante e Bar, Smithfield

Italian cuisine has always been one of my favourite cuisines since I was a kid. Even though it's heavy on the carbs, you just can't resist the al dente pasta or the melting cheese from the pizza as you pick up the slice. Recently, I was kindly invited by Wasamedia to the relaunch event of Candelori's in Smithfield. It's a suburb known for housing numerous industrial companies and warehouses as well as being located close to the rising foodie suburb of Fairfield in the Western Suburbs. Even though Smithfield is not too far from where I live, I was surprised to hear that this family-owned institution had actually been around for 15 years and had only recently underwent a renovation by DS17 (the same team who designed the layout for Casa Ristorante Italiano, Alpha, China Republic to name a few). By the way, can you believe that 1999 was actually 15 years ago?!?! Feels like yesterday. Gawd I feel old.

Candelori's was owned by the Candelori family who originally opened this restaurant in Smithfield to deliver authentic, no-fuss, simple and delicious Italian food with a welcoming atmosphere for those who found it hard to travel to Leichardt, Haberfield or the Stanley Street, Darlinghurst areas at the time. While there was a red carpet and expensive-looking cars sighted at front, the down to earth service and the hearty Italian food fare was evident once you enter the doors. 

The layout was spacious enough to fit a few large functions including the main dining room at the front, the private dining room on the left and the marbled open kitchen adjacent to the dining room where the diners can witness the cooking magic taking place. There's even a giant wheel of grana padano cheese!!! 

I was fascinated by the sample tastings provided by various local food producers featured at the launch event including olive oil, olives and wine.

Olive Oil from Finnis Estate

Olives tasting(!!!)

Lots and lots of wine from Fermoy Estate

Although there were a number of delicious produce, what got the crowds going was the people making the buffalo mozzarella and burrata cheeses fresh on the spot. There was also a solid crowd observing a machine cutting the prosciutto into thin slices (sadly I forgot to take a photo of this). 

If it wasn't a full house, I would gladly have second servings of the creamy cheese and eat ALL the prosciutto because they were soooo goood!

Clockwise - Top to Bottom: Prosciutto, Buffalo Mozzarella, Burrata

After the tastings we were seated at our table where we were treated to a shared degustation consisting of a extensive selection of classic Italian dishes from Candelori's menu. While there were a number of traditional favourites like margherita pizza and antipasto, there were also a couple of plates that I have not tried until that night. 

Mixed Bruschetta 

We began our degustation with a couple of starter plates (also known as Struzzchini). The first plate that was delivered to the table was a mixed plate of bruschetta. I always enjoyed the traditional tomato, basil and garlic on ciabatta bread (left on above picture) that was filled with juicy, ripe chopped tomatoes flavoured with olive oil. On the other hand, the woodfire-roasted capsicums on ciabatta bread (right) was a mouthful of flavours. Although the toppings remained on top for a while as the other dishes began popping up, the bread remained crusty as I finish off each bite.

Crumbed stuffed green olives filled with goat's milk feta and snap fried 

While I've heard about crumbed stuffed olives in cookbooks, magazines and a few other restaurants, this was actually my first time trying it especially with feta. Since it was deep fried bread-crumbed olives stuffed with cheese, it was no surprise that they got quite addictive. 

Complimentary bread and butter

We also had bread included though I tried to stay away in order to prepare for the main dishes. I did end up grabbing a slice and was wowed by how freshly baked and soft that the bread really was. 

Antipasto board 

Been developing a strong appreciation of cheese and cured meats lately so I was extremely excited when this platter showed up. The antipasto board consisted of San Danielle prosciutto, salami casareccia, wagyu bresaola, Sicilian green olives, Sardinian crisp bread and parmigianno regianno. So much excitement on a plate that you don't know where to start! Think I may have gotten a bit greedy with my share...

Octopus Carpaccio

For a lighter option, we got to try out the octopus carpaccio, which was something I do not usually see at many Italian restaurant menus but has become one of my faves from this degustation. The octopus was thinly sliced and marinated with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lemon, dry chilli, parsley, orange zest, lemon thyme, baby capers and pomegranate seeds to deliver a burst of zesty flavours. Wouldn't mind ordering this again.

Buffalo mozzarella caprese

Of course you can't go wrong with a simple dish like this. While the sliced tomatoes were ice especially when seasoned with EVOO, the hero of the dish was of course the creamy buffalo mozzarella. 

Oven baked figs

By this point, I was slowly getting full and we haven't even finished the entrees. In fact we're only halfway there! *insert lyric from a certain Bon Jovi song*. And if you had not been sick of prosciutto by this point (really? dude...) then check out these oven baked figs wrapped in prosciutto like parcels. Personally it made me love prosciutto even more. Was surprised that the gorgonzola cheese wasn't as strong as I expected. Which is a good thing for me. Around the table, I overheard fellow blogers praising this dish so it was certainly a highlight of the night.

Zucchini flowers filled with ricotta cheese and spinach

And then there was even more cheese in the form of ricotta stuffed in fried zucchini flowers. I do love zucchini so eating it when battered and fried was a good experience. Tasted even better with a squeeze of lemon.

Gamberi in tegame

I have often drooled at seafood stew on Italian cooking and travel shows as well as cookbooks in the past so I was incredibly excited to try out this dish. The pomodoro sauce was had a tangy flavour due to the chilli (not very spicy btw), garlic, cherry tomatoes, olive oil and parsley. Plus the tiger prawns was absolutely succulent and fresh. 

Gnocchi with duck ragu - 

The following dish had a rustic texture with its slow-braised duck ragu and the shaved cheese (parmesan?) scattered on top. Enjoyed the thick ragu sauce as well as the gnocchi dumplings though they did get too soft a bit quickly.

Woodfired Pizza Margherita D.O.C

I do love a pizza with minimal toppings. Especially something as simple as a traditional, good old-fashioned Margherita pizza. The toppings consist of tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil; which all tasted so well together. Only tried one slice and was satisfied by the thin crisp base that didn't go soggy even when I took a mini break from eating for a few minutes. It definitely reminded me of the amazing pizzas I had in Italy two years ago (take me back!). 

Crespelle - mascarpone crepe with warm Belgian dark chocolate and crushed hazelnuts

By this point I was absolutely stuffed but you know what we say about our stomach when it comes to dessert. I managed more than halfway through this dish thanks to the pool of dark chocolate coated with crushed hazelnuts and icing sugar however the food coma took over eventually. *sighs*. Loved the deliciously cooked crepe though.

During the night, me and a few bloggers were busy going crazy at the free photobooth at the back of the restaurant. So much fun times! 

THAT GIANT CHEESE!!!

While Smithfield isn't a suburb I would go to very often, I wouldn't mind considering this option next time the folks want to eat out somewhere different for a special occasion. Would definitely like to return to try more of the options from the very extensive full menu that weren't available on the night. I was satisfied that a restaurant serving a range of authentic Italian dishes (and not just pastas and pizzas) exist in the heart of the western suburbs. The food producers demonstrating the sample tastings were amazing and the service was prompt throughout the night. In terms of pricing it's not the cheapest especially for a restaurant in the given area so I would recommend it for a special event or the occasional social gathering. Whether you are working in the area or catching up with family or friends, Candelori's is one to look out for especially with the family friendly atmosphere and impressive dishes without the need to travel so far for affordable, fine quality yet casual dining.

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie was invited to the Candelori's relaunch night as a guest, courtesy of Wasamedia. Opinions remain personal.

Candelori's Ristroante e Bar
685 The Horsley Drive, Smithfield NSW 2164
(02) 9729 1155
http://www.candeloris.com.au/
Lunch: Mon-Fri 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Dinner: Mon-Sat 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Tapavino, Sydney CBD

Ever been to a restaurant where you had to pay a service fee because you made a large group booking? I know surcharges still exist in some restaurants, bars and cafes for group bookings and Sunday trading. But is it really worth it?

CC and I were looking forward to trying out Tapavino simply because we loved tapas and sangria and the prices didn't look too bad. It was also CC's birthday so tapas, sangria and it's close to the Ivy = winning combination! 

Since it was a Friday night, it was no surprise that the bar was incredibly packed and noisy. Because we already did a booking, we didn't have to wait long to be seated upstairs. The top floor is reserved for those who made a booking while the walk ins are seated at the ground floor. There was a cool and noisy vibe with dark lighting (sorry for the terrible photos), which is great for after work drinks and dinner for those working around the CBD. Initially it was very quiet upstairs but as the night goes on, the floor was busy, packed and cramped for us when we need to go to the restroom. Because there was about 14 of us, we had to go with the set menu of $58 per person (excluding drinks) for groups of 9 people or more. This is a good deal considering the generous selection of 10 Spanish dishes to share on the set menu. 

There was a very extensive selection of wines to choose from. When we looked at the wine menu, there was literally pages and pages (about 30 pages?) of various wines listed including the delightful sherry. As usual, we all decided on a glass of sangria. Unfortunately we could only buy sangria per glass instead of a jug but that didn't bother us at the time. Was fruity but not as strong compared to other sangria drinks in the past.

Sangria ($11 per glass)

We started off with a bowl of warm mixed Spanish olives dosed with olive oil matched with a pickled chilli. While we thought that the olives were a bit salty, they were still addictive for us (me especially) to gobble them up before they disappear. Very pleased with the olives here actually.

Warm Spanish Olives and Padron Pepper ($6.00)

The follow up dish had a rustic texture with the pile of chopped eggplants with a dollop of goat's curd on top. The goat's curd had a strong milky and creamy taste that matched well with the saucy and tangy eggplant and the crispy tostada (which was actually a slice of crusty toasted bread).

Galician-style Eggplant, Goats Curd, Tostado ($14)

I really enjoyed the cow's milk cheese and toasted walnuts in vine leaves with toasted sourdough dish as it was a bundle of surprises. When it came to our table, I thought it was going to be stuffed with rice or assorted veggies. After cutting through, a smother of melted stringy cheese poured out from the vine leaves. I wish I could upload my before shot but it was too blurry. Lovely to have to warm yourself on a cool and windy day.

Goat's cheese and toasted walnuts in vine leaves a la plancha with toasted sourdough ($14)

And if you cannot get enough goat cheese, there is yet another dish coming up. But oh my god that jamon serrano! I could eat jamon all day and still won't get sick of it. The beetroot complemented well with the cheesy and creamy goats curd with the extra laer of flavour and texture. I could see this dish being perfect with a few slices of Will certainly come back to try the many other jamon dishes on Bar Jamon section of the A La Carte menu especially the one with the mushroom and black truffled tart with shaved manchego and the 'Pata Negra' jamon iberico.

Jamon Serrano, baby Beetroot and Goat's Curd ($18)

We were getting a meaty and goat cheese overload so we were relieved to see fresh seafood dish like the one below. It was actually the highlight dish for most of us thanks to the light, soft and refreshing tuna seasoned with the zesty, crushed almond and the sherry dressing. I think a few of us felt a tad tipsy because of the sherry dressing at this point (or the sangria was catching up to us). Definitely a dish I would recommend at this wine bar. 

Yellow Fin Tuna 'Cruda', crushed spiced almonds and sherry dressing ($22.00)

By this point we were already getting full and we are still only halfway through the menu! Thank goodness for shared plates! The first look of this dish took me back to my trip to Barcelona where I saw so many similar looking dishes with familiar flavours and ingredients. The braised chicken was so soft that in falls apart as you bite into the meat. Due to the tomato salsa and the pimenton mayo, the flavour for the dish was tangy but not too overwhelming for the taste buds. Can definitely imagine having this dish somewhere in Spain right now.

I love anything with salsa verde so having this and a squeeze of lemon with a rather substantial-sized beef short-rib made it easier for us to chow down our servings. Very tender and flavoursome. 

Braised Beef Ribs with Salsa Verde ($28.00)

I do love a good fennel salad especially after all the meat and cheese. There were bits of manchego scattered on this plate but the fennel was that light touch that we really needed. 

Shaved Fennel, Mint and Manchego Ensalada (about $10.00)

I was initially excited about this rich and dense dessert because I love chocolate but the salty and olive oil taste were too weird and strange for us to enjoy. And I liked savoury chocolate such as mole poblano. Probably good to try if you want to have something more unusual for your dessert.

Chocolate Terrine, Olive Oil and Salt Flakes ($12.00)

Thankfully, our other dessert was a crowd pleaser. Loved the light and sweet taste delivered from the strawberries. It also had a creamy texture which was matched with the crunchy macademia nut. Some of us were not too keen to share this dessert at all. 

Macademia Nut, Crema de Flan, Strawberries ($10.00)

Now everything went reasonably smoothly until it came to the bill. For group bookings at Tapavino, you need to pay an 8% service charge on top of the total bill which is mentioned on the Bookings page on the website. Personally, I don't mind paying the service fee however the issues that got up our sleeve was that apart from the friendly front of house wait staff looking after the bookings and tables, the rest of the service experience was average and not too friendly to us on the night. Plus we weren't even allowed to have the birthday cake inside the restaurant due to restaurant policy. So to pay $58 per person for the set menu because of our large group plus an 8% service fee is a lot of money to spend especially since drinks are not included. 

Despite the service and the shock from the service fee, we all still enjoyed the food here. Tapavino was actually mentioned as one of the more affordable places to eat around the CBD (with a mention in the 2014 Good Food Under $30 guide) but I would say that it actually is cheaper if it was a small group sharing a good number of plates since there would be no surcharge. We all had a really good time because of the incredibly tasty Spanish food. In fact, I thought it was one of the better Spanish restaurants that I have experienced. I wouldn't make a group booking here but I will still come back to try the food on the main menu and a few glasses of wine with a smaller group for a catch up or after work drinks.

So tell me readers: have you ever paid a service fee/surcharge when you dined at a restaurant, cafe or bar? How was the overall experience if you had to pay for that?

Tapavino
6-8 Bulletin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9247 3221
http://www.tapavino.com.au/
Mon-Fri: 12:00pm - 11:30pm