Criniti's, Parramatta

There are menus that list their entrees, main meals and desserts on a single page. And then there's Criniti's. For those who haven't checked Criniti's in Parramatta, Darling Harbour or the new branch in Castle Hill, their menu boasts at seven pages with the menu items listed in fine print. And that is just the food menu!

Polpette della mamma

Due to my terrible indecisiveness, we had trouble choosing the entree dish. We agreed to share the polpette della mamma (meatballs with pomodoro sauce and melted mozzarella). The meat itself was soft and oozing with stringy mented mozzarella cheese. I always enjoy playing this game of stretching the cheese as far as it can. This is one of those moments. I seriously cannot get enough of stringy cheese!

Criniti special pizza - salami, mushroom, red onion, chilli, origano. basil and mozzarella

Famous for their 1 metre pizza, we thought it was good to try out the woodfired pizza there since previous visits have only involved pasta. Because there were only two of us, we ended up with the traditional size of eight slices. The problem in this case was choosing the topping. While the 1 metre pizza lets you choose three flavours, the traditional one is just one. With that many options, even three flavours would have been a tough decision. We ended up deciding on the Criniti special because we felt like getting one with a large number of toppings but slightly different from the average supreme-esque pizza flavours. Plus I'm a sucker for salami and basil.

Check out the crust!

The woodfired pizza was definitely an enjoyable experience. The crust was not only very thin and crispy, it was packed with flavour from the chilli spices to the sweetly aromatic basil. This flavour was different from several other thin and crispy crusts I've usually had which were a bit more plain.


The restaurant wasn't too packed on the night we went but it did get more busy by the time we left. While it may not be fancy, it is still recommended to check out when you want to have a night out with your mates. Would like to go back again to try out other pizza flavours as well as the pasta or possibly something different like some of their many entrees, meat, seafood and salad dishes. Not to mention attempting the infamous 1 metre pizza. Whew!

Criniti's Parramatta

291 Church Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

Contact no: 1300 274 648
http://www.crinitis.com.au/

Mamak, Haymarket

There are such restaurants that are notorious for their lengthy queues. Such examples are Chat Thai in Haymarket, the new Jamie's Italian and of course, Mamak. With the exception of non-peak hours, Mamak is one of those places that always have a very long line of hungry diners waiting outside the restaurant even on a Monday. So the fact that a friend and I decided out of nowhere to go here on a Saturday evening means that the wait will be busier and much longer - but it is worth the wait!

Roti bawang - roti with red onions

Renowned for their rotis - both savoury and sweet, Mamak's menu has an extensive variety of rotis flavours to choose from. From the original roti canai to the sweetly tall roti tisu, there was so much for us to choose from. This occasion, we both decided to have the roti bawang because my friend likes anything with onions and I wanted to try something different - having tried roti canal and roti telur (egg) previously. This roti tasted sensational with lashings of red onion laced through the light roti pastry. As usual, it was served with two curry dips and a spicy sambal sauce - all three of them with varying levels of spiciness.

Nasi lemak with curry chicken

Both my friend and I ordered the nasi lemak. My friend had the one with curry chicken while I ordered the fried chicken. This dish includes a decent portion of coconut rice, peanuts, crispy anchovies, a hard boiled egg, cucumber and of course the spicy sambal sauce on the side. My friend seemed to enjoy the curry chicken. I've tried a piece and the chicken tasted so nice with the sweet and slightly spicy curry.

Nasi Lemak with fried chicken

I haven't tried the fried chicken at Mamak and have heard quite a bit about this. I also ordered a side of curry to blend it with the coconut rice. The meat was insatiably crispy, juicy, and massive! This was a pretty large piece of chicken to finish but I've managed to eat it up along with the rest of the dish. In the end we were both stuffed so we didn't end up trying the sweet rotis. I guess there's always next time.


The service here is absolutely friendly. Always a good time with them everytime I've been here. Although the wait can be irritating especially after 30 minutes, this restaurant is worth the time especially with their well priced menu, good customer service and deliciously authentic Malaysian street food.

Mamak
15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket
Contact no: 02 9211 1668
http://mamak.com.au/

Ms G's, Potts Point

On a warm Saturday, I was initially planning to have a quiet weekend especially since that weekend had trackwork on all lines past my station. Also, I was a bit hungover from a friend's party the night before. My friend and I were planning to go to Ms G's for weeks and was persuading me to go there that evening since she works nearby. Initially I didn't feel like going out but then my other mate wanted to meet up and he offered to drive to the nearest available station...so Ms G's ended up happening. Let's dig in!

The first thing we saw when we went inside was the bar near the entrance. There was so many cocktails to choose from but only got one cos both of my friends were driving. I ended up getting a 'Good Morning Vietnam' cocktail which is presented in the infamous packaged bubble tea container. Very sweet and refreshing to drink throughout what ended up being a tasteful, flavoursome dining adventure.

Mini Banh Mi - crisp pork belly and chicken katsu

One thing I love at Ms G's is their mini banh mi rolls - which looks similar to a mini burger/slider. For me, I just cannot get enough of this. I picked both flavours while my mates chose the pork belly. This worked really well especially with the sauce. Plus the bun is soft and easy to chew along with the crunch of the meat. I know everyone loves the pork belly banh mi but I also love the chicken katsu and don't understand why this is not mentioned as much. I love its crispiness and crumbly texture which matches well with the sauce to deliver a burst of flavours. The pork belly is also very nice and tender but the chicken katsu deserves a bit of love too (hence my indecisiveness and having both flavours)! Although my friends liked it they were disappointed that a small serving of this is more expensive than a decent sized pork roll from Cabramatta. For me, I would actually prefer this over the Cabra pork rolls if only these servings were bigger (was feeling a bit down when I finished both servings). But I guess you got to something distinguish yourself from the crowd.

Prawn toast, yuzu aioli and herbs

Best prawn toast I've ever had! The yuzu aioli was sooo delish along with the herbs. The outer texture was crispy yet the inside filling of prawn mince was very juicy yet firm. The sourdough bread was sooo crunchy that it was hard to cut through but it didn't matter. The sauce and herbs (comprising of coriander and mint) and the overall texture makes this prawn toast stand out above the others as it was not soggy like others I have tasted previously. Also I haven't tasted the yuzu aioli for any other dish before - it was delicately creamy and minty from the herbs mixed on the top of the prawn toast.

Jow's Sweet and Sour Lamb Ribs

We all shared this dish. You know that this is good stuff when the saucy meat falls off the bone. And what an amazing sauce that was! It was so good that you had to lick the sauce off the bone and the meat. While it was decent portions, we wished that there were more ribs served. However we wanted to save our bellies for the infamous desserts.

Stoner's Delight - doughnut ice cream, chocolate, rice bubble, pretzel, peanut brittle, marshmallow

After all the previous dishes, we still weren't too full yet so we decided to order a few desserts. My friend tried the "Stoner's Delight" (we liked the name). The presentation and components of the dish was a mouthful of sugary goodness. Literally. It was sweetness overdose for us yet so indulgent. It is easy to see why this is called the "Stoner's Delight" because we were completely numb out of our minds from the flavours.

Pandan Chiffon cake, strawberries, coconut sorbet

I was looking forward to trying out this dish the most. It was also the most unusual as it was laid on a bed of tapioca pearls. It was also pretty warm when presented. This dish is definitely worth trying just to try out a variety of flavours and ingredients that you may not be familiar with. It wasn't as sweet as the previous dish (but still sweet enough) so it was a nice balance.

Ms G's is definitely worth the hype. It is one of those restaurants that you keep wanting to go back just to try more dishes. I still have not tried the steak tartare or the grilled corn! According to the latest menu, Ms G's has updated their Stoner's Delight which should be very intriguing to those familiar with their previous installment. In the end it was a memorable evening for us, particularly when my friend keeps staring at the bar wanting a cocktail and eyeing the bartender making them.

Ms G's
155 Victoria Street, Potts Point
Contact no: 02 9240 3000
http://merivale.com.au/msgs/

SIFF Let's Do Lunch - Baroque Bistro, The Rocks

It's sadly the end of Crave Sydney for 2011. So much to try in so little time. Baroque Bistro is not just your average French restaurant, it is renowned for its desserts, macaroons and other sweet treats. Ended up trying out this menu as I have never tried an assiette plate before. And lamb is one of my food weaknesses. The layout of the restaurant has a modern contemporary feel with the beautiful Sydney Harbour view in the background. It was in fact still buzzing at 2pm at lunch on a Tuesday.

Complementary bread and olive oil

I am definitely a sucker for the good ol bread and olive oil. Which isn't doing well for my attempt in a low carb diet. Bread was a bit crusty which is well suited for a French restaurant.

red red wine...

Assiette of spring lamb, spiced arlette, onions and anise

This was definitely a dish bursting with flavours! It was interesting in trying out the lamb in different forms. It ended up being a mess when the lamb was mixed with the watercress puree and the white block of what I assume is the spiced arlette (as described on the Crave Sydney guide). This was unique as I have never heard of an arlette. Google didn't help either surprisingly. From what the white block tasted, it was creamy. Too creamy for my liking. But combined with zestiness of the warercress puree, the overall flavours were balanced out.
(Since Crave Sydney is over at time of print, this item is no longer on the menu sadly :(. However the whole menu looks very impressive!)

Crispy potato skins with aioli

I gave this side dish a go in case I am still hungry from the main meal. Boy was I mistaken! This was definitely a bigger serving than I expected and struggled with finishing especially after the bread and the main meal. The potato skins were very indulgent despite being so filling. It delivers its crunch even by the end. The disappointing thing about this dish was that the staff forgot that I've ordered this dish and brought it to the table after delivering the main meal. Had they decided to bring it out soon after the bread and olive oil, the whole meal would not have been a struggle to finish.

Macarons!!!

A sample of Baroque Pastry Kitchen's Masterpieces

By the end of the meal I was sooo stuffed that I had to force myself out of my seat. The staff here were friendly and attentive although the late delivery of the potato skins was slightly disappointing. However, I would still come back here to try the rest of the menu as it does look very tempting to taste. And the macarons and masterpiece dessert creations were hard to resist even with a full stomach!

YUMMMMM!

Baroque Bistro and Patisserie
88 George Street, The Rocks 2000
Contact no: 02 9241 4811
http://www.baroquebistro.com.au/

El Loco, Surry Hills

It's time for Mexican food to get some recognition. And finally! In the last couple of years, numerous branches of Guzman Y Gomez and Mad Mex were opened as well as the surge of Mexican and Latin American eateries situated in bars including Barrio Chino, The Abercrombie and El Loco. A friend wanted to do her birthday at a Mexican restaurant. Initially we were planning to go to Baja Cantina or Flying Fajita Sistas but there were last minute attendees so we went to El Loco instead. Because it was a Saturday and it gets very packed around 7-8pm we decided to show up around 6pm to get a table since the restaurant does not do bookings.

Classic Margarita

Situated at the Excelsior Hotel, this operates as both a restaurant and a pub. Which leads to crowded venues and countless patrons standing around and eating without a table. But that did not spoil anyone. It is the fun, social, noisy, buzzing atmosphere that made El Loco what it is. It has a very affordable menu including $5 tacos and with the rest of the menu being $15 or less. More importantly, the tacos were absolutely divine!

Pollo taco (chicken)

Carne Asada taco (beef)

Al Pastor Taco (pork)

When you see a Mexican restaurant using soft corn tortillas instead of hard shells, you are onto a good thing here. While it isn't strictly authentic (salad and cheese can still be seen but that didn't distract us), it is the fusion of flavours in its tacos that brings the spark of Chef Dan Hong's work to the taste and palate of the diner. Such examples include the tofu taco and the ever changing 'Secret taco'.

Secret taco - we're guessing lamb hearts? - alot tastier than you think

A special deal that night was a chorizo with haloumi taco. My friend enjoyed this immensely. Although he loves haloumi cheese. I thought this was another example of interesting taco fillings that Dan Hong (chef of El Loco) dishes up.

Special one off taco - chorizo and haloumi

The corn chips with guacamole and salsa were surprisingly addictive. Initially I wasn't sure becuase it looked like the corn chips you would see from Woolies or Coles but it went down a treat that we ordered another batch.

Corn chips with guacamole and salsa

In my opinion, my fave one was the taco al pastor as it reminded me of the ones I've had in LA with the sweet pork and pineapple flavour. In previous visits I have also tried the camaron taco (prawn) and the queso de soya taco (tofu) - both I would definitely recommend. My friends have tried these fillings but I was too full by then. While it may not be the most authentic Mexican restaurant, it still does a good job at interpreting this cuisine as closely as they can whilst appealing to the taste familiar to Australians with unique flavours. And with the many eateries opening across Sydney, this demonstrates that Mexican food is much more than simply hard shell tacos filled with sour cream and cheese.

El Loco
Location: 64 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills
Contact no: 02 9211 4945
http://www.elloco.com.au/

SIFF 2011 Let's Do Lunch - Mad Cow, Sydney [CLOSED]

I've been planning to check Mad Cow for a while but the menu prices usually put me off a bit. This is coming from someone who lives less than 5 minutes from Cooks Hill Hotel ($10 steaks!) and used to dine on $5-6 steaks back at uni while the prices of steaks at Mad Cow range between $36 for a minute steak to $110 if you want a wagyu sirloin.

As part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival, Mad Cow and numerous restaurants across Sydney are offering a $38 Let's Do Lunch set menu including a matched glass of choice.

Mad Cow's Let's Do Lunch menu

At Mad Cow, they are offering a wagyu 250g rump steak with spicy barbeque sauce, shoestring fries and green salad. On the Let's Do Lunch menu at the restaurant, they also offered two other dishes they weren't listed on the SIFF website: mushroom risotto and a pan roast fillet of cone bay barramundi but hey it's Mad Cow! Might as well try a steak when you have the opportunity.

Complementary bread and butter

The staff were very attentive. One of them asked if this was my first time trying out a LDL meal. In fact it was. It took a while for them to get the complimentary bread but they apologised immediately. The bread was sooo good! From what I remember, it was the Sonoma Soy Linseed bread. I might buy the loaf when I get the chance.

Wagyu rump steak (250g) with spicy BBQ sauce

When the waiter presented the steak, my initial reaction was "that's a pretty small steak". It was good that the fries and salad were included otherwise I would have ordered more. The wagyu steak was tender, juicy and oozing with flavour. The barbeque sauce was the perfect match with its tangy spicyness that complemented well with the steak. If there is anything that I have learnt, it was do not underestimate the size of the steak. As small as it looked, I almost wasn't able to finish up the steak because it was more filling and denser than I thought.

Check out the steak!

This is a knife!

The chips and salad were great side dishes. While the chips are addictive with its crunchiness, the salad balanced out the oils from the steak and chips as well as the butter and the carbs from the bread.

Shoe string fries and green salad

Shiraz - definitely an ideal combination with a meal like this

I would definitely recommend coming back here to try out the steaks or check out the non-steak dishes or even Mad Cow's signature steak tartare and some of the other starters. For a deal like this, it is definitely worth the experience - and the cost! Plus you can't go wrong with complementary red wine.

Mad Cow
Location: Level 1, 320 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact no: 02 92403000
http://merivale.com.au/madcow/

EnThaicement, Liverpool

Thai restaurants make the best name puns ever. Thai Me Up and Thaitanic are a couple of classics. EnThaicement is not a place familiar to those who do not venture to Liverpool very often. For the locals, this restaurant across the street from Westfield Shopping Centre has been there for years though under a different name and different owners. All this time, I have not tried this place but have been curious to see how it compares to other local Thai staples ala Thainamic and Holy Basil, both in Canley Heights. Plus my friend is a regular at this place during his work lunch breaks and we've organised a catch up session.

My friend liked sitting near the monument of Buddha as it looked very peaceful and quaint. I thought it was a very interesting addition to the restaurant.

Pad Thai with chicken

I enjoyed the restaurant's version of this dish. The sauce used in was enough to make me want to polish up the entire contents of the plate.

Green curry with chicken

My friend tried out the Green curry with chicken. He had noodle-based dishes numerous times so he wanted to get something different. I was surprised and the way it was presented as it looked lighter and less clumpy than the green curry dishes I have seen at other Thai restaurants. The menu said that this dish is very spicy. I did not try this as I was already full from the pad thai.

Check out the cutlery!

It was very quiet when my friend and I went but it didn't matter since we enjoyed the food and the intimate atmosphere. It was your standard Thai fare that you would expect. At lunch time they do the lunch special with meals costing between $9 and $12 depending on the choice of meat you want to order. The service was very friendly and cheerful. As for the food, in my opinion it was not the best compared to Holy Basil and probably Thainamic for your south-western Thai feed but it is definitely worth to check out when you venture out to Liverpool and you feel like Asian food more than Rashays and the local food court. As it has opened recently, hopefully this restaurant will last longer as it already has a local following and who knows, it may become the next best thing to Thai food in South West Sydney.

EnThaicement
Location: Shop 40, Elizabeth Street Liverpool
Contact no: 02 9600 9262
http://www.enthaicement.com/