I Don't Eat, I Devour

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...

You can't talk about venerable modern Italian fine dining restaurants in Sydney without mentioning Otto. Situated along the same Wharf that brings you famed eateries such as Aki's Indian, China Doll and Manta, it attracts a very well-heeled, wealthy-retiree type of crowd on the weekend with its relaxed vibes and fine dining service. Zucchini Flowers, $31 per serve (a serve = 2 flowers) The zucchini flowers at Otto come encased in the most delicate, tempura-like batter, and is filled with ricotta and pecorino. A delicate romesco sauce provides the flavour hit to this otherwise extremely mild dish. I could taste the freshness of the produce, though it was not quite as exciting as one had hoped - mainly due to the fact that the very mild flavours failed to give the requisite pop. Spaghetti, $55 The pasta at Otto come in two sizes: entree and main. Pictured is the main serving size.  Spaghetti is served with Western Australian blue swimmer crab, chilli, garlic, and fini...

I came across a video of Alibi on one of those "top places to take a friend in Sydney" YouTube videos and was immediately captivated by the impressive, dramatic cocktails - they looked nothing short of magical, with over-the-top presentation: liquid nitrogen haze, flower garnish, kitsch bottles (one of them came in a gun!), the works. Already intrigued, I consulted Alibi's website and discovered that the food is designed by Matthew Kenney, an American celebrity chef who specialises in vegan cooking and has no less than 12 cookbooks to his name. Not only that, they have an 8 course degustation menu boasting of very interesting and creative dishes. As a flexitarian who reduces meat intake for environmental and moral reasons, I'm always keen to discover how non-animal products can be cooked to rival traditional fine dining. Let's start with the drinks. Though the kitchen is vegan, the bar isn't. Apart from Alibi's creative cocktail offerings, there is qui...

As far as views go, Hacienda is definitely up there. Located in the Pullman at Circular Quay, with a clear view of the harbour bridge, the opera house and the ferries that sail serenely on Sydney's glistening waters, Hacienda offers a stunning backdrop both day and night. If only it didn't have loud nightclub music pumping. I had called Hacienda to book the Sunday brunch - and received a call to confirm my booking. When we turned up, however, we were told that brunch finished at 1pm - right when we booked. The staff were lovely - they checked with the kitchen to see if they could still make some brunch items for us, but alas, the answer was no. The kitchen had packed up the brunch ingredients - fair enough, we were fine with ordering off the general food menu. The food menu, however, was not what we wanted: it is bar-foody and it was difficult to find things which were interesting. I suppose the whole point of the menu is to nibble while one drinks. The cocktail menu is...

Ultra-minimalist and ultra-chic, Kuro is a Japanese restaurant that is not very Japanese. The techniques are modern, the ingredients are non-traditional, and really there are only little hints of Japanese elements in their delicious dishes. Kuro Chiffon, $5 A tiny morsel that turns the expectation up-side-down: a savoury chiffon cake? Topped with nori-flavoured creme fraiche and salmon roe, I think I will have all future chiffon cakes salty, please.  Tomato, $14 One of my favourite dishes of the evening: refreshing tomatoes on a bed of stracciatella (the burrata-like cheese, not the choc-chip ice-cream) and topped with a savoury, umami jelly film, this is one refreshing and moreish dish.  King Prawn, $14 each Deep fried so every element is edible (including the head and tail, we were told - though I'm not so sure about that), the king prawn is served with a prawn butter and encased in arare (Japanese rice cracker crumbs). I found the dish somewhat ...

The original Totti's is in Bondi - an area of Sydney I do not frequent, but I had heard great things about it. When I noticed the renovation sign coming up next door to Bar Topa in the Ivy precinct in CBD, I was pretty excited to try its CBD sister, Bar Totti's. The CBD location is surprisingly big - unlike the hole-in-the-wall, intimate Bar Topa, Totti's CBD is divided into two sections: a casual bar area and a sit-down restaurant area.  We made a last-minute decision to have a look on Friday night - the place, as one would expect, was bustling, but we were lucky enough to go at the right time and were able to nab a seat in the bar area.  We ordered a couple of dishes to accompany our drinks, and unexpectedly walked out with full stomachs.  I am already planning a second visit so that I can try a couple more things from its bar menu, and a third visit where I can have a sit-down meal.  Wood fired bread, $11 Served impressively puffed, you'd think thi...

Earlier this year, I went to Spain for the first time and fell in love with pintxos and tapas. Of the two, I prefer tapas, because it really stands for everything I love: small quantity, being able to try multiple dishes, and the ability to lazily pick at one's food while focusing on conversation with friends. Sydney had not had a strong tapas game previously - there were a few tapas restaurants, but they focused on what Australians think tapas should be (garlic prawns, meat balls - sound familiar?), in a regular restaurant setting, and the meal always end up being pretty poor value. The arrival of Bar Topa is an absolute game-changer. Nestled in the Ivy complex, Bar Topa only seats about 30 people. The prime position is along the bar where the bar items are displayed - you have the best view of the kitchen, and your dishes are put on top of the glass display cabinet in a charming, casual manner, giving you the optimal elbow room in a pint sized bar. After trying their food, ...