Italians just want to welcome people, however simple, in abundance

"IN SURRY HILLS ONE GUY IS REINVENTING THE IDEA OF THE EVENING MEAL BY OPENING HIS SPACE FOR A WEEKLY GATHERING OF FRIENDS & STRANGERS. SO GRAB YOURSELF A SEAT, PASS THE WINE & PITCH IN BECAUSE THIS IS NEIGHBOURHOOD DINING AT IT'S VERY BEST. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NORMAL RESTAURANTS IN SYDNEY. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM"

Decantered wine is poured, fresh bread ready for olive oil dunking as a group of old friends find seats at the long table. A live guitarist provides ambiance as we share abundant, wholesome, grandmother-worthy food, swap seats as the evening progresses and make ourselves at home.

Recreating the dining experience of any large Italian family, Table for 20 provides a home away from home where the food is hearty, the owners and staff are friendly and the wine is plentiful. For those who have been living under a rock for the past few years, Table for 20 was one of Sydney’s first concept dining experiences. Despite its popularity (large group bookings must be made months in advance), it thrives on the personal touch and passion of its owner – Michael Fantuz.

He personally welcomes us to dinner and stays for a chat, describing a childhood of large European households where food was shared, people were everywhere and memories were created. The love of the job is evident in the attention to detail, the genuine warmth of the staff as they take your coat and invite you to Sticky Bar upstairs while waiting for a table – as if they are inviting you into their home. 

Michael Fantuz welcomes us to dinner

The three set courses change daily, and ten percent of the proceeds go to the Hope Street Mission, a local charity that provides services to homeless people. Hidden in a Surry Hills alley, passion for family and community, personality and originality characterise this well known but hard to find gem. 

Michael tells us of his plan to open a Buffalo Mozzarella bar in Darlinghurst, a trend that has taken off in New York, Tokyo and Milan. Despite the niche appeal of the concept, if the new venue has the energy, character and authenticity of Table for 20, it may be worth getting your booking in now – before the rest of Sydney catches on.

TABLE FOR 20
3C Set menu
+ Mum's Limoncello
BYO wine only - no corkage
Or drink mine
Live music every night
$70 Wed,Thurs,Fri&Sat
Functions available for Sat
Legs under the table for dinner by 8pm
182 Campbell St, Surry Hills
SUMMER @ STICKY
Sticky Bar open from 5.30pm

Cafe Dov

Potts Point.  The postcode 2011 is synonymous with trendy, urban cafes, hidden streets and discerning customers.  With new cafes opening faster than one can say (and spell) skim-soy-decaf-mochachino, an establishment has to offer something special to ensure fickle customers aren’t enticed by the shinier or shabbier furniture down the next alley.

Visiting Café Dov for a ladies lunch, a full house indicates that they’ve found an effective formula to ward off the competition and keep the crowds loyal. Despite a bustling dining room, the staff go out of their way to be friendly, shuffling the tables like magicians to create somewhere for us to sit.

A creative menu, seasonal and local produce and a buzzing atmosphere, Café Dov has raised the bar for café competition in Potts Point.   A couple of menu highlights...

Cafe Dov chicken salad

Corn fritters with spinach, poached egg and tomato relish

Baked ricotta with poached rhubarb, apple puree and fresh strawberries

Drake the Amazing + La Dispute; Darlinghurst Theatre Co

'It is my duty to entertain you'

‘It is my duty to entertain you’ Andrew Johnston solemnly announces, the velvet red curtains framing the stage as he looks forlornly at the audience.  Playing the role of Astor, Johnston opens the first short play featured within a double bill by playwright Andy Hyman.

Drake the Amazing, the dramatic journey of a dramatic monologuist is an engaging, witty and fun enactment of a travelling vaudeville theatre in 1917.  The black and white backdrop sets the scene for the stereotypical comedic characters of the early 1900s.

Spiced with romantic tension, pathos and sharply delivered dialogue, Drake the Amazing is pure fun and entertainment that leaves the audience smiling.  Kate Skinner stands out as the spicy Claudette, the driver of Alden Drake’s quest to challenge the audience and get the girl.  The banter between Drake (Scott Sheridan) and Astor is joyful to watch, and the half-deaf Neilson (Nicholas Papademetriou) has the audience laughing out loud.

Actress Kate Skinner (centre) and friends

La Dispute, the second half of the double bill, has a quirkier, more absurd take on reality.  Raising complex questions about the inherent inclination of the sexes towards fidelity – or lack thereof – it plays out the results of a strange human experiment that provides compelling entertainment. Despite being reasonably well executed and fast-paced, the play was a strange choice to follow the humorous theatrics of Drake the Amazing.

Billed as uproarious comedy, it was amusing and interesting but didn’t go far enough in either direction to be thought provoking or hilarious.  The assumptions of the gender based stereotypes based on the experiment were slightly jarring and lacked depth – with women proving to be bitchy and men ‘matey’.  The script didn’t do justice to the cast full of talented actors, who didn’t seem to be stretched as those in the first bill.

Small and local, the Darlinghurst Theatre Co. has staged over 120 shows since 2001 and prides itself on encouraging people to discover the power of live theatre and its possibilities.  Despite missing some elements in La Dispute, the double bill delivers enjoyable and intimate entertainment that succeeds in taking the audience on a fun journey of discovery.

Sal Giblin and Scott Thomas...'loved both shows'

Drake the Amazing + La Dispute is showing at Darlinghurst Theatre Company until 14 August 2011.

Darlinghurst Theatre Company
19 Greenknowe Avenue
Potts Point 2011
Tickets were provided to Lifeafterfive by OurDeal, who featured an offer for two tickets for $39.

WIN 2 x tickets to Departure Lounge at Piano Room - BRAZIL

This competition has now closed and winners have been contacted. Thanks for entering!

We are giving away a double boarding pass to Departure Lounge at Piano Room on 11 August, thanks to our friends at OurDeal.

Tantalise the travel bug lurking beneath the surface without the hassle of passports, immunisations and airport taxes.

Lifeafterfive* embraced the spirit of Africa at Departure Lounge's Zimbabwe event at Piano Room a few weeks ago.  This is your opportunity to venture to Brazil on 11 August for cocktails, dancing and tasty food.

Transforming into the departure lounge of a different country each week, the event is an initiative by the foodies and fashionistas behind Eat Drink Play and Fashion Palette. 

To win a double boarding pass to Departure Lounge on 11 August 2011, please leave a comment with your favourite Sydney winter survival strategy.

For an extra entry, link to this competition on twitter (and cc @lifeafterfive) or your own blog and let us know.

Don't forget to include your email address or twitter name so that we can get in touch to give you your prize!

Entries close at midnight Friday 5 August 2011.

El Circo at Slide

As Water for Elephants has reignited our passion for circuses, El Circo brings the dream of big-tops and sparkles to the dining table, creating a magical performance complete with fantastic acrobatic feats, live singers, and theatrical flair. 

A unique and creative experience which combines a nine course degustation with nine breathtaking circus acts, El Circo at Slide takes French cabaret to distinctly original new heights.   Fabulously buxom hostess Maxi Shield (all natural darrrrrling) introduces each course as though it is an act in itself, with unusual highlights including virtual buttered popcorn (described as food aromatherapy) and chawa muchi – Japanese steamed egg. 

Maxi Shield prepares the Virtual Buttered Popcorn

The nine courses include a range of entrees, a provocatively presented braised lamb shank as main course, and three divinely indulgent desserts. 

In between each course, the crowd is treated to a variety of sensual, dramatic performances, intertwined with an element of comedy.  A juggler dazzles the crowd with his skill, a top-hatted gentleman serenades a pole dancer in a French as she performs gravity defying stunts, and a lady pulled ‘reluctantly’ onto the stage by Maxi Shield bursts into song.

The crowd is spellbound as a double trapeze act twists, splits and dances precariously above our heads, and entertained as a male bellydancer invites some talented brides-to-be to perform with him on stage. 

The audience – “so many new faces of old people” says Maxi Shield – is an eclectic mix of ages and occasions, including hens’ parties, a 50^th birthday, an engagement dinner and a 21^st.  All are wrapt in the interactive experience, which demands participation from the crowd.  The gaiety and entertainment inherent throughout El Circo makes it the ideal night for a memorable celebration. 

Talented bride-to-be impresses the crowd with her bellydancing

Maxi Shield surprises the crowd in a slinky number with the final act – a hilarious rendition of Stars on 54’s “If you could read my mind”, before inviting guests onto the dance floor.   Inspired by a night of poles, silks and circus acts, the stage is soon full of revellers of all ages twirling to ‘Girls just wanna have fun’.

A sensational, mesmerising experience with shimmering performances, El Circo at Slide is a brilliant, one-of-a-kind concept that surprises, entertains and delights.   While Benzini Brothers may have crashed in 1931, the El Circo train is worth jumping one Saturday night.

El Circo is on every Saturday night at Slide - 41 Oxford St.

$99 includes 9 course degustation and 9 circus acts

WIN 2 x tickets to 'Drake the Amazing + La Dispute' at Darlinghurst Theatre Co

This competition has now closed and winners have been contacted.  Thank you for entering!

We are giving away 2 x double passes to see live comedy 'Drake the Amazing + La Dispute' at Darlinghurst Theatre Company, thanks to our friends at OurDeal.

Awarded four stars by TimeOut, Fringe Review and Three Weeks.  Laughter is said to be the best stress release, and this razor sharp comedy will have you laughing off the daily grind from start to finish.

To enter, please add a comment telling us your favourite post-work stress release.

Don't forget to include your email address or twitter name so that we can get in touch to give you your prize!

Entries close at midnight Monday 18 July 2011.

DRAKE THE AMAZING + LA DISPUTE by Andy Hyman

"A tantalising double bill by writer, Andy Hyman; two sharp comedies exploring love, lust and transformation.

Drake The Amazing is a shamelessly comic, fast-paced look at a forgotten age – a love letter to vaudeville theatre. Legend persists that one Autumn night in 1911 Alden Drake, an otherwise unremarkable actor, became the best in the business. How did he get there? And who helped him? A laugh-out-loud tale of love in the wings and one man’s transformation from plain-old Alden into Drake The Amazing.

La Dispute traces a chaotic journey through the joys and devastations of romantic love. Marivaux’s original tale is brilliantly re-told for the 21st century. On the eve of a grand party, a wealthy man invites guests to witness a long-awaited experiment to determine which sex is less faithful, man or woman? Two boys and two girls raised in isolation for twenty years are about to meet for the first time. From the giddiness of first romance to the pangs of betrayal, witness a tantalising experiment in love and desire."

8pm Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm Sunday between 20 July - 3 August.

The Divine Miss Bette

“Layyyyy-dees and germs! We are falling into a vat of vulgarity!” announces the sequin clad femme fatale on stage to an appreciative crowd.  Channeling a sexy version of Bette Midler (think Midler in her younger heyday), Catherine Alcorn delivers the hilarious so-called “vulgarity” between songs that range from bluesy ballads to comedic rock.

At the Sydney opening of The Divine Miss Bette (having sold out to crowds in Melbourne), we rediscover the art of cabaret at Slide Bar in Darlinghurst.  Charismatic performer Catherine Alcorn has created a winning combination with a spectacular voice, addictive stage presence and bawdy banter with the crowd.  Reminiscent of the Palace Theatre in 1970s New York, we sip campari while enjoying a dimly lit two course dinner as a prelude to the show.



Larger than life - Miss Bette



The Divine Miss Bette was created by Peter Cox, with musical direction from the talented, long-haired Isaac Hayward.  Inspiring the creation of the show was the majestic voice and Midler-esque personality of Catherine, who was trained by Steve Ostrow.  Ostrow is the man who discovered Bette Midler while she was singing for tips at his Continental Baths, creating musical history by pairing her with Barry Manilow – who happened to be filling in for an AWOL pianist.



Playful backup singers, The Harlettes (Lauren Cook and Christina Paterno) are a delight to watch.  Cute as buttons, coy and flirty, Miss Bette advises the crowd that she found them selling their cherries down at the farmers markets – “but don’t worry, I’ve still got the box they came in!”. 

Tagging itself as Sydney’s most surprising venue, Slide Bar is a hidden gem that has evolved through multiple identities.  Originally a Commonwealth Bank, it has transformed from a wild gay nightclub to a classy underground cabaret joint complete with chandeliers (albeit dangling with cherubs), a French chef and a large number of mirrors.  Hosting everything from corporate events to mardi gras after parties, hints of all three identities merge to create the sense that anything could happen next.


The vegie lasagna





The vegetarian lasagna recommended for dinner demands its own special mention.  It is a regular staple of an evolving menu that is far more sophisticated than your standard bar/restaurant fare.

  

Whether you’re planning a hens party, looking to impress a date or kicking off a girls’ night on the town, The Divine Miss Bette is a sensual, fun vat of vulgarity into which all ladies and germs should fall.

The Divine Miss Bette starring Catherine Alcorn returns to Slide for 3 shows only – Thursday 21 July, Friday 12 August and Friday 16 September.  Pre-purchase your tix here before they sell out.



Dinner & Show – $65 7pm (incl entrée & main)
Show Only – $25 9pm
This article first appeared on Eat Drink Play.

Back to class with Eau de Vie

The James Bond films are known for their blatant product placement, but it was Bond’s famous martini instructions “shaken, not stirred” which challenged the drink’s origins and caused controversy among connoisseurs worldwide.

At Eau de Vie’s Martini Masterclass, ‘Dr Phil’, the waistcoated bartender who has studied everything martini, tells us that the classic (read: authentic) martini was stirred so as not to bruise the gin.  Not merely a strong cocktail in a stylish glass, we learn that the martini has a history full of politics, science – and of course, culinary debate.

A hidden bar which prides itself on knowing its Hendricks from its Anchor Junipero, Eau de Vie is the ideal setting to learn about the evolution of a cocktail that found its feet during the American prohibition era.  Water is served in antique crystal tumblers, and strains of Chicago’s ‘All that jazz’ reinforce the sense that one is in an intimate speakeasy set up for the discerning tippler.

Winston Churchill makes a regular appearance in this alcohol enhanced history lesson, where his most important contribution to history appears to have been the popularisation of the dry martini (the more vermouth, the wetter the martini) – stating that “I would like to observe the vermouth from across the room while I drink my martini”.

Sipping our lychee martinis, the students seated around the bar are told that ice is the most important part of any martini (beware a bartender who doesn’t fill the glass!).  Crushed or broken ice is another warning signal.  Serious about its commitment to quality, Eau de Vie has liquid nitrogen on hand to ensure that the drinks are served at ideal temperatures and makes its own vermouth on the premises.

After concocting and drinking approximately five variations of martinis (the experiential part of the learning experience), our recollection of the techniques may be hazy but we have a newfound appreciation of the level of skill required.  Wet or dry, vodka or gin, stirred or shaken – the drink of tuxedos, Aston Martins and general sophistication is definitely one worth outsourcing to the experts at Eau de Vie.  As Dr Phil spins around the bar, pouring shots, stirring the drinks and juggling the glasses, he reminds us of the most important ingredients – theatre and flair.

The Martini Masterclass was run by Eau de Vie as part of World Cocktail Week.  Keep an eye on their Facebook page for future events.

Tickets were provided courtesy of Eat Drink Play

 

Check it out!  Eau de Vie comes to life in this brilliant video by the team at Barology

Watching everyone else who is watching everyone else...

A quote from the weekly newsletter of Rev Graham Long of the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross...

"A lovely old guy who is a regular at Wayside has just sat at my table and decided I could shout him a cup of coffee. He's lecturing me about how much the Cross has changed in the past 20 years while I'm nodding and writing. I suspect that every morning here is the 'morning after the night before'. There seems to be lots of people walking up and down the street, observing others who are doing the same thing. Just over the road at Porky's there is a girl in the doorway, watching everyone else who is watching everyone else."