Sydney Foodblogger Meetup: Night Noodle Markets and Sugar Hit #4: Sofitel Wentworth

"Oh my god, that's just toooooooo gorgeous!" cooed a gushing Julia, as she peered a little closer at the camera viewing screen.

"And ohhh," she flicked to the next image, "that is even more adorable!"

Rebecca, who was beside her, puffed ever-so-slightly with pride and it was at that exact moment that I beamed with relief and toe-tingling glee; for it wasn't a series of baby photos that Julia was admiring but multiple-angled food photos that Rebecca had taken of her lunch at Becasse earlier that day.

And that's the great thing about meeting other foodbloggers. You know that these are kindred spirits, foodie friends who just get it.


Oysters with lychee salsa from Bungalow 8

So on the second last day of the night noodle markets, I met up with ten Sydneysiders in the name of food: Anna, Emily, Jacky, Jen, Julia, Kathryn, Nicky, Ben, Tiff and Rebecca. Once pleasantries were exchanged, it felt like we'd been friend forever, and noone said a thing when cameras were discreetly whipped out for solemn photos of dinners about to be eaten.

The noodle markets seemed busier than ever, and our table on the grass near the trees was an idyllic setting. Usually I've eaten at the scattering of tables near the Archibald Fountain, but sitting in the grassed area amongst a crowd of fellow noodlers, with their gentle hubbub of conversation and random comings and goings, was much more sociable and community-like.


Noodle boxes from Yai


Cha gio spring rolls

For dinner I chose the Northern style pork sausages from Banana Blossom. During week one of the markets, this retailed at $9 and was artfully plated as a sample demonstration like this:


Northern style pork sausages from Banana Blossom
with crispy sticky rice balls and spicy pickled green papaya

As I noticed in week two, market forces seemed to drive a price drop to a more reasonable $7, so I was keen to make this dish my third dinner of choice at the night noodle markets, spurred primarily by my fascination with the crispy sticky rice balls.


Northern style pork sausages from Banana Blossom
with crispy sticky rice balls and spicy pickled green papaya
$7 in week three

The little noodle bucket with wire handle was the perfect handbag for trotting back to our table. Sadly the price drop had necessitated a reduction in dish components--one large lettuce leaf, one crispy rice ball, two pork sausages and a mere sneeze of papaya salad.

Pork sausages were classic Thai-style: juicy with succulent globules of fat, and sweet with the taste of sugar, garlic and chilli spices. The green papaya was light and refreshing with crisp firm strips doused with dressing, but I found myself pining for the traditional green papaya salad with chunks of snake bean, tomato, mashed bits of shrimp, a sprinkle of peanuts and lots of chilli.

And the crispy sticky rice ball? Heaven. A spiky porcupine of glutinous rice, deep-fried to a sunkissed tan. Crunchy exterior gave way to a chewy mass of starchy goodness: a glorious combination.

The wait for our planned Sugar Hit seemed to take interminably forever. 9 o'clock is a terribly long way away when it's only 7.30 and all you're thinking of is dessert.



Eventually six of us made it to the Sofitel Wentworth, and thank goodness we had a booking, as we watched the lobby swell with a throng of desperate sugar-holics.


Brown Brothers botrytis riesling

Earlier we had bumped into a staff member wheeling a huge two-metre high trolley of assembled Sugar Hits, all plated, garnished and ready to go. This military precision soon made sense as we looked around and realised that the bar was full by ten past nine.


Photograph. Then eat.

Cameras abounded (surprisingly discreetly as six cameras were furtively positioned) as photos were taken of wine glasses, table decorations, and of course our dessert.


Chocolate assiette - a tasting plate of white chocolate creme brulee,
Valrhona bitter chocolate parfait and praline,
and a berry and milk chocolate terrine

There was but a gentle murmur for the first few minutes as we each delved spoons into various desserts. There was comparisons on consumption priority: whether people ate the best bits first, or saved the best for last, and everyone agreed that the raspberries on our plates were the hairiest we'd ever seen.

The white chocolate creme brulee was thick and creamy, decadently rich and protected by a thin crackle of toffee. In the middle of the plate was the terrine, a shot glass layered with chocolate mousse and a puddle of berry coulis. To the right was a petite square of Valrhona bitter chocolate parfait and praline, dense and sweet.

After some very serious deliberation over which dessert had triumphed, the panel was divided equally between the creme brulee and the milk chocolate terrine. This didn't stop any of us finishing every mouthful and scraping our plates clean of the decorative chocolate swirl.

Of course there were notes swapped on the perils of being a foodblogger: "Some of my friends just don't understaaaaaand" and "It drives my partner nuts when I insist on taking a photo of our dinner before he's allowed to eat". At one point Julia said to me, "This is just so fantastic. It's like... I've finally found my tribe, you know?"

I simply smiled and replied "Welcome home".


Sydney foodbloggers

The Good Food Month Night Noodle Markets have concluded for 2006.

Sugar Hit at the Sofitel Wentworth is available 9pm-11pm every night in October.

Sofitel Wentworth
61-101 Phillip St, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9228 9157

Cost: $15

More Sugar Hits available here

Tagged with: gfm06


Related GrabYourFork posts:
GFM 2007: Sugar Hit #2 at the Sofitel Wentworth
GFM 2007: Sugar Hit #1 at the InterContinental Sydney

GFM 2006: Good Living Growers' Markets
GFM 2006: Hats Off dinner at Becasse
GFM 2006: Night Noodle Markets Week 3
GFM 2006: Night Noodle Markets Week 2
GFM 2006: Night Noodle Markets Week 1
GFM 2006: Spring Picnic
GFM 2006: Sugar Hit #4 at the Sofitel Wentworth
GFM 2006: Sugar Hit #3 at the Intercontinental Sydney
GFM 2006: Sugar Hit #2 at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
GFM 2006: Sugar Hit #1 at the Park Hyatt Sydney
GFM 2006: Sydney Food & Wine Fair


GFM 2005: Good Living Growers' Markets
GFM 2005: Night Noodle Markets
GFM 2005: Spring Picnic
GFM 2005: Sydney Farmers' Market
GFM 2005: Sydney Food & Wine Fair

GFM 2004: Twilight Trail: Cocktails and Sugar Hits