My Din, My Tai and My Fung

steamed prawn dumplings



When it comes to traditional Chinese cuisine I don’t know my ‘Dim’ from my ‘Sum’, so on my recent trip to Hong Kong I decided to approach all foods with the same concept in mind, which was don’t ask what it is, don’t speculate as to what it might be and definitely don’t take any advice from fellow westerners as to whether I would enjoy it or not. This only occasionally got me into trouble, but it otherwise opened up a whole new world of flavour experiences. The best of these was Din Tai Fung in Causeway Bay.












Steamed prawn wanton with shallot and soy



What most locals would refer to as a Dumpling House, Din Tai Fung offers a range of delicious Yum Cha style dishes that mix European inspired ingredients with oriental cooking styles. There are of course some very traditional elements at play here such as the relentless attention to table service, the swift delivery of dishes from the steam filled kitchen and of course the expectation that everyone will share dishes. The dining space is enormous for Hong Kong standards and is a mix of dining chairs and booth seating arrangements.










Crispy pork with a hint of five spice on a mixed fried rice



We order while we wait for a table as seems customary as everyone else has the same little white piece of paper and accompanying pained look on their faces. This is due to the enormous challenge of picking from the extensive menu. We skip over the bean curd and salad dishes and head straight to the steamed buns, wantons and dumplings. Our number is soon called and we are ushered into our booth for 3 where our drinks order and our little piece of paper are swiftly taken. At this moment we all look at each other in fear as the same thought occurs to us simultaneously. “What if we have ordered too much? Will people laugh at us?” Thankfully our meals come out as they are ready and not all at once.














A bean curd dish that surprised with its rich flavours



First up is an accidental dish of exactly what we were trying to avoid – bean curd! Thankfully these spongy little pillows are marinated in teriyaki seasoning and ginger, have a delightful lingering spiciness and are served cold. There seems to also be a hint of coffee, but querying our waiter on this almost saw our dish hastily whisked back to the kitchen. The next steamer arrived housing our truffle and pork steamed dumplings. On first bite they burst into your mouth with a delicious warm broth and the aromatic flavour of the truffle. Pork bun and vegetable spring rolls follow and they live up to their reputations as classics. The pork bun is moist and sweet with a hint of pepper and the spring rolls are fresh from the fryer. One disappointing dish was the vegetarian steamed bun. The contents had little flavour as and my sister noted had the texture of horse chalf. Other highlights included steamed prawn dumpling, crumbed pork and mixed rice, and steamed prawn wantons.














Soft clouds of white dough encase the sweet pork filling.






Overall I was very impressed with the quality of the food at Din Tai Fung. My only complaint would be that there weren’t many wines to choose from. Thankfully I wasn’t particularly in the mood for wine, but if you wanted to make a range of parings then you would be sorely disappointed. Service was excellent, which helped us avoid the dreaded situation of having too many bamboo steamers cascading from our table and the prices were very reasonable with our meal and drinks totalling $500 HK or a little under $70 Australian


Thankfully Sydney has it’s very own Din Tai Fung in World Square, George St so you needn’t book an international flight to experience this delicious cuisine.






644 George Street
Sydney 2000
(02) 9264 6010


Open Mon-Wed 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Thu-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Sat 11am-3pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm

Hunters Hill Hotel

It's hard to miss the Hotel Hunters Hill as you exit

Burns Bay Rd

It’s a Tuesday night, so it is unlikely that we are going to be dining with swathes of people, but the Hunters Hill Hotel has the kind of atmosphere that makes us wonder why more people aren’t dining around us. The weather could have something to do with this. The bistro menu seems to be squarely aimed at the very hungry types who frequent the hotel which include, builders, laborers and various other trades people who take their veg with three meat. The dining room backs onto a large beer garden with seating for 50 and room for 100 standing guests making it a great space for largish functions.

It is just as nice to find a pub that has maintained it’s beers and battered anything offering as it is to discover a hatted restaurant adjacent to a loud drinking hall. Sometimes we need to let pubs be pubs because when we need a greasy feed on a Sunday they are always there with the fryer working overtime and beer taps at the ready. The Hunter is this no frills variety that most of us can remember from our childhoods. No table services, order at the counter, get your own cutlery and let the kids go free range.

The classic Fish 'n' Chips was one of the more light

options on the menu

We order at the counter and get drinks from the bar. I decided on the chicken schnitzel burger with seasoned wedges and my friends order the half ribs, fish and chips and grilled chicken burger. I don’t think my rib friend had seen the portion size or the safety equipment involved in this particular dish. It seemed to require quite a sizeable serrated knife, a bib and a sauce-coated-face style of enthusiasm, but even that may fail to face up to the challenge of these ribs, which like all pub food also come with a decent serving of chips.

An easy choice when it comes to pub food,

but not so easy to get through.

Our meals arrive and there is very little to say in terms of presentation. ‘Food on a plate’ may be sufficient description enough, but the serving portions are generous verging on ridiculous. The chips are crunchy, salad crisp and the burger tastes very fresh and not too greasy. I can already tell that there is too much here for my tiny frame to accommodate, so the chips and the burger get split equally into a have and have not pile. I glance at my friend who has now received her half portion of ribs. If the look on her face is anything to go by then she is definitely not up to the challenge. Smothered in sauce and barely fitting on the 35cm dinner plate these ribs could silence the hunger of the most ravenous of hungry trades-persons.

Good luck with this beast of a meal!

Overall the meals were nice, but nothing to write home about. If you need a decent feed at a reasonable price then the Hunter’s Hill Hotel certainly foots the bill, just don’t expect anything fancy. The hotel is accessible from the Inner West coming off the Gladesville Bridge and taking the first exit on Burns Bay Rd or the Hunters Hill exit if you are coming from Lane Cove. There is ample parking in the rear and easy access for strollers, prams and wheelchairs.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Good on a weeknight, better on a weekend!

A big moutful indeed!

The scrumptious mahi mahi fish with delicate strands of sampfire

When dining in a French restaurant there is always the uncomfortable expectation that the portions are going to be small. This is where La Grande Bouffe bucks that trend. Owned and operated by David and Meredith Poirier, La Grande Bouffe marries the elegant techniques of French cuisine with the appetites of its devoted patrons through beautifully presented, but more importantly generous portions.

My group is a tough crowd. We all work at Essential Ingredient Rozelle, so we know a thing or two about fabulous food. From all the ingredients and cookbooks and kitchenware we see on a daily basis we appreciate when something is done right, so our expectations were high. We were not disappointed.

Liver to live (and die) by

Our menu consisted of seven main course dishes. All the bases were covered from calves liver to duck four ways and a delicious vegetarian option, which unfortunately none of us meat lovers ordered. I chose the 'Poisson du jour' partly because i adore saying "poisson" to attractive French waiters, but mostly because of the gorgeous description. Today's poisson was a mahi mahi fish served with turned potatoes, mussels, a delicate white wine and garlic sauce and garnished with sampfire (thin strands of bean like seaweed). The fish was tender with sufficient flakiness and a rich flavour, which was complimented by the delicate sauce and the saltiness of the sampfire.

Duck four ways

Chef Rob Hodgson has really invigorated the menu with an ambitious mix of traditional French and contemporary Australian cuisine. When dining at La Grande Bouffe you get the sense that the dedication is more to great food as opposed to a holistic French experience. There are of course the icons of French fair like steak tartar and crème brulee, the wine list is populated by mostly French wines and the waiters are efficient with an air of superiority, which to anyone who has travelled through France only adds to the charm. But Hodgson, like the pioneers of French colonialism, has looked further afield for his ingredients and placed many uncommon foods into the discipline of French cuisine and come up with something truly unique.

Steak tartar

You might imagine the food to be quite fatty as many have come to expect from this particular regional cuisine and this was certainly true of the calves liver, but the majority of dishes looked fresh and inviting. Most obvious of these was the pork chop that despite having a generous layer of fat was garnished with a fresh and delicate salad. The salmon was similarly treated with a bed of fresh peas and the duck, which is notorious for being overdone was subdued by four different preparations that combined to make and ample yet not overpowering meal.

There is and always has been a clear social and language barrier between waitstaff and patrons at this restaurant and this is something the owners could work on, but it seems to be a bit of a ‘when in Rome’ scenario where arrogance is to be somewhat expected. I personally believe this to be a healthy pre-dinner sparing match between staff and patrons, which really is a pleasant change from the insipid and forced style of service that has become standard in Sydney restaurants

Student Friendly Eats Broadway, Newtown and CBD

Which came first, the international student or the international cuisine? If ever there was a better-served location for food from all parts of the globe I certainly haven’t experienced it and don’t think I need to. With the combination of Newtown‘s King St restaurants, the Glebe Point Road eateries and the many hole- in-the-wall cafes and diners dotted around the wider Broadway area, the starving student could not want for more. From Giulias’s, a busy breakfast spot famous for their rhubarb waffles to Badde Manors, a relaxed vegan restaurant minus the holier-than-thou attitude, the region really has every taste and budget covered.

A must for the solitary wanderer is Sappho Books café. If you want to ponder the more challenging revelations of Marxist theory then this is the place to do it. Reminiscent of the backyard of that über-cool uni friend, the almost entirely outdoor space is great for catching up with a friend or a little bit of alone time with their excellent coffee. Try the pumpkin, rocket and pine nut salad for a light lunch or graze your way through their generous servings of banana or pear and raspberry bread. Service is a little on the slow side, so it is best to not be in a hurry, but this is a relaxed space so those who are short on time are best advised to avoid it.

If you should find that your study group has whittled away the hours in the law library, despite none of you actually being law students (law students hate this), then take a break from the boredom at Kuleto’s cocktail bar. Thursdays are the best nights for the cash strapped intellectual as any cocktail comes with...another cocktail! YES! Free booze! The bar staff will make any of the classics you like, but have a range of exciting concoctions on the regularly updated menu. You could be mistaken for thinking you had somehow teleported away from the grungy King St scene into a trendy Surry Hills bar, but are delightfully reminded that you are indeed in Newtown as these cocktails are at most $14 apiece. Try the Apple and Passionfruit Collins....

If your food budget can only stretch as far as cheese toast and Fantastic noodles you might be thinking that your dining out options are few and far between. Fear not my penny-pinching friends as there is almost an entire suburb dedicated to your needs. A short bus ride down to Haymarket provides ample face-stuffing opportunities. Try the Marigold for Yum Cha or Market City food court for a quick bowl of laksa. There are also numerous small eateries lining most side streets, so the only issue will be in choosing which cheap eat is more to your liking. A little closer to the CBD on Pitt St is the little known Japanese restaurant Sakura. The food is fast, tasty and dirt-cheap and the portions are generous with my favourite chicken katsu coming in at under $10. Space is at a premium, but you rarely stay more than half an hour.

There are so many restaurants to choose from in the area that you may find your worries about budget are replaced with making a decision on where to eat. If you like eating it then there will be a restaurant to suit your tastes. You need only let your feet do the walking.

Sappho Books
51 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
Sydney NSW Australia
Phone: 9552 4498
Open Mon-Tue,Sun 8:30am-7pm; Wed-Sat 8:30am-10pm
Kuleto's Bar
157 King Street
Newtown 2042
(02) 9519 6369
Open Mon 4pm-11:59pm; Tue-Sun 12am-3am, 4pm-11:59pm

Marigold
683 George St
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9261 8988Open Daily 10am-3pm, 5pm-11:45pm

Sakura325 Pitt St,
Sydney NSW 2000 
(02) 9261 0711 ‎ 

Giulia's

92 Abercrombie Street

Chippendale 2008

(02) 9698 4424

Badde Manors 37 Glebe Point Road
Glebe 2037
(02) 9660 3797Open Mon-Thu 8am-11:59pm; Fri-Sat 8am-1pm; Sun 9am-11:59pm

'Well Connected' with the hip pocket

Walk too fast and you will miss it. Well Connected is well hidden amongst the eateries on Glebe Point road, but is well worth stopping in for a filling bite to eat at a very reasonable price. It is difficult to pick out a distinct theme that the chefs are trying to pull off, but this eclectic mix offers a range of cuisines to suit every patron, from the finicky mathematics student to the liberal arts major.

This establishment is the walk in, sit anywhere and wait for a menu from the always-busy wait staff kind of place. Each time I have dined here it has been packed with students and those who probably wish they still were.  The diner style chairs are comfy from the placement of generations of intellectual bottoms and the tables are suitably retro. The atmosphere is buzzy to say the least, with any number of enthusiastic intellectual conversations going on around us, but it isn’t loud thanks to the space being relatively small and filled with artworks.

The menus are provided promptly and we order coffees, which are brought out just in time for us to place our food orders. A must for anyone dining here is the fetta and garlic pressed tortillas. They won’t do much for you on a romantic date, but they are a delicious starter for anyone craving cheesy carbs after a long day of study. My friend orders the chicken and mushroom linguine with a chilli and arabiatta sauce and I order the Asian beef salad with a black sesame dressing. There are daily special to choose from, but the menu items are so morish that the chalkboard hardly gets a look in.

My meal arrives a good ten minutes before my friends, which I am none to fond of as we are then both required to stare at it until hers arrives, while we argue over whether I should start without her. It looks and smells delicious. The beef is medium rare and in thin jagged slivers, which makes a delightful change from the symmetrical slices I have come to expect from most meat salads. It is nicely dressed and garnished with the black sesame seeds. The flavours are well balanced between salty, sweet and sour which compliment the char grilled taste of the beef.

My friend’s meal I have had before and have enjoyed, but this time the sauce seems both overly sticky and at the same time oily. The mushrooms are practically transparent and it would be totally overdoing it to even attempt to add Parmesan. Thankfully we are both starving students so it goes down well regardless, but there are no points to be had for presentation.

We opt out of dessert as the selection of standard cakes seem fairly average, but we do order coffees to go as the beans they use are of the better variety and the barista is competent. The bill comes in at just over $46, which for the location, serving sizes and quality of the food is very reasonable.

Well Connected is open from 7:30am to 10pm Monday to Thursday, Later on Friday and Saturday and from 8am to 10pm Sundays.

Ph: (02) 9566 2655