ACME, Rushcutters Bay

ACME has opened in late 2014 with high accolades from food experts alike almost immediately. In the 18 months since its opening, it has already been awarded with 1 Chef's Hat by the Good Food Guide Awards, a mention in Gourmet Traveller and Australian Financial Review's Top 100 lists and also Time Out's Restaurant of the Year 2015 to name a few. It was named after the initials of the four owners: Andy Emerson, Cam Fairbairn, Mitch Orr (who is also the head chef) and Ed Loveday. With all these talents collaborating under one roof, you know you are onto a good thing here.

The menu offers a modern take on Italian dishes with a fusion of various Asian cuisines with the unique combination of ingredients that you normally wouldn't expect at other Italian restaurants. The first dish I tried was the jatz, ham and comte. It may look and sound like a simple snack but the meaty and cheesy flavour tasted so delicious together. A different take on the classic cheese on crackers with ham. It's a delicious way to start the meal at ACME.

Jatz, ham, comte ($6.00)

The baloney sandwich is another snack that sounds relatively simple but is actually one of ACME's famous dishes. It's a grown-up take on a sandwich that you will most likely have brought to school back in those childhood days. While there's only one serving of this delectably stuffed roll, it will make you crave for more as soon as you're done.

Baloney Sandwich ($5.00)

Those who know me may know that I have a soft spot for any dish that contains breadcrumbs. So it was not surprise that the linguine, garlic and burnt chilli (topped with breadcrumbs!) was a must order for me. While the linguine had a firm texture and was bursting with loads of flavour, it was also spicier than I expected.

Linguine, black garlic, burnt chilli ($14.00)

Who says that you can't have eggs for dinner? I know I do (heh). And you can't go wrong with ACME'S signature macaroni with pig's head and egg yolk. Not only do you get the creamy egg yolk porn at its finest, you can also taste the al dente pasta as well as the crisp and succulent pig's head meat in this incredible dish. A must eat if you are dining at ACME!

Macaroni's pigs head, egg yolk ($20.00)

With its casual dining atmosphere, minimalist and spacious decor and friendly service, it was no surprise that ACME has made it to one of my favourite restaurants that I've been to. While the prices are on the more expensive side and the servings are smaller than you would like given the price, the distinct flavours and ingredients delivered a tantalising experience that has made me certain on returning again later on. Definitely one to try if you are ever in Sydney and want to try a modern approach to Italian cuisine with a bit of funk.

ACME
56 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011
(02) 8068 0932
http://weareacme.com.au/
 

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
 

[GIVEAWAY + REVIEW] Vapiano, Sydney CBD

A while ago, a few friends have asked me on where I could find affordable Italian in the Sydney CBD area. Usually I would say Cafe Sopra but then the internationally renowned Vapiano (with more than 135 restaurants in 26 countries!) has opened its doors late last year for the hungry office workers in the area like myself. While the queues to order and wait for your food seemed like something you would expect at a fast food outlet, the quality was much better than I expected on my first visit months ago. Recently, I was invited to try the dishes on Vapiano's newly released Spring special menu which got me thrilled and curious to see what they offer.

It was exciting seeing the open kitchen during my previous visits which definitely takes away the boredom as you wait for your meal being prepared. The vibe was noisy and busy at the ground level though I only realised very recently that there was another level upstairs with more seating so you won't need to worry too much about the lengthy queues here.

Raspberry Smash

French Martini

When CC and I stepped inside, we were directed to the bar with a card so we can order our choice of drink. I decided to get the Raspberry Smash, which was fruity and sweet just as I liked it. CC really enjoyed her French Martini cocktail thanks to a suggestion from the bartender. I really liked the look of that cocktail especially the colour. CC thought it was light and sweet.

Villa Maria Arneis Hawkes Bay 2011

During the course of our dinner, we also got to sample a glass of Villa Maria Arneis Hawkes Bay 2011 white wine to pair off with the Pasta Gamberi con Rosso (more on that later). Arneis got its name from the Italians as another word for "little rascal", which was funny since the anniversary reunion of the 90's film happened not long ago (I feel really old...).

Classic Pumpkin Soup ($6.90) 

The first dish that I tried from the Spring special menu was the Classic Pumpkin Soup where you can top it up with your choice of Parmesan, cream, croutons, and basil then mopped with freshly baked ciabatta bread. The sample that I tried had cream, which actually didn't deter me at all once I've had a taste. The cream mixed well together with the pumpkin base to deliver a smooth, creamy and flavoursome soup. The grated parmesan cheese, basil garnishes and croutons also mixed well for the balanced texture and extra crunch. Both CC and I enjoyed this soup so much that we were keen to finish it up but we had to save our stomachs for the other dishes.

Pizza Porporano ($19.90)

Another dish I was pleased with was the Pizza Porporano. This was a homemade and tomato mozzarella base topped with premium Aussie air-dried salted beef, rocket, shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of truffle olive oil. I always go crazy every time I could smell that truffle aroma. The base was thin with a fair amount of dough. Thought that the toppings tasted so well together especially with the air-dried salted beef aka bresaola.

Lately I've been very keen on trying the cured meats on charcuterie platters so it was fascinating learning about the origins of the bresaola. It was supplied by Speiss Australia at Wetherill Park in South West Sydney. The bresaola was fermented and air-dried for at least 10 weeks to the point where it loses 40% of its original weight. Although we were eating it with a thin crusted pizza base, the bresaola actually has less than 5% in salt and fat with loads of B vitamins and high protein to strengthen your bones.

Pasta Gamberi Con Rosso ($19.90)

Although I was slowly starting to get full at this point, I was surprised at how light the Pasta Gamberi Con Rosso really was. This contain prawns, chilli, semi-sun dried tomatoes, and sun dried tomato pesto with a pasta of your choice. The pasta itself had an al-dente texture while the semi-sun dried tomatoes with the pesto delivered a fresh and sweet flavour. The lemon wedge also helped in adding a flavour boost to the overall dish. 

It was interesting when I noticed that CC got the same dish but with a different pasta shape (I believed the pasta used here was Torchino according to Google search). Apparently this was done on purpose to showcase the range of pasta options available at Vapiano. Personally both CC and I preferred the pasta with the curly edges since it matched well with the accompanied sauce especially with the flavour.

Risotto Pollo Levanto ($19.90)

By the time the Risotto Pollo Levanto arrived to our table, I was getting pretty stuffed from all the carbs (sighs). It was a creamy dish consisting of chicken, bacon, red onion, garlic, and chilli topped with Parmesan and basil. It actually reminded me of a carbonara or boscaiola pasta dish with some of those ingredients. While it was too heavy and creamy for my liking, the risotto rice was well-cooked with  bitey texture plus there was plenty of bacon and chicken to enjoy.

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Honeycomb ($5.90)

Although I struggled with the previous dish, somehow there is always room for dessert! Gotta say that this dessert has exceeded my expectations. It was more sweet thanks to the salted caramel and honeycomb. You don't detect much of the cheese initially but you can sense its creamy texture and richness which complements with the sweetness from the other elements of the dessert. At first I wasn't sure if I would finish this dessert at first because of the rich texture but then the biscuit base won me over completely. Gotta love desserts with that firm but crumbly biscuit base.

At Vapiano, the basil plays a common theme throughout many of their dishes as its signature garnish. Throughout the venue, you can spot numerous pots of basil plants that were freshly grown before it's used for the pastas, risottos and other savoury meals. 

If you wanna try one of the dishes in this post, you gotta head to Vapiano Sydney on King Street before 31st October because that's when the dishes on the Spring special menu will no longer be available (bit random since Spring doesn't end till November...). Was impressed by the new dishes that Vapiano has delivered on this occasion. It's a convenient location especially if you work around the area and the prices are reasonable in comparison with the portion size. Really liked the spacious layout, the food and the fact that there's always a bowl of free gummy bears to nibble when you leave the restaurant after paying your meal. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Speaking of freebies, The Random Foodie has 4 vouchers (yes 4 vouchers!) to giveaway for you and a guest to dine at Vapiano. 

Each voucher entitles the winner and a guest to a free savoury dish (Pumpkin Soup, Pizza Poporano, Pasta Gamberi con Rosso, and Risotto Pollo Levanto) of their choice from the new Spring special menu and one White Chocolate Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Honeycomb each. No booking is necessary with these vouchers.

For your chance to win 1 of the 4 vouchers, simply follow the prompts on the Rafflecopter app below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions:
1. These vouchers are for use at Vapiano Sydney only. Please do not enter the competition if you are unable to make it to Sydney before 31st October 2014.
2. The voucher entitles to the winner and guest to a choice of savoury dish from the Spring special menu and a white chocolate cheesecake with salted caramel and honeycomb.
3. Giveaway closes at 11:59pm AEST on Sunday 28th September 2014.
4. The winners will be notified by email and announced on the blog and relevant social media sites on Monday 29th September 2014.
5. The winners must reply back with their address details within 48 hours to ensure receipt of voucher before the expiry date.
6. The vouchers must be used by 31st October 2014.

Good luck everyone!

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Vapiano Sydney. Opinions are however, my own.

Vapiano Sydney
Corner King Street and York Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9299 0079
http://vapiano.com.au/
Sun-Thurs: 11:00am - 11:00pm
Fri-Sat: 11:00am - midnight

Spaghetti with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

You probably won't believe this especially with what I've been posting up on the blog and instagram lately but for most of last year, I barely ate pasta or pizza for diet reasons. It was hard but surprisingly I was able to manage it. Kinda funny since every time I go to an Italian restaurant, the first thing I look on the menu was always the pasta or 'primi' section. While I haven't been as strict with the diet these days, I still get that guilty feeling every time that slippery spaghetti lands in the mouth. However there has been different pasta alternatives available that are actually slightly better for the pasta addicts out there like myself.

The team at Barilla has kindly sent a package of their delicious pastas and sauces including the Wholegrain Spaghetti from their newly released Wholegrain range, which has got me intrigued. Like noodles, it's amazing how many recipes you can think of using pasta whether you like it creamy, tomato-based or without any sauce at all. Anyhow, it's been a while since I did a recipe post. Using the products provided by Barilla, ingredients purchased from the local supermarket and inspiration by a few recipes ideas from Taste, I was able to come up with the below recipe. 

Spaghetti with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto 

Makes: 4 servings 

Ingredients:

375g Barilla Wholegrain Spaghetti (this can be used with any other dried thin pasta)
1 jar Barilla Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
400g chicken breast (tip: chop the chicken breast into smaller pieces before adding to pan)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
Parmesan shavings, to serve

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat (because my stove is takes a looong time to heat up, I used high heat).
2. Add the chicken breast and reduce the heat to the next level. Cook for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven) then set aside for another 15 minutes or till it's cooked through.
3. Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water until it's al dente.
4. Heat another frying pan using a drizzle of olive oil and a garlic clove.
5. Drain the pasta and return to the frying pan.
6. Add the chicken, parsley and Sun-dried Tomato Pesto to the pan and toss it for up to 5 minutes with the pasta.
7. Serve with parmesan shavings and left-over parsley. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie received the pasta and pasta sauces courtesy of Barilla. All other ingredients were paid independently.