Abrahanowicz Elvis - Recipes for a Good Time

DEDICATION

People have come to know us as the face of our restaurants but Joe Valore is our other partner. Hes the guy behind the scenes the one person whos had unwavering faith in us from the beginning. Joe gave us the opportunity and the confidence to open the restaurants at a time when no one else was taking us seriously.

Bodega, Porteo and Gardels Bar wouldnt be standing without him because we can only do what we know how to do, and thats cook. Joe keeps these machines well oiled and running; hes always the first to come in and the last to leave, but he gets the least amount of recognition.

You wont see many pictures of him as you look through the book because he doesnt need, or want, the attention. We dedicate this book to you, Joe. Our story only exists because you help us create it.

Contents

FOREWORD

Many moons ago, my girl and I staggered into this newish food hall called Bodega. We grabbed two seats at the bar in front of the exposed kitchen. As we came to our senses we realised this cool new eatery was playing familiar music. It was The Black Keys Rubber Factory album. Good sh*t.

Next, we raised our eyes to see two well-tattooed young men massaging the bits that became the dishes for the people. Interesting looking cats. Really focused and moving with style as they dished it out and shook the shaker for a dish ready to go. We started getting some of those dishes, and getting grand advice and offerings of liquid accompaniments. We got to know those two boys behind the counter. Soon enough, the lady with the stunning hair, mind and body came into the fold, as did the awareness that something very special was going on here. We left feeling full and fine, and thinking we had found a new long-time hang.

Seven years down the track and Bodega and the super house of Porteo and Gardels Bar are Sydney institutions. Not institutions of stuffiness and attitude, but institutions of amazing, consistent food, booze and service. Its the personal touches from Ben, Elvis, Sarah and Joe that make a meal an event and a night to remember. Its like we wandered into a fancy, home-style, awesome food party. I reckon thats what these recipes will do bring a lil bit of Porteo and Bodega and the boys magic touches into your own home. Tastes good.

BT (food lover)

INTRODUCTION

From the moment Ben Milgate, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Joe Valore opened the doors to their first restaurant an unapologetically loud-and-louche tapas bar serving Spanish and South American fare in the worst bit of Surry Hills, under a cloud of rock n roll they had Sydney wrapped around their heavily inked pinkies.

Ben and Elvis set about dishing out the kind of food they wanted to cook, the way they wanted to serve it, in a restaurant they wanted to eat in, flipping the bird to crisp white tablecloths and easy listening. While Sarah (Elviss now wife) flitted around the room chatting at a thousand miles an hour, curls perfectly intact, no matter how many plates she was running. The whole thing was, and still is, mesmerising.

Hit Bodega and youll see off-duty bands, on-duty rockabillies with quiffs and sets standing proud, and just about every food fan in the city either propping up the bar, squashed in the tiny room dancing elbow to elbow, or queuing up outside to get in for a taste. The lines havent gotten any shorter since they opened in 2006. If anything, the food has just become more delicious.

You can almost see the evolution of the restaurant marked out on the chefs themselves. Over the years theyve swapped shag dos for quiffs, miso-cured salmon for salt cod pancakes and The Cure for The Black Keys. Theyve just about run out of room for any more tattoos, but the ideas keep coming.

Then again, its not just Porteos whole beasts cooked over a giant ring of fire in the middle of the restaurant or Justin Townes Earle playing a secret gig at the bar upstairs that makes their restaurants so special. Its not even those fish fingers at Bodega.

What sets them apart is the family theyve created around them: the sommeliers across both restaurants (who also run everything behind the scenes) Joe Valore and Rachael (Sarahs sister), Elviss parents, Hilda and Adan, who literally keep the kitchen fires burning every morning and stay up until the wee hours rolling empanadas the night before. And theres not a single member of this extended family who doesnt love it.

In some ways its not what the fellas do that makes their restaurants so special, its what they dont do. If Ben and Elvis are both cooking together, just watch them for five minutes. They barely exchange a word. Theyre like dancers who know exactly what the others move will be before they do it themselves albeit dancers who look like theyre on weekend release. The thing is, they make it all look so effortless and easy.

They want you to feel like a friend whos dropped by for a snack and something to drink. Theyll never make you feel stupid for picking up the cutlery the wrong way, or putting your carefully pickled veal tongue into a bread roll and eating it like a sandwich. They want you elbows deep in good times.

This book is essentially a face-first dive into the extraordinary lives of the ValoreDoyleAbrahanowiczMilgates. Welcome to the family.

Myffy Rigby

BEN MILGATE BY ELVIS ABRAHANOWICZ

Ben and I became friends as soon as we started working together. Wed both been travelling in Argentina, so we had that in common, and Ben had just had his first big tattoo done the sleeve on his right arm. The first thing you have to know about Ben is that he has an amazing work ethic. It doesnt matter whats going on or whats happened, the work always gets done. He always pushes through it. The only days Bens ever had off work were when his children, Clementine and Frankie, were born.

Hes also a really caring guy. His most important rule is to always look after your friends. He started living on his own when he was sixteen. Both of his parents were separated and had moved to the US, so he had to learn to cook for himself. He used to tell me stories about one of his stepmums who would serve Spam that had been seasoned thickly with oregano and then baked in a toaster oven. I think one of the reasons he became such a great chef was because of that (even though he still loves Spam). That, and the fact that he was going to get kicked out of school anyway. Ever since we became friends weve always spent Christmas with my family. My parents love him.