Koi Dessert Bar Chippendale NSW

Not since Adriano Zumbo has there been such a huge adoration for a Patisserie chef in Sydney, Australia.    Reynold  Poernomo is young, slim and full of dreams.   He has an eye for the aesthetic, the detailed and the captivating - not just visually, but in arousing our template and inherent urge for the forbidden culinary world.   Human beings need relief from the mundane, the usual and the routine.    Reynold provides this at the Koi Dessert Bar in downtown Sydney in the revamped village hub of Kensington Street in Chippendale.


The menu creates more excitement with names from fairy tales and Nature.    The Forbidden Fruit suggests of a recreated apple, looking so red perhaps because of use of the raspberry Sorbet, but when you get digging into this, there are other treasures to discover - chocolate mousse, lime zest and raspberry gel, all sitting on a chocolate looking and tasting soil.    There is a definite pleasure to contrast the richer chocolate with the lighter but still sharp raspberry.


Some other dessert offerings are more direct to figure out -  Peach Please is dominated by peach jam, but is actually a rosemary flavoured yoghurt, enhanced with a Heillala vanilla mousse and sprinkled with a raspberry powder.   This turns out to be rather harmonised both on the palate and to the eyes.   Heilala vanilla is a brand found in Australia, often used in bakeries, noted for the vanilla seeds present and useful for light coloured recipes like Cream Brulee, custards and shortbreads.


T. Time suggests very East Asian, with a core of black tea ice cream, garnished by mandarins, chocolate pebbles,  a five spice hazelnut sponge and the French Creme De Meaux.

A central Koi Kitchen prepares the pretty and petite delights.    Back at Kensington Street, the openness of the goings-on at street level, with a hive of activity of mostly energetic staff, suggests an inviting world of what is happening behind the display.   It is a cobbled and paved lane in front,  as if a private enclosure, and you have entered an inner sanctum of Reynold's.


Cocktails, licensed bar offerings and a dimension of a way about town permeate upstairs.  It is as if you have climbed  up a traditional two storey house in the South Sea islands, but this one is surrounded by glass on most sides.    You can look down at a small flowering garden below.    The romance you have been caught in, blurry eyed, downstairs can continue in an affair upstairs.      

Mousse, sponge, Panacotta, gels, tarts and jelly.   Asian reminders like Matcha, sesame, Yuzu, coconut, green apple and lime.    Aussie standards like Pistachio, caramel,  white chocolate and yoghurt.    The compulsory little flower petals sitting on top of things that catch the eye.   Shapes that persist -  globes, pyramids, towers, rectangles and squares.


Colours do arise from the tropical origins of where Reynold's extended family came from.   Purple, yellow, orange and more.  They can at times remind me of the Straits Chinese kueh, but this a world away with Euro influences, fusion encouragement,  East Asian beauties and the best of new fangled ingredients.    Hidden in the delights is a reminder of the Bika Ambon, usually made with tapioca, sugar, coconut milk, yeast and eggs, but also versatile to combine with cheese and chocolate flavours.    At the same time, Tonka beans from Central America and the northern parts of South America are also used at the Koi   - the power of the beans is in their Coumarin, which is also utilised in the perfumery industry.

The expectations of customers can be subject to whims, sentiment and reality.   This can apply especially when when two of the artistes and chefs behind the creations from Koi have been on public television.   


Art can be a subjective thing - has Reynold Poernomo concentrated more on presentation, ingredients with taste?    Going forward, can he can consider more on texture and theme surprise?   To be fair, there have been this teasing play by Koi of how ingredients have been converted into shapes far from their what they usually are, for example fruits rediscovered in sheets.    Reynold also does love to surprise and make us smile  - several of his dessert creations involve cracking a surface, digging with anticipation inside and then changing our perceptions.   This process sweetens our experience and increases our anticipation all at the same time.


Do the regulars prefer more variations as time goes by, while retaining the favourites?   This is not easily answered.  If you have fallen in love with one creation, you would not want that replaced, but to create more variety, that means more to be made for the display shelf.


Koi does not just offer non-savoury items and has factored in a degustation menu away from the patisserie and desserts.    The non-dessert creations, from a chef with a background of Indonesian culinary influence, come from Arnold, brother to Reynold.   Mind you, there is another brother, Ronald, in the team as well   - and he specialises in cocktails.   Three brothers , each with his own unique talent.


Back to Arnold, he was a judge in the Indonesian version of Masterchef.     The one savoury dish from Arnold  for me is the duck breast   - roasted with charcoal;  served with duck hearts, butternut pumpkin, Swiss chard leafy veg with red stalks and onions; and flavoured with orange maple cider and red wine.    


The other test of culinary skills is in the Hiramasa kingfish, increasingly popular in fine dining these days  and Koi garnishes them with salmon roe, a puree of caramelised onions and mushrooms,  kelp oil plus smoked Dashi.    Dashi is an important stock and base for many things in Japanese cooking - usually made with kelp and preserved and fermented fish like the Skipjack Tuna  - and is essential to provide the significant Umami taste.

There are four variations as to how you wish to enjoy the Koi experience.  Many phone in orders for catering to collect or take home.    Walk-ins usually wait for a seat along the street and line up to obtain what is available on the display shelf.   Before dinner time, yet others order from down stairs but get a table in better ambient surroundings upstairs.   If you come after 6pm and want to go upstairs, you have to order from the degustation menus - dessert or a combination of savoury and dessert.


There are more variations at the licensed bar upstairs.   Serious coffee lovers may make the leap with a Gotta Have Espresso Tini, where Canadian maple syrup, Japanese Mirin, vanilla Vodka and Licor 43 mix with an espresso to provide the best of many worlds.   Licor 43 is reputed to have forty-three ingredients, but generally is a light citrusy liqueur from Spain, flavoured with vanilla and a host of aromatic herbs.    Mirin has a lower alcohol content compared to its other fellow rice wines


For something refreshing, I love the Bitter Balance, where an innocent shot of Angostura Bitters makes company with Campari, dark rum, burnt orange vanilla syrup and lime juice.    The seemingly healthy Banana Milkshake is laden with Baileys and a Caramel Vodka.   And who can not help noticing the Kevin Bacon, where the theme of bacon, truly, flows through its ingredients - Atzec chocolate bitters, Choc bacon and Bacon washed Bulleit Rye whiskey, all washed with maple syrup.

On street level, at certain times, it may look like a queue for seeing a pop star.   There is not much space to wait in front of the display, yet people patiently do so  - Japanese anime  dressers,   middle class families from the North shore,  tourists,  matronly types, youngsters.     Upstairs, there is a ruffle of activity and amidst the diners, there are single ladies, couples, party goers out on the town and the university people.






Koi Dessert Bar visited is located at 46 Kensington Street, Chippendale NSW.   This is the side of Kensington Street away from George Street.
Opening hours are from 10am to 10pm every day except Mondays.  Coffee and cakes are available from 10am to 10pm, whilst degustation dinner begins at 6pm.
Contact + 61 2 9212 1230
It has been announced for another outlet opening in Ryde NSW.





My other recommended creations to try at the Koi Dessert bar are:

Nomtella, served as a dome with a Brownie base and topped with salted caramel and Espresso flavoured mousse.

High Tea combination with matching tea blends  -  I understand this is the next frontier and adventure at Koi's.







 

Chef's Palette Eastwood NSW

I had gone over board on cheesecakes, inadvertently ordering two for a shared bite after dinner.     The situation was salvaged when the cheesecakes were different, both in flavour and bite.


Welcome to the branch of Chef's Palate, located near Jong Jip, in north western Sydney suburbs, that hub of business, dining and shopping called Eastwood.    This section of Rowe Street, where many Korean shops congregate, has now taken on a new level of activity and buzz.   You can have authentic and Aussie modified Korean cooking here.   There are two large groceries that remind you of being in a Seoul suburb.   Aldi is housed in a small shopping centre that has more restaurants than other businesses.    Whilst Aldi closes early for its supermarket operations, the other retail places open till late.

Staff were engaging and friendly and they are young and bright eyed.    The barista that evening invited us in and his work counter is at street frontage.   Saturday evening meant many couples and youngster groups out to make the most of a weekend.   There is ample seating as the shop goes a deep way in and I reckon there is also a stairs to the first level. 
Service is fast and we did not have to wait long.    Coffee is not overly strong, has flavour and served hot enough.

Next I aim to try their water melon cakes......


Chef's Palate is also found in Strathfield, NSW.

Black Star Pastry Kinokinuya Bookshop Galleries Victoria Sydney NSW

The new kid on the block has arrived, oh well, for a few weeks by now.

Apparently thousands of slices of the iconic watermelon and strawberry cake slices are shelled out every day across Sydney.   Now comes the new baby, with luscious and plump lychee yum yums resting on top of a multi-layered concoction, accompanied by the stronger flavours of raspberries.    Both fruits, one tropical and the other temperate, seem to symbolise Australia, where Asian meets up with Caucasian, all in a sea of ethnic diversity. 

Lychee has  a more subtle juiciness, but has its unique taste, by which the risks of it being over come by stronger and more acidic bites can occur.   This does not happen here, although raspberries are sweeter, but they do have more character.  So the choice of both toppings ends in a win win situation.   They look pretty as well, the neutral look of lychee being set off by the flamboyant raspberries.

I do find the layers of this creation interesting, with different sensations from the soft and hard options built for you.   Biting into the choc zone, I did think of dryness and had a flashing thought of the rather flexible bite from the watermelon-strawberry slice.   When I composed myself, I concluded that it is good to have a different make up, to provide contrast in texture.

The new kid costs more per slice and it will be interesting to watch the unavoidable comparison between the two royal siblings.






The Black Star Pastry visited is located at the Kinokinuya Book Store, George Street, Sydney NSW.   This is at level 3 of Galleries Victoria, accessible from Town Hall Station.

Opening hours are from  10am to 630pm every day, except for Thursdays and Sundays.  On Thursdays the opening hours are from 10am to 9pm.  On Sundays the cafe is open from 11am to 6pm.
Contact +61 2 9557 8656

Flaky Tart Bakery Kirribilli NSW

From Rose Bay to another lovely corner of Sydney,  the Flaky Tart Bakery in Kirribilli does look, on first impressions, a village store from the good old days, inviting passers-by to sample its aromatic and pretty looking fares.   The glass corner does hold some award winning achievement stickers in baking.   The bakery is sited in a busy junction - Ennis Road and Broughton Streets -  in the village hub, one cannot possibly miss it  - walk away from the Milson's Point Station towards the cafes and restaurants and away from Alfred Street.

Visiting a bakery is always a winner on a coolish winter's morning.  The Flaky tart encourages us further - there is a board that says "Take a bite out of life with an appetite for fun....tickle its fancy, tweek its cheek and give it a sassy grin."     Biting into its pastries, pies and doughnuts makes me want to follow their advice.

The friendly staff member handling my choices over the display took initiative to recommend  selections - and looking at her sincere expressions, I knew she was in line with the stars with what she believes in the bakery.  Interesting enough, she had been with friends down Wollongong way - and had dined at the Mochi along Keira Street.

It was a busy morning for the Flaky Tart - people came in, a lot knew what they wanted.   It could have been standing room only at times.  There are only a few tables but this is the sort of place you say hello like to a neighbour and enjoy the best of your day.    You are greeted in a good nice way, you are allowed to ponder if you are not sure but your orders will be taken once you have decided.   The staff can be busy but still have time to give a nod and make you feel at home.







The Flaky Tart Bakery visited is located at 4 Ennis Road, Kirribilli NSW, near a slopy junction of set of traffic lights, away from the Alfred Street side of Milson's Point rail station.

Opening hours are from 530am to 5pm  every week day;  from 7am to 3pm on Saturdays; and from 8am to 2pm on Sundays.
Contact + 61 2 9955 3958




My impressions of the Flaky Tart Bakery at Kirribilli NSW:
Ambiance:  3.5 out of 5

Customer Engagement:  4 out of 5
Culinary Delight: 3.5 out of 5
X Factor:   3 out out of 5
Overall:     14 / 4  out of 5

Vanilla slices.   Doughnuts.  Pies.   Maybe not the sausage rolls.  Explore with your eyes and palate.  Enjoy visiting, have a coffee and pastry.   Take away some delights home.

 

Salt, Meats & Cheese Alexandria NSW

The Fisher Board:  Zucchini fritter hair  with marinated baby squid, baby prawns and baby calamari on a salad.

I must confess that we already had lunch before we checked out 21 Fountain Street.   Looking at Salts, Meats & Cheese, we decided to have a sampler - and did not regret this initial exorbitant choice.   The SMC is one of five outlets in this renovated warehouse, sited at the very right if you stand in front of this building.   We are immediately greeted by a pleasant young man in black T-short and pants, informal but still professional, and most important of all, friendly to the customers, even if it was a busy Saturday afternoon.

What captivated me was some dishes done in Sardinian and Sicilian style, apart from the mainland Italian choices.   Friends tell me they come for the pizza, made in a special contraption that came all the way from Napoli.    SMC did  not project itself as overly serious, but more like authentic, in a hipster setting.  The outlet in Alexandria was not big for seating but had a welcome space walking in.    The ceilings are high, the interiors still evoke the industrial nature of the building and yet you can view the street outside and not feel hemped in.   Young families, twenty somethings and couples predominate.

I am so glad this SMC outlet in Alexandria has moved away from the Bourke Street space next to the Grounds of Alexandria  - for me, going to this site has been a vehicle parking nightmare which defeats the purpose of a leisurely weekend brunch moment.

One may want to compare with the crab meat Tagliolini with the Linguini version at the nearby Devon on Danks,  but to me the SMC version was a different cuisine and dish.   The pasta had a different texture and the gravy made with  from a dissimilar recipe - to each their own! 

I am not a fan of Ragu in Itallian cooking, but I noticed the clever addition of burnt orange to enhance the flavours at the SMC.   The braised lamb is still served with Papperdelle as in the classic recipe, but garnished with thyme, Gremolada and Roman styled Pecorino cheese shaves.

Heart felt touches in ingredients are noticed, like the chargrilled pumpkin on the Antipasto platter.   Best of all, from 1 August 2016, this Alexandria outlet will become a patisserie, run by  Pastry Chef Laurence Pagano, formerly from Adriano Zumbo and Mercato e Cucina in Gladesville NSW.

The breakfast menu and the drinks list are both simple though, with the choices in Paninis, egg variations and wholegrain bowls.

Directors Stefano De Blasi and Edoardo Perlo have got something right at the SMC.  It is not just dining on tasty Italian or gulping good pizzas, but there are also cheese  making classes.    SMC also offers a unique Farinata list, served with Proscuitto San Daniele, goat cheese, Buffalo Mozzarella and shaved Parmesan options.

Tagliolini with crab meat, cherry tomatoes, garlic and Zucchini.

It was a cold day outside, so my group of four persons did not feel the overheated effect as some have claimed visiting in summer.   To me, the SMC at Alexandria allows you to have more wholesome meals, but if you just want to snack you are also accommodated.

When leaving this SMC for Affagato at the adjoining Campos Coffee in the same building, I must say each of us did not regret having checked out the SMC here.   I cannot wait to return.......



Salt, Meats & Cheese visited is located at  21 Fountain Street Alexandria NSW, opposite the Dan Murphy store and not far from the junction with McEvoy Street.   Cooking class and delivery options are available on enquiry.

The current opening hours are from 11am to 10pm from Wednesdays to Fridays and from 8am to 10pm on the weekends.  It is closed every Monday and Tuesday.  

Please note that from 1 August 2016, this SMC outlet will become a full range patissserie, open from 5am to 3pm every week day and a base for an expanded cooking school.

Contact +61 2 9690 1065.


There are in addition other dining restaurants of Salt, Meats & Cheese in Surfers Paradise, Queensland and in  the greater Sydney region NSW at the Broadway Shopping Centre in Glebe, Mosman on the lower North Shore and in Drummoyne across the ANZAC Bridge from the city centre.



My impressions of Salt, Meats & Cheese at Alexandria NSW:

Ambiance:  3.5 out of 5

Customer Engagement: 4  out of 5
Culinary Delight: 3.5 out of 5
X Factor:   3  out out of 5
Overall:     14 / 4  out of 5

My recommended dishes from the menu are:

Antipasto Plate: laden with herbed buffalo Mozzarella, Prosciutto San Daniele, handmade Italian styled Hummus, house chargrilled pumpkin topped with Feta cheese, marinated mushrooms served with a toasted sourdough.

Ravioli bursting with Ricotta cheese and spinach, flavoured by burnt butter and sage, graced with Parmesan shaves, walnuts and pumpkin and drizzled by Truffle oil.

Black Lobster, served with squid ink pizza with Fior Di latte, Fontina, lobster tail, thyme and garlic oil.   Also available with a white base pizza option.

Going Nuts - a heady mixture of raw almonds, low fat natural yoghurt, banana, almond milk and Cacao.

The Salts, Meat & Cheese outlet in Glebe is reviewed by Zomato on the following web link:

 

La Vigne Bakery Eastwood NSW

It was late evening and the first truly chill had set in over the north-west of greater Sydney.
I am always impressed that the La Vigne Cafe is open till late, when the norm is for similar cafes to shut latest by 5pm. Vigne refers to the vineyard and sets the theme for their cakes and displays.

Family groups came in throughout the evening, mostly having take away.  There is 
tightly spaced seating as the place is rather compact, although by street side along Eastwood's so-called Korean section of commerce, near Aldi's.  

Korean bakeries have a slightly different way of making their pastries, breads and cakes.  Some say  they are more light on the bite, others say they are not so intense with ingredients and so the over all flavour is a mixture of French, Oriental and fusion.  One thing strikes me - there are unique Korean stuff they utilise, like red beans, green tea and sticky rice.  This leads to my favourite item from La Vigne - the sweet potato cream cake, heavenly on the taste and elegant on the bite.  It is not starchy at all and breaks all perceptions of carbohydrates dominating anything else.  This particular cake I like is made from  a specific purple coloured sweet potato.

I am told celebrity New Yorker David Chang of Momofuku fame did have a soft spot for the La Vigne.   The coffee here is not that strong but I do find the varoiety of cakes do mroe than make up for this.  Next I yearn to try their Patbingsu!





The La Vigne Bakery is located at 82 Rowe Street, Eastwood NSW.   
Opening hours are from 11am to 10pm every day.
Contact + 61 2 9858 3005



My impressions of the La Vigne Bakery in Eastwood NSW:
Ambiance: 2.5 out of 5

Customer Engagement: 3.5 out of 5
Culinary Delight: 3.5 out of 5
X Factor:  2.5 out of 5
Overall:   3 out of 5 



Recommended Menu choices:
Sweet potato cream cake
Gingerbread man
Patbingsu, an ice shave dessert with fruits and red beans, related to ABC Ais Kacang in south-east Asia
Coffee bun
Strawberry Chiffon
Chocolate cake

Textbook Boulangerie-Patisserie - Alexandria NSW

I could not believe my eyes.  Stepping into a bright, spacious dimension (it seemed to me like the first part of a contemporary hall),  I was immersed by the lightness of it all, then the colours of the displays and finally by the warmth of the set up.  Call it Scandinavian in feel and design, name it contemporary  - I embraced it like a kid in a sophisticated and yet easy feeling at home atmosphere. This is the Textbook.

Located at a busy part of Botany Road, Textbook is just off the street and below some apartments. 

Inside the chicken and mushroom pie.

There are no issues with seating - there are canteen styled tables for talking to others, there is the garden setting outside and there are smaller coffee atmosphere chairs.  

When you look out to the open bakery and preparation space, perhaps it strikes you about the expansive flatness of that section.  To me, this perspective did bring out the delicateness and uniqueness of each baked item so much better  - the interim Alice in Wonderland like colours of the cheesecakes and desserts came out better to the eye of the passing, curious customer. The brown contours of loaves and croissants contrasted with the white surface.  Lighting levels added to the experience.

Nevertheless there is a sophistication beyond the so called Wonderland colours.    Even the pastel colours of my Asian themed dessert of mango, Kaffir lime and coconut infused white choc already suggested a finesse and attention to detail before I even had a small spoonful bite of this.   I was positively struck by the roundness of this creation, like a quality pottery mix ready to be shaped further and still held by two miniature side holders, all edible.

The vibes are contemporary Australian, but with a cosmopolitan freshness that embraces so many relevant ingredients that combine into a harmonious whole.   And refreshingly, the desserts from Textbook are not heavy, but instead just provide a high level of satisfaction to the palate. 

Some of the display items are obvious visual pick me ups, like the blue lined cheesecake that pleasure you more like a China Ming vase, rather than something to be eaten and forgotten with.   

The granularity of the Speculaas (Dutch windmill cookie) crumble  surrounding the main portion of the Apple Crumble must be looked closely to be  believed. 

The so realistic Granny Smith colour of the cheesecake uplifted expectations, which was more than fulfilled.  

Apple custard mousse and a warm blonde Dulcey Chocolate Bavarois top the act.  Dulcey's notes are buttery and toasty which gradually progress to a flavour of shortbread with a pinch of salt - heavenly.

I would want to try the Caramelised Pear and Roasted Walnut  dessert on a next visit.  Chocolate Sable Breton is presented with the caramelised pear chunks and a white chocolate Bavarois - and then coated with a wonderful idea of roasted walnut crumble.  Sable refers to a French short bread cookie.

   

Saint-Honore, graced with Chantilly cream and dazzling with a raspberry red finish.

An engaging and enthusiastic guy greeted me at the counter and commenced the journey of knowing Textbook better.  There are so many things to begin with.  I asked him which is a top selling favourite and he readily recommended one.  He reminded me to consider taking a whole cake back.   The beef pies had finished by mid day but he got the last chicken one for me. He made the coffee, he made the day!

The windows at Textbook are broad and welcoming, one side over looking an inner courtyard and the other to Botany Road.

If anything else to add, we enjoyed looking at the buzz and energy of the staff working hard with flour, dough and added steps.   Go early first thing after sunrise and you can dwell in the aromas of baking bread.  

The Marie Antoinette blend of coffee is more smooth and mellow than just strong.

There are generous sized sandwiches, sourdough slices, savoury beef pies......especially relevant for a cool winter's morning.    You can ask for a freshly prepared concoction or pick up something just waiting for you.   There are special things the crew makes apart from the usual menu, like Bruschetta, Hot Cross buns for Easter and other seemingly decadent things to be thankful for....

John Ralley is the Patissier and Steve Anderson is the Pastry Chef behind Textbook.

I was curious why a patisserie with such a wonderful set up - and a range of creative baked outcomes - has such a simple name - Textbook. On one hand, it is effectively simple to recall the name of this magical discovery. On the other, the delights one finds here, fresh from the oven, can be said to be far from my preconceptions of a straight line and rigid " textbook approach"- it can be easily seen and tasted that the creations on display are literally far from this meaning of the textbook approach.

The shapes, patterns and curves of the cheesecakes, breads, pies, desserts and other items are at the same time seemingly both random and precise.

The positioning of a garnish, or decorative item on the smooth surface of the primary component of an offering, is art like and intended.   For example, this can be observed in the graceful ballerina like curve of a feather like topping, the geometric lines on the surface of a well baked dough and in the apparent confusion of yummy baked gravy inside a pie.

On balance, I finally got it - it is the preciseness of their preparation technique and presentation that got John and Steve to utilise the phrase "Textbook"!

My impressions of the Textbook Boulangerie-Patisserie:
Ambiance: 4 out of 5
Customer Engagement: 4 out of 5
Culinary Delight: 4 out of 5
X Factor:  4 out of 5
Overall:   4 out of 5


Recommended menu choices:
Apple Crumble.
Brioche buns, fluffy and inviting with citrus and raisins.
Shakshuka baked eggs.
Caramelised pear and roasted walnut dessert.
Chicken and mushroom pie.
Almond or chocolate croissants.
Kaffir lime, mango and coconut flavoured white chocolate dessert
Chocolate Eclairs
Cruffins that regularly change flavours

Kaffir lime, mango and coconut flavoured white chocolate dessert.

The Textbook Boulangerrie Patisserie is located at 274 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW.
Opening hours are from 7am till sold out every day (except closed on Mondays)
Contact +61 2 9699 6196