I Don't Eat, I Devour

Chef's Gallery is one of those restaurants that never quite come to the top of my list for favourite restaurants, yet every time I go, I'm always pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy their food. The best way to describe the cuisine is creative Chinese - not incredibly adventurous, but not quite traditional either. They have an extensive menu serving all sorts of goodies at very reasonable prices.  Egg and spinach tofu, $17.90 Lightly battered and fried, the tofu is wobbly, light, and subtly flavoured with egg and spinach. It is served on a bed of very light, slightly sweet soy sauce which adds a hint of salt without overwhelming the delicacy of the ingredient itself.  Peking Duck Roti, $18.90 Duck pancake is a dish well-beloved by all. The version at Chef's Gallery wraps the Peking duck in roti instead of the traditional thin pancake. Pre-wrapped, there is something to be said of being robbed of the opportunity to make your own pancakes just the way you like them, but C...

 Fabbrica means factory - and the small eatery pumping out sandwiches, pasta and deli goods is a factory of deliciousness dropped in the middle of the CBD. At once a restaurant and a corner store, it is the perfect spot for a mid-week casual catch up. Spritz and Americano, $16 each The drinks at Fabbrica are mostly of the easy-drinking variety, the kind with which to waste away a lazy afternoon. Balanced, vibrant and only gently alcoholic.  Bread, $6 + Anchovies, $12 Chewy, pillowy, a perfect mix between fluffy and crusty, the bread is definitely worth trying. I would go as far as to say the bread comes very very close to the legendary loaves at Kitchen By Mike. Delicious with whipped butter, even better with salty, oily anchovies (also sold in the store).  Madaldine Alla Gricia, $24 A delicious combination of crispy bacon and my favourite pasta shape - beautifully sauced, satisfyingly salty, with a generous shaving of cheese on top.  Gigli, broccoli, XO sauce, $28 T...

 Anason, an acclaimed Turkish restaurant inspired by the mayhanes of Istanbul, is one of the many wonderful culinary offerings at Barangaroo. The seasonal menu is divided into three sections: flora, fauna and ocean. The best way to enjoy Anason is to grab a couple of friends, because all the dishes are designed for sharing.  Humus (LHS), $18 One can't go past the house-made humus, creamy and smoky, resting in a pool of golden olive oil and topped with crispy chickpeas, loads of paprika and a sprinkling of parsley.  Village bread with olive oil, $8 The village bread (house-made, of course) is a fluffy, comforting and airy number, made fragrant by white sesame seeds and served with olive oil and za’atar.  Roasted cauliflower, $23 I am a huge fan of roasted caulifower - and the one at Anason is charred to perfection, served with green harissa and roasted almonds. The almonds add a welcome crunch to the soft, sweet cauliflower, and I particularly like that some of the le...

I knew I could trust Dopa when I saw it it is brought to us by the good people of Devon - one of my favourite brunch destinations in Sydney. Specialising in donburi (Japanese rice-bowl dish) and Asian-inspired desserts, Dopa is quick, simple and delicious.  The menu at Dopa ranges from the cheap and cheery ($13 for a simple chicken bowl) to the fancy (there is a $88 bowl featuring wagyu steak, tongue, foie gras, soft egg and white truffle and truffle agadashi tofu). Although the fancy bowls sound pretty mouth-watering, I don't know if I would actually order the expensive menu items - mainly because the vibe of Dopa is so casual, and you have to serve yourself, so it feels a bit odd to be going ultra-luxe there.  Cheeseburger Donburi set, $17 A playful marriage between a Japanese classic (the donburi) and an all-American staple, the cheeseburger donburi is wonderfully enjoyable, filling and just ever-so-slightly naughty. The patty tastes lovely and rich, slightly pink in the m...

 The Pastizzi Cafe has a distinctly homely feel: groups of diners sharing traditional Maltese pastries which are the namesake of the cafe, big bowls of hearty pasta, and freezers packed full of frozen goodies to enjoy at home. The regulars know the drill: they confidently march up to the freezers, grab what their hearts are after, and pay at the counter. The warm, homely feel extends to the wait staff: friendly, kind, not afraid to make a recommendation when asked.  Chicken and procini mushroom ravioli, $14 (entree size) Speaking of welcomed advice, I couldn't go past the homemade ravioli. With 5 fillings and a choice of 5 sauces, I asked the staff for her favourite way to enjoy the chicken and procini mushroom variety. "Chili and garlic oil, I think, definitely." she responded. She knew what is up! The chili and garlic oil is light so it does not overwhelm the delicate flavour of the chicken and the musroom (which is umami in its minced glory), yet the chili has quite an...

Since I Left You might be the ultimate bar name: if the leaving left one sad, one could drink one's troubles away; and equally, if the leaving liberated one, one could drink in celebration. This charming little courtyard bar lets you drink under the stars, beneath a colourful mural and heating lamps. It calls itself "a destination for discerning drinks and easy going foodies", and I think that rather sums up the vibe of the menu quite well.  Let's begin with a cocktail.  Meringue-O-Tang, $20 SILY's signature cocktails are fun, creative, and rather difficult to choose between, so I asked for a recommendation from the bar staff. The Meringue-O-Tang is the barman's favourite, and I can see why. It is a mouth-watering combination of Licor 43, Vodka, Frangelico, Lemon, Caramel and Whites. Though it is distinctly fruity and easy-to-drink, it has a perfectly caramel smoothness and packs quite a punch.  So, what about the easy-going food menu?  Classic American hotdog...

 Everyone who knows me knows of my obsession with Mike's famous bread. From about middle of last year until the beginning of this year, I embarked on a lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful mission of purchasing an entire loaf of bread from the restaurant.  Then came Kitchen By Mike at Home, the home delivery service that Kitchen By Mike created to combat the COVID19 shut downs - and guess what? The bread is part of the menu! I won't spend this entire post sighing over the bread: I have included it in my  review  dedicated to the topic.  I have a great deal of respect for the business for adapting its business model so quickly in what is an incredibly difficult time for the hospitality industry. Kitchen By Mike is known for creating fresh, produce-driven meals for office workers in the heart of Sydney's CBD. It is the "smart casual" of restaurants. Every lunch time, long lines form to get a hit of Mike's homey, comforting and delicious school-lunches-for-adults....

The first thing to know about Ona is that it has some serious coffee pedigree. Its founder, Saša Šestić, was World Barista Champion 2015, and the team has some heavyweight accolades under its belt: ‘Australian Barista Champion’ (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), ‘Australian Brewers Cup Champion’ (2017, 2018, 2019) and ‘Australian Coffee in Good Spirits Champion’ (2018, 2019). The second thing to know about Ona is that its aesthetics is on point: clean, minimalist, soothing, with the baristas working right in front of you. Nothing hurried or chaotic about this place. The third thing to know about Ona is that it has some of the most reasonably priced and interesting beans to take home. The staff are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the art of the brew, and will not hesitate to give you brewing tips and make recommendations based on your preferred brewing method. During my last visit, I took home an El Salvador La Esperanza, a natural processed single origin b...

I have made no secret of my partiality towards  Harada . It is truly the best Japanese omasake experience I have had to date, and well-compensated for the loss of the Mino omasake, which had been a family favourite for years: I reviewed it shortly after the inception of this blog in 2015 , and again in 2018 . This time, I went to Harada for a casual lunch - the short but sweet lunch menu consists entirely of different kinds of ramen, with one small dish option, being gyoza. The dinner at Harada might be fancy af, the lunch is well within the cheap eats territory. Gyoza, $6  The well-coloured bottom shows that the gyoza is pan-fried. It is on the soft side, very flavourful and juicy. The rich porky goodness makes it a perfectly respectable dumpling. Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen The majority of the small ramen menu consist of chicken-broth ramen, and this is the only exception. The tonkotsu ramen (being pork bone broth) is very rich and silky in texture. It comes with a g...

I tend to overlook the bustling strip in Pyrmont along Harris Street, but every time I go I enjoy myself. Gallon, which looks unassuming and cosy from the street, is actually a large eatery with a front and a back bar, and a garden area. You book by calling the owner on his mobile - and his voice is one of the kindest I have heard in a while. We're off to a good start. Primarily a wine bar, Gallon's wine list is very good, and the pour generous. There is a great variety of Australian and Europeans varieties, though the cocktail list is small. Bowl of Potatoes: $9, sweet chili & sour cream $2 The rustically named "bowl of potatoes" is a winner. Baby kipfler potatoes are squashed mercilessly, flash fried, and tossed in a delicious mix of garlic, parsley and salt. It is crunchy and satisfyingly salty. Napalese Momo Dumplings, $18.50 You know how you know dumplings are the greatest? The fact that so many cultures have their own version. In Napal, dumplin...