It’s a funny feeling when the craziness of Christmas as well as the begin of a new year starts to fade into the background.

Every year’s the same.

It’s like when you begin discovering to trip a bike; you get that preliminary push in the back that zooms you along, however after a while you have to keep going under your own steam.

And after our recent outstanding trip to Adelaide to hang out with buddies there as well as inspect out the terminate circumstance among the wineries, we were at danger of sinking into a bit of a slump.

Thankfully, our buddies right here in Sydney were around to keep our momentum going so we didn’t autumn off our bikes so to speak!

In this Edition, we’ve got suggestions on new eating areas – in addition to some old favourites – plus a couple of summertime wines we believe you’ll like too.

Hope you delight in this regular Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

Today, Christina’s ventured all the method to Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs to catch up with our mate Rohan. Coogee beach is looking quite great today – as well as by the look of it, there are great deals of people who agree.

I’m guessing everyone’s back-to-work routine after the holidays is as unwinded as ours!

Christina is seeing Rohan on her own today. I’m blaming Adelaide for my absence. If we hadn’t had such a great time there, I wouldn’t have so much to do. If you haven’t seen it yet, our story on our time in South Australia is quite epic.

So while Christina’s right here enjoying the view, I’m at my computer typing as well as editing pictures like a madman!

To rub it in, Christina as well as Rohan have come to Barzura at the top of Coogee for a bite to eat as well as a cheeky beer.

It’s been a long time because I was last here, so Christina’s enjoying a tasty fish burger while taking in the view of the surf.

To make matters worse (for me as well as my absence, not for Christina!) one more of our beautiful buddies Sharon has arrived.

She just recently moved back to Tasmania as well as is in Sydney visiting. ideally I’ll get to see her a bit later.

In the meantime, it appears like it’s beer o’ clock for these guys.

I’m likewise secretly extremely envious of Rohan’s outstanding beard.

I’m still slaving away by dinnertime, so Christina as well as Sharon have left the east as well as headed back to Balmain. They’re enjoying a meal at most likely my preferred Thai restaurant – Chon Thai.

The food right here is excellent as well as they always have something fascinating on the menu. situation in point…

This work of art is in truth a dumpling!

They’re hand-carved butterfly pea flower dumplings – the colour is from the blue flowers as well as is prominent in Thailand’s north.

I have no concept exactly how the kitchen area right here makes this dumpling look so much like a butterfly pea flower (you can see a picture of one in our story about Chiang Mai here), however to likewise make the dumpling tasty as well as full of poultry is beyond me.

I’m likewise extremely thankful to see Christina as well as Sharon have purchased the betel leaf with smoked trout in the background here. It’s one more of my absolute favourites. as well as when you come here, keep in mind to purchase the lamb shank massaman. It’ll modification your life.

Now that summer’s well under way, we’re on the look-out for new red wine flavours to choose those hot days as well as balmy nights.

New Zealand is understood for its Sauvignon Blancs, however likewise for its Pinots – as well as an NZ Pinot Noir is a fantastic thing. particularly in the summer.

We’re enjoying the Kim Crawford Pinot Noir from the NZ Sauv Blanc heartland – Marlborough – which provides the red wine a juicy plum as well as black cherry flavour while preserving the fine tannins a great Pinot Noir is understood for.

 

Ordinarily, I like rather strong red wines, however in hot weather condition a Pinot Noir is perfect. It even responds well to being a bit bit chilled – in truth we’re all most likely drinking our wines at the wrong temperature. inspect out our story on the appropriate warm for wines here. 

Also from Kim Crawford Estate the Chardonnay we’re sipping over summertime is lighter than the typical Chardies we like. spare on oak, this red wine is fresh as well as citrusy though still has that robustness of a Chardonnay. 

Crack it open when you’re enjoying a bit of camembert or brie, pan-seared trout or grilled poultry dishes.

Pick up the Kim Crawford Chardonnay from Liquorland for RRP $22 as well as the Pinot Noir for RRP $19 from Dan Murphy’s.

Ordinarily, I can’t wait on a curry night with my mates. We go out for an Indian every so frequently – typically either side of a football season. as well as being a mainly British crowd, we’re all into a good ruby.

Tonight is one of those nights as well as we’re all at our routine haunt Maya da Dhaba on the Surry Hills/Redfern border. This location is as close to a British curry home as we can discover as well as it’s great.

There is a tinge of unhappiness around tonight’s well-spiced festivities though. Our great buddy as well as teammate Danny is heading back to Scotland soon as well as tonight’s most likely the last curry night we’ll have with him. 

We’re making the most of it though as well as my vindaloo’s additional hot – as if it understands this meal is a special one!

Best of luck, Danny. hope to see you back right here Downunder once again soon – or possibly on the heady streets of Glasgow. You never know.

Today, we’re blessed with the business of one more of our dearest friends, Tori, who’s over from the UK. She as well as Christina went to institution together as well as it’s always great to catch up.

Tori as well as I have always got on well, as well as the silly conversations as well as banter goes back as well as forth throughout the morning.

We’re checking out Balmain a bit today as well as have stopped at a new location on darling street – Shila Persian kitchen area Teahouse – for a bite to eat.

Although our server stated she’d be pleased to discuss the menu to us, we’ve gone it alone as well as had a punt anyway. We’re really quite pleased with what comes out. 

These conventional Persian dishes are so tasty as well as colourful. as well as there’s lots of the flatbreads they serve too, which we’re amazed with.

There’s nothing worse than ordering a dip as well as not having sufficient ‘vehicle’ to transfer it to your gob!

We’ve purchased two different eggplant dips – one is fresh as well as tasty the other smoky as well as unctuous. They include pieces of onion pickled in balsamic vinegar. incredibly moreish. 

We likewise purchase dolmeh, a type of dumpling really; it’s a cabbage leaf envelop of aromatic rice, grains as well as herbs in a rich tomato broth. It’s nothing short of excellent.

But the champion on the table is the meatball we’ve ordered.

It’s a monster – about the size of a tennis sphere as well as not what we were expecting at all. however we cut it available to discover it’s a stuffed meatball, full of semi-dried apricots, plums as well as much more of the rice we discovered in the dolmeh.

The rich tomato base the meatball is available in is plate-lickingly great in its own right, as well as we’re pleased that we have much more flatbread to mop it up.

Our buddy Lorraine Elliott of Not rather Nigella fame was right here just a few days back as well as composed this much more extensive evaluation of Shila.

After lunch we mosey with the suburb a bit much more as well as stop to slake our thirst in a couple of the incredibly old-school pubs of Balmain as well as Rozelle.

But all as well soon, it’s time for Tori to head off as well as she’s back aboard a ferry to the city. Can you area her? 10 points if you can!

It’s been a incredibly social week as well as just what we needed to get us back as much as speed for the rest of January.

We hope your year’s started just also as well as that you’ve delighted in this regular Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx