Mary's City, Sydney CBD

Damn Sydney you are so obsessed about burgers right now! It's seriously hurting my weight loss these days but it's so hard to avoid especially if they look so damn good. With all the burger joints opening left, right and centre in Sydney, it was no wonder that Mary's has taken advantage of the situation and opened its second branch for the hungry people in the CBD. It's just takeaway with no seating and a limited menu with burgers only. Although there's no fried chicken or mash on the permanent menu, Mary's CBD offers up a one-off special menu item popping up every now and then, which you can find out through their social media pages or through other foodies in the know.

Mary's Burger ($10.00) 

In my Mary's Newtown review, I initially thought that the burgers were similar to Maccas but pricier. Of course, that didn't stop me from going back again...and again. Sure they are the pricier Maccas but the bun was soft and glossy, burger is bigger and the beef patty was juicy. I prefer the Mary's burger over the cheeseburger that I had on my first visit because of the addition of the lettuce and the tomato. So greasy but hey when are damn good burgers not? If one patty is still too small for you, I would suggest getting a double (or triple!!!) beef patty with trash-can bacon. Went to Mary's CBD for my birthday last year and got so full on the double patty burger.

Fried Chicken Burger ($12.00)

While the fried chicken may not be available (unless it pops up as a special...more on that later), you can still find it in the form of a fried chicken burger. So messy to handle but the crispness coated with Mary's tangy sauce and sloppy tasty cheese was worth getting your hands dirty.

Fried Chicken and Waffles - Easter Special item ($15.00)

As I have mentioned earlier, special one off items pop up for a very limited time only at the CBD store. This can be available for one week or even one day only (usually from 3pm on the day with a super quick announcement on their Instagram page). So it's no surprise when you literally blink and miss out on them like myself countless times. One thing that I didn't miss out was their recent Easter special menu item. Thankfully it was available for a whole week since I only found out on the first day on my way home and you know how much I love my fried chicken! While you don't end up getting any cutlery (unless you ask), the fried chicken was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Combined with the sweet and crispy waffle and the crispier bacon (omg bacon!!!), this dish was a total guilty pleasure. Hope to see it making a comeback in the near future.

While there's no seats and the food will definitely not help you lose any weight, it has its charms that wooed most of the mates who have tried it with me in the past. The burgers at the CBD store are also cheaper than the original Newtown restaurant. If you aren't keen on waiting in the weekday lunchtime queues, dinner service and weekends have been less busy from what I've noticed. Whether you like or hate Mary's you can't deny that it has played a role in kick starting the intense burger craze that is happening in Sydney right now.

Mary's City
154 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
https://instagram.com/marysnewtown/
Mon-Sun: 10:00am - 10:00pm

Vic's Meat Market at Sydney Fish Market, Pyrmont

Happy 2015 readers! How fast has the last year flown? Too quickly right? Still doesn't feel like the new year for me. Anyways, friends would know that no matter how many times I attempt to be a vegetarian, I would always be a meat lover at heart. So I was super excited when I first heard that Vic's Meat Market is coming to Sydney Fish Market. 

Coming from the same company as the renowned Victor Churchill, Vic's Meat Market has a butchery and an American-inspired smoked meat house (known as Kong's Cave) in one space. The fit out of the venue was similar to a canteen with limited seating and various ingredients laid out separately (similar to Subway and Mad Mex) so you can watch the staff member preparing the food before it gets into your mouth. During one of my lunch breaks, I made a quick (albeit very rushed) visit to check out the delicious sandwiches that they offer.

Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.00)

While I love pulled pork, there have been a few moments where it can be a let down mainly because of its dryness. However this time, I was blown away by how amazing it tasted. So much flavour especially with the tender and shredded pulled pork and copious amounts of barbecue sauce complemented with the mustard pickle slaw. I have to say that this is probably the best pulled pork sandwich/burger I've ever had around Sydney! 

Beef Brisket Sandwich ($10.00)

After seeing other customers ordering the beef brisket sandwich, I knew I had to give this a go too. Just like the pulled pork sandwich, I was equally blown away by the beef brisket. The brisket was thick, juicy and fatty that melts in your mouth so easily at each bite you take. The best was digging into the crisp yet juicy fatty bits at the end of the beef...so bad but oh my gawd it's too damn good not to resist. It's just how it should be. In both sandwiches, the bun was slightly sweet yet consistently light, soft and fluffy. 

If sandwiches aren't your thing, Vic's Meat Market also has ribs and smoked chicken wings to satisfy your hunger. Pricing was generally pretty affordable if you order the sandwiches, burgers and chicken wings (ranging $8.00-$10.00) however if you get the ribs, that will set you back at least $25.00. The food gets prepared very fast so I was able to get here and back to work in less than 45 mins (including waiting for the tram) while checking out the scenery. While I was busy rushing back to work, check out the butcher next door for a good dose of meat shopping. Had a quick look while I was there and I almost didn't want to leave after seeing all the meaty goodness. If you are not a vegetarian (sorry vegetarians), it's a great place for a quick bite if you happen to be around the Fish Markets area. Looking forward to making a few more visits just for those sandwiches again. 

Vic's Meat Market
Sydney Fish Market
Bank Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009
(02) 8570 8570
http://www.vicsmeatmarket.com.au/
Butchery: Mon-Sun: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Kong's Cave Smokehouse: Mon-Sun: 10:00am - 3:00pm (or until sold out)

StreetFest Sydney, Belmore Park

StreetFest Sydney
When: First Friday of every month from 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Address: Belmore Park, Eddy Avenue near Central Station
Website: http://foodtrucksunited.com.au/

Ever since the first food truck drove into the streets of Sydney in 2012, hoards of Sydneysiders flocked to them for a bite whether it's for a quick lunch or a late night snack. They have been incredibly popular at various special events - a great alternative to the generic hot chips, kebabs and hot dogs. It's no surprise that there is now a street festival dedicated to food trucks which began late last year when it was known as Food Trucks United. 

In its first event for 2014, it has now expanded to include an art festival and popular street festival food stalls like German hot dogs, Momo dumplings and, of course, Gozleme! 

Everywhere at the festival, you can see artists creating wonderful pieces of artwork of various styles on the spot. Very similar to the street artists you see at different cities around the world. There is also live entertainment including the Street Lounge area which is a ticketed area ($25 entry) where you can enjoy live DJs, dance, chill and enjoy the ambience. 

At this festival, you get to try all (or most depending on their schedule) of the food trucks at one spot. This month's event included Tsuru (Asian), Urban Pasta (Italian), Al Carbon (Mexican), Agape Organic (organic sustainable), Jafe Jaffles, Cantina Movil (more Mexican food), Street Sliders (sliders and chips) and Bar Coco (coffee). While most of Sydney's food trucks were at the festival, there were a few notable absences including Eat Art Truck, Let's Do Yum Cha, Bite Sized Delights, The Nighthawk Diner and Veggie Patch Van - all very delicious and catered to different markets. Hopefully they will be there next month. 

Thanks to the increasingly popularity of pork buns at various restaurants, it was no surprise that Tsuru Food Truck had a steady queue throughout the evening. At $7, the pork belly bun was pricier compared to the likes of Ippudo pork buns which were only $4. Still it was packed with mouth watering fillings including a slice of cucumber and a tender slab of pork belly which was coated with a caramelised sauce with a hint of spices. This was generously filled inside the soft and fluffy bun. You can also order other Asian treats including the bulgogi beef bun, rice (choice of pork belly or bulgogi beef), tsuru chips and curry dip and the pandan pancake for dessert.

Pork Belly Bun ($7.00)

Urban Pasta offers pasta (boh dried and hand-made) with a delicious range of sauces including Amatricana, Napolitana, Boscaiola and the famous Lamb Ragu. As part of StreetFest, Urban Pasta had the Saffro Tagliatelle with Lamb Ragu for $12 - certainly one dish I would love to order again. The staff said that each month, they are aiming to create a different special fresh pasta dish for a bit of variety on the menu. If pasta isn't your thing but you like desserts, they also offer chocolate mousse and vanilla panna cotta with raspberry coulis.

Been a huge fan of Al Carbon (aka La Lupita) since its early days thanks to its authentic street tacos (side note: is La Lupita still opened at The Basement? Prob should head down that way sometime later this week). While it still has those sneaky sauces and slow-roasted meat, there were a few changes. This included a larger tortilla and the white creamy sauce - it didn't taste like sour cream though. It was still very yummy and would easily go for a few more if I had the stomach. V had one as well and really enjoyed it since he's usually not much of a taco fan.

Slow-roasted Tacos - Choice of Lamb or Chicken ($6.00 - Regular, $9.00 - Mega)

The menu at Agape Organic Truck boasts a generous selection of organic and sustainable produce. This includes organic spelt bun chilli dog, organic spelt bun po' boy, organic nachos (with veg option) and organic wagyu chilli and rice (again with vego option)...to name a few! I've actually been curious on what a sloppy joe would be since spotting a few mentions in children's literature over the years. Of course the final product is exactly how the name describes - it really was sloppy and messy. This was packed with Wagyu Beef Chilli Con Carne, Cheddar, Coleslaw, Chimmicurri into a Spelt Bun. Would recommend eating this with a fork. 

Organic Chilli Sloppy Joe ($12.00)

Street Sliders Truck began and mainly operated in the Parramatta and Macquarie Park areas which is good for anyone working in Western Sydney. For those working in the city and wanting to try these sliders, they thankfully do visits to Sydney CBD for this festival. If you are getting way too full, the sliders are actually quite small - as small as it should be. There are three sliders available including the Prime (beef), the Brick (chicken) and Smoke (eggplant) for $5.50 each. We decided to get the beef slider which was well-cooked and juicy for our liking. The side of fries was quite crunchy with a fairly generous serving size. 

Duo Combo of Prime Beef Sliders plus Side of Fries ($13.00)

[Single slider - $5.50, Fries - $4.00]

If you are keen for a drink, there is a pop up bar near the ticketed DJ stage where you can get a range of beers, wines or ciders. I had a glass of Gaymers cider which was not too heavy compared to some ciders I've had in the past. If you are looking for something non-alcoholic and healthier then there is the tall grass cane juice stall. The drink had an organic, naturally sweet and refreshing taste which is lovely to have on a warm summer day.

Gaymers Cider (possibly pear flavour)

Traditional Plain Cane Juice ($5.00)

I'd recommend checking this event out especially if you don't have any plans on the night. It is loads of fun and heaps of food to try. And if your stomach cannot handle that much, it will be back again. The prices will not break your wallet and the food should be able to fill you up. Also a great place to catch up with friends after work on a Friday night without dealing with too much crowds and queues if you show up without a booking. Looking forward to coming back again next month to check out the other trucks, food stalls and the street artwork.

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie attended StreetFest Sydney in February as a guest. This post also covers a visit to StreetFest Sydney (aka Food Trucks United) in late 2013 in which The Random Foodie attended and paid for the food independently. Opinions remain personal.

    

The Crisp, Sydney CBD

When I used to work closer to Museum station, it was easier for me to have lunch at some of the slightly cheaper food courts and surrounding restaurants that were closer to Haymarket and Chinatown. One of the food courts that was located in the Museum and Lower Town Hall Station side of the city was the extremely hidden Telstra food court. Even if you walk past 1000 times, you still wouldn't know unless you happen to work around the area and needed a short cut when you are rushing back from lunch. That's how I originally found out that this food court exist when my former colleague and I were trying to find lunch close to work. Back then the shops at this food court didn't seem to interest us at the time so we walked elsewhere. 

Fast forward to a few months ago when I received an invite to try the new burger joint at this same food court. Since I haven't been working in this area for a while, it was quite hard to find this food court again. Also it was pretty far from where I work now so it was even more harder for me to get the chance to try out the food especially since it's only open on weekdays for breakfast and lunch only. Plus it closes over the Christmas break so it's definitely catering for the office workers in the vicinity. Looking at the menu, the food sounds tasty and cheap. It also promoted itself to be the "healthiest, naughtiest and tastiest", which is intriguing. Healthy burgers really?

  
Judging by the lunchtime crowd standing in front of this stall, the food must be pretty good. The breads were sourced from the Sonoma Bakery Company which has got me very keen cos those guys really do make really yummy, freshly made bread. Even though I ordered a burger combo I have noticed that everyone was ordering salads here, which looked really delicious. The salad were also much quicker to make compared to the burgers, which took about 15 minutes to be ready.

Sonoma Bread

Gotta love chips that have a crunchy outer texture and fluffy potato inside. The servings were It was so addictive that I gobbled them up very quickly. Can't recall if there was sauce available but I reckon it would be amazing to dip these crunchy morsels into one of those condiments. 

Chips ($3.00)

Yes I know I should have ordered a salad or a sandwich but all of the burger options look so tempting and delicious that I gave into the guilt. The burger options were split into 'Classic Burgers'  ($8.00) and 'Crisp Burgers' ($9.00) with fries and/or drink combo depending on your preference. You even get a choice of bread for your bun including white, rye, brioche or wholemeal. I opted for the rye after seeing the dark colour of the bun (I always wanted to try something different hehe). 

The Crisp Burger ($9.00 for burger, $11.00 with chips, $12.50 with chips and drink)

After much pondering I eventually chose the Crisp burger which was recommended by the Crisp staff. Seriously there are so many different options for wagyu burgers at this joint, it's crazy. The serving size was generous, moreish, filling and messy to handle at one sitting. The rye bun was fresh, soft and fluffy, which was what I really loved in this burger. While it wasn't healthy, the wagyu beef was juicy and worked well together with the stakcs of lettuce and melted vintage cheese. While it was hard to pick up the whole burger without everything falling apart, it satisfied my hunger and got me full enough to last the rest of the day.

The Crisp Burger - seasoned wagyu beef pattie, lettuce, tomato, aged vintage cheddar, balsamic onion marinade and herb aioli

If you are trying to find the healthier aspect of the company's slogan, you get to make your own salads from $6.00 or choose from the pre-made salads available on the menu for only $9 or $10.50 if you want to get a drink as well for a salad combo. You can also get sandwiches which were priced between $6-$8. 
 

While it felt rushed especially with the lunchtime crowd, I wouldn't mind ordering more food from Crisp if I was working much closer. If only it opened for dinner or even on weekends. The prices are cheap and the food satisfied my hunger especially with the servings. It was so delicious that when I was eating some leftovers at work, my colleagues were getting cravings from the smell alone. Will come back to try the salads since nearly everyone was ordering them while I was waiting for my food (gotta be health conscious right guys?). 

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of The Crisp. Opinions remain personal.

The Crisp
Telstra Plaza, 324-330 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
0416 545 343 (if you want to pre-order before 12:30pm)
http://www.thecrisp.com.au/
Breakfast: Mon-Fri 8:00am - 11:00am
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:00am - 2:30pm

Chur Burger, Surry Hills (and it's my 2nd Blog Birthday!)

OK where has the time gone?!?! I didn't end up celebrating my 1st bloggerversary / bloggiversary / blogaversary /blogiversary (seriously guys how do you spell that?) and I have no idea what to do for my 2nd one. I would say that over the last couple of years, I have gone through so many changes that it's just incredible. When I started The Random Foodie in late September 2011, I was near the end of my job at the time. What inspired me to do a food blog was the passion and love to explore different cuisines...and I have been a bit of an explorer. Before I started this blog, I was already super excited to check out pretty cool restaurants with my former colleagues. After a few requests from friends, I eventually started this blog. Why 'The Random Foodie'? To be honest, I couldn't think of a better name. Plus I guess back then, I like to be anonymous when it comes to reviewing restaurants. These day, not so much ahahaha. 

Since then, I have gained lots of weight for the love of food and eventually lost a lot of weight this year too (I still love to eat out dammit! It's so hard!). There was also some great foodie moments including meeting some amazing food bloggers, getting invites to a few cool events and travelled to Europe and Singapore. 

Thanks to everyone for your support and checking out my blog over the last couple of years. This includes enjoying the (not so great) pictures and the detailed content. I've appreciated the feedback that many of you have told me via this blog and in person. Cheers (or Chur hahaha) to 2 years of belly bursting fun times and more foodie adventures to come. Like this one. 

Speaking of random moments, I did not expect to end up dining at Chur Burger one night. I was with a few blogging mates at a bar that evening. We were so hungry and then one of us blurted out "let's go to Chur Burger!". Without hesitation, we all ended up here because it's a pretty damn awesome idea. Yup random moments are the best. For those who have no idea what I meant before, Chur is Kiwi for "cheers" (lol geddit? no? meh). Even though it was a Tuesday night, we waited for about 15 minutes for a free table...which wasn't too bad for an eating joint that has been on the lips of those in the food scene for months. While the atmosphere was noisy and buzzing, this was combined with decent and attentive service from the staff. 

You can order your food after seating at your tables or, if there are no seats left, you can also order at the counter while you wait for a table. Despite the busy crowd, the food gets delivered incredibly fast to our tables. Oh the choices!

Saucy times

We were spoilt for choice so it took a while for us to decide. Even the sides look appetising. I was in the mood for beef burgers at the time so it has gotta be the Grilled Beef Burger with cheese, tomato jam, mustard mayo and pickle. The picture below does not do this burger any justice. With a juicy beef patty with a bit of pinkness in the middle, zesty pickles and a soft and fluffy brioche bun, the burger is amazing stuff. 

Grilled Beef Burger ($10.00)

Oooooohhh yeaaahhhhh!!!

I didn't end up trying the Pulled Pork Burger (with Chur BBQ sauce, red slaw, fennel mayo) on my first visit but it got positive responses from those who did try it. It looked incredibly delicious that it was the reason I went back again recently. On my second visit, both CC and I tried the pulled pork but on this occasion, we thought that the pulled pork was chewy and not as seasoned or flavoursome as we had hoped. The BBQ sauce was quite runny so it didn't add much to the burger. This led to making good use of the other sauces to add some more flavour. However, the amount of pulled pork was still generous which was what I enjoyed the most from this burger. 

Pulled Pork Burger - 1st Visit (($10.00)

Pulled Pork Burger - 2nd Visit

I didn't end up trying the Crumbed Fish Fillet burger (with pickled cucumber, dill and lemon mayo) but C thought it was good and crunchy. Looks so tasty. Will definitely try it out in future visits.

Crumbed Fish Fillet Burger ($10.00)

Not sure if it's me or are sweet potato fries popping up at lots of menus across Sydney these days. Chur Burger's version has chunky pieces of sweet potato which was delicious but incredibly salty. We couldn't seem to detect the garlic and lime though I assume that might have been the seasoning. We ordered too many of these so there were leftovers due to its very generous servings. 

Sweet Potato Fries, Garlic, Lime ($5.00)

I tried a few of these chips and found these to be very addictive. Not good for those on a low carb diet but damnnn they were so crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the inside. I didn't seem to notice too much chilli inside so it seems to be alright for those who can't handle it. Again a very generous serving for us.

Chips with chilli salt ($5.00)

Since Chur Burger is owned by Warren Turnball, the same chef who formerly owned District Dining, I was so happy and a tad surprised when I spotted Quail eggs on the menu again. This time I thought these treats were better than ever. Oozy egg yolk and crumbled coating combined with the tangy tarragon sauce was the highlight out of the snacks menu. Soo good!

Crispy Quail Eggs with Tarragon Mayo ($10.00)

We all enjoyed the milo and salted caramel (didn't get a photo for this one :( sorry) milkshakes although they were quite thick and rich. Some of us thought it was too much to handle especially with all the other food we've had. Nevertheless, they are still sweet and refreshing to have especially on a warm day.

Milo Milkshake ($8.00)

While some people reckon that it's a bit pricey compared to Maccas and HJ's, I reckon it's one of the cheap eats considering the size of the burgers and the location. Would love to check it out again to try the fish burger and the spiced chickpea fritter burger (note this vegetarians!) sometime soon. Great social vibe, quick and friendly service and no fuss. Churrrr!

Chur Burger
48 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9212 7979
http://www.churburger.com.au/