American Express delicious. Month Out food specials in Surry Hills
From tiny doors along little laneways to massive courtyards on busy streets, there’s an American Express delicious. Month Out special food promotion around almost every corner in Surry Hills.
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THE WINERY
At the outdoor tables, underneath a canopy of trees and umbrellas, patrons linger over lunch and savour glasses of wine, enjoying life one sip at a time. It’s a lovely setting ideal for long lunches and evening drinks with friends.
True to its name though, this urban wine bar has an impressive selection of established labels as well as boutique vintners such as Unico Zelo, a label known for using native Australian ingredients in their vegan-friendly wines.
“For the American Express delicious. Month Out and as part of our summer Well Nights campaign, we have been putting a focus on Australian producers, like Adelaide Hills winemakers Brendan & Laura Carter, who are passionate about the environment and creating minimal intervention wines,” The Winery’s venue manager, Michael Gavaghan, says.
Throughout March, every Thursday, The Winery will host Unico Zelo wine tasting events. Come for a tipple then stay for their European-inspired dishes, and of course, another glass of wine.
— 285A Crown St, Surry Hills; thewinerysurryhills.com.au
THE DOLPHIN HOTEL
Don’t let the hotel moniker fool you as this nearly century-old Federation-style venue ain’t your pop’s place.
With Maurice Terzini (of Icebergs fame) at the helm, head chef Tom Deadlman and sommelier James Hird, the Dining Room with its Australian produce-driven menu has achieved hatted-status.
No longer dank and dusty, Terzini led a complete overhaul a few years ago, whitewashing the walls, adding funky graffiti-art, exposing vaulted ceilings that fill the ample dining space with natural light and of course, the kitchen.
“The overarching food philosophy of The Dolphin Hotel focuses on provenance driven modern Italo-Australian dishes,” Deadlman says.
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For the American Express delicious. Month Out, he has created a special dish he feels best represents that philosophy, marinated and lightly grilled scampi on a bed of spaghetti with lemon and XO butter sauce.
“The scampi itself, is MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified as sustainably caught and the dish as a whole is the perfect dish to showcase fresh Australian seafood prepared with an Italian influence,” he says.
Through to March 31, this dish along with a glass of Owen’s Big Orange wine is just $30.
— 412 Crown St, Surry Hills; dolphinhotel.com.au
NOMAD – ‘Up The Road’
From adversity comes strength and opportunity. When the original NOMAD Restaurant succumbed to flames late last year, it looked as if Surry Hills might lose a stalwart of its dining scene.
Still, with a stroke of serendipity and support from fellow establishments, NOMAD has temporarily moved ‘Up the Road’ into the former Long-Grain venue.
Minus their renowned wood-fire oven and cured meats, head chef Jacqui Challinor was tasked with re-inventing parts of their Middle Eastern-inspired menu that would satisfy their regular clientele and hopefully tempt other discerning diners.
Should you need extra incentive, weekdays through to March 31, as part of American Express delicious. Month Out, NOMAD will be offering Challinor’s signature roast spitchcock, za’atar flatbread, a share plate of her famous cannellini bean hommus topped with decadent cumin burnt butter and glass of NOMAD branded wine or beer ($49pp).
”The special menu is a few of our favourites, the things we love to eat,” Challinor says.
For those looking to add a few more flavours to the palette, order the roast cauliflower, currant escabeche and almond. The subtle sweet and tangy flavours truly complement the flatbread’s savouriness.
It’s a great deal, and one that she hopes will compel people to switch off the television, forego delivery and “just get out of the house. Even if you’re out by yourself”.
For those unaccustomed to solo dining, Challinor offers some advice: “Sit at the counter and start a conversation with someone. Or chat with the bartender. They’re great for that kind of thing.”
— 85 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills; nomadwine.com.au
NIKKEI BAR & RESTAURANT
In the late 19th century a new and novel cuisine began to develop as Japanese people migrated to the farms and coastal regions of Peru.
Its official term is Nikkei – meaning ‘Japanese people living outside of Japan’, but in layman’s terms, it’s referred to as Japanese Peruvian cuisine – the merging (not fusion) of the traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian ingredients.
Tina Wing Kee, co-owner of Nikkei Bar & Restaurant, Sydney’s only Japanese-Peruvian eatery, explains while the Japanese brought familiar flavours such as miso, ginger, soy, rice vinegar and more to Peru, their recipes and techniques were adapted to the otherwise unfamiliar ingredients such as corn, potatoes and chillies.
Wing Kee also tells a story about how the Peruvians didn’t eat squid or octopus, so the Japanese people thought it was fantastic that they found an abundance of such seafood.
To taste what all the fuss is about, March 10-14, mention American Express delicious. Month Out when booking and you’ll receive 25 per cent off the set menu which includes the likes of Hokkaido scallops; swordfish ceviche, Leche de Tigre, avocado, mango, onion, chilli, coriander; southern calamari, roast banana, fried egg, onions; beef short rib, miso garlic corn puree, pickled red cabbage and onion, and dulce de leche pudding for dessert.
— 216-226 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills; nikkeibar.com.au
BUTTER
Mmmm … doughnuts. Whether it’s a prelude to their glorious fried chicken – thick, crispy and oh so juicy or just flying solo, these doughy cinnamon rings are worth a visit on their own.
“Hot cinnamon doughnuts are the pinnacle of simplistic elegance that we embody,” chef and co-owner Julian Cincotta says.
“Just a big, fluffy doughnut ring, freshly fried to leave the outside with a crunchy texture, while the inside stays nice and fluffy. Then we gently roll them in our cinnamon-sugar mix that gives them the perfect balance of sweet and spice, crunch and airiness.”
Through to March 31, as part of American Express delicious Month Out, get a free hot cinnamon doughnut with every sandwich, three-, six- or boxed up purchase.
It’s such a tasty combination that you’re sure to return over the weekend for their bottomless brunch banquet with bottomless Chandon Blanc de Blanc.
— 6 Hunt St, Surry Hills; buttersydney.com.au
TOKYO BIRD
The entrance to this small yet intimate space, Surry Hills’ own bit of Japanese bar culture, is inconspicuously located along a back-alley laneway.
Inside it is rather dim, but not in a cloak-and-dagger way, rather, more like the way you’d flee from the blinding fluorescent lights of a 9-5 office building.
Happy chatter abounds with drinks and yakitori bites on every table. In front of the neatly lined-up bottles of whisky and sake is a bartender just waiting to work his magic. And as if you needed an excuse to imbibe, through to March 31, order any two drinks and be rewarded with a complimentary serve of edamame beans or lotus chips.
— Entry on Belmore Lane, 226-228 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills; tokyobird.com.au
DON’T TELL AUNTY
Welcome to a world of colours. Whether it’s the emerald blue velvet and vibrant pink decor, the vibrant hues of each dish or the gregarious chef and co-owner Jessie Singh, you know you’re in for an experience.
Singh explains that the food here is not so much traditional Indian food, but more indicative of his multicultural upbringing and world travels.
One such dish is the Papadi Chaat, a Southern California spin on a popular Indian street food snack. Made with plain flour chips, topped with chickpeas, potatoes, yoghurt sauce, tamarind chutney, pomegranate seeds, mint and coriander “salsa”, Singh has dubbed this one, Nachos of the Motherland.
Through to March 31, you’ll get 20 per cent off your food when you pay with American Express.
— 414 Bourke St, Surry Hills; donttellaunty.com.au
BARTOLO
There’s a small slice of northern Italy on Crown St, where Bartolo’s owner, Jerod Merlino, has refashioned the old Bills location to reflect his Italian heritage.
Named after his great-grandfather, Bartolo who emigrated from the Sicilian town of Lipari in 1910, this eatery is chic yet has a sense of home, particularly dishes that still use his grandmother’s authentic recipes.
Through to March 31, Bartolo will be offering a special set menu, bookable via TheFork. There are a limited number of spots, so be sure to book in early.
— 359 Crown St, Surry Hills; bartolosydney.com.au
CHIN CHIN
Go big or go home. That message is made abundantly clear first from the giant neon bunny ears at the entrance to this expansive former warehouse (Griffiths Tea).
The menu boasts generously-sized portions of dishes that are full of flavour.
“Chin Chin Sydney is all about celebrating great food and fun experiences, for everyone which is why we are putting the spotlight on the ‘Vego Feed Me’ menu for the American Express delicious. Month Out,” executive chef Graeme Hunt says.
Through to March 31, the vegetarian banquet menu is just $69.50 and $39.50 for the feast from the Yum Cha menu. (Exclusive to Saturday and Sunday lunch.)
— 69 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills; chinchinrestaurant.com.au