Pyrmont Bridge Hotel, Pyrmont

They didn't require much convincing. The boys were in. The Man or Mouse challenge at the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel was in their sights. All that stood between them and chest-thumping glory was a plate of chips, salad and one kilo of rump steak.

How much steak do you get for one kilo? We debate its size while we wait for it to arrive. The steak is part of their regular bistro menu, a one kilo "prime

Mushroom picking in Oberon

Mushroom picking. For years I'd wanted to indulge in this foraging fantasy, my mind filled with romanticised visions of skipping in a cool dark forest with a wicker basket tucked under my arm, stopping every now and then to pluck a large waiting mushroom to add to my spoils.

The reality, of course, was markedly different. For us, it began with a 5.30am wake-up call so we could be on the road

Lao Village, Fairfield

There are many things to love about Lao Village. The bargain basement prices are just one of them. You could easily eat there for about $15 a head, feasting from a menu of 30 dishes with nothing priced over $12.

The restaurant itself is unassuming: one of several businesses housed in a long red brick building. Entry is via a white flyscreen door, depositing you into a room that is minimal in

Darley Street Bistro at the Botany View Hotel, Newtown

The southern end of King Street has always been my preferred stretch in Newtown. Here you'll still find a chaotic jumble of shopfronts, dusty window displays and traces of its original bohemia. And yet capable of a surprise or two.

On the corner of Darley Street you'll find the Botany View Hotel, a local watering hole for blokes with TAB screens for punting and flatscreens for the latest in

Buffalo Dining Club, Darlinghurst

There was only one thing we wanted. Pasta. In a giant pecorino wheel. Could a humble plate of spaghetti arrive with any more spectacle?

It's the promise of this glorious vision that brings us to Buffalo Dining Club, a tiny slip of a place just off the hubbub of Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. No bookings means an early arrival is crucial - at 6pm on a Friday the place is empty but by 6.40pm

Taipei Chef, Artarmon

 

If crisp skin, succulent flesh and the lingering trail of smokiness in every mouthful is your idea of bliss, then Taiwanese-style smoked chicken ($10) is the flavour bomb your tastebuds have been waiting for. The chicken is cooked twice - first steamed and then smoked over a mixture of tea leaves and sugar until the skin takes on a golden glaze and becomes deliciously brittle. Trust us: this

Freda's, Chippendale

If Sydneysiders are ready to embrace new neighbourhoods, then Chippendale is ripe for a giant bear hug. The object of affection? Freda's Bar & Canteen, set up in a formerly abandoned warehouse in the inner city.

Sure we're all used to hidden bars and secret entrances, but you know things are serious when even the bar's blog has a photo essay published with directions on how to find it.