I’ve kind of decided that if I were to wait until I actually had time to write about each individual restaurant I had visited recently, it might never happen at all, just like my Tokyo photos (I’m still working on those!.. sort of..). So this here is just a brief pictorial which summarises those instances when I have been bothered to drag a camera along.

1) Before E abandoned us to go live in China and learn Mandarin, Danks Street Depot was one of our favourite places to go for a bit of lunch or late breakfast. So when he returned for a brief holiday over the CNY period, this was one of the places he wanted to revisit. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Danks Street, and I’m happy to say, it’s still as good as ever. Every dish I’ve ever had here has always been perfectly balanced and seasoned. I still am unable to lay to rest the memory of the most perfect pasta dish I had here once, even though several years have since passed.

For breakfast, it’s hard to go past the sardines on toast or the creamed eggs, while the sight and smell alone of the toasted Reuben for lunch always brings a smile to my face. While in the neighbourhood, you could also check out Fratelli Fresh (exciting, quality produce, with prices to match. It’s probably not surprising that on the day we visited, the customer carpark was composed mainly of Porches and BMWs) and one of Sonoma’s Bakery Cafes (the soy and linseed loaf is my favourite).

Danks Street Depot
1/2 Danks Street (Cnr Young St)
Waterloo 2017.

2) Longrain controversially lost a hat during the 2007 GFG awards, and has yet to regain it, which was a surprise to me. Sure, the food has always been a little on the sweet side for my tastes, but as a whole I like this restaurant because it serves beautifully presented food using great, very fresh produce in a hip, yet comfortable setting. Even the service, which some have criticised the restaurant for, I’ve never had a problem with.

Longrain
85 Commonwealth Street
Surry Hills 2010.

3) Pier Restaurant remains one of my favourite Sydney restaurants. It’s the one I would take an overseas visitor to, if they liked their food because Pier delivers this in bucketloads (of fresh seafood). Also with it’s light and airy dining room set on that immense of blue water, against blue skies and bright sunlight, it manages to encompass many aspects of Australian life that so many people love; glorious summer weather (although it hasn’t been very glorious of late) and a relaxing setting.

All that light streaming in through the big glass windows also means I usually get a good batch of photos of our visit. Unfortunately, as our evening progressed this time, the photos got worse and worse due to the diminishing light, so the only two acceptable photos are that of the appetiser of a cauliflower mousse with yabby and an entree of a marron salad with foie gras mousse, fig carpaccio and Banyuls reduction. The picture doesn’t show it, but the yabby claw was leaning against the cauliflower mousse in such a way that it looked like it was patting the mousse affectionately. And so it should, tasty as it was.

Pier Restaurant
594 New South Head Rd
Rose Bay 2029.

4) I like the King Street Wharf as a destination, but I’m finding it a bit hard to say much about Kobe Jones. In a city that isn’t exactly starved for middle-of-the-road style of Japanese food, Kobe Jones doesn’t really offer anything new or exciting, even if their decor is a little more modern and of-the-times than most. Given some of their prices, I think I could eat a similar meal for cheaper and not have to face the travesty of one of their signature dishes of soft shell crab cooked in panko breadcrumbs and served with “teriyaki potatoes”. Think ‘crab schnitzel’, which completely ruins the purpose and potential of eating soft shell crab.

Kobe Jones
29 Lime Street
King Street Wharf, Sydney 2000.