I Don't Eat, I Devour

Le Bouchon is a rustic, authentic French eatery in Crows Nest. An unassuming-looking place, but the food really is very, very French. It's not the fine-dining kind of French cuisine, it's hearty, filling and country. Twice baked blue cheese and spinach souffle  As a dessert, souffles do nothing for me. As an entree, however, I absolutely love it.  Light and airy, the souffle pairs perfectly with the thick, salty blue cheese sauce. Ham Cock & Speck Terrine The cornichons (pickles) are cheek-puckeringly tart, which is just as well, as it balances the rather bland flavour of the terrine itself. Quite a heavy dish because the terrine tastes so fatty, I would not recommend it for one person.  Plat du jour  The daily special on the particular day we visisted is a lamb shoulder. This is one hearty dish that is not overly-sauced so that the natural flavours of the lamb still shines through. Sauteed calves liver  The liver is beautifully medium-rare, a little

Today's entry marks a change on this blog - from now on, I will no longer limit myself to reviewing items you can put in your mouth, I will be broadening the scope of this blog - starting with ONEWAYOUT Sydney, one of the newer escape rooms which seem to be popping up all over town. If you're not familiar with the concept of escape rooms, they are puzzle-solving entertainment which you undertake in groups. The backstories differ from room to room, but the basic concept remains the same: you and your friends are trapped in one (or a series of) locked room, and you must use your noggins and keen powers of observation to find clues around the room, solve puzzles, and hopefully make it out of the room before the clock ticks over and whatever fictional fate of horror befalls you. Context: ONEWAYOUT is my first experience of an escape room, and I must say I enjoyed it immensely. The context of The Body Shop is that you and your friends are trapped inside a global organ harvesting

This place holds so much memories for me - I used to go to this vegetarian cafe at least once a week while studying at the adjacent University of Sydney. The place is always packed with students, because they serve amazing food for a very reasonable price. Apart from various breakfast dishes, hot meals and sandwiches, Badde Manors also makes some amazing cakes and unique beverages I haven't seen in many other places. Chai, $5 This home-brewed chai is the reason I have remained so devoted to Badde Manors throughout the years. Stove-cooked, smooth and with just the right kick of ginger, this little pot yields two glass cups' worth of chai. Bargain. Hot cider & cloves, $5 The hot cider and cloves is an acquired taste - it is literally warmed up apple cider with cloves and a slice of lemon. The cider, despite being hot, is by no means flat; and the lemon makes this a warming yet still refreshing drink. Sahleb $4.50 Sahleb is a Turkish milk drink of aromatic r

Although American-style diners have been the rage for a while now, and new options keep popping up around the place, it's hard to say no to one of the original trend-setters: Hartyard. Known particularly for their excellent cocktails, the food options at Hartsyad are somewhat limited, but every item on the menu have been tried and tested by many diners. Wall of Happiness Chicken and biscuits in gravy, $33 For us, biscuits are gingernuts or milk arrowroots; but for the Americans, biscuits are scone-like concoctions made of buttermilk and are often savoury. The creamy gravy is dotted with small pieces of ham / speck, and the fried chicken pieces are cooked to juicy perfection. Southern comfort food as  good as it gets. Soft-serve, $18 The famous Hartsyard soft-serve does not disappoint. The flavours are always changing, so you must ask the staff each time you visit. We were pretty lucky in that the flavour of the night sounded (and turned out to be) amazing - brown

This is possibly the oddest review I have ever done, and will ever do, for one big reason: I only had a bite of the entire depressing affair. However, the smell, the look, the taste of that single bite and the unsolicited additional hair that came served with the bite was enough to inform me. I had been extremely excited for the high tea at the National Gallery of Victoria (which has an impressive collection so it's well worth the visit), especially since they claimed to be serving a special set of high tea 'inspired by Andy Warhol and Ai Wei Wei'. Behold. I'm not quite sure what's Warhol-y or Ai-y about this beige affair. Huh??? Avant-garde?  First, all the teas served have exotic names - except they are simply T2 blends (I recognise every single blend). This is not good enough for an expensive high tea establishment. Now, let's move onto the only acceptable part of the tea: the scones. Then again, how hard would be be to screw up scones? I will j

Annnnnnd we're back! If a burger joint has a signature burger, I have gone for that burger. If not, I have gone for the most basic burger.  Bar Luca - Blame Canada The famous Blame Canada certainly lives up to the hype. The very bottom of the burger is poutine, the Canadian dish involving chips, gravy and cheese curds. In the middle is the most succulent patty that's pink on the inside. Up top we have cheese and maple bacon, as well as maple mayo. The bun is a soft, sweet brioche, which makes it a satisfying, delicious sweet-and salty treat. Score: 5 / 5 Cost: $15 Address: 52 Phillip St, Sydney Bonditony's - Classic Cog Bonditony's wins on the quality of its ingredients and its great value for money. All of its beef, bacon and eggs are free range and grass fed, and you can have sweet potatoes as a side without having to pay extra. The highlight of this tiny burger joint is its range of amazing sauces and condiments lined up against the counter - more than