Six States of Beer [QLD] at The Oaks, Neutral Bay

It is no surprise that I do love a drink. Most types of drinks actually. Whether it's whisky, wine, vodka, gin and tonic or even beer depending on the occasion. While I do like to drink, I'm not much of an expert on beer so I was surprised to receive an invite to attend Six States of Beer at The Oaks in Neutral Bay. This is an ongoing series of events where it focuses on a selected range of craft beers made from the state and a themed degustation of matching dishes (previous events involved cheese, chocolate, pork and bites). This was the fifth installment of the Six States series which focused on beers from QLD and matching seafood dishes. It was hosted by the passionate beer expert, Kirrily Waldhorn with food being prepared by The Oaks' chef, Danny Russo.

Bighead - Burleigh Brewing Company

The Bighead was served to all diners on arrival. While this drink is a 100% natural, full-strength beer with loads of flavour, it also has zero carbs! With its smooth, balanced texture, this was easy to drink with any meal such as a pub lunch or dessert at a French restaurant.

Hef - Burleigh Brewing Company

Another beer from the same brewery was the Hef, an unfiltered wheat beer brewed from malted barley, malted wheat, water, hop and yeast. This was inspired by German wheat beer with its smooth, creamy texture and a slightly sweet banana and clove flavour. Out of all the beers I've tried, this was definitely my favourite of the bunch. 

Crab cake and Oaks slaw slider

The one dish I have been looking forward to the most out of this event was the crab cake slider. Been dreaming about getting my hands on crab cakes ever since watching it featured on numerous American food travel shows but been disappointed that this has been rare to find around Sydney. When it arrived packed inside a brioche bun, I was surprised that it wasn't in its crumbed form that I usually see in those aforementioned US food travel shows but was delighted at the healthier look of the shredded crab meat. These bite sized treats were fresh and delicious though also quite salty. Wouldn't mind trying more of this.  

Pale Ale - Four Hearts Brewing Company

This craft beer was an American pale ale with a passionfruit sweetness followed with a strong, deep and bitter malt flavour. You can also taste a bit of marmelade as you sip this beer. Apparently the bitterness is average for this type of drink so I didn't mind it at all. This is the first drink brewed by the Four Hearts Brewing Company, which will become an official brewery by the end of this year.

Crispy flash fried squid and school prawns served with squid ink aioli

This was accompanied by the crispy squid and school prawns with squid ink aioli. The squid was tender and juicy with a nicely crisp batter while the school prawns were crunchy and not too sharp so it was easy to pop in your mouth. This also came with a wedge of lime that gave a good flavour boost to this dish. 

Anzus Ipa - Fortitude Brewing Company

Unlike the pale ale, the Anzus Ipa had a very clean and light malt backbone by placing focus on the hops this time. By boosting the amount of hops in this beer, this gave the beer an earthy, piney and fruity aroma and flavour that is suitable for the Australian climate. It certainly helped in cooling down our tastebuds from the heat and spiciness of the following dish.

Whole baked snapper with Thai flavours, Asian greens and rice

And boy was this one intensely spicy fish!!! We were amazed at the size of the baked snapper when it arrived to our table. This was cooked with a Thai green curry to soften the fish and add a hint of creaminess to the overall dish. While the fish was well cooked and freshly made, the spiciness was close to the level that you can expect at Thai restaurants. Was so glad to have that beer to cool down that heat.  

For that extra hotness if you dare!

White chocolate and raspberry Pilsener - Bacchus Brewing

While it looked like a glass of cocktail or wine, this was actually beer! It was a strange but lovely mix of spicy Czech Pilsener with the flavour and aroma of raspberries and white chocolate. This was perfect for the final paired dish of the night.

White chocolate mousse with raspberries and sea salt snow

The night finished off with the equally matched white chocolate mousse with raspberries and sea salt snow, which had a creamy and milky taste mixed with...pureed scallops! There's even a hint of anchovy in this dish as well. Never expected seafood to show up in a dessert like this since I didn't even detect it as I tasted this dish but it was a nice surprise.

Beermosa

I rushed through this final drink because I had to leave pretty early (living in south west Sydney is a pain) but from what I tasted, this drink had that sweetness that I would expect from a citrus-based beverage with the added beer taste. Would like to get another one of this.  

Had a great time learning about various beers across Queensland and getting into the tasting experience where you explore your senses. As for the Oaks, there are heaps of decent quality dishes to try and lots of space to chill even on busy nights. The next and final Six States of Beer event for 2014 will focus on Beer vs Wine from SA. This will be held on Wednesday 10th December 2014. Tickets cost $60 + booking fee which is worth it for the four course plus drinks degustation experience.  

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined at The Oaks Hotel as a guest, courtesy of Wasamedia. Opinions are however, my own.

The Oaks Hotel
118 Military Road, Neutral Bay NSW 2089
(02) 9953 5515
http://www.oakshotel.com.au/
Mon-Wed: 10:00am - 12:00am
Thurs-Sat: 10:00am - 1:30am
Sun: 12:00pm - 12:00am

Mooberry Dessert and Breakfast Bar, Neutral Bay

It's funny remembering back in 2012-2013 when there was a new frozen yogurt shop opening in nearly every suburb around Sydney. In 2014, the opposite has happened when you begin to see the closures of froyo shops here and there - most notably the original Moochi store in Strathfield. I could remember a few years ago when everyone lined up outside Moochi and Noggi in Strathfield like a nightclub when that was the only place you could get it. So it's interesting to see some froyo brands still doing strong despite the change in market such as Mooberry, which opened their Neutral Bay branch early this year.

Unlike the original Mooberry Newtown branch, the Neutral Bay store was actually the flagship dessert and breakfast bar with three levels of seating to chill out on a cold and wet evening. It actually feels very spacious with lots of cute decorations here and there (especially those little cows at the checkout downstairs omg!). You could also check out the great view of Neutral Bay's busy Military Road if you decide to sit at the top floor.

While the first thing you think about is froyo when you hear about Mooberry, you could not be further from the truth. Upon glancing at the laminated menu on the table, you could see that there is so much more that Mooberry offers. If you are there for breakfast, you can get classics like deluxe bacon and egg roll, breakfast waffles, ham and cheese croissant and even eggs benedict! Name me one froyo bar that has eggs benedict on the menu. For their dessert selections, Mooberry has their signature sweet classics such as the coconut affogato, churro sticks and chocolate fondue. 

Froyo: L-R: Chocolate, Salted Caramel (Mini: $4.50, R: $7.50, L: $14.50) 

We met Jamie the store manager who treated us to a froyo of our choosing for starters. My pick was the chocolate while CC decided on the salted caramel flavour. We both found that the froyo was light, smooth and refreshing. As usual, I like to go overboard with various chocolate toppings (and watermelon balls hehe) for my chocolate froyo while CC was more health conscious with her fruity toppings. Bonus points for Mooberry offering unlimited toppings for $1. Then again, I always preferred the fixed sizes and prices system than the "fill up your own froyo" system like Yogurberry and Yogurtland which gets too pricey even when it's half-full.

Belgian Hot Chocolate (R: $5.00, L: $5.50)

Mooberry offers a generous selection of hot drinks including four different hot chocolate flavours. These hot choc flavours include Belgian, Coconut, Salted Caramel, and Mint. Since it was a Thursday night, it got fairly busy so there was a bit of a wait for our hot chocolate and waffles. When it arrived to our table, I literally had a massive smile on my face from its presentation. Particularly the chocolate swirls on top. It was smooth, creamy and not too rich or intense. Good balance of flavours with the chocolate and the milk. So good to have on a cold night.

Wicked Waffles ($14.90 for 1 waffle, $17.90 for 2 waffles)

Our sweet journey ended with the Wicked Waffles, which was decadent chocolate heaven for the chocoholic especially with the many drizzles of milk and dark chocolate across the plate. This was served with lots of strawberries and bananas for a bit of fruit in your system. There was also a coconut froyo on the side but we were getting very full from the crispy, rich and dense waffle. While there was a lot of chocolate, the waffle itself wasn't as sweet as we expected. This made it slightly easier for us to manage. 

Even though I am personally not much of a froyo fan these days, I was impressed by what Mooberry delivers. Like its Newtown store, Mooberry has distinguished itself from the other franchises in delivering way more options than just froyo, whether it's breakfast or a late night dessert. While Neutral Bay is too far for me to get to, it's a suitable option for dessert if you are a local or happened to be around the area for work or any special occasions.

The Random Foodie Vault: Check out my experience at Mooberry Newtown back in 2013!

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Mooberry Dessert and Breakfast Bar, courtesy of Jenny. Opinions are however, my own.

Mooberry Dessert and Breakfast Bar
Shop 2, 164 Military Road, Neutral Bay NSW 2089
(02) 8957 9758
https://www.facebook.com/MooBerryFroyo
Sun-Thurs: 8:00am - 11:00pm
Fri-Sat: 8:00am - midnight

SoCal, Neutral Bay

A while ago, one of my friends commented that I should cover restaurants from different regions of Sydney such as South Sydney like Hurstville or Beverly Hills or up north like Crows Nest, Chatswood, Epping, Eastwood and Neutral Bay. Recently, I was invited to check out CaliMex restaurant bar, SoCal, in Neutral Bay for their first ever SoCal Sydney Social event with many other fellow Sydney food bloggers. I was very excited about this event as it has been on my wishlist for a while especially for their Southern Californian-inspired dishes and drinks.

SoCal is owned by Hamish Watts and Ben Carroll from Applejack Hospitality, the same company that also managed The Botanist at Kirribilli and Bondi Hardware at Bondi Beach. It was their first social event hosted by head chef, Zac Smart, and bar manager, Joe Worthington where we got the chance to delve into a 6-course degustation of Mexican dishes and matching glasses of wine or cocktail. Since the bar was located upstairs, it was initially hard to find until you spot a SoCal sign on the door. Inside there was a buzzing, noisy vibe with a packed out floor. And it was only a Tuesday night! While most of the venue had dim lighting, the lighting at dining room at the back (where we were all seated) was not too bad despite the pink and purple lighting.

Corn Chips with pico de gallo, guacamole and corn salsa

Upon entering the dining room, there was already a bowl of corn chips with a trip of tantalising dips. Although this was made to share, it was no surprise how addicted I was with this starter plate - especially the zesty guacamole.

Classic Margarita Carafes

Each course of meal this evening was paired with a glass of wine or cocktail so it was no surprise how tipsy I was by the end of the night. When I stepped inside, there was already a glass of classic margarita handed to me as I dig into the corn chips and salsa.

Before the six course degustation was served, we got to check out SoCal's Bar Manager, Joe Worthington, working his magic with his cocktail creations. Here, he demonstrates his signature "Joe's Super Amazing Mystery Interactive Cocktail Experience".

Crab and Sopressatta Tostadas

And now the feast begins! I was really excited about the crab and sopresatta (cured Italian dry salami) tostadas especially after trying similar ones at other restaurants and loving each one. This was no exception. Thin and crispy tortillas topped with a generous amount of creamy crab and sporessata. The filling was slightly spicy from the chilli mixed inside though it was quite mild in my opinion. Would definitely order this again just for myself.

Joe's Super Amazing Mystery Interactive Cocktail Experience

After watching the cocktail demonstration, we were geed up to taste the final product. Quite sweet with a decent layer of egg white foam on top and a citrus scent from the peeled oranges.

Chicken Sliders: marinated chicken breast with avocado and chorizo

Next we had the chicken sliders which had a generous amount of creamy avocado and chorizo packed inside the soft, glazed brioche bun. There was plenty of flavour coming from this slider especially from the tangy sauce and the juicy chicken breast. The taste was definitely worth the messiness. 

Frisco Pisco

The sliders were paired with the Frisco Pisco which was chilli-infused and mixed with egg white, elderflower liqueur, lime, sugar and muddled cucumber. With its strong and thick texture, this drink was quite a mouthful to handle when I tried to slurp it down.

Seared Salmon with broccolini, chilli and coriander salsa verde

The seared salmon was well cooked with crispy skin and topped with thin sweet potato chips, a bed of broccolini and small dollops of salsa verde. While the salmon was a bit mild until you add the salsa verde, it's an ideal option to have on your own if you are looking for a fresh and healthier dish.

Dry Creek, Fume Blanc, Sonoma CA

The next three dishes were paired with white and red wines made from different regions of California. It's like getting a taste of the Golden State without the plane ticket.

Slow roasted Lamb Shoulder with Faro, Freekeh, Quinoa and Kale

Lamb shoulder, quinoa and kale. Who would have thought they tasted so good together? It was juicy, soft and incredibly tender to the point where it pulls apart so easily. Even with the unusual ingredients and the abundance of grainy textures, the whole dish was full of flavour to the point when I was keen for seconds. If you love lamb, I would certainly recommend this dish. This was paired with a glass of Pinot Noir from Mendocino, California.

Bliss, Pinot Noir, Mendocino, CA (sorry for the pic)

Scotch Fillet with Chimmichurri

The savoury dishes ended with a plate of scotch fillet with chimmichurri and a side of mushroom salad. The scotch fillet was cooked medium rare which delivered a chewy yet tender texture. Lots of fatty bits. What impressed me was the amount of chimmichurri salsa coated on top of the fillet which added lots of colour and flavour to the overall dish.

Mushroom Salad

With all that meat and seafood, it was nice to dig into a bowl of veggies to balance everything out. There was a decent amount of various mushrooms, salads, nuts and mixed beans which worked well to deliver crunchy and chewy textures. It was also surprisingly spicy though it's mild enough that it won't put off those who can't handle it. 

Dry Creek 'Heritage' Zinfadel, Sonoma, CA - full bodied and rich that complements well with the meat

Chocolate, Pistachio and Tequila Brownie with Chipotle Cream 

Lately I've been obsessed with baking brownies so I was very excited about indulging into SoCal's version of this classic dessert. With all the spices and unusual ingredients from many of the dishes, you would expect that the dessert will sooth your taste buds with a sugar hit. While the brownies do have an intensely sweet taste, there was a hint of spice coming from the chipotle cream. I admired the soft gooey insides with the crunchy pistachios as well as the crispiness from the outside layers though it was rich and decadent to handle especially after all that food. You can imagine that with tequila hidden inside, this was not your usual brownies.

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

To round off the night, everyone received a glass of Salted Caramel Espresso Martini which includes a mix of Ketel One, Galliano Ristretto, salted caramel and a double shot of espresso with honeycomb dipped in the middle. Personally, I thought that this was one of the stand out drinks especially with the intensity of the liquor and epsresso and the sweetness and salted flavours from the caramel and honeycomb. Would love to order another glass if I wasn't feeling very tipsy at this point.

While Neutral Bay isn't a place that I would go to that often, there's so many CaliMex dishes from their regular menu that will encourage me to make another trip over the bridge. The service was very friendly and attentive and the atmosphere had that vibrant yet laid back feel throughout the evening. While the prices aren't cheap, the dishes are made to share so bring a few friends to try as many dishes as possible. If you live or work around the North Shore area; I would suggest SoCal for post-work dinner and drinks, special occasions or even a casual night out up north since it opens late. 

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of SoCal, courtesy of Pendulum Communications. Opinions are however, my own.

SoCal
1 Young Street, Neutral Bay NSW 2089
(02) 9904 5691
http://socalsydney.com.au/
Mon-Tue: 4:00pm - 12:00am
Wed-Thurs: 12:00pm - 1:00am
Fri-Sat: 12:00pm - 2:00am
Sun: 12:00pm - 12:00am