SoCal, Neutral Bay

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

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

Corn Chips with pico de gallo, guacamole and corn salsa

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

Classic Margarita Carafes

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

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

Crab and Sopressatta Tostadas

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

Joe's Super Amazing Mystery Interactive Cocktail Experience

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

Chicken Sliders: marinated chicken breast with avocado and chorizo

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

Frisco Pisco

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

Seared Salmon with broccolini, chilli and coriander salsa verde

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

Dry Creek, Fume Blanc, Sonoma CA

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

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

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

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

Scotch Fillet with Chimmichurri

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

Mushroom Salad

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

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

Chocolate, Pistachio and Tequila Brownie with Chipotle Cream 

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

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

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

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

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

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

Mexican Chorizo at Taco Mafia, Surry Hills [CLOSED]

We all know about chorizos right? Especially the ones that you would often see as tapas at Spanish restaurants. But what about Mexican chorizo? If you think that Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo are the same, think again. This is actually rarer to find in Sydney with Taco Mafia being one of those very few eateries that stocks this meat. Not too long ago, I got the chance to taste the difference as well as trying out the food that Taco Mafia serves.

The fit-out was similar to what you would see at places like Guzman y Gomez and Mad Mex except that Taco Mafia is an independent-owned (and I think also family-owned) store located on Elizabeth Street close to Domino's. It's promoted for delivering "Mean Mexican" cuisine which was clearly shown from the Mexican gangland-inspired decor from the posters to the red splashes on the white stools and the car doors ridden with bullet holes. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of eating a generous-sized meal at lunch so by the time I got to Taco Mafia, I was still very full so two visits were made to get a better idea on what they serve.

Hibiscus tea

Was treated to a cup of hibiscus tea which was only offered as a special on the day. When I returned to Taco Mafia later, this was unavailable on the special menu. For those who are not familiar with this, it's made from hibiscus flower that was imported from Mexico. It had a light, fruity and not too sweet taste so it is an ideal drink for the warmer weather. 

Taco Truck Tacos - L: Chipotle Pork, R: Chicken Tinja (Individual: $3.00, 3 x tacos: $9.90)

There are three different types of tacos available at Taco Mafia. You could get the option of "Taco truck" tacos, soft tacos and crispy tacos. I ended up ordering the taco truck tacos which were soft corn tortillas consisting of a meat filling of your choice, coriander and chopped tomatoes and onion. On this occasion, I got to try the flavours listed on the Specials blackboard which were chipotle pork and chicken tinja. The chipotle pork was made in-house and had a soft and not too spicy flavour. The Central Mexican-inspired chicken tinja was a bit spicier with its shredded chicken breast and thigh cooked with a tomato, onion and chilli sauce base. This was served with corn chips and house-made guacamole on the side.

Mexican Chorizo 

But what about the Mexican chorizo? On this visit, I was given the chance to check out the difference in the Mexican chorizo. Unlike the more common Spanish chorizo which is firm and mild; Mexican chorizo is much softer, spicier and can only be used when the skin is removed as shown above. While you can have Spanish chorizo as a cured meat, Mexican chorizo can only be eaten once it's cooked.

Corn chip with chorizo 

As you can see, it has a spicy and strong flavour with a crumbly texture that is similar to minced meat only with lots of seasoning. Great to have with crispy corn chips as a dip.

Cooking the Mexican Chorizo at home

I got the chance to try out the chorizo at home. Simply remove the skin and spread the meat across the pan. Cook the chorizo for about 3 minutes or until it's brown. One thing to note is that the smokey chorizo scent when cooking was too strong to handle especially with the intense spices. It works well with lots of recipes such as quesadilla, refried beans and chorizo, scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos and even on pizza or a Mexican chorizo fondue! Check out the Goyos Mexican Chorizo website for recipes and where this delicacy is stocked in Australia. Currently Taco Mafia is the only restaurant that stocks this in Sydney however you can also find it at Casa Margarita at Polkobin in the Hunter Valley. 

Special Burrito - Chorizo ($13.90) 

Because I was unable to eat any other dishes on my first visit due to a heavy lunch, I decided to make a further visit to try the chorizo burrito. You could get a regular burrito with the same fillings as the tacos as well as cheese, rice, chopped tomato and onions and pinto beans for $10.90. You could up-size to a super burrito with guacamole and sour cream included in the filling for $12.90 or a special burrito for $13.90 with different flavours listed on the blackboard that are only available for a limited time. While I opted for no sour cream, I actually found that the sour cream and guacamole would be beneficial to sooth the spicy flavours of the chorizo. Was very delicious though I thought that the size was a bit small given the price. Definitely had no trouble finishing this up. This also came with a small serving of corn chips on the side.

The staff was friendly and accommodating on both of my visits. While it was quiet, hopefully with this review it may not be the case since they do appear to be true to their word with serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Especially when they offer chicken fajitas and chicken mole for the occasional specials. Apart from the special chorizo burrito, most of the other items on the menu were quite cheap actually. For example, the chicken fajitas on a plate on the special menu is actually cheaper than most places serving the same dish! And they do deliveries to Sydney CBD and Surry Hills if you are craving for Mexican food at work for lunch or even dinner if you end up staying back late.

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Taco Mafia on her first visit, courtesy of Bill from Goyo's Mexican Chorizo. A further visit was also made to Taco Mafia on a later date where the burrito was independently paid for. Opinions remain personal. 

Taco Mafia 
232a Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2010
(02) 9212 5222
http://www.tacomafia.com.au/
Mon-Fri: 7:00am - 9:00pm
Sat: 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sun: Closed

Ko and Co, Surry Hills

Korean and Mexican? It may sound weird for some of you but Korean Mexican fusion cuisine has been happening in the States for a few years by now. There are now countless street food trucks such as the famous Kogi BBQ, Chi'Lantro BBQ and many more serving Korean Mexican cuisine including bulgogi burritos, Korean tacos and kimchi quesadillas. It was no surprise that this fusion craze has finally reached to Australian shores in the form of Ko and Co.

Located on Hunt Street nearby Longrain, Ko and Co was actually hard to find if you are looking around at night. That's until you can see the not-very-obvious Ko&Co sign on the window with people sitting inside chatting to their mates. It's actually a very small restaurant/bar with minimal seating and decor apart from a few wall paintings. Can imagine how busy this may get on weekends. I should also apologise in advance for the really terrible photos especially with the dim lighting and my phone camera battery dying.

Complimentary corn chips

While CC was impartial to these, I thought these corn chips were great as nibbles before waiting for the food to arrive. Quite addictive for me especially with the crunch.

Korean Fried Chicken Sliders ($10.00 for 2) 

You can get a choice of four different fillings for the slider which included spicy pork, beef short ribs, Korean fried chicken and spicy tofu. These same choices also apply to selecting your filling for tacos or burritos. The sliders also came with a brioche bun, cabbage slaw and kimchi mayo. Although we were satisfied by the crunch from the crispy fried chicken, the bun tasted a bit dry and as soft as we hoped. Though we did admire its golden, shiny appearance. 

Quesadillas with kimchi and three cheese filling ($10.00)

CC was looking forward to the quesadillas the most from the moment we had our eyes on the menu. Unfortunately, we were let down when we found that there wasn't as much cheese as we expected - even though the menu said there will be three cheeses in the filling. In fact we thought that the kimchi was the stronger flavour in this dish, which is good if you prefer kimchi over cheese.   

Beef Short Rib Taco ($6.00)

Spicy Pork Belly Taco ($6.00)

Thankfully the tacos were the heroes of the night. Each taco came with slaw, kimchi and a dollop of sauce (possibly sirarcha sauce?). The beef short rib taco was fairly tender on the inside with a crispy outer texture while the spicy pork belly taco wasn't as spicy at first but then it slowly hits you as make more bites into this meal. Both were very delicious and filling. Will definitely order this again next time.   

Watermelon Soju ($9.00)

After seeing a number of customers ordering it at the bar, I was convinced enough to give the watermelon soju a go. While soju usually conjures up images of really strong liquor that gives a burning sensation to your mouth, this version was actually mild, sweet and fruity which is good for those who aren't too familiar with this beverage.

Although there were a couple of dishes that we may be hesitant on trying again, there were still other dishes on its limited menu that will keep me coming back such as the burritos, tacos, the fried chicken and the dessert tortilla. The service was friendly and helpful with us that night and the prices were pretty cheap. It's a great place to chill with your friends or colleagues over a few drinks after work or on the weekend. 

Ko and Co

6 Hunt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

0428 944 741

https://www.facebook.com/koandcosydney

Mon: 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Tue-Thurs: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Fri: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - midnight

Sat: 6:00pm - midnight

Mamasita, Melbourne CBD

The last time I was in Melbourne was back in early 2010. Now I know what you are thinking: WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN BACK SOONER?!?! After finally making my way back down there I asked myself that same question countless times. Now it's my chance to make up for all that lost time. Even though it was only a short weekend but better than nothing right? Because one of my friends was unable to take leave, we all flew out to Melbourne on late Friday night. By the time we checked into our hotel, it was already 11:00pm. Luckily I was researching for any late night restaurants in Melbourne and the first that popped inside my head was the extremely popular Mexican restaurant, Mamasita. Partly because of my love for Mexican food, regular mentions in the food press and overhearing the hype from other fellow Sydney bloggers who have also trekked to Melb in the past.

Complimentary Salsa Verde for the Tacos (which I used on everything!)

When we arrived at Mamasita at 11:30pm, there was actually no line (and it was a Friday night!) which was good to see especially after hearing from everyone about the epic 1 - 2 hour lines up the stairs to get inside this small restaurant. It was dimly light throughout the whole venue which was frustrating when trying to take photos (I apologise for the terrible photos!). In terms of the atmosphere it had a buzzing ambience though the crowd appeared to be dressed quite hipster and trendy plus there were so many couples (!!!) which made us felt a little out of place.

Mamasita Sangria (200ml: $8.00, Jug: $38.00)

The late night 'Taqueria' menu was a bit limited compared to the regular lunch and dinner menus but there were still the essential faves including the starters (corn, tortilla chips), tacos, ceviches, quesadillas and desserts. We started our night with a jug of sangria as always. While we did enjoy the sangria, it wasn't as fruity as we usually liked. It also wasn't as flavoursome and CC and S both thought it had a slight "soy-like taste" which was a bit odd.

Elote Callejero ($4.90 each)

After looking at the menu, we had our eyes on the Elote Callejero, which was street-style char-grilled corn coated with shredded queso fresco, chipotle mayo and lime. While CC still preferred the much sweeter corn from Queenie's, I devoured the juicy, messy, and tangy kernels in no less than a heart beat. While it was a savoury and relatively spicy dish thanks to the mayo, queso cheese and paprika that melts so easily as you bite into them, it was well-complemented with the sweetness of the corn and a squeeze of the lime thus bringing a burst of exciting flavours to the taste buds. It really was mouthwatering goodness! Was pretty bummed when I demolished my share. If you are looking for something similar in Sydney, the corn at Ms G's is very similar to this in my opinion.

Taco de Arrachera - grilled flank steak, guacamole, tomatilla salsa and red onion ($6.00) 

Taco de Puerco - Al Pastor- style pig's cheek, fiery apple and while cabbage ($6.00)

If I lived in Melbourne, I would have checked out Mamasita on a regular basis just for the soft shell tacos. Initially S wanted to get the Ox Tongue taco but after realising that there's ghost chilli mayo, we each ordered a steak taco instead (according to Man v Food, ghost chilli is one of the spiciest chillies EVER but from hearing other people trying this taco before it sounds like this was quite mild actually). The flank steak was so juicy, tender and zesty thanks to the smear of creamy guacamole and tomatilla salsa. I also ordered the Taco de Puerco (Pig cheek), which was actually one my faves from the night. It may look simple, messy and minimal (sorry for the terrible pic) but the meat was wonderfully cooked with a firm, crispy, spit-grilled taste with the crunchiness from the salad and the apple. Both were very delicious, moreish and surprisingly filling since the girls were already getting full by this point.  

Quesadilla de Huitlacoche ($14.00)

We also ordered a Quesadilla de Huitlacoche to share when we noticed that it has mushrooms in the filling. Its fillings also include Huitlacoche (or Mexican truffle...or corn smut. Ignorance is bliss. Damn you Google), queso crillo, corn, epazote, pico de gallo and queso fresco. And I'm sure the green stuff on top is jalapeno. Yup there's no sign of meat or fish in this dish so it's good if you're a strict vegetarian. This looked similar to a pizza in terms of presentation with cheese scattered on top of the tortilla. Nice earthy taste thanks to the Mexican truffle and mushrooms inside combined with the generous amounts of cheese. Wasn't as flavoursome as I would have hoped but good to eat if you are looking to eat something with a milder flavour. With those ingredients, I can imagine seeing a dish like this somewhere in the streets of Mexico.

After trying a sample of the dishes from the late night menu, I could imagine why so many people would be so keen to line up for so long for this restaurant especially when there's a decent number of Mexican restaurants in the city. The prices were quite reasonable given the portions for some dishes though it was not the cheapest in my opinion. I was very disappointed that the popular tostaditas were not included on the late night menu. If I live in Melbourne, I can imagine coming back here again to try many of the other dishes including the tortilla chips, the tostaditas and the ceviches since I really enjoyed my time here. If only I'm a patient person when it comes to ridiculously long queues at peak dining hours since they only do bookings for groups of 8-10 people. Since I will most likely be returning back to Melbourne a few more times in the near future, hopefully I can squeeze in a session at Mamasita during its non-peak dining hours as an afternoon snack.

Mamasita
Level 1, 11 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9650 3821
http://www.mamasita.com.au/
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am - Midnight
Fri: 11:30am - 2:00am
Sat: 12:30pm - 2:00am
Sun: 12:30pm - 10:00pm