Better Than Sex - House Restaurant

Someone once told glutton and nuts that if we thought food could be better than sex, then we weren't doing it right. Well, we reckon they're not eating the right food...

House Resaurant in Surry Hills is one of those places you show up to with 'the jury still out' expectaton-wise. It's got a slightly unusual licensing rule (drinks are to be ordered from the bar nextdoor only) and it's quite open to Elizabeth Street's speeding traffic. However, even with these things in mind, House will knock you for six - twofold.

Firstly, by completely blowing these undecided expectations away (this is more than just 'Thai food' - this is north-eastern street Thai, so good it'll make you want to go and live on the streets of Thailand!).Secondly, and quite literally, it will blow your tastebuds away. The food is hot. Seriously. Even the salads have a massive kick... and at one point we were definitely crying.

However, what glutton and nuts is more interested in, of course, is the most unusual and quite surprising thing on the menu - or the 'special dessert menu' to be precise. Now, we don't throw this around too often - but we had what was possibly the best dessert we're yet to taste in Sydney. Yes, from a small north-eastern street Thai on Elizabeth Street - it took us by surprise too - but without a doubt this dessert would hold its own (more than) against any of Sydney's best restaurants.

It was aptly named 'Better than Sex' and comes with a bit of a shy giggle from the waitress. The name hooked us in and the sheer size and look of it sold us. This dessert is big enough for two (but you definitely won't want to share!) It's lightly fried brioche, with green tea ice cream, caramel sauce completely saturating the dish and some runny chocolate thrown in to boot. The most gluttonous and delicious dessert we are yet to find in this city - and read early posts - this includes Quay Bar's guava egg!

The challenge is on... but we think this one will be hard to beat.

And if you're still undecided - it's called 'BETTER than SEX' - you HAVE to try it!

House

202 Elizebeth Street

Surry Hills

02 9280 0364

Molecular Mixology

As well known as beans on toast, yet more similar to beans ‘as’ toast – molecular gastronomy came, saw and conquered both our imagination and our taste buds. If you’ve not actually had bacon ice cream or snail porridge, then it’s likely you’ve at least heard of them, or come across something similar.

These days, the trend has relaxed somewhat, or as Heston so carefully put it, “it’s dead”. Yet, in its wake we’re left longing for more…

Step in molecular mixology, the intoxicating cousin of the gastronomic variety and the current focus of Smirnoff Black ambassador Tristan Stephenson, who has whipped-up the following cocktail, and is ready to share all...

VT Turbo

“The VT Turbo is a deconstruction of the classic vodka and tonic. The foam on the VT Turbo gives the drinker the familiar bitter kick of quinine, present in tonic water. Sipping through the foam reveals the classic sour balance of vodka, lime and sugar. By separating the two main constituents of the classic drink, the VT Turbo offers a different balance of flavour on every sip” TS.

Tonic Syrup

200ml water 200g sugar 10g dried cinchona bark Zest of half a grapefruit 4g citric acid

Add everything except the sugar to a pan and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Bring off the heat and stir in the sugar. Allow to cool and keep refrigerated.

Liquid part:

50ml Smirnoff Black 25ml Lime Juice 10ml gomme syrup 25ml Tonic Syrup 2 egg whites

Shake the Smirnoff black, lime juice and gomme with ice and fine strain into a chilled glass.

Shake/beat/whisk the egg white and tonic syrup to a soft peak.Float the foam on top of the drink and serve with a twist of lime.

Tristan’s cocktails are available at Smirnoff Black events. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming events on www.smirnoff.com

Uchi Lounge Uchi Blend

Walk down the side-streets of Surry Hills and you're sure to find something 'interesting'. For glutton and nuts last Thursday, this little something really struck our interest... it was of course, a secret drink (come on, as if you wouldn't be a little curious...)

What we discovered was a strong, sweet, sake-based secret drink, which no one to this date has been able to correctly guess the four key ingredients of (and that even includes some top Japanese master chefs).

It's called the Uchi Blend and is the creation of Uchi Lounge's bar manager on Brisbane Street - one of the most diligent bar tenders in Sydney and someone who treats his alcoholic creations like individual works of art. He has sworn that if someone is to guess all four ingredients at once he would reveal honestly if they are correct or not (maybe you'll get a free bottle too... but hey, that's not really our place to say.... and to be honest, you'll ever guess correctly anyway).

We had a stab at it - Watermelon...? Plum...? Grapefruit...? He just looked at us blankly and shook his head. No. ALL FOUR at once. You can't list ingredients. But it you tell me ALL of them I will tell you if you are correct. (we honestly believe he will...)

We were beaten. And even though we sat there sipping and tasting and trying until the bottle ran dry, we failed. However, we were still pretty satified with the drink... For fans of sake, this is heaven. The sake list includes a range of beautiful flavours from vanilla mix blends to cinnmon and even gogi... but this, this took the limelight. Secret drinks. Gotta love the taste of mystery!!!

If you do happen to go to Uchi Lounge and guess correctly please let use know on our facebook page!!! We;ll be back making a few more guesses... all in the name of research if course.

Uchi Lounge

15 Brisbane Street,

Surry Hills,

02 9261 3524