Satis, sometime in 2008

Cautionary tales abound when it comes to Satis: get there early, there’s only seating for six; there’s no phone so don’t think you can book ahead; it’s run by hippies! The consensus was, however, that if you managed to secure a seat and weren’t in a hurry for the arrival of your food then Satis is worth the effort.

My breakfasting companion and I took all these tales to heart and arrived at Watson shops (helpful directions included drive toward Sydney but be sure to turn right before you hit the Federal Highway) promptly at nine one Saturday morning. We were ready, in a manner reminiscent of Augustus Gloop or Veruca Salt, to edge out anyone who might prevent us being amongst the chosen few to gain a seat at Satis.

This was entirely unnecessary. There is ample seating sprawling from outside the entrance to the café with its contemporary tables and stools, inside there is a delightful jumble of colourful cushions adorning several seats and at the rear of the café is a courtyard with more benches and tables.

I can however confirm that there is no phone and no obvious way to make bookings, but to me that lends a certain Surry Hills charm to Satis.

As for the establishment being run by hippies, which I can neither confirm nor deny, I suggest that this assumption may be based on the vegetarian menu which includes fair-trade coffee and biodynamic milk (the latte I had was creamy, nutty and completely deserving of a second cup, which I obligingly ordered).

But then, seated and caffeinated, comes the eternal question: savoury or sweet? Unable to deny one flavour in favour of the other I opted for both: wild rice porridge with home made compote and coconut milk accompanied by a side of hash browns.

The porridge was unlike any I’d tasted before. The texture of the wild rice – a firmness utterly different to the usual oats and nothing like congee – is well complemented by the soft sweetness of the berry compote while the coconut milk (of which I only used a delicious dash) lends a silkiness to the overall taste. I was pleasantly surprised to find the hash browns are not typical McDonalds fare, instead expect a rustic stack of roughly chopped potatoes baked with herbs and onions.

With Nouvelle Vague filtering through to the courtyard outside whilst I skimmed the weekend paper the vibe at Satis is bourgeois bohemian. I’d expect nothing less of a café that takes its cue from Dickens’ greatest singleton, Miss Havisham, for whom Satis “meant more than it said” and meant one “could want nothing else”. I quite agree.

Food: 4 spoons
Service: 3.5 spoons
Atmosphere: 4 spoons
Overall: 4 spoons

Booking? No.

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 8.30am – 3.30pm, Saturday: 9am – 4pm, Sunday 9am – 1pm

Satis, Watson Shops, Windeyer Street, Watson, Canberra

PM

Sugarcane, 20-09-2008

At a loss for what to do for dinner on a Saturday night, and hearing good things about the newly opened modern Asian place just down the road, we decided to give Sugarcane a ring. No worries – we were in with a table a couple of hours later.

The menu leans towards the south and east of Asia, with particular emphasis on Malay, Thai and Viet dining. There was a good choice of fresh, tangy salads like this salmon and green pawpaw dish, ordered by T:

The wagyu beef rendang curry is apparently one of the most popular dishes on the menu and was met with approval by dining companion C:

My choice was the Vietnamese-influenced pork hock and green mango salad, below. The pork was deliciously crispy, a great contrast to the tart mango slivers. I’d have preferred if there had been less of the zingy dressing and more of the cashew nut garnish, but otherwise this was a very nice dish.

However M. didn’t fare so well with this eggplant and prawn dish, which had a lot more chili than she expected. Tasty, she said, but overwhelming. (This particular dish was marked as having chili, but even those without did include at least a little, so if you’re not into spiciness be forewarned.)

Situated in a single dim-lit room on a quiet street near Central Station, Sugarcane isn’t exactly brimming with atmosphere. But don’t be put off by the muzak and the spooky wall fixtures. This is a great new addition to the inner city food scene, somewhere you can sit down and have a nice meal without being overly formal. Good value, too.

Food: 3.5 spoons
Service: 3 spoons
Atmosphere: 3 spoons
Overall: 3.5 spoons

Booking? On the night.

Sugarcane, 40 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills 2010
02 9281 1788

Billy Kwong, 15-09-2008

The restaurant arm of celeb chef Kylie Kwong’s ever expanding foodie empire is a modest shopfront on a quiet stretch of Crown Street, just a door or two away from the equally famous Bill’s.

Billy Kwong doesn’t take bookings and I’ve heard stories of Saturday night queues of up to 30 people lined up for half an hour or more before the restaurant’s opening time of 6pm. However, on the Monday night we walked past there was no crowd, no waiting. We strolled in, impromptu, and were greeted by smiling staff.

First up were steamed prawn wontons. I, uh. I have a terrible memory so all I can say about this is delicious. (My photos are also pretty terrible so I’ll keep them small.)

Next, sung choi bao with pork, ginger and mushrooms. This was as messy as it wasdelicious. Sauce everywhere! Before the next dish, the staff swooped in to replace all our plates and cutlery.

The main was my favourite dish of the night – roasted eggplant with seared prawns, in a chilli and coriander dressing. It smelled and looked so good the couple at the table next to us couldn’t resist leaning over to have a bit of a gander. Tasty and fresh and zingy with flavour, I swear I am hungry again just thinking about this.

For contemporary Chinese fine dining, this is it in Sydney. It’s reflected in the bill, which is likely to be $50 or more per head. However the ‘no booking’ policy and the cramped seating seem a bit incongruous, given both the high demand and the high prices. Definitely recommended, but just be prepared to come early or on a school night.

Food: 4 spoons
Service: 4 spoons
Atmosphere: 3 spoons
Overall: 4 spoons

Booking? There is one table for 6-8 people that can be reserved each night, otherwise it’s first come first served.

Billy Kwong, Shop 3, 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills 2010

AL.

Restaurant Atelier 16-04-2008

Walking down busy Glebe Point Road, you could easily overlook Restaurant Atelier – housed in a little cottage a few steps away from the road, it looks more like someone’s home than a top-flight restaurant. Inside, the wooden floors and clean, spacious dining areas create an atmosphere that manages to feel a bit special without being overly formal.

At the moment they’re running a mid-week special – 3 courses for $59 per person. We took up the challenge with enthusiasm. For the entree, I tried the seared scallops with braised oxtail, crispy veal sweetbreads and creamed celeriac. The scallops were soft and tasty, cooked to perfection. My favourite dish of the night.

The cocoa-roasted striploin of New Zealand venison with carrot puree, French onion tortellini and baby turnips was almost too rich. But deliciously so. See, I was so anticipatory I couldn’t even focus the camera correctly.

Following the deliciously refreshing pre-dessert of strawberry granita, our friendly waiter served up caramel souffle with salted caramel icecream and whisky creme anglaise, first poking a hole into the souffle before pouring the anglaise in with a flourish. Unfortunately I found this dish too rich, with the souffle too eggy and heavy.

But that’s the only part I wouldn’t recommend. Otherwise, we had great food and service, and a really pleasant, friendly place to enjoy it in. The mid-week special is excellent value, so get it while it lasts. For a glimpse at some of the other dishes my dining companions chose, check out the whole set at my flickr.

Food: 3.5 spoons
Service: 4 spoons
Atmosphere: 3.5 spoons
Overall: 3.5 spoons

Vegetarian friendly? Available on request.
Booking? One or two weeks ahead.

Restaurant Atelier, 22 Glebe Point Road, Glebe

AL.

Sean’s Panaroma – 01-03-2008

There may have been some confusion amongst the three of us as to the actual name and location of Sean’s Panaroma, but bless or summer frocks we all knew what we meant and arrived at our intended destination on time.

Sean’s is fairly painless to get to by public transport: train to Bondi Junction, bus to Campbell Parade, and then a short stroll in the sunshine along the panorama of Bondi Beach.

As my fellow diners have mentioned, we were ushered through the back of the restaurant, past the kitchen, where staff scuttled past, before being seated in the distinctly less hectic dining area. There is an untroubled cosiness to Sean’s that extends from the décor to the relaxed staff and even to the questionable muzak that filters through conversational lapses.

I shall skip over the warm malt scrolls and organic butter, the hot-from-the-oven cracked wheat bread dipped in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt flakes, the refreshing Pebble Creek sparkling water and get straight to the really good stuff.

In the spirit of indulgence I ordered the duck liver pâté for my entrée. The scoop you see here tastes as smooth as it looks. If the thought of a small fist of pâté fills you with dread rather than gluttonous glee, I would diplomatically suggest the plate be shared between two or three. If, however, you have a weakness for sumptuous paste smeared over warm, soft, crunchy pulled bread with a drizzle of sweet and sour onions to temper the pâté – a serving for one is a plate of pleasure.

My main was simple fare. After the decadent pâté and a delicious serve of Barramundi the day before at Café Sydney, I opted for the linguine with shredded arugula, lemon, chilli and parmesan. According to GourmetSleuth arugula seeds were used in Roman times to flavour oils and it is apparent in this dish how the greens work with the oils and juices to create a zesty combo. I enjoyed this uncomplicated main, it was particularly fresh and accompanied by the Krinklewood 2007 Semillon wine was not as heavy as anticipated. This course meant I had space to further indulge in dessert…

Of the trio of temptations chalked on the menu boards I selected what I considered to be the lightest – blackberry jelly with honeycomb ice cream. The jelly was tangy whilst the ice cream was, well, creamy. The slippery and the smooth were well balanced with the honeycomb bits and thin biscuit that crumbled atop.

I enjoyed my foray to Sean’s: I’d recommend it for entertaining overseas (or even interstate) guests and I think it has a certain weekend charm, so would return for a laidback lunch in the future.

Food: 4 spoons
Service: 4 spoons
Atmosphere: 4 spoons
Overall: 4 spoons

Bookings? 1-2 weeks in advance

Sean’s Panaroma, 270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach

Sean’s Panaroma Restaurant

After reading many positive reviews of Bondi Beach’s Sean’s Panaroma, my fellow diners and I were looking forward to this quite a bit. Upon arrival, we were asked to enter a side door to prevent gusty winds coming through the main entrance. Not quite the usual welcoming, we got a pretty good view of the kitchen and inner halls before finding our way to the main seating. Once inside, we were placed quickly with a beautiful view of the beach.

Sean’s is nicely decorated – down to earth and tasteful.  There is plenty of natural light and a pleasant atmosphere. The menus were only written on smallish blackboards, so if you’re short sighted like me….glasses might help. A quick run down of the dishes by the friendly and relaxed staff (and better sighted friends) and we were ready to indulge.

To start off we enjoyed some fresh crispy-on-the-outside-but-soft-on-the-inside bread, with organic butter. Truly delicious. This was shortly followed with my entree of oxheart tomato salad with goats cheese and fried bread which was, in a word, tasty. The cheese and fried bread gave it the extra flavour and crunchiness that it needed, though since it was a little on the moist side, I would have preferred a little more bread. With plenty of room left, I was ready for the main.

A strong fresh and herby aroma was what hit me first when my main of rare yellowfin tuna with ratatouille arrived. That was thanks to the roasted vegetables, which tasted as good as it smelled. There was a cute little serving of fried potato in the shape of potato chips, which, with a pinch of salt, was quite satisfying. The lightly seared tuna steak was delicious and flavourful, though I think a more crispy grilling would have lent the dish a bit of added texture. It was a generous serving so I was quite full by the end of it. My accompanying drink was a nice and not too sweet bubbly lemonade.

I finished with a cappuccino and a piece of white chocolate and rosemary nougat (shared with the equally full Alison). Though a little on the soft side, the nougat satisfied my sweet craving and wasn’t so heavy as to leave me without the ability to breath.

For the diet conscious, you won’t find any diet sodas or skim milk here – full flavour is the rule, so be prepared to indulge a little here and there.

All in all, I found Sean’s to be a fresh and satisfying experience.

Food: 3 spoons
Service: 4 spoons
Atmosphere: 4 spoons

Overall: 3.5 spoons

Sean’s Panaroma

Sean’s Panaroma 1-03-2008

Sean’s Panaroma is a small, tidy little restaurant at the northern end of Bondi Beach. Up here, the hordes of tourists and fast food joints thins out considerably in favour of houses and cute cafes. Sean’s fits in well, all weathered paint and sunbleached boards.

Inside, it’s neat as a pin, with warm wooden walls and seats, and small tables with chequered tablecloths. The sea salt in a sea shell is a cute touch and the view of the beach is beautiful. The menu is written up on chalkboards placed all around the bar, perfectly in keeping with the casual atmosphere.

Service was friendly and prompt. Pebble Creek sparkling water was quickly followed by malt scrolls with butter and steaming hot cracked wheat bread with olive oil, which was a great start and filled me with high hopes.

As the starter I had the southern calamari. Lightly battered and fried, with a generous serve of aoili, this was simple and effective.

For drinks, we had the Krinklewood 2007 semillion, which was crisp and pleasant – and as I discovered later, marked up to the tune of 200% of the normal price! Oh well. That’s the price of fine dining. Next time, though, I’m BYO-ing it. 

Continuing the seafood theme – the barramundi fillet with iceberg lettuce, peas and tarragon was tender and flavoursome. The dressing was unexpectedly but pleasantly zesty, and the serving size was generous.

I had fully intended to go the third round and get dessert but at this stage I was groaning. The half slice of white chocolate and rosemary nougat, shared with the equally groaning Miss M, was slightly too heavy on the fruit but just the right amount of food to finish.

Given the price range ($80-100 per head for two courses with wine) I had expected flourishes where instead I found simplicity. Although there was no single element or course that was truly outstanding to me, it was a thoroughly pleasant meal with wonderful company and a great view.

Food: 3 spoons
Service: 4 spoons
Atmosphere: 4 spoons
Overall: 3.5 spoons

Vegetarian friendly? 1-2 options per course
Booking necessary? Definitely

Sean’s Panaroma, 270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach