I Don't Eat, I Devour

The various office buildings, old shopping centres and their connecting pathways in Sydney's Chinatown can be a bit of a maze, and hidden in them are charming, authentic eateries frequented by those who really understand a cuisine - and by that I mean, we go for the home-coming feel, not for the atmosphere.  The last time I visited Kowloon Cafe, a Hong Kong style diner, was in 2020 (see my post here ). We picked up a few snacks to go - but this time, I'm here for the full sit down experience.  Pineapple Bread with egg and spam $9.80 One cannot talk about HK style diners without talking about pineapple bread. So-called because the diamond shaped, sweet topping looks like the skin of a pineapple (and not because there are actual pineapples used in the bread), this delicious concoction comes in many varieties. The most traditional involves a warmed pineapple bread with a thick pat of ice-cold butter. The more interesting varieties, such as the one we have before us, may include su

Cuckoo Callay Surry Hills boasts a kitchy-bright interior and a big outdoors seating area, serving a menu of creative, East-meets-West dishes that are what brunch dreams are made of. In the era of covid, the outdoors seating and the in-app ordering are particularly appreciated. There is also a Cuckoo Callay Newtown serving a slightly different menu that I'm yet (but excited) to try.  Watermelon mimosa, $5 Weekend brunch, of course, starts with mimosa. In addition to the classic version with orange juice, Cuckoo Callay serves a watermelon version. It is a pretty watered-down, weak drink, but at $5 a pop, there is little to complain of.  Ask a chilli question and you’ll get a chilli answer, $24 The names of the dishes here are all cheeky, fun and punny. I was geniunely torn between a few options, but settled with this gorgeous soft scrambled eggs with fermented chilli, mushroom and eggplant xo, with a roti paratha on top. This rich and savoury dish is flavoured with fried curry leave