I Don't Eat, I Devour

Mekong describes itself as a restaurant serving Indochine cuisine. Indochine captures the area roughly East of India and South of China, spanning which a number of countries but united in spicy, complex, sweetly-savoury characteristics of their cuisines. Mekong Share Plate, $30 This is the best item on the entire menu, and a must-order in my view. It allows you to sample four of Mekong's signature entrees at an incredible value. Grilled Scallops The scallops are lightly grilled in bacon oil to give it a fatty, satisfying flavour, and topped with fresh coconut and drizzled with a yuzu chilli sauce. You can see the fusion nature of Mekong's menu immediately. Grilled tumeric catfish Whilst the betel nut is an aphrodisiac linked with oral cancer, the betel leaf is a delightful little vessel to transport flavourful catfish cooked with onion, lime zest and roasted peanuts into one's mouth. Is stuffing the entirety of this parcel of goodness into my mouth somethi

I have always been such a fan of intimate Japanese eateries - and Tokyo Bistro is a neighbourhood gem hidden in the residential hub of Pyrmont with a generous, friendly chef and a killer degustation menu. Sakura Salmon Fresh Tasmanian salmon is cured with cherry blossom salt and drizzled with cream wasabi. The salmon is fatty, oily and fresh, the little bubbles of salmon roe adding that hit of salt - the sakura flavour is extremely subtle, as is the wasabi cream - simply a hint, very elegant. Shiraae Shiraae is spinach with a tofu, manuka honey and Yamazaki whisky sauce. The tofu makes the sauce extremely creamy without the addition of any milk or cream, and what would otherwise be considered a homely dish is elevated by the intricate flavours of the honey and whisky. You're eating the spinach until quite unexpected you get a hit of fragrant sweetness - most pleasant. Wagyu tartare corn Yep, that's beef tartare - not for the faint of heart, though many culture

Oh my. Where do I even start. I know, I will start with the cocktails. The cocktails are Nour are all beautifully presented, many with a distinctly Middle Eastern twist  through the addition of certain spices and ingredients. They are not very alcoholic, but just. look. at. it. Tamuru Passion, $24 This bright, tart and oh-so-easy-to-drink number is a delightful combination of Stolichnaya vanilla vodka, Fiorente elderflower, Passoa (which is a passion fruit liquer), passion fruit and Tamarind. Then, right in the middle is a shallow dish made of ice filled with champagne granita. Yes. I know. Falafel crumpet, $8 each Falafel, that staple of Middle Eastern cuisine - crunchy and golden outside, fluffy inside. Nour just had to go the extra mile by making it a crumpet, and then topping each with lightly pickled onion, tahini, parsley and soft-boiled quail egg. That runny, oozy yolk is just perfection.  Chicken shawarma, $10 each This was our absolute favourite dish - we

Olio specialises in modern Sicilian cuisine - its website tells us that Sicilian is the new Italian. Its focus is on seasonal ingredients and its olive oil is from the chef, Lino Sauro's family farm in Sicily, which is pretty damn cool. Bread and Olive Oil So let's talk about the olive oil. It is slightly on the citrusy side, very clear, very fragrant. The bread is good, if not particularly memorable. Capasante Hokkaido scallops is cooked in a leeks sauce with wild mushrooms - the woody earthiness of the mushrooms bring out the freshness of the scallops (which are lightly seared), and vice versa. Pappardelle The pasta is, of course, home-made. THe pappardelle is satisfyingly thick, the perfect vehicle for the wagyu beef ragu in a black pepper sauce. Ravioli Isn't it so strange that store-bought ravioli could be so terrible, yet freshly made ravioli so delicious that you can barely believe you are eating the same dish? The skin of the ravioli at Olio

Harada, named after the chef who runs the place, recently opened to mixed reviews on Google Reviews - but a closer look will suggest that the score has been artificially lowered by those who gave spiteful 1 star reviews for being denied service. One reviewer even referred to Harada as the "Soup Nazi". Those who have enjoyed Harada-san's food, it seems, have all given their meals rave reviews.  The fact that the chef turned people away for a lack of booking did nothing to deter me. In fact, my faith in his establishment was strengthened many-folds: this suggests to me that he is an artisan who believes in fresh ingredients, buying what he will cook on the day, and not resorting to wasteful or freezer-dependent practices.  I am quite positive that I have found the best Japanese Omakase restaurant in Sydney.  Omakase means chef's choice - you eat what the chef puts in front of you. It is intimate, liberating, and a surefire way to make sure you are eatin