Tapas and Czech place...

[callalla]

Been to a couple of new places recently, both of which I will certainly be returning to.

 

Firstly

Doma - 29 Orwell St, Potts Point (Kings Cross really)

I have no idea how echt this place is, never having been to the actual region, however, we had a lovely outdoor, late winter Sunday lunch here recently. Food is of the very hearty, half-duck, huge schitzel, sausage, sauerkraut, dumpling variety. I had smoked pork neck (which I discovered is basically thick slices of bacon) with potato and bread dumplings, and sauerkraut. The kraut was great - not too thin, few caraway seeds, acidic but not puckeringly so. As well as big plates of food, they have a section of 'beer snacks' e.g. Bratwurst, chips. The beer selection was in the region of about 15 beers with a couple of specials. I stuck to the Little Billy Goat. If returning, I wouldn't bother with the bread dumplings (just like bread really), and even the potato ones weren't quite stodgy enough for my liking. We sat outside under umbrellas, but inside looked pleasant too.

 

I do have another tip - don't feel that the afternoon could be improved by heading to the Bourbon and Beefsteak for more beer until it's 9pm and you lurch out into a taxi, have a major blue with husband and then end up in Oportoburger. Ouch.

 

Secondly

Encasa - 423 Pitt Street

Went here last night to catch up with friends. It was all good apart from the garlic bread (totally boring, just stick to nice rolls to soak up all of the various excellent juices). Portions here are pretty big for tapas places in Sydney, we had 7 between 4 of us and rolled out. Also, I'm sure that all tapas is pretty garlicky, here, it's so garlicky my jeans smelled of garlic this morning. We tried,

Grilled Chorizo - vg

Sardines - marinated and slightly vinegary with some chopped garlic on top, okay

Tortilla Espagnol (sp) - Quite fluffy, not very thick, good enough to keep eating even when rather full

Pippies - (Pippies are australian clam-type shellfish) These were steamed with wine and garlic. Great juice. A couple of the pippies were a bit gritty though.

Scallops with saffron/cream - 4 scallops, all with coral attached which is my favourite bit. The sauce wasn't much to write home about but perfectly pleasant.

Garlic Mushrooms - very good

Meatballs - I wasn't too fussed about these as I thought that they were a bit big and bland, but everyone else at the table thought they were great.

 

Encasa also does pizzas that lots of people seemed to be eating. Booking is absolutely neccessary as it's had lots of good press recently. Staff were all women, very professional and friendly, but with definite inner steel.

[Guest Suzanne F]

Sydney?

[Wilfrid1]

Judging by the addresses, yes. Thanks for the reports. Incidentally, the Times this week featured an overview of the Sydney dining scene. I was sorry to read of a change of chef at Claude's, which was by far my favorite restaurant on my last trip.