Sydney Inner West

By the time you read this, I will be in the land of sushi and all things cute and quirky. Yes, that is Japan. I am only spending a short time here and will be staying around the Osaka and... Continue reading Sushi Bar Rashai »

Not every suburb can be characterised by the restaurants within it, but Petersham's saturation of Portuguese restaurants has foodies queuing for a taste of Portugal. Today, I'm at Petersham Charcoal Chicken. While the name may suggest that you'll just find... Continue reading Petersham Charcoal Chicken - Portuguese Cuisine Restaurant »

One of the best things about winter is being able to savour hot pots (steamboats) without breaking into an unbearable hot sticky sweat. I've recently found myself become a regular at SiChuan Hot Pot because the DIY (do-it-yourself) fun is... Continue reading SiChuan Hot Pot (Steamboat), Burwood »

Good views don't always have to come with a hefty price tag and The Thai at d'Albora Marina in Sydney's Inner West suburb, Cabarita, is probably one of the most overlooked waterfront restaurants. Simple Thai seafood dishes are freshly prepared... Continue reading The Thai at d'Albora Marina, Cabarita »

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of attending the Sydney Royal Easter Show's showbag launch media event which you could say was like fulfilling a childhood fantasy! Imagine, all 302 showbags spread out in one giant hall... no crowds, no... Continue reading Showbags for the 2010 Sydney Royal Easter Show revealed »

It is a rare occasion for a foodie to feel defeated by food... But for $50, David Tsirekas serves up a banquet that goes beyond satisfaction. It leaves a lasting food coma... So a few nights ago, I introduced Perama... Continue reading My Big Fat Greek Feast... at Perama »

Did the title catch your attention? Well, that's exactly what you will get from eating Stra Pocha's chilli chicken. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted. While we are spoilt for choice when it comes to Korean cuisine in Sydney,... Continue reading Burning tongue, burning bum »

In celebration of the new year, I thought it would be suitable to look back at all of my best eats in 2009. Here, I've included some of my most frequently visited restaurants as well as a few memorable favourites.... Continue reading Top 10 list of the best I've eaten in 2009 »

Being self-employed means working from home for the majority of the week. Or if i feel like getting out, then from a cafe. Those who follow me on Twitter will have seen my latest find: Laptop Friendly Cafes. It is... Continue reading Badde Manors revisited »

When an Indian restaurant gets the nod of approval from a local Indian resident, it's a must try. Today, Betty excitedly lets me know that Vasandha Bhavan is a restaurant her Indian friend would highly recommend. So we gave the... Continue reading Vasandha Bhavan »

Vincent's Noodle House has long been serving Lidcombe locals affordable Asian cuisine. While they no longer appear to be a small family-run business, having moved in to Dooleys Catholic Club, they're still bloody popular. Their pho dac biet (special beef... Continue reading Vincent's Noodle House »

Last Monday would have been just another girly catch-up dinner at CeCi in Strathfield had I not discovered Hello Happy (to which I squealed with excitement). As you may have noticed, I'm a regular at Strathfield. With a growing South-Korean,... Continue reading Hello Happy, Strathfield »

Cafe Du Coeur was a little French cafe on Bay Street which recently went through a brand revamp. The result being Cafe Qube. The menu, the scattered collection of random retro furniture and the iMac slideshow of staff polaroids are... Continue reading Cafe Qube »

I'm a big fan of Time Out. I would never visit a city without first consulting the local Time Out guide. Time Out Sydney's Food Awards 09 winners were announced this week, so let's see who made the cut: People's... Continue reading The best of Sydney, according to Time Out »

Kammadhenu has a menu which satisfies many Asian tastebuds. They have vast options available, categorically split by starters, curries, vegetarian, goat, egg, lamb, beef, chicken, seafood, rice/noodle, kothu roti, hoppers, breads, desserts and extras! Within the savoury dishes, they've even... Continue reading Kammadhenu »

Random. The food doesn't stick to a theme. The rich burlesque decor doesn't suit the laid back music. The service was at times slow and rarely consistent. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. It caters for everyone and with... Continue reading Roxanne »

This is it. This is my favourite fish and chip takeaway shop. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Ocean Foods recently won the prestigious Best Fish And Chips In Sydney award (Seafood Excellence Awards). Battered fish and... Continue reading Ocean Foods, Drummoyne »

Madame Fling Flong is a hidden gem. I wouldn't have come across it if it weren't for Karen's 25th birthday. This tiny plush tapas and cocktail lounge bar sits above Soni's at Newtown on busy King Street. The extensive cocktail... Continue reading Madame Fling Flong »

It has been well over 4 weeks since I was released from hospital with severe gastroenteritis and placed on a strict diet of bland foods. Boring, it was. But now that I'm skipping around as though I've never been sick,... Continue reading Ginza, Japanese at Burwood »

I was going to wait until I had eaten all 5 salads this week before I blogged about it, but why wait? The best thing about blogs is that you readers get the latest pics and info with minimal turnaround... Continue reading Bourke Street Bakery's daily salads »

The plan today, was to have lunch along Glebe Point Road. There were these wooden bench seats beside a tall open window which caught my eye... and soon we were soaking in the sunshine. Badde Manors is a small, vibrant... Continue reading Badde Manors Cafe, Glebe »

I recently discovered Sydney Olympic Park Golf Centre's weekend breakfast special and felt ready to retire. Nothing could be paired up so well with golf than a gourmet big breakfast of bacon, eggs, grilled tomato, mushroom, hash brown and chipolata... Continue reading Breakfast and golf »

Mmm... I have a new addiction. Pastizzi Cafe in Newtown is the modern day version of 1950's Maltese Cafe on Crown Street in Surry Hills. It is still a family run business and it shows in their friendly service. They... Continue reading Pastizzi Cafe, Newtown »

I can relate with anyone who gets hungry in the wee hours of the morning. So I've put together a top ten list of my fave restaurants for late night dining... Continue reading Top 10 late night dining spots in Sydney »

As I'm making my way to Shanghai Night (confusingly, the dumpling / noodle house next door), a woman fiercely slides open the door of New Shanghai and beckons us to sit down. The menu was practically identical to its rival... Continue reading New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant »

I've made my own baklava at home plenty of times. While it's fun mixing and matching different nuts, syrup to pastry ratio and wacky shapes, nothing beats walking into a baklava pastry store. The huge display here offers more varieties of baklava than you can imagine. Continue reading Auburn Baladna Pastry »

I have found it. Fresh and cheap seafood that doesn't compromise on taste! Okay, so the service can be a hit and miss at times, but the food is casual Chinese at its best. Continue reading cheap and delicious, Auburn Chinese Restaurant »

Some time last week, I was invited to dine at one of Norton Street's new pizza joints... operated by my sister's colleague's brother-in-law. Ha! That was a mouthful... I was pleasantly surprised at the cosiness of the restaurant; the interior was long and terrace-like. The original rustic steel frames were exposed, complimenting the orange and beige hues. We sat further inside, away from the large mirrors -ensuring that none of us would be preoccupied with checking ourselves out. Continue reading 7ettimo »

With my new Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens, I hit the live tanks at the Sydney Fish Markets: Continue reading re-visiting the fish markets »

Flying Fish is located in a warehouse along Pyrmont's Jones Bay Wharf, just off Pirrama Road. The story hasn't changed much since Zen and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary at Aria Restaurant. Monday morning, I had asked Zen to make a reservation at Ocean Room... Friday morning comes and he finally makes the call, only to be informed that they were booked out for a private function. Flying Fish was second on my list, so off we went to a double booked table. Continue reading 5 year anniversary at Flying Fish »

On this extremely late Sunday afternoon, we decided to brunch at Bello. I've been here a couple of times before and have loved their generous servings and location. It's a fabulous excuse to impulse shop, although you might not be in the mood after paying almost $10 for a bowl of wedges with sweet chilli sauce and sour cream. Continue reading brunch at Bello's »

I have just discovered a local Yum Cha that is comparable to those in the City. Rhodes Phoenix is neatly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Rhodes Shopping Centre (also home to giant outlet Ikea). It is the 4th child of the Phoenix Restaurants family, the other siblings being Sky Phoenix, Hilltop Phoenix and Manly Phoenix; so I suppose it's success isn't really that surprising. Continue reading Rhodes Phoenix, Yum Cha »

CeCi is a small authentic Korean restaurant on The Boulevarde in Strathfield. The interior is adorningly cute with pink walls, floral wallpaper in shades of purple, blue and green and framed cartoon prints. Continue reading Ceci Korean Restaurant, Strathfield »

Strathfield is where I go when I want something local, quick and fast. There are Korean restaurants across every main street. Today, we decided to revisit Hyang Won, which is popular for the hot pots or barbeques. I love the spicy octopus, marinated beef, tofu and vegetable hot pot. Priced at $35, it is more than enough to feed 2 people... served piping hot with typical Korean condiments (kimchi, fish cakes, seaweed salad and caramelised potatoes). Continue reading Spicy hot pot... ready for Winter »

For just $65, we stuffed ourselves silly. Thankfully, all the calories were burnt off by the end of our 7 hour Poker game. Continue reading A feast before a long game of Poker »

It's been a while since I've been to Leichhardt... and there was no better way to spend Saturday night than with a few girlfriends and some tasty pastas and grills. Parking was a breeze inside the Italian Forum carpark, which was $12 flat rate for entry after 6pm. The Italian Forum was packed with groups of families, friends and couples. It was a cheery atmosphere filled with loud conversations and laughter. The service was flirtatious but efficient. Continue reading Italian Forum, Leichhardt - Cafe La Vigna »

Since I just posted on Dooleys at Lidcombe, I thought it was only fair to write about the much classier sister restaurant. Waterview was opened some time in 2005, and targets the business lunchers and families. It offers a cafe oriented menu which features lots of gourmet goodies. Continue reading Waterview - Dooleys at Silverwater »

I've always been a regular at Dooleys Bistro. And since they've introduced the $8 rump steak on Monday and Tuesday nights, I can now enjoy a quick bistro dinner at a great price. The kids meals are awesome too... at $8, you can choose from the fish and chips, nuggets and chips, spaghetti bolognaise, or the roast with vegies, and also get a free soft drink or juice, and ice-cream! Continue reading Dooleys Bistro, Lidcombe »

Early Sunday morning, crowds gather amongst the steps of this restaurant to wait for a seat. Towards the busier afternoon, numbered tickets are handed out to ensure that it's a smooth process (yes, hungry yum-cha goers can sometimes make a scene if the queue is unjustified). Once our number is called, we feel a sense of pride... as though we've just won exclusive entrance to a celebrity fested event. I felt everyone's envy as we were hushed into the busy restaurant. Continue reading Yum Cha at Crystal Seafood Restaurant, Strathfield »

It is hard to miss Stra Pocha- a smokey red building opposite the Strathfield railway station (on the quieter side). At 6.30pm, this Korean BBQ restaurant was packed with locals. When we ordered the 'special hot sauce BBQ chicken' the waitress whom had limited-english, warned us that it was very hot and we weren't allowed to make a complaint if it was unedible. This was enticing enough for us to order without hesitation. I love my food fiery hot. Continue reading Stra Pocha (Korean BBQ), Strathfield »

Zen's constant craving for Peking Duck drove him into taking me to Sydney Beijing Restaurant, at Ashfield. We chose the Sydney Beijing Restaurant because after a quick search in Google, we couldn't help but notice the number of Chinese bloggers commenting at this restaurant's similarity to the original flavours in Beijing. Continue reading Sydney Beijing Restaurant »

Hanabi at Lidcombe is the sister restaurant to its city (cnr Pitt St & Liverpool St) establishment. While the condiments are quite enjoyable, I found that the hot pot was a great disappointment. Strangely it featured a mixture of ordinary sausages and fresh vegetables with instant ramen. Continue reading Hanabi, Lidcombe »