Oratnek (Sydney)

We visited Oratnek for Sunday brunch twice in the past month, which probably demonstrated how much we like the place given it is a 20 minute bus ride away from home.

The queues can get pretty long past midday but it is worthwhile to check in early and enjoy a matcha latte or thick shake. The sandwiches are excellent – highly recommended the thick pork katsu or soft shell crab offerings. If that is still not enough then go for the soft and moist matcha lamingtons to finish.
As you can see matcha is a specialty there – and executed perfectly.

Details:
Cafe Oratnek
4 Pitt Street
Redfern 2016
http://www.oratnek.com.au/

Aria Catering at TEDxSydney

At the TEDxSydney event at the Sydney Opera House today, we were treated to really good food throughout the day. Both the stomach and the mind were greatly satisfied on the day.

The catering had the ‘Rebel Foods’ theme that promoted sustainability and focus on minimising waste. While the crowd was eating seemingly ‘recycled’ food, the taste definitely was not compromised. I liked the Ash cakes with compote marmalade more than the traditional scones. The mussel shell congee with crunchy prawn head was a revelation. And the roast pig by Feather & Bone was a great sight.

Pei Modern (Sydney)

We had a quiet dinner mid-week at Pei Modern restaurant in Sydney. The dining room is large and opened, quite different from my Melbourne experience.

All the dishes were shared and I enjoyed the salt cod croquettes as well as the pork and fennel sausage with onion rings – the savoury hits that were much needed after a hard day’s work. I also recommend the duck egg sauternes custard for dessert.

Details:
Pei Modern Sydney
Four Seasons Hotel
199 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000

Uncorked (North Sydney)

For our pre-wedding photoshoot, we invited our photographer to dine with us at Uncorked in The Union Hotel in North Sydney.

The dining room was rather quiet on the night of dinner which was great for us to talk over the details of our wedding plans. All the dishes were consistently good – from my smoked pig cheek starter to the tender wagyu steak. My fiancé’s foie gras salad starter was also interesting. I also enjoyed chocolate terrine dessert which had the right mix of textures.

Details:
Uncorked Restaurant at The Union Hotel
Corner Pacific Hwy & West Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
http://www.unionhotel.com.au/uncorked

Moo Chow Chow (Auckland New Zealand)

During my business trip in New Zealand, the client took the team to Moo Chow Chow – a modern Asian restaurant in the hip Ponsonby district.

The group shared close to a dozen dishes from the menu. The crispy roll of pork starters kicked (with its well-balanced chilli dipping sauce) things off nicely. My favourite dish was the caramelised pork hock – great combination of gelatinous meat and crispy fried skin. All the curry dishes kept their authenticity and were much welcomed on a cold evening.

Details:
Moo Chow Chow
23 Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby, Auckland
http://moochowchow.co.nz/

Gary Danko (San Francisco)

I took her to Gary Danko on her birthday, as part of our visit to San Francisco. The dining room has a really warm atmosphere which complements the friendly staff.

I loved all my 4 courses. Dungeness crab salad was nice and light with the sweetness of the crab really coming through. Roast Maine lobster was excellent. The best dish was the amazingly tender pork tenderloin. They wouldn’t tell me where to find pork that can be served medium rare – but it was magical.

And what a way to finish with not one, not two, but three macaroon ice-cream sandwiches.

Details:
Restaurant Gary Danko
800 North Point Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
http://www.garydanko.com

Xanthi (Sydney)

Overseas guest is the perfect reason for a gathering over food. To satisfy the big meat eaters, I have chosen Xanthi inside Westfield Sydney for some Greek fare.

The famous spit roast pork was nice and tender, even when it has gone cold well into the meal. And the crackling was gone within seconds. The other meat dishes such as lamb skaras and roast duck with quince were also fantastic. Surprise of the night was the truffle mousaka which was sufficiently creamy without being too heavy – and not watery when you cut into it like other places.

Details:
Xanthi
Westfield Sydney, Level 6
Corner Pitt Street Mall & Market Street
Sydney 2000
http://www.xanthi.com.au/

Masuya (Sydney)

As we walked into Masuya Restaurant on Friday night, the underground restaurant was only half full. We were luckily seated at the sushi bar as all the tables were reserved.

We ordered the deluxe sashimi boat and the uni (sea urchin) sushi special. For a good hour we were enjoying a large variety of raw fish of difference textures, fat content level, and flavours. And the uni was super fresh and deserved the price tag. The tonkatsu pork was also delicious – the meat inside was tender and juicy.

Details:
Masuya Japanese Restaurant
Basement, 12-14 O'Connell Street
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.masuya.com.au/en/restaurants/index.html

Spice Temple (Sydney)

This is my third visit to Spice Temple in Sydney and my first sitting at the bar for lunch. My colleague suggested us to share a pork burger which is available at the bar only. Succulent pork with perfect crackling balanced by pickled radish and a sauce – all inside a warm brioche. What more can you ask for?

On top of the burger, we had the dumplings and the stir fried cumin lamb with steamed bread pockets. Both dishes were excellent and compliments well with the special beverages. The rhubarb lassi was particularly nice.

Details: 
Spice Temple Sydney
Basement, 10 Bligh Street
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.rockpool.com/sydney/spice-temple/