Vincent

Barton has really started coming into its own with the opening of the Macquarie Place centre – I had a long lunch at Vincent with a friend, taking advantage of their share plate menu. We started with the Pork Croquettes with Gribiche ($14 for 3) – these were perfectly crumbed on the outside and utterly delightful on the inside, with really tender pork and plenty of flavour. The gribiche (like a tartare sauce) was the perfect match and we devoured these greedily. Dish two was the Pork Belly with Cauliflower, Fennel and Currant ($20). Basically this was autumn on a plate, with sweetness from the currants, tang from the pickled fennel and a rich, earthiness from the pork paired with the cauliflower. The flavours were pefectly balanced and the pork fat was nicely rendered. Finally, we enjoyed the Lamb Rump with Date Chutney, Aubergine and Fetta ($26). The lamb was cooked to perfection and everything with it was a sensory delight. I loved the rich flavour of the pureed aubergine, the sweetness of the chutney and the quenelle of creamy fetta. Sophisticated, seasonal food perfect for sharing.

Vincent, 48 Macquarie Street, Barton ACT, http://www.vincentrestaurant.com.au

Suke Suke

Suke Suke is the coolest new kid on the block, bringing a bar-like feel to the idea of a Japanese izakaya (drinks and little bites to eat). We started with cocktails – I ordered the Hello Kitty Sour ($16), with lychee, yuzu, lemon and peach bitters. This was really well-balanced, with strong citrus tones and just enough sweetness. Next were the gyoza ($8 for 4), which were probably our favourite – perfectly charred bases, thin skin and great pork and prawn flavour inside, these were great with the accompanying dipping sauce. Dish 2 was the takoyaki ($8 for 5) – these were tasty, but seem to have been crumbed and fried, rather than cooked traditionally, and only had tiny pieces of octopus inside. However, the toppings were on point with heaps of bonito flakes and sauces. The popcorn chicken kara-age ($13) was fabulous, with perfect morsels of lightly battered chicken and heaps of mayo for dunking. I also really enjoyed the agedashi tofu ($8), but would have liked less spicy togarashi seasoning and more seaweed. Finally, we tried the beef yakitori ($11 for 4 skewers). Sadly these were lukewarm, but the beef was tasty and topped with sesame, which matched well. A tad pricey for the serves, but with great service and atmosphere, I’ll be back.

Suke Suke, Verity Lane, Sydney Building, Civic ACT, http://www.sukesuke.com.au/

Monster

It’s been a while since I last went to Monster, but I was equally impressed on this visit. Stopping in for a solo lunch at 3pm (as you do), I went for a share plate which I was told would be equivalent to a main. The pulled lamb shoulder ($29) was calling my name, so I placed my order, and basically 5 minutes later had my meal. I am convinced their chef is actually The Flash. Wow. The meal itself was beautifully presented, with a very generous scattering of pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds on top of the hulking pieces of lamb. Propped up and hiding the dollops of fresh yoghurt were several fried (not battered) vine leaves and a new flavour for me – brik, a Tunisian pastry which was salty and crisp. You guys, this was super classy lamb. The pieces were so melty and delicious, and there was an (I love being able to use this word) unctuous sauce that I mopped up with my complimentary bread. All the textures you could ask for were there – crunch from the pistachios, juice from the pomegranate, crisp from the vine leaves and brik and creaminess from the yoghurt. The cross-cultural flavours were utter heaven. Absolutely perfect comfort food I will be back for.

Monster Kitchen and Bar, Hotel Hotel, 25 Edinburgh Avenue, Acton ACT, http://www.hotel-hotel.com.au/eat-and-drink/monster/

Honkytonks

I hadn’t really considered Honkytonks as a dinner venue, but after catching up with a friend there for drinks, we weren’t really ready to move elsewhere. With the recent introduction of table service and an extensive Mexican-themed menu, I was pleasantly surprised by the impressive-looking chimichangas and hot-dogs being brought out. As I am wont to do, I ordered the burger. The Pablo Sanchez burger ($16.50), to be precise. I was lured mostly by the call of the jalapenos and chipotle sauce giving a Mexican twist to the traditional beef burger. The food came out fairly quickly, and my burger was served in a plastic basket with a huge portion of fries alongside. The burger looked great and on first bite, I got a lovely hit of jalapeno heat and spicy chipotle suace – just what I wanted. The patty wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was still slightly pink in the middle as patties should be, so points for that. The fries were thin, crispy and moreish, served with a small dish of tomato sauce that helped cool down the spice from the burger. For the price, it doesn’t really have a scratch on Grease Monkey, but still a good mid-range burger in Civic on a night out.

Honkytonks, 17 Garema Place, Canberra ACT, drinkhonkytonks.com.au

Gondola Gondola

Gondola Gondola is my new happy place. I started with the Weaboo cocktail ($18) – rum, yuzu liqueur, nashi pear shrub, lime, mint and soda. This drink was basically refreshment in a glass, well-balanced and perfect for a hot day. Up first  was the salt and pepper bean curd ($12), fried so lightly that it formed the thinnest, most perfect skin over the soft curd inside. It’s super salty (in a good way), and the salad it’s served on packs some heat and epic ginger action! There were a generous 6 pieces to enjoy. Next up was the banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake, $22) with pork mince, prawn and sprouts, served with lettuce, purple leaves, mint, coriander, carrot and pickled cabbage. Whilst it looked big, this was a fairly light dish – a bit like san choi bao in that you wrap the ingredients in the lettuce and add sauce. Messy, but a great mix of textures and flavours – the coriander in particular brings it all to life. Finally, we had the bun cha ($22), which was our pick of the night – the pork was utter perfection, with a super crispy skin and tender meat, plus the noodles were fabulous! Everything here is packed full of flavour and perfect – take me back!

Gondola Gondola, 1 Peel Street, Adelaide SA, http://www.gondolagondola.com.au

Bread & Bone

I wanted to kick the new year off with a 10/10 post – a meal that I had completely, utterly loved. So, ladies and gentleman, here is Bread & Bone Wood Grill. I started with the Dark & Stormy cocktail ($12) – a perfect blend of rum, ginger beer and lime that packed a punch but at the same time was just right (so much lime!). On the waitress’s recommendation, I ordered the B&B Burger ($18), the house specialty. Cooked on their eponymous wood grill, the beef patty was done to perfection, blushing pink inside, and had fantastic flavour. To be honest, after my first bite, I didn’t deconstruct the burger in order to be able to give you a blow-by-blow – I devoured that sucker without another word. So, all I can tell you is that there is some sort of magic mayonnaise/sauce, lovely thin bacon and that the whole damn thing is so tasty you’ve made me want another one right now just thinking about it. The fries were also top grade, well-seasoned and super crispy. With flawless service, great atmosphere and heavenly food, add Bread & Bone to your must-visit list for 2016.

Bread & Bone Wood Grill, 15 Peel Street, Adelaide SA, no website

Gin Garden

Circular Quay on a summer night is a lovely place to be, but with the pop up Gin Garden at the Museum of Contemporary Art open from 4pm, it suddenly became even better! Shared with the MCA’s Graze restaurant, the Gin Garden is delightfully decorated with shrubberies, flowers and fairy lights, not to mention a sweetheart swinging chair. There are several cocktails on the menu; I chose The Rose Garden ($18), with Archie Rose gin, Earl Grey tea, ginger beer and Rose’s marmalade, all served in a gorgeous glass and topped with cucumber, rose petals and rosemary. I loved the light spritz from the ginger beer, the sweet-but-not-sweet twang of marmalade and the complexity of the gin and tea combination. The whole concotion was utterly delightful and not sickly sweet. I was surprised at how generous the serving was, and unless it becomes part of a bar menu somewhere else, I’ll have to give making it a go at home. I wish I’d gone when I was hungry – the food menu looked mouthwatering, with everything from grilled flatbreads through to more substantial fried calamari on offer. Make the most of the Gin Garden’s season – it’s only open for the summer.

Gin Garden, open all summer at MCA, 149 George Street, Sydney NSW