FoodieChat

Zilver, previously called Silver Spring, closed down and renovated a few years ago, completely changing its image, and vastly improving its menu, whilst uptiering its target market to a more upmarket offering.  Its “All you can eat for $17.50″ days have long gone and it has transformed completely into a rare gem of Chinese dining – great food AND service to go with it! 

My friends Tracy and Chris got married on the weekend, and apart from being a long awaited marriage, it was also for me a long awaited feast hehehe. And I was not disappointed at all.  First cab off the rank- suckling pig entree platter with shredded cuttlefish.  The pig wasn’t overly fatty although the skin was quite thin so was slightly chewy.  Chewy the jellyfish was not – it was the perfect thickness and appropriately crunchy in texture.  Second course was deep fried seafood balls – minced seafood – predominantly prawns, rolled into balls and covered in almond flakes deep fried and served on a bed of shredded cabbage.

Palate cleansing vegetables came next – perfectly cooked and crisp broccoli and mushrooms covered in a sauce thick with dried scallops – a real chinese delicacy.  And then came the emperor of all soups – sharks fin soup. So expensive is this dish that waiters often use a bread plate to catch any drips off the ladle that dare escape on the way from the tureen to bowl. You can have it with shredded chicken or crab meat as well as dried fish stomach (don’t ask, just drink).

What a treat. Lobster cooked in classic ginger and shallot sauce.  One of my friends told me that when you have lobster at a wedding banquet, it adds an extra $300 per table of 12 (you do the sums!).  So I relished my huge tender chunk of lobster tail and made an attempt at the huge claw.  But didn’t try too hard as once my grandmother stabbed her finger with one of the sharp bits – ew!

Stomach reaching capacity, next came sliced abalone and mushroom in oyster sauce with lettuce, and then steamed live coral trout.  It must be so hard cooking 25 two kg fish to the point of just cooked, and then sending it out to the masses.  Nevertheless, this one was perfect, its meat sweet and succulent.

(more…)

You may not believe it but there are places in Sydney that do have civilised lunch for around $10 (that is, not a food court) if you’re after something a bit nicer to catch up with your friends, rather than the usual grab your lunch and stand around stalking a table before you realise half your lunch hour’s gone.

The Forbes Hotel is just off George Street, on the corner of York and King, and was introduced to me by my former colleague as a place she used to take her clients who didn’t give her any business! haha. Anyway, you get the whole table cloth and waiter and glassware experience in their restaurant on the third floor. (more…)

Undoubtedly the most impressive seafood platter in Sydney, with great views to go with it.  For $132, you can feast on seafood whilst watching the sunset over the city skyline and over Cockle Bay.  And I’m not the only person snapping away on my camera, as the seafood platter makes its way to every table – often more than one of them!  Easily feeding two with no room for dessert, every oceanic creature man has a taste for is in front of you on two levels, leaving you wondering how you will attack it and whether your stomach can indeed fit so much in.  Well my strategy was firstly to eat some of the ten oysters (which for an extra $8 were prepared kilpatrick – sorry can’t eat raw guts ) before they got cold, then some of the whole lobster tail – so that I can still enjoy the tender meat before I’m too full to appreciate it.  Next, one of the two tandoori prawns while it was still hot. Same for the bbq octopus.

The two beer battered fish fillets were crispy on the outside, with fresh silky flesh inside, only needed a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt.  Well the half dozen prawns on skewers didn’t tempt me much, so left it to dad… same with the bowl of cooked mussels.  Loosening my belt, I attacked one of the two blue swimmer crabs – the flesh easily coming out of the shell without needing a pick, tasting of the sea as it should.  And finishing it off with one or two thick cut chips.  *Groan*. (more…)

I’ve got to admit I was just a tiny bit skeptical that a place that offered Spanish and pizza and pasta would be authentic. Besides, all the Spanish restaurants are meant to be on Liverpool Street, not down near Chinatown. Anyway, it was a hen’s night and I had no choice.  I’m pleased to report that in addition to the best Chinese food in Sydney, Haymarket (a.k.a Chinatown) also offers exceptional Spanish food.   The restaurant catered really well to large groups - which comprised almost half the place on a busy Saturday night.  We opted for the $32 tapas menu, which included all your favourites (except where was the calamari?) 

The food came very quickly in succession such that we were clearing room in between quick forkfuls of food.  First off the rank was a salad with crumbled feta, marinated roast capsicum and lettuce.  Then came my favourite off all time – Chorizo a la Plancha (grilled Spanish sausage). Oh dear. Only in looking at this close up shot did I see the fatty bits – but blindly eating, it was DIVINE. Crispy and tasty and plenty of it.

Next came the Patatas Bravas (fried potato with garlic mayonnaise and spicy tomato salsa). Unfortunately, I had only one cube of potato as that gross white substance had touched every other piece. I was told that they were delicious though, despite my prejudice.  Oh well, bring on the Champinones al Ajillo – garlic mushrooms – and don’t plan on having a pash afterwards.  They were very tasty and moist, and not overcooked either.

The garlic pizza came, with tomato dressing. Crispy crust and a good thickness, which would indicate that these guys could do a great pizza too.  But my attention quickly diverted to the sevillanas (prawns in spicy tomato). They came bubbling to the table – slightly dangerous, but so so fresh, and a great chilli bite at the end (too spicy for some on my table though).  There were 8 per serve.

  (more…)