The Copper Mill, Alexandria

Located in Alexandria, The Copper Mill is a welcoming addition to the suburb's ever-growing cafe and restaurant scene that has been expanding since the opening of The Grounds of Alexandria. It's also a good walking distance from St Peter's Station and even closer to Sydney Park if you happen to be in the area. As you step inside, you notice the industrial decor of the joint While it's quiet on the weekdays, it's much more busier on the weekends especially with the limited seating inside so there will be a small wait for the tables at peak hours (though not as bad as the Grounds of course).

It's rare to find a cafe where I actually want to try every single dish of the menu but The Copper Mill is definitely one of those places. What distinguishes this cafe to others within the vicinity is the Peruvian influence in many of the dishes from the menu thanks to their Peruvian chef. The menu changes regularly with some dishes being available on weekends only. You can definitely a number of dishes with certain ingredients that would be harder to find elsewhere such as the vegetarian dishes 'Portobello Mushies', the 'Puffed Galette', the Tacu Tacu and their own take of the 'Huevos Rancheros'. You know what's even better? The Copper Mill does all day breakfast. Score!

Skim Mocha ($4.00)

In all of my visits to this cafe, I've always loved the coffee here. Not only was the coffee art so pretty but the coffee itself was well balanced between the bitterness of the beans, the sweetness from the cocoa and the creaminess from the milk. The coffee was made using Golden Cobra's coffee beans which was unique compared to the usual names I've seen around the other cafes but certainly a winner for me.

Huevos Rancheros - blue corn tortilla, black beans, roasted capsicum, pecorino, sunny side eggs and bacon ($17.00)

One of the dishes that I've been looking forward to try at this cafe was the Huevos Rancheros. According to the staff, apparently this dish is only available on Sundays (possibly Saturday too but might need to double check). While most recipes see the eggs served on a crispy flour white tortilla, this version uses the more unique blue corn tortilla. It's insanely messy to handle and not too aesthetic with so many ingredients bundled together on the plate but the flavour combination was what mattered the most. The serving was more than generous so it would keep you full to the end of the day.

Peruvian Roll ($10.00)

Another unique dish at The Copper Mill was their signature Peruvian Roll.

With loads of unique ingredients and the leniency towards Peruvian cuisines, it's no wonder that I've constantly had craving to make return visits for many other dishes. The board menu changes on a regular basis however there are still a few regular dishes such as the Peruvian Roll that has been on the menu each time I've visited this cafe. The service seems friendly and attentive and most of the prices were actually on the cheaper end of the scale. The industrial-esque decor of the cafe may not look too fancy but it does represent the rustic appearance of the dishes and the overall down to earth atmosphere. Looking forward to returning again and again for more dishes such as the coddled egg and the beef hash.

The Copper Mill
338 Mitchell Road, Alexandria NSW 2043

(02) 9517 3214

Mon-Fri: 7:00am - 4:00pm

Sat-Sun: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Papi Chulo, Manly

Ever been to a restaurant where you really want to eat everything off the menu? If you stomach can handle it of course. That was how I felt when I finally made the ferry trip to Manly to check out Merivale's first North Shore restaurant, Papi Chulo, for a food blogger gathering. On a relatively sunny afternoon (which ended up being horrendously windy later on), I met up with Irene's Getting Fat, iFat Food Chronicles, Nessy Eater, Polyphagia, A Swoonful of Sugar and Milkteaxx to try as many meaty dishes as we could handle. Also we bumped into the girls from Next Stop Food and Journey From Within who were celebrating a birthday at a nearby table.

If you prefer public transport over driving, you can literally get to this restaurant a mere moments after leaving the ferry wharf. Tremendous scenery of the beach side which would be perfect for a nice sunny day. When I got inside, I was immediately stunned at how packed the restaurant really was a 12:30pm. We were seated very close to the kitchen so we could perve check out some of the delicious dishes getting delivered to the tables

El Mani ($8.00)

While I did not get the chance to try this drink, the others said that this blend of chocolate sauce, caramel peanut butter and vanilla ice cream was quite rich, creamy and incredibly sweet.  I was particularly drooling at the chocolate biscuits floating on top. Looks nice to have on a warm day.

Smoked Hot Wings with Comeback Sauce ($16.00)

I usually have don't have a huge reaction when it comes to chicken wings but oh my gawd these hot wings were absolutely incredible! The skin was crisp and golden while the meat was well-cooked to our liking. It was no wonder why this was so popular with everyone at the table. And that comeback sauce! While it wasn't too spicy, it still had that zesty, smokey, chipotle-esque kick which excites your taste buds. No surprise that I was keen to use this sauce on everything.

Curly Fries ($9.00)

I do love a good serving of curly fries. We don't see these babies enough around Sydney. The fries were very crunchy and seasoned with various spices though given its heavy carb content and the amount of food coming up, I didn't eat too much of it. Great to share and perfect with that amazing comeback sauce!

Smoked Wagyu Brisket - 300gm ($34.00)

Sure enough, we all fell silent the moment this gorgeous piece of meat showed up at our table. Gotta admit, the food delivery was incredibly fast with many dishes showing up at the same time. Seriously though, look at the marbling on that smoky beef! So soft, tender and ridiculously juicy, it makes you want to drool all over the table. I'm speechless as I'm writing this actually. Just look at that photo!

Papi Chulo BBQ Platter ($86.00 - serves 2-4 people)

Just when you can't get enough of beef brisket, we ordered even more of this cut as well as a sample of different types of meat in this restaurant's signature BBQ platter. This includes a half rack of lamb ribs and 150gm each of wagyu brisket, chopped pork and pork belly served with pickles and soft bread. The lamb ribs were very tasty and easy to cut through. It also didn't have that strong taste that seems to turn some people off lamb...well I didn't think it was strong but that's me. You just can't help but feel the happiness when the meat fell off the bone so quickly. The pork belly was succulent fatty goodness that melts in your mouth. Even though there's a thick slab of fat, it's a total guilty pleasure especially with its incredible softness and the seasoned flavour. And that chopped pork (I think it's pulled pork? Looks like it) is sooooo addictive! Had a sweet, saucy and tangy taste that keeps me getting more than my share especially when it came down to leftovers.

Papi Chulo Burger - grain fed beef, bacon, American cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles, soft bun ($18.00)

By the time the Papi Chulo burger showed up, most of us were feeling full from all the meaty goodness. I was still ok by this point so I grabbed my share. The beef patty had that medium-rare pinkish colour as we attempt to split the burger to share. While this did not stand out compared to the other dishes - most likely because we were too full, I still loved that crispy bacon as well as the soft (though filling) bun.

Plate of colourful pickles and other veggies

If you are getting meat sweats just by reading this post, fear not. We also got a complimentary plate of colourful pickles and other assorted veggies which came with the meat platter. While they were quite sour, they were a nice relief from all the meats, carbs and fatty oils that we have eaten so far. 

Smoked Wagyu Brisket Sandwich - spicy celery pickle, caramelised onion, horseradish mayo, fried egg, soft bun ($18.00)

M arrived late when we finished nearly everything so she ordered a smoked wagyu brisket sandwich (which looked very much like a burger). Although we couldn't eat anymore savoury food, we cannot help but feel the food envy at the layers of beef brisket and egg in that burger. Could only imagine how good this would have tasted.

Pear and Rhubarb Cobbler, Ginger Crumble, Creme Anglaise, Orange and Ginger Ice-Cream ($14.00) 

Just when you and I thought that we have given up, think again. There is still that mysterious favourite room for dessert. Three desserts actually. Yeah we couldn't decide so we tried them all to share. The pear and rhubarb cobbler was warm and not too sweet or sour. While there was a decent amount of creaminess due to the creme anglaise and ginger ice cream, it was combined with the ginger crumble and chunks of pear and rhubarb. Compared to the other desserts, this was lighter with well-balanced flavours and textures which was why this was a favourite sweet dish for pretty much everyone at the table.

Banana Split - fresh split banana, chocolate fudge, peanut praline, banana ice cream, peanut butter ice cream, cherry jam, whipped cream, glace cherry ($14.00)

The banana split especially at a restaurant like Papi Chulo would certainly bring out your inner child. With all that creaminess from the peanut butter and banana ice creams and the whipped cream, it was certainly a decadent and rich dessert. The fresh bananas, chocolate fudge and crumbled peanut praline added a good amount of crunch to what was otherwise an intense creamy dessert. 

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie with vanilla malt ice cream, butterscotch sauce, macademia brittle ($14.00)

Personally I really loved the above dessert mainly due to my preference towards anything sweet involving softly baked chocolate chip cookies. This was rich and very sweet due to the amount of chocolate, the indulging scoop of melting vanilla malt ice-cream and the thick and warm butterscotch sauce but the softness of the cookie won me over instantly. Plus that crumbled macademia brittle made it even more addictive for me. Would order this again next time especially on a cool day.

While we clearly had our fill for lunch, there was still so much more that I want to try from the menu. Especially the cuban sandwich, the pea guacamole, those potatoes and gravy (and bone marrow!) or even get my hands on one of the smoked BBQ meats again. The vibe was incredibly busy and the service seemed prompt and attentive to our needs. One of my very few qualms was the pricing since it generally leaned toward the more expensive side. Though this is standard for most Merivale restaurants. If only Manly was closer for me to get to because I could definitely see myself making regular visits to try everything on the menu especially for birthdays, farewells and other special occasions.

Papi Chulo
22-23 Manly Wharf, Manly NSW 2095
(02) 9240 3000
http://merivale.com.au/papichulo/
Mon-Fri: 12:00pm - 10:30pm
Sat: 11:30am - 10:30pm
Sun: 11:30am - 9:00pm

Mejico, Sydney CBD

Around 5 years ago and more, I would have complained that there's not enough Mexican food in Sydney. These days lots of people would be complaining that there's way too much Mexican food in Sydney. Not me, I would say bring it on but I'm biased because I looooooove Mexican food. One night I was stumbling back to the station after a night out at the club and walked past this restaurant just setting up and getting prepared before its grand opening about a week later. Judging by the menu, it looked like something I really want to try. It's also fairly close to work as well as being in the heart of Sydney CBD so it fast tracked itself to nearly the top of my list of places to try during my lunch hour.   

Mejico has an electric, funky and modern feel by its neon pink and black decor and fancy setting. Though it is not cheap like El Loco or Guzman Y Gomez. Looking at the diners, it's seems to be appealing towards the city workers looking for somewhere to meet for a work lunch. Funny enough, it's right next door to Jamie's Italian and its pasta machine and with someone standing at the front making the restaurant's signature blackened corn on the corn grill. Bit of a sneaky move but it makes the impatient and hungry diners happy rather than waiting 60+ minutes for a table at Jamie's. They offer an extensive selection of drinks at the bar and they even use their tequila bottle for the water. Again hilariously sneaky into making you think you are getting free tequila.

Water in a tequila bottle :p

The first thing that attracted me to this restaurant is the tacos. Especially lamb braised shoulder tacos...mmm lamb tacos. And it has gremolata which makes it even better for me (if you like gremolata that is). When it arrived, I was stunned at how small it really is. Really really small actually. If you are keen on coming here and just ordering one set of 3 tacos alone, it will not fill you up. Which is a bit of a bummer since it is $16. Despite that, the smoked lamb tacos were very delicious and incredibly juicy and the filling inside the tortilla is a generous serving. It has a Middle-Eastern taste with the smoky lamb that melts in your mouth, the crumbly gremolata and the zesty mint-infused mayonnaise.

Braised Lamb Shoulder ($16.00)

Still keen for more, I ordered another set of tacos but with pork belly that was smoked for 20 hours (hello to all the pork belly lovers!). The pork belly was cut into thick cubes and was accompanied with black bean hummus and tomatillo salsa on the side. I loved filling the tacos with the salsa as it just gives them a zesty taste. And the meat is so soft, juicy and scrumptious when you bite into it. Very tasty though I wish the tacos were bigger.

Smoked Pork Belly Tacos ($16.00)

So tiny!

Since trying the ceviches at various places like Queenies and Eat Art Truck, I am now a big fan of this colourful, refreshing and reasonably healthy meal. Mejico offers three variants including Pacific scallops, Hiramasa kingfish and Atlantic salmon. I selected the kingfish ceviche mainly for its ingredients including ruby grapefruit, watermelon, pepitas, radish and chilli flakes. These were presented as 4 bite sized treats with the filling laid on a thin and crispy cracker-like tostada. The filling tasted incredible with the colourful ingredients, the softness of the kingfish, the sweetness from the watermelon and the spiciness from the chilli flakes. Once again, my only disappointment was the size of these treats as I was hoping for the ceviche to be presented on a bigger tostada instead of an easy-to-break cracker.

Hiramasa Kingfish Ceviches ($16.00)

When arriving to my table, I immediately noticed the mortle and pestle placed there. Then I spotted a number of nearby diners ordering the signature Market Fresh Guacamole. with plantain chips. With so many restaurants serving guacamole, there must be something special for it to be one of Mejico's signature dishes. Sure enough, it turns out that it is freshly made. And by freshly made, I mean the waitress brings out a tray containing separate bowls of ingredients and makes the guacamole on the spot in front of you.

It was entertaining watching the waitress mixing and mashing the ingredients together to form the guacamole. Hopefully next time there is the option to make the guacamole ourselves to save time and effort for the staff. While it has traditional ingredients like avocado, coriander, Spanish onion and lime juice; there were several unusual ingredients including walnuts, serrano chilli and wasbai (whaaat?!). Despite the couple of odd ingredients, the wasabi and the chilli brought a nice kick to the guacamole as it mostly just tasted like avocado. The plantain chips were much bigger than I expected. These chips were a delightful treat to scoop up heavy chunks of the guacamole rather than the usual corn chips. 

Market Fresh Guacamole ($9.00)

Plantain chips

Recently, I returned to try a few more dishes after a hard morning at work. The other thing that attracted me to Mejico were the Sweet Potato croquettes but knowing how filling they will be, I didn't get to try them back then. The croquetas were golden and crunchy with a soft and sweet potato filling. Thanks to the sweet potato, this side dish ended up being very filling. The manchego cheese inside them tasted quite light that you wouldn't notice that it was there until you pull the croquette apart and watch the cheese drool. While I enjoyed the slightly spicy (possibly chipotle flavoured?) dipping sauce on the side, the spiciness does overpower the cheese when you dip it in. 

Croquetas ($8.00) 

Another signature is the blackened corn that was grilled in a husk as demonstrated at the front of the restaurant as you enter inside. I'd say that the corn is substantial if you order this for yourself or with one other friend and have two pieces each but individually for 4 ppl, it is quite small as well. I am guessing this was one corn cut into 4 equal pieces. As for the taste, I liked the grilled texture as well as the parmesan cheese and garnishes on top of each corn. Having said that, there wasn't much cheese on each corn so the cheese and corn lovers will be disappointed about this.

Blackened corn ($7.00)

By this point, I've realised that most of the food at Mejico has garnishes of fresh parsley on top...

While the majority of diners were office workers, it has the hip atmosphere from the music to the decor which made it vibrant and chic. The service was decent during my visits and I enjoyed the entertainment from seeing the waitress making the guacamole from scratch. In regards to the food, it was a mixed affair for me. Notably, the serving portions for some of the dishes seem small considering the value and it was pricey  I still won't mind coming back again to try the ribs as I've heard how amazing they are as well as the Agave-glazed Caramel Fudge for dessert. With Mejico aiming towards modern Mexican dining with its fancy vibe, this may set the trend in branching the ever-increasingly popular Mexican cuisine to more than just fast street food or yet another addition to a pub/bar menu. Does it work? Well it gets a packed crowd at lunch on a weekday so they must be doing something right.

Mejico
105 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9230 0119
http://mejico.com.au/

Reuben Hills, Surry Hills

A pun on the reuben sandwich and Surry Hills? Well it was going to happen eventually especially with all the cafes popping up at every corner of Surry Hills. Literally. What makes this one any different? For me, this was on my wishlist since it first opened very soon after New Year's Day. The menu looked very interesting with a bit of Latin and South American influences as well as a couple of cafe staples.

The decor of the cafe has an industrial/DIY vibe in their design. The vibe has a bit of your usual Inner Westie hipster chilling with their friend while sipping on the latest organic fairtrade coffee. At the cafe, the staff uses (or reuses) different sorts of vintage small jars to serve tap water, something that I find intriguing and will look forward to seeing which jar I will get in future visits.

Yes there is actually water in that jar

From reading reviews at other blogs, they originally advertised their sandwich to be the reuben sandwich. But with fillings such as wagyu salt brisket beef, mancheo cheese, pickled slaw and horseradish cream; this does not really match with what it really is (which is meant to have corned beef/pastrami, swiss cheese and sauerkraut). Thus when I finally got to check out the place, they have corrected this to 'the NOT Reuben sandwich'. Nice.

Balaeda - eggs, queso fresca, black beans

On this occasion, I was in the mood for their other signature item - the balaeda! For those who have never heard of this dish, it is basically a breakfast soft taco with a thick wheat flour tortilla folded and filled with various toppings. I was hoping to get the pimenton pulled pork but they ran out of it so I tried the eggs, queso fresco and black beans version. I found this to be very delish with the fresh eggs and small clunks of cheese blending together. Can't wait to try the pork version next time!

Baked beef empanadas served with pico de gallo

As I am a sucker for Latin American cuisine, I had to try the beef empanadas. Aside from the minced beef, there are small chunks of potato and onions in the filling which had a dense, starchy taste when you chew it. The pico de gallo salsa is the perfect accompaniment to this dish to balance with the crunchy savoury pastry and the chewiness from the fillings

Salted caramel milkshake

Since it is a cafe, you might as well take the opportunity to try some coffee or one of their milkshakes. When I saw this on the menu, I immediately thought of macarons. Sure enough when trying it, the milkshake did tasted very creamy and milky at first but the salted caramel flavour reaches your tastebuds at the end with each slurp.

Doggs breakfast

And if that wasn't enough, I went for more salted caramel indulgence with the Doggs breakfast. This is pretty much an ice cream sandwich with a small pool of salted caramel sauce on the side. It is a very sweet combination when you mixed it together bite by bite. Now is it me or are various versions of ice cream sandwiches popping up everywhere at cafes and restaurants across Sydney? I reckon it's becoming the new hip dessert for sugar indulgences.


In addition to the food, the friendly service is a bonus for what is already an exquisite cafe experience. If you are stuck on which cafe to check out when you drop by Surry Hills or your favourite cafe has very long queues, give Reuben Hills a go and see what it's like for you. Will come back for to try their coffee, pork balaeda and the not-Reuben sandwich.

Reuben Hills
61 Albion St Surry Hills 2010
Contact no: (02) 9211 5556
http://reubenhills.com.au/