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Jamie's Italian, Sydney CBD

 To celebrate Chris' Birthday I thought we'd take him for an olive oil, lemon zest and food processing loving fiasco at Jamie's Italian (107 Pitt Street, Sydney CBD). I've probably been watching too many episodes of his 15-minute meals but honestly name me a dish where he doesn't use olive oil and lemon zest. 

Don't look so sad Chris,
the food will arrive soon

 As I suffer from lackoftimeawareness-ititis (real disease), we arrived 30 minutes late for our 6:30pm booking (traffic I tell you). When we eventually arrived we felt like royalty as they happily sat the four of us into a neat, tidy booth seat towards the end of the dining area and near the kitchen.

Castello/Messina Beer

 First of all; Messina beer is not gelato beer, just in case the thought came across your mind. Anyhow Andrew and I grab some beers to rehydrate our parched livers. 

Homemade Lemonade & Lime Bitters
made with fresh Lemon & Lime Juice
with Gomme Syrup

 If alcohol doesn't tickle your fancy liver, then this homemade lemonade & lime bitters will certainly do the trick. This tantalizing spritz is sure to make your tastebuds talk and the sugar hit is certain to make your pancreas work over time (sorry I'm half studying at the same time; science and food blogging, it's a new thing ... trust me).  

Antipasti Meat Plank
Cured Meats, Cheeses, Pickles, Salad
(description below)

Cured Meats
San Daniele Prosciutto, Wagyu Bresaola,
Finocchio & Artisanal Mortadella

Crunchy Salad
Shaved Root Veg with Chilli, Lemon & Mint

Pickles
Curly Green Chillies, Green & Gaeta Olives
& Caper Berries

Pecorino with Chilli Jam
on 'Crispy 'Music Bread'

Cheese
Buffalo Mozzarella

 It was pretty hard to get a good photo of the entire board since it pretty much took up the length of the table. With the board held up by twin tomato cans we immediately knew it'd be a special dish. A king's selection of cured meats, cheeses with salad and pickles to make things even more delightful. If a pirate ever forced me to walk the plank then I'd most certainly choose this one please. I'd fall into the sea with meat in one hand and cheese in the other.

 Enough pirates for one day; to the food we go. From the cured meats, the prosciutto and wagyu were of special mention as their smooth, velvety texture simply just melted from the breath of our mouths. The golf balls of buffalo mozzarella made me weep tears of joy and so too the pecorino cheese. The 'music bread' didn't sound quite right and was ordinary to say the least though the rest of the plank was an antipasti delight. Chris was entitled to all the olives since it was his birthday =).

That's not a knife; This is a knife! HHHHaaaaaa-no please don't

Truffle Risotto
Finely Minced Black Truffles with Butter, Parmesan & Nutmeg

 Chris hadn't had the chance to try truffle before so he was super keen on this gooey mess. The risotto was cooked perfectly and there wasn't too much to fault about the dish except Andrew said it tasted like chicken stock. The truffle taste was quite strong and I'm pretty sure there was added truffle oil on top! Wait I got a mad joke hold on ... here it is. I felt like a ... pig, eating this dish of truffles. No? Because pigs find truffles on the ground? Dam it was funnier in my head.

Our Famous Polenta Chips
Crispy Fried with Rosemary & Parmesan

 And famous they sure are! These little treats are more loveable than Mr. Valentine himself and if had a chance to taste these then I'm sure he'd agree as well! A crispy outer coat protects the ever versatile fluffy polenta inside and this is covered with a generous grating of parmesan and some rosemary. 

Burger Italiano
Chargrilled Beef Burger with Melted Fontina Cheese,
Sweet Tomato Salsa, Pickles, Chilli & Crispy Fried Onions

 Let me first of all place a warning for this burger; THIS BURGER SUCKS. I'm not normally that harsh, especially when it comes to my true love; burgers, but boy does this burger really stink. This was the dish I was most looking forward to when arriving here but honestly I don't know what I did wrong to deserve this unpalatable rock =(. The sesame bread was tough as nails and have a good look at the beef patty, as dry as a desert. Maybe my tears could moisten it up. I have a feeling it was just a one off kind of thing but I guess I was just unlucky. Chris and I shared half of the burger each as Patty and Andrew were too scared about the lack of moisture haha.

Crab Spaghetti
with Chilli and Lime ... I think

 I have a gut feeling that they have take this dish off their menu because I couldn't find it on the website. Unfortunately I've forgotten what else was in this pasta ... except crab? Welcome to Bunnybloggers, the home of perfect descriptions. But naa detailed descriptions are overrated, just admire the photo =).

Tagliatelle Bolognese
Ragu of Beef, Pork, Herbs, Chianti & Parmesan with
Crunchy, Herby Breadcrumbs

 Ahhh something a little bit closer to home. It's quite, nearly impossible to go past this delectably sounding dish; a tagliatelle bolognese made with a simmering chianti drugged ragu of beef and pork, combined with herbs and topped with shaved parmesan and herbed breadcrumbs. I literally just got a head spin from thinking about it. Anyhow, the pasta was again cooked to al dente perfection but for some reason the ragu was lacking a lot of flavour and suave. It seemed a little plain ... like Jane and I think I prefer the spag bol I make at home. How confusing is food ...

Honeycomb Cannelloni 3 Ways
- Eggplant & Sun-Dried Tomato
- Pumpkin
- Ricotta & Spinach

 I think everyone's favourite main of the night rested with this coagulation of 3 different flavours of cannelloni. (maybe except Chris, I think he was still obsessing over the truffle risotto). Everything was mushy and stuck together which ended up being half the fun and the flavours were just really enjoyable.

Posh Chips
With Truffle Oil & Parmesan

 These posh chips were fit for royalty and posh spice herself! What? But honestly, when chips and cheese collide it's somewhat of a special occasion, a monumental time in life some might say. These chips in that respect did not disappoint. It was finished off with a healthy splash of truffle oil which made our noses fall off in excitement.

Our Special Tiramisu
Coffee-Flavoured Trifle with Orange Mascarpone
& Chocolate

 We begin dessert with a hefty slice of tiramisu. The coffee soaked sponge cake was pretty intense, even for a tiramisu but it definitely hit all the right spots. Characteristic of one and only Jamie Oliver there the tiramisu is not complete without a fine zesting of orange peel. Classic Jamie.

Creamy Panna Cotta
Lovely Wobbly Panna Cotta served with
Compote of Seasonal Fruits

 Second on our dessert list was the deceptively, astounding creamy panna cotta; and creamy it sure was. Like pudgy penguin, it waddled and wobbled its way into our mouths. It had an exceptionally smooth texture and a wonderfully comforting vanilla bean flavour on the palate. The berry compote was a welcomed addition as well!

Tutti Frutti Lemon Meringue Pie
with Limoncello & Crunchy Pistachio Brittle

 To 'slice' through the sweetness (bahahahahahahahahahah) we had a 'slice' of lemon meringue pie. Seriously wasn't that funny, I'm losing myself in the meringue. Although the meringue was quite grainy, it did feel like a diving mouth first into a puffy cloud. The tartness of the tart (ahhahhahaahahah you still got it) was really balanced and the base wasn't too shabby either.

Happy Birthday Chris!

 Thanks for an awesome night out Chris and I hope you enjoyed your birthday! Jamie's Italian ended up being what I had expected; alright food for a not alright price. Anyhow, I do believe that it's worth a visit for anyone who hasn't been before just to soak up the atmosphere (don't soak up coffee or you'll become a tiramisu...) and to experience the marketability that is Jamie Oliver.

Note: It got really stuffy inside! Just thought I'd let you know...

Bunny Rating-
Category: Dining

Papi Chulo, Manly

 With Patty living a stone throws away from Manly (you'd have to have a pretty strong arm ... but still), it was time to visit the ever more popular Papi Chulo (22-23 Manly Wharf, Manly). Papi Chulo is Merivale owned and operated and honestly they own every restaurant and bar in town, not literally of course. Honestly though, I wouldn't be surprised if Merivale decided to buy the house which is for sale down the street. That's an entirely different topic, to the food we go!

 Papi Chulo is located on the ferry terminal side of Manly and although the view isn't as nice as facing the beach front, the interior of the dining area alone will keep your eyes occupied so don't worry! Patty and I were seated along the front window sill on swing out chairs and I was surprised it could manage my weight to be honest.

Papi's Iced Tea
Havana Club & Angostura Rum
with Early Grey & Peppermint Teas,
Cointreau & Lemon Juice

 To kick things off, Patty ordered the Papi's Iced Tea which was essentially a tropical island in your mouth. Fruity and tutti, but had a good slug of warm hearted rum to mellow things out.

James Squire - Hop Thief

  This American style pale ale was my drink of choice and it was perfect for such an occasion. As a pale ale it uncharacteristically has an amber malt base which gives the beer its dark colour, but the real winner for this beer is the intense hoppy finish. So good that I'd consider drowning myself in it. Kids, don't do that at home, or if you're desperate at least wear floaties.

Thought this was quite an art-y shot

Prawn & Scallop Ceviche
Crystal Bay Prawns, Sea Scallops, Mango
Chilli & Coconut Dressing

 This ceviche was the perfect way to begin the meal, what better way than some fresh seafood with a zesty, whacky and sweet dressing. The prawns and scallops were juicy like rain; can't get more moist than water itself. With the seafood being soaked in some wonderful broth, I'd most certainly sacrifice my life as a prawn if I were to become this dish.

Smoked Wagyu Brisket Sandwich
Spicy Celery Pickle, Caramelised Onions
Horseradish Mayo, Fried Egg on a Soft Bun

 Burger burger on the wall, you are the tastiest of them all. Not a burger I'd normally order because I can never turn down a juicy, mouthwatering, tongue tingling, sock throwing, child bullying beef patty, but this awesome burger has changed my life forever; no seriously it has. This smoked wagyu sandwich is no ordinary sandwich, it's suave and poised, characters that lead me on (is this a sandwich or burger). After being led on by the 'bur-wich' I dug in and boy did I dig deep, deeper than Dugtrio would from Pokemon. The wagyu brisket is flavourful, moist and falls to bits when you bite in. The fried egg and generous amounts of caramelised onions really top this burger off. It also comes with a gigantic pickle on the side so you can hit the burger with it, well at least that's what I thought it was for.

Cross Sexional Porn 

 Everyone's obsessed with saying 'egg porn' or whatever so I thought I'd make up a new craze. Introducing the 'Cross Sexion Porn' - A mesmerizing cross section that is sexy enough to draw your attention away from the person next to you.

Balmain Bugs
with Konbu Butter

Cross Sexional Porn

 These cross sexional beauties are woodfire grilled and doused with konbu butter which coats the meat and drips off into the carcass. These balmain bugs were full of flesh which was sweet and it has a beautiful half crunch texture of prawns. Wish these bugs could replace the ones we have crawling around at home. Free dinner for everyone.

Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs
with Papi's BBQ Sauce

More Crossexional Porn

 When life isn't treating you well ... have some ribs because it'll put the 'bones' back into your body...? WOW. Stop it. That was pretty good though. Papi Chulo has made a name for itself with their slow smoked BBQing with the pork ribs being the signature dish. Lathered on like lacquer on wood this deck of ribs (see what I did there? because you lacquer wood, and wood is used for decks? Nicenice.) is covered in Papi's speciality BBQ sauce and slow cooked to meat sliding perfection. Like a teflon coated pan the meat came off the bone with ease and straight into my mouth. Succulent, juicy and flavoursome, what more can you ask for!? We declined bibs because we wear rib sauce on our shirts with pride ... and also because I was going to wash my shirt later that day anyways.

Little Creatures - Bright Ale

 One for the road. Liquid gold.

Toilets

 These toilets are quite remarkable and honestly my car could fit into this space. The exposed brick look is great to stare at when you're getting the business done. There are individual cubicles, each with their own sink to wash your hands and they have awesome push out doors with frosted glass. In case you forget to wash your hands inside your own cubicle there are extra sinks outside!

Tap Beer! - Let's Get sloshed

 Thought the photo above was pretty funny, saw it on our walk through manly after lunch. I've never had a haircut and a beer at the same time but I am keenly anticipating the experience! Papi Chulo exceeded my expectations and the interior design is something that really makes this place shine brighter than a diamond. The food is fast, fresh and simple so Donna Hay you should probably check this out. But no, seriously some quality food and this place will only get better. 

 On another note I think J-Lo is an admirer of Papi Chulo's with her new hit ... just saying. I'm so lame =(

Bunny Rating-
Category: Burgers, Dining