Bills - Surry Hills, NSW 13/08/10 & 14/08/10

Of all the restaurants in all the suburbs of inner Sydney two separate groups of friends arrange for me to go to Bills this weekend. Far be it for me to say No - I've always wanted to go there. And I hoped to spot Bill. But alas no white pants wearing Bill to be seen.

Bills is quite a small venue and dimly lit so my pics of the meals from dinner did not come out at all - damn lack if iPhone 4. Two weeks time and my life with be different. So you will have to make do without.

We had an interesting mixture of vegetarians and carnivores so there was lots of the menu sampled. Here's what was consumed:

Marinated mixed olives
Semolina-crusted calamari with lemon, parsley, green beans and fennel
Ricotta and taleggio dumpling with roast pumpkin, brown butter and vincotto
Spiced sweet potato, chickpea and fetta pie with a simple green salad
Coq au vin with roast eschallots, mushrooms and curly kale
Herb and parmesan crumbed veal with creamed potato, crisp sage and lemon
Braised cos, sugar snaps and snowpeas
Brocolini, chilli and roasted garlic
Creamed potatoes

I had the coq au vin which was delish - but the winner was the creamed potatoes. I'd go back there JUST for a bowl of the creamed potatoes.

Everyone's meals were just as tasty with the only unpleasant incident when Susie accidentally (and somewhat skillfully) shot Rachel in the eye with a sugar snap. Dangerous vegetables. Then came dessert:

Ginger biscuit ice-cream sandwich with butterscotch sauce
Gnocchi Sophia

The gnocchi sophia was a sweet gnocchi with quince - and was light and tasty.

Brunch today did not disappoint either. I had heard amazing things about Bills' brunches and he did not let me down. Breakfasts can be so easily ruined and I am aware that my expectations are set pretty high (with my favourite breakfast to date being the Cinema Cafe's Potato Rosti with hollandaise) but I might have a new favourite.

Sweet corn fritters with roast tomato, spinach and bacon

I could have had 2 plates full it was that good. Sure I would have rolled home but it would have been worth it! Super yummy.

The service at Bills was great last night but a little lacking today. And Bill passes on the 1% credit card surcharge so make sure you pay cash if you can. But otherwise - I will be back. Can I have the fritters with a side of creamed potatoes please!