I Don't Eat, I Devour

They call it a brunch, but it's at 12:30 and involves 4 flaming courses. That, in my books, is lunch, and no amount of mimosa would change that. In any case, mimosa was not on the menu. The meal that came, however, was an interesting experience. I don't quite know how to classify it meal-wise. The four course experience started with breakfast food; then went into cocktail hour; back to lunch food; and finally taking up to afternoon tea. Before we get there, let's talk about booze. A lack of mimosa is no issue when something better is offered. A marmalade martini, for instance. Stirred, not shaken.  It is beautifully fresh, tart and boozy. Marmalade martini, $17 The other drinks didn't look half as good, I must say - especially their version of bloody Mary. I observed them pouring out several glasses from a litre jug. A LITRE JUG. I will just let that sink in for a moment. Cocktails served in bulk is an affront to my sensibilities. First Course The first

Another year, another night noodle market. Certainly the most popular event of Good Food Month, and I have some mixed feelings about this annual food fest held at Hyde Park. On one hand, the atmosphere is great - many Insta-famous shops bring out limited edition or new products (think Messina, N2, Black Star Pastry); it's a one stop shop for trying a wide variety of new and exciting casual food trends; and no booking or planning is required. On the other hand, the food is usually over-priced; lines can be very long and I have always thought, if I could get the food from your actual shop, why would I settle for something you've cooked up on a make-shift stove top instead of your fully kitted-out, professional kitchen? My advice is to a) do your homework before hand: work out what you actually want to eat, and make a beeline for the queue. It is very easy to get distracted by sub-par food at these markets, so you have to have a firm and prepared attitude; b) military-style or

Despite an unfortunate reduction in the number and quality of participants each year, Good Food Month can still be counted on to produce some extremely interesting and well-priced culinary adventures. By far the most exciting event of 2017 Good Food Month is a journey through Italian cooking hosted by Lot 1 Sydney. A one-off event, the five-course dinner with matching wine showcases the regional delights of Italy in an intimate, industrial-chic setting. Swordfish Carpaccio di Pesce Spada Representing the beautiful Sicilia is the swordfish carpaccio - swordfish being plentiful in the region. I am very fond of raw fish - no better source of protein in my view. This one is paired with a grapefruit and blood orange jelly, and washed down with a fresh, light grillo parlante white wine, also from Sicily. Maybe it's the choice of fish, or the preparation, but I have often found carpaccio to be a tad too fishy for my taste; though I can see how that is precisely the charm of the di

Tucked away at Spit Junction, with picturesque views of the alcove harbour near Mosman and Seaforth, Ormeggio at the Spit is a gorgeous modern Italian restaurant that's perfect for a romantic date or a quiet family dinner. It's one of those dark, ambient mood-lighting restaurants with heavy, chain-mail drapes that somehow look light and gauzy; and the food showcases a range of culinary techniques and surprising combinations of ingredients. Even the bread course is different from most places I've been to - instead of serving bread with butter, Ormeggio serves it with cream cheese and chives. The bread is my favourite type - chewy on the outside, pillowy soft and airy inside, with lots of air bubbles but without being a sourdough. One of the mysteries I'm determined to solve is where to get restaurant-type bread without having to dine in a restaurant. The first course is a smoked ocean trout with tomato mayonnaise, onion, green tea powder, purple potato chips