El Willy Shanghai Spanish style

El Willy started as a way of extending the attraction of spanish wine to the shanghai community (great idea Rothschild).  It's a converted house, funky, bustling, full of noise.  Skip the (soggy) patatas and go for crispy pork on deep fried wanton squares, the distinctive taste of jamon iberico, and wet wet truffle and pumpkin risotto/paella.

We returned a couple of nights later to explore the El Willy magic further.

Pacific Oysters served seared with garlic, shallots, and a bloody mary hellp
Scallops ceviche with avocado and crispy skin, and then rose petals (pretty)
Gambas Alio - sweet canadian prawns, with sticky finger licking garlic sauce

Fried croquettes with 36 month old Iberico ham (overkill perhaps?).  

Beautifully spiced gazpacho with a plate of tomato, green and red peppers

braised beef cheek 

suckling pig (wasn't a winner for me and I normally love pork!)

Wagyu with garlic and mustard sauce

Cannelloni of shredded beef and truffles

and then a huge paella with scampi, seafood,

Near by bars worth a visit - Globus Wine

it's a great day for the Irish (and to be at the Welcome Hotel, Rozelle)

The Welcome Hotel (Evans St Rozelle) always does a fine job showcasing its Irish roots on St Patricks Day (as well as every other day of the year) and 2011 was no different.


In addition to a heaving front bar and back courtyard, the restaurant shows it's love of all things Irish with an "Irish-inspired" menu. From black pudding to thick slabs of bacon and cabbage mash, hearty meals were there for the taking, along with some more delicate options for those of the faint at heart, and small of stomach.'

 
My succulent St Pats starter - black pudding, crispy bacon, marrow....  traditional fare to be sure (and today's not a day to be counting calories after all!)
Plump scallops served on a generous pork belly ragout.
There's always someone who goes for the "healthy" option - although this was a very fine plate of seafood, with the dressing cutting through the richness.


Luckily, the weather took a turn for the northern hemisphere so our choices of meat, meat and more meat, with some carbs thrown in, turned out to be just right in a goldilocks kind of way.

slabs of bacon, with cabbage mash, and parsley sauce - reminded me of my Grandma

 Sirloin cooked to perfection, with crunchy parsnip chips, horseradish cream and a whisky jus - the perfect way to celebrate St Patricks Day!