Eleni’s

Eleni will be someone’s Yaya, Gigi or Mama in downtown Sydney. Settled in at Civic Hotel, feeding the hungry lunchtime crowd in the Saloon downstairs (son Peter does a more upmarket thing above). A refreshed art deco feel to the place makes you very comfortable for the simple classics to be had.

It doesn’t get any more laid back than the macaroni bound together by fetta to form a “pie”, cheese baked to a golden brown on top. Eleni’s moussaka made with love, the stack of minced lamb cooked in tomato, herbs, spices and eggplant takes you straight to her family table. Slow roasted kurobuta pork with fennel and brocollini shows years of experience. Tender, juicy, so good you’ll want seconds. As if not already spoilt by the baklava, an extra treat in the honey yoghurt gives a sweet tangy contrast.

Those who have tasted the food will want to return to suckle at the teet. This is definitely one old lady you’ll want to visit again and again.


3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 388 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW
What? Mains $16

Element Bistro

Having problems snuggling up to your girlfriend or boyfriend on a cold winter night? Is affection an issue in your relationship? Suffering neglect from your partner? If intimacy is what you’re after, Element Bistro has it by the truckload.

Its charm is irrepressible, off white coloured walls perfect for the display of black and white photography, contrasting the dark chocolate wood stained tables, chairs and cushioned bench. Mood lighting and candles makes the place feel very cosy. Simple, yet so French.

Speaking of the French, they sure know how to do streak and fries. A quality piece of sirloin, is seared, cooked perfectly to a pinkish medium rare and melts in the mouth. Tangy, heavy on the dijon Café De Paris butter oozes on the meat, the jus soaking the thinly cut spuds deep fried to a crisp without residual oil. Very polished. Whole fish masterfully cooked and uncomplicated letting the natural flavour of the flesh speak.

Though the staff probably won’t lend an ear or shoulder to cry on to solve your intimacy issues, the chef’s expertise, surrounds and the fare will provide all the love you need.

4 / 5 yums!
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Where? 163 King St, Sydney, NSW
What? Mains $30

David Jones Food Hall

This review is B.B. Before Boycott.

David Jones Food Hall, the CBD’s quality food provedore, also supplier of gourmet lunchtime meals, ranging from sushi, noodles and salads. Apart from the fast foods, there’s no better comfort food than a roast. What better way to conveniently consume a warm pork roast than sticking it into a white roll, based with rocket, caramelised onion, crackling, lathered in gravy and a bit of seeded mustard. Food to replenish aching souls.

It does hurt however to see the once $8.50 great value proposition hiked up to $9.50 and the indignity of your meat filling weighed, as if to ensure DJs does not cheat itself to obtain maximum value. Are times that tough in the GFC? Surely not DJs… such conduct is boycott worthy.

3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 65 - 77 Market Street, Sydney, NSW
What? Roll $9.50

Din Tai Fung

Never before has the humble dumpling received such celebrity status. Din Tai Fung, Sydney’s branch of the international giant, gives them the star treatment. An immaculately clean laboratory, unusual for an Asian restaurant, in clear view where a small brigade of surgically masked workers feverishly measure out dough and ingredients to form those parcels and Chinese pasta for the throngs of humans waiting outside.

Despite the science employed to create consistency worldwide, I’m not sure it justifies the prices charged. Like Gucci, LV, you are paying for the brand, but in this instance, you certainly don’t get equivalent value. That said, it is reasonable quality. Noodles have that freshly made spring. Xiao long bao good, the broth inside clear and tasty though nothing you can’t get elsewhere. Pork and prawn xiao mai is good though you wouldn’t expect the prawn lid to have dried out in the steaming.

I love dumplings, but I can’t find love for Din Tai Fung’s. I’ll avoid the red carpet and head to Ashfield.


2 / 5 yums!
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Where? 644 George St, Sydney, NSW
What? Dumplings around $8

Denlens

Take that exhausting pilgrimage to the mother of all chicken rolls. Be not distracted by Subway, so inferior as a substitute I should punish myself for mentioning its name in the same breath as this place. Head straight to Australia Square, past the donut of shops to find Denlens where an army of Koreans are at the ready to serve.

The name makes no insinuations to its awesome power. Same could be said about the frontage, butterflied charcoal chickens along with roast veggies fill the stainless steel trays and chopped salads in a cooled compartment.

Now to order that “jumbo” on your choice of freshly baked in house white or grain. Be dazzled by magic, from the fingers of your latex gloved server. Watch as a quarter charcoaled chicken is de-boned with a run of a hand along the poultry’s connective structure. Meat extracted is checked for stray bone and cartilage, mashed then wedged into the roll filled with lettuce and tomato, topped with gravy and optional chilli.

For those persistent and loyal followers who survive the lunchtime trip are duly rewarded with such a yummy offering. Denlens, eat fresh.


4.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Shop 422, Australia Square, George St, Sydney, NSW
What? $8.50 jumbo roll

Debacle

It certainly was. A debacle. The tapas anyway. Having arrived just after lunch service, tapas filled the void for those with the mid afternoon munchies. Unfortunate for us as the mains looked appetising and good value.

There’s a comic touch to the signage, but I wasn’t laughing when the chorizo came out with extreme moisture problems. Extremely salty, the harissa flavour overkill and better served with something else. Balance came in the overcooked rubbery octopus as if just boiled in hot water with herbs with no real flavour. Returning to the salt overkill, the fresh rocket does nothing to neutralise the pan fried haloumi cheese that could have been salted again. Lamb skewers the only thing to stand tall.

Restaurant names are sometimes used tongue-in-cheek. Not here.


1 / 5 yums!
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Where? 30 Lonsdale St, Braddon, ACT
What? Tapas dishes under $10

Cumulus Inc

Y: When will us Melbourians get sick of these hidden alley way food serving bar venues? If they continue along the same lines as Bar Lourinha, Movida, and now Cumulus – hopefully never. Owned by Andrew McConnell of Circa, 312 and now Cutler & Co fame – the menu centres around small dishes designed to share. There is an obvious focus on procuring great produce with whole menu sections devoted to freshly shucked oysters & another devoted to smallgoods – both worth trying. Even better in my opinion are the dishes in the small/large dishes section – my only regret is that I couldn’t order everything in these sections. A must have is the Cured Ocean Trout with liquorice and apple – easily one of the best things I have eaten this year. Restaurants like this add to the reason why Melbourne is the best city in the world. (13/10/08)

4 / 5 yums!


L: Cumulus Inc is like Andrew McConnell’s little fun food factory. He invents, and creates these dishes to share. Too bad I don’t really want to share them with anyone.

On a completely different note, it’s a place that’s completely paradoxical for me. It’s all very good, however it doesn’t blow my mind. At first I gave it a just above average score yet I wouldn’t have hesitated returning. Read on.

Cumulus is a place that truly makes you feel comfortable. Casual, yet fun, informal yet serious about it’s food. A marble bench separating diners from an open kitchen a great way to view masters of the craft preparing every morsel. They should probably installing drool pans for moisture that escapes open salivating orifices.

Agreeing with Y, the cured ocean trout with liquorice and apple is one of the finest and most interesting offerings in quite a while. Great flavours, great combination. Unfortunately gone, but can continue on with firm springy pieces of octopus with aioli and dehydrated olive, an Asian inspired school prawns sautéed with chilli, garlic, spring onion, deftly grilled tuna with a salty jamon grainy crumb, a rich indulgent baked gnocci with taleggio and truffle vinaigrette and chocolate pudding will send cheese lovers to toe curling ecstasy.

As an “eating house”, it’s excitement plus. You should be delighted and it will deliver with the Fed Ex guarantee. I can’t wait for the next visit.


4 / 5 yums!

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Where? 45 Flinders Lane Melbourne, VIC
What? Typical Small Dish $10, Large $20