When you order a dish at this Rozelle-based restaurant, you’ll know exactly where it comes from. The origin of every fish is listed on the menu — whether it’s wild-caught flat head from Ulladulla on the South Coast or yellowtail kingfish from South Australia. Yes, it’s exactly like that Portlandia pilot. But it’s a genuinely good-for-the-planet business. Love.fish works only with environmentally-respectful fishers in Australia and New Zealand. Whatever’s left over after dinner — from food scraps to napkins — is transformed into green power or organic fertiliser and every inch of packaging is recycled or reused. According to love.fish’s website, “As a family of two small children we are increasingly aware of how accountable we are for their future.”
SCOOP up a grand champion, settle back to watch a movie or enjoy a coffee while the kids play at this inner west haven for foodies. And when it’s time to go home, don’t leave without a few gourmet treats.
BELLINGEN GELATO
The only thing that could trump the award-winning gelato is the father-son team, Robbie and Danny Sebes that opened this shop a couple years ago. While Bellingen Gelato may be new to Rozelle, the duo, have been perfecting these delicious flavours for over 30 years, starting with an old batch freezer that Robbie brought to his former cafe, the Glebe institution, Badde Manor.
In 2004 he sold-up moved to Bellingen and opened a Gelato shop where he and Robbie continued to experiment with flavours, one of which is the stewed plum, cinnamon and cloves, an idea that Danny got by watching his father put plums on his muesli. On a whim, he entered this concoction into the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show much to his surprise, took out the Grand Champion award.
Fuelled by their equally famous coffee, they continue to try out different recipes such as Agrumi Ricotta, a blend of ricotta cheese and Kaffir limes — unusual, but it works. But with space for 24 flavours, there’s always room for the favourites like chocolate mousse or the mascarpone and lemon. Either way, you’re guaranteed to have that cone or cup passed over the counter to you with one of Danny’s brilliant smiles.
ROZELLE ESPRESSO
With a play mat and building blocks on the floor and Star Wars posters and vintage Monopoly boards on the cafe’s walls, it’s hard to tell who’s the bigger kid — the toddlers and young ones playing with the toys or Rozelle Espresso owner, Vincenzo Ramunni.
Being across the street from the weekend Rozelle markets, the source for all of his quirky novelty items, the cafe offers an all-day breakfast, including appropriately enough, the market style bacon and egg roll, but it’s the child-friendly environment that is its main drawing card. Little over a year ago, Vincenzo started noticing that many of the kids coming in were more focused on their iPads than engaging with the people around them. That’s when he brought out a toy box and books, and parents couldn’t be happier. Now, kids are free to play in a designated fun space while mums and dads with pram can linger over coffee rather than packing up after 10 minutes when the usually rowdy one’s attention span calls it quits.
Lindsay Egan behind the counter at The Corner Bar. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski
THE CORNER BAR
After years of working in corporate hospitably, Lindsay Egan is relishing the freedom — both culinary and design — that he’s able to express with his own establishment. Modelling this cocktail and tapas bar after a sort of hip back-alley Manhattan gin joint, Lindsay’s use of dark exposed brick and a well-stocked wine rack featuring local products ticks that box, but it’s his clever creativity that really hits the mark. The Friday night jazz jam sessions replace cover bands, and the drinks, like the Fig Margarita and Apple Pie Martini, are a welcomed twist on the stock standards. Even the way the bottles of booze are arranged has an element of fun being bookended by quirky finds such as an Evil Knievel bust and Bruce Lee action figure.
Originally a dark venue with a small window for light, Lindsay has opened it up so patrons can cosy up to a windowsill bench and watch the movies he projects onto a screen out on the footpath, including movies from the recent French Film Festival.
The Corner Bar is now serving takeaway salads for lunch from a food station in the front of the bar and it’s just a matter of time, before a Batman dolls sit atop that counter, overseeing the production.
THE COOK’S GROCER
It’d be a sin to refer to these pre-prepared meals as takeaway. Yes, you can pop in and walk out with dinner fixings, but that is where any similarity ends. For two years now, Tim Ryder and Liz Master have been offering a unique service that essentially enables you to re-create tgourmet meals at home Being passionate about cooking, the idea came about with what Tim describes as “a personal frustration with the limited quality available at one grocery”. After a long day at work, the last thing he wanted to do was bounce from one speciality shop to another to source the perfect ingredients.
That’s where The Cook’s Corner came into play. Tim and Liz do the sourcing for you, package it up and deliver it to your door — even if your door happens to be in Penrith or Pymble. While all the food is healthy and interesting, the true standout of this service is the weekly feature option of a dish provided by a celebrity chef or one of Sydney’s finest restaurants such as Nomad and Apollo. Most recently, The Cook’s Grocer featured a Thai jungle curry from award-winning restaurant, Longrain. Still not confident in the kitchen? Tim and Liz also offer cooking classes, often times with those same celebrity chefs.
French Toast with mixed berried and maple syrup … and a coffee at Piccolo’s. Pictures: Jenifer Jagielski
PICCOLO’S CAFE
There are cafes that claim to be passionate about coffee and then there are cafes that are so fanatical about coffee that its chemical formula is tattooed on the barista’s arm. Fortunately for Piccolo’s Cafe, the self-proclaimed coffee addict, Andrew is the brother of owner Fady Soliman. Together with Fady’s wife and co-owner Caroline, that obsession along with their middle-eastern influenced breakfast dishes such as the Cairo eggs with cumin burnt butter, has given them a cult following. On the weekends, there’s barely a seat to be had in their backyard garden seating, inside or out front, but it’s worth the wait.
During the week though, a much quieter time, you’re more likely to see the artistic types, like writers sipping coffees and lingering for hours. Caroline loves these regulars and is pleased that they feel comfortable enough to enjoy the space, noting, “at the end of the day they’re the heart of the business.”
Stewed Plum with Cinnamon and Cloves
BELLINGEN GELATO
It’s not always in the showcase, only because they won’t serve it unless the fruit is to their strict standards, but when it’s in season, the Stewed Plum with Cinnamon and Cloves is a delight.
Wow factor! A sugar-dusted strawberry and blueberry tart
VICTOIRE BOULANGERIE
Your intention may be to pick-up a fresh loaf of Bennelong bread (made originally for Bennelong Restaurant at the Sydney Opera House) to go with olive oil and balsamic, but it’s just too hard to pass up the sugar-dusted strawberry and blueberry tarts beckoning you from the shop window.
Need an ingredient … look no further than The Essential Ingredient
THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT
Before you pass judgment on this French cuisine staple, keep in mind that the biggest fan of cooking with Duck Fat is the irrefutable queen of yum, Nigella Lawson. Chefs around the world swear by it for roasting vegetables and, surprisingly it’s low in saturated fats making it a decent replacement for butter.
Pyrenees white lamb rump served with white beans and fennel. Picture: Jenifer Jagielski
3 WEEDS PUB AND BISTRO
If you think this is just another pub with just another bistro take a seat at one of the rich wood tables or leather lounges near the fireplace and be prepared for an impressive menu that includes popular and posh dishes like the Pyrenees white lamb rump served with white beans and fennel.
The smoked short rib takes pride of place
3 WEEDS RESTAURANT
Towards the back of this historical pub is a completely unexpected fine-dining and award-winning restaurant that boasts an impressive degustation menu featuring items such as octopus with chorizo jam followed by a passionfruit soufflé, but it’s the smoked short rib dish that is gently prepared over 10 days that’s the pride of the kitchen.
Crisp batter, crunchy fries and plenty of tartare sauce – yes please! Check out our top picks for fish ‘n’ chips in Sydney.
Bondi’s Best, Bondi
Get the very best fish and chips at Bondi’s Best this summer. Why settle for anything else? The beer battered hoki and chips with tartare is a Bondi fave. Get down to Bondi for some sun, surf and flippin’ good fish n’ chips.
Love.Fish, Rozelle
For sustainable and thoughtfully sourced fish we head straight for love.fish. The tiger flathead beer battered fillets with either polenta chips, smoked eggplant yoghurt, tomato jam and celery salt or the twice cooked hand cut sebago chips go down a treat.
Barbuto, Narrabeen
There’s nothing better than eating fish and chips, beachside, on a warm summer’s night. Barbuto do a cracking fish and chips with classic tartar sauce that will make the trip to Narrabeen worthwhile. There’s also a section on the menu dedicated to fish and crustaceans, plus sides of diamond cut fries with smoked chilli salt and shoe-string chips.
Dove & Olive, Surry Hills
You can always count on your local pub for good old fish n’ chips. The golden fried barramundi in india pale ale batter served with organic mix leaf, shoestring fries, tangy tartare sauce and lemon is the heaven on a plate.
The Duck Inn, Chippendale
Sit in the delightfully sunny beer garden fit with shady umbrellas and picnic tables and get something from the sea. Why does everyone offer beer battered fish? Because it’s so darn tasty that’s why. The Duck Inn’s beer battered humpty doo barramundi fish with chips, tartare and salad is just what you need on a hot summer’s day. Washed down with a drink of course.
Riverview Hotel, Balmain
The Riverview has long been associated with good food, and for good reason. We give their Jack of Spades beer battered fish with mushy peas, fries and tartare an A+.
O Crab, Chatswood
This ain’t your average crab shack or seafood diner. Paying homage to the American seafood pub scene this is one place in Chatty to come for a decent piece of fish. As you’d expect there’s a straight up fish and chips option as well as crabs and prawns ‘in a bag’ and sweet potato fries which are dangerously good.
Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach
If you’re headin gout for a day trip, keep Palm Beach in mind and make a stop at Barrenjoey House for flathead fillets in a light beer batter with lemon, tartare sauce and chips. The batter is so light that you’ll forget it’s fried…almost.
Sydney’s café culture is one of the best in the world. Baristas who have honed their skills in Sydney’s best cafes are in demand worldwide. The city’s breed of café owners take their coffee and food to the level of an art form that would put most fully fledged restaurants to shame. With so many of the world’s best cafes in Sydney, the challenge is not where to find a good cup of coffee, but where to find Sydney’s very best cup that stands above the rest.
The Coco & Vine Team are doing the tough job of searching out the best cafes Sydney has to offer so you’ll never suffer through a less than inspired cup again.
PICCOLO’S CAFÉ ROZELLE
March 14, 2016 By Steven
Having spent a lot of time working and playing in Sydney’s Rozelle and Balmain neighbourhoods, I get that warm, comforting feeling of familiarity every time I get back to the area. There’s a lovely atmosphere of real community in Rozelle, with a human scale to the architecture and a vibrant, eclectic mix of culture. This creative backdrop has proven to be a fertile incubator for some passionate providores, none more so than a café favourite of mine, Piccolo’s.
It’s a lazy Sunday morning as we stroll along Darling St and wind our way through dog walkers, seated café patrons, and far too enthusiastic joggers. As we step inside Piccolo’s Café, it’s one step closer to the much anticipated brew that Piccolo’s barista expertly crafts to perfection.
Piccolo’s has a welcoming feel from the street, but those in the know head straight for the funky courtyard at the rear where many an hour has been spent catching up on the latest goss or fixing the world’s problems. Perfect courtyard seat secured, fellow Coco & Vine blogger, Sonia and I tuck into the menu and order up some of Piccolo’s favourites.
The Flat White is as you’d expect – smooth, perfect temp, and of exquisite flavour. Its origin is Costa Rican, which is evident in the taste profile with notes of pear and cinnamon complimenting the base flavours of caramel and cocoa. It might have Sunday morning’s first coffee advantage, but this brew is comfortably first rate.
Regular Coco readers might be aware of my penchant for a quality chai latte. I’ll spare you my regular rant about faux chai’s from a can or bottle as there is no room to rant here. Piccolo’s Sticky Chai Latte is a light and lovely blend of sweetness and spice and everything nice that a proper chai should be.
Spend any time in the Sydney café culture lately and you’re going to find yourself faced with a myriad of pretentious “Breakfast Bowl” concoctions. I’ve dissected my way through many a bowl with a variety of experiences and often wondered if they’ve just added the latest superfood in a try-hard attempt to be trendy. Piccolo’s playfully named Yogi Berry Bowl doesn’t include any ingredients that don’t deserve to be there. The flavours and textures have been thoughtfully selected, with both taste and nutrition in mind. With a smooth creaminess that is contrasted by crunchy nuts and chewy goji berries, the Yogi Berry Bowl would easily make it onto my daily menu if I was lucky enough to live in the neighbourhood.
Growing up with a grandmother who’s history reached back to merry old England, and who’s sense of thrift had seen her through WWII, Bubble and Squeak was a loose catch all term in our home for any leftovers that could be made palatable the next day. It was often all thrown together in a single pot, or pan, and we were strongly encouraged to never question its ingredients. “…Eat it or you won’t get any sweeties…” my Nan would invariably offer if I so much as looked like I might question the culinary credentials of the indiscernible “food” on my plate.
Fast forward more than a few decades, and Bubble and Squeak a` la Piccolo’s could not be more different. This delightfully imagined interpretation has captured the a-little-bit-of-everything concept, but executed it with an eye toward taste and textures that allow each perfectly prepared ingredient to shine through. On a base of beautifully dense dark Rye, that contrasts the lighter tomato, egg, halloumi, zucchini, and sweet potato fritter topped off with sweet potato crisps, and a flourish of minted peas, this whimsically delicious dish covers all the angles.
Rozelle will always be one of my favourite urban enclaves within the eclectic mix that is Sydney. Combine the richness of the community with the access to top notch food experiences that a café like Piccolo’s has cultivated, and I can’t think of a better way to spend your Sunday morning.
The creator of hummus should be given a medal because this dish provides people with so much joy. Found in most fridges across the country and at almost every nibbles and drinks party, it’s an irrestibly good dip. For those who have a hankering for hummus that’s seriously fresh and flavoursome, check out these dishes at some of Sydney’s top restaurants below.
1. Thievery, Glebe
This is quite possibly the finest hummus we ever did see…well taste actually. These guys have got their recipe down pat, and they’re not sharing their secrets…believe us, we’ve tried. Check out the ultra hip Lebanese restaurant and be transported to hummus heaven. One serve will not be enough!
2. Shuk, North Bondi
Here on a street corner in the streets of North Bondi you can experience a taste of Israel – and more importantly sensational hummus. Have it mezze style with labne, beetroot, olives and bread too or with 8 hour slow cooked lamb. Both good options.
3. Almond Bar, Darlinghurst
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to up the ante with your hummus appetizer, then the chilli hummus at Almond Bar is the way to go. For those wanting to play it safe, there’s traditional hummus too. No right or wrong decision here. Have whatever tickles your fancy.
4. Efendy, Balmain
Zahter pita bread with pomegranate hummus, sauteed sucuk and chickpeas. Boy o boy are you in for a real treat at Efendy. Here they don’t do things half heartedly and we could graze on this dish for days on end.
5. El Phoenician, Walsh Bay
A puree of chickpeas blended with tahina and lemon juice from El Phoenician is the perfect snack with a glass of wine. Who’s with us? To El Phoenician!!
Ryan Singer at Bar Cantina on Darling Street in Balmain. Photos: Carly Earl
IT doesn’t get much better than a couple of drinks and some tacos with mates — except at Cantina Bar in Balmain on Tuesday nights — where the tacos are just five dollars.
The only real decision is whether to choose the lamb belly, beef cheek, char grilled prawn, crispy fish, veggie, or chicken Fajita option.
But hey, at $5 you can probably splurge and try the lot over time.
Prawn … Looks delectable and at $5 on Tuesdays it’s downright loco.
Owner Ryan Singer said that while his bar/restaurant had a number of specials during the week that business was fairly consistent, and peaked around the weekend.
“We change the menu pretty regularly, and while it started out pretty Tex Mexish, I think it’s more well-rounded now,” he said.
“We’ll always keep playing with it, but I think it’s pretty close to where we want it to be.
Established in 1992 on Darling Street, Bar Contessa is one of Balmain’s longest resident eateries. With current owner and head chef Marco Adoncello taking the reins almost a decade ago, this family owned and operated cafe is renowned for its American-inspired fare infused with Adoncello’s Italian heritage. With a New York influence to the recent renovations, Bar Contessa showcases a bold, sprawling street art mural among a canvas of refined leather booths, bare bricks and swinging bulbs.
With bread and sweets by Luxe, free-range eggs from the Hawkesbury Valley and coffee by The Grounds of Alexandria, it’s clear that quality hasn’t been compromised here. Locals and visitors flock for the all day breakfast, with ‘Rosa’s breakfast bruschetta’ (named after Adoncello’s wife) with poached egg, roma tomatoes and smashed avocado being a popular favourite. Arrive after midday to enjoy house-made Italian meatballs with handmade linguine in a rich tomato sauce, not to mention the plump chicken tortilla filled with roasted peppers, corn, tomato relish, chipotle mayo and fresh guacamole.
For a little indulgence, dive into one of Sydney’s best French toast experiences, piled with thick cuts of brioche, crisp hickory smoked bacon, caramelised banana and a generous pour of maple syrup.
Photography: Jacqui Turk
Details
Bar Contessa
371b Darling St
Balmain
(02) 9555 7399
Opening Hours
Mon to Fri 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Sat 8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Sun 8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Almost 10 years since they opened, The Bellingen Gelato Bar has taken out the top two gelato prizes at the 2016 Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Show, winning both the Champion Gelato and Champion Sorbet awards, in a strong field of competitors from all over Australia.
“The success of The Bellingen Gelato Bar and the loyal following of our customers encouraged us to keep entering competitions and to expand our operations to Sydney,” owner Robert Sebes said.
“The flavours were entered from our new Sydney shop, opened two years ago with my son Danny, in the inner west suburb of Rozelle. We would like to thank our manager Bruce Smith and all our Bellingen customers for their continued support. We will always regard Bellingen as the true home of Bellingen Gelato and the basis of all our success.”
According to the Bureau of Statistics, Balmain now has NSW’s highest proportion of people earning more than $75,000 per year. The basket-weavers of yore are no more, and so the basket-weavers’ restaurants must move on. Out goes the 33-year-old pan-Asian Satasia, for instance, and in comes Chon, a cute double-decker of a modern Thai restaurant.
Opened by popular Balmain restaurateur Michael Corrente of Balmain’s 20-year-old Thai restaurant Blue Ginger, Chon is the new home for Pacharin (Air) Jantrakool, a Thai chef of note who has cooked her way from Sailors Thai to Cremorne’s sadly missed Tapioca.
This menu is a warm bath for anyone brought up on a steady diet of Sydney Thai, which is pretty much everyone in town except Rene Redzepi of Noma. So there are miang kum betel leaf wraps, pad Thai noodles, egg nets, som tum green papaya salads, and massaman curry – here, made with ox cheek. The miang kum ($4 each) snap and crackle in the mouth, each peppery leaf topped with shards of smoky trout, ginger, roasted coconut, lime and caramelised palm sugar and a pop-top of tobiko caviar.
Go-to dish: Pan-fried fish of the day with chu chee. Photo: Christopher Pearce
More sweet/sour/spicy/crunchy good times come with smartly styled “small bites”, including cute little quail “son-in-law” eggs that have been wrapped in chicken mince and egg noodles and deep-fried ($4 each), and a lacy egg-net roll filled with shredded chicken, coconut, Thai basil and kaffir lime ($14).
Sydney designer Matt Woods has given the place a minimalist mod-over without disturbing the bones; painting the bare brick walls, keeping tables and wooden chairs unclad, and floating a gaggle of white rice-paper lanterns overhead that look like kids’ birthday-party escapees.
Chon’s brief but to-the-point 20-bottle wine list includes a savoury, velvety Sons of Eden Kennedy GSM from the Barossa ($43). The BYO option is taken advantage of, although this being the new, high-net-worth Balmain, they’re bringing pretty decent stuff, like $70 bottles of Skillogalee Trevarrick shiraz.
Deep-fried quail egg wrapped with egg noodle. Photo: Christopher Pearce
A retro-moulded turret of grilled long eggplant salad ($16) studded with minced chicken, dried shrimp, Thai herbs and chilli lime dressing is warm, dense, and satisfying. Edible flowers garnish most dishes – purdy, but give me ruinous quantities of Thai herbs any day.
Marinated grilled wagyu beef ($27) falls flat, with no perky sizzle or spontaneity from the grill – I suspect the deadening effect of the warming lights of the kitchen pass, which can kill as many dishes as they keep warm. Even the fresh salad of lettuce, cucumber and cherry tomatoes and a terrific, tamarind-tangy, fish sauce and lime juice dipping sauce fail to revive it.
A chu chee (chuu chii) fish curry ($26) is appropriately smooth and rich rather than rough and rustic; the pan-fried slabs of blue-eye bathed in a tan-toned coconut creamy sauce layered with red chilli, aromatics and (never enough) kaffir lime leaf.
Black sticky rice and mango. Photo: Christopher Pearce
Thai desserts are always spoon-worthy, and Chon (Thai for spoon) sends out sweet-and-salty warm pandanus-green kanom koh dumplings of coconut and palm sugar in coconut milk ($8), and chi-chi dessert glasses of black sticky rice and mango ($8).
The kitchen has a tendency to overcook both fish and meat, and the smartly pinafored staff are often otherwise occupied, but this is sociable food for an equally sociable local crowd. There’s room for the odd pram, and the chilli quotient won’t scare the oldies.
It all makes Chon a next-level step up from your average suburban Thai. But then, clearly, Balmain is no longer your average suburb.
THE LOWDOWN
Best bit: Thai food with finesse. Worst bit: Tables for two are tiny. Go-to dish: Pan-fried blue eye with chu chee and Thai basil, $26.
Terry Durack is chief restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald and senior reviewer for the Good Food Guide. This rating is based on the Good Food Guide scoring system.
Feed me. That probably ranks in the top five phrases I use on a daily basis, closely followed by I’m hangry and what’s for lunch. But for those that know me, I’m also one of the most indecisive people around and when Sydney’s restaurants are just so damn good, choosing an entrée, main and dessert can feel like I’m trying to solve world peace or something. Anyone else?
Thankfully, Sydney’s best chefs have heard our distress signal and have lent their well-trained tastebuds to my plight. With these specially designed set menus, you get to experience all five taste sensations at some of the best restaurants in Sydney without having to lift a finger. Genius.
Now all together guys: three, two, one… Feed me!
Ester
Chippendale
Ever since Ester made its debut, Sydney foodies haven’t been able to stop raving about the wood-roasted delights produced by this Chippendale star. And on their $72 a person set menu you get treated to a range of greatest hits and seasonal offerings. The blood sausage sanga, which has been known to bring tears to diners’ eyes they’re so good currently features, as well as the flank steak with fermented rice that has that umami something-something going on.
Nomad
Surry Hills
Oh Nomad, how my waistline hates you (but my tastebuds love you). And the fact that their $85 shared menu has no less than nine dishes (plus your choice of side) just adds to this love-hate relationship. The jersey milk haloumi is so creamy it’ll fuel your cheese dreams for days and, of course, we couldn’t leave without digging into their charcuterie board. Made in-house, while you’re never 100% sure of what’s going to end up on your table, it’s guaranteed that whatever ends up there will be deeeelicious!
Cho Cho San
Potts Point
I’d choo choo choose Cho Cho San any day of the week. This Potts Point restaurant reimagines the whole traditional Japanese izakaya experience with its boutique art gallery feel that really allows the food to shine. There are two banquet options to cater for all hunger levels and both feature the house-favourite petuna ocean trout that comes with a refreshing black pepper twist. Bonus: for just $5 extra you can add some sake to your feasting.
Via Napoli
Surry Hills
Every time you visit this Italian restaurant, you immediately feel like you’re one of the family. With three variations, there’s a set menu for every budget. Each includes plenty of crispy crumby fried goodness courtesy of the arancini balls as well as the must-have burrata with prosciutto to balance it all out. And the pizza, oh the pizza. Seriously no matter what topping you get, each bite feels like a big hug from Nonna. Warning: food babies are inevitable.
One Ford Street
Balmain
One Ford Street made me break my rule about going within 100ft of any place that has cricket in its name (sorry, cricket lovers). Breaking new ground in the recently reno’d Cricketer’s Arms, this new Balmain restaurant brings the taste of Italy to our shores. And for some added excitement, their $65 “No Fussypants” sharing menu features only what’s seasonal and fresh with the chance that some of the dishes that land on your table may not even be on the menu.
The Apollo
Potts Point
While actual Greece is doing it tough, The Apollo in Sydney’s Potts Point is a restaurant that’s firmly on the up. The only way to get your Greek on is to indulge in either their Full Greek or Apollo’s Feast set menus. You’ll get pita bread and the mullet roe dip for starters but it’s all in preparation for the big kahuna that is the slow cooked lamb. Incredibly tender, the lemon Greek yoghurt keeps this dish from being overly heavy. Hot tip: Come hungry.
The Emporium
Parramatta
Leave your tight-fitting jeans at home for this one. Just $65 will get you a five-course degustation at this Parramatta gem. And The Emporium’s menu reads like a dream. Seared scallops with cauliflower and black garlic? Yes please. Potato gnocchi with king brown mushrooms and parmesan? Be still my beating heart. Smoked chocolate cremeux with vanilla mascarpone and mandarin you say? Sign me up.
LuMi Dining
Pyrmont
Acquiring two chefs hats after its first year, new kid on the block, LuMi Dining has cemented itself as a must-do for any discerning foodie. With a chef that’s had experience with both Italian and Japanese cuisine, what you get is something you’ve never tasted before at this Pyrmont restaurant. The perfect example of this? Their eight-course degustation, with the highlight being the ravioli with gruyere and porcini butter.
Papi Chulo
Manly
When we think beach, smoked meats don’t immediately come to mind. But Papi Chulo has taught us that the only way to really take in those beautiful Manly views is with a seemingly endless meal. That’s where their set menus come into play. There’s a mix of lighter starters like the pea guac and jumbo prawns followed by their mouth-watering BBQ platter or smoked suckling pig if you’re here to play the big game. Slip, slop, slap and get ready to
Eat Drink Balmain Rozelle 