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Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Bavarian Bier Cafe on York, Sydney


Crackling roast pork belly $26.00
served with Granny Smith apple compote,
sauteed potatoes and red sauerkraut

Appearances can be very deceiving.

When our orders of crackling roast pork belly were first laid down at our table, I was already planning what I'd have for dessert. Veruca Salt and I were both starving. Ravenous. And it very much looked like a two-course dinner tonight.

"How do I cut it?" wailed Veruca, poking at the curved roof of crackling with a fork.

"Along the lines they've scored," I replied. "It's easy."

We both took different approaches. Whilst I carefully ate a mouthful of the pork (so moist, and juicy, and just-cooked so) followed by a carefully portioned sliver of crackling, Veruca Salt ate a few bits of crackling (with generous nodding and much mmmm'ing approval) before gently removing the entire piece and placing it to one side.

"Are you saving that for last?" I asked, with a knowing smile.

"Absoutely. I always save the best for last," she laughed.


Henkell Trocken Piccolo $2.00 on Thursdays 5pm-8pm
(normally $9.50)

Rhine Valley, Germany

Our congenial moods had been buoyed by our rapidly empyting piccolos of sparkling.

"Just two dollars?" I'd asked with some incredulity when the waitress told us of the $2 Thursday special.

"Yes, two dollars... but um, very small glass," she'd warned, leading us both to anticipate shot glasses of sparkling wine.

But, no, a piccolo is what arrives, which fills more than a small glass, more than a champagne glass in fact. Perhaps our German-sounding waitress had thought we'd be expecting a stein.


Sauerkraut $6.00

If we'd known the pork belly arrived with red sauerkraut we wouldn't have placed a side order of extra sauerkraut (I must have sauerkraut, Veruca had insisted).

Perhaps it is this extra mound of cabbage that pushes us over the edge, but we're both soon exhaling in that familiar "oh boy am I full but by jove I'm still gonna finish this meal".

We make our way through both sauerkrauts, the roast potatoes (interspersed with bits of crunchy bacon pieces), and the chunky apple compote. The pork is definitely the star attraction though, the pale flesh covered with a generous layer of milky-hued fat. The crackling shell is salty (perhaps a little too much) but earth-shatteringly crisp and very satisfying.

"I don't think I should have saved all this for last," whispers Veruca. "It's a little too much goodness all at once."

The only quibble? It's very very noisy inside with the post-work crowd echoing loudly in a cavernous bier hall with no insulation.

I'm rubbing my stomach when an order arrives next to our table, the unmistakable scent of chilli salt squid wafting over towards us. It's fried, and spicy, and somehow it makes me start drooling all over again.



Bavarian Bier Cafe on York
24 York Street, Sydney
(near corner of King Street)
Tel: +61 (02) 8297 4111

Monday to Friday from 10.00am till late
Saturday from 11.30 till late

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Bavarian Bier Cafe on O'Connell
Doma Bohemian Bier Cafe
Lowenbrau Keller, The Rocks
Mohr and Mohr, Surry Hills
Una's, Darlinghurst
Una's on Broadway, Ultimo
15 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 4/25/2007 10:53:00 pm


15 Comments:

  • At 4/26/2007 8:37 am, Blogger PiCkLeS said…

    this is exactly what i'm feeling like in weather like this....hm.. it's Thursday today I wonder if I can get Jacky to come with me.

     
  • At 4/26/2007 1:19 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Helen, it looks so yummy. I am going there tonite...

     
  • At 4/26/2007 2:46 pm, Blogger Unknown said…

    ooh yummy!
    i can't wait to go!
    i was quite disappointed with my lowenbrau dinner

    thanks for the review :)

     
  • At 4/26/2007 5:47 pm, Blogger Veruca Salt said…

    Woohoo, I can finally comment again.

    Anywho, the pork was sooo good wasn't it. Perfect balance of meat, crackling and sweet sweet fat!

    Sometimes, it does not pay to leave best til last. Crackling was way to salty by itself.

     
  • At 4/27/2007 6:12 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Eine kleine trocken! Das ist schone, ja? Pardon the hideous German!

     
  • At 4/27/2007 11:51 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    ohhh look at all the crackle... i can feel my heart stop just by looking at all that fatty goodness

     
  • At 4/27/2007 2:21 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I went there yesterday. I couldn't decide whether to order the Crackling Pork Belly or Bavarian Platter. I decided to take the Crackling, I struggled to cut lol but it was gooood. My mate was happy with his Bavarian Platter too. And $2 Piccolo was awesome.

     
  • At 4/27/2007 4:46 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Pickles - That's the best thing about winter... comfort food! lol

    Hi Lin - Excellent!

    Hi Lyn - I really enjoyed the pork knuckle from Lowenbrau. Sorry to hear your meal disappointed :(

    Hi Veruca Salt - Woohoo! Yes I think moderation is always the key. A little bit of crackling with everything, I say!

    Hi gobsmack'd - My German is even more atrocious. Babelfish says you think it's dry and preserved?

    Hi ChocolateSuze - Indeed. I think your heart may be in love. lol

    Hi Lin - Excellent. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. The piccolos are a fabulous bargain!

     
  • At 4/28/2007 5:41 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    "Mini trocken? How cute, no?" Babelfish needs lessons.

     
  • At 4/28/2007 11:32 pm, Blogger Unknown said…

    You should try Epoque in Cammeray, sister of Baroque in The Rocks. They have the best pork belly we've tried in Sydney (Rocks location doesn't do pork belly) and some great Belgian beers to boot! Also thanks for mentioning the Lovedale Long Lunch. We've just booked our tickets!

     
  • At 4/29/2007 2:10 pm, Blogger flexnib said…

    Ooo I'm pleased because this is one meal I've actually had (although it was at the Manly BBC) - and thoroughly enjoyed. I actually took the crackling off so that I could slice the meat, much to the bemusement of everyone at my table.

     
  • At 4/29/2007 8:11 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi gobsmack'd - I think I need lessons too :)

    Hi Amanda - I haven't tried Epoque or Baroque so thanks for the tip. And hope you enjoy the Lovedale Long Lunch too!

    Hi CW - Good choice wasn't it? Mmm... crackling...

     
  • At 6/12/2007 5:43 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Went there last week to give it a try - good recommendation! I didn't think I could face down the vast slab of pork you did, so I got the Bavarian Tasting plate. It was two sausages with sauerkraut; one(bratwurst?) with mash; a piece of roasted pork (slabette); and a few bits of mini-schnitzel.

    It was a Tuesday night, which means if you finish your schnitzel, you get a free schnapps to a very annoying ringing of cowbells. Lord help us.

    Very good value for CBD Sydney.

     
  • At 6/13/2007 9:42 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi mr_gimlet - Ahh yes, we had the $15 Tuesday night giant schnitzel at the Bavarian Bier Cafe on O'Connell. It was great!

     
  • At 9/24/2010 1:36 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I tried their passionfruit beer...soo refreshing :p

     

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