Okay so Manly is fast becoming a fave of mine, with some new bars & restaurants! Here’s another fun (but cold) Saturday night in Manly…
Donny’s Bar
I stopped by Donny’s bar a few months back when I visited Fika Swedish Kitchen (check out my review of that place here). The bar is dimly lit with a real hip vibe, swarming with beautiful people.
Brunswick Cooler
So for drinks, I start with the Brunswick Cooler. Its a beautiful mix of gin, ginger, lemon sorbet and winter berries drenched in Cointreau. The perfect tangy sting of the lemon and ginger blended with the strong taste of the Cointreau make this the perfect winter drink. The winter berries release their full fruit flavours to remind you that the simple things in life can sometimes be the very best. I unwind my cashmere scarf and settle back to enjoy the atmosphere…
The Sliders
I start with the sliders, which have a juicy beef patty with beautiful charcoal roast flavours, tangy spicy relish, soft buns which are more plain than the typical sweet brioche buns which envelope wagyu sliders these days. I like it, it’s old fashioned, juicy, full of flavour and the spice warms ones body on this chilly winter day. Very well done indeed.
Fish Cakes
I must admit I was expecting flaky “fall apart” type of fish cakes like I have had in the Concorde Room in London Heathrow (check out that Fish Cake here). These are traditional thai fish cakes which don’t quite have the texture of the normal fish, which was unexpected. The one upside to the dish is the fried shallots which add some extra texture to the smoothness of the fish cakes.
Cape Mentelle Shiraz
I finish with a beautiful glass of the Cape Mentelle Shiraz. This is from my home state and I absolutely cherish drinking this, especially on cold winters day. Its got the rich juicy full fruit flavours of mulberries and currants. This is paired with light oriental spice making this a full savoury red. The wine just cuddles you!
Before I chat about the kick-on, I when I visited the place last time I tried the amazing Fairy Floss cocktail, which I didn’t get to blog about, so here it is…
The Fairy Floss Cocktail
It was blueberry, vanilla, lemon and Persian Fairy Floss on top. The fresh fruit flavours of the blueberry and the amazing streak of vanilla and the tangy lemon pair together like a beautiful velvety symphony of flavours and experience… and that’s before I even get to the fairy floss. The Fairy Floss adds to the aesthetics of the wine, its beautiful. As it is gently placed on top of the cocktail it starts to dissolve, into this rich sugar mixture in the cocktail. The grainy semi-dissolved fairy floss has this amazing texture and adds to the drinking experience…you’ll absolutely love it.
Donny’s is an amazing place and adds a little extra variety to Manly! Love it.
Papi Chulo
Look, I love giving you guys variety in my blogging, but its a cold winter day and I need some comfort food and a place that kinda feels like home. So I decide to head to Papi Chulo before calling it a night. The friendly hostess greets me and I am placed at a beautiful spot overlooking the crowd (love people watching) and the a view of the bay.
Yellow fin tuna, habanero, lime, guacamole
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.
Smoked eel and quark dip, avruga, samphire, shallot cracker
I won’t review it again, as I had it last week and it was amazing!!! – here is my review from last week (which described the dish in great detail)! 
Papi’s Iced Tea (had this at the Papi Chulo Comes to Town event at the Ivy – here is my review of said drink)
I adorn my scarf and make bid farewell to the beautiful staff call it a night… I love this Papi Chulo! Manly…you’re the best!
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