Bodega Tapas Bar

Lucky me , finally got a table at Bodega without the queue. No waiting required? Only because I went during lunch time. Previously, tried to get a table at Bodega with a group of friends for dinner but with no luck. With their no booking policy and only if the entire group arrived, hence not one less person from the group, as well as early arrival at the restaurant thus making it extremely hard for a group of friends dine out together at this popular tapas bar.

The Tapas bar is a lot smaller than I thought, no wonder reservation is not an option. On the high note for this small tapas bar, they have a good selection of tapas to choose from. And they all sounds very tempting for me to try.

Seared scallops with morcilla, braised cabbage and pickled cauliflower

The morcilla was soft in texture with different flavor of spices, together with the perfectly seared scallops and sourness of the pickled cauliflower gives a very lovely taste. A taste that I would love to explore more. However, the top layer of cream together with the rest of the dish makes it taste a bit out of place.

Piquillo peppers stuffed with bacalao

Piquillo pepper gives a really rich, spicy, sweet and sour flavors, stuffed with salt cod brings a unique and perfect taste of Spain.

Steam pork belly with warm salad of onion and shiitake mushroom

At first , the pork looks really fatty and oily, but it's not. Instead, it is very soft and moist and goes well with the beautiful warm salad.

Chocolate ice cream with coffee custard, mango and passionfruit

Last but not least, desserts time. Mango and passionfruit which are in season together with ice-cream and delicious coffee custard, together with the roasted almond makes a perfect playful combination for this hot summer.

This place reminds me of some of the dishes I had and enjoyed a lot when I was in Barcelona last year. Guess instead of traveling all the way to Spain, some fabulous tapas dishes are just doorsteps away.

Bodega

216 Commonwealth Street

Surry Hills NSW2010

Phone (02)9242 7766

www.bodegatapas.com

Deus Ex Machina

I always wanted to learn how to ride a bike, maybe because my dad used to ride one and his adventours stories trigger my interest. However, he himself strongly against me from learning, lucky him, I never come around to it. Still I dream of having my own Harley-Davidson. Althought, realistically this dream is not likely to happen with different reasons, at least for now I could go to Deus Ex Machina and admire their motocycles from classic to custom made or simply purchase their brand clothing with their tradmark - motorcycle of course.

Outside and interior of Deus cafe

Connected to the motocycle showroom is the Deus Cafe, with large communical tables and surrounded by funky artworks and a few different custom motocycles. It is a cafe where I love to hang out with friends for light lunch or simply enjoy their delicious pastry and coffee. Much to my delight, they have now extended their dinning hours to dinner as well.

Buffalo Mozzarella with prosciutto, tomato and roquette

I must be the hungriest among the group, with I'm the only one whom ordered an entree. Even though the serving size for this delightful entree was pretty big, it didn't temp any to try some. Instead my reluctant husband R ended up helping me to finish the dish, though he was happily munching away as he agrees with me the dish was really light and fresh.

Cutlet of kurobuta pork with split peas, barly and kipfler chips

Slow braised beef in balsamic stuffed with tomato, olive on caulifower and mash

Rump of lamb with beetroot relish, silverbeet and lamb jus

Pan roast Barramundi with white beans, pippes and prochetta

We each ordered different main. They all look great and smells wonderful. My barramundi was cooked to perfection. The white beans and pipes seems to have blanched in seafood stock together as it has a stong sweet seafood taste. While the chrispy prochetta gives an extra texture to the dish.

Apple tarte tatin with star anise ice cream

Without doubt, I ordered dessert. Star anise ice cream caught my eyes on the menu. Often, it is used in Chinese dishes but had never thought of star anise would be used as an ice cream flavor. When having this dessert separetely, the ice cream taste bitter and licorice like. While the apple tarte tatin itself had strong carmalised sweetness to it with the cruschy and fluffy base. The combination of both brings a balance between the bitter and sweet taste.

Dinning experience at dinner time was a bit different to their usual dining hours. A bit more formal yet casual at the same time. While their wait staffs were very friendly and helpful. Pricing for each dishes are reasonable, I certainly would come back for dinner again.

Deus Ex Machina

98-104 Parramatta Road

Camperdown NSW2050

Phone (02)9519 3669

www.deus.com.au