The Winery – Surry Hills

I have been dying to try Zushi for years (no really…..years!) so when Stud and I had nothing to do one Saturday I convinced him that lunch at Zushi what the perfect idea! Unfortunately when we arrived, it was closed.  Apparently they dont open for lunch on the weekends which is unusual to me as sushi is definitely a lunch time thing. Ok you can have it for dinner but I’d say business would still be booming at lunch, no?

We walked up and down Crown for about 20 minutes and when we had almost given up hope, I spotted a cute little café looking oasis not too far from where we were. Upon further inspection, I realised it was The Winery, another one on my hit list ever since I went to the Gazebo Wine Garden a couple of years back. It was around 12:30 and the balcony was quite dead so we asked for a table and were told to take our pick. Brilliant! As it was, it seemed like we got there just in time because after we arrived, people started pouring in (I’d like to think we started the trend but I’m pretty sure they all had bookings).

Our waiter was slightly quirky which Stud and I had a good giggle over. He had what Stud referred to as “a saunter” when he walked up to us. I took all my power not to laugh in his face. I didn’t . I thought perhaps he thought he was a little too cool for school but when he walked away or was just doing regular tasks inside the bar, he was walking normally so perhaps he turns this saunter on for the customers in hopes that he may fit in? Who knows, it was weird.

We ummed and ahhed over the menu for a little (whether or not to get the shared plates and share or get a main each and share) and settled on a main each with a hot chocolate (it was quite nippy outside and we had dressed according to the previous days weather, no to smart).

Our hot chocolates came out reasonably quickly and were really nice. I usually feel like a hot chocolate is something that’s quite easy to get right – that it until I have a bad one. This one was really nice.

Our mains came not too long after. I had ordered the Rosemary salted chicken salad with roasted beets, goat’s cheese & pecans while Stud went for the Sauteed Pumpkin and ricotta ravioli. Both looked impressive and as I’m not normally one to order chicken in a restaurant – I feel like I can whip up chicken any old day and its never massively impressive on the menu – I was really happy with my choice. I was also pretty excited to get stuck in to Stud’s!

The chicken was perfectly cooked – moist and tender and the salad it was surrounded by complemented it beautifully. Such a simple dish but done in a great way. I was about a third of the way through mine when Stud had food envy and asked to swap, and I wasn’t disappointed by his meal either.  I loved the way his was pan fried after cooking as it gave it a great crispyness. Stud wasnt sold.  Stud preferred mine to his and said that the “goats cheese is divine” and was pretty clear that he thought it made the meal, which didnt bother me too much as I was happy to eat either and continued on my merry way to devouring his food too haha.

As we were sitting there, Stud noticed a Ben and Jerrys sign outside the grocery next door so instead of eating dessert there, we stopped in at Thomas Dux on the way home and picked up some cookie dough ice cream, beetroot crisps, sourdough loafs, etc (you know, the basics lol) and decided to eat at home. Thomas Dux is now totally my new favourite place! Such fresh food, samples all over the store AND Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream.

We will definitely head back to the winery. We might even be adventurous and try the wine lol. It’s a great place for big groups as well and I fell in love with the décor. So cool and perfect for a day sitting in the sun!! The one thing I would say is that the lunch menu is quite limited. The shared menu is extensive but there’s only five mains.  I also didnt understand why when Stud asked if he could have mash instead of fries with the steak, the waiter said no however they do it with mash on the dinner menu. Oh well, we’ll just have to come back for dinner

Tags: lunch, review, Surry Hills