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/

LL Wine and Dine, Potts Point

A long long time ago, this site once housed an illegal casino, adult bookshop and brothel...to name a few! Who would have thought that a restaurant/bar would take its place at the same location given its more than colourful history. These days Llankelly Place is housed to numerous renowned dining joints including Wilbur's Place, Kim and Room 10 so it's no surprise that LL Wine and Dine is situated on this spot given the current vibe of this surprisingly foodie street. Recently, I was invited to try the new dishes on LL Wine and Dine's latest seasonal menu which showcased a variety of Modern Asian dishes ranging from Chinese to Japanese and South East Asian cuisines

LL Cool Sling ($16.00)

We both kicked off our night with a couple of cocktails, or in my case, mocktails. At the time, I was on antibiotics so I was glad to hear that the cocktails can still be made mocktail-style so you won't miss out on the experience if you are not much of a drinker. My first drink was the LL Cool Sling which was a fresh lime, pineapple and orange juice mixed with passionfruit and a dash of vanilla and orgeat. Plus Bacardi rum for that cocktail experience. Had a sweet, citrus-like taste mainly from the passionfruit, pinapple and orange juice.

Shanghai Bling ($16.00)

Also got another mocktail later that evening after seeing what it looked like when CC ordered the cocktail version. The Shanghai Bling contains Pimms and Bombay Sapphire served tall with limes, mint, strawberries and topped with ginger ale and lemonade. While my mocktail didn't contain the alcoholic elements, I liked the sweeter, fruitier flavour coming from the berries as well as the surprise lychee attached to the straw.

Atlantic Salmon Crudo ($18.00)

We were prepared to decide which dishes to order till we were informed by our friendly waiter that the we would get our own special menu of dishes served degustation style with smaller serving sizes than the actual dish so we get a taste of everything without getting too full. Given that we did not know how many dishes or even which dishes will be served to us, I looked forward to getting surprised this evening.

The first of these surprises was the Atlantic Salmon Crudo which consist of wasabi balsamic vinaigrette, fried capers and greamy garlic sauce. Light, fresh and gluten free! The garlic sauce had that tangy, zesty flavour while the tender salmon complemented well with the crunchy fried capers.

Prawn and Scallop Dim Sum ($18.00 for 4 pieces)

Because of my soft spot for dumplings, I was looking forward to trying these morsels when it landed on our table. While I did enjoy the flavour kick from the sweet and chilli XO sauce as well as the dumpling skin wrapped around the prawn and scallop filling, the dumplings didn't amaze us as much as we hoped. Especially when you look at the price.

Lightly fried cauliflower and chickpea ($11.00)

Although this dish came out at the same time as the dumplings, it was a standout dish for us. I'm usually not a huge fan of cauliflower but this fried version was crispy, salty and flavoursome. Also enjoyed the chickpeas which were fried on the outside but soft on the inside. This dish was tossed with basil, garlic and malt vinegar and is perfect for vegetarians as well as those on a soy free or gluten free diet. CC said this was her favourite dish of the night.

Pork Belly Bun with pickled mustard, chilli ginger mayo, crushed peanuts and coriander ($8.00 each)

We were so excited when we saw that pork belly bun. Definitely a messy mouthful to handle with all the fillings sandwiched together by the fluffy and slightly sticky bun (I would recommend eating this as soon as it hits your table). Gotta love the fatty slab of juicy pork belly along with the mildly spicy chilli ginger mayo.

Calamari with black fungus, carrot salad and lemon gherkin aioli ($18.00)

The calamari was a slightly more refreshing change to most of the dishes so far despite the vast amounts of aioli sauce enveloping itself onto the other ingredients. While it didn't excite us as much as some of other dishes, the calamari had a decent chewiness and it worked well especially with the lemon and the veggies.

Massaman Curry Crumbled Lamb Popcorn with pickled chilli and cucumber yoghurt dipping sauce ($24.00)

I've mentioned countless times about my love for lamb and this was no exception. The lamb filling didn't have that gamey taste that some people tend to avoid. The crumbled coating was also a bonus for me since it had a good crunch that matched with the soft lamb. It was a tad oily so I made the most of the pickled chilli as well as the creamy yoghurt sauce.

Almond Crusted Prawns tossed with chilli, garlic and shallot and Thai dipping sauce ($31.00)

I was getting quite full by this point but I couldn't help getting more than my share of the Almond crusted prawns. The almond crust was crispy and the prawn itself was juicy. Though that this dish was a nice twist on the old tempura prawn favourite. Certainly my fave dish from the night.

Crispy Pork Belly and Grilled Sea Scallops ($28.00)

We were absolutely stuffed by this point so we were actually quite pleased to hear that it was the last dish from our waiter (Sad but true. CC couldn't handle it anymore). Seeing that it was pork belly was enough for me to soldier on. The pork belly had that crisp, caramelised fatty bits on the outside and was also juicy and soft as you bite into these meaty cuts as well as the grilled scallops. This was served on a bed of baby buk choy, fried kale and crushed peanuts. Like many dishes at this restaurant, this can be made gluten free. While it was a delicious finish, we were just too full to enjoy this dish as much as we usually would.

We were at LL Wine and Dine on a Wednesday evening so it was no surprise that it was quiet when we got there however it did get busier later on when we left. I can imagine this would be busier later in the week. It had a chilled relaxing atmosphere with retro music playing in the background and friendly, down to earth service. There was the choice for indoor and outdoor seating but with the crazy stormy weather this week, I've personally been more inclined for the former. On the menu, there's a generous range of dishes that were listed as gluten free, which was a bonus for those on that diet. In terms of pricing, it seemed to be on the more expensive end but it's a good place to dine for a special occasion with friends for drinks or even on a romantic date.

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie and guest dined at LL Wine and Dine as a guest. Opinions are however, my own. The serving sizes of most of the dishes we've had were much smaller than what you will receive when ordering off the menu. Prices highlighted in this post corresponds to the full-sized dishes listed on the menu.

LL Wine and Dine
42 Llankelly Place, Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9356 8393
http://www.llwineanddine.com.au/
Mon-Thurs: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Fri-Sat: 12:00pm - late
Sun: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Movida Sydney, Surry Hills

Those who know me will know that one of the cuisines I've had a soft spot since this blog's beginnings has been Spanish food. I could go for pintxos and tapas any day now. So it's no surprise that I've been dreaming on having a lovely Spanish feast at Movida Sydney ever since I heard that owner, Frank Camorra first announced its opening in Surry Hills a few years ago. Although it has been a while since it first opened, it was still quite busy especially later in the week. Since this visit occurred on a Wednesday evening, CC and I managed to snag a table without any trouble. 

Sangria ($26.00 for small jug)

This visit happened just after I started my new job in Pyrmont so this calls for a celebration. And sangria as always. We decided to get a jug to share between the to of us. Definitely one of the better sangria drinks I've had. Wasn't too strong but certainly fresh and fruity.

Bread and Spanish olive oil

We started off with a good serving of sourdough bread. While CC didn't eat much of the bread (saving her stomach for the other dishes), I was happy enough to divulge into the fluffy bread and dip it into the olive oil. So simple yet so addictive. My waistline will hate me for this. Usually it's complimentary but at the time, they were doing the Bread for Change initiative where the bread was charged for an extra $1.00.  

Anchoa ($4.80 each)

The Artisan Cantabrian Anchovy with Smoked Tomato Sorbet was one that I've been keen to try before coming to the restaurant and is also one of Movida's signature dishes. We didn't think it would work well together but it actually did. Who would think that a dollop of chilled, savoury tomato sorbet spread across the salty anchovy and cracker would make quite a pair?

Mejillones con Esparragos ($22.50)

The Steamed Mussels with Iberico Jamon and Asparagus was one of the specials available on the night we were there. CC was especially keen on trying this from the moment she spotted this on the specials menu. The mussells were well-steamed and the jamon had a warm, juicy texture. Again this was a delicious dish that we both enjoyed. 

Pastel de Codorniz ($12.50)

While I wasn't too excited about ordering this dish at first (CC was keen though), I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The crumbled Quail and Morcilla tasted succulent with the crispy puff pastry. Enjoyed mixing it up with the dark and tangy Agridulce sauce.

Cecina ($25.50)

Of course the dish that you MUST try has gotta be the Cecina also known as the Air cured Wagyu Beef with Truffle Foam and Poached Egg. So much cured meat and eggy goodness. The waitress told us that we needed to fold the wagyu beef and then mix it up together (or something along those lines...) so we were a bit puzzled when it came down to handling it. Was quite messy but it tasted so good with all those layers of beef and the creaminess from the truffle foam and the gooey poached egg. For a person who is generally not a fan of creamy stuff, this is too good to ignore.

Croqueta de Puchero - 2 pieces ($8.50)

At this point, we were surprisingly keen for another savoury dish so we went with the Croqueta of Pork Belly, Beef and Chicken. While I do love croquettes, I have been disappointed with my share of croquettes in the past especially those that were overly buttery and creamy. While it was still slightly creamy, there was that meaty flavour matched with the crunchy batter that got us addicted for more and more! Definitely the best croquette dish I've had in a looong time!

Churros con Chocolate ($14.50)

We were slightly getting full by this point but that didn't stop us for getting dessert. Can you believe that we nearly forgot about getting the churros?! Sure enough, we were glad to skip Messina and stick with getting dessert here because they were worth it. The churros were light, soft and fluffy while being slightly crispy even when dipped into the sweet, rich and warm chocolate. CC said she liked these churros more than El Loco, which is a big call because that has been our fave churros joint until now.

We were satisfied and full (but not to the point of food coma) from the dishes we've had that night. The waitress who served us was attentive, not to mention quirky and rrandom which gave us a good laugh. The prices are expensive though but the food was worth it and there are a good selection of larger dishes that will fill you up if you are not keen to share dishes. Would recommend this as a restaurant for special occasions due to the pricing of the dishes. Despite that, I'm still looking forward to returning to try the many other dishes especially those from the "Embutidos" or Cured meats menu whether it's in Sydney or one of the many branches back in Melbourne.

Movida Sydney
50 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 8964 7642
http://movida.com.au/sydney/
Mon-Sat: 12:00pm - late

The Meatball and Wine Bar, Melbourne CBD

A restaurant dedicated to meatballs? Say it isn't so! Originally we were meant to visit Chin Chin on Flinders Lane but the waiting time was 45 minutes long for a Saturday lunch. We were walking around the streets of Melbourne for a while and there were three hungry guys with me. Plus after the queue at The Hardware Societe earlier that day, I was not too keen on waiting in line again. When I notice that The Meatball and Wine Bar was extremely close by, we decided to head there instead. However with three guys in a place dedicated to meatballs, you can expect a lot of dirty jokes. Let's just say, I have not looked at this restaurant in the same way since thanks to the euphemisms.

It was quiet when we were there for lunch but since it had a bar-like atmosphere and it closes at 1am, I could imagine this place would be quite busy at night. The staff was friendly and helpful with what we wanted to order which was a bonus for us. The innuendo jokes kept on going once we had a look at the menu (e.g. "let us feed you our balls", "something for your balls to sit on", and "balls may contain nuts" in the disclaimer). Not even making this up. At least it's awesome to see that the Meatball and Wine Bar team have a good sense of humour.

"Balls and All" - Beef Meatballs with Red Italian Tomato Sauce and Homemade Pasta ($21.00)

The concept for ordering the meatball dishes is simple. Choose your ball, choose your sauce then choose something for your balls to sit on (they are talking about the base...of course). You get a choice of beef, chicken, pork, fish, and veg for your ball. 

For this dish, we picked the beef ball which was made of pasture fed black Angus beef. We then decided on the traditional red Italian tomato sauce and homemade pasta for the base after getting some advice from the friendly waiter. The homemade pasta was thickly cut and well-cooked so they had a nice bitey texture. While we found that the beef meat balls were a tad dry, we still thought it was very delicious and full of flavour especially when paired with the rich and tangy red sauce. We didn't eat much of the bread since we had enough carbs but it would most likely be necessary had we chose other bases like creamy polenta or white beans.

Pork Meatball Sliders with Green Pesto Salsa Verde (3 for $18.00)

The guys were curious about the sliders so we ordered the pork meatball sliders with green pesto salsa verde. The concept was similar to the "Balls and all" plate except that the base was a mini brioche bun. This was a tasty combination but also a mouthful trying to balance the components without everything falling apart. The pork meatball was juicy and flavoursome thanks to the fennel seasoning. My only criticism was that I wish there was a bit more green sauce because that was amazing stuff! 

Mini Balls ($14.00)

Just when you cannot get enough balls, the guys and I were even more intrigued by the mini balls on the menu. These were actually a combo of beef, pork and chicken balls which was a great way to try a bit of everything. While it's perfect as a snack to share, I thought that the mini balls were pretty dry though the sauces helped to season the overall flavour. Plus we were getting full from eating too many balls (did I just wrote that?).

Trio of sauces - Green Sauce, Wasabi Aioli, BBQ Sauce

Bad innuendos aside, the guys and I had an enjoyable time at the restaurant. The service was lovely and the food was tasty. In terms of pricing, it's not the cheapest eateries unless you are with a few friends to share a few dishes or you want to try one dish on your own. They do have a breakfast menu when they open at 8:00am on weekdays and a daily late night menu, which is convenient if you happen to be in the area. I wouldn't mind coming back to try some of the other items on the menu including the cured meat plates, mozzarella cheese board, veg balls and fish balls (T and W: "veggies have balls?"). It's an interesting concept that I could see happening in Sydney eventually given the casual dining trend these days including places like the fairly similar Buffalo Dining Club and the Drink n Dine joints. 

The Meatball and Wine Bar
135 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9654 7545
http://www.meatballandwinebar.com.au/
Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 1:00am
Sat-Sun: 11:00am - 1:00am

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