Sept 09 - Written post-event, the memory of our last dinner is hazy but the standout was the simple, uncontrived yet uber-cool setting - Bootleg Bar, Potts Point. Relatively new to the Victoria St scene at the time, Bootleg - 4 months on - has now firmly planted its booty as a much favoured Potts Point haunt.
Small in an intimate and non-claustrophobic way, Bootleg Bar reminds JON of a New-York style bar with a great mix of industrial fittings, chalkboards, low lighting and random photographs of music artists. There are high tables up front and retro-styled chairs, tables and booths at the back (JON's favourite being the small booth in the alcove directly opposite the bar).
JON's visit was pleasant and everything it was expected to be. Minimal wait, friendly bar staff and a simple menu offering various italian dishes on one side, drinks list on the other, specials on the blackboard. Easy. The meatballs were great as was the fusilli with wild mushroom, sage, cream and truffle oil. Cheese plate was a little on the boring side but again, simple enough to please.
The conversation was peppered with New York talk due to Jake and Nat's impending trips - Nat for a 2 month work visit and Jake for a 2 week holiday and Nat visit. Over inexpensively priced but a well chosen wine list and at $30 a head at the end of the meal, JON worked their way through what JON does best - food and conversation.
Sadly, much like a pack of cigarettes, Bootleg Bar comes with a warning from a post-JON Bootleg visit with 4 other friends. The tall, older blonde waitress needs some serious help with customer service. Rudeness will never suffice. Even worse, defiance when addressed about aforementioned rudeness.
Bootleg - On Notice.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Thursday, June 4, 2009
JON plus beer and birdcages
Thursday 4 June - The last time JON went to dinner, it was the place of a thousand wines. Not wanting to be seen favouring vineyards only, JON decided to give their time and tastebuds to a place of a thousand beers. Welcome to The Local Taphouse.
At the corner of Flinders and South Dowling in Darlinghurst, The Local Taphouse is a great new pub that has been in existence for about 4 months. Called a 'friendly beer cafe' by its owners, it has one of the best atmospheres and interiors in a Sydney pub. Over two floors, the pub is the big old house you'd want to hang out inwith friends over a winter long weekend. A higgeldy piggledy mix of dark wooden interiors, books and aged photos, little nooks and crannies and a plethora of birdcage lights hanging down from the ceiling all create the warm, winter feel.
Despite the trend across town in refurbishing 'old man' style pubs which inevitably see a shift in patronage and an increase in the 'wank' factor, the Local has an eclectic crowd - all of whom seem very much at home.
There is an amazing selection of beers on tap - not only international but local and interstate. Jake is pleased to see his hometown favourites, Little Creatures and Wicked Elf, making a cameo appearance on the list of 20 beers in the upstairs bar. However, it gets much more adventurous than the regular West Oz fare.
Jake samples the Hoegaarden Witbier, a lighter style lager, in a small shot glass proffered by the friendly barstaff. It's a yes and Jake and Nat settle into their first beer whilst waiting for the beer lover himself, Oli. His arrival is heralded with a large Red Brick Celtic Road Ale and stories of his recent housewarming involving 2 kegs sucked dry by 930pm, a jungle-juice-dispensing water cooler and the unexpected yet warmly welcomed overnight guest.
We're ushered into the dining area where Jake had earlier secured a small booth. The atmos is intimate yet lively with lots of small groups arranged around the room, sharing tastings of beer. With so many beers available and the potential for alcohol-induced confusion, the menu is helpfully divided into beer food, mussels, 10" pizzas, salads, mains, taphouse burgers and 'for after'. There are also suggestions on beers to match and an explanation of the 3 considerations when it comes to matching beer with food - cut, contrast and complement.
JON opt to share the charcuterie board (proscuitto, salami, grilled merguez, marinated artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, farmhouse pate) and follow this up with Franziskaner Hefeweizen mussels in lemon, leek and thyme, prosciutto pizza made with homemade napoli sauce and the so-simple-yet-so-amazing chilli frites.
Thankfully with the 'economic downturn', the menu looks reasonably inexpensive with items ranging from $8 to $25. While waiting for the food, Jake and Nat discuss their NY adventures. Jake's pan-Pacific move has been downgraded to a holiday while Nat is looking forward to a 6 week working stint. Over laughs about one-man band advertising agencies, beomoaning pay cuts and lack of annual leave through to the potential for JON's holiday antics across the Pacific in New York and Argentina, the beers continue to flow.
The food arrives and the agreed outcome is that it is delicious, prompt and extremely reasonable. The charcuterie board and mussels - a hit.
The service is warm, honest and friendly with cheeky beer upsells from the likeable waitstaff. Maybe they could be hotter (as noted by Jake) and their uniforms could definitely be improved. At $70 including beers, our bank balance is happy and so is JON.
A winner.
At the corner of Flinders and South Dowling in Darlinghurst, The Local Taphouse is a great new pub that has been in existence for about 4 months. Called a 'friendly beer cafe' by its owners, it has one of the best atmospheres and interiors in a Sydney pub. Over two floors, the pub is the big old house you'd want to hang out inwith friends over a winter long weekend. A higgeldy piggledy mix of dark wooden interiors, books and aged photos, little nooks and crannies and a plethora of birdcage lights hanging down from the ceiling all create the warm, winter feel.
Despite the trend across town in refurbishing 'old man' style pubs which inevitably see a shift in patronage and an increase in the 'wank' factor, the Local has an eclectic crowd - all of whom seem very much at home.
There is an amazing selection of beers on tap - not only international but local and interstate. Jake is pleased to see his hometown favourites, Little Creatures and Wicked Elf, making a cameo appearance on the list of 20 beers in the upstairs bar. However, it gets much more adventurous than the regular West Oz fare.
Jake samples the Hoegaarden Witbier, a lighter style lager, in a small shot glass proffered by the friendly barstaff. It's a yes and Jake and Nat settle into their first beer whilst waiting for the beer lover himself, Oli. His arrival is heralded with a large Red Brick Celtic Road Ale and stories of his recent housewarming involving 2 kegs sucked dry by 930pm, a jungle-juice-dispensing water cooler and the unexpected yet warmly welcomed overnight guest.
We're ushered into the dining area where Jake had earlier secured a small booth. The atmos is intimate yet lively with lots of small groups arranged around the room, sharing tastings of beer. With so many beers available and the potential for alcohol-induced confusion, the menu is helpfully divided into beer food, mussels, 10" pizzas, salads, mains, taphouse burgers and 'for after'. There are also suggestions on beers to match and an explanation of the 3 considerations when it comes to matching beer with food - cut, contrast and complement.
JON opt to share the charcuterie board (proscuitto, salami, grilled merguez, marinated artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, farmhouse pate) and follow this up with Franziskaner Hefeweizen mussels in lemon, leek and thyme, prosciutto pizza made with homemade napoli sauce and the so-simple-yet-so-amazing chilli frites.
Thankfully with the 'economic downturn', the menu looks reasonably inexpensive with items ranging from $8 to $25. While waiting for the food, Jake and Nat discuss their NY adventures. Jake's pan-Pacific move has been downgraded to a holiday while Nat is looking forward to a 6 week working stint. Over laughs about one-man band advertising agencies, beomoaning pay cuts and lack of annual leave through to the potential for JON's holiday antics across the Pacific in New York and Argentina, the beers continue to flow.
The food arrives and the agreed outcome is that it is delicious, prompt and extremely reasonable. The charcuterie board and mussels - a hit.
The service is warm, honest and friendly with cheeky beer upsells from the likeable waitstaff. Maybe they could be hotter (as noted by Jake) and their uniforms could definitely be improved. At $70 including beers, our bank balance is happy and so is JON.
A winner.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
JON plus xoxo
Thursday 11th December - It's been a year since JON's first inaugural dinner so it seems fitting that JON celebrate with a thousand wines. Millevini is JON's choice. The recently opened enoteca focuses on Italian wines and associated spuntini, various plates of italian joy which define the food offering.
The start of the party season is well underway along Crown St, Surry Hills. As JON moves from the buzz of the Clock and a few gin and tonics to the more sophisticated confines of Millevini, a long wait is the expectation with the front window already indicating the full house inside. However, the efficient and lovely maitre'd exceeds all expectations despite his potentially intimidating manner and crisp 3 piece suit.
Inside, the two storey space spills out over dark furniture, a long bar top and a jumble of tables which extend up to exposed beams, sandstone walls and the scent of an italian foodie's heaven. The atmos is a good mix of christmas spirit chatter and the bustle of the kitchen.
Seated at the bar in 10 minutes, JON very quickly feels the Millevini love when the bible is presented -the beautifully bound and presented wine list. With it's leather embossed cover and beautifully drawn images of Bacchus with various drunken maidens, it invokes memories of Nicholas Lane and Robin Williams in The Birdcage, serving soup in porcelain bowls depicting young greek men 'leapfrogging'. The tome is expansive and interesting with JON settling on a pinot, well chosen by Jake (and expectedly so with his Peacetree Estate background).
Despite hearing the specials, JON settles on the standard fare which is by no means standard. Oli leaves the ordering to Jake and Nat, relinquishing the opportunity to sit back, soak up the atmos and his vino. Jake reviews the menu with the spuntini varying in price from $8 to $22.
Like the wait for the table, there is a minimal wait for the food however JON starts to feel slightly concerned when already 4 of the 6 plates arrive altogether. Thankfully, the food service is slowed down enough to allow JON to enjoy a plentiful plate of salumi misti, melt in the mouth beef carpaccio, skewers of duck wrapped in proscuitto, beautiful pork loin rich in flavour, and a caprese salad with an amazing buffalo mozzarella.
Settling into the food, Jake decides to throw in a showstopper. The flights are booked, the plan has been made and it looks like one third of JON will soon be moving to NYC. The previous LA domination plan has been replaced by the lure of Gossip Girl. There is much JON love felt as Nat realises with a move in April, there will be very few JON dinners left to see the time out. Jake baits JON with a potential suggestion for a Tetsuya's farewell. Nat and Oli fall hook, line and sinker as a crescendo of excitement and shared rumours of the legend culiminate in the promise of a mid March booking.
Breaking the JON bubble, Millevini asks if we would like to see dessert. With tiramisu, pannacotta and cheese plate on offer, it is hard to surpass JON's excited state and satisfaction with the spuntini already consumed. Deciding to finish on a good note, JON settle the bill at $45 a head, leaving in a happy daze of pinot, pork loin and dreams of JON dinners across the Pacific.
Fantastic.
The start of the party season is well underway along Crown St, Surry Hills. As JON moves from the buzz of the Clock and a few gin and tonics to the more sophisticated confines of Millevini, a long wait is the expectation with the front window already indicating the full house inside. However, the efficient and lovely maitre'd exceeds all expectations despite his potentially intimidating manner and crisp 3 piece suit.
Inside, the two storey space spills out over dark furniture, a long bar top and a jumble of tables which extend up to exposed beams, sandstone walls and the scent of an italian foodie's heaven. The atmos is a good mix of christmas spirit chatter and the bustle of the kitchen.
Seated at the bar in 10 minutes, JON very quickly feels the Millevini love when the bible is presented -the beautifully bound and presented wine list. With it's leather embossed cover and beautifully drawn images of Bacchus with various drunken maidens, it invokes memories of Nicholas Lane and Robin Williams in The Birdcage, serving soup in porcelain bowls depicting young greek men 'leapfrogging'. The tome is expansive and interesting with JON settling on a pinot, well chosen by Jake (and expectedly so with his Peacetree Estate background).
Despite hearing the specials, JON settles on the standard fare which is by no means standard. Oli leaves the ordering to Jake and Nat, relinquishing the opportunity to sit back, soak up the atmos and his vino. Jake reviews the menu with the spuntini varying in price from $8 to $22.
Like the wait for the table, there is a minimal wait for the food however JON starts to feel slightly concerned when already 4 of the 6 plates arrive altogether. Thankfully, the food service is slowed down enough to allow JON to enjoy a plentiful plate of salumi misti, melt in the mouth beef carpaccio, skewers of duck wrapped in proscuitto, beautiful pork loin rich in flavour, and a caprese salad with an amazing buffalo mozzarella.
Settling into the food, Jake decides to throw in a showstopper. The flights are booked, the plan has been made and it looks like one third of JON will soon be moving to NYC. The previous LA domination plan has been replaced by the lure of Gossip Girl. There is much JON love felt as Nat realises with a move in April, there will be very few JON dinners left to see the time out. Jake baits JON with a potential suggestion for a Tetsuya's farewell. Nat and Oli fall hook, line and sinker as a crescendo of excitement and shared rumours of the legend culiminate in the promise of a mid March booking.
Breaking the JON bubble, Millevini asks if we would like to see dessert. With tiramisu, pannacotta and cheese plate on offer, it is hard to surpass JON's excited state and satisfaction with the spuntini already consumed. Deciding to finish on a good note, JON settle the bill at $45 a head, leaving in a happy daze of pinot, pork loin and dreams of JON dinners across the Pacific.
Fantastic.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
JON plus the churn and burn
Thursday 28th August - It's been awhile between JON dinners due to the excessive amounts of holidays that Bill and Oli seem to take. Fortunately, the cuisine offering at the Snow and up in Hydeaway Bay are no match and the boys soon return in need of a JON kick.
Spice I Am is Sydney's best cheap and cheerful thai. Many a thai restaurant will tell you they are "Thai Riffic", "Thai Terrific" or quite simply, "Best Thai". But none of them measure up to Spice I Am, with the Good Food Guide One Hat rating to prove it.
After numerous directions, a trip to Newtown and back and a walk through the dodgy backstreets of Surry Hills fearing for his life and the safety of his white Volvo, Jake manages to find his way to dinner. Oli and Nat have been discussing the benefits of training, triathlons, beer-free weekends and getting up at 530am. It all sounds solid until Jake arrives with a six pack of Tiger and the Basil Crispy Pork Belly (pre-ordered by Oli 3 days prior), Massaman curry, Green Papaya Salad and an entree of Rice Paper Rolls are ordered.
Jake's initiation into Spice I Am starts with the steamed fish balls - Nat's additional order in an attempt at being healthy. Thankfully, his bewilderment is soon tempered with relief and excitement as the basil crispy pork belly arrives. Little parcels of joy get JON going and Nat's
health kick quickly dissolves into a literal pork-out as she simultaneously consumes pork belly, mouthfuls of amazing beef massaman curry and shouts for more water to quell the hot chilli burn.
Dinner conversation around their current and future careers ("So then my boss pulls me into the boardroom and asks if i'm still serious about advertising..." "HA! What did you say?" "Lies, lies, lies, lies,..all lies just get me to LA") is cut short with the annoyingly efficient service designed to churn-and-burn bums on seats. "You finiiiished?" "No we're still going". "You finiiished?" "No I'm still going" (indicates a not-yet-empty beer bottle) "Really?" "YES! I"M NOT FINISHED"
The boys have returned to Sydney for a JON kick indeed. Five minutes after the table's cleared, JON get asked to pay the bill and leave so the table can be used for the next customers. Oli correctly predicts the rush will suddenly slow to a standstill with Spice I Am's dodgy tip tactics. The wait staff eye JON's bill 3 times before finally realising JON has no intention of leaving without their change.
$75, 45 minutes and 5 dishes later, JON is back on the street with the other punters, all wondering how they were pushed out so quickly. Oh well..
Still worth it.
Spice I Am is Sydney's best cheap and cheerful thai. Many a thai restaurant will tell you they are "Thai Riffic", "Thai Terrific" or quite simply, "Best Thai". But none of them measure up to Spice I Am, with the Good Food Guide One Hat rating to prove it.
After numerous directions, a trip to Newtown and back and a walk through the dodgy backstreets of Surry Hills fearing for his life and the safety of his white Volvo, Jake manages to find his way to dinner. Oli and Nat have been discussing the benefits of training, triathlons, beer-free weekends and getting up at 530am. It all sounds solid until Jake arrives with a six pack of Tiger and the Basil Crispy Pork Belly (pre-ordered by Oli 3 days prior), Massaman curry, Green Papaya Salad and an entree of Rice Paper Rolls are ordered.
Jake's initiation into Spice I Am starts with the steamed fish balls - Nat's additional order in an attempt at being healthy. Thankfully, his bewilderment is soon tempered with relief and excitement as the basil crispy pork belly arrives. Little parcels of joy get JON going and Nat's
health kick quickly dissolves into a literal pork-out as she simultaneously consumes pork belly, mouthfuls of amazing beef massaman curry and shouts for more water to quell the hot chilli burn.
Dinner conversation around their current and future careers ("So then my boss pulls me into the boardroom and asks if i'm still serious about advertising..." "HA! What did you say?" "Lies, lies, lies, lies,..all lies just get me to LA") is cut short with the annoyingly efficient service designed to churn-and-burn bums on seats. "You finiiiished?" "No we're still going". "You finiiished?" "No I'm still going" (indicates a not-yet-empty beer bottle) "Really?" "YES! I"M NOT FINISHED"
The boys have returned to Sydney for a JON kick indeed. Five minutes after the table's cleared, JON get asked to pay the bill and leave so the table can be used for the next customers. Oli correctly predicts the rush will suddenly slow to a standstill with Spice I Am's dodgy tip tactics. The wait staff eye JON's bill 3 times before finally realising JON has no intention of leaving without their change.
$75, 45 minutes and 5 dishes later, JON is back on the street with the other punters, all wondering how they were pushed out so quickly. Oh well..
Still worth it.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
JON plus a stoner
Thursday 8th May - Jake gets excited about the 'exotic' choice of Hannibal's Lebanese Restaurant. Nat books the Cushion Room and JON arrives to an almost empty restaurant (cue the waiter turning on the lights in the cushion room). Fat cushions and carpeted walls make for a comfy seating arrangement, save the dim red light which evidently makes it hard to see what JON is reading on the menu. "Hommos..(pronounced "homos") are they like olives?"
After ordering, JON starts to notice the random techno arabic music and the presence of the stoned waiter. "He better not eat our farking food!" $25 each and a banquet for 3 later, JON can't move after smashing vine leaves, ladies fingers, falafels, garlic chicken and rice, hommos and tabouli.
SOLID*
* word extracted from the Stewart Dictionary. Published Brisbane, QLD.
After ordering, JON starts to notice the random techno arabic music and the presence of the stoned waiter. "He better not eat our farking food!" $25 each and a banquet for 3 later, JON can't move after smashing vine leaves, ladies fingers, falafels, garlic chicken and rice, hommos and tabouli.
SOLID*
* word extracted from the Stewart Dictionary. Published Brisbane, QLD.
Jon plus a cameo
Friday 1st Feb - JON decides to dine at Bondi Social. Can't remember much of the conversation potentially because it was almost 6 months ago, potentially because of the drinks. But JON does remember that the food was a notch above average, service was slow and the atmos* was lacking. All a bit disappointing after the brilliance of Bodega. Fortunately, it was all offset by Loren's cameo appearance and more random JON stories.
Forgettable.
*word favoured by Oli. From the Stewart Dictionary. Published Brisbane, QLD.
We are JON
Late November 2007, 3 ex-workmates catch up for dinner.
Standing outside a dodgy pub sinking beers in the late summer sun, they're nearly doubled over with laughter at their latest escapades..."I rubbed my eyes and said, 'Amber is that you?" ...."So then we pinky promised whatever happens, we'll always be friends"....."The place is so small I do my own production estimates"....."My agency is run like a Communist state".... "I'm loving it. I just made a deal for 6 weeks of annual leave a year".
The conversation flows on as they move from dodgy pub to not-so-dodgy restaurant, Bodega. Many Argentinian beers, Spanish reds and tapas plates later, JON is born. It started big - reviews...restaurants, people, fashion, places...then bright lights and B-grade celebrity stardom for Jake. He could see it already. Nat being ever efficient and organised started drawing up Y-frames and mindmaps. Oli just laughed, proclaimed it was "GOLD" and asked when we'd have more beers.
It never extended beyond a blurry photo taken on Bill's blackberry and the promise of another JON dinner. To this day, it remains what it always has from the start....3 mates loving the hilarity, food and good times they share with each other.
We are JON.
Standing outside a dodgy pub sinking beers in the late summer sun, they're nearly doubled over with laughter at their latest escapades..."I rubbed my eyes and said, 'Amber is that you?" ...."So then we pinky promised whatever happens, we'll always be friends"....."The place is so small I do my own production estimates"....."My agency is run like a Communist state".... "I'm loving it. I just made a deal for 6 weeks of annual leave a year".
The conversation flows on as they move from dodgy pub to not-so-dodgy restaurant, Bodega. Many Argentinian beers, Spanish reds and tapas plates later, JON is born. It started big - reviews...restaurants, people, fashion, places...then bright lights and B-grade celebrity stardom for Jake. He could see it already. Nat being ever efficient and organised started drawing up Y-frames and mindmaps. Oli just laughed, proclaimed it was "GOLD" and asked when we'd have more beers.
It never extended beyond a blurry photo taken on Bill's blackberry and the promise of another JON dinner. To this day, it remains what it always has from the start....3 mates loving the hilarity, food and good times they share with each other.
We are JON.
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