Category Archives: RESTAURANT

SundayShenanigans at La Croix!

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It’s Sunday and that means one thing for me ━ SundayShenanigans, and this time, I genuflect chez La Croix in The Cross!

Forget XYZ being the new black ━ in Sydney, the café is the new church!  And I am more than happy to worship at the base of this cross.

It’s our first time, and it’s not long before my inner Fille-Française finds her twin in this contemporary chic environment. I cannot breathe it in fast enough, so I don’t.  Instead, I simply pace myself.

Glenda (whom I later find out is co-owner) welcomes us with a warm smile and conversation – first about the menu and then just business in general. This is a woman who clearly loves her “Cross” and the customer engagement it encourages.

It’s just clicked over to lunch, but clearly still in the mood for breakfast, Glenda indulges us and makes a beeline to the Gods-of-the-kitchen to check that boiled eggs and the twice-cooked gruyère soufflé is still an option.  We’re in luck, and le petit déjeuner it is!  And.oh.my. how good!  I’ll take goats cheese soufflé (with a side of Miche) as communion any day!

If you do happen to miss breakfast or in fact come in for lunch, you’ll be just as much in taste-heaven.  I haven’t yet, but plans are already underway for a return visit to tuck my taste buds into one of the signature tartines and a glass of Ruinart s’il te plaît! FrenchFroth, bubbly, champers…whatever the moniker will still an-effervescent-mouth-party deliver!  Can’t wait!

Oh, and did I mention that besides being a delightful café, and a place to sit-&-sip on a lovely glass of French wine, La Croix is also a little piece of retail heaven ━ with gasp-worthy French and Belgian goods and goodies to fill or treat a home? Oui, c’est vrai!

So if you’re looking for a cool hole-in-the-wall to savour your morning nectar, walk in from Macleay Street.  If you want courtyard and a slightly more expansive café feel, make your entrance from Fitzroy Gardens.  Either way, you’ll be enchanted – by the feel, the look, the service, the food and the organic coffee served up with a smile and a vibrant hit of saucer-orange!

LA CROIX

Shop 2 The Rex

58-60 Macleay Street

POTTS POINT NSW 2011

Ph: +61 2 8354 1020

shop@lacroix.com.au

Monday to Saturday 7am – 5pm

Sunday 8am – 5pm

Chez Dee

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SundayShenanigans!  I am always the happiest when donning my double-S-cape and gliding into new-found divinity!

And with that, this fine Sunday we worship Chez Dee.

And fine it is.  I am always part-excited part-curious and part-tentative at the impending reception of my initial visit anywhere.  Sometimes a review-glow is quickly tainted by real-life experience.  I needn’t have worried ━ it is VIP all the way, and I suspect everyone gets this treatment (from what I’d read, a personal recommendation and just observing everyone and everything, over the few hours that we sojourn!)

One step in – onto the quaint entrance-terrace – and Byron has us covered!  A smile & greeting beautifully wrapped up in a warm welcome, and instantly I feel I am in for a treat;  I have to say in advance that I am just not prepared for such an ensuing treat! I knew I loved all-things-French (real or fashioned!) for a reason!

Chez Dee is indeed a capsule of deliciousness – literally and figuratively. The entrance is divided into twin-terraces (heated!) and as you venture indoors, your subsequent ‘bienvenue’ is mini-market freshness on your left – hello herbs, fruit, veg and, today, a delightful colour-burst of Poppies.

Once inside, it’s French-Shop-Chic all the way, with goodies on which to feast your eyes or splash your cash…or both if you so wish!  I linger a little before I take a couple of steps down to the communal heart (big fat French farm table ahoy!) and of course that aforementioned literal magic ━ I need to finish up my  tour so that I can wrap my taste buds around  some morning nectar et al!

Everyone is super friendly ━ BaristaBoy is mid-action, and still he meets my curious eyes with a smile and a wave+hello.  Byron, once more is suitably “plated” as he whisks past, a smile not far behind.  And then there’s lovely Nikki, who is our other wait-person ━ so sweet and genuinely interested and helpful.  Nikki manages the shop during the week, but helps out in the cafe over the busy weekends. She is wearing vintage denim, and is a GrammarGuru çomme moi. In short, a girl after my own heart. You should totally visit her in the shop and buy up big – there is something for everyone.  And you’ll be done in one hit and months before Christmas…win-win!

Next, it’s onwards and UPwards to The Moroccan Room, and final terrace to complete the trio of outdoor chilling. Mini-Morocco indeed!  It entices you to find your spot and stay ━ the terrace too, all colourful-pompom-trim cushions on which to rest your hardworking tush!

Oh, and a shout-out to Ivanka who stops to chat and offer to bring me a coffee while I am getting my fill of photos and vibe up there!

I could stay, but short of my husband thinking I’d been kidnapped (actually in reality, he’s likely thinking “she’s talking to someone or taking photos!!”) and my stomach churning out some hungry orchestral sounds, I dash back to coffee and…wait for it…the most divine baked eggs ━ ever.  Hello Fourme d’Ambert, walnuts, fresh cream, and freshly shaved Manjimup truffles. Yum!

It’s not your usual firm-set baked eggs – the cream makes it more liquescent, and it’s a small serving, but for me it’s perfect. I’m never super hungry at breakfast so it hits the spot.  Even so, if you are a big-breakfast-eater…and a cheese, egg and truffle lover, I still highly recommend it, perhaps as a breakfast ‘starter’?! wink

Mario indulges in the porridge with cinnamon and honey as well as the fruit and yoghurt bowl.

There are other choices ━ just listen as your waiter recites the menu like verse – love!  Or check out the chalkboard and the glass cabinet of goodies, sweet and savoury. I want to go back when I am h.u.n.g.r.y so that I can wax lyrical about the other delicious offerings!

We take our second coffee on the upstairs terrace with rugs ━ which Nikki kindly brings up; We are way too kick-back to leave just yet!  And eventually we find our way to the corner-enclosed daybed inside – like kiddies in a Wendy house!!

Did I wish we had arranged to meet friends for afternoon drinks?  Oh, yes!  It’s simply that kind of place.  And thankfully we can now do what the Europeans have been doing for years ━ getting their breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, evening drinks, dinner-hit at the same establishment;  It helps too that the different spaces allow for this gradual movement from one to another.

And if I said this corner was in The Cross, would you gawp?!

Well, it is. Taking over the former Tonic’s heart ━ hello memories of drinks & live music downstairs, and private birthday celebrations upstairs! ━ and doing the neighbourhood proud.

62 Kellett Street Potts Point NSW 2011

(02) 8354 1544

Tuesday-Sunday 8am-9pm

info@chezdee.com.au

Tidbits:

Byron and his partner Nick are part-owners of Chez Dee.

Chez Dee is the brainchild of Denise (hence the name people! lol) who, incidentally, is the former owner of Tonic!

Ahhh…what a sweet transition for all.

Speaking Japanese…

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It’s Saturday in Sydney.  It’s overcast yet warm – it’s our Spring, still in her teething phase.  What to do?  Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s time for my…sushi lesson!  Yes, some time ago, I was gifted a Zushi sushi lesson with Master Lee.  After a couple of false starts, the day finally arrives & I am ready for my knife & my sashimi – I think!

We arrive super early, so we sidestep to the cafe next door to ingest some much loved morning nectar and…a hit of Vitamin D – yes, by now the Spring sunshine is laying claim to the day.  Sip sip – gulp – sip sip some more & then we’re on our way to sit at the table of wasabi & chopsticks – hai!

I am equal parts excited and nervous – how will I listen, do and snap?!  I manage.  Listen – pen & notebook in hand;  Gloves on, to do; gloves off, to snap!  Yes, I manage.

There are 8 of us – all seated in front of our sushi-making stations, and in front of Master Lee.  It’s a little hard to understand Master Lee, at first, but my school-girl self kicks in & the intense concentration pays off;  I get some super tips & information that I hurriedly scribble down in said notebook!

 Master Lee is brimming with information – did you know that “water is the enemy to fresh fish”?!  So when you bring home your fresh fish, pat it dry & wrap it in paper towel before popping it into a container & the fridge;  Another handy little tip?  Dipping your fingers into some water will prevent the rice from sticking to them!

While the first part of the class is Master Lee speaking, it is the step-by-step-information of the sushi-making process, which is both quintessential and welcome; His sense of humour, the hit of wasabi we all need to participate & hit up the space with some of our own cheekiness & laughter bubbles!

When it’s our turn to make-like-sushi-chefs, we jump in with gusto.  It looks easy enough – he makes it look that way – and funnily enough it is easy!  Okay, admittedly it is with slow & deliberate moves that our “easy” comes about!  But no matter, it is super fun getting our hands dirty in the whole sushi rolling business.

Gloves on, & there is movement at our stations – cupping of rice, spreading, adding of fresh salmon, tuna & other rice partners, rolling, ooh-ing & aah-ing, banter back & forth, a guffaw here & there, and equal-parts cries of dismay & shrieks of delight!  All in all a fabulous mix of morning madness of the FUN kind!

We are given a few opportunities to perfect our sushi skills – a] the simple cigar-roll rendering small discs of deliciously fat maki sushi b] the Californian roll in which I opt for salmon, once more, rather than crab stick, and c] the Zushi special: inside-out roll! The latter looks like the most difficult to create, and while slightly more tricky, it is by far my favourite to make, look at & eventually devour; Wasabi mayonnaise – heeello!

Look what I made!

It is over all too quickly – I could have lingered longer over my MY-made sushi & pot of green tea [or glass of wine!]  And while two gorgeous gals do turn their sushi making lesson into a sushi & vino lunch, I quickly pop one or two of mine, pack up the rest, all the while still snapping some final shots of the sushi, yours truly & the monthly markets that is happening in-shop;  The live music, adding a notably lovely touch to the agenda.

Market Day @ Zushi

More of the Market Day @ Zushi

This is truly a fun experience, and you get show-&-tell that you can really share!  This kind of activity can quite happily stand under any titled occasion – The Last Hoorah™ aka Hens; Birthday Bliss; Team Building excursion?! GDO – GirlsDayOut; heck even marriage proposal could join this party!  And once the morning activity is done & happily dusted, the SurryHillsHood is your Saturday afternoon oyster!  Perfect.

Douzo omeshiagarikudasai!

Hop on the Zushi train at www.zushi.com.au and book yourself a spot – Serena will look after you!