I Don't Eat, I Devour

Afternoon tea is a Mother's Day tradition in my family. Over the years, I have taken my mum to most of the afternoon tea purveyors in Sydney, and Mode Kitchen at the Four Seasons stands out for its beautiful, romantic atmosphere.  Situated on the second floor complete with a harpist and directly across a wall of beautiful ceramic ware, the afternoon tea set up is at once private (because you're not looking directly at any other table) yet on display (comme Marie Antoinette) because you are seated right above the hotel foyer.  The tea selection is small, but curated; and ceremoniously brought to the table for selection. The purveyor is Jing Tea. I highly recommend the Flowering Osmanthus, which is a green tea with osmanthus flower, giving the tea a subtle yet warm sweetness.  Unlike most afternoon teas, the savoury layer is in the middle tier, rather than the bottom tier. From left to right, we have a lemon stracciatella and broccolini vol au vent with caviar (at an additi...

Bar Topa remains one of my favourite spots in Sydney's CBD. A little gem of Spanish corner, it reminds me of the holiday I had in Barcelona where I enjoyed a whole host of pintxos - little bite-sized treats to accompany a drink or two.  The cocktails at Bar Topa are little half-pours, which means you can mix and match to your heart's content. At $8 a pour, these cute little numbers don't make a big dent in one's pocket either. Note, however, that the cocktails are pre-made and therefore you won't be able to make adjustments (for example, they only make a vodka martini, not a gin martini). Mezcal a la moda, Martini Croquetta, $5 each There are three varieties of croquetta - ham (being these ones), spinach and ricotta, and mushrooms. Deep fried and deeply satisfying, they are so fluffy and soft they barely require chewing; and although they are golden brown, they are not greasy at all.  Chorizo, $10 Plump and juicy, with a satisfying bite, the extremely flavourful cho...

I have a lot of memories of this place. When I first came to Australia as a child, this  was one of my parents' favourite places to eat to comfort their "Chinese stomachs". There are quite a bit of similarities between the taste profiles of Shanghainese cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine, now that I think about it: both cuisine prefer that lovely umami sweet-savoury and dainty little portions. Even some of our breakfast foods are just variations on a theme.  This, for example. Glutinous rice logs filled with fried dough stick (you tiao), Taiwan-style pork floss (which is a little sweeter and more toasted than its arch-competitor, the Taichang-style pork floss) and preserved raddish. It is filling, comforting and texturally varied (chewy and soft vs crunchy). It is also easily transported, so a perfect breakfast-on-the-go or snack item. The Shanghainese version is shaped like a ball and sometimes replaces the pork floss and preserved raddish with preserved vegetables.  Egg panc...

"Walk in only" - in this day and age, you've got to have strong confidence in your pulling power to stand by this policy. Normally, these three words strike fear into my overly-prepared little heart, but I have long been curious about this charming, unpretentious corner spot opposite the Enmore Theatre, and I decided to brave it with a couple of friends.  Charcoal chicken plate, $16 The charcoal chicken plate is really a deconstructed charcoal chicken pita pocket. It is served with tender, smoky chicken breast pieces, salad, tomato chutney, gorgeously tart pickles and fragrant toum. The toum is creamy and very, very good - almost as good as the famed one at El Jannah.  Koshari, $16 One of my dining companions is a wonderfully well-travelled ex-Emirates flight attendant. When she discovered this dish on the menu, she was delighted. Since having tried this dish of rice and chickpeas in Cairo, she had been craving it. Though not as good as the one in Cairo (I am informed), t...

Sitting pretty in the middle of the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Botanic House is a beautifully sunny, relaxed spot that makes you forget you are mere minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the big smoke.  The tasting menu is created by Luke Nguyen, one of Australia's most beloved Asian TV chefs. The cuisine is modern Asian, with Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai influences being the most prominent.  Edamame and avocado salsa with sesame rice crackers The Chinese restaurants of the 90s brought bowls of greasy, salty, delicious prawn crackers that melted in the mouth as starters. Here, those nostalgic treats have been given a fusion upgrade. Something of an Asian guac-and-corn-chips, the salsa is creamy, the rice crackers a slightly less oily versio of its prawn predecessors.  Seared Hokkaido scallop These scallops are pleasantly plump and served with an interesting, flavourful sauce of cashew, toasted coconut and pork floss. The cashew and toasted coconut are distinctly South...

Chef's Gallery is one of those restaurants that never quite come to the top of my list for favourite restaurants, yet every time I go, I'm always pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy their food. The best way to describe the cuisine is creative Chinese - not incredibly adventurous, but not quite traditional either. They have an extensive menu serving all sorts of goodies at very reasonable prices.  Egg and spinach tofu, $17.90 Lightly battered and fried, the tofu is wobbly, light, and subtly flavoured with egg and spinach. It is served on a bed of very light, slightly sweet soy sauce which adds a hint of salt without overwhelming the delicacy of the ingredient itself.  Peking Duck Roti, $18.90 Duck pancake is a dish well-beloved by all. The version at Chef's Gallery wraps the Peking duck in roti instead of the traditional thin pancake. Pre-wrapped, there is something to be said of being robbed of the opportunity to make your own pancakes just the way you like them, but C...

 Fabbrica means factory - and the small eatery pumping out sandwiches, pasta and deli goods is a factory of deliciousness dropped in the middle of the CBD. At once a restaurant and a corner store, it is the perfect spot for a mid-week casual catch up. Spritz and Americano, $16 each The drinks at Fabbrica are mostly of the easy-drinking variety, the kind with which to waste away a lazy afternoon. Balanced, vibrant and only gently alcoholic.  Bread, $6 + Anchovies, $12 Chewy, pillowy, a perfect mix between fluffy and crusty, the bread is definitely worth trying. I would go as far as to say the bread comes very very close to the legendary loaves at Kitchen By Mike. Delicious with whipped butter, even better with salty, oily anchovies (also sold in the store).  Madaldine Alla Gricia, $24 A delicious combination of crispy bacon and my favourite pasta shape - beautifully sauced, satisfyingly salty, with a generous shaving of cheese on top.  Gigli, broccoli, XO sauce, $28 T...