Grasshopper Bar, Sydney

Grasshopper may be completely hidden to the average passerby, but that seems to be half the appeal for the Sydney suits and hipster crowd that spill out the front of this laneway bar each weeknight. There are no signs on the street to indicate its existence, but those in-the-know head down the narrow alley off George Street, unmarked but for the remarkably appropriate street sign "Temperance

The Good Kitchen, Hurstville

The Hong Kong cafe is where cost and efficiency are valued over décor and conversational niceties. Expect your order to be taken within two minutes of being handed the menu and your food to arrive shortly after.

For my Eat This! column in the July issue of Time Out Sydney, I headed to Hurstville where comfort food equals pan-fried spam, condensed milk on toast and the calorific glory that is

Din Tai Fung, Sydney

Half the fun of dining at Din Tai Fung is the chance to watch the dumpling makers in action, clearly visible through the glassed-in kitchen out the front. There's always something to look at - from the man stretching a skipping rope of noodles by bouncing it effortlessly onto the metal bench; to the secret huddle of staff deftly folding dumplings in the corner; to the man checking the bamboo

Stomachs Eleven: Bone marrow, pig's trotters Pierre Koffmann and truffled hens

If you ever have a bone to pick with someone, make sure it's a marrow bone. It was this sight of marrow bone towers that excited me most when I arrived at the home of Mr and Mrs Pig Flyin' for our latest Stomachs Eleven adventure.


Appetisers to start

The members of our merry dining crew have all been terribly spoilt by the generosity of Mr and Mrs Pig Flyin'. Our original aim was to rotate

Yukis at the Quay, Sydney

Today's assorted sashimi - Chef's selection $45

It's quite a romantic stroll along the waterfront at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. The winking city lights, the toot-toot of ferries and there in the distance: the sleepy sails of the Opera House, curled over as if mid-nap.

Hidden up high on the fourth floor of the Overseas Passenger Terminal is Yukis, accessed by a glass elevator that

Badde Manors, Glebe

"Wow, everyone ordered vegetarian," says Mrs Presley, and it's only then she realises that everything on Badde Manors menu is completely meat and seafood-free.

It's a commendable feat that this fact slipped unnoticed, the comprehensive menu littered with a range of dishes that all sound tempting and filling. We skip our eyes down the page that includes stuffed crumbed mushrooms, Cajun-spiced

Tomahawk steak at Chophouse, Sydney

Some women like to be wooed with flowers, handbags or jewellery, but seriously, who wants glittering trinkets when you can sink your teeth into a premium steak with gusto? Serve me one of these on a plate and I'm definitely calling you again.

We'd gathered at the Chophouse for dinner, but there was only one thing I really wanted to order - the tomahawk steak. It's a gargantuan-sized cut of

La Brasserie, Darlinghurst

Every Sunday, says Jacques Reymond, he smells disaster in his neighbourhood.

"It's the smell of burning meat. Australians burn their meat until it's black." He shakes his head in dismay. "To cook meat you need to be gentle." He can't understand the Australian appreciation for charred protein.

Reymond, head chef and owner of the three-hat Jacques Reymond - Cuisine du Temps in Melbourne, is

Yok Yor Thai Food Factory, Haymarket Chinatown Sydney

Chefs wearing hard hats in the kitchen? It's hard not to be bemused by a team of chefs wearing bright yellow helmets and overalls at Yok Yor Thai Food Factory.

It was Suze who spotted the opening of this new restaurant on Campbell Street first, opposite Chilli Cha Cha near the corner of Castlereagh Street. Initially she'd mistaken the staff for construction workers until she realised it was

Lot 10, Jalan Alor and 1m roti tisu, Kuala Lumpur

Waffles with blueberry compote, toffeed hazelnuts and cream


I'm not a morning person at the best of times, but it's amazing how the promise of fresh waffles can get you out of bed with a smile.

Our one-week trip to Malaysia was fast drawing to an end, and we farewelled Melaka with a final breakfast at The Majestic. It's a little bit fancy, with cereal, yoghurt and freshly sliced fruits

Mecca Espresso, Ultimo

Mecca Espresso Ultimo had only been trading for four months when it was announced as winner of  Best Cafe in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Cafe Guide.

Since then, business has been brisk at this corner cafe, far removed from its previous incarnation as a struggling Gloria Jeans outlet. The premise has been completely refurbished: a mixture of recycled timbers, bare brick walls and old wooden

Iiza, Newtown

The popular Iiza Japanese izakaya (or tavern) on buzzing King Street is always filled with people, but not many patrons realise there's a private dining area upstairs available for groups.

Function menus range in price from $35-$50 per person with a minimum of ten people. The room can accommodate up to forty, seated on wooden benches.


Tempura prawn sushi roll in egg crepe

We've opted for

The Dip at GOODGOD, Sydney

There's no denying it. Sydney is currently riding the wave of an American food obsession. Pulled pork. Hot dogs. Nachos. Sydneysiders have taken up snacking with the hunger of a growing teenager.

The Dip, hidden within the bowels of the GOODGOD nightclub, has all your cheese-laden carbohydate cravings covered. The former La Campana site is barely recognisable, converted into a dark and cosy