Picky Piggies: Meat Lovers

Just when you think December can't get any hotter, think again...a new Japanese-style pub grub just landed in town with a menu centering on food on a stick. Kushiyaki simply means skewered food that is cooked over a grill. This type of street food is popular in Japan, and is considered a good way to relieve stress after a day of work. The atmosphere is generally casual and lively. It is the perfect place for friends to gather over a glass of cold beer accompanied with a selection of vegetables and meat skewers without finding yourself bankrupt the next day.

Sitting around the grill counter provides a perfect view of the chefs in action, which also means it can get a little smoky.

Ordering is pretty straight forward, if you are unsure of what to get just turn to the skewer cabinets. There are plenty of poultry and non-poultry skewers to choose from, and honestly they all look ridiculously good.

Scallop & Bacon $7.50; Shitake Mushrooms $6; Spinach,
Cheese & Bacon $6.50; Enoki Mushrooms & Pork Belly $6.50

Sukiyaki & Wagyu Beef $8.50

King Prawn & Pork Belly $7.50

Beef Hanging Tender & Capsicum $8

Cherry Tomato & Pork Belly $6; Wagyu Extreme Loin $10; Fresh Lettuce & Pork Belly $6.50

At Goryon-San instead of seasoning the skewers with sauce (Ta-re), they are simply seasoned with a little salt after grilling. Nevertheless, the skewers are still delicious and packed with flavours.

Our top picks were the sukiyaki & wagyu beef, tomato & pork and lettuce & pork.

Hakata taki Karaka Gyoza (6pcs) $22

We have had plenty of gyoza before, but nothing like this one here. This Gyoza served in spicy tonkotsu broth is something that is worth trying, and we were impressed. Almost like having a wonton soup, the gyoza was plump and soft, the soup was nourishing and slightly spicy.

If you are looking for a place to chill-out, Goryon-San is the perfect place for it, with a great vibe and good food.

Food: 9/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

Great ambience
Food was good overall

Lowlight:

Apart from the sukiyaki wagyu beef , the other beef skewers were just ok
At times, the smoke from the grill can a little intense

Website: https://goryon-san.com.au/

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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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Just like the name suggests Wagyu Ya specialises in wagyu, and the best way to enjoy it is "Yakiniku" style, which is Japanese for "grilled meat". With an array of options for different cuts and grades, this is as good as Australian beef gets. The meat is cooked over a charcoal grill to fully render the fat and give it a unique flavour. Just to be sure, there are also à la carte and non-beef dishes.

Aburi Wagyu Uni Nigiri $10ea

Our beef feast began with the wagyu nigiri. With a slice of uni on top the nigiri was torched giving it a nice smoky touch. The buttery uni also added a mellow sweetness.

Ox Tongue Steak $23

First up on the charcoal was the ox tongue, it was not the usual thin slices we anticipated. With an interesting chewy texture, almost like pig kidney, it carried a distinctive flavour.

We decided to try the M7 cuts this time after having sampled the M9 cuts on our previous visit. Although the M7 cuts have a lower fat content, there is still a fair bit of marble evenly distributed over the meat.

Our different cuts of wagyu were combined and presented in a box on a bed of fresh greens . The restaurant was very thoughtful to place a name tag next to each cut so we knew which cut was which.

Cooking the meat is simple, as soon as the meat gets a nice char on one side flip it over to the other side - the whole process takes less than a minute (for those who like their meat well done you can leave it on the charcoal for a touch longer).

M7 Wagyu: Oyster Blade $25; Rump $25; Chunk Roll $22; Tri-Tip $25

The oyster blade was tender and meaty with minimal chew. The rump was very similar to the oyster blade in terms of texture and flavour.

The chunk roll was incredibly tender, fatty, and coated in delicious beef oils. It overloaded our palates with savoury flavours.

The tri tip was thinner than the other pieces, making it quicker to cook. It was just as marbled, if not more, than the chunk roll. This was the most tender cut of meat.

M7 Wagyu Rib Finger $19

The rib finger was the most dissimilar cut, which ultimately made it the most interesting. It is a thicker cut with more chew to it. When biting into it it's like a sponge bursting in beef oils.

I always think that meat and charcoal are best friends. There is something about cooking meat over charcoal that adds another layer of depth to the meat while retaining the natural flavours.

Pork Belly $17

We also got a plate of pork belly to complete the whole BBQ experience. The pork belly was tender and not overly fatty.

Mushrooms $6 & Asparagus $9

Being healthy piggies as much as we try to be, we got some veggies which gave a nice break from the meat's heaviness.

So, what's the difference between M9 and M7? Well the M9 almost melts in the mouth, while the M7 has a more meaty texture. Our personal preference is the M7 as you can have as many slices as you prefer without letting the greasiness get to you. Our top two cuts of the day were the tri tip and the chunk roll.

Food: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 5/10

Highlight:

Quality wagyu from M7 to M10+ grades

Lowlight:

Wish there was a joint in Sydney serving equal grade wagyu
Unavoidable smoky environment

Website: http://wagyuya.com.au/

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If you are wondering why the tribute to Mao, Hunan is Mao's hometown, and Chairman Mao aims to bring authentic Hunan dishes to Sydney. While Sichuan is more internationally renowned for its spicy and numbing dishes, Hunan actually takes centre-stage when it comes to the use of chillis in cooking in China. There is a saying in Chinese that "Sichuan people have no fear of spiciness, Hunan people fear it's not spicy!"

Pickles Of The Day (complementary)

Every time the pickles are something different, and a good appetiser to nibble on while we salivate in anticipation of the dishes to come.

Pork Dices Steamed w Five-Spice Rice Powder $23.8

Generous chunks of fatty pork is coated in ground rice powder before being steamed under low heat for hours. This culinary technique fully renders the fat, and the rice coating helps absorb all the flavours of the pork and spices, and adds another textural dimension. One of the few no-chilli dishes in Hunanese cuisine that we always order.

Stir Fried Rumen Beef Tripe w Hot Chili $22.8

Offal has never been a favourite of ours, but when done right it can can offer textures and flavours that can't be matched by meat. The extra surface area of the tripe helped lock all the flavours inside. Like an elasticky sponge, the more you chewed the more flavours it unlocked.

Stir Fried Smoked Pork w Smoked Bamboo Shoots & Chili $26.8

A house specialty and a must-get every time we visit Mao. The house-smoked pork is like an extremely smokey version of smoked ham with more chew to it. The smoked meat and the semi-dried bamboo shoots complement each other and you can easily down a couple of bowls of rice with this dish in a flash!

Stir Fried Smoked Pork w Wind Dried Julienne Radish & Chili $26.8

No, this is not a picture of the same dish taken from a different angle... we love the house-smoked pork so much that we ordered another one with dried radish this time 😀 When you can't decide on which one, get both! The dried radish had an interesting chewy crunch to it, although our favourite is still the one with bamboo shoots.

Stir Fried Hot Green Chili w Black Bean Sauce $16.8

Ordering a pure chilli dish might sound weird to some, but if you love chilli this dish will satisfy all your heat cravings! This vegetarian dish is no weak contender in a restaurant serving mostly meat heavy dishes. The fermented black beans, fried till crispy, go perfectly with the charred meaty chilli. Be sure to remove some of the chilli seeds to dial down the heat.

Food: 8/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:

Authentic Hunan cuisine, no cutting corners

Lowlight:

Dishes are very oil heavy
The level of heat is not for the faint-hearted!

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chairman-Maos/121331887925593
Address: 189 Anzac Parade, Kensington, NSW 2033
Hours: Mon 5-10pm
Tues closed
Wed-Thu 5-10pm
Fri-Sun 5-11pm

Phone: (02) 9697 9189

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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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