EAT: NOMAD, SURRY HILLS SYDNEY

Checking out the dining scene is always a big part of my travels to Sydney - the hard part is picking and choosing where to go. Suss out somewhere new? Or revisit old favourites? It usually boils down to a mixture of both. One of the newer eateries we decided to try out during the most recent trip in May 2019 was Nomad, a one-hatted restaurant in Surry Hills. The wow factor was turned on from the get go, with the sleek converted warehouse space dressed to impress. The food also followed suit. Flavour combinations tend to fall in the ballpark of Modern Australian with varying notes of Middle Eastern influence. We started with the zucchini flowers; delicate and encrusted in a punchy parmesan crumb, softened by the creamy ricotta filling and finished with a sweet, fragrant truffle honey. The empanada pastry was short and buttery, although a tad burnt, and was outshined by its smoky, earthy mushroom filling and the occasional fatty bone marrow encounter. I’m a sucker for a good ceviche, and wasn’t too surprised to see the Kingfish ceviche coming out on top as a favourite of our meal - beautifully fresh and balanced flavours that went down a treat. A stark contrast to this freshness was the fat slab of panfried halloumi, but also another standout dish. Without a doubt one of the best pieces of halloumi I’ve tried to date, the thick cut had such a superb creamy and squeaky mouthfeel - exactly what you’d want in a good piece of halloumi. There was a sensational harmony of flavours dancing between the salty squeak of the cheese, panfried crunch, sweetness from the roast grapes and subtle fumes from the sherry. We ordered a side of cauliflower for balance, but some fresh greens probably would have suited better to provide some relief from the richness of the halloumi. Tasty nonetheless.