lunch | Our Stamp of Approval

The Book Kitchen is located on Devonshire Street in the culturally rich Surry Hills. With a 10 minute walk from Central Station, Sydney — The Book Kitchen is the perfect place to have a good meal or a good cup of coffee. And if you haven’t noticed, a good book to read just to add to your little dining experience or just a little personal getaway from the buzzing of the city. This was our lunch experience at The Book Kitchen:

TBK caesar – pork belly, white anchovies, baby cos, cherry tomatoes, croutons, soft poached egg, parmesan dressing $18
Jessica: My all time favourite salad to have! The pork belly was a nice surprise to replace the traditional bacon that is usually added. It looked super crispy – which it was, but what I loved was that the meat was super tender and soft once you bite into it. Cherry tomatoes were fresh and sweet. I loved the croutons, it tasted like sourdough with a hint of olive oil. I would’ve loved more caesar dressing though. Perfect dish to have, it is light but will fill you up and won’t leave you feeling bloated! 8/10

Wagyu burger – soft centre of braised shin, beetroot relish, cos lettuce, smoked garlic aioli, brioche roll with chips $19
Jimmy: I have had quite a few burgers here and there, this was the first burger that I have had that oozed a great blend of flavours and textures of that of a “normal” Wagyu burger you would usually get. The two pieces of wagyu beef were incredibly soft and juicy, the garlic aioli complimented the meat nicely and the cos lettuce was fresh and gave it a little crunch. The brioche roll tasted beautifully soft and had a slight sweet taste and I actually prefer this to the sesame buns or the common leavened bread. The star of the burger award would most definitely go to the beetroot relish. This really made the burger for me, the flavour was delicious and nice on it’s own also. Warning that if you eat burgers as sloppy as me, it may get insanely messy so probably stay away from this dish if your wearing your best. In addition, the chips that came with the burger were a nice change. Chunky and seasoned nicely, a lot more filling than your usual straight, thin or french fries. 7.5/10

Iced mocha $6
Jessica: You have the option to have this with some ice cream or just over ice, I chose to have it over ice. Coffee flavour was good, it had a nice aroma to it and there was the perfect amount of chocolate in it too! 8/10

Orange and almond meal flourless cake $4
Jessica: O-M-G.. You could tell from the first bite that this little cake was made with love! I loved the fact that you could see some orange pulp throughout the cake. The cake was the perfect texture, it was moist and not crumbly at all. I absolutely loved this and I would go back JUST for this little cake. This would be a perfect treat to have with coffee, as the marmalade is quite sweet. I couldn’t get over how amazing the orange flavour was and how moist the texture was. A must try when you come here!! 9.5/10

Final Thoughts

Jessica: I really enjoyed dining here, the staff were very friendly and polite. I love the interior, it looks very welcoming. They have a bookshelf with an extensive range of cook books and some good reads if you were looking for a place to wind down and relax. Food and drinks were above average, I would highly recommend this little cafe/restaurant for lunch or breakfast. I’m hoping to try out their breakfast menu the next time we come back. This is definitely a place their surrounding competition should take notice of!

SERVICE: 8/10
ATMOSPHERE: 7/10
PRESENTATION: 7/10

Jimmy: The Book Kitchen has all the makings of a great dining spot. Perfect location right across the famous Bourke Street Bakery, The Book Kitchen is a beautiful spot to stop, relax and enjoy a meal or drink. Though we didn’t read any books, it did not reduce the peaceful atmosphere. Dog walkers and casual diners stopped by to have a cuppa or a light meal. Food was nicely presented and executed well. Service was very friendly and they weren’t afraid to hold a conversation with you.

SERVICE: 7/10
ATMOSPHERE: 7.5/10
PRESENTATION: 7.5/10

W: The Book Kitchen

255 Devonshire St, Surry Hills 2010
0420 239 469
Open 7 Days // Breakie & Lunch from 8am

Catalina is a family business that run a beautifully located one chef hat restaurant on the site of Rose Bay. Opened since 1994, Catalina’s menu is inspired by French, Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines and also provide an extensive wine list that has won 3 goblets at the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards 2013. Located within close walking distance from the Rose Bay ferry wharf, diners can find themselves arriving at Catalina in more ways than one. For a special night, diners may arrive by seaplane or by ferry which in many ways reflects Catalina’s amazing panoramic view of the Sydney water-scape. We dined here for Valentines Day for a 5:30pm reservation, this was our experience:

View from our table…

ENTREE

Crispy skin pork belly with apple remoulade, baby vegetables, smoked celeriac puree and port wine jus
Jessica: Crackling was perfectly cripsy and had an amazing crunch! Pork was tender and so soft. My favourite element of the dish was the wine jus, tasted amazing and worked so well with the pork. Apple was cooked well and added a needed sweetness to the dish. The puree was nice, a bit too smoked for my liking but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. 8/10

Pan seared sea scallops with lemon emulsion, chorizo, cuttlefish and piquillo pepper coulis
Jimmy: Catalina is known for it’s beautiful seafood, so what better way to start the night with the pan seared sea scallops. Visually stunning with the vibrancy coming from the colour of the seared scallops and the cuttlefish and piquillo peppers. Scallops were cooked well, tender and not dry at all. The chorizo combination gave it a real boost of flavour with the lemon and emulsion and pepper coulis binding the dish well but flavouring could have been a little stronger. The cuttlefish was interesting and something I was not expecting at all, which gave the dish a little something. 7.5/10

MAIN

Smoked duck breast with confit duck Maryland, rhubarb tart and sauteed kale
Jessica: Smoked duck breast was cooked very well, I loved the salty skin on it! The confit duck was okay, it was a little too bland for me. To my surprise I really enjoyed the sauteed kale! I felt like it went so well with the duck. The rhubarb tart was delicious, I loved the pastry. It was nice and crumbly and perfect amount of flavour. Now.. although most elements of this dish was cooked well, I honestly did not fancy the flavour combination of the rhubarb tart with the duck. The pastry of the tart just didn’t go well with the duck. I think if they had taken away the pastry and just left the rhubarb there then it may have paired better together. If I were to rate the smoked duck, confit duck and the sauteed kale as a separate dish from the rhubarb tart, then I would give them a 7.5/10 each. However, for the dish as a whole.. a 6.5/10.

Herb crusted lamb loin with carrot puree, sauteed kipfler potato and zucchini
Jimmy: The presentation was sophisticated and highlighted the lamb loin in a wonderful light. The herb crust was packed with flavour and crunchy in texture. The lamb was cooked well, however not consistent which made it difficult to cut on some occasions. The carrot puree was beautiful and the kipfler potatoes were nice, personally I would have liked them more softer! The complimentary sides of the chips and salad were indeed a nice touch, and well needed to accompany the lamb loin. 6.5/10

Complimentary sides: Chips and Garden Salad

DESSERT

Banana and salted peanut butter parfait with caramel sauce
Jessica: The dish tasted exactly like what it was described as in the menu. All you peanut butter fans out there would love this dessert!! Peanut butter parfait was delicious. Banana and peanut butter pair sooooo nicely together and the sauce made it a little more special. Loved the combination of flavours! The only thing missing that would’ve made the dish complete was a little more texture, would’ve loved to hear a crunch in the base of the parfait. Favourite dish of the night. 8/10

Champagne jelly with fresh raspberries and pomegranate; raspberry ripple ice cream
Jimmy: BAM dessert time and what better way to finish with a little bit of raspberry and ice cream. For those that do not enjoy the taste of champagne, the jelly is probably not for you, as it really is dry and the palette and has a strong aroma in it’s flavour. The raspberry ripple ice cream was a great contrast in temperature and I really wished there could have been more. Speaking of more, the pomegranate syrup was probably the best part of the dessert. Amazing flavour and I would have had a paid extra to have more! The base of the dessert was very interesting and one way that I could describe it would be that of Uncle Toby’s roll-ups. Overall the dessert was full of flavour and I enjoyed thoroughly, however the balancing of elements were the only problems I had with the dessert, besides that it was fun to dig into this. 6.5/10

PETIT FOURS

Final Thoughts

Jessica: Although the main was a bit of a let down.. Catalina is still one of my top 3 fine dining restaurants! Their staff are professional, attentive and most of them are friendly. We had an outdoor seating and the breeze outside was coming off a little strong.. the hostess was so kind to leave a scarf with me for when I did get cold! A gesture like that just shows that they actually care and they would do that extra bit more than just guide you to your table or serve you your dishes. I also love the fact that it is a family run business, you definitely feel warm and cozy and very welcome from the moment you walk in. I always recommend Catalina to my friends.. and I would still recommend it now, but maybe choose a different main from what I had.

SERVICE: 8.5/10
ATMOSPHERE: 9/10
PRESENTATION: 8/10

Jimmy: Having previously taken Jessica here a very long time ago, it really became an instant favourite of ours. The view we have on the balcony table is stunning and peaceful. There’s no question that Catalina’s service is top notch from the last time we were here and with our most recent visit. It is a family business and you feel like you’re served with great care. Catalina is one of those places that couples can enjoy for any special occasion. The food is fresh in it’s produce and plated beautifully. Really do recommend Catalina, maybe we’ll try the seaplane next time we dine.

SERVICE: 8.5/10
ATMOSPHERE: 8/10
PRESENTATION: 8/10

View from Rose Bay Ferry Wharf