Devon Cafe, Surry Hills

Haven't been blogging as much lately because of work, Christmas and a terribly long birthday hangover. Anyway, I've been wanting to write a review for this cafe for many many months but haven't gotten the chance yet until now. Had I worked closer or had the energy to wake up early on the weekend, I reckon this would be one of those cafes that I would attend on a regular basis.

Devon Cafe is one of the latest in the ongoing series of chefs breaking away from their fine dining roots and moving into casual dining such as cafes, burgers and food court joints. This time, we've got two former Guillaume chefs (one from Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne and the other from Gullaume at Bennelong) at the helm. It's been getting flocks of diners checking it out for brunches over the weekend and with the dishes I've got to experience so far, the hype is definitely worth it. 

I do love a smooth, balanced coffee and Devon's is no exception. At $4.50 for a large sized mocha, it's on the more expensive side but it is worth the dollars. I can't recall which coffee blend Devon Cafe uses but earlier reviews mentioned that it uses Coffee Alchemy beans (feel free to correct me on this). It has a balanced amount of froth along with the coffee, milk and chocolate with a somewhat creamy taste. The coffee art is pretty impressive and for some reason, I adore the cute red cup too. The coffee art actually made me not want to drink the coffee at first...almost.

Skim Mocha (S - $4.00, L - $4.50)

The name says it all. Refreshing, fruity, chilled and perfect to have on a hot summer day. Just swirl the contents around and watch the magic happen. 

Refresher - watermelon, apple and mint ($7.00)

You know this review has been incredibly delayed when you are reviewing a menu item that has been discontinued since the first day of September. But dammit it was sooo good, it needed a mention. I'm talking about the Ultimate Toastie. Packed with fontina cheese, nicely cooked fried eggs, piles of pine mushrooms and more truffle shavings than you would usually get, the price is actually not bad. Some will say that it's expensive but seriously guys there's truffles!The serving is incredibly massive and rich that I ended up getting food coma for the rest of the day. Perfect as a shared dish. Unfortunately this ended once spring arrived but there had been special seasonal truffle dishes that are suitable for the hotter weather recently such as the truffle carbonara pasta.

Ultimate Toastie ($25.00)

TRUFFLE AND EGG PORNNN!

When you see the Ogre 'Happy Meal' (ox-tongue, hash potatoes, fried egg, cauliflower puree, pickled onion); you can imagine Shrek walking into a Maccas restaurant. Only even better. The ox-tongue had that chewy yet tender texture with a slightly crisp edge. I particularly loved the little crunchy hash potatoes. Wish there was more hash potatoes on this dish as I could easily go for at least12 of them. The plating of all the ingredients gave this lovely dish a colourful and vibrant appearance that is pleasing to the eye and loads of flavour to the taste buds as you take each bite.

Ogre 'Happy Meal' ($21.00)

If there is any dish that describes this cafe perfectly, 'Breakfast with the Sakuma's' (miso grilled king salmon, smoked eel croquette, 63 degree egg, radish petit salad and kewpie mayonnaise) is up there as being one of the most ordered dishes at this joint. Just look at the plating in the photo below. It's no surprise why this is the case. I haven't tried a 63' egg before but omg the ooziness is just incredible. I'm a sucker for anything containing breadcrumbs such as the croquette which is not a good thing for me. The texture of the eel croquette was firm, tasty and perfect to match with the runny egg yolk. With a well-cooked salmon, tangy mayo and fresh, mild and seemingly healthy radish salad, this is certainly the winning dish for me.

Breakfast with the Sakuma's ($24.50)

EGG PORN (Why not?)

Haven't gotten the chance to try the desserts yet but they look dreamyyy. I did order a few macarons in the past which were delivered from the lovely team at MakMak Macarons in Newtown. 

Gooey Muffins!

Macarons

Sweeeeeets!

Despite the amount of competition in the Sydney brunch scene these days, you've got to admit that Devon cafe is not your typical Surry Hills/Inner West cafe. The unique and colourful presentation on all of their dishes and even the decor have never ceased to amaze me each time. It's no wonder that it has gotten so much hype since it opened more than 6 months ago. Been satisfied with the coffee and the food during my visits there and would happily return any time soon just to try all the dishes. The service has been wonderful and pleasant and the prices aren't too bad. Ok it is pricier depending on your budget but the serving size does make up for it. With the hot summer weather, I reckon this place would be an ideal to catch up and chill out with friends this season.

Devon Cafe

76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

(02) 9211 8777

http://www.devoncafe.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/Devoncafe/

Mon - Fri: 6:30am - 4:30pm

Sat - Sun: 8:00am - 3:30pm

Bar Reggio, Darlinghurst

A few weeks ago, the boss decided to plan a staff dinner which ended up being our Xmas party. They were all in the mood for pizza and somehow it ended up being at Bar Reggio because the boss and a colleague really loved it when they were there a while ago. We were originally planning to show up without a booking but after hearing that it gets really packed (and it was a Thursday night), it was my job to book a table at the very last minute. Thankfully there was only 8 of us so it wasn't too bad but we were reminded that we had to finish off after 2 hours.

Despite being quite close to each other, Bar Reggio is much cheaper with a traditional, old-school Italian appeal than the nearby modern-Italian Verde Restaurant. It is strictly BYO only at $2 pp so remember to buy your drinks beforehand if you feel like having a beer or wine with your meal. The atmosphere is incredibly noisy so it was hard for me to speak to my colleagues a few seats away without getting out of my seat or screaming my lungs out (mostly the latter because the table space was quite cramped). But that's the charm about this family-run restaurant. Bar Reggio has serving hungry customers for more than 20 years with little changes to the interior decor and yet it still gets the crowds and even the queues outside the door to this day. Just cheap and cheerful Italian fare with no fuss. They even have a courtyard if you want to dine and chill outside. 

We didn't bother with any entrees or sides this time. There was so many choices for pizzas and pastas so we went straight to ordering them. There is even some decent vegetarian options for pizzas and pastas which should satisfy those who cannot eat meat and seafood for personal, dietary or religious reasons. The pizzas and pastas were more towards the rustic, simple appeal with uneven slices and even quite a few burnt edges rather than the more fancy, neat gourmet ones that have been opening around recently. A crisp pizza base which isn't too thin nor is it too thick with stringy mozzarella cheese are a winning combo for me when I got to try a slice of each pizza. 

The Palmer Street was the first slice that I tried out of the 6 different flavours of pizzas that we tried. It was stacked with pepperoni, pineapple, onion, chilli and mushrooms. The flavours tasted quite nice together. Also for me, any pizza with pepperoni makes me happy.

Palmer Street (S - $14, L - $17)

I know that Supreme pizzas packed with every single topping except for seafood and chicken isn't authentic Italian but I still enjoy trying them. It's also a fave for my folks whenever they order from Domino's or Pizza Hut because you get to try a bit of everything on the pizza. Bar Reggio's version is made fresh and on the spot in their wood-fired oven near the front. The many ingredients were quite flavoursome and satisfied the many hungry diners at the table.

Supreme (S - $14, L - $17)

Like most pizza restaurants, seafood pizzas are generally the more expensive items on the menu. Bar Reggio is no exception. Their Reggio pizza contains only garlic and chilli prawns but it's one of the most expensive out of the pizzas. While I really loved the taste, I was hoping there would be more prawns since there were a few slices when there was almost no toppings.

Reggio (S - $16, L - $20)

There were a couple of vegetarians in our group so a few non-meat pizzas were necessary such as the above and below. Scattered with various seasonal veggie toppings including onions, olives, mushroom and green capsicum; I will certainly be trying this again next time I'm planning a meatless day. Lots of flavours and toppings to enjoy and satisfy your taste buds even if you are a carnivore.

Vegetarian (S - $14, L - $16)

After ordering 4 large pizzas, we realised that this wasn't enough for 8 hungry people! We ended up deciding on ordering the Marinara which turned out to be the favourite for everyone on the table. It is topped with perch fillet, prawns, calamari, chilli and garlic. The prawns had a nice bitey and plump texture that matched well with the softly shredded perch fillets. While there was chilli, we did feel compelled to use the extra chilli provided on our table for the added flavour. Regardless, the Marinara was the winning pizza for us and worth the $20.

Marinara (S - $16, L - $20)

I was getting terribly full by this point but I'm a sucker for prosciutto. The trecolore came to our table topped with prosciutto, rocket, garlic and mozzarella. Unlike the other pizzas on the menu, this is the only one that has a white base instead of a tomato sauce base. The taste remained fairly tasty and I do loved the sliced prosciutto. The rocket was quite strong though especially when a bundle of it is stacked on top of your slice.

Trecolore (S - $14, L - $17)

Looks rustic but not too soft or hard. The texture had a bite which I liked although I don't usually eat risotto. The winner for me is the tangy napoli sauce that adds a fruitful taste to this dish that will please those who want to try risotto but not a fan of creamy bases (like me lol).  

Vegetarian Risotto with mixed vegetables and napoli sauce ($16.00)

I try much nor was I able to catch the name of the below dish (Penne Napoli possibly? - $12.00) but the flavour seemed ok for me. My colleagues said that they preferred the pizzas and found the pasta overcooked though. 

Penne Napoli (I think?)

We all ordered a variety of desserts which were actually incredibly cheap and easy for those who do not want to spend on too many dishes but still feel like something sweet. No seriously. The prices of the desserts here range between $5 to $8 and you get more out of it with its generous servings. I didn't try my colleagues' desserts but they seem very satisfied in the end.

Baked Ricotta Cheesecake ($6.00)

One of the more heavier and creamier (and cheesier!) versions of tiramisu that I've noticed. It will get you even more full than you already are. It's the most expensive out of the desserts but worth the buck.

Homemade Tiramisu ($8.00)

I was indecisive about my dessert selection but eventually chose the Bianco and Nero which is basically a profiterole filled with vanilla custard and covered with milk chocolate. It may be $5.00 but the serving is pretty big too. Didn't mind the whipped cream on the side as it does take away the bitterness when it gets to you. Cannot get enough of that creamy vanilla custard that oozes out of the profiterole once you take a bite out of it.

Bianco and Nero ($5.00)

Would love to try the below dessert next time I'm at Bar Reggio. Anything covered with chocolate sounds heavenly to me.

Baci ($5.50)

It may not be fancy and the seats and tables can be cramped at time, it's definitely cheap and cheerful. The colleagues loved it too. The service was not bad though very busy at times especially with the increasing number of diners as the night progresses. With decent servings and affordable prices, it's no wonder that it's been around for at least 20 years. Great place for large groups and family gatherings. Just prepare to wait in queues at peak times if you don't book in advance. Many thanks to my colleagues for being patient while I take the shots and even offering to be hand models for the night!

Bar Reggio
135 Crown Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
(02) 9332 1129
http://www.barreggio.com.au/
Lunch and Dinner: Mon - Sat 12:00pm to Late

Verde Restaurant and Bar, Darlinghurst

Stanley Street is one of those areas of the Sydney CBD that I don't venture as much as I would like to but have heard a lot about. When you walk along that street and the surrounding area you will find countless old school Italian restaurants, whether it's cheap, expensive or focused on a particular region in Italian cuisine. Located nearby on Riley Street in an olden Victorian-era building is Verde Restaurant and Bar, which focuses on Southern Italian cuisine as inspired by owner and chef, Antonio Ruggerino childhood and family background. What differentiates Southern Italian cuisine from other regions of Italy was the use of olives, capsicums, tomatoes, eggplants in their food due to the warmer temperature to grow this food. 

When it opened 6 years ago, it began as a fine dining restaurant. Like most restaurants these days, it has moved towards home-style, casual dining with the atmosphere being much more social than I expected when I entered inside the venue. The service was friendly though there were moments when I had to get their attention. 

Some restaurants do bread and olive oil while others so free olives like Verde. I generally prefer black olives but on this occasion, the green olives doused with olive oil were quite addictive with its zesty taste and not too firm yet still fresh texture. 

Complimentary Green Olives with Olive Oil

Since looking at the menu for the first time, I've had my eyes set on the arancini balls with grape tomato salsa. Sounds like my ideal combo whenever I wanna have a bite out of these risotto balls. Size-wise, it was bigger than I expected. The rice wasn't too hard and not as soft either. The grape tomato salsa adds a nice tanginess to this dish. Didn't expect any cheese but there is a actually bit of stringy (mozzarella?) cheese found inside the arancini ball. Stringy cheese is my guilty pleasure dammit.

Arancini Balls with Grape Tomato Salsa ($6 for 2, $12 for 4)

Another dish that caught my eye was the spaghettini with blue swimmer crab dish. Yes it was pretty weird eating pasta after barely having it for many many months so it was nice to have a light type of pasta for now. The pasta was made in-house and had a lovely aldente texture with strong flavours from the white wine broth - particularly from the tomato and chilli. There was also decent amounts of picked crab which made up for the premium price of the meal even though the serving size was smaller than I expected. One thing that gets be annoyed at restaurants is when I want to eat everything - including the broth - off the plate but then I can't because there is no spoon. Thankfully at Verde, a spoon was available on the table and the broth was amazing so I was able to polish off every bit of my plate. Yay! 

Spaghettini Crab (Picked Blue Swimmer), Grape Tomato, Garlic, Chilli, White Wine ($32.00)

Sometimes, it's the dessert that determines the outcome of the restaurant. Personally, I reckon it's the journey that matters in the end especially if I'm too full for desserts. Since I wasn't too full from the first two meals then the dessert is essential this time. I love a good tiramisu especially after trying a few from Italy. Verde's version filled me up quite a bit with its fluffy layers, creamy marscapone and countless thin shavings of Perugino chocolate. It was creamier and a tad bigger compared to some other variants of tiramisu in the past but the chocolate shavings were the highlight for me. I could pour loads of them and still not get sick of it!

Traditional Tiramisu with Shaved Perugino Chocolate ($14.00)

While Verde may be located so close to countless old school Italian restaurants, what sets this apart was the modern interior decor and its casual, social yet not too noisy atmosphere. On the other hand the prices were on the expensive side even with the use of a discount voucher. I can imagine this restaurant would be ideal for a casual date, work dinner/lunch or a gathering of families and/or friends for a special occasion though there were a few friends dining nearby for a catchup. Wouldn't mind coming back again sometime soon to try some of the other dishes on the menu when I get the chance especially for their desserts.  

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie received a discount voucher courtesy of Platinum Media and Communications, and Verde Restaurant and Bar. Opinions are personal.

Verde Restaurant and Bar
115 Riley Street, Darlinghurst NSW 
(02) 9380 8877
http://www.verde.net.au/
Lunch: Monday - Friday 12pm to 3pm
Dinner: Monday - Saturday 6pm to late

Chinese Noodle Restaurant 2, Town Hall

Have you ever walked past Chinese Noodle Restaurant at the Prince Centre in Haymarket with the plastic grapes inside and the violin player at the front? And it's sister restaurant (Chinese Noodle House) on the right that looks exactly the same in everything except for the name? Well the same restaurant has recently opened another branch further up in the Town Hall area on Bathurst Street called Chinese Noodle Restaurant 2. Or Chinatown Noodle Restaurant according to the sign at the front...in Town Hall. Though the restaurant menu listed it as Chinese Noodle Restaurant. Confusing much? Thankfully the confusion ends there with it's expansive menu of yummy dishes. Since I don't go to the Haymarket/Chinatown area as much except for Friday evenings and weekends, it was a delight seeing this restaurant slightly closer to where I work.

Chinese Noodle Restaurant and it many other branches across the city specialises in Northern Chinese cuisine particularly from the Xinjiang region. This includes the popular steamed, pan-fried and boiled dumplings as well as epically large servings of hand made noodles. 

For some reason, I always have cravings for pan-fried dumplings and pork buns. Here, it was the crisp base that is always the winning element for me. When you order dumplings, you get the choice of ordering the full amount or half of it. While I ordered the half-servings, it was still got me filled up thanks to the doughy texture. With these pork buns, be careful when you attempt to bite into them because hot broth can squirt out from the top! I learned it the hard way...

Pan-fried Pork Buns (5 p - $5.50, 10 p - $9.80)

I guess it didn't help when we also ordered the renowned handmade noodles. This version is stir fried with capsicum, onion, mushroom, celery and your choice of meat (I went with lamb lol). If you only want to order one dish here, this should do you good for lunch and dinner. If you want to order many dishes, bring a few friends because the serving size is suitable for at least 2-4 people. As for the noodles, they were too greasy for my liking but the texture of the handmade noodles is thick, soft and chewy - which is what I loved in this dish. Been addicted to handmade noodles for a while and this is one of my fave places for this type of food so far.

Xin-Jiang Hand-made Stir-Fried Noodles with Lamb ($10.80)

After reading through the menu and wanting to try some of their dishes, I returned for a second visit a few weeks later. In Northern Chinese cuisine, one of their well known food was a hamburger-like bun filled with your choice of meat. I've seen a similar version elsewhere but was disappointed by it however this version was so tasty and addictive. This version was also toasted which adds a crunch as you bite into the bun. The meat was fairly tender with bursts of spices in its flavour. Will consider order this again next time.

 Toasted Xi'an Bun with Lamb ($6.50)

While I did order a half serving of 6 pieces, I was pretty surprised when the full load of 12 dumplings arrived to the table. Like the pan-fried pork buns, these dumplings have that crispy bottom that I prefer as well as the piping hot broth. I also enjoyed the filling of the dumpling as it was tender and juicier than dumplings at some other restaurants where the texture of the same filling was tough. The dumpling dough was thick so this gets you full very fast even if you order just this one dish alone, half-servings or not.

Lightly Pan-fried Pork and Chive Dumplings (6 p - $5.50, 12 p - $9.80)

That crispy pan-fried dumpling base!

These noodles may not look pretty but of course it's the taste that matters the most. This certainly delivers with this particular dish. The minced pork scattered on the handmade noodles reminded me of spaghetti bolognaise. This is combined with fresh sliced cucumber that tastes nice together once the amount of minced meat, oils and carbs from the noodles gets too much to handle.

Beijing Combination Noodles with Pork Mince and Shredded Cucumber ($9.90)

The service has its ups and downs at times. While I have been greeted with a smile by the staff member sometimes, there was that mishap with the ordering of the pan fried dumplings as mentioned above but it didn't fuss me in the end. Sure the food may not look pretty or fancy, but what really matters is delivering generous portions of food and quick speed for extremely affordable prices. It's that cheap and cheerful vibe that gets me going back to this restaurant fairly often these days. And while the plastic grapes may not be hanging on the ceiling like at the Haymarket branch, the violin-playing owner pays a visit every now and then to impress the diners and anyone walking past the restaurant on the street.

Chinese Noodle Restaurant 2 (aka Chinatown Noodle Restaurant)
77 Bathurst Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Chinese Noodle Restaurant
Shop 7, 8 Quay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
(02) 9281 9051