Art Gallery of NSW

My uncle is an artist who regularly makes the final of the Archibald Prize, but I’d never been to the exhibition before. On this trip to Sydney, the exhibition had just opened, so I made my way through the city to the Art Gallery of NSW to check it out. Looking at incredible portraits is hungry work, so after making my way through the exhibition, I stopped in at the Gallery cafe. I have a soft spot for gallery cafes. Yes, they are usually overpriced and generally don’t have great service, but they’re such nice places to sit and eat. This was no exception, although to be fair the service was actually pretty good. I ordered a slice of lemon tart when the scones were sold out, and found a spot amid the long tables dotted with succulents. Any place with that many succulents is a-ok in my books. The lemon tart was suitably lemony and rich and the slice was more than enough for one. But for me the experience was more about sitting in a lovely cafe, people watching and resting my legs after the long afternoon of walking.

Art Gallery of NSW: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/

Bourke St Bakery

On a recent sojourn to Sydney, I was told that Bourke St Bakery was a must visit, and who am I to argue when there’s cake involved? In a long held tradition, Dad and I went out to lunch with our chiropractor/old family friend in Neutral Bay, and when I realised this was an option it was decided! The entrance is heralded by a sandwich board and cute bicycle leaned against the wall. This boded well. I was a bit dismayed at the high savoury-to-sweet ratio, but that was foolish – I thoroughly devoured my cauliflour and celeriac soup, served with a chunk of the best seed bread I’ve ever had. Nutritional balance satisfied, it was finally cake time. After much deliberation, I went for the strawberry meringue tart, which was absolutely a winner. If you think the strawberries on top are it, get ready for awesomeness, as underneath the meringue was more strawberry goodness. If #cometocanberra is a thing for restaurants, let’s bombard Bourke St Bakery with it. Please.

Bourke St Bakery: Shop 7/19-25 Grosvenor Street, Neutral Bay, NSW http://bourkestreetbakery.com.au/project/neutral-bay/

Chez Frederic

When I read the concept for Chez Frederic on their website, I was already a convert – simple, good food without the frills, and, bonus, takeaway encouraged! Takeaway lamb shanks? Yes, please. So four of us went for dinner (dine in) after work and were delighted. I chose from the extensive specials menu – hello pappardelle with lamb and beef ragu – and was so glad I did. In the middle of winter, a hearty, filling meal like this is perfection. The staff were super friendly too – when we ordered dessert (the divine chocolate orange tart), they asked for our feedback, as it was new.  My friend suggested adding some crunch to the top, and the chef was right on it – he promised toffee shards, and I would go back just for that. The minimalist decor manages to be on-trend industrial but without feeling cold, and the large tables are designed for sharing.  I will be bringing visitors to Canberra here as an example of how this city gets food, service and ambience just right.

Chez Frederic: 4/14 Lonsdale St, Braddon ACT, http://www.chezfrederic.com.au/

Rum Bar

Canberra’s suburban bar scene has been improving steadily over the past few years – and Rum Bar is a great addition to the inner south. A few of us went there after work on a weeknight for a quiet drink, and were met by the relaxed bar staff sitting around a table having a chat. It felt like we’d walked into someone’s (very well equipped) home bar, and one of the hosts had gone to pour us drinks. We opted for a Captain Morgan’s with coke and lime, and were rewarded with a silky smooth, well balanced drink. The relaxed atmosphere was exactly right, the service was warm and friendly, and as someone who rarely drinks rum, the drinks were excellent. Well worth a visit.

Project Life

As you may know, I’ve been doing Project Life this year, taking a picture (mostly) and recording what I do/how I’m feeling/what’s going on everyday for a whole year. One of my friends recently suggested that I turn it into a blog, so maybe I’ll upload some of the daily pictures occassionally. I don’t want PL to feel like a chore, so I’m not committing to uploading everything, but maybe I’ll put some up as I go. So here are some May photos.

May 2, breakfast at Farmer’s Daughter

May 4, loving Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

May 6, enjoying the “country lifestyle” at the Colletor village pumpkin festival

May 11, Sydney by night

May 13, brunch at Berkelouw Books

Macaron fixation

I’m going through a macaron stage. Ok, to be honest, I’ve been going through it for a while, and now that I have a mixmaster I can make them until my heart’s content! But I’ve taken to photographing the macarons that I buy, and finally found a mini album to house these pictures. So out comes Photoshop Elements and here are the photos:

Glorious Food

Here are some of the awesome dishes I’ve eaten in Italy so far:

Ragu with handmade pasta

Risotto

Incredible homemade pizzas

Amatriciana, my favourite!

Roberta’s epic strudel

Bionda (custard pastry), and the only thing so far that I’ve eaten out (there really is no need to go to restaurants, Roberta is an incredible cook!).