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

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