I Don't Eat, I Devour

One of Sydney's most exciting new restaurant / bar combo in the heart of Newtown, Odd Culture boasts an excellent wine list and one of the best value banquets I have had. When stepping into the space, the lofty ceilings immediately transport you away from the bustling, slightly crowded streets of Newtown.  The anchovy cigars caught our eye, so we ordered some in addition to the generously portioned set menu. Crispy, delicate and savoury, the already complex flavours of anchovies are enhanced further by the addition of olive and taramasalata.  Anchovy cigars, $7 each The house bread is curiously named "beer bread". It is a house baked sourdough with house butter, which is rich and generously sprinkled with coarse sea salt. The fluffy bread is a wonderful start to the meal - especially if you're also washing the food down with a couple of cocktails.  As a refreshing first course, disks of cucumber is tossed in silky preserved tofu and salted chilli. The contrasting text...

 The fun, chill little sister to Ester (with their names combined to be a tongue-in-cheek "polyester"), Poly does share plates well. I mean, really well. The cocktails are well-balanced and interesting, and the food menu is curated and beautifully executed.  Cocktails, $23-$24 Each of the cocktails at Poly are gorgeous. Whether you are into something light and refreshing, or packs a punch, the ever-revolving cocktail list has something to suit every palette. Where you'd rather be is a pandan-based, fragrant number; golden buzz is strong yet balanced; and green with envy is a sweet yet smooth cocktail that's dangerous moreish.  Six Natural Oysters, $38 Plump, juicy Sydney rock oysters that hasn't been overly-washed, so they retain the wonderful saltiness of the ocean. Paired with a chili vinegar, they are the perfect start to the meal.  Potato bread, $10 This is a must-order at Poly. The chewy, satisfying bread is paired with a magical whipped sesame dip that we co...

FFF (as their shirts proudly display) has been serving delicious food in Enmore for years and years, and is hands down one of the best late night, cheap eats Pakistani restaurants in Sydney. With its giant tandoors and menu which entices your eyes to be way bigger than your stomach, it is somewhere you enter with a big appetite and heart full of expectation, and never fail to leave groaning with fullness and satisfaction.  Goat Korma Masala, $16.50 "Melty" is the first word to jump to mind when thinking about this rich, comforting curry. Slightly spicy, it is the flavour that packs a punch rather than the chili. Not even a drop of it was left by the end of the meal - when the goat pieces were picked clean, the sauce still had bits and pieces of meat, fat and all that good stuff.  Seekh Kabab, $12.50 Wonderfully spiced and salty (perhaps a tad too salty on its own), my favourite way to enjoy these minced beef kabab pieces is to drizzle with mint sauce (pictured below) and wrap...

Newtown appears to be the home of low-key vegan Mexican restaurants serving cheap and cheery set menus and good time margaritas. Since my visit to Calle Rey , I have found another restaurant cut from the same cloth. So, let them battle it out, shall we?  Within walking distance from one another (but not so close as to be breathing down each others' necks), both Calle Rey and Vandal serve $30 set menus filled with guac, tacos, corn and all the good stuff one expects at a casual Mexican restaurant. Except everything is vegan - not that those restaurants shout it from the rooftop. Both are what I'm calling "sneaky vegan restaurants" - the kind where the strong flavours and sauces disguise, rather than advertise, the fact that none of what you eat came from an animal.  Is a Mexican meal even complete without guac? Always a crowd-pleaser, this is a simple and refreshing way to start the meal.  Spicy and juicy, with a generous shaving of vegan shredded mozzarella (I'm g...

Since its opening at Crown Sydney, I have had several foodie colleagues recommend A'Mare to me, so when I finally found a fitting occasion, I was excited to try their degustation menu.  First, A'Mare is a beautiful restaurant. During the day it is bright and vibrant, overlooking the waters. At night, it transforms into something elegant and sleekly intimate. Another aspect that sets A'Mare apart from other restaurants is that there are a lot of table-side service, which adds another dimension to the dining experience.  Burrata caprese The burrata is presented whole and cut open at the table, then drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with pepper. It is a rich, creamy burrata with very little salt; accompanied by green tomatoes and salsa verde.  Focaccia The bread is, of course, served warm. Springy and pillowy, with a satisfying bounce, it is accompanied by Pugliese extra version olive oil and an aged balsamic that tastes mildly bitter - presented by staff and drizzled ta...

 As any Sydney foodie would tell you, the best place for Indian cuisine in all of Sydney is Harris Park. A short walk from the station, one is spoilt by choice - I have visited a couple of the local favourites ( Chatkazz and Dosa Hut ), and now I add another review to my growing list.  As a lone diner, the best thing to order is a thali. A thali is a plate consisting of a grain (rice and/or flatbread), lentils, a seasonal preparation of vegetables, chutney, and a couple of curries. It is a god-send to someone like me, who wants to try a little bit of everything, with eyes enormous like the moon but a stomach the size of that of a small household pet.  Non-veg thali, $19.90 All those deliciousness for under $20 - what an absolute bargain! A generous serving of tumbling long-grain rice and two pieces of naan (each cut in half) with which to enjoy a chickpea curry, daal, butter chicken and what I think was a goat korma. Nothing is too spicy - truly a plate for everyone. The...

I have been wanting to try one particular Korean dish for a long, long time: icy cold noodle which looks chewy and are wrapped in such a dense ball that they need to be cut with scissors before enjoying. Hansang is always top of the list when I search for a Korean restaurant in Sydney where I have enjoy cold noodles, so I decided it was time to pay it a visit.  One of the best things about going to Korean restaurants is the complimentary banchan (side dishes, or meal accompaniments). I am a particular fan of the fish cake (top row, third from the left), the refreshing pickled vegetables (greens, kimchi and radishes) and the creamy pasta salad (top RHS).  Those pan fried dumplings were hard to pass. Filled with pork and chives, their golden shells give them a more satisfying and chewy texture than their steamed counterparts. The flavours are well-balanced and moreish, especially when dipped in the soy-based accompanying sauce with a touch of chilli. Ah, kimchi pancake. Simple, ...

I visited Mekong at the end of 2019 (which feels like an absolute lifetime ago) and rather enjoyed the vibrant South-East Asian cuisine on offer during that visit . This time round, I gathered a couple more friends and decided to make a feast of it, trying a few more dishes.  Mekong Share Plate, $42 For entree, I highly recommend the Mekong share plate, which serves 2 people and is a selection of the menu highlights. The scallops, which was also featured during my last visit, is a must try: fresh, tangy, balanced and sweet. The veggie samosas take me right back to my high school years where curry puffs were the height of a Thai takeaway experience (usually enjoyed right before a concert and shovelled down between rehearsals). The duck pancake comes pre-wrapped, and unlike the Chinese version with the crispy skin, the cut at Mekong has more of a pork belly like texture and equally enjoyable (though secretly, I still prefer the Chinese version if I must choose). The chicken wings ar...