travel food wine lifestyle
Mahalo Sydneysiders! The poke-nominal bowls of Byron Bay and Surfers Paradise has landed on the beautifully laid out food centre on Level 5 of Westfield Shopping Centre Corner Pitt St and Market St in the CBD. Finn Poké opened its first shop in Byron Bay in 2017, a brainchild of brother and sister Jem and Joelle Jacinto and now it’s Sydney’s turn to be bowled.
We chocoholics like to believe that chocolate is a health food since it comes from roasted cacao beans, and therefore a vegetable. We hold on to recent studies that tell us chocolate has antidepressant compounds and amino acids linked to mood-lifting chemicals in the brain.
As a foodie, I have to make sure that I nourish and detoxify my body. How do I do it? simple, just a cup of hot or cold green tea! It’s refreshing, soothing and has a calming effect on my body.
Food can be magical when French and Japanese cuisines and cultures collide. It creates a distinctive flavour profile and takes your dining experience to a whole new destination and level!
There’s only a few days left to try the Sichuan Province inspired menu at Holy Duck in Kensington Street, Chippendale. This is the first menu of a four Chinese regional dinner series which started last month and rolling out over the next few months giving diners the opportunity to take a food journey through the provinces of China. The series offers up a select number of speciality curated dishes that highlight the distinct characteristics of the region’s food. Next month’s menu will feature the refined flavours of Cantonese cuisine.
When it comes to contemporary culinary creations at reasonable pub grub prices for less than $20, you cannot beat Bellbird Dining + Bar located on the ground floor of the colossal Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in Sydney’s South West. Diners can also enjoy art exhibitions, shows and displays and take a walk around the big open spaces, check out the graffiti art at the water towers and the bountiful kitchen garden.
The current residential development along the Princes Highway from Wolli Creek and beyond in the southern suburbs of Sydney is making it the latest foodie destination with new shops, cafes and restaurants opening as well as creative makeovers of old favourites. It’s a brand new community which is rising up along the Highway that was once our own Auto-Alley.
Have you ever wanted to take your tastebuds to Myanmar and beyond? Then you will truly enjoy the current series of delicious Indochine inspired tasting menus at Bistro Mekong located at Shop 5 / 100 Edinburgh Rd. Castlecrag on the Lower North Shore of Sydney.
There’s always an excitement in the air every time I go for an Izakaya dining. Not only does it remind me of our big Friday night after-work food and drinks with work mates during my 6 months stay in Tokyo, but this Japanese gastropub style offers a great selection of delicious small to medium size dishes / trendy tapas style food along with a wide variety of alcohol particularly beer and sake. It’s a good time! In recent times, Sydney has embraced Izakaya dining and it gives everyone an opportunity to experience this lively, vibrant and casual way of dining.
Sandwiched between the iconic Luna Park and the Harbour Bridge, Ripples Milsons Point offers excellent views of Sydney’s landmarks and breathtaking water views of the harbour. Dining here isn’t just about eating, it’s also a feast for the eyes. I’ve visited this restaurant twice in the last two months celebrating a lunch time birthday party, it seems a popular choice amongst my circle of friends. During both occasions, the restaurant was covered with clear vinyl plastic panels, a protection from those wintery cold winds. It’ll be nice to go back this summer when there’s no covering for an uninterrupted view of the harbour and beyond.
When we last stayed at Dusit Thani Manila, Benjarong Thai Restaurant was still on the mezzanine level but recently it has undergone an enormous makeover
The first time we experienced the taste of Salt Grill by Luke Mangan was last year during our first cruise with Pacific Eden. Although you pay to dine here, this onboard restaurant is very popular, lunch and dinner reservations get fully booked within hours of boarding. Despite our attempt to book early, we ended up on the waiting list, which is the next best option as it usually pays off, thankfully the lovely staff were able to accommodate us for lunch and things even got better when Luke Mangan came to say hello at our table.
