Top 10 All-Time Favorite Eating Spots in Sydney!

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA these past few months! Things have changed recently and due to work and other commitments, we now find ourselves settling in Singapore, the Lion City! It was fun with all the new, interesting, as well as the cultural shock we have experienced here. One thing that surprised me more is the fact that I find myself using a "lah" and singlish here and there in less than 24 hours after landing! LOL! 

Also known as one of the best food cities in the world, I must admit I have started missing some of my favorites already! So, without further ado.. Here they are:

Eating Spots You Must Try in Cabramatta! (UPDATED!)

Cabramatta, a suburb in Southwestern Sydney that should be visited if you are looking for some of Sydney's best food spots.. It's quite far from where I live but the thoughts of going there always light the spark in me! 

As soon as you step into the main food street (John St).. You'll find a vast array of restaurants and cafes offering many choices of mouthwatering authentic Vietnamese cuisine, be it in the form of Pho, Bahn Mi and others.. 

With each places specialising in a particular type of dish.. Here are some eating spots we recommend you to visit!

Majestic Harvest - Petersham

From a cinema theater to a skating rink, this Petersham's 1912 iconic building is now called as Majestic Gourmet Grocers, a foodies paradise where you can find European-style gourmet grocer, a florist, and Majestic Harvest all in one place. 

Delicious Journey accross MEKONG on Kensington Street - Chippendale

If my school memory serves me right, Mekong is actually one of the longest river in Asia that flows and forms the border between Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and even Vietnam! But I guess enough of the geography lesson for now and let's talk more about this latest addition to Kensington Street and the food they offer~

The Choc Pot HQube - Rosebery

Rejoice Eastern Suburbians! After opening their Chatswood and CBD stores, TCP has now opened a store in Rosebery! This venue is more spacious, provides ample natural light and somehow looks like a glass box with their kitchen also acts as the central especially to do the testing for the upcoming monthly specials.

Winter at Cuckoo Callay - Newtown

Well, tell me how did you spend your last weekend? The weather was so wild all of a sudden with severe storms and heavy rain! But it didn't hinder me together with the homies, Isaac, Michael, and Natalie, from coming to Cuckoo Callay for their new menu. 

After a successful Bacon Festival with all-bacon-inspired menu following right after for 3 months, my anticipation has built up when I first heard about their WINTER MENU. So, without further ado let's talk more about their dishes~

When Street Food Became Trendy @ Hem Nine Nine - Glebe [ Closed ]

Hem Nine Nine, Mama Linh’s new establishment has found a permanent place in Glebe area. Serving Vietnamese food with Mama’s own recipe, you can still taste the authentic flavour but this time they differentiate themselves with a modern touch on every dish.

I bet you have heard about Mama Linh’s Food Truck before, haven’t you? Talking about their Beef Pho Roll (I bet you can’t simply find it anywhere) – the tender, juicy and richly flavoured beef in a soft Vietnamese bread roll – well, they don’t have the roll here but don’t fret as they have the Special Bone Marrow Pho which I’m gonna talk more about it if you still keep on reading~

Hem Nine Nine is nicely decorated with a bold color choices and somehow resembles a hidden gem you can find in a laneway in Vietnam.  It might look small from the outside but they do have more seatings at the back courtyard. 

I always believe double deep fried means double goodness and not double badness (ps: I'm not lying to myself). So, when I see this Lemongrass Pork Chop Bun on the menu, there is no way I'd miss it~ Tender pork chop with a caramel-lemongrass marinade, fried to perfection and served with pickled cucumber, baby radish and chili mayo. The mantou bun is also flash-fried, so you'll get the soft, fluffy and yet crispy bun with flavorful and juicy meat on the inside all in every bite!

Char-grilled Bo Lu Lac aka Black Pepper Beef Skewers is another favorite! The wagyu marble score +9 shines here as each bite of the beef cubes is so tender, juicy and peppery. I imagine putting these cubes over the top of lettuce with a little bit of tangy vinegar dressing will definitely become my must-eat salad combination ever!

Make sure you don't miss this Hem Special Pho every time you visit this place! Bone marrow is packed with rich flavor that is undeniable for pho broth. Simmered for 18 hours, the broth has intense beefy flavor with warm aroma of herbs and the gelatine gives extra richness and mouth-coating texture! Served with tender Rare Wagyu Beef (9+ marble score), sliced brisket,and oven roasted bone marrow.. There's always room for a second bowl!

Another thing you can't miss is this Bun Rieu! This place is doing a great makeover to the traditional look of Bun Rieu by adding squid ink into the soup. Served with crispy Banh Hoi noodles as the base and topped with soft shell crab for extra crunch, the soup gets my attention the most with its comforting and rich taste like it's been simmered for hours.

Hem Nine Nine

Address:

99 Glebe Point Road, Glebe

Opening Hours:

Tuesday - Friday 12pm - 3pm for LUNCH 

Tuesday - Sunday 5pm - 10pm for DINNER

Left of Field - Rhodes

Rhodes is having a major facelift with so many well built housing complex, the bridge and this new cafe called Left of Field! After looking at their menu, I think I get an idea why they named this place as it is - the food they offer is quite unusual especially in general Western Sydney area.

When Haven Does Egg Waffles - Surry Hills

I’ve been following Haven since the first day they opened and surprised me with their fusion yet creative dishes. And now here I am updating my post with so much Egg-citement as Haven recently introduced a new menu series!

Barista and Cook: When Balanced Diet means Salads and Fried Chicken! -Waterloo

The current Waterloo is not the same as the previous one I've ever seen. Lots of apartments are being built plus the upcoming Sydney Metro - Barista and Cook sets its foot at just the right time on the 23rd January serving clean and healthy seasonal menu with good coffee using Gypsie coffee bean.

This place is quite spacious with simple yet stylish interior and plenty of natural light. They make everything they can in house and use local produces to create a simple clean eating but still full of taste and definitely healthy. 

Fresh Juice: Refresher - Watermelon, Apple, Mint, Lime

Everyone loves bacon and egg but I won't deny Char Grilled Pork Belly and Chili Fried Eggs pair excites me more! Let's get real here.. The inside is tender with sweet and salty flavor and the charred crust on the outside simply deepens the aroma. Topped with perfectly cooked fried egg (yes with the egg yolk oozing out!), crushed edamame and puffed black rice, life can't be more delightful when you have this for breakfast right?

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata cheese, poached eggs, and herb toast

Smoked Trout Kedgeree - Spiced Rice, Boiled Eggs, Citrus Yoghurt, Corriander

If I need some clean eating in my life, this Heirloom Tomato Salad is exactly what I'm craving for. It takes only a few ingredients but this simple dish defines joy on a plate. Served with toasted herb bread, it's so DIY bruschetta-like if you want to enjoy it that way. Their Kedgeree is another dish to try - It's apparently a traditional British breakfast and has balance of flavors going on with combination of smoked trout, spiced rice, citrus yoghurt, corriander, lemon and boiled eggs! Every spoonful is so light, fresh and bursting with spice.

Roasted Broccoli Salad with Marinated Chickpeas, Toasted Almonds, Kale, Feta, Chili Flakes

Char Grilled Zucchini with Black Rice, Pickled Fennel, Radish and Pea Sprouts

Roasting or Char-grilling really brings the veggie flavor out! The Broccoli salad is just perfect if you prefer nutty and creamy salad as it has marinated chickpeas as well as toasted almonds and feta for extra creaminess. The Zucchini salad, on the other hand, has that sweet, fresh and tangy flavors with the combination of pickled fennel and radish! For sure, both salads are so delightful and perfect as light treats~

I hope you read till this part (especially if you are not into clean eating LOL~). As much as I love salads and light meals, I also need Cheese Burger and Chips in my life~ Well, that's what we call as balanced diet right? The beef patty is juicy and tender but their bacon jam steals my attention the most - sweet and savory deliciousness with the goodness of crispy bacon bits!

It's the fried chicken season and you can simply find it everywhere! Be it southern fried, korean style, taiwanese style - who doesn't love this crispy and so delicious on their own treats! A really great Southern Fried Chicken needs only two things from me - it has to has juicy and flavorful meat and a super crisp and crunchy crust - this place totally nails it! Served with chipotle mayo, it's an excellent sauce which added a tang, spicy, and nice extra layer of flavor. 

Grilled Mac 'n' Cheese Toastie with House Relish

Mac and Cheese as a toastie?! This should be included as one of the more amazing food on earth. This grilled sandwich is stuffed with creamy macaroni and melted cheese for double the gooey deliciousness. Pair it with salad so it's not considered as a cheat meal~

Coffee Ice Cream Slider 

Buckwheat Waffles

For sweet tooth, their Buckwheat Waffles are light and crisp with nice and soft texture on the inside. It has that nutty flavor which makes them more unique than the usual waffles. Served with butterscotch pear, raspberries, toasted poppy seeds, the creme fraiche ice cream is so smooth and creamy and exactly what you want it on top of your waffle. As for the Coffee Ice Cream Slider, the ice cream (they use Gypsie coffee) itself is nice and smooth but I personally find the brioche is a bit too dry and crumbly.

Barista and Cook

Address:

834 Bourke Street, Waterloo

Opening Hours:

6am - 4pm on weekdays and 8am - 3pm on weekends


-Let's Nomnom dined as guests of Barista and Cook. Thanks Barista and Cook for the warm service and hospitality. All opinions here are our own and independent-

BACON FESTIVAL is back at CUCKOO CALLAY! - Newtown

Cuckoo Callay's BACON FESTIVAL is back! Having been success with last year's festival, this year Cuckoo brings it into a bigger scale that happened on last Saturday the 27th at Central Park, Chippendale together with other Sydney's favorites serving up their special bacon inspired dishes and of course, BACON BEER!

Vietnamese Through Parisian Lense at Grand Duk - CBD

Grand Duk firstly opened its door as a sleek bistro in the heart of the CBD serving modern Vietnamese dishes with a French twist. I heard at first the menu focuses more on the slow cooked dishes like its sibling, the Naked Duck, but then Amy Lee, the owner, has decided to launch a new all day menu with some seasonal specials alongside their signature Grand Duk coffee blend supplied by Toby's Estate.

Breakfast is the most important meal and if you don't have time to prepare your own - get this Trifle and refuel on your way to work. Layers of fruits and nutty muesli topped with natural yoghurt and fresh berries, this kind of breakfast is not only yummy but also healthy and definitely rich in antioxidants. 

One thing that shouldn't be missed when talking about Vietnamese food is this Goi Cuon aka Rice Paper Roll. Freshly rolled with the right proportion of meat, vermicelli, lettuce, and served with hoisin peanut dip - they are sold individually and you can choose to have it with Sichuan Duck (my fave!) or Tiger Prawn or 5 Spice Tofu or simply one each if you can't decide!

I rarely eat salad for breakfast but I guess this Breakfast Bowl might change the way I think and plan for my next meal. Served with poached eggs, green leaves, mashed avocado, mixed nuts and seeds, and Vietnamese daikon & carrot pickles - this light and refreshing combination is bursting with sweet and tangy taste as well as extra crunchy texture from the pickles and the nuts. 

5 SPICE TOFU SALAD - bean sprouts, pickles, enoki, snowpeas, water chestnuts, herbs, peanuts & sesame vinaigrette

I always have a soft spot for Vietnamese food in my heart more because I feel healthy knowing that they use mostly herbs and fresh vegetables (with less oil too) - like this 5 Spice Tofu Salad, the peanut and sesame vinaigrette gives extra tangy kick to the combination of fresh veggies and Vietnamese pickles. 

Who will give the Salt and Pepper Squid a miss when it's served straight out of the fryer, fried to a light and golden crunch? For me personally, the refreshing green papaya salad is actually the attention-stealer with its tangy, sweet, sour and spicy flavours although I usually can't live without this tender, nicely spiced and deep-fried glory!

Duck Meatballs Bahn Mi 

Sticky Master Stock Pork Belly (on the right)

Ginger Baked King Salmon

I'd say out of these three, my favorite is their Ginger Baked King Salmon! The salmon gives a very nice Asian flare with a hint of ginger and garlic. Every bite with the pho duck broth is so flakey, moist and flavourful that leaves me craving the more I eat it. The Duck Meatball is another interesting approach to the usual Bahn Mi, it is juicy and tender but unfortunately a bit too salty for my liking. Another everyone's favorite, the Sticky Pork Belly is slow-cooked till flavorful (definitely has strong lemongrass taste) and served Asian style with steamed brown rice on the side.

Grand Duk creates the humble Mango Pudding and Deep Fried Ice Cream into something extraordinary! At a glance, their Coconut Crumble Deep Fried Ice Cream looks like a crispy golden brown lamington with smooth vanila bean ice cream awaits within the hot crispy shell. Served chilled with the addition of ginger sago and kaffir lime caramel, the Mango Pudding has smooth and creamy texture with rich mango and gingery taste and a hint of citrusy fragrant.

Grand Duk

Address:

225 George Street, CBD

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday 7am - 4.30pm

-Let's Nomnom dined as guest of Grand Duk. Thanks Amy for the warm service and hospitality. All opinions here are our own and independent-

10 William Street - Paddington

From the same team behind Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point, a storefront nestled in the boutique shopping strips in Paddington area has been converted into a small but compact bistro with impressive selection of wine list and interesting Italian touch on the menu.