The Stoned Crow

After a long morning spent at Rhodes IKEA, my girlfriend and I decided to make a pit stop on the way home for a late lunch in Crows Nest. As we walked down Willoughby Road, the main road for Crows Nest restaurants, our eyes were caught by the happening pub The Stoned Crow.

The first thing you notice when entering the pub is the beautiful decor. The size and available space has been maximised, with a completely opened front-of-house that separates the main street and the pub with high benches and stools. The restaurant feels much larger than it really is, as an entire wall has been covered with a mirror. Finally, the ceiling is finished with hanging plants to further enhance the open "outdoors-iness" encapsulated within the restaurants arrangement.

The changing landscape of the modern day pub menu has seen The Stoned Crow follow suit. The classics such as chicken schnitzel and hamburgers are readily available, however a tapas menu is also on offer for those after something lighter. I hate to sound like a broken record player, however I cannot fault any of our three dishes; they were all superb. The S&P calamari is cooked perfectly, and is finished well with the tangy sauce included. The chorizo quesadilla came with hommus and cranberry, and too was gone quickly after arriving. However the highlight was the duck pizza; the hoisin sauce is balanced beautifully with the duck, finished with cucumber strips and shallots to give a fresh taste to the plate. The presentation of all three on cute little cutting boards can be seen below.

Whatever you're after, be it a beer and schnitty after a long days work, or a selection of tapas and pizza when dining out, you can't go wrong at The Stoned Crow.

- David

Chorizo Quesadilla

Peking Duck Pizza

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Basil Nut

With the rapid growth of new and old cuisines across Sydney it can sometimes be difficult to find a restaurant that stands out and offers a new take on a popular cuisine. Basil Nut manages to do this, with its innovative Thai dishes that are full of fresh ingredients and fusion flavours. 

The restaurant is small and always packed; it is never a good idea to bank on getting a table without booking. They do however do a roaring takeaway trade, and are extremely efficient in getting food out to both takeaway and eat-in patrons. If you have a large group and wish to have a long dinner it is probably not the restaurant for you, due to the restaurant’s size it is often a little cramped and noisy.

I have always enjoyed Thai food, however I have never before tasted such interesting flavours at a Thai restaurant. Whilst the menu offers traditional classics such as Pad Thai, Satay Chicken and Fish Cakes, it also gives you the choice of many In-House specials, my favourite being the Chili-Jam Duck. The duck in this dish is always beautifully tender and lean, and the handmade Chili-Jam perfectly compliments all components of the dish; offering a slight kick to the palette. All Basil Nut dishes exude freshness and flavour, and are remarkably light and not oily.


- David

Chilli Jam Duck

Fish Cakes

Sushi Train Neutral Bay

The sushi industry is one of the most competitive food markets in the streets of Sydney, with a privately owned store on just about every corner. It only takes one bad roll for a customer to lose loyalty to any given outlet before they move on to another. I’ve dined at more than my fair share of sushi stores, though the one that I believe is a step above the rest is the eat-in restaurant chain, Sushi Train.

Sushi Train offers the regular fixes of inside out hand rolls, having that fresh taste that is expected at any eat-in sushi train. As someone who is very nit-picky about their salmon, I can assure you that the texture is beautiful and not too fatty. As a healthier alternative, generous portions of Sashimi are also available for those that prefer the cuts of fish to the seaweed paper and rice.

A favourite hot plate of mine is the vegetable Gyoza. Be on the lookout, as it is best to order this dish during peak hour so that it is made fresh. Similar to the dumpling, this dish is a great entrée and a staple order at Sushi Train. If you’re after an alternative for your palette to sushi, you can’t go wrong with Gyoza.

However, this brings me to the reason why I dine in at Neutral Bay. The okonomiyaki, a Japanese seafood pancake, is made fresh upon request and is a must-order at any Sushi Train. Accompanied with a light mayonnaise and a thicker version of soy sauce, the delicate pancake melts in your mouth upon every bit. This dish has been cooked to absolute perfection, and is a light dish for those looking to end the night on a good note.

If you're after fresh sushi with great hot plate alternatives, I recommend you head down to your local Sushi Train.


- David

Okonomiyaki

Mini Salmon Rolls

Chicken Katsu

Different Drummer

Over the weekend, my girlfriend and I had the opportunity of returning to one of our favourite cocktail bars in Sydney. Having previously dined in on our anniversary, we returned to Glebe Point Road to get a second taste of the tapas menu they have on offer.

Starting with drinks, we decided to make use of the hour-and-a-half Happy Hour, ordering half-priced cocktails. The Long Island Iced Tea, a cocktail recommend to all white spirits lovers, came in a cute sundae cup accompanied with a cherry. However, I would stay away from our second drink, Negroni, unless you’re a huge fan of Vermouth!

Once we were ready for mains, our first point of business was to again order our favourite dish, the Beef Sliders. Having travelled across America – twice – and I can quite confidently say this is the tastiest burger I have ever eaten. The smokiness of the beef ties in beautifully with the variation of aioli in this simple yet satisfying mini burger. You cannot visit Different Drummer without ordering this plate.

Presentation alone suggests another must-have is the pulled pork tacos. Served in half an egg carton, these bite-sized tacos balance the tangy guacamole with the spicy flavours of the pork, giving an overall refreshing feel to the plate. As my girlfriend had prior plans of visiting other restaurants throughout the night, we decided to leave the tapas at just two plates. However, 4-5 plates would sufficiently suffice between two for anybody looking at a full meal.

All in all, Different Drummer offers the vibe of a bar downstairs, and the seclusion of a restaurant upstairs. If in the area, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a tasty meal, or drinks with a few friends.

- David

Beef Sliders

Pulled Pork Tacos

Pilot: Blog Design

Welcome to Restaurants 100! As our first post, we will be introducing what we would like to achieve in the design aspect of our blog. We have uploaded a rough story board of how this blog could end up looking. Let us know what you think in the comments section!

- David