We have eaten well, no question. Australia is justly proud of its innovative cuisine, its chefs, wines, whiskies, stickies, oysters, seafood, wagyu and wallaby. And we have been treated to some of the best of all the above.
But my favorite meal – for its food as well as for its atmosphere – was at Radio Cairo in Mosman, a 25 year old standout that serves African, Caribbean, Indian and Sri Lankan deliciousness. God the food is good! Load up the table and share Limpopo Crocodile Wings (chicken), Cajun Popcorn (shrimp), South African Lamb Sosaties (yum), pappadums and SL Kaha Rice spiced up with Maghreb Hot-Ass Harissa. This was Jeremy’s birthday dinner, and none better could have been planned.
And to top it off, Charlie Burrows, manager of this multicultural gem, hails from Kenya. We discovered over these plates of goodness that our paths had crossed about 35 years ago on Lamu? the Taita Hills? We cannot remember, but there he was, working the non-stop busy room with grace and affability, although once we had discovered our connection the other servers had to launch into high gear to cover for him.
Radio Cairo is owned by Srian Perera, a very good Sri Lankan businessman and ex-anthropologist (not a common combination!). His description of Radio Cairo is worth transcribing here:
RADIO CAIRO is my expression of cultural diversity at its most positive. I’m of Sri Lankan (Wijeyekoon), Irish (Kennedy), German Jew (De Worms), Portuguese (Perera) and English (Martin) origin!
The “Spice and Human trade” organically created me and the cuisine at RADIO CAIRO. People and food from China to South Asia to India to Europe to Africa to Caribbean to Southern Americas centred in Slave Island, Kandy and Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka.
Metta, Norberto Piattoni's Fort Green neighborhood restaurant[/caption]
Francis Mallmann, the revered Argentinian chef made famous by his many restaurants around the world, a couple of books on his cooking style and a hit television series, Chef's Table, has ensured his legacy with a diaspora of chef proteges, two of whom have rolled up in New York. Norberto, better known to his friends as Negro, recently opened Metta, a neighborhood restaurant located on a quiet corner two blocks from the Fort Greene farmers market in Brooklyn. It offers sustainably sourced, vegetable-forward dishes all cooked in a custom designed, open-fire kitchen, using South American asado techniques, utilizing all aspects of the fire (smoke, flame, ash and embers) to create layers of flavor in dishes. Packed with happy diners the night I went, it is relaxed, delicious, interesting and fun.
[caption id="attachment_8248" align="alignnone" width="500"]
Flora Bar, Ignacio Mattos' third opening in New York[/caption]
Ignacio Mattos was born in Uruguay and learned to cook in the kitchens of Mallman and Slow Food legend, Alice Waters. His two other restaurants in New York, Estela, with its bold, Mediterranean-inspired cooking, and Altro Paradiso, with its Italian cuisine, are favorites of mine. Now, Ignacio has come with his team to the Met Brauer on 76th and Madison, offering small bites as well as main dishes in a comfortable setting either indoors or on the open terrace. Service is superb, wines delicious and the food captivating. The space, in my opinion, could do with some tlc - easily accomplished. If you can serve food like that, a bit of flower planting and decorating should come easy.
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