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Aria – Sydney, Australia

April 16, 2012
Australia, Seafood, Sydney
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Aria – Sydney, Australia

Our first meal in Sydney at Aria came highly recommended from locals which is always a good sign. Located near Circular Quay, the restaurant has an award winning unobstructed view of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  The decor and overall atmosphere didn’t strike me as anything I would write home about but again, the view alone was enough to blow me away.

And the food…amazing!  Gorgeous in presentation, everything you could expect and more in flavor…divine!  I have absolutely no complaints except that I ate too much:)

Amuse Bouche – Pumpkin soup with Thai flavors (this deserves a spot on their permanent menu)

Tomato – salad of ricotta, cucumber, basil and Kalamata olives with a white balsamic jelly

Raviolo – of scampi and spanner crab with green beans, créme fraiche and a black truffle dressing

John Dory – seared fillet with garlic and parsley clams, braised carrots and artichokes

Soufflé – twice cooked soufflé of caramelized onion spinach with spiced eggplant and a tomato and saffron sauce

Salad of peach, mozzarella, rocket and balsamic

Steamed broccolini with hazelnuts and lemon oil

Mango soufflé with coconut ice cream

Rockpool Bar & Grill – Sydney, Australia

March 30, 2012
Australia, Steakhouse, Sydney
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Rockpool Bar & Grill – Sydney, Australia

There are two Rockpool’s in Sydney, the original Rockpool near the Rocks and then Rockpool Bar & Grill located in the old City Mutual Life Building.  We went to the Bar & Grill as per a suggestion and I can see why.  The building itself is stunning, complete with tall ceilings with marble columns, it definitely makes a statement when you walk in.  The bar is lively and a great place to grab a drink before dinner.

Our meal was so satisfying from start to finish.   The tuna tartare was incredible and so unique mostly due to the ingredients used.  The eggplant, cumin and harissa were so genius and new to me…I loved it!  I only wish there was a Rockpool near me so I could go and get that dish more often.  It made an otherwise light dish taste a little meatier.  Get it if you go!

Another standout dish was the side we ordered – oven roast pumpkin and sweet potato with garlic yogurt and burnt butter…YUMMMMM!!!!  I’m definitely going to try and recreate this at home.  The portion was huge otherwise I probably would have eaten the whole plate.

The menu is quite large and as daunting as it might be to narrow down your selections I’m under the impression (due to our order and fabulous meal) that you can’t make a bad choice here.  A dish that a few people recommended that we didn’t order was the potato and cabbage gratin.  Sounds interesting!

Butter lettuce, cherry tomato, avocado, and jalapeño chili salad

Yellow Fin tuna tartare, Moroccan eggplant, cumin mayonnaise, and harissa

Seared King prawns with goat cheese tortellini, burnt butter, pine nuts and raisins

Charcoal oven roast pumpkin and sweet potato with garlic yogurt and burnt butter

Cape Grim dry aged 36 month old grass fed rib-eye on the bone

Uccello – Sydney, Australia

March 28, 2012
Australia, Italian, Sydney
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Uccello – Sydney, Australia

With the nice warm weather Uccello seemed like the perfect lunch spot, especially considering it’s on the top floor of the ivy overlooking the rooftop pool.  Eugenio Riva’s restaurant reminds me of mid-century Palm Springs (there are a number of Jonathan Adler pieces accessorizing the space) mixed with rustic Italian.  I loved how open and airy it felt and how relaxing it was.  I couldn’t help but notice all the other diners there in suits.  Talk about a great business lunch spot:)

The food was vibrant in color and taste and everything was so seasonal and fresh.  My snapper was perfect for lunch – light, perfectly pan fried and seasoned and the accompaniments paired with it weren’t fussy or overwhelming, simply great texture and taste to go along with the star of the plate.

I highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner.  I’ve heard that the pool bar can get quite busy at night along with the restaurant so unless you’re planning on a big night out lunch might be the better option.

San Daniele prosciutto, heirloom tomatoes, figs, marinated Spanish onion salad

Roasted Spatchcock, corn and basil risotto, marsala reduction

Roasted snapper fillet, giardiniera and octopus salad, salsa verde

Broccolini, cherry tomatoes, chili, garlic, parsley

North Bondi Italian Food – Sydney, Australia

March 26, 2012
Australia, Italian, Sydney
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North Bondi Italian Food – Sydney, Australia

Owned by the same people as Icebergs, North Bondi Italian Food (located in North Bondi:)), doesn’t take reservations and is very popular so you need to get there early to put your name in.  But it’s worth it!  The restaurant itself is lively, young and a fun place to end the day with drinks and yummy Italian food.  And let’s not forget about the view…stunning beach view, toned surfing bodies, sunset…doesn’t get much better than that!

To start we got the Beet Salad with goat cheese, spring onions, and beet juice…deilcious!  I’d love to recreate this at home for guests.  The beet juice drizzled on top was so pretty and accentuated the distinctive beet flavor that I love.  For my entrée, my eyes immediately caught the Spaghetti “Arrabbiata” Crab – cooked in a paper bag…what?!  Arrabbiata is one of my favorite Italian pastas and overall I was just curious.  I have before and after photos below of the presentation…clever.  It was interesting eating out of a bag but the flavors were there and I loved the addition of crab…yum!  I would definitely get this again.  My mom got the Pork Schnitzel which was incredible.  So tender and juicy.  The breading was crispy and not too heavy.  If you like schnitzel, this is a winner!

For sides we got the crispy garlic and rosemary potatoes…whoa…those were good!  And the steamed broccoli with garlic and chili.  I always have to have some green in my meal.  It wasn’t anything crazy but exactly what I wanted and very good.

Overall I really liked this spot and if I lived there I would go here often, assuming I could get in:)  I think this restaurant is perfect for many occasions and situations – birthday get togethers, girls night out, date night, etc.

Café Salina – Bronte, Sydney, Australia

March 12, 2012
Australia, Breakfast, Sydney
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Café Salina – Bronte, Sydney, Australia

Just off the plane in Sydney for the first time, my good friend Lauren picked me up from the airport and took me here for “brekkie”…what they call breakfast in Australia.  The location and view couldn’t have been better.  Situation right above Bronte Beach, Café Salina offers delicious breakfast and lunch options and even have gluten free bread options which you don’t see everywhere.  I absolutely loved what I ordered and would get it again in a heartbeat (Breakfast Bruschetta) but if I were there for lunch I would love to try the Grilled Prawn Salad or the Seafood Platter for 2…yum!

Bronte Beach

We started with the seasonal and tropical fruit plate…fruit is so much better in warm tropical places

Breakfast Bruschetta – ricotta, avocado, mushrooms and roast tomatoes served on sourdough (I substituted gluten free toast and added a poached egg)

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