I think I just ate a rabbit's ass

It was one of those awesome occasions where me, Smiz and Hollywood caught up for dinner.  We had initially decided on heading to El Loco for some tacos and margaritas but then decided on El Capo.  I had read some great reviews on El Capo and thought it would be great to give it a go.

I got a mandarin margarita which was actually pretty nice.  Whilst waiting for the Smiz to arrive we ordered some starters and we also got given a serving of these weird pop-corny kernals that had some sort of salty seasoning on it.  Imagine eating an oversized corn kernal that was hollow.  Weird and not my favourite but yet I couldn't stop eating it.

Our starters came, corn bread with 'home made butter'.  Not sure if it was really home made but it was tasty, I do love my butter, though I didn't think much of the corn bread which were pretty much like deep fried balls of flour.

The other dishes we ordered were passable, such as the sardines, ceviche and red cabbage salad.

We ordered the rabbit cooked three ways and we were all very excited about it as it sounded fantastic.

I was the first one to try and initially I thought it was just me.  I didn't really like it, but I didn't want to ruin it for everyone so I didn't say anything.  I tried the soup that was poured around the meat when it was served.  It was gross, I think that would be the best way to describe it.

Smiz did one better though and said "this tastes like a rabbit's ass"

Now that I think about it I wish we were more vocal about the dish when we were asked how our meal was, but all we said was that it was 'interesting'.

The night ended perfectly though.

We walked over to Porteno for cocktails and ended up ordering more food.  It was only from the bar menu but it was definitely delicious and we all sighed in satisfaction as we ate our pork sliders and looked at the menu to order more food.  

So it was a thumbs down for El Capo or El Crappo as I now call it, I am not sure what all the rave reviews were about.

One thing we can all agree on though and that is Porteno, absolutely amazing, I always love heading back there, for a drink, bar food and looking forward to heading there for another dinner sometime soon.

I am trying to get a date in with my foodie buddies so I am hoping so in the next few months.

Yours truly

Miss A.

Not so good Thai food

If I could nominate one cuisine in abundance in Sydney, I would say Thai.

There are the creme de la creme with the likes of Chat Thai and Spice I Am, and then there are the nice and passable ones, edible and ok if you are stuck for a place to eat or on a budget.  Places like Thai Lemon Grass, Best Thai or notable chains such as Thairrific all pass and normally get the tick of approval.

However...

Last night on recommendation from a few peeps, I went and had Thai at my local pub.  The Pad Thai was quoted as "amazing", the pork belly "is just delicious", and the Thai food there is just "gorgeous".

So I ditched the gym, felt a little guilty as I had only went once this week but shrugged it off as I would be walking from Redfern station to home, en-route the pub - which will take all up around thirty minutes.

I was tossing up either the soft shell crab or pad thai, and decided on a pad thai with a side of crab and prawn spring rolls.

The food came out in less than ten minutes and I was impressed.

The spring rolls had a little furry texture around it, makes me think they were deep fried in a pastry not usually used for spring rolls, I have had something like this before so I wasn't alarmed.  But it tasted weird, it didn't taste like crab or prawn but a weird mush of something I couldn't quite put my finger on.  The dipping sauce was as thick and sweet as jam with an oniony consistency that stuck to the insides of my teeth.  Not impressed.

The pad thai had massive wedges of capsicum and onion in it and even though the noodles were cooked correctly, the sauce was sweet, sticky and I am positive it had been cooked with tomato sauce.

There is no other way to describe it but it actually was pretty gross.  Someone ordered chicken and cashew and it came out drowned in a sauce concoction that looked just like watery oyster sauce.  I tasted half a spring roll that was vegetarian and was glad I didn't take the whole lot.

Overall a major disappointment.  I walked home sulking, feeling sick and kicking myself for not going to the gym then buying mince pork at the supermarket for a nice home cooked meal of steamed pork, topped with coriander and freshly cut chilli on a bed of rice.  That would have cost me around $5 not the $27 that I spent at the dodgy Thai joint.

I went home and microwaved popcorn to make me feel better, watched half an episode of Sons of Anarchy and went to bed sulking, feeling totally sick in the guts.

Yours truly,

Miss A.