I Don't Eat, I Devour

Best known for its pig's head macaroni, ACME serves comfort food, amped up ten times. A meal at ACME is not fine dining, but it's certainly no casual eatery either - the dishes are designed to be shared, the serving size is very small; so between two people the recommended order is 3 starter-sized plates and 3 pastas. The last time we visited ACME, we went for a very light meal; so this time, we went all out for their 7-course "crush me" menu, plus a dessert. The "crush me" menu involves 4 starter plates and 3 pastas of the chef's choosing - though in reality the good people at ACME are happy to "workshop the menu" with you, so you end up being able to have ample control of what you eat. But first, a drink. Vermouth Rose, strawberries and mint, $14 Instead of doing the usual gin and tonic, Acme does two vermouth and tonics at $14 a pop. You have a chose between a rose vermouth and a dry vermouth. The result is a refreshing drink that...

Emma's Snack Bar, a pocket-sized Lebanese eatery, is filled to the brim every night with Enmore locals. They boast a delicious, traditional menu full of beautiful middle-eastern deliciousness; and a short, cute but mysterious wine list - rather than being able to pick your bottle, you pick a tasting note - do you feel like a "fruity and friendly" white, or a "bold and warming" red? Otherwise, they have three apperitifs and three mixed drinks (and by that I mean the likes of gin & tonic; bourbon and coke) at $10 a pop. Beer, $8 / gin & lemon bitters, $10 The highlight of Emma's is definitely their Moorish Chicken. Not only is the chicken Moorish, it's moreish (geddit geddit?) Succulent, fragrant, garlicky chicken pieces are wrapped up in pide pockets and served with mayo - what heaven is made of. At $20, it is a tad steep, but oh worth every penny - unless you live close to El Jannah's, in which case it's probably not worth $20. Ju...

Cafe Cre Asian is hidden in an unassuming little lane way right next door to the hole-in-the-wall Berta, which is one of my favourite restaurants of all time (check out my review here ). Cre Asian is joining its esteemed neighbour among the rank of my favourite places in Sydney to satiate my love of fine food. Although it truly is tiny - not much bigger than what is shown in this picture - the quality and variety of food coming out of this kitchen is amazing. The most famous item on Cre Asian's menu is its matcha latte, which comes in an artisanal-looking bowl with a generous serving. This is hands down the best matcha latte I have ever had. When you first drink it, it is quite sweet - but the high quality matcha flavour chases up quickly and leaves a distinctive bitterness behind that is oh-so-satisfying. I think this has ruined all other matcha lattes for me - in comparison, the others just taste too milky, too watery, and generally of low quality. Matcha latte, $5 ...

Ash baked eggplant, puffed rice, edemame, sesame sauce When a restaurant is confident enough to use its street address as its name, you know they're all about no-fuss, good food. No 1 Bent Street is the culinary child of Mike McEnearney, one of Sydney's most beloved chefs, with a less-is-more, seasonal approach to food. The night starts off with some lovely, fluffy sourdough and pepe seya butter. The eggplant has retained much of its natural taste and texture, enhanced by the umami and beautiful sesame sauce which gives the dish a light, smooth, savoury twist. I've always been a fan of the fleshy, filling satisfaction eggplants bring, and this dish has depth but also retain the ingredient's freshness. Lazy sushi Lazy Sushi, mixed Lazy sushi is very similar to a poke bowl in many ways: raw fish and vegetables on a bed of rice. What made this dish stand out is the subtle yet delicious flavour of the rice. I can taste vinegar, sesame oil and shallot. Usua...

Just in case you were in any doubt as to what cuisine Temasek serves, the menus at this highly-rated Parramatta eatery is emblazoned with the Mer-lion, and the walls are filled with posters with the word "Singapore" written across them. However, I have heard the food described as Malaysian, which isn't really surprising, given the large Malaysian population in Singapore which must have influenced the cuisine. Being multicultural, Singaporean food is also influenced by Indonesian, Chinese, and Western cuisine.  Getting to Temasek at nightfall is a daunting task - the directions provided by Google maps isn't at all accurate, leading you down abandoned back-streets near council parking lots, which is no fun for a woman the size of a child with strength to match. Fortunately, another wary woman was found, and  we marched purposefully towards our mutual friend's birthday dinner. The first thing that hits you as you near Temasek is the amount of food reviews and a...

Ah, nostalgia. Is it just me, or has the past ten years been nothing but a long, ceaseless stream of nostalgia? Not that I mind: I love the stylistic choices of every decade before the 70s. Daisy's Milk Bar, as its name may suggest, is a 50s-styled, American-feel eatery that specialises in quick, greasy eats and frothy milkshakes. Classic strawberry milkshake, $6 I mean, it's a milkshake. Delicious enough, but nothing special. Daisy's also serves a 'deluxe' milkshake for $8 (a tad steep!) that 'comes in a glass' and has slightly more interesting flavours such as 'iced vovo' and 'choc peanut butter'. Call me a grinch, but I've never understood milkshakes. It seems a very quick and unsatisfying way of consuming a lot of calories. Bacon & Egg Roll, $10  The addition of fried onion to this breakfast classic makes the otherwise unremarkable dish smell like heaven. The egg is fresh with runny yolk, and the brioche bun is gently ...

One of the most lovable TV chefs is also a keen businessman, opening up a range of Italian restaurants around Australia. Threatened by liquidation of the company that used to own it, Jamie Oliver has since then bought back the Sydney restaurant named after himself and the menu has been refreshed to include a pretty good deal - 2 courses for $25, 3 courses for $30 Super Lunch (available Monday to Saturday).  The menu is not limiting at all - you can choose from 4 entrees, 5 main courses and 3 desserts; and they are all very substantial.  One of the entrees, for example, is the truffle tagliatelle - this is probably my favourite dish at Jamie's (and one of the few dishes that would tempt me back). Black truffle is, of course, an acquired taste - one I happen to love; and it is combined with a lovely soft porcini mushroom and al dente pasta. Truffle Tagliatelle The pate bruschetta is also delicious: grilled bread topped with a generous slathering of chicken liver p...