Orto have been there

Updated on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 7:55PM by Vix

Updated on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 12:02PM by Vix

One of the things that sucks about living on the other side of the world from your home town is that you miss some fairly momentous occasions. My regular readers may remember that I missed my sister’s 21^st birthday last year; this made me very sad, but it provided a good excuse to splurge on an extravagant meal for two at Tetsuya’s. Then in March I missed my Aunt Sally’s 60^th birthday hosted by my parents – the first ever gathering of the extended family from the NZ side in Sydney. And now I have been sent photos (along with rave reviews) from the opening night of my sister’s boyfriend’s new restaurant, Orto Trading Co.

Chris Low (some of you will have come to know him as the Windang King), Anne Cooper and Louise Hunt were the team behind Baffi & Mo cafe in Redfern; Anne and Louise were the co-owners, Chris the chef. They sold up last year and took Chris with them.

Turns out the folks that brought us Baffi & Mo, mustachioed cafe at the vanguard of the Redfern rush, also have green thumbs. Orto translates from Italian as 'kitchen garden' and the new bright and airy space in Surry is decked with sprouting bottles, tin pails of potted herbs and garden tools that hang above the kitchen pass. (Cleo Braithwaite)

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Sufficiently satiated in Sydney

Following the side trip to NZ, I had 3 days left in Sydney to fit in a few last meals just to make absolutely sure that I would return to London with significant extra baggage, and I am not talking about the contents of my suitcase.

Like with my last Sydney post I am going to share a few images from each meal, with more details about the best later.

Rosso Pomodoro

Diavola pizza

Rosso Pomodoro – Italian cuisine (trattoria); Shop 90-91, 24 Buchanan St, Balmain, NSW, 2041; Ph +61 2 9555 5924

Marigold 

Garlic prawn gowgee; Prawn & scallop gowgee

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76 dishes, 14 venues, 4 kilos, 2 weeks in Sydney

I have been eating out so much since I have been in Sydney that I don’t know where to begin. I would love to write about each and every meal and dish, but I am so busy eating more that I don’t when I will find time. There have been so many eating experiences that if I leave them to write up when I am back in London, I will still be discussing Sydney food by the time Easter comes round. So I have decided to provide a visual account, a few images from each place, with more details about the standout meals later. 

Din Tai Fung

Steamed pork dumplingsSteamed crab meat and pork dumplings

Din Tai Fung - Taiwanese cuisine; Shop 11.04, World Square Shopping Centre, 
644 George Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000; Ph +61 2 9264 6010

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La belle France: sip, sup, satiate

So I am back in London and it is certainly not the excess weight of my luggage that gives any cause for concern. After five days of gorging myself on all things Dalmatian, I moved on to the South of France to do it all over. My aunt and uncle, Pam and Joe have a holiday home in Mazan, a tiny medieval village in the department of Vaucluse, Provence. Vaucluse is flanked by the Rhone river to the west and the River Durance to the south, while the north-eastern perimeter is defined by mountains, most notably Mont Ventoux. Mazan sits pretty much slap bang in the middle, perfect for exploring the Southern Rhone wine region and the villages from which many of the wines take their names. And everyone knows that a glass of fine wine is best enjoyed with a plate of good food to accompany it.

Here are some of the highlights: 

View of the Cotes du Rhone from SeguretBuying fougasse, markets at L'Isle sur la Sorgue

Saucisson stall, markets at L'Isle sur la Sorgue

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101 ways to eat octopus salad

The title of this post is slightly misleading (not just because it is outrageous hyperbole); it could just as easily be called 101 ways to eat grilled squid, fried squid or anchovies. My friends and I were pleasantly surprised with the quality of food on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, but one does have to be prepared to eat the same thing over and over … and over. Fortunately I am a big fan of seafood and five days was just long enough to feel we had sampled the best that Dubrovnik and the Elaphite islands had to offer, but not so long that we were chomping at the bit for more variety.

Wireless is hard to come by in Mazan, so for the time being, I will tell our gastronomic journey in images:

Dubrovnik old town

Our host in Dubrovnik, the ebullient Marko, was extremely helpful; a trait that was rather lacking in the service we received elsewhere. Marko runs the Apartments Lovrijenac and it seems it is his mission in life is to ensure that everyone he encounters experiences the best his fair city has to offer.

“I will do anything you want to make you happy holiday, that is what I am here for”

“We’re mostly interested in where to eat. We’d like to try something local and not too touristy”

“Ha ha! Everything is touristy in Croatia, but I can show you some good places for the locals and for the tourists”

His enthusiasm was infectious and we parted his company not only with four restaurant recommendations (helpfully pencilled in for us on a map of the city), but each wearing his exuberant grin and in a state of eager anticipation.

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