Sydney 2023

August 10-12, 2023

   

We had a strategic stop in Sydney on our way home from Brisbane - everything was timed perfectly for us to see The Weekend at Belvoir St Theatre (which is based on a novel I enjoyed very much). We haven't been to Sydney since 2019, and there's lots of old and new veg*n eating to enjoy, but this time around we stuck to venues that were convenient to our other activities.

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As if being present for The Weekend's short season wasn't good luck enough, our long-time food-blogging friend Gill had tickets for the same night! She recommended that we meet up for dinner at Flyover Fritterie before the show. At that early hour, we had the top floor of this contemporary vegetarian Indian restaurant to ourselves, although the ground floor looked full by the time we left.

Full marks to Flyover for offering six mocktails on their drinks list. Gill had their signature Thandaai ($10, right-most drink in the photo below right), a soy milk seasoned with almonds, watermelon seeds, rose, fennel, and chia seeds. Wary of the heat of the food to come, I ordered a passionfruit lassi with coconut yoghurt ($14, front-left drink in the photo below right), and Michael went for the house soda, flavoured with tamarind and raspberry ($9, back-left drink in the photo below right). 

To eat, there were fritters galore. The corn bhel puri ($20, photo below left) was a fresh and crunchy table favourite, with the coconut lime daal khichri ($24, photo above) coming a close second. Flyover also make fancy jaffles!

   

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Breakfasts were had a short walk from our accommodation, at Reuben Hills. It's a past favourite of Michael's and doesn't seem to have changed a whole lot. It's got an industrial look, emphasis on coffee, and an all-day menu that marks its veg*n and gluten-free options clearly.

We fell into typical roles: Michael went egg-heavy with soft-baked ones in spicy ranchero sauce ($23, pictured above left, with kale and goats curd), then scrambled ones ($22.50, pictured below left, with onion, chives and smashed avo). I scanned the sweet side of the menu, relishing the ricotta pancakes ($25, pictured above right, with raspberry and rhubarb compote, mascarpone, candied pecans and maple syrup) and downsizing to banana and walnut bread ($8.80, pictured below right) on our second visit. 

   

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We've been out of the loop on Shannon Martinez's ventures over the past few years - we've not properly visited Smith & Daughters since it moved (although we've stopped by the Deli to pick up sandwiches) and not crossed town for Lona Misa. Lona Misa sits within an Ovolo hotel, and so does Alibi in Sydney. The white cane felt out of step with Martinez's typically goth-punk vibes, but a few familiar items on the menu assured us we were in the right place.

   

With The Twin still front of mind, we ordered the focaccia starter ($12, front of photo above left), which was on the small side; we couldn't really taste the promised black garlic but the confit tomato and wakame-sprinkled ricotta were present and accounted for. We can always depend on Martinez for incredible croquettes ($18, back of photo above left), and these ones were flavoured with padron and (vegan) parmesan.

Michael was keen to revisit the cacio e pepe ($25, front of photo above right) and this was a well-seasoned, creamy portion. We balanced it out with charred broccolini ($16, back of photo above right) served with pickled radicchio, roasted hazelnuts, orange and aged balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert, it was always going to be quince filled doughnuts ($15, photo below). 

Alibi was a bit more formal and finicky than we usually expect from Martinez, but it was a special way to spend the last night of our interstate holiday.

   

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Between meals, we were busy! Not just with the theatre, but with three art exhibitions and an Aboriginal harbour heritage tour. (We passed the site of now-closed Bodhi several times, and remarked longingly upon it each time - the weather and our schedule would have been perfect for outdoor yum cha.) The veg*n wonders of King St will have to wait 'til next time.