I Don't Eat, I Devour

Plant based burgers - who knew they would ever take off? Well, apparently they did, because Soul Burger in Randwick turned completely vegan a while ago and has been serving soy-protein patties ever since. Straya Mate, $16 The 'Straya Mate consists of lettuce, tomato, grilled pineapple, guacamole and beetroot sauce, along with the dreaded soy protein 'beef' pattie. Overall the burger is quite enjoyable, but mostly thanks to the other ingredients apart from the main act. The soy protein pattie is dry and crumbly, and although not offensive, I think I would have disliked it but for the abundance of sauces and other ingredients to distract me from the taste. American Badass, $16 This is a monster - apart from the plant-based 'beef', this burger also comes with hash brown, onion rings, caramalised onions and veggie slaws, as well as mustard and ketchup. I think whether or not you enjoy these plant based burgers really depends on what you look for in a burger...

Berta is truly one of the hidden gems on the Sydney dining scene. Tucked in an inconspicuous doorway on Alberta Street, Berta offers one of the most beautifully crafted set menus every Tuesday evening: Sagra. During Sagra, the chef takes one ingredient and curates a four-course menu around that ingredient. On previous occasions I have been to a pomegranate themed dinner and another one with artichoke, and both have been delicious. There is something very relaxing about giving over control to the kitchen team and letting them surprise you with their creations. The Sagra menu I am about to review is slightly different to the usual Sagra format, because the theme, rather than a single ingredient, is 'St Stephens Day' - or Italian Boxing day. Being the day after Christmas, the kind of food created are those which may be considered 'leftover fare' - where you take the bits and bobs you weren't able to use up for the Christmas feast and create yet another feast. The...

The vegan bandwagon has been well and truly powering along for a couple of years now, and there are more options than ever for those who choose to adopt a plant-based diet. I am not a vegan, but I have been curious about the new crop of vegan restaurants popping up in the trendy suburbs of Sydney and am keen to discover how they are able to attract food-lovers while denying patrons any animal product. Prior to the vegan diet becoming popularised, one of the main reasons why I turned my nose up at vegan food is that they often try to fake animal products instead of allowing vegetables and fruits to speak for themselves. The sound of 'imitation beef' or 'no-meat steak' was quite off-putting to me, because being as familiar as I already am with tofu, I simply don't think they pass off as meat. However, the repetoire of vegan chefs have expanded well beyond soy products, so it's time to give vegan food a fair try.  Let's start with 'mylk'-based d...

Located right near where the fireworks go off at Darling Harbour every Saturday night, Kazbah is a vibrant and popular Middle Eastern restaurant. With a menu designed for sharing and belly dance performances, Kazbah is perfect for group meals and catch-ups among friends. Hummus, Baba Ghanhouj and Muhammara served with Lebanese bread, $21.50 My favourite of the three is the muhammara, which is a salty tomato-based dip. The hummus is buttery smooth, and the baba ghanhouj has that distictive smokey flavour which goes perfectly with the soft and crispy Lebanese bread. The extra-virgin olive oil is a nice touch, as it prevents the dips from being too dry to the palate. Kibbeh, $17 Kibbeh is a fried 'dumpling' of meat and pinenut stuffing. Crispy on the outside, salty and nutty and soft in the middle, these are absolutely delicious. Chicken Tangine, $32 Probably my favourite dish of the evening, the chicken is succulent, tender, with the broth deeply flavourful and ...

The entrance to Contrabando is not easy to find for first-timers: a tiny, graffiti-covered doorway leading to a shady-looking underground dig that is a bustling eatery nowadays, but you get the distinct feeling it might have been used for much less reputable purposes back the days (not sure if true, but the discreet doorway  certainly gives off a bit of a seedy vibe). From Mondays to Thursdays, Contrabando hosts what is possibly the best lunch deal in the Sydney CBD: $20 for a four course 'street food express lunch' accompanied by a choice of beer, cider or soft drink. The menu changes from week to week, but don't worry: I have been a couple times, and it's always been pretty delicious. Mac n' Cheese Croquettes  Gooey and soft, these fried, golden balls are a two-bites (or one) teaser to the beginning of your lunch. It is creamy and tasty, but does not pack a punch in terms of flavour - but don't worry, the flavour will come. Chargrilled Corn The ...

Ratatouille is a simple, hearty, healthy one-pot wonder that can be comforting and home-style, or arranged into beautiful rosettes as seen in the Disney movie of the same name - just in case you're wondering, we're NOT going to attempt the rosette version today. We're going with the easy option here. Ingredients Ratatouille is extremely healthy: just look at all these vegetables it packs! For a large pot, you will need 4 large tomatoes  2 bell peppers (I used yellow simply because of the colour, feel free to use red or green) 1 aubergine / eggplant 1 onion  3 courgettes / zucchinis (I think I could have packed in 4, but I decided to only use 3 in the end) Handful finely chopped basil leaves Seasoning - salt & pepper 3 tbsp olive oil About 100ml - 200ml of water, depending on whether you want to end up with a vegetable broth or not.  Step 1 Step 1: chop everything. This is actually quite time consuming - took me 40 minutes! Then again, I'...

I recently discovered I'm not a horrendous cook as I previously thought, which is a delightful thing to discover about oneself. To celebrate, I will be sharing some of the recipes I have been trying. I love pancakes - but alas, the store bought mixture variety is not healthy. While they are great once in a while, sometimes you just want an energy-packed, yet guiltless breakfast. Introducing: the easy healthy pancakes. The Ingredients (minus some customisable toppings) To serve 1 normal sized person or 2 tiny people such as myself and my pal The RBG / children / not very hungry people you will need: 1 banana - the riper, the sweeter 1 cup oats (I used rolled, but quick will work equally well) 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup milk of your choice (I went with coconut milk because I save dairy for rare and special occasions, and coconut milk has the tropical flavour which I think works well with pancakes. I don't recommend using soy milk unless you love that distinct soy flavo...