Rustic Pearl Review

It wouldn't be wrong of you to think that Surry Hills has cafes and restaurants popping up everywhere because it seems like every week a blogger is discovering a new place in Surry Hills. Late last year/early this year Rustic Pearl was, like Paramount Coffee Project, some of the new must-try cafes to hit the Surry Hills scene. Rustic Pearl, located on Crown St is just seconds from Gelato Messina and Surry Hills Library but be careful as you may find yourself walking right past it. It is quite small with minimal seating but that should certainly not deter you from going there because what they serve up is well worth it.

Having finally eaten there myself I recommend it as a must to order a drink whether that be coffee, tea, smoothie or lemonade because you will surely be impressed. Drinks come with metal straws and for me personally I had a Turkish Apple Tea which was the standout of the entire meal which I will be back to have again. 

Left: Turkish Apple Iced Tea- with lemon, rose, mint & cucumber $6.50 

My first Rustic Pearl drink and I think I've already found my favourite which isn't good because from the pictures that I've seen of other drinks, I am in awe of the Rustic Pearl team and how they can glamorise drinks- everything looks outright amazing, end of story.

Great combination of the apple in particular, you'll find slices of green apple in there together with mint which works well to cut the sweet-sour of the apple and then the refreshing cucumber, rose for fragrance and a subtle taste and the lemon for that acid kick. If you don't want to think about how all those elements works in lay terms it was YUM!

Right: Banana Cinnamon Smoothie $6.50

With regards to the cinnamon smoothie, I find that cinnamon is really one of the things that you either love or don't really like so for those who enjoy eating cinnamon like I do, I'm pretty sure you will really like the addition of cinnamon in this banana smoothie.

 Homemade seafood gnocchi with garlic, tomato concasse, lemon zest, fish stock, thyme & gruyere $24
The flavours of this worked so well, good enough to the point in which I ended up lathering my gnocchi is that sauce until the very last bite. Great combination from the cheesy gnocchi, seafood which included pipis and prawns and tomato. I think herbs are a great way to lift a meal, they add this extra complexity and of course it tastes better to say the least and that's just what the thyme did.

As for what my friends ate, I'm a terrible friend for not remembering so please accept my apologies. Though I've added their photos

 Cake

Baked eggs with sourdough and the addition of salmon

Aerial shot!

with the humble toast on bottom left

Sorry for the lack of information for the last few photos. But I'm sure most of you guys are here for the photos but that's okay. Next post will be on fashion.

Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day

It happens each year and it is a date that you have to put aside unless you really cannot make it which can happen. Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day is almost around the corner so save the date guys!

The Grounds of Alexandria Review Take 2

Apologies in advance for photo quality, my mother and I were more concerned with getting food into our bellies rather than photo taking because we were running on a tight schedule.

You cannot go to The Grounds of Alexandria without trying their coffee
Staple flat white $3.80

The Grounds Solider- quinoa and seed crusted free range eggs with polenta dipping soldiers $17

I found the presentation really nice with the eggs nestled comfortably in their egg carton which reminded me of Three Williams and how they serve their croquettes in egg cartons as well. I am also currently in a phase where I adore chopping boards as a substitute for plates. In terms of presentation, I reckon that chopping boards musts a dish look more rustic and definitely more home-y. Upon spying flower pots being served up around me, I went through the menu trying to figure out what those around me had ordered because I wanted a flower pot solider myself, luckily I concurred with their choice of food because it tasted amazing. This was actually the first time that I've tried polenta and I quite enjoyed it, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside with a  lovely infusion of cheese as well. The quinoa and seed crusted eggs were also lovely (it's hard not to say good things about The Grounds) great crunchy texture juxtaposed with the egg yolk that oozes out which thankfully can get slopped up by the soldiers. My only comment would be that I wish the serving size would be bigger, my mum and I shared our meal but she did mention that had she ordered this only for herself she would probably still feel hungry after finishing it.

Well-being Breakfast- house cured trout, gribiche eggs and a green bean & fennel salad with beetroot relish, dill creme fraiche and The Grounds signature sourdough $19 

I have a strange relationship with bread, after reading Novak Djokovic's book I've started to slowly move away from gluten rich foods but that also includes bread. Ever since high school I now rarely eat sandwiches because I find the supermarket bread to be very artificial and if I do it is packed full of grains to the point you'd think I was a bird. However I do adore my sourdough bread and yes The Grounds signature bread was bread worthy of being eaten in light of my self-imposed gluten restriction, I do hope that in the future they won't burn it as much. Most salad lovers should know that fennel does wonders in a salad, it's kinda like celery but not and that's what's great about it because it has the crunch of celery (as for the taste you really have to try it for yourself) but as for beans.... well the general consensus is who is daring enough to put that in a salad but surprising it turned out okay. There wasn't that raw taste so much but it still retained the crunch. Moving onto the other parts, gribiche basically means a French mayo/mustard cold sauce that was used to dress the eggs, the taste was subtle but still there, all-in-all great food for those needing a good fill.

Finally, Yay for chopping boards agains.

HIMALAYAN PINK SALT

Was super excited when I saw this on practically every table because it was a new addition since the last time I visited The Grounds of Alexandria. First of all I love the cute container, that handle has somehow won me over. If I haven't talked about Himalayan pink salt already well I will very soon when I write a post about super healthy foods. But basically pink salt is the purest and most natural salt that you can buy, all of the salt that we buy today is very processed and as result it doesn't quite get absorbed into our bodies because it isn't recognised as something that should go into our bodies. Pink salt was formed ages ago- I think we're dealing with 250 million years ago when the Himalayas were formed but because it is so untouched and free from any refining your body will find it much easier to absorb it. There are also many healing properties associated with pink salt so just google it to find out more information.

Homemade Rose Lemonade $5
Maybe it was just me but I didn't really taste the rose.

Flowers for sale; went on a Saturday and even though it wasn't the designated market day there were still lots of stalls.

MKR Hits Parramatta

For those that have been reading my blog for a long may remember me talking about MKR moments or phrases as well as the fact that last year I actually walked past the filming site where they were doing the Food Truck Challenge at St James Law Courts and that may have been one my biggest food regrets of 2012 (when they filmed).

Last year in October a friend of mine tipped me off about MKR filming in Parramatta and I was exited to see if what they were planning and of course the food being served up. Unfortunately I had to leave before they started serving, it's a shame that uni means going to the city. The same friend that  told of this event also couldn't get inside to dine because apparently you have to book months in advance to be a part of the dining crowd. So producers of MKR you guys should hold a food bloggers event and preferably invite me.

 Really loved the tapiocas, they picked a really picturesque spot but as a Parramatta local so-to-say that street is not really a food hive you'd rather go to the later half of church st.  

Three Williams Review

Note to self: When going to a place next time, check how far it is from the station. Story is, when I first found out about Three Williams I assumed in was in Surry Hills because it fits so well amongst the likes of Reuben Hills, Le Monde, Chur Burgers and co. However upon getting off the train at Central, I realised that it would have been better to get off at Redfern instead, so tip to those looking to go here, it is best not to walk it from Central though it is still a reasonable walk.

Crunchy brioche french toast, blueberries, strawberries, yogurt, roasted pecans and maple syrup $14

I have heard so many people rave about this place's french toast and as someone who loves french toast I couldn't help but try it out for myself. Simply drag a few friends along (drag in this instance is a bit of a exaggeration, readers I'm a great friend). Question; have you ever had friends that have raved about a movie only to watch it yourself and wonder why you even paid to watch it? Conversely there's the reverse where they rant about something and you end up having your expectations set fairly low only to become pleasantly surprised when you experience it yourself. Well I'm sure we can relate in one form or another, if not both but what I'm trying to get at is that, I had fairly high expectations for this french toast but I am happy to say that Three Williams certainly delivered.

I think what made me enjoy it so much was the fact that instead of your typical buttered, eggy toast, textually it was nice to have that crunch element. And whilst it was mainly comprised of sweet components, it never tipped the figurative scale or see-saw for being overly sweet either. I'm so coming back to have this again.

Narnies- glazed beef short rib, slaw, gherkins, chipotle mayo $14

One of the must have things on the menu, a bit like a wrap but with a much thicker bread. I'm not sure if a narnie is a spin off the Indian bread naan since the names are quite similar but like I said the bread here is much thicker. The beef short rib was so tender and worked so well with the slaw and gherkins. I haven't written about gherkins before but I guess it's one of those love-hate food, I'm one of those people that love gherkins to the point that it has become a staple in my fridge. Note, you may find yourself eating it deconstructed but it is so worth it and filling as well so whilst it won't make my list for being under $10 it is however is well worth it.

Fish croquettes, lemon, aioli $3 each

Croquettes were absolutely delicious, almost akin to fish fingers but on a whole different level. The aioli was also lovely, I think I may have gotten addicted to this stuff because it always seems to come with whatever I order.

Carrot, apple and ginger juice $7 (not sure of this price)

For those that have tried carrot juice or combination of, I shouldn't have to explain myself with regards to the taste of it but I found it be distinctly carrot with the slight aftertaste of Apple and ginger. The taste also grows on you but based on my personal palette I might order a different concoction of fruit and vegetables next time I'm in need something healthy

Aerial shot is a bit of a must now and while I'm at it, I'm just going to take a bit of a tangent and talk a bit about one of my other interest that is, interior design. I may detest grocery shopping because i don't have my license yet but despite not having many interior shopping credentials, I really enjoy thinking of how to style rooms. My personal favourite is provincial French and one of the materials that I would love to use is marble because it's just so clean, and elegant. The downside to marble (yes it exists) is that as a material, it chips very easily and you will find it stains easily and quite frankly when marble is ruined even just slightly, it has lost its appeal. That said, the best and most practical solution is to look for an alternative because you don't want to hover over guests when they have coffee or a glass of red wine ready to mop up any spills do you? The other thing with marble is that it is more costly because you're usually looking to get it custom cut and don't forget that it is also ridiculously heavy so for those living in apartments be careful because if it is that heavy who knows if your floorboards will cave in- I know this is a wild possibility but it is certainly not far-fetched nor fanciful (who knows where I got those words from). I suggest dolomite as an alternative, it belongs to the same 'family' as marble but it is a lot more durable so for those looking to renovate, revamp or relocate I hope I helped when it came to making a design for a kitchen top or dining table.

Couture: the dream and envy of women everywhere

After watching snippets of the Oscars I feel motivated to talk about couture gowns. In between doing school work, eating out, work, I like spend time reading Vogue every now and then and by read I mean flicking through the pages looking at the makeup reviews, clothes, styling and also some feature articles of people I know or find interesting. So couture as you know is in the title of my blog and I absolutely love it! The correct term for what I absolutely adore is 'haute couture', which is a French word and basically means or is associated with high fashion, custom/hand-made clothes. As the meaning suggest, it involves a large degree of exclusivity because you have to be someone special to be able to wear couture but that hurdle certainly does not detract from aspiring to do so or stop you from admiring these exquisite gowns. I think for most of us, the closest we'll get to couture is for our big day especially for those who opt to design their own wedding dress.

From the January issue of Vogue Australia:

 Giambattista Valli haute couture evening dress and embroidered tulle skirt; ball gown, silk faille and skirt and belt; silk ball gown with embroidered bustier and bow; and silk evening gown with bustier, silk mousseline skirt and belt.

How do I start with how much I do the ball gowns pictured here, as you probably know by now I love floral because when it is used properly it just looks outright amazing. I'm loving the soft colours with lovely touches of femininity whether that be by adding embroidered flowers on bustiers or the florals prints or even layers of tulle. But sadly as beautiful as it is, I doubt that for most of us can find an occasion to aptly showcase these haute couture gowns in all their glory. And just of the record, my personal favourite would be a toss between the two on the right.

From left: Giambattista Valli haute couture silk mousseline ball gown with short skirt; and embroidered bustier ball gown silk gazar skirt. 

The above two are more appropriate when you want leave a lasting impression, sure they look outrageous to walk in but you can just stand there and look pretty. Correction, not stand there and look pretty but awkwardly move from side to side or snail crawl your way away to be extra regal. 

That's it for now, so thought I'd share a bit of pretty with you guys because these things are best shared!

Find me on Instagram and Thank You!

Hi Guys, you can find me on Instagram now. My username is TheGourmetCouture, I'm pretty sure instagram isn't sensitive to capitals so don't worry about that alternatively click this link http://instagram.com/thegourmetcouture (just started using it so don't expect too much from me at this stage). As for why I joined the bandwagon, well I wanted to create more exposure for my blog and perhaps interact with my readers, I know you guys are out there but yeah I am always open to feedback and comments so yeah talk to me because I would love to hear how you stumbled upon my blog. Also a few days ago this blog reached a mini-mile stone, of course you need to keep this in perspective but I was so pleased when I saw the stats page for this blog and it has finally reached 100+ page views in a day, so thank you so much guys for supporting this blog and showing your interest. I guess the next step or what I'm planning on is probably to start a Facebook page but that will of course depend on the reception of my Instagram account. Anyhow next few posts are going to be on their way, need to take photos for this fashion post I want to write up but please be understanding, uni has started again and I am already bombarded with readings.

Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon Review

Couldn't believe my eyes when I stumbled onto Eatability to see their featured specials- one Emmilou Tapas Bar & Lounge, the other Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon both offering 50% OFF (just let me get a paper bag so I can start breathing into it because that's how amazing it is to the point where I need to fake hyperventilation). Of course there is a catch as always, a deal this great cannot have no strings attached, there is a set date that you have to book by, bookings are done online via Dimmi if you want to access the specials and the special is only available on certain days at a set time but other than those few considerations it is as spectacular as it sounds 50% OFF!!!! So when I saw this restaurant being featured, I first browsed through their Eatability profile then their Urbanspoon profile which was 95% like rate and I've said it before it get over 90% with 100+ votes is a feat so you know it has to be good, and that was instantly confirmed by the menu. After seeing how good of an opportunity it was, I quickly checked the dates and I found out about this offer on the last day that you could book it so I frantically arranged a dinner appointment with one of my beloved friends and stole the last available booking on the only available day left. Lucky I know!

I don't know if it is sad to say this or not but it may have been my highlight of the week because it was just an amazing experience and even if Claire's Kitchen doesn't run another promotional offer for a while I sincerely urge you all to dine here whether that be just for a casual dinner, an intimate date (best atmosphere ever), birthday celebration, you name it.

Butter, Salt and Pepper for the appetiser bread

Seated near the bar which has this amazing clock mural, I'm going to remember this for when I build my dream house

Lovely decor, my favourite interior design theme is Provincial French so you can probably guess that I was loving their interior design because it is exactly how I would love to style my house. On a similar note, they do have adorable bathrooms.

THE FOOD:

NB all prices are full price but just remember that what I ended up paying is half of that.

Complementary bread as an appetiser, quick nice definitely needed the butter as it was a bit dry. Someone correct if I'm wrong on this but I'm assuming that the French don't eat bread with olive oil as you do in other restaurants but rather with just butter as an alternative.

Entres: 

Escargots Bourguignons- Traditional French snails in garlic, parsley and Cognac butter 

dozen $22 or half-dozen $14

First of all, I must confess that I do adore delicacies and exotic food that most would send most people squirming but no I love to eat them all, though I won't mention what I've eaten and enjoyed for fear of being judged. I found it really innovative and cute how the plate had holes so that the snails could sit in them neatly rather than just being sprawled randomly onto a plate. To eat the snails you're given a set of special tongs and a small skewer to get the snail out of its shell. The tongs work differently to what you're used to, by that I mean you press the handle of the tong to release it and let go of the tong to grab something, perhaps that was a bad description but I guess you might just have to try them for yourself. As for the snails themselves, OMG OMG OMG they were so nice, the garlic, parsley and butter sauce was to die for, a classic combination but executed perfectly. Those snails just absorbed so much flavour, let me tell you, if you're scared of snails don't be if you get them done at Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon. 

Soufflé Aux Fromages- Twice cooked three cheese soufflé $24

My first soufflé, savoury though not sweet so you cannot expect that the same amount of fluffiness or height but nonetheless it was a soufflé worthy of being my first soufflé. It was incredibly light, the cheese was mixed through really well so that its texture was almost quiche like. A part from stating the blatant obvious, that it was really cheesy I do recommend that it be shared between two because you may find the cheese to be very substantial and thus filling which means you won't have room for mains or dessert and you should also ensure against that. So again, a great set of entrees that left high expectations for mains which certainly did not disappoint either.

Main:

Canard En Croute- Duck and Pinot Noir pie with melted brie under the puff pastry crust $36

If you watch My Kitchen Rules like I do, the plating of this pie resembles that of the NSW couple's pie that they served during their instant restaurant (second group). You have the Pinot Noir jus or red wine based sauce with a bed of mash potatoes that have been combined with brie so that it was silky smooth and together they were just divine. I couldn't believe myself but I turned down the duck that was just practically falling apart- that's how tender it was, to eat and practically devour all of the mash first which had a generous coating of the sauce. As I just mentioned that duck was just so tender, I loved each of those elements so much that I practically ate it as a deconstructed pie and finally the pastry was buttery and flaky but not buttered up to the point in which it feels too oily, I'm sure you guys know of the balance that I'm talking about. I've read on a few sites that this would have to the signature dish and I must agree, if you go to Claire's Kitchen (which you should most definitely do) I don't think that you can overlook this dish when it comes to ordering.

Crepe Bretonne Aux Cepes- Vegetarian French Crepe with sautéed Blue Mountains pine and slippery jacks mushroom 

Entree size $22, main size $30 (we ordered main size)

Let put this out there first of all, usually the traditional rule of 1 entree, 1 main per person applies to most fine dining restaurants but Claire's Kitchen gives you great value for money and if you order the cheese soufflé as your entree of choice you may find yourself a tad too full for main. But fret not, the lovely French waitstaff and their gorgeous accents (like seriously gorgeous) are so understanding and helpful, so you can take your time and wait until you win that mental war against your stomach. Of course you may want to book in advance to ensure a table, I did read on their Facebook page that they had to turn down 120 couples on Valentines Day so that certainly affirms how great the food and atmosphere is at Claire's especially to celebrate an occasion such as Valentines Day.

I thought the crepes, like the rest of the meals ordered were really something special. My friend questioned my choice of crepes because they can be quite ordinary but she rescinded her comment after we started eating it because unlike most crepes the perhaps plain, floury taste of the crepe is wonderfully overwhelmed by the filling. A plentiful combination of assorted vegetables that gave a provided a crunch and pleasant change from the creaminess of the garlic sauce from the snails, or the brie in the mash and the cheese soufflé. Mind you we found ourselves so full from the earlier 3 meals but with such good food placed in front of me I decided to wait it out until my stomach and I were on good terms before I finished what I could leaving room for dessert. 

DESSERT:

DECADENT WRITTEN ALL OVER 

Rhubarb Creme Brûlée and served with mixed berries and a pistachio (?) macaron $18

First off, I'm not too sure as to the exact flavour of the macaron and since it's green I'm assuming that it's pistachio. I though the macaron was quite nice, not overly sweet, great consistency except I did have a hollow shell. Again a recommendation that you share this dessert, I love the feeling of break the burnt sugar layer and then spooning it together with the custard underneath. I'm so glad that there was a rhubarb base because the custard was quite sweet although I did wish that there was more rhubarb, that way it wouldn't be as sweet as it was.

Berry and Hazelnut Bavarois with mixed berries on the side and a macaron $18

As for what a 'bavarois' is here's what ask.com had as their answer:

Bavarois, which is French for Bavarian cream, is a delicate cream dessert with a Creme Anglaise base made from either milk, cream or flavourings such as fruit puree, and then aerated with whipped cream and egg whites. It can be served as dessert or as a filling for a variety of charlottes, cakes and tortes.

I should have asked the waiter for their definition because obviously that would be more reliable (forgetful Bitter). It was like an incredibly light sponge cake with a berry puree centre- so so nice, it looks so simple but of course good luck trying to replicate it at home and that is why I have a soft spot when it comes to ordering desserts at restaurants. 

DESSERT TROLLEY SAMPLES!!! OH FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD (insert Oliver song)

Options include salted caramel eclair, chocolate fondant, passionfruit sorbet, apple tart, chocolate mousse and lemon meringue pie (note that those shown in the picture are all samples).

Of course the highlight of the evening was definitely the service, waitstaff were so helpful and attentive- the best by far! It was simply one of those days where you cannot help but tip generously. So having read all that I hope I have convinced you to consider dining here because I will certainly be back even if I have to pay full price.