Satellite will keep you in orbit

Satellite
80 Wilson Street
Newtown
02 9557 8698

Reviewer: Beck

Sunday mornings should be spent in quiet spaces where the only thing that gives you a jolt out of your hangover is a good, strong coffee. Not so in Satellite, where James Brown not only gets on up from the hi-fi, but also from every glass and concrete surface of the room. As do the ever-escalating voices of the clientele as they try to be heard by the person sitting 30cm away from them.

Even though the folks at Satellite have done good work at arranging a very ‘Newtown’ space – a homely open plan kitchen and seating area – it needs a soft surface. Maybe a rug. Or a carpet. Or an upholstered chair. Every noise feels like it’s chattering and rattling triple-fold through my delicate psyche. It’s probably not the perfect time to start thinking about the contents of this review.

However a well-timed delivery of coffee and lemon mint frappe puts me in a better mood. It comes out lickety-split, which is lucky really because the food doesn’t. Satellite is chock-full to the hilt of Newtown’s finest, but when the food comes out 30 minutes later it is lukewarm. How does that work?

And while I’m on my soap-box, when I politely request some salt I am waved away by the waiter who points to a pinch bowl full of Saxa table salt. What the…? Is it 1950??

Despite their temperature and the prospect of a cooking-salt-induced infarction, the dishes are actually rather good. I’ve chosen the French omelette with smoked salmon, ricotta, caper pesto and caramelised onion. The rye bread is as thick and chewy as it should be, but I’m interested to note that the relationship between capers and caramelised onion is much like that of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger – odd.

My breakfast pals have chosen the house baked-beans and the fried potatoes. House baked-beans are deliciously rich and complex with big Italian flavours. Fried potatoes (a fancy sort of hash) are by far the winner – sliced baked potato, kalamata, fresh parsley, lemon slices and cannelini beans fried together, glossed with extra virgin and served on that wonderful rye. An inspired dish.

In all, Satellite’s food is great, but it’s a place I’d suggest is suitable for taking socially sheltered relatives or friends that you don’t really have the desire or energy to converse with. Otherwise make sure you take earplugs and a good book – you’re likely to get through a few chapters.

Yay for Yulli’s: the vegetarian crowd pleaser

Yulli’s

417 Crown Street, Surry Hills

(opposite The Clock Hotel)

Phone: 9319 6609

Reviewers: Jess & Beck

Between us, we are unfairly stacked with vegetarians – lovers, friends and family. We even have vegans in our midst. Given our proclivity for succulent meaty goodness, we think we’ve done more than our fair share of hogging at the troughs of unidentifiable root vegetable stews and lukewarm nut loaves.

So it is with an under-hyped sigh that we present ourselves at Yulli’s for a birthday dinner for 20 guests.

Turns out Yulli’s is a cool new addition to the Sydney small bar scene. The long, low-lit terrace starts with casual indoor dining and a bar at the front and stretches to heated courtyard seating at the rear. Astroturf is an amusing outdoor accent, as is the quirky choice between Pac Man and Space Invader toilets.

Momentarily mollified by the great atmosphere and thoughtful wine list, we suddenly remember we’re here to eat vegetarian food and so instinctually assume the stance of crouching carnivores ready to howl with indignation at the first sign of a limp carrot.

But rather quickly the lack of faux-hemians, Hare-Krishna cookbooks and bain maries brings on a shared dawning that Yulli’s is actually one of a rare breed of vegetarian restaurant aspiring to something more than a laxative effect.

From a usual ’meat-etarian‘ point of view the menu is a mixed bag – but when the food is good, it’s very, very good. Salty pan-fried haloumi is demolished with predictable vigour, as are crispy spring rolls. Beck’s stand-out favourite is the super gingery, slippery and very authentic ginger and leek dumplings with soy and plum sauce. Jess’s is the flaming hot build-your-own baby burritos with a sprig of fresh coriander for added ‘arriba!’.

The table of 20 is served at a perfect pace, with food a plenty. Each dish inspires enough enthusiasm to create competition with the last. A snaffled portion of Pad Thai linguine (‘vego posh’ gone wrong – stick with noodles please), and the haloumi pizza (smothered in dressed rocket – the perfect acidic foil for all that yummy oily cheese) are all consumed with boozy appreciation.

On the dessert front the news is all good. The warm chocolate brownie is sexual and fluffy. The cheesecake almost criminally decadent.

Overall Beck thinks the food is pretty darn good given that there’s no skin in the game. Jess wonders if all that pepper is hiding something. But we both agree that the booze selection is inspired. So for good measure we end the night by washing the lot down with a third bottle of champers, which we agree is impressive work for a school night.

All in all Yulli’s is a great laid-back all-rounder that really does seem to have the ability to please everyone. It has a wanker-free vibe, and welcome lack of hard-sell on alternative lifestyles.

Go there. Take your mates.