I Don't Eat, I Devour

Tucked away near Martin Place, down a flight of stairs (down the rabbit hole!) is a quaint and intimate little bar aptly named Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining. The main game down the Rabbit Hole is their cocktails. Not only is the cocktail list impressive, all the drinks on it are innovative, interesting, and more an experience than a drink. The cocktail master here is Doug Laming, and he is the creator of the pearl margarita: very molecular gastronomy. This 'shot', as they call it, is what Rabbit Hole is best known for, so it's a must-try. The pearls are made of tequila, syrup and come with Cointreau 'caviar'; they are nestled on top of two halves of lime and drizzled with salt water. Apparently the way to consume this mind-boggling cocktail is to bite into the lime, pearls and all. There is barely any alcohol here, let's be honest - but the fun and the balanced flavour of sweet, sour, salty and boozy more than make up for it. The Geisha is a gin ...

One of the most exciting new entrances into the Sydney brunch scene, Lazy Suzie does a mean fusion. It is sort of Malaysian, sort of Chinese, sort of Japanese and sort of Australian. It is absolutely, wonderfully surprising and delicious.  The food menu isn't huge, but every item is carefully selected and brings a surprising twist to regular brunch items which tantalise taste buds and excite the more adventurous foodies. Kaya Toast, $13  The Kaya Toast, for example, is an ingenious combination of salty and sweet. Two thick slices of sweet brioche toast is smeared with coconut custard so that it is rich and decadent. Accompanying it, however, are slow cooked poached eggs with soy burnt butter - slightly salty. The trick, the waiter informs me, is the break the eggs and dip the brioche into the soy-egg mixture - 'the messier the better'. Of course, the thought of being messy gives me palpitations, but there is something to be said of food tasting better when it is eat...

Afternoon tea for Mother's Day has become a proud tradition for mama and me - I have vowed to take her to every reputable afternoon tea establishment in Sydney. Afternoon tea (or 'low tea', not 'high tea', contrary to common usage)  was meant as a means of filling the stomach and allowing aristocratic ladies to wile away the hours between luncheon and dinner (thank you, Duchess of Bedford). However, I suggest going on an empty stomach - the bite sized morsels add up to become quite filling! Sir Stamford at Circular Quay boasts 'the best afternoon tea in Sydney' (mere puffery, I think - however it is admittedly excellent). Despite the location of the hotel, tea is served in The Bar, which does not afford a view of the Habour. The interior, however, is very luxurious and intimate - dark colours, fire place, wall paper. The Elegant High Tea is served with a glass of champagne, a selection of tea or coffee, and the three-tiered selection of savoury items, ...

Le Bouchon is a rustic, authentic French eatery in Crows Nest. An unassuming-looking place, but the food really is very, very French. It's not the fine-dining kind of French cuisine, it's hearty, filling and country. Twice baked blue cheese and spinach souffle  As a dessert, souffles do nothing for me. As an entree, however, I absolutely love it.  Light and airy, the souffle pairs perfectly with the thick, salty blue cheese sauce. Ham Cock & Speck Terrine The cornichons (pickles) are cheek-puckeringly tart, which is just as well, as it balances the rather bland flavour of the terrine itself. Quite a heavy dish because the terrine tastes so fatty, I would not recommend it for one person.  Plat du jour  The daily special on the particular day we visisted is a lamb shoulder. This is one hearty dish that is not overly-sauced so that the natural flavours of the lamb still shines through. Sauteed calves liver  The liver is beautifully mediu...

Today's entry marks a change on this blog - from now on, I will no longer limit myself to reviewing items you can put in your mouth, I will be broadening the scope of this blog - starting with ONEWAYOUT Sydney, one of the newer escape rooms which seem to be popping up all over town. If you're not familiar with the concept of escape rooms, they are puzzle-solving entertainment which you undertake in groups. The backstories differ from room to room, but the basic concept remains the same: you and your friends are trapped in one (or a series of) locked room, and you must use your noggins and keen powers of observation to find clues around the room, solve puzzles, and hopefully make it out of the room before the clock ticks over and whatever fictional fate of horror befalls you. Context: ONEWAYOUT is my first experience of an escape room, and I must say I enjoyed it immensely. The context of The Body Shop is that you and your friends are trapped inside a global organ harvesting...

This place holds so much memories for me - I used to go to this vegetarian cafe at least once a week while studying at the adjacent University of Sydney. The place is always packed with students, because they serve amazing food for a very reasonable price. Apart from various breakfast dishes, hot meals and sandwiches, Badde Manors also makes some amazing cakes and unique beverages I haven't seen in many other places. Chai, $5 This home-brewed chai is the reason I have remained so devoted to Badde Manors throughout the years. Stove-cooked, smooth and with just the right kick of ginger, this little pot yields two glass cups' worth of chai. Bargain. Hot cider & cloves, $5 The hot cider and cloves is an acquired taste - it is literally warmed up apple cider with cloves and a slice of lemon. The cider, despite being hot, is by no means flat; and the lemon makes this a warming yet still refreshing drink. Sahleb $4.50 Sahleb is a Turkish milk drink of aromatic r...

Although American-style diners have been the rage for a while now, and new options keep popping up around the place, it's hard to say no to one of the original trend-setters: Hartyard. Known particularly for their excellent cocktails, the food options at Hartsyad are somewhat limited, but every item on the menu have been tried and tested by many diners. Wall of Happiness Chicken and biscuits in gravy, $33 For us, biscuits are gingernuts or milk arrowroots; but for the Americans, biscuits are scone-like concoctions made of buttermilk and are often savoury. The creamy gravy is dotted with small pieces of ham / speck, and the fried chicken pieces are cooked to juicy perfection. Southern comfort food as  good as it gets. Soft-serve, $18 The famous Hartsyard soft-serve does not disappoint. The flavours are always changing, so you must ask the staff each time you visit. We were pretty lucky in that the flavour of the night sounded (and turned out to be) amazing - brown ...