Give Tex-Mex a miss and get real
Get a taste of South America in Sydney and check out a new eatery in WA’s Swan Valley.
Hot in the city
Cartel bar and eatery, Sydney Garlic, cumin, chilli and the earthy undernote of an agave worm are not the usual flavours associated with a cocktail, but at Cartel, a new bar and eatery in Chippendale’s Kensington Street dining precinct, it works.
With a drinks list devised by renowned mixologist Grant Collins (the brains behind Sydney’s Gin Lane and Blossom Bar, and W Bali and Ku De Ta in Seminyak on the Indonesian holiday isle) and a menu by international head chef Arnolfo Raimondi (of nearby Olio, Eastside Bar & Grill and Gavroche), Cartel presents South American fare at its finest.
We begin the night with margaritas, delivered in a metal stand adorned with sparklers. With more than 50 tequilas and 60 mezcals on hand, the cocktail possibilities seem endless, however Grant tells us it’s all about the salt. The rim of each glass is expertly encrusted to work with the tequila, as a sip of the habanero-infused Fantasmia creation proves. The earthy sal de gusano (spiced worm salt) and Italian Taco-Taco seasoning balance the fire of the chilli.
When it comes to food, the focus is on authenticity. Forget Tex-Mex; you won’t find any cheese-laden dishes here. Hand-pressed tacos and Colombian empanadas are made in-house. The patacones con ropa vieja, a shredded beef dish, is richly flavoured with Cuban spices, while the Peruvian kingfish cevicheria comes alive in a citrus aguachile marinade. Dimly lit yet crackling with energy, Cartel evokes South America in all its cultural and culinary diversity.
Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday, from 11.30am until late.
EMILY KOWAL
Cool in the country
Sandalford Bar & Restaurant, Swan Valley, WA Once eschewed for the verdant but distant Margaret River wine region, the Swan Valley is an essential stop for any Perth visitor, thanks to new festivals, breweries and a distillery trail. Now there’s another reason to take the 30-minute drive from the city: to sample the new Sandalford Bar & Restaurant.
On a crisp autumn day, diners are sitting down to lunch under a canopy of vines and festoon lights on the patio at Sandalford Estate. Chef Alan Spagnolo is serving up carefully constructed pasta rotolo, Dardinup lamb rump and pizza from the giant Sicilian wood-fired pizza oven, a centrepiece inside the contemporary open-plan space, which, together with the fireplace, is likely to keep the room toasty once the winter chill kicks in. Vintage lamps, oak panelling and curved banquettes add to the ambience. DMG Architecture, which recently designed the nearby event space, has taken cues from the colour and texture palette chosen by Sibella Court.
Sandalford Estate is thinking big. The new restaurant and bar is stage two of the transformation, and there’s talk of accommodation to follow.
“We’re taking inspiration from MONA in Hobart,” Sandalford chief executive Grant Brinklow tells me. Behind him, more diners wander in from the adjacent cellar door. Over yonder they’re setting up for a festival concert at the outdoor amphitheatre. Established in 1840, Sandalford is one of the oldest vineyards in the Swan Valley. Its current 1840 range, utilising vines from the 1960s, complements the dishes, the Chenin Blanc pairing splendidly with the snapper crudo. The soul soundtrack carrying across the breeze, of the same vintage as the vines, adds to the experience.
ANDREA BLACK