When eating out there’s always the dilemma of whether to try somewhere (or something) new, or stick with somewhere (or something) you know and love. I enjoy discovering new restaurants and new dishes, but these five keep me coming back to some of my favourite restaurants time and again – and there’s no question that I’ll be ordering them every time I’m there.
Runner Bean Fritters (Bibo Wine Bar)
www.bibowinebar.com.au
I’m so predictable where these irresistible snacks are concerned, that they usually just appear in front of me at my favourite wine bar around the same time my first glass of wine arrives. Young green beans in a thin crisp batter – eating your vegies never tasted so good!
Culatello on Polenta Hotcake (Bennelong Cured & Cultured)
www.bennelong.com.au
Sweet, pale pink curls of raw black Berkshire ham, from the centre of the leg, piled onto a warm soft-inside-crisp-outside polenta, popcorn, parmesan and pine nut hotcake, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle of salt … need I say more?
Chive Cakes (Long Chim Sydney)
www.longchimsydney.com
I love contrast and texture in food – and these bite-sized snacks have it in spadefuls. Crisp on the bottom, chewy on the top and full of soft green garlic chives, while the dark soy and chilli sauce adds salt, sweet and heat. I can eat an awful lot of these!
Dry-aged Beef Rib (Firedoor)
www.firedoor.com.au
With so many delicious vegies around, meat has to be amazing to catch my attention. Sawed from a huge chunk hanging behind the counter (238-days dry-aged today), sprinkled liberally with salt and singed by flames jumping up from the coals as fat melts on to them. Tender, juicy, smoky … yes please!
Coconut Turnover (Momofuku Seiobo) – CLOSED
The bar menu at Momofuku warns that this dessert takes 20 minutes – what they don’t tell you is that it’s huge and best shared. Warm from the oven, flaky, soft, sweet and rich with grated coconut, topped with a thick finger-licking layer of cream cheese frosting.
