Lavender Blue Cafe (McMahons Point)

(As of January 2012, we believe this cafe is closed)

It was a beautiful Sunday and after some early bushwalking around the lower North Shore we were craving for a decent brunch. Attracted by the open windows and relaxed atmosphere, we entered into the Lavender Blue café at McMahons Point.

Breakfast was available all day on Sunday. The portion size was generous and the eggs were cooked well. While it seems to be not as popular as the nearby cafés, Lavender Blue certainly seems a nice place for Sunday brunch.

Details:
Lavender Blue Cafe
165 Blues Point Rd 
McMahons Point NSW 2060
http://mylavenderblue.com.au/

Arisun (Sydney)

I was secretly craving for fried chicken. Knowing we are catching up with another friend who also favour deep fried goodness, I have chosen Arisun Korean Restaurant at the edge of Haymarket.

Consistent with its reputation the fried chicken was excellent. Served in a large basket and enough for 4 people, it was drenched in savory soy sauce and yet still crunchy on the outside. For a cool evening the sausage hotpot was a very comforting dish with a mix of meat and vegetables.

The service was rather aloof but nevertheless the restaurant was great for large group gatherings.

Details:
Arisun Restaurant
1 Dixon St 
Haymarket NSW 2000

Porteno (Sydney)

I went to Porteno twice in 8 days, fortunately got seated immediately on both occasions. You must go early as there is a queue 15 min from its opening time of 6pm and bookings under 5 people are not accepted.

Once we were in, the meat feasts were memorable. I loved both woodfired dishes although I favoured the suckling pig over the lamb (just). BBQ eggplant ensalada combined well with the crispy bread; the blood sausage had the perfect level of spiciness; and the fried brussel sprouts were delicious. The pavlova was the standout among the 4 desserts.

(New Restaurant of the Year well deserved!!!)




Details:
Porteno
358 Cleveland Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
http://www.porteno.com.au/

Musashi (Sydney)

Musashi Dining Bar, situated close to the Chinatown area next to the theatre, consistently has a long queue of people during dinner hours. It was certainly the case when we visited last week.

The menu offers a large array of dishes. The quality was consistently high. The sashimi platter was fresh and presented beautifully – there was plenty of the 3 of us. We also had the Oden Hot Pot that has all kinds of goodies. I especially like the konjac jelly served in a lolly pop stick which goes very well with the wasabi-miso paste.

Details:
Musashi Dining Bar
Shop 5, 447 Pitt St 
Sydney NSW 2000
http://musashirestaurant.com.au

Chat Thai (Haymarket)

We were prepared in heading to Chai Thai at Haymarket for an early Friday dinner. We were seated at 5:35pm and the queue outside started at 5:45pm. Do not underestimate the popularity of this place.

The standard of the food justified the long queues. The red curry was rich and strong in flavour. The BBQ lamb was not too hot and was lifted just enough by the spice. We went for the mango sticky rice dessert as well as the special black bean and coconut soup – the variety of special desserts along (availability varies) alone is worth going back for.

Details:
Chat Thai Haymarket
20 Campbell St 
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.chatthai.com.au/