Pitt Street Eats

It must be the warmer weather. I seem to be out of the house a lot more in the evenings lately - eating Asian food.  Tough life. 

It had certainly been some time since I'd eaten around Chinatown - made obvious by its expansion well into Pitt Street.  I barely recognised this end of town.

Some weeks ago I met some friends at the handsome old Civic Hotel (an oldie but a goodie) for a quick pre dinner Amaretto Sour (And it was goood, let me tell you) 

before walking few meters north to Seabay Chinese Restaurant for steamed dumplings, fried pork, lamb pies, spicy chicken salad and a great little stirfy of slivered potatoes and peppers.  This place is seriously no frills and the menu is succinct but what they do, they do pretty well. I think it only came to about $20 per head  and the portions were very generous . So much so that I returned the following week with a hungry boy who needed filling. We ordered the spring onion pancake that time and it was damn good.

A few weeks later and a little further north on Pitt Street, close to Liverpool street, I was trotting down an vacant alleyway towards Madang Korean BBQ restaurant in what appears to be the start of a mini Korea town. It really felt like we were in Asia and the aromas were incredible.  Such a great vibe and full of Korean faces!  I was meeting a few fellow food writers including Leanne Kitchen who, having written an App for Chinatown restaurants (eat chinatown sydney), is kinda in the know on the better places around so I knew before I arrived we'd be in good hands.

We ordered fried chicken with spicy sour sauce, an excellent seafood pancake, dumplings, pork belly with oyster kimchee wraps and tofu with shaved bonito. Plus all the usual Korean pickled, fermented accompaniments arrived right on cue as part of the deal. We drank it down with red ginseng wine and it came to about $35 per head.

As my other half is now working near this area I suspect there will be further investigations... so stay tuned. 

Cup of Dolce

Tully's coffee is a Japanese Chain. There are plenty better places for coffee or food... plenty. But Tully's is everywhere in Kyoto and it isn't bad for a quick sandwich and a cuppa if you are in a hurry or stuck somewhere without a real cafe! And it opens earlier than real cafes so if you are catching a train in the morning it isn't a bad option. 

What I do love is seeing what concoctions they come up with each season - this pic is from around this time last year.... what will be on the 'Fall' menu this year? I was disappointed with this selection as it wasn't particularly festive  (what no chestnut latte or pumpkin frappuccino....? ) but I like the sentiment all the same!  A cup of dessert... Strawberry cheesecake, Tiramisu latte, Soy Chocolate Gateau!

Bar Satanaka. Sfera Building. Kyoto

It's Friday night. This busy week has flown by. I need a drink. 

But where to go in Sydney town?

If I was in Kyoto I know exactly where I'd be... 

Bar Satanaka is tucked away at the back of a  green-lit, metal-laced building in the northern section of Gion. By day, it is easy to walk by - even though its appearance is strikingly different to the neighbouring machiya.   But by night... well you couldn't miss it could you??

The  Sfera building also houses one of my favourite design stores and is in close proximity to the antiques district around Shinmonzen dori. I'd never have discovered the bar if it wasn't for my window shopping habit. 

When you reach the correct floor you need to feel your way down a dark hallway

The bar is intimate and quiet until around 10pm when it gets its buzz on. 

Bar Satanaka is perfect for catching up with friends over a really good cocktail or glass of wine (.No sake!! ouch. ) as you can actually hear each other talk - especially in one small pocket of the bar (almost a private room - so snaffle it up early!). The rest of the bar is simply a long , sleek counter with comfy high-chairs to perch upon and a friendly, professional barkeep to gaze at.

We didn't have much time to catch up with friends during our trip in May but we did squeeze in a couple of bevvies with the lovely and talented David B and the spectacular Ms Lizzie! All too brief. Thanks for a great night guys. xx

Find Bar Satanaka on the west side of Nawate Dori (street) just south of Shinmonzen and north of Shinbashi streets. 3rd Floor. Enter on the ground floor level - even though it seem like there is no one there.... and take two sharp right turns to find the tiny lift.

Open 7pm - 4am

*it's not your eyes.. some of the images appear a little blllurry due to mild intoxication of the photographer. I swear they were in focus at the time...