Sydney SIFF 2010: Rubyos, in Newtown

By fotoeins on 7 Oct 2010

(Written and posted 7 October 2010.)

The Crave Sydney International Food Festival (SIFF) is happening around the metro Sydney area for the entire month of October.

One of the highlights occurs Sunday (2010 Oct 10) when the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic for “Breakfast on the Bridge“, effectively turning the bridge into a large picnic area for BYO breakfast or brunch.

One of the “Precinct Promotions” for the SIFF is happening in a hip area called Newtown (just south-southwest of the University of Sydney campus), packed with heaps of shops and a wide variety of cafes and restaurants. “A Taste of Newtown” features seven restaurants. We made the leap and chose to dine at one of the restaurants, Rubyos, last night (Oct 6).

Dining at Rubyos is meant to be family-style or yum-cha like, and their mains are strongly influenced by Asian and Mediterranean flavours. The special SIFF menu is a pretty good deal with at least half a dozen mains plus a drink all for $41 AUD per person. However, the menu included pork and shrimp/seafood which my two accompanying friends could not eat. This was just fine, so we dove into their regular menu.

We chose the following six to share.

Peking duck, with rice flour pancakes, hoi sin sauce, and traditional garnish

Rubyos’ “Nicoise” of hot smoked salmon, with potato crisps, oven dried tomatoes, sliced quail egg, and black olive puree

Tea-smoked tofu, with wok tossed asparagus, black wood ear mushroom, water chestnuts, and a ginger & shallot sauce

Crispy fried tuna, with a sour red curry sauce, sticky black coconut rice, thin rice noodle, and candied chili

Oregano and almond crusted salmon, with chunky skordalia, rocket, and a tomato & black olive salsa

Meatballs of wagyu beef, flavoured with tuscan herbs, and smothered in rich tomato concasse & melted cheddar

Totally stuffed and a bit forlorn at not being able to sample their dessert menu, we all felt that six mains would have been ideal for four people with a much stronger chance afterwards for dessert.

It’s too bad I’m leaving Sydney on the weekend, as I would’ve loved to sample more of the Food Festival over the remaining weeks.

I made the ten photos above on 6 Oct 2010. Initially published 7 Oct 2010 on Posterous, this post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as https://wp.me/p1BIdT-1r.

One Response to “Sydney SIFF 2010: Rubyos, in Newtown”

Anna @ Morsels & Musings 11 Oct 2010

hi there, hope you don’t mind that i included your post in the crave sydney food festival week one round-up of food blogging activities http://tiny.cc/siff-wk1

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