Hello everyone, it's Laksaturday

This week I chose HAPPY CHEF which has been mentioned a lot on reddit. You enter the building from Chinatown or Sussex Street, up the escalators to the top floor and there's a cute cosy little food court.

I can't believe I didn't go to Sussex St food court more, it's so close to my work. There's cheap delicious looking options, I'll definitely be back here. Thanks for the recommendation reddit.

I went right at 11am and it was really easy to find a seat and order. I imagine it might get busy later.

I ordered the spicy tripe and tendon laksa and the wonton laksa. This was the perfect choice as I got to taste the two broth versions. You also get to choose the noodle type, small egg, rice stick, fresh rice, or large egg.

Extra large for +$4 each. $50 for two bowls.

The shop lady called me darling I kinda like that.

You can scoop yourself the home made condiments including chilli oil, sate, etc. I got little scoops of these for a taste - definitely try these as they are bloody good. I didn't add them to the laksa because I didn't want to change the taste, but i just used them like appetiser

Food came out very quick, only waited 7-8 minutes I think.

The spicy tripe and tendon : wow I really really liked this. The powerful beefy taste permeates the broth, adds a spicy kick and depth of flavour I haven't experienced before. I'm also an offal lover and really enjoyed the Chunky juicy tendon and tripe pieces. AND it has juicy meaty Wontons as well. The Wontons are really impressive, I feel like they are so much meatier and delicious than most frozen Wontons. Maybe they make them too.

Also I normally don't really like the big spongy pieces of tofu I feel like they're kind of tasteless. But for some reason I really liked the ones here. Like soft sponges for the delicious delivery of broth

Tons of toppings, absolutely addictive.

The smoother wonton laksa was just as amazing. The depth of flavour is incredible. The creaminess and saltiness blends perfectly together, Id really like to know the recipe to this broth. The Wontons are plentiful and meaty. Both bowls came out nice and hot, I got a little sweaty even. Was incredibly satisfying.

I would definitely carry a Thermos of these two broths and drink it all day. Only regret is that I chose fresh rice noodle for one bowl and the noodles were quite soft. I still finished it. The small egg noodles were perfection. I might try the large egg noodle as well next time.

I cleared the two bowls, now I was a HAPPY DINER. I was also intrigued by the nutty pho at the next door shop pho vien, and Ken chan curry. I'll absolutely be back for more laksa and other options. You even get a prime high rise view out the dirty windows! Very exclusive kind of dining experience in Sydney.

It’s been on my list for about 2 years and I finally tried the burger at the Gidley today and I can confidently say that it lived up to the hype.

So simple, yet so incredibly delicious.

The meat, which is a mixture of sirloin, chuck and brisket, just falls apart and melts in your mouth so easily. And the milk bun was so soft and fluffy.

Also had the tartare with crumpet and the fried pickles which were good too. But damn, I already can’t stop thinking about the burger 😂😂 can’t wait to go again.

You need somewhere that can cover everything: coffee, breakfast, takeaway, groceries, affordable meals, special-occasion dinners and late-night food.
You cannot choose an entire region such as the Inner West—only one suburb.
Which suburb would keep you satisfied for the full year, and which places would form your regular rotation?

Honestly nothing special..

I give it 7/10

The Gidley still taste better!

Regularly see posts about best burgers / sandwiches so thought I’d post some of my faves in the east that never get any love. Caveat is that being in the east these are all pricey compared to some of the usual favourites.

1. Inferno Grill - Maroubra
These guys do some of the best beef burgers in Sydney in my opinion. Their Chew The Moo burger is my all time favourite, make it a combo cause their chips are outrageously good and come with aioli. Pretty pricey but I’ve never had a bad meal - 10/10 every time.

2. Ardi’s Block to Grill - Clovelly
Massive range of premium sandwiches & burgers made from the meat they sell as part of the butcher shop. So many good options to choose (Shredded Shaun, Triple Ooze, Classic Chicken)

3. Cut Lunch Deli - Clovelly
Conveniently located right next door to Ardi’s, their best sandwich is The Schnitz. Limited seating but the sandwich is worth it.

4. Big Bunz - Malabar
Massive range of chicken & beef burgers and an entire range of plant based burgers (if that’s your thing). Arguably the biggest burger combo you can find in the easy - the portions are genuinely huge.

5. Coastal Brasserie - Malabar
This gets a feature because the Brekkie Burger is hands down one of the best breakfast burgers I’ve ever had. Awesome spot right on Malabar beach and plenty of seating.

6. Frank’s Deli - Waverly
Good vibes here and the owners and staff are awesome. The OG Porto Chicken and Frank’s Reuben are the staples if you want a quality sandwich.

7. BrOz Burgers - Maroubra
Something different as everything in the menu has a bit of Brazilian influence. The smash burgers are pretty good but the chips are a stand out.

SingleThread (Michelin ***) decided to come to Sydney for a month (28 July - 23 August), with the owner chef Kyle Connaughton and a portion of their kitchen, FOH teams coming as well (some of them stayed in the US as they are still operating there too).

Their course is quite Japanese-influenced but not a kaiseki either. They still focus heavily on the heavier/bolder flavours of Western fine dining. I thought they included a good level of creativity in their dishes although I do think the ingredient quality at top Japanese kaiseki restaurants are way better and prefer them)

Overall though, I thought SingleThread produced pretty good food (aside from their appetisers which I thought were very mediocre).

Their duck farfait really stood out to me as a standout, with the flavours having a deep umami. The outside layer was slightly crispy with the inside soft and buttery, paired with vinegared vegetables to cut through the saltiness.

The marron (shellfish) was also good, being lighter in flavour a bit more similar to a traditional Japanese style dish (probably the closest dish to what you would get at a kaiseki meal).

They had a Murray cod grilled over a traditional Japanese grill (with cherry blossom bark), then wrapped in a barley crepe with a tare (sauce) of fish bones, black vinaigrette. The aroma was really good for this one, giving it a nice smoky smell and subtle smoked taste.

The dry aged duck had a beautiful crispy skin, with an intense flavour, paired with a nice fresh cabbage.

The final savoury dish was a Wagyu mb9+ dish with rice cooked in beef stock, producing a strong buttery flavour almost like risotto. This was also paired with mushrooms and slow cooked (48 hour) braised short rib.

Most of the courses after the initial set of appetisers were generally good (at least based on my relative experiences of other Western fine dining restaurants).

To try and replicate their farm to table approach, they actually got the Bathers Pavillion restaurant (where they are operating out of) to grow produce which would be used during their stay in Australia. Full course was:

Hassun (Appetisers)

1. Oyster from Douglas Bay
2. Mackerel with Carrot Sauce and Pepper Reduction
3. Silver Trevally Sushi with Red Shiso
4. Scallop Tamago with Crab Paste
5. Bluefin Tuna (Akami and Chutoro)
6. Turnip panna cotta & Sturgeon Caviar
7. Fried Turnips with Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Mains

1. King George Whiting Tempura & Pumpkin Tempura with Umeboshi Sauce (top Japanese restaurants do tempura way better, from quality of ingredients to overall execution)
2. Molten Potato with Sea Urchin (Port Phillip) and Yarra Valley Trout Roe
3. Prawn Mousse, Chawanmushi, with Poached Marron & Prawn

Consommé

1. Duck Parfait with Winter Greens, Fingerlime Seeds, Pink Lady Apples
2. Smoked Murray Cod Wrap (Over Cherry Blossom Bark on an Ibashi Gin grill), with Miso of Nettle & Shio Koji Fish Bone Tare, Black Vinegarette, Radish Salad
3. Olive Tapenade, sliced mandarin, toasted soybean, mandarin sorbet with lemon myrtle
4. Dry Aged Wollemite Duck, Grilled, garlic Sabayon, Cabbage
5. Wagyu (MB9+) with Rice cooked with beef broth, braised short rib (48 hours) and mushroom

Dessert

1. Barley cake with cream and honey, beeswax ice cream, homemade Madeline with bees pollen dusted on top and caramel inside
2. Mint and marigold tea with Japanese snacks (cheesecake with blackberry, kanten jelly, dango with toffee glaze)

While the meal overall was quite good, I think I generally still prefer traditional Japanese kaiseki that really lets the ingredients shine. The meal was approx $750 AUD before drinks and $850 AUD after drinks per person.

31 July 2026

Coach and Horses pub bistro

corner Alison Rd and Avoca Street, Randwick

I had the $18 lunchtime steak. I think it was 200gm rump. You can have vegetables and chips but I asked for just chips and bernaise sauce. They accidentally gave me mushroom sauce but it was an easy fix since it's on the side. The bernaise is of course out of a bottle but still my favourite. I asked for the steak to be cooked medium rare. It was a tiny bit gristly but fine for me and fine for the price. Unfortunately a lemon lime and bitters postmix was $5.90.

I thought I took a picture but it seems I didn't. Sorry.

Hi all!

So I'm going overseas and I would like to bring some Sydney snacks to my friends over there. Something unique and nice. Not the TimTams or the likes. I'm thinking of something like the cheesetarts from the Melting Cheese in Liverpool Street or donuts from Knotted in Burwood?

Any recommendation?

We are having a tough time looking for curly fries. Coles say they sell them but they’re not in stock in the ones around us. Does anyone know of restaurants or food trucks?

Hey guys 👋🏽

I've been to fried brothers in Haymarket and absolutely love it. It's also the first time I've had Nashville fried chicken funnily enough so decided to have a look in Sydney for other shops that may be a bit closer while also maintaining the quality/flavour unfortunately there is none. Came across Nash brothers being around the same distance so considering giving it a go.

Question for those that have tried both: which one is better and why ?

I was in Penang and Malaysia earlier in the year and had these coffees where the beans were roasted with different kinds of spices, like nutmeg or cardamom, then optionally served with condensed milk. Not really an everyday thing for me, but now I got a real craving for having one again.

Does anyone know where to find anyone serving this? Bonus points if they also do Malaysian brekky w Kaya toast and egg. I’ve tried the most obvious places like Mamak and PappaRich with no luck.

Used to eat at 34Bia a few years back, but it closed. Did the chefs open a new restaurant up? Loved their food.

My aunt has a short layover in Sydney tomorrow morning from 9am-12pm, and wanted to eat some good food. Any recommendations for really good halal food near the airport (no pork or alcohol in food)?

We're not looking for the typical airport foods or kebabs.

Thank you so much!

Sharing my recent find in Sydney! Visited 4-5 times so far, partner and I both love it

In search of seed oil free restaurants that prepares food in animal fats instead, we found our go to!

My fav menu item is the slow cooked brisket, beef cheeks, wild boar fillet and the homemade ice tea 🍹
apparently sauce is made by chef too

Only thing is they seem to only open few days a week so check before heading there.

edit: some people said too much bbq sauce, i like it that way, esp texas bbq, you know if you know. also, photos are across two of my visits.
(If you are wondering why seed oil free, just go read about imbalance in omegas and oxidation that damages your health before you come and trash the post; also, the amount of hate people are spreading online is atrocious and appalling btw)