I have to admit to being a creature of comfort, especially when it comes to my food. I know what I like (or at least I think I do) and where I like it, so it's always an experience trying new spots! This time, the lovely Tina of Sydney Public Relations organised a blogger visit for us to Stain Cafe, a cozy, rustic find tucked away in modern industrial Lane Cove.
From the get-go, our maître d', Tasia, made us feel right at home with the Mocktail of the Day ($8) - a refreshing concoction of coconut, banana and lychee. Definitely yummy, but nothing too different from a great Boost Juice blend. I can never get past my love for seafood, so my entrée had to be the Chilli Octopus with Freekah, Parseley, Lemon & Lime ($16). The octopus was marinated and grilled well (those crunchy ends are the best bits!), and interestingly, had very much of a chunky, meaty bite to it. Flavours went well together; would definitely order again!
The Braised Lamb Shoulder with Tzatziki, Grilled Eggplant, Fetta & Broad Bean Salad ($32) came as the main, again braised perfectly to a melt-in-your-mouth texture. On the whole it was a very decent main, nothing too spectacular for me - but then again, I'm not the biggest meat lover AND to be fair, everything was probably a little overshadowed by the main star of the show... the Truffle Mash ($9). Guys, I've tried the truffle mash at Matt Moran's ARIA, and trust me when I say that this was on par, if not better. It was smooth, creamy, fragrant, and everything you could want in a potato mash. I would literally go back and have five serves as a main meal. Really. Not even joking.
To finish, we had the Rhubarb & Cracked Pepper Brûlée with Pistachio Lemon Biscotti ($13), and a little Lychee & Rosewater Gluten Free Cake ($7) (these GF sweets are the only items they pre-purchase - everything else is made from scratch in-house). I was actually very pleasantly surprised by the Brûlée - we didn't know what to expect with the cracked pepper pairing, but it worked like a charm. There was also a Poached Pear dessert on offer, but we were much too full by this point!
Overall, a lovely find with a relaxed family-friendly setting and just good, honest, delicious food. I'm often guilty of overeating when food is super yummy and this was no different. Aside from the uncomfortably large food baby that ensued, it was a fantastic experience & one I'd happily recommend.
Get the truffle mash, guys! TRUFFLE MASH.
x.