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

O Bar and Dining, Sydney

A certain place in Sydney has taken the mission of serving healthy dining options. "Healthy eating, happy dining" is theme at the new O Bar and Dining restaurant.

O Bar and Dining is Michael Moore's new baby that offers dishes that are amazing in taste but also prepared with health conscious methods. It is located on level 47 (where Summit used to be located) of Australia Square. The setting is very modern and hip. It has the combined urbane vibe of a Tao nightclub in the U.S. and a stylish Hong Kong bar but somewhat laid back. It boasts of a revolving 360 degrees view of Sydney (including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House).

All the dishes are based on recipes in Michael's cookbook called Blood Sugar. The menu showcases healthier versions of dishes that we've come to love over the years but with a healthy twist. O Bar and Dining simplified their dishes by using ingredients that are fresh and good to one's health.

Scorched blood orange

The scorched blood orange is a gin based cocktail that is very tropical & fruity. It contains blood orange, lime, mint etc.

crisp corn taco rack (4)

There are healthy tacos with fillings such as kingfish, prawns, tuna and beef. These versions of tacos are all about bringing out flavours with the right combination of fresh and healthy ingredients. The kingfish with avocado was my favourite.

After our meet and greet session with Michael, fellow food bloggers Helen, Suze, Jacq and I were seated at the dining area. Browsing through the menu was pretty intense. The menu was so extensive and a lot of things sounded so good. Then finally, I was able to make my selections:

Spanner crab cakes & quinoa crust, tahini, lemon yoghurt

Spanner crab cakes & quinoa crust, tahini, lemon yoghurt ($26). I love the idea of using quinoa (which has low glycemic index, high in protein and high in fibre) to crumb the crab cakes. The citrus sour milky taste from the lemon yoghurt compliments the flavourful crab cakes.

rib eye steak 350g & home ground mustard

The rib eye steak 350g & home ground mustard ($49) is amazing! I am very hard to please when it comes to steak but this one won me over.  It was a well-cooked medium rare juicy steak. I really like the fact that they used home ground mustard rather than gravy to give it a healthier approach. This excellent steak didn't even need a condiment but the mustard worked really well with it.

ricotta cheesecake

chocolate tartlets

chocolate torte

Hot chocolate soufflé

Hot chocolate soufflé ($20) with agave ice cream is bliss on a plate. The soufflé is fluffy like clouds. I agree with Helen when she said that it tasted like milo. I love Milo!

Rather than just making food look good, their methods driven by their sense of social responsibility are very admirable. O Bar and Dining's mission to serve flavourful food and promote healthy eating is a refreshing movement in Sydney's food scene.

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

O Bar and Dining

47/264 George Street,

Sydney    NSW 2000

http://www.obardining.com.au/

Bar open 7 nights - 5pm until late and Wednesday to Friday lunch from 12pm.

Restaurant open 7 nights - from 6pm and Wednesday to Friday lunch from 12pm.