The Dip

If you stalk food porn you’re sure to have encountered a post on the Dip and spied some glorious photos of chef Levin’s hotdogs, burgers, nachos and grilled corn. Just like with any kind of romance (ok so mine is with food don’t judge) it’s all giddy at the start when it’s new, but it has to evolve to stay interesting. So after celebrating 6 months of dungeon deliciousness the guys at Goodgod Small Bar’s canteen have done just that.

Arriving early (well technically late but early by our standards..and it turned out by everyone else’s too) for a gig we thought it best to sooth our stomachs with a bit of American comfort beforehand, as we sidle up to the counter I looked up and saw the black board shouting “New Menu!”. We took the hint and scanned the new cards which now featured an expanded list of hot dogs along with the addition of a summer salad and hot wings.

Anyway enough talk, time to get scrolling.

The Coaster punch jug: GoodGod’s orange margarita made with 100% blue agave tequila, cointreau, orange bitters & fresh orange $33

The guys have heaps of punch jugs on offer, we opted for something citrusy but found this a bit too sweet.

Mocktail (by request) $3.50

Salsa Fries: thick cut steak fries with fresh tomato salsa and cheese $7

The fries here seem to have a size crisis, the first time I had these they were deliciously crisp with a salty salsa but the serving was very small. This time however the size has doubled but they’re not as good as I recall with a saddening salsa to chip ratio.

Aperol Spritz $8.50

After the guys at 10 William St popped my Spritz cherry it seems like a good default drink to request, not too sweet, very drinkable and it somehow masks your inability to navigate around a drinks menu. On my last visit it was promoted as a special drink for $10 however this time it was somehow a cheaper item.

Confuse di Mouth: smoked kosher hot dog with melted cheese, dill pickles, grilled onions, american mustard and ketchup $12

Watermelon and Bacon burger (special): grilled watermelon, bacon, lettuce and onions $12

Although the new hot dogs sound amazing (who can turn down peppers with relish on their dogs) my curiosity kicked in when I spotted the special item. The idea of watermelon and bacon sounds like a rather dubious marriage but I put my faith in the professionals and those guys knew what they were doing! The watermelon was just a little sweet with the density of grilled cucumber and all the ingredients bar the lettuce spent some time on the grill making the overall flavour intensely smokey, we agreed this was a must have.

Lev’s Dawg: smoked kosher hot dog with chipotle mayo, fresh tomato salsa, grilled yellow peppers and american mustard on a steamed bun $12 + Southern Smoke: 12 hour smoked pulled pork sandwiches with bbq beans, apple and cabbage slaw and bbq sauce $12

We also tried some classics, the southern smoke’s still a winner with the beautifully tender pulled pork a dove tailed match to the apple and cabbage slaw. My face got a bit messy with the super soft damper bun but we all make do with life’s hardships.

Hot Wings: red hot chicken wings with celery and ranch dipping sauce $10

The hot wings have now made their way onto the permanent menu, they were adequately hot and salty but we were under the impression they were going to be fried wings speckled with chilli much like the ones at Norfolk so we were a bit disappointed. The chicken was overcooked and I had no idea what I was meant to do with the celery which became a bit of an after thought nibble once the wings were finished.

Ice Cold Guac: sweet avocado ice cream with strawberry salsa and waffle chips $10

I liked the idea of the Ice Cold Guac and was bemused by the idea of “Mexing” up the dessert with some waffle chips and strawberry salsa. Although the taste was quite decent the serving was rather small and the iced avocado too hard.

Peanut Butter n Jelly Sandwich: peanut butter ice cream with toasted brioche and strawberry jelly $10

Another entertaining reinvention, peanut butter and jelly cold sandwich with the jelly being a runny drizzle of strawberry sauce. This too I thought was on the small side and although not bad I probably wouldn’t order it again.

The Dip’s strengths lies in Levin’s barbecuing finesse with fantastically smokey burgers and delicious hot dogs. The team would likely benefit from hiring someone who has a bit more experience with desserts or maybe source their ice cream from the Messina boys who do a mean rendition of salty peanut.Having said that it’s a pretty chill place serving good dosh up til the wee hours and in a city like Sydney with limited supper venues we can only thank the Lord we’ve got the Dip.

Verdict
Totally no fuss and cheery food by an ex DJ cooking with a lot of love at this American style canteen. Although sometimes there may be a slight struggle with consistency (and I’m not a big fan of the desserts) it’s still hands down my number 1 choice when I’m in the city and looking for an easy late night feed. If the bacon and watermelon burger’s still lingering around on the specials board I’d recommend you give it a go. All the food requires you to dig in and get your hands dirty; just don’t come dressed in anything too nice or your dry cleaner might be a bit upset over the sauce stains.

The Dip @ Goodgod Small Bar
a. 55 Liverpool Street Chinatown
t. 9283 8792
e. do(at)thedip.com.au
w. thedip.com.au

Hinky Dinks

There’s something sexy about corruption – perhaps it’s the hedonistic boozing, politics & favours behind closed doors, beaded silk french dresses, violence in a tailored three-piece suit or the pungent pheromones from a stack of Benjamins. It may also be because I’ve been watching too much Boardwalk Empire and have a thing for Buscemi’s shrew 1920’s gangster politician and the lobster and scotch the debauched seem to be downing as they dance the night away at Babette’s Supper Club.

If it all sounds pretty dandy and you’re lamenting that time travel doesn’t seem to be a viable option how about you pay a visit to Hinky Dinks instead? The (almost) three-month old 50’s themed small bar is named after Michael ‘Hinky Dink’ Kenna a corrupt Chicago politician who, during the turn of the 20th century gave out meals in exchange for votes and kept close ties with gamblers, gangsters, prostitutes and pimps alike. His namesake bar though seems to share none of the shadiness but reflects the same cheeky attitude  (after all their motto is “Cocktails first. Questions later…”) and middle America pastel, wood and linoleum sheen.

Jenny and I turn up early on a Friday evening ready for some high end (i.e delicious cocktails) boozing, co-owner Dan Knight (ex Longrain) rushes to the door, flashes us a dazzling smile and welcomes us inside…that is as soon has he poses for a photo first.

We’re lucky and manage to snag the last corner spot in the lounge area and immediately start perusing the menu booklet whilst snacking on our complimentary popcorn.

We start off with something fresh: Jenny’s drawn to the idea of basil and honey in a cocktail whilst I instantly prick up at the sight of some potential elderflower liqueur.

Romolo 42: 42 Below Manuka Honey, fresh basil, organic apple, fresh lemon, egg whites $16

The cocktail arrives with a lone basil leaf floating on some foamy egg white, it’s light but still quite sweet with the basil lending the drink some depth.

Elderfashioned (House-aged cocktail rested in American oak barrels): Kentucky bourbon, elderflower liqueur, aromatic bitters with citrus garnish over block ice $18

I envisaged the combination of flower liqueur and American oak would provide a nuanced mild drink however I didn’t read the description thoroughly and only later realised that the Kentucky bourbon (which I dislike) makes up a large portion of the drink which turned out to be quite stiff. The scotch drinker of our group approved though and ordered another.

Pan-fried olive and Parmesan sandwich $8

The infamous sandwich arrived and the oil from pan and cheese seems to seep through the three golden triangles with the smear of tapenade and Parmesan holding it all together. It was heart-palpitating delicious and we savoured the beautiful marriage of Parmesan and olive until the last bite.

Chicken liver parfait with cornichons & sourdough toast $16

We’re also renown lovers of a good poultry liver pate and order the chicken liver pate. It arrives in a fair sized ramekin with a thick layer of butter and some pre-buttered toasty hot sourdough. We take turns slathering on a small mound of parfait onto the bread before downing it with gusto.

Hinky Fizz: In-house strawberry and prosecco sorbet, Bombay Sapphire, elderflower liqueur, peach bitters, grapefruit fizz $16

The squeal-worthy Hinky Fizz arrives in an ice cream cup with a generous scoop of sweet prosecco sorbet paddling around in a pool of sweet summery fizz.

Zombie: Silver, aged and OP rums, Luxardo, cinnamon syrup, fresh lime, passionfruit, grapefruit juice, absinthe flame $19 + Castaway Collins: Sailor Jerry Spiced, fresh pineapple, fresh lemon, pineapple juice, in-house pomegranate and cinnamon syrup, bitters, soda $17

I urged someone to order the Zombie since it’s meant to be killer potent (orders capped at two per person!) but it turned out to be quite sweet and fruity with the alcohol largely masked by the grapefruit juice. The Castaway Collins is also an easy one to down with the pineapple juice dominating.

(Left to right, top to bottom) Dinky Five-O: Pisco, fresh lemon, in-house Five-O syrup, fresh berries, ginger beer $16 + The mint green bar + Gin ‘n’ Jam: Bombay Sapphire, Aperol, in-house rose-petal jam, fresh lemon, cranberry bitters, egg whites $17 + Extra popcorn $5

The Dinky Five-O was a happy drink with little seeds from the fresh blackberries levitating within the ginger beer but the Gin ‘n’ Jam though was amazing: the floral notes of the home-made rose petal jam providing a touch of sweet elegance.

Fried squid with aioli $16

I’ve read complaints that the squid would be too pale but found I really enjoyed them this way. The thinness of the batter allowed the taste of the squid to shine through and the addition of parsley and basil was a stroke of genius. I would seriously like to request all fried items from now on in to include a toss of fresh herbs to lighten the grease load.

Chocolate mousse $10

One of the team has an insatiable sweet tooth and couldn’t resist finishing off with some chocolate mousse which arrived in a wide-brimmed tea cup. All of a sudden everyone started making googly eyes at each other so I dipped my spoon in as well…my, who’d have thought a chocolate mousse could be this good! Little specks of chocolate hiding at the bottom amongst a thick swathe of rich chocolate cream which tastes so luxurious without being overly milky.

The well-considered cocktails of co-owner and award-winning bar tender Jeremy Shipley (ex Longrain, Guillaume at Bennelong) coupled with some seriously indulgent nibbles designed by Laif Etournaud of ONDE means we found it hard to leave. Languishing on the couches and watching the Kings Cross locals stagger by we saw groups come and go however we couldn’t part until we finished every last morsel. To leave something so good unfinished would be criminal.

The Verdict
A blend of cute, quirk and cool Hinky Dinks is a downright cosy spot to while away the evening. I’ll definitely be back to try more of Shipley’s cocktails with some meatballs and croquettes. The one downer might be that so much deliciousness can come at a price however since our last visit they’ve launched a live site and published some good value specials. They now have a happy hour which runs from 5-7pm daily with a selection of cocktails going for only $10 a pop and the must-try Parmesan & olive sandwich going for only $6. Uh oh, now you’ve got no excuse.

Hinky Dinks
a. 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst
t. 8084 6379
e. info(at)hinkydinks.com.au
w. www.hinkydinks.com.au

Freda’s

Despite my best efforts it’s been a bit difficult to find a time to visit Freda’s since it’s not located near many other drinking establishments except the Abercrombie so for now we’ve settled for popping by for lunch instead.

Even after some online sleuthing it took us a few moments to find Freda’s. The entrance is nondescript, a single green blackboard hangs on a gate listing a couple of daily offerings and a chalk drawn arrow pointing down the long empty driveway. We bump into a waitress who leads us down and through an opening; we step inside eyes adjusting to the cool darkness and tungsten lit space within.

The three amigos Simon Cancio (ex Sean’s Panorama, Onde, Luxe and Bourke Street bakeries), Ibrahim Kasif (ex Fish Face) and Marty Campaign (ex el Coctel) have taken over this 100 year old site and upped the charm to provide a sleek drinking hole. There’s something about warehouses which seem super awesome or maybe it’s just a personal penchant for exposed beams, bricks and industrial chic but the space just feels NYC cool.

Large Cappuccino $4.50

The two of us settle down at the window bay and are handed a single page drinks menu. I’ve yet to have my caffeine hit so played it safe whilst Jen is keen to sample the daily juice.

Daily Juice: Watermelon with Mint $4

Campaign delivers this tall glass to our table, it’s refreshing and visually intense with the added flourish of a mint sprig making it appear more like a cocktail.

The food can vary daily, the short chalkboard menu lists sandwiches and salads but we were adamant about trying the slow roasted pork sandwich. Noticing our indecision regarding salad choice (I’m failing to make all the tough decisions) the waitress suggested that she could serve a half and half: my face lit up at this compromise, it’s a fantastic solution and I lamented that not everyone could offer me half and half of everything in life.

Salad of cauliflower, quinoa, broad beans and fennel + Salad of sugar snap green bean, broccoli, hazelnut and orange vinegarette $10

Our pretty plate of greens arrive and Jen notes it’s really fresh and delicious. I love their creativity in mixing beans with hazelnuts but would say my preference lies with the cauliflower and broad bean combination. They didn’t overdo it with the quinoa which added a beautiful texture without trying too hard (unlike some other chefs, guys please take note just because it’s the super food of the moment doesn’t mean you have to use it with everything) and I’m stoked to say it’s the best quinoa dish I’ve had to date.

Slow roasted pork shoulder with cabbage and salsa verde sandwich $11

But of course munchkins we were here for the slow roasted pork sando. The floury ciabatta made fresh that morning by Cancio is light yet has enough chew resistance, the pork shoulder meat tender and slathered with the salsa verde. It comes sliced and served with half a gherkin and two slices of radishes pickled with beetroot juice.

Little details: small chunks of roast pork, dessert spoon at the ready, second hand chairs, South American scenes and tapestry

Luckily we avoided potential disaster by sharing instead of ordering two sandwiches so we still had a small empty corner in our stomachs shaped like a slice of their cake of the day.

Orange cake $7

My eyes widen when we were presented with this cake slice, it was quite a generous serving and yet homely at the same time (I’m sure if my grandma wasn’t Asian she would bake me something like this). Sliding our forks in we mused over why there wasn’t any syrup but one taste and it was obvious: the cake was already exceptionally moist with small squares of orange peel folded through. They’ve also managed to keep the sugar content down and let the natural sweetness of the orange shine. We polished this off in moments and as Campaign walked past to ask us how our cake was he laughed when he noticed our spotless plate. Somethings are just too good and we thought it best not to leave any evidence behind.

The Verdict
This two week old small bar has yet to catch on big so you can still have a quiet soothing lunch with your mates and sip a summer juice before heading back to the studio. I confess to being a little disappointed that the pork to bread ratio wasn’t as luxurious as that of the photos posted on their Facebook page but it still tasted amazing with my friend pining for the sandwich hours later. I’m definitely keen to come back one evening to try a few cocktails while nibbling on some beautiful Iberian bar food.

Freda’s
a. 109 Regent Street Chippendale (walk down the driveway and there should be a door to your left)
t. 8971 7336
e. info(at)fredas.com.au
w. www.fredas.com.au