Mexico - Food and Liquor, Surry Hills

One thing is for sure, Sydney is experiencing Mexican food fever.  Sydneysiders are going nuts over the flavours of Mexico. It's probably one of the most exciting dishes I've had. It probably has to do with the vibrant culture of Mexico reflective in its cuisine. The use of ingredients such as various chilli pepper sauces like chipotle, the presence of corn, avocado and braised meat contributes to the exciting elements of Mexican cooking.

A recent trip with other fellow food bloggers to a new establishment in Surry Hills known as Mexico - Food and Liquor restaurant (where District Dining used to be) made me fall in love with Mexican food all over again.  I haven't been to the country of Mexico yet. But the attention to detail that they have invested on the restaurant's decor made me feel like I was living it up in Mexico! I enjoyed everything we had but I will focus on the dishes I loved most.

Coffee and Ancho Braised Beef Rib 

To begin with, I would like to introduce you to their almighty Coffee and Ancho Braised Beef Rib ($16). What's not to love? It’s a big chunky, juicy and tasty meat that's so tender, it fell off the bones. The caramelised taste of its outer layer added an intense & enjoyable flavour. It was a Chef's special, so I'm not sure as to when they will have it available again. I do hope that it makes a regular appearance on the menu.

Wild mushroom, fennel & marjoram, sour cream, toasted pinenuts taco  

The Wild mushroom, fennel & marjoram, sour cream, toasted pinenuts taco ($ 6) was a very pleasant surprise! The mild truffle/ earthy flavour of the mushroom and the creamy sauce was sensational. Probably one of my most favourite tacos ever!

Prawn, smoked paprika, chilli & orange quesadilla with corn salsa

The Prawn, smoked paprika, chilli & orange quesadilla with corn salsa ($ 10) was another favourite that night! Never had prawns in a quesadilla before but the evident fresh flavour of the chopped prawns and smoked paprika worked well.

Crispy potatoes tossed in celery lime salt with spicy tomatillo dressing

The Crispy potatoes tossed in celery lime salt with spicy tomatillo dressing ($6) were very addictive. It's the perfect snack to have with their awesome cocktails and alcoholic drinks.

The other stuff we had were:

Pork Tacos

Beef brisket braised in coconut & ancho with green onion, chilli, papaya  ($6)

Beetroot, blood orange, chilli peanut salad w queso fresco, tostada

Roast eggplant, green onion & walnut with black cumin sour cream     ($12)

MEXICO’s fried chicken ($ 12)

Tostaditas of crab

Overall, Mexico Food and Liquor has an amazing friendly vibe and space. The food and drinks leaves the palate wanting more. Last but not least, the Mexican inspired music in the background completes the enjoyable experience.

Ramen Raff dined as a guest of Mexico Food and Liquor via Simon of The Heart of Food.

Check out other posts on Mexico – Food and Liquor

Chocolatesuze

J.B. Jose

Mexico - Food & Liquor

17 Randle St Surry Hills ·

02 9211 7798.

mexicofoodandliquor.com.au

Opening Hours. 7 days. Noon til' late

Deck Bar and Dining, Dee Why

They say that not only do we eat with our mouth but also with our eyes. I definitely agree with this statement. But I would also like to add that feasting with our eyes when it comes to dining makes excellent food taste even better. Not only is this statement evident to the food at Deck Bar and Dining but also its newly refurbished premises.

Deck Bar and Dining - second floor

Deck Bar and Dining - Beach view from the second floor

Deck Bar and Dining is located at The Strand, Dee Why. Though it is not too far from Sydney, this part of Dee Why feels like a getaway. Besides the amazing food at Deck, the place also gives a holiday feel to its patrons especially with the contemporary casual beach decor that the place has. Both the first and second floors have bars that provide cocktails and mocktails to get any party started. The menu consists of Asian and South American influenced dishes designed by Head Chef, Nicholas Baldwin. We were seated at the second floor, which has a nice view of the beach.

Slow roast pork tacos

To start with, we had some slow roast pork soft tacos ($15).  The pulled pork was so tender and full of flavour. The unique component of this particular taco is the passionfruit! It added a sweet flavour that nicely cuts through the rich pork flavour and it also added a slight crunch to the taco.  The whole taco was also somewhat moreish.

Sliders - chicken, fish, and wagyu beef

We also tried their sliders ($18), which consisted of three sliders - wagyu beef, fish, and chicken. The wagyu slider was juicy and had a bit of sweet-ish flavour. The chicken sliders had nicely cooked chicken breast pieces and guacamole. My favourite was the fish slider, which had a fish cake with a blend of Thai spices.

Chicken Burrito

The chicken burrito ($12) was another dish I was really happy with. I liked the cream textures of the guacamole and cheese along with rice, corn kernels and tender chicken.

Adults only sorbet with biscotti

Before our awesome lunch ended, we had a dessert referred to as adults only sorbet ($12). It consisted of caramel fudge gelato, Malibu & coconut ice cream, a vodka & tonic sorbet and house made biscotti.  The caramel fudge gelato had a light caramel and chocolate taste. The Malibu & coconut was refreshing with Malibu rum and coconut flavours with a hint of ginger.

Deck bar and dining doesn't only offer a relaxing dining experience, but also food and drinks to indulge the taste buds.  Treat yourself to delicious food next time you're in Dee Why and head to Deck Bar and Dining!

Ramen Raff was invited to dine at Deck Bar and Dining as a guest.

Deck Bar and Dining

2/22-23 The Strand  

Dee Why NSW 2099

(02) 9971 0744

deckdeewhybeach.com.au

Animal restaurant - L.A. Eats Part 1

I’ve always wondered what Wendy and her brothers felt when they first witnessed the great wonders of Neverland. Seeing the mermaids’ lagoon, fairies, and the vast forest full of magnificent animals, they must’ve been in awe. Same as when I first experienced the outstanding food at Animal restaurant. This is my favourite restaurant in the US to date. My wife and I loved it so much that we decided to return a few nights later that week.

Animal is located on North Fairfax Avenue, in Mid-City West, Los Angeles. It is also in close proximity to CBS Television City. The service and food was superb. Animal restaurant staff like Solomon and Victor were very friendly and knowledgeable of every item in the menu. Animal is a casual dining restaurant with a full bar. The candle-lit tables give this restaurant a touch of sophistication. But what I love about Animal most is that they offer fusion cuisine. It’s a fusion of cuisines such as Asian, American, Latin American, and European. The art of fusion in food always amazes me.

pig tails, “buffalo style”, celery, ranch

The pig tails, “buffalo style”, celery, ranch ($11) is one of my picks in the menu. The pig tail gives the dish the slight effect of having chicken wings but with a little more fat and juicier. The buffalo style sauce is slightly spicy and very flavoursome. The ranch is creamy and slightly tangy.

barbecue pork belly sandwiches with slaw

Our absolute favourite dish out of the whole menu is their barbecue pork belly sandwiches with slaw ($13). The crispy, tender and juicy pork belly was served in a fluffy brioche. The slaw and sauce adds to the awesomeness of this slider.

balsamic pork ribs, delicata squash, arugula, pecan

The balsamic pork ribs, delicata squash, arugula, pecan ($19) is another winner. Pork ribs are tender with Asian influenced balsamic basting that combines American and Asian flavours and cooking techniques. The delicata squash was bursting with freshness in taste and was very exquisite when eaten with the pecan.

ricotta gnocchi, mike’s liver sauce, black trumpet, green garlic 

The ricotta gnocchi, mike’s liver sauce, black trumpet, green garlic ($15) had a very flavourful sauce and perfectly cooked gnocchi.

crispy pig’s head, pickled vegetable aioli 

The crispy pig’s head, pickled vegetable aioli ($12) was delish. It is pulled pig’s face meat encased in crispy crumbed coating.The meat is also slightly fatty but very juicy. The pickled vegetable aioli tames down the richness of the dish.

Hamachi tostada, herbs, fish sauce vinaigrette, peanut 

It is all about fresh ingredients with the Hamachi tostada, herbs, fish sauce vinaigrette, peanut ($15). The fresh Hamachi fish is slightly cooked in what appears to be similar to Mexican tostadas but has a smooth surface. The tostadas add an interesting crisp to the Hamachi. The mix fresh herbs are dressed with delicate fish sauce vinaigrette. The vinaigrette has well-balanced salty and sour flavours.

bacon chocolate crunch bar with salt and pepper ice cream

One of my favourites and the most interesting item in the menu is the bacon chocolate crunch bar with salt and pepper ice cream ($7). It is an amazing marriage between bacon and chocolate. It also showcases the perfect harmony of salty and sweet flavours. The salt and pepper ice cream (yes, you read that correctly) on its own tasted weird. But when eaten with the bacon and chocolate crunch bar, it transforms the taste from good to epic! Also, I must mention that this dessert is a very popular item in the menu. I now understand why.

If you ever visit Los Angeles in the future, do include this in your list of restaurants to visit. I have found my Neverland in L.A. in the form of Animal restaurant. Our Neverland dining experience at Animal was very yummy for our tummies!

Animal restaurant

435 North Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States

Phone number: (323) 7829225

Hours:

Sun-Thu 6-11pm

Fri-Sat 6pm-2am