Its been a whirlwind weekend with a farewell for one of my favourite colleagues on Thursday and dinner at a cool bistro in Potts Point on Friday night followed by a beautiful lunch at North Bondi Fish (Review here). So I decide to unwind with a little “me” time.
I get there and the host (Camilla) who always super cheerful, delivers quality service with a super friendly disposition manages to find me a seat on the window overlooking the wharf! Probably one of the best seats in the house.
Then she tells me about the special which is the Cherry Sour with Mount Gay Rum and Heering Liquor. I don’t think I can go past that, so its a definitely a yes.
Cherry Sour Cocktail
The cocktail is super fantastic, with the distinct taste of the cherries perfectly complemented with some sour citrus flavours of lemon while the initial bite of the Mt Gay Rum (from the West Indies) gives way to a smoother finish for the cocktail to flow through the taste buds. The maraschino cherry garnish is perfect to bite the end with the super sweet taste providing some relief to the sour cocktail. Love it.
I start with the Yellow fin tuna ceviche with habanero, lime and guacamole. I have had this dish before, but its just perfect.
I had this dish back in June and I will literally copy and paste my review from then, as the dish retains its star quality and this describes it perfectly. “The soft jelly like oily raw tuna cubs are simply amazing. They shine like the rays of morning sunlight which make their way through your bedroom window in the morning… its so beautiful. The tangy lime just draws some extra flavour from the tuna meat, while the habanero adds a light spice to fire up the taste buds, but doesn’t overpower the dish. The soft creamy guacamole offers some beautiful balance to the dish. Then the generous sprinkling of fish roe unleashes the rich flavours of the ocean… the dish is all about produce… which just makes it such a joy to have.”
Papi Chulo burger – grain fed beef, bacon, american cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles, soft bun
The burger looks amazing, but I actually ordered the sandwich. The burger looks super tempting, so I consider tucking into it. Camilla notices the mix-up and asks me if I would like to swap. I decide to swap as the Wagyu Sandwich sounds too amazing to pass up. Now that’s service, even when something goes a little wrong, its so lovely to have it fixed up with such little fuss.
Charles Smith ‘Velvet Devil’ Merlot (2012) from Washington, USA
The Velvet Devil is a wonderful wine. As its name suggests its velvety with strong aroma of dark cherries and tobacco which follows through to a strong cherry chocolate flavour on the palate with a beautifully elegant tannin structure which makes this wine silky smooth and easy to drink. It also pairs perfectly with the dish below.
Smoked wagyu brisket sandwich – spicy celery pickle, caramelized onions, horseradish mayo, fried egg, soft bun
The Wagyu Sandwich is a soft plush sesame seed bun with super tender “melt in your mouth” Wagyu brisket (which just falls apart release the rich oily juices of the Wagyu over your tongue) which retains its smoky flavour from the BBQ. It is paired with some tangy pickled gherkin and a fried egg, which oozes the rich sticky yellow egg yolk over the sandwich and coats it with a radiant yellow glow. The smoky caramelised onion and horseradish mayonnaise just mingle effortlessly with the rest the ingredients to deliver a rich smoky “decadent” sandwich to dazzle the taste buds. This is comfort food at its very best.
Warm chocolate chip cookie, vanilla malt ice-cream, butterscotch sauce, macadamia brittle
The soft gooey chocolate chip cookie has this beautiful melt in your mouth cookie dough while the silky cocoa hit of the milk chocolate chip releases a mountain of endorphins to ones brain. Then the soft creamy malt ice cream produces a temperature contrast which is stunning, while the grainy crunchy macadamia brittle is such a texture contrast and then this is completed with a beautiful caramel-like butterscotch sauce which provides for an amazing taste experience. I just love it.
I farewell the friendly staff and make my way home. Its always such a wonderful experience at Papi Chulo!
The cocktail sounds interesting