Picky Piggies: Bar

Good news for foodies that work or live in the city, Continental has opened their second restaurant in the heart of Sydney, even better is that they are open till late. What appears to be a simple deli serving a good variety of cold cuts, cheeses and canned seafood during the day, Continental turns into a casual bar with a European twist at night. Having had several visits to the original restaurant in Newtown we have high expectations, and were eager to find out if the new venue is just as good.

Steak Tartare $26

This is not our first time trying Continental's steak tartare, so why are we getting it again? Because it is simply delicious! It is the best we've tried in Sydney, and we have been to several French restaurants. We just love how the seasonings marry together creating a flavourful dish that is light and refreshing.

BBQ Octopus $32

The octopus was succulent and tender, and the Romesco sauce on the side had a nutty flavour with a hint of sourness which goes great with the octopus. Even better than the octopus is the sweet and crunchy salad on the side, with green apple, green mango and kohlrabi.

Rigatoni $30

Here comes something more substantial - rigatoni cooked with cuttlefish, sausage, bottarga and brocolini. The pasta was completely smothered in the rich creamy sauce. It's all about the salami oil. The addition of bottarga crumbs added a layer of umami flavour.

Creme Caramel $16

To sum up everything, we got the creme caramel. This creme caramel was eggy and silky smooth, the bitter caramel sauce was made with fig leaf and maple syrup, which gave it a unique fragrance.

Food: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

Menu simple yet delicious
Perfect late night venue for food and drinks
Steak tartare is a must get for us

Lowlight:

Fewer choices than the Newtown venue

Website: http://www.continentaldelicatessen.com.au/

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Continental brings the full European style deli dining experience to Newtown, offering a mesmerising array of fine wine, cheeses, cold cuts, and exotic canned seafood, packed in a classy two-storey Victorian terrace. While sipping a glass of cocktail you have the choice of front row seats to an artisan preparation of European delicacies at the bar, or if you prefer somewhere quiet sit upstairs in the tall-ceiling bistro area. Fancy any of the cold cuts or cheeses, they are also available for take-away from the deli.

Sourdough $3pp

The crusty sourdough was served fresh from the oven, with olive oil on the side and balsamic vinegar on request.

Cheese & Charcuterie Plate $45

Perfect for sharing and for sampling a variety, the cheese and charcuterie plate also comes with a generous serving of cornichons, pickled chillis and olives. We liked the hot sopressa, which had a nice kick of chilli, the mortadella was soft, and the lonza had a rich and earthy taste. We also liked the brie with a soft and gooey centre, which was not as greasy as some of the ones we've had in the past. The comte was mild and creamy while the midnight moon was firm and had a goaty taste.

Quince Jelly & Crackers (came w the Cheese & Charcuterie Plate)

Steak Tartare $24

If you are a fan of steak tartare we definitely recommend this one, without a doubt it was the best we've had. The soft thinly diced beef was fresh and creamy from the shaved parmasan, and almost taste like minced tuna. The marinate was not overpowering and the capers popped in the mouth releasing a citrusy fragrance.

Meatball & Parmigiano-Reggiano $18

We found the meatballs a bit starchy and needing more sauce.

Fish & Chips Sandwich $18

This certainly wasn't the fish and chips we were expecting but we have no complaints at all. On first trying the chips we were pleasantly surprised by the distinguishable beer flavour. As we munched on, we discovered that the chips in the tin tasted even better as they soaked up the essence of the fish oil while still retaining their crunch. The Spanish sardines were firm and had no fishiness at all. All the elements were individually enjoyable and when eaten together matched surprisingly well. An innovative dish perfectly executed.

Chocolate Mousse $16

Chocolate mousse does not give this dessert justice as it does not even begin to describe the ingenuity of everything on top. We loved the quince caramel, which wasn't overly sweet, and the dehydrated olives, which added a contrasting savoury crunchiness. The pickled kumquat hidden inside also added a distinctive citrusy element.

Upstairs Dining Area

Downstairs Bar & Deli Area

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

Fish & Chips sandwich
Best steak tartare we've had
Chocolate mousse

Lowlight:

Meatballs
Lunch menu is relatively restricted, visit for dinner for the full menu

Website: https://www.continentaldelicatessen.com.au/
Address: 210 Australia St, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia
Hours: Mon-Thu 6pm-late
Fri 5pm-late
Sat 12-2:30pm, 5pm-late
Sun 12-4:30pm, 5pm-late
(Deli open Mon-Sun 12pm-late)

Phone: (02) 8624 3131

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A Japanese fusion cafe situated in the creative Surry Hills district of Sydney, Sando Bar has been on our to-go list for a while. With a cosy environment, you can grab a coffee, a bite or a drink here and lay back and enjoy a slow morning or afternoon.

Matcha & Sticky Rice Shake $10

If you haven't noticed already, we are big fans of matcha! When we saw this on the menu we couldn't resist trying it. The sticky rice smeared on the glass provided a nice creamy element to the drink. However, as tea lovers, the matcha flavour was very faint (we especially asked for stronger matcha as well). We can see this drink working with an enhanced formulation.

Ochazuke $16

Ochazuke literally means tea soaked rice. Being lovers of tea and crispy rice, this is a Japanese dish that we are very fond of. We liked the onsen egg and refreshing pickles, but the tea broth was very salty and overpowered the subtlety of the dish.

Chashu & Egg Roll $12

Soft milk bun meets gooey yolk and charred pork belly - this twist on the bacon & egg roll was delicious and definitely something we'd enjoy having again.

Pork Katsu Sando $14

Last but not least, the signature katsu sando was served steaming hot. The thick cuts of pork sandwiched between soft white bread and bursting in juice were an extremely appetising sight. Unfortunately, the pork was rather gamey and the cut had quite a bit of fatty parts. We would recommend getting the chicken variation of the katsu sando for something safer.

Food: 5/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:

Chashu & Egg roll
Friendly team

Lowlight:

Execution can be improved to match the cafe's creativity

Website: http://www.sandobar.com.au/
Address: 226 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm
Sat 7:30am-4pm
Sun closed
Phone: 0414 518 879

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In case you are wondering who the monkeys are, it's the 3 Poernomo brothers of Koi's fame. Monkey's Corner by the way is literally next door to Koi, with a main focus on casual style fusion cuisine and drinks as opposed to desserts.

WA Black Truffle Egg Noodle w Mushroom Puree $25

A bit of truffles always helps. An otherwise dull and simple dish is immediately elevated to instaworthy status. Oh and it tastes as good as it looks looks. Don't underestimate the mushroom puree, which packs a punch of shiitake flavour. The al dente noodles had a bouncy texture and the marbled truffle shavings gave it a nutty aroma.

Scramble Egg, Kewpie, Furikake $10

To be honest, this dish sounded almost too simple and homey. Knowing Reynold from his Masterchef appearance, we knew it had to have a catch... and we are glad to have ordered it. We are still wondering how the eggs were cooked so silky and smooth. This dish resembles the scrambled eggs from the Australia Dairy Company in Hong Kong, which (has nothing to do with Australia!) but was mindblowing soft and fluffy.

Ox Tongue, Beef Fat, Chives & Lime $15

Ox tongue isn't a favourite of ours but if we were to try it we had to try it here since it's one of the signature dishes of Monkey's Corner. The super thin tongue melts in your mouth and the charred edges were the best part. Finely chopped chives and a hint of lime helped to cut through the greasiness, still we found the dish too oily.

Pork Belly Bao $8.5 ea

Nothing to complain here, except for it didn't really stand out from the other bao joints. The XS pork belly (not some fancy sauce just means extra small) leaves you looking for more.

King Prawn, Konbu Butter $22

$11 per prawn is not what we were expecting from a casual eatery. At least the prawns were fresh and plump. Given the prawns were so pricey, we were careful to soak up every bit of the kombu butter. However, the dressing was watered down and any kombu flavour was very faint.

Food: 7/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:

Overall creative dishes

Lowlight:

Scarce portions, inconsistent with the official photos
Dishes were hit-and-miss

Website: https://www.monkeyscorner.com.au/
Address: 40 Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Hours: Mon Closed
Tue-Fri 5-11pm
Sat 12-11pm
Sun 12-10pm

Phone: (02) 9212 2085

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Blue Kanu is a Pacific Island themed restaurant nested in the heart of Queenstown by Lake Wakatipu. Upon entry into the restaurant it's deep cultural root can be sensed immediately from these wooden carved Maori masks on the wall as well as the distinctive graffiti. The soft blue lighting and the smooth background music also sets a lively and relaxing mood. The food is inspired by both Pacifica and Asian flavours.

Mocktail - Made to Order NZ$10

Given the beautiful atmosphere, it would be a shame if no drink was ordered, so we asked for a fruity and pretty mocktail (not on the menu, just ask). When the drink came, I found myself mesmerized by the beauty of this drink, and could stop looking at it. However, when it came to the taste test it wasn't really my kind of mocktail. It was more like a milkshake with extra sweetener. With that said, I still appreciate the effort that was put into the presentation.

Pork Ribs, Chinese BBQ Sauce, Hot Mustard, Peanut Crumble NZ$18

When you see pork ribs and BBQ sauce together, there's really not much that can go wrong. It was a perfect balance of crunch on the outside and tender on inside. The sauce was so heavenly and sticky, and the best part was to lick your fingers clean at the end.

Prawn & Herb Dumplings, Ponzu NZ$14

These siu mai looking prawn dumplings had a nice herby tone, what we really liked was the bouncy texture of the filling. Each one was airy and plump.

Shitake Mushroom Egg Roll, Green Goddess Dressing NZ$9

At first glance, this looked nothing like the kind of egg roll that we were expecting (layers of rolled up egg that's soft and fluffy). Rather it was more like a spring roll that's stuffed with vegetables. It would be nice if the veggies were wrapped in eggs, but the chef had chosen to wrap it with this bread-like pastry instead. So there was no sign of an egg element, which wasn't like the name suggested. It was a dish that was hard to like especially when the pastry was quite oily.

Golden Shrimp, Chili Mayo, Puffed Rice, Shichimi NZ$16

Have you ever had honey (or popcorn) prawns before? Well this dish was very similar to that except it was more savoury than sweet. The prawns were coated in a light batter and fried until golden. The first few prawns were good, but soon we were finding ourselves reaching out for water as the chef was perhaps too generous on the salt.

Crispy Chicken, Pineapple Bun, Green Leaf, Kimchi Mayo NZ$9

The name pineapple bun (which really means something else) was a bit disappointing when it was just a slice of pineapple on the bun. This burger was pretty standard, patty, lettuce, sauce and brioche bun. A simple burger isn't a problem, but we found the chicken patty soggy, and not the most appetizing let's just put it that way.

Goat Rendang Bun, Hazelnut Crumble NZ$11

This goat bun was nice, the bun was soft and airy and the meat tasted like it had a good amount of spices and seasoning. On the side there was this chili lemongrass sauce for dipping the bun in. There was only one thing I wasn't sure of, which is the goat part. I'm pretty sure it tasted more like lamb than goat, as goat has a more distinctive taste that's hard to mistaken with.

In general, the food wasn't bad and the pricing was reasonable considering Queenstown is a touristy place. We did find out later that most restaurants are pretty affordable relative to Sydney.

Food: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7.5/10

Highlight:

Pork ribs
Friendly staff

Lowlight:

Burger and egg roll

Website: www.bluekanu.co.nz
Address: 16 Church St, Queenstown, New Zealand
Hours: Mon-Sun 4pm-late

Phone: +64 3 4426060

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