Jasmyne Tea

Cantina Bar and Grill, Darlinghurst

When I was offered a voucher for two to eat at Cantina Bar and Grill, I must admit that I got excited. I love love LOVE tapas, and I had never eaten on Oxford Street before. How cool was this going to be?

There were some glitches getting there - we're not very familiar with driving in the city, and we almost ended up in North Sydney, but when we finally found parking and walked uphill for 20 minutes, we found the restaurant sitting in front of us like a beacon of hope for our weary feet and grumbling stomachs.

We got there a little bit late at 7pm, but we were welcomed warmly and quickly shown to a table - we were the only ones there. By 7.30pm the place had started to fill up some, but the atmosphere was still very cosy and intimate; the dark wood, neutral walls and candlelight all lend an air of elegance. Our hostess was lovely - she had answers to all of our questions about the dishes, and was polite and friendly.



The deal: Three share plates, churros and glass of wine or Sangria for $45 (value $119)

Free glass of Sangria - normally $15 for a half carafe

We were served our free glass of sangria straight away. The sangria was refreshingly light and sweet, but not cloying. The red wine came through, but was tempered by the sweetness of apple and pineapple, and it had a very light fizz.

Cheese Plate - normally $18.00

This cheese plate was a dish that succeeded in being simple, elegant and well put-together. It featured a well-developed manchego (sheep's milk cheese) that had a lovely buttery texture and a slight, sharp aftertaste, and a soft, slightly salty goat's cheese. It also included sliced apple, a sweet quince paste, crispy lavosh, raisins, and pickled capsicum. It's a simple dish that's been done many a time before, but it was done well.

Wagyu Beef

The wagyu beef was prepared in a manner reminiscent of prosciutto, aged and then sliced into very thin strips. It was served with a poached egg, parmesan cheese, and rocket leaves. It wasn't what we were expecting when we ordered it, but I enjoyed it very much.

Roast Beetroot Salad - normally $15.00

The salad was also beautifully done - the sweetness of the beetroot came through due to the roasting, and went well with the mild goat's cheese dressing. The salad included peppery rocket leaves and crunchy, roasted walnuts.

Jamon Iberico Arancini - $10 special

These were a favourite, and we ordered them seperately from the deal when we spied the specials board. The crumbed outside was fried to crispy perfection, and the inside was filled with plump, cheesy rice and slightly salty, rich Jamon Iberico. It came with a sharp gorgonzola sauce.

Churros - normally $12.00

The churros were a lot darker and crispier than I'm used to, and I have a feeling the oil was too hot, because the inside was just a tad gluey. However, they were tasty, and the dulche de leche it came with was thick and sweet.

Our experience here was a good one, and both Stephen and I feel that we would eat here again without a voucher, because of the quality of the food and the great service. It's a great way to start a night out on the town, or to end a day of shopping.

JasmyneTea dined as a guest of OurDeal.

Cantina Bar and Grill

245 Oxford St
Sydney, NSW
2010

Phone: 02 9357 3033
Email: [email protected]

http://www.cantina.net.au

Bodega, Surry Hills

Getting to Bodega in Surry Hills was slightly challenging. I was running late, Roxy was running later and she didn't like what she was wearing (I thought she looked FABulous), and Sonia was meant to meet us in front of Devonshire St, but was on the other side of Central Station. It was also INCREDIBLY cold, and Sonia's heels were too high for the slopes of Surry Hills, but we were in front of the take-no-bookings restaurant at 6 on the dot, and as the doors opened we shuffled in from the cold with the rest of the people lined up.

We were one of the last groups let in before people had to start being turned politely away - the restaurant was at full capacity within 5 minutes of opening.

Dinner service was just starting and there were a lot of people, so it took a little while for our orders to be taken, about 15 to 20 minutes, but the man who took our orders was fast and efficient, and in no time we had food at our table:

Fried Spiced Calimari with Alioli - $18.00

The calimari was served super-hot and coated in a deliciously crispy batter, dusted with mildly spicy paprika and served with a cold alioli that was redolent with garlic. A cheek of lemon was supplied for some freshness.


Jamon Iberico and Cheese Croquettes - $4.00 each

This dish was an all around favourite and very easy to devour. The rich, savoury taste of the jamon iberico contrasted well with the light, melted mozzarella (i think) cheese, and the crumbed coating was cooked to golden-brown perfection. The only blemish was that Roxy got one that was hollow until the very last bite.

Pulled Pork with Steamed Buns - $6.00 each

This was my first experience with pulled pork, and after my first bite I was in lust. It was sweet, it was tender, it was amazingly moreish, and it came with a mayo, corriander and carrot mixture that lifted it to glorious heights. With a steamed bun that was very similar to a thick dumpling skin, and ultra-cute presentation, this was definitely my favourite.

Special: Lamb Rib - $24.00

The lamb rib was a special, and it came highly recommended by our waiter, so we decided to give it a go. It came on a wooden board, accompanied by a delightfully refreshing tomato and onion salsa. I found it very fatty, but the actual meat was tender and fell off the bone.

Corn Tamale with Black Beans and Avacado - $20.00

The black bean in this dish were soft, mushy and absolutely divine - my favourite part of the dish. They were also spicy with chilli and paprika. The avocado was, in contrast, mild and completely smooth. The corn tamale was served in a corn husk and was sweet. The consistancy was that of a very firm paste, studded with whole corn kernals. The corn chips were made in house, and were much thicker and crispier than what I'm used to.


Glass of Rincon Famoso - $13.00

We had a good time at Bodega - the service was fast and friendly, the food was very well executed, and the ambiance and atmosphere was very relaxed and chilled out. It was a great start to a girl's night out, but I would get Stephen to take me here for a romantic dinner as well.  It's a great restaurant and bar in the restaurant scene of Surry Hills, and we'll definitely be back.

Bodega Tapas Bar

216 Commonwealth St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

Phone: 9212 7766

http://www.bodegatapas.com/

The Argyle, The Rocks

Tapas, for those of you who don't know, is a style of eating that originated in Spain. Normally included is a wide variety of small dishes or appetisers, and people often order a few of these dishes and make a meal of it. A popular explanation for the origin of Tapas (which translates to "cover" or "lid") is that flat bread or cured ham would be placed on top of a glass of wine as a cover, to protect the drink from fruit flies.

This way of eating is being adapted by more and more bars and restaurants in Sydney (think Subsolo on King St, or El Bulli in Surrey Hills), and for my bestest-best friend Roxy's 21st, I got to experience this cuisine at The Argyle.

Walking in through the stone archway that is the entrance, we walked over the cobblestone floor past the courtyard area, into the building where a bridal party was taking place, and up the stairs. A large area had been reserved for us by one of the bars, and the decor was beautifully eclectic: low, exposed wooden beams adorned the ceilings, faux-fur covered some of the chairs, and mismatching light shades and fairy lights by the bar gave the place a certain charm. There were long tables for large groups of people, and smaller clusters of leatherette chairs for more intimate dining.

When everyone arrived, Roxy gave out the coupons that had been given to her allowing house wine or beer, and believe me, we made use of them. The atmosphere at the start of the night was very cool, laid-back and relaxed, but as the night progressed it started getting a little rowdy - a few uncouth men even started trying to eat our food!

Half an hour after the guests arrived, the food started being served. Roxy had pre-ordered everything:


White Sourdough with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - $5.00

The sourdough was plump and perfectly chewy, and paired with the robust, fruity olive oil, it was a great start to the meal.

House Charcuterie - $19.00

This platter of cold cuts, garnished with pickled gherkins and onions, was quite impressive in its simplicity and its quality. The ham was comforting in its familiarity, sweet and light. The prosciutto was much richer (as usual), much chewier, and had that healthy dark red colour I adore. The salami was slightly fatty, which isn't my cup of tea, but it was pleasantly peppery. I didn't get a chance to try the rest of the dish (it quickly got eaten as I was taking photos).

Chopitos - $14.00

These lightly fried morsels of calamari have a delicate crunch, and a beautifully tender texture and an almost briny flavour on the inside. Perfectly seasoned, they really stood out with a dash of lemon.

Kinkawooka Bay Mussels - $13.00

The mussels were cooked in white wine, bacon and parsley. The texture was soft, tender, yet meaty, and required a few chews to get it down. The mussels had taken on the fruity flavours of the wine and the salty and smoky tones of the bacon.

Crispy Onion Rings with Parmesan Mayonnaise - $9.00
Kalamata and Queen Green Olives - $8.00
Patatas Bravas - $11.00

These were possibly my favourite dishes of the night. The olives were plump, juicy and rich. The kalamata olives were darker in tone, and the queen green more fruity and light. The crispy onion rings were definitely the best I've had, flavoursome onion encased in crisp, thick batter, slightly oily and salty. The parmesan mayo was a perfect accompaniment, creamy and thick, yet light. The sharp, slightly salty taste of the parmesan was the perfect partner for the onion. The patatas bravas were fluffy on the inside, and wonderfully crispy on the edges. It was mildly spicy, and I definitely detected a hit of sweet paprika. They were addictive!

The atmosphere of our designated part of The Argyle on a Saturday is not really conductive to a quietly pleasant evening, sharing tapas and drinking wine, after 8pm. The crowd starts getting a little stupid, and it gets very loud and messy very quickly. However, the food here is something else; high quality, wonderfully put together, and not that expensive, especially if you plan on splitting the cost among friends.

The Argle

18 Argyle Street The Rocks
Sydney
NSW 2000

Phone: 02 9247 5500
Fax: 02 9241 1613