What do a bunch of foodies do on a Friday night in Sydney after a hard week of sipping the city’s best coffees and sampling decadent dishes in its best restaurants? Why, we all head out on another food adventure, of course! When food-obsessives get together to share their common passion for all that’s edible, it’s a free-for-all of tasting plates, camera angles, and Instagram frenzy. The venue for this culinary geek-out session is Mrs. Sippy in Double Bay and the place is alive in true Eastern Suburbs Friday night style.
The vibe is very “Double Bay”, as the music begins to spill from the trendy clubs and upscale eateries into the fashion lined streets. Mrs. Sippy sits in the heart of this pulsing blend and adds its own character to the mix. Mrs. Sippy at night offers up a spectrum of ambiance that ranges from relaxed al fresco and eclectic indoor dining, to a bustling bar atmosphere out the back. If you like a spot of people watching with your cuisine, this is the place, as the mix of environments draws a vibrant cross-section of dinners and dancers that lend a real electricity to the space.
Sitting across from the open kitchen with its imposing brick oven dominating, we settle into the tasting tour with a light aperitif, a Lemon Lychee Sgroppino. Light and effervescent, this perfect palate cleanser tickles the tongue with a tang of prosecco coupled with the essence of lychee. A plate of house marinated olives is a worthy companion to the Sgroppino.
With our bouche suitably amused, the chef draws us into his culinary kaleidoscope with a dainty Morten Bay Bug Slider. Biting through the light and crusty bun, the flavours of the bug mingle with a slice of tangy pickle accented with dill in a coalescing mayo base.
From bugs to fish, next up is a stunning Seared Tuna Crostini with aioli, capers, and sesame. Evoking memories of amazing sashimi had in Tokyo’s sushi bars, the tuna is clearly top quality and the crusting of sesame seeds provides a unique mouth feel. A slight hint of wasabi ignites the aioli, binding the flavours into a subtle and succulent sensation atop a crunchy rye crostini.
Always a huge fan of simple, well executed cooking fundamentals, the Coco & Vine team fell in love with the Wood Roasted Whole Chicken with charred baby leeks, celeriac, and tarragon. Coming to the table paired with an Ancient Grains Salad, featuring goats curd, beetroot mousse, and crunchy almonds, the chicken and salad couldn’t have done a better job complimenting each other. Personally, I could have eaten an entire bowl of the salad alone and left more than happy. It was that good!
So much of the menu has been carefully selected and house-made, that even the wine served between meals was a Mrs Sippy special. We tried the Mrs Sippy Pinot Noir and were pleasantly surprised at the robustness of flavour, with accented floral notes. Not a bad drop indeed!
Just in case one outstanding salad was not enough, Chef doubled-down and served up a Haloumi, Zucchini, Cauliflower, and Dukkah Salad bursting with flavour and textures that worked perfectly with the chicken as well.
With Chris, our server, expertly guiding us through the parade of palate pleasers, he delivers to the table a Morello Cherry Meringue that puts all our spoons at the ready. The homemade meringue combines a delightful crunch and satisfying chewiness as it supports a topping of house made cherry ice cream. Chantilly cream is bejewelled with shiny pomegranate seeds, and the whole dish is drizzled in berry coulis and topped with strawberries, raspberries and edible flowers. The meringue offers up a playful finale, to a what has been an inspired meal, in a lively and eclectic environment.
Mrs. Sippy brings together the elements of delicious casual dining and a vibrant social space to deliver an experience that appeals to foodies, families, and revellers alike.
*Coco & Vine dined as guests of Mrs. Sippy as part of a Zomato Meetup.
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