4Fourteen

Here we go again, another restaurant to try out in Surry Hills. Lately, there has been so many new and hip places opening up (in Surry Hills and in the northern end of the CBD) that you start asking yourself, when and how am I going to fit it all in? That is the fun of it all, isn't it?

I have so many more in my 'To dine' list and 4Fourteen is definitely in the list. We got here on a Sunday afternoon and I do like the way the restaurant is fitted out. It has a NY loft feel, very high ceilings, a bar in the middle of the restaurant (as opposed to being located at one end) and enough space between tables to not feel cramped. The kitchen has an open view so we can see the chefs working hard and doing all kinds of tasks.

The menu is designed for sharing and we ordered a few entree sizes and a special of the day. Glad we didn't go overboard as we had to find space for dessert. Yes, dessert! :)

The entrees we ordered were:

Pea Soup with Minted Creme Fraiche: It was surprisingly delicious, I could taste bits of pea and the minted creme fraiche subtly enhanced the flavours.

Ham Hock Terrine with Crumbed Pigs Ears and Apple Sauce: I thoroughly enjoyed the crumbed pigs ears. I could have had more of that, there was the tender texture of the ears and the crunchiness of the crumbs.

Miso Smoked Salmon, Lemon Curd and Fennel Bread: This is a beautifully presented dish, the smokiness of the salmon was so subtle and not overwhelming. Lovely dish!

We then ordered one of the specials of the day which was a Larger Plate size. It was the slow roasted Suckling pig, served with Colcannon, Coleslaw, Pork crackling, and Carrots roasted in orange, ginger and cumin. We could see the suckling pig sitting on the kitchen counter, not an image for vegetarians but surely a salivating one for us meat lovers!

Verdict: Absolutely, wonderfully delicious!!!! The meat was so tender, I fell in love with the colcannon. I found out that colcannon is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. In this case, it was cooked topped with mint.

Desserts: What did we choose? Well, here goes..White chocolate sandwich with Dulce de Leche, and Eton Mess.

Both desserts were fully appreciated; not much noise going on when we were quietly enjoying the sweets. I loved my white chocolate sandwich. The white chocolate ice cream was just delicious!

We were so full after all that but it was a lovely meal, enjoyed by the whole group. Rustic, simple and down to earth flavours with the emphasis on nose to tail.  In addition the service was good, very pleasant staff and the kitchen team was kind enough to allow me into their kitchen to take a couple of photos. Nice!

Other dishes to try out would be the Crumbed pig's tail and the Irish breakfast.



4 Fourteen
414 Bourke Street
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
Opening hours:
Tue to Sat - Lunch from 12 noon, Dinner from 6 pm
Sun - Lunch from 12 noon to 6 pm
Website: http://www.4fourteen.com.au/