Sunday 29 June 2014

Ryo's, Crows Nest

Wowzer! You'd think that there was a wild nightclub where Ryo's is located with the long queues! Actually, it's just a well known ramen joint in Crows Nest and quite well known in Sydney overall by foodies.  Its presence is known mostly by reputation as it's tucked away from the main strip of eateries in Crows Nest.

Patience does pay off
Quirky decore
Spicy Pork Ramen
If you like lots of flavours then I highly recommend the spicy ramen ($13.50, above).  It's bang packed full of pork and spicy flavours and has sliced roast pork pieces for your pleasure. The pork soaks up the flavours of spice which is nice.

For a more subtle sensation, I picked the number 1 ordered ramen (below, $12.00).  It's a milder broth which is pork based with salt. It's also topped with egg, spring onion and shoots. The noodles are thin but still soak up the flavours. Both the Spicy Ramen and the Ramen in Salt are decent portions.

The Miso Pork Ramen is another more subtle pork based noodle dish. I would recommend both dishes but my favourite is the spicy ramen.

However if you are in a group, when you come to Ryo's you must order their famous ramen and on top of this you MUST order the delicious and mind blowing karaage chicken (below, $8). It's perfection because it's fried chicken that is just perfect in crispyness and the meat is very tender.


Pork based Soy Ramen 
Karrage Chicken with mayo
Overall, a high value ramen restaurant if you have the patience to wait.  They can sit about 20 people inside and the food comes very quickly. I like the decore inside, it's a bit quirky with their signs.

Add it to your ramen favourites like Ramen Zundo (which I blogged about) in World Square, CBD Sydney.

Mains: $10.5-14.5
Pork miso ramen
Ryo's on Urbanspoon

Le Pub, Sydney CBD

The dining area of Le Pub is a bit posh with its French Bistro decore and menu. Just off King St, it is a nice escape from the hussle and bustle of the City CBD.  Be prepared to pay slightly posh prices and not your typical $15 pub prices but it will be worth it.

The staff were very attentive and very informative about food.  I settled on the Confit Duck and the beef pie.  The duck was well cooked and luscious with the trimmings of gnocchi, spinach and chest nuts.  Delicious! My friend commented that she thought the portions were a bit small but she still enjoyed the Duck main.

However the signature dish for Le Pub is the pie. The pie was amazing.  I felt like I was drinking a glass of wine in the pie filling.  Amazing! The beef was moist and the flavours of mushroom and wine came through. The pastry was golden and crunchy.

To finish off, indulge in the chocolate slice.  Another recommendation from our friendly waitress.

Prices: Mains about $24-30
Confit de Canard - Confit Duck Leg, pumpkin gnocchi, wilted spinach, orange and butter chestnuts - $27

Pie au Boeuf Bourguignon - slow braised beef with mushrooms, lardons, red wine, cripsy puff pastry and creamy paris mash - $24


Chocolate Slice with cream

Le Pub on Urbanspoon

Saturday 28 June 2014

Menya Mappen, Haymarket

Menya Mappen the haven for struggling students, bargain hunters and for those who are seeking a warm snack. How good does this Karrage Chicken Udon look? It's mouth watering tasty at a bargain price.  Place the signature egg into your udon noodles and enjoy the oozing yoke.

The second time I've been here in the last 6 months because I value tasty food at a highly reasonable price.  It's also very quick and filling.  Perfect for a small snack or that quick meal before a social gathering.

Enjoy the line up and add to your base dish as you shuffle along. Sprinkle some free tempura flakes on top. Enjoy !

Mains: $6-10 per bowl of yummy goodness


Karrage Chicken Udon

Plain Udon 

Menya Mappen on Urbanspoon

Monday 23 June 2014

Menulog - Competition

Thanks to Menulog, I've got a $15 Menulog Voucher to give away. 

Thai Food is a very popular cuisine to order take away or delivery. It's one of my favourites on a lazy weekend!!

To enter this competition, post a comment reply and tell me what is your favourite Thai dish and why!

This competition is also concurrently running on facebook. Join my facebook to check out other pics and hot tips on all things in the world of weekendfoodescapes by Lisa!

https://www.facebook.com/WeekendFoodEscapes

Kind Regards

Lisa 

Efendy, Balmain

Sydney, be ready to eat with your eyes in a very tasty way!  Voted Sydney's best breakfast by smh good food in 2014; Efendy delivers to it's reputation.  For $29 per person, be prepared to taste amazing breakfast treats the Turkish way.  I loved it! Make sure you book.

Start with the hot food which included sausages and a mix of menemen eggs with some bread.  The sausages and eggs had a nice dash of spice. Accompany this with the warm bread and enjoy the spreads.  Wow. It was amazing start off to this feast of a meal.

Baked Pide and breads
Pogaca, spinach-feta tepsi borek, simit
There are so many textures to explore. The crispy treats above (Pogaca, borek and simit) were delicious and balanced out by the fruit and cheese below; along with the many dips which accompanied the bread.

Apple tea

I loved this apple tea which seem to compliment everything in front of me.  I loved the curly haloumi below which was fun and tasty to eat.  The vegetables were lightly coated in a yoghurt like dressing.  I also devoured the cheese which was beautiful with the freshly baked bread.  The spreads were also great, giving you variety and made your taste buds dance. I really liked the peanut-butter like spread and the olive spread is always a winner for me.

The whole time, I was eating with my eyes and the handsomely good looking food matched the deliciousness in taste.  I loved this place!!!!

An array of fruits, curly haloumi, vegetables

Cheeses and Dips - Jersey milk clotted cream kaymak, goats cheese feta, kashkaval cheese, shanklish cheese
What a banquet. I can understand why Efendy won the award for best breakfast. I will definitely have to come back to try dinner items. Come and check it out

Costs: $29 for the banquet breakfast

Location: 79 Elliot St, Balmain
Jams, spread, honey, olives


Efendy Restaurant | meze bar on Urbanspoon

Friday 20 June 2014

Gelato Messina, Surry Hills

Whether you are a tourist or a local everyone has heard of Gelato Messina. With my GM virginity being broken, I was ready to go back and try some different flavours.

On this occasion I ordered the Vanilla Manjar (Vanilla gelato w dulce de leche filled donuts and salted roasted almond flakes) and the Heisenberg, the bright purple froyo (Blueberry Yoghurt Gelato with crystallised violets).

Both were very unique flavours which were worthwhile trying but quite compete with my last apple pie experience which I wrote about last time here. 

Prices $4 per scoop


Gelato Messina Surry Hills on Urbanspoon

Bar 100, Rocks

Bar 100 is so very trendy. A lot of my work drinks are at Bar 100 because it's the place to be people socialise, drink and a little later dance.  There are a lot of corporate wigs here early on and then a little later on, the girls in their little dresses come out.  It's hard to get a booth unless you book and put some money down as a deposit.  The pizzas are on a thin crust with fresh ingredients on top.

I definitely prefer this venue over some of the other local haunts.

I personally think it's a beautiful building with stunning architecture features and I quite enjoy a quiet drink early on here. I actually stopped by during vivid for a quiet drink.  It was nice.






BAR100 on Urbanspoon

Thursday 19 June 2014

Secret Slice, West Ryde



I used Menulog for the first time recently and ordered a pizza deal at the Secret Slice in West Ryde.  What I didn't realise was that when you online delivery food with Menulog you can access a number of restaurants with some offering discounts or freebies when you order so many times.  Menulog claim to be the number one in online delivery services so I checked out some West Ryde eateries

Anzac Pizza

I ordered way too much food at the Secret Slice. The Anzac pizza was a mesh of beef, caramelised onion, pumpkin. potato and garlic.  The Anzac pizza was filling and a nice change to your normal toppings you get at the big pizza chains.  It was almost like a roast dinner on a pizza.  Yumm but wait there's more.


Bowden Pizza

The second pizza, the Bowden pizza was my favourite which was a a combination of chicken, snowpeas, onion, capsium on a satay base. It was the perfect combination of flavours!  I definitely rate this. The garlic bread was on a turkish bread which was soft and fresh.

Check it out guys!  Something different for your taste buds. I thought it was a bit dear but I suppose I had a lot of left overs. Maybe I should only order one pizza next time! 

Price: 2 Gourmet Pizzas, Garlic Bread and soft drink $59 for two people with a lot of left overs! A lot of food! Maybe best for 4. 

I was invited to check out Menulog but obviously over ordered. I was eating with my eyes!

Garlic Bread

Secret Slice on Urbanspoon

Saturday 14 June 2014

Flower Cafe Mattaniah, Lidcombe

Flower Cafe Mattaniah is a cafe and florist in one. It has a tropical feel with beautiful scents of flowers.  I like the atmosphere.

A nice cheap and cheerful breakfast menu.  They have nice cheap and cheerful coffee and breakfast combinations too. The breakfast is prepared with an Asian flair. The bacon and egg roll is instead offered up as a bacon and egg sandwich.  Not a toasted sandwich but a bacon and egg on sandwich bread. I found it slightly odd but had no complaints ultimately. Still a tasty treat.

The other components in the big breakfast were tasty as well but not cooked in your typical big breakfast fashion. So if you're okay with the Asian flair then you will love the tasty food, floral surroundings and value for your money.

Prices: Coffee and breakfast combos vary from $8 to $11



 +363

Flower Cafe Mattaniah on Urbanspoon

Thursday 12 June 2014

Bills, Surry Hills

Bill's is a cosy restaurant. It has a warm atmosphere with friendly customer service like as if you were visiting a friend's house for dinner.

On this occasion I ordered the ocean trout which was well cooked.  It came with a handful of coriander and vermicelli noodles which was a blast of freshness. My company all enjoyed their respective dishes; agreeing that it was fresh, well cooked and tasty. Yum.

I would probably categorise the portion size under the light meals banner. I think the sides were really tasty but I think something a little more substantive like potato would complete the meal. A very pleasant experience overall.

Clean, fresh and cosy.

Prices: Mains range from $26 to $34

crisp ocean trout with coriander and chilli salad 26.00


prawn and chilli linguine, garlic and rocket 26.50



Crispy pork belly and watermelon 28.00
salt and pepper calamari, yuzu pepper mayo and green bean salad 19.50



Bills Surry Hills on Urbanspoon

Monday 9 June 2014

Lynn Shanghai Cuisine, Sydney

I've only had good experiences at Lynn's.  Fresh, tasty food, reasonable prices and a good location if you're a little far from China Town and you're in the Town Hall area.

I think this was my favourite experience more recently as I was with some gal friends and we had the usual round of discussions about all things men, work, travel and more men, love and property talk. My friend Divya did a really good job of picking all the dishes on this particular night.

A nice mesh of dumplings, noodles, greens, seafood and rice. Great tasty dishes, seriously no complaints!  Perfection. Hit and satisfied my chinese cravings.

Prices: $15-20 per person
Beans $14.80

Xiao Long Bao

Stir fried seafood with fried rice

Dumplings with noodles! $11.80
Lynn Shanghai Cuisine on Urbanspoon

Sunday 8 June 2014

Sokyo, Pyrmont

After a highly anticipated recommendation from my bestie; I had very high expectations.  She said this was her favourite Japanese restaurant. There are some amazing restaurants in Sydney; many of them Japanese so my thinking was distorted.

However my verdict was.. wow. Just wow. I loved Sokyo. A very rounded experience in customer service, beautiful decore and presentation and most importantly high quality, fresh tasty food. A nice place for dinner on the posh side.

Price: For 2 people sharing 4 dishes and drinks = $140

Beef Robata $17
The beef was absolutely beautifully cooked and the slices of onion in between each chunk of meat only added to the melting of flavours in the mouth.
Dengakuman - Famous caramelised miso cod $38
This miso cod is famous because it is super tasty.  Go for it! If only there was more to enjoy!
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice - $20
Another recommended and must try dish.  A nice combination of fresh tuna meshed with a bit of crunch.
Dessert Sampler $26
Finally to finish the night off, a medley of flavours. Another recommend if you can't decide on dessert!

Sokyo on Urbanspoon