Brooklyn Social, Surry Hills

The initials you see on that burger bun is not what you think it means. It doesn't mean "Bull Shark" I swear! hahaha. It's the initials of a newly opened bar and dining joint called Brooklyn Social. The Surry Hills dining scene just got a lot tastier with the addition of this establishment.

Brooklyn Social is a bar restaurant influenced by American diners with a rock and roll theme. Some remnants of the old Mexico restaurant are still around. But the transformation that Brooklyn Social made has utilised the space well. It gave the place better lighting and some industrial hipster vibe. There's a huge gin and whiskey based cocktail list and a menu full of milk bar/American diner classics. After seeing the photos of food taken by Alana of Alana Bread a few days ago, I knew in that instant that I needed to visit this place. A lunch with JB Jose and The Heart of Food paved way to this visit.

Uptown sour cocktail

I tried one of their cocktails, which was the uptown sour ($17). It had monkey shoulder whiskey shaken with Lairds applejack, lemon juice and cinnamon syrup served over a cider block. If you like a citrusy cocktail that does not hold back on whiskey, then this baby is for you!

Southern fried chicken

The Southern fried chicken ($10) is one classic one shouldn't miss when ordering. The rippled batter was full of glorious crunch and it also had that sweet-ish Southern spice blend with strong notes of cayenne pepper, garlic and onion. It also came with a delicious truffle aioli dip.

Onion rings

The onion rings ($6) had a perfect light crisped batter and soft sweet onion on the inside. It was nicely seasoned and super addictive!

1/2 Rack beef ribs with sticky bbq sauce

They also have beef ribs ($17 for half rack) in the menu that came with some basic slaw and a little jar of extra barbecue sauce. The sauce had some nice sweet and tangy flavours with a very light note of bourbon. Even if the meat was not as tender as I thought it would be, I still really enjoyed it.

Hell's Kitchen dog ($8) - pickled jalapenos, smoked ancho-chilli and tomato salsa

Meat-packing district burger (1/4 pounder)

I must admit that when I was about to dive in to the "meat packing district" burger ($14), I could hear DJ Snake and Lil Jon's "Turn Down For What " song playing in my head. The monster burgers are not normally my thing but this was an exception. It was both monster in size and taste! The double wagyu beef patty was absolutely flavoursome and juicy. I couldn't help but adore the sexy melted American cheese, which also provided a nice texture to the burger. The tomato, pickles, onions and the Brooklyn Social special sauce were the other components that complete this burger for me. The soft sweet bun used makes the handling of this burger much easier (phew!).

I saw a lot of other awesome items on the menu that I would love to try! I would definitely go back to try their caramel-injected donuts. Another good thing about this place is that it's just right across from Central Station!

Brooklyn Social

17 Randle St

Surry Hills NSW

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/brooklynsocialsydney

Instagram: instagram.com/brooklynsocialsydney

Trading hours:

Daily 12pm to 2am

Pavel & Co, Sydney

A few days ago, I just had this massive craving for a cheeseburger. As most of my go to places for burgers are outside the Sydney CBD, I desperately searched for a place that would fill that gap. Then I found a photo of a classic cheeseburger on Google that led me to Pavel & Co. I felt my heart throw fist pumps as soon as I found out that they are situated in the CBD.

Pavel & Co is located on Kent Street near Wynyard station and King Street Wharf. This produce-driven cafe/fast casual dining place is the latest addition to the Pony Dining Group run by Head Chef Jimmy. It has an industrial look and a relaxed vibe. Their menu features spit roasted meats, which are cooked in the premises. Meats are served in buns, freshly baked paninis, and lunch boxes (with sides of salads and brown rice). In-house baked pastries are also available. They have been operating for 6 months and I have no idea how something as great as Pavel & Co. has slipped through my radar. The brioche buns are sourced from Infinity Bakery. I decided to try out their coffee and bun dishes over a few days because I heart coffee and buns!

The beans are sourced from Gabriel Coffee. I opted for a flat white on my first visit. The coffee had a medium to full body and the milk was textured nicely and at a good temperature.

Bun #1

Pork belly bun

The pork belly bun ($8 - only available up to 10.30am) was on another level of awesomeness! It was roasted pork belly with crackling, egg, chilli relish, hoisin sauce and toasted buckwheat in a soft buttery brioche bun. If you can have bacon or ham for breakfast why not a pork belly with glorious tiles of crackling and melt-in-your-mouth tender fatty right?! The runny egg yolk for extra textural amplification to the pork. The mild chilli relish and hoisin sauce gave this dish sweet, sour and spiced flavours.

Bun #2

Mushroom brioche

Another breakfast option is their mushroom brioche ($6.50). It had field mushrooms, sunny egg, beetroot relish, feta, toasted buckwheat and crispy kale in a brioche bun. The highlight is the collaboration of flavours from the smoky and slightly vinegary soft mushrooms, feta cheese and sweet beetroot relish that works so well. If you're a mushroom lover like me, then you need to try this!

Bun #3

Wagyu cheeseburger

Shoestring fries

Last but not the least is the item that paved the way for my visit, their wagyu cheeseburger ($13). It is just too legit to quit! Encased in a soft brioche bun is a medium rare Blackmore wagyu beef patty (sourced from the renowned Victor Churchill), American cheese, pickles, onions, mayo and ketchup. It was classic and simply perfect! The patty had a smoky chargrilled flavour and was well seasoned. The shoestring fries is an optional extra for $4 or you can get a burger deal with fries and drink for $19.

I was also able to sample some complimentary roast meats (thanks Chef Jimmy!). As much as I enjoyed the pulled pork, smoky roast chicken and roast lamb, it was the roast pork that stole my heart. The pork was super tender and well-seasoned with crackling cooked to crisped perfection. I must also add they make a mean chimichurri!

Pavel & Co is a great addition to the breakfast/lunch scene in Sydney CBD. The roast lamb, roast pork, and pulled pork are nothing short of excellent. I love how everything is kept simple but as the great Anthony Bourdain said "Great is very often, even most often, simple food". Keep an eye on the lamb burger! Word on the street is that it is pretty amazing.

Pavel & Co

1/222 Kent Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: 02 9146 0716

Pavelandco.com.au

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday 6:30am-4:00pm