Sri Lankan Bites is a casual eatery in Oxford Village Surry Hills serving Sri Lankan street food. It’s a great place to head if you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful.
For some reason, it doesn’t seem to have generated the same level of press as Hopper Kade down the road on Crown Street. I can’t really understand this as the food is just as good if not better.
Having been there a few times, my go to dish is now the chicken biriyani. It comes with 1/4 chicken (usually a maryland), seasoned rice, a boiled egg, mint sambol and raita. It’s a good sized meal for one and at $20 really good value the amount of food you get.
The service is great, the staff are always smiling and incredibly welcoming.
They are open for lunch and dinner and usually have specials at lunchtime. They also do takeaway and delivery via Uber eats.
Tucked away in Oxford Village shopping centre in Surry Hills, Ovo Cafe was once a well kept secret amongst local Brazilians. Word has definitely now got out and it’s hugely popular.
Pre-virus, it served an all you can eat Brazilian breakfast on Sundays and lines of people waiting to get in would snake along the wall opposite the cafe. The lines aren’t quite as long now the buffet is on hold, but still expect a wait if you don’t arrive pretty close to their opening time (9am on the weekends) so it pays to get in early.
It’s pretty casual, if dining in you order at the counter, although they bring the food to you.
As you’d expect from a Brazilian restaurant, the coffee is seriously good. At the moment they are operating on a reduced menu. At breakfast the best choices is definitely the breakfast burger – scrambled egg, bacon, avocado and haloumi served on a brioche bun.
The eggs are creamy and perfectly cooked. The serving is huge and at around $12 seriously good value. After eating one of these at 9.30 I wasn’t hungry again until dinner.
Service can be a bit slow, but it’s always with a huge smile and the food is worth waiting for.
Nel restaurant is tucked away in the basement of an unassuming building on Wentworth Avenue in Surry Hills, not the most likely of places for a fine dining restaurant. But don’t let the location fool you.
This is seriously good food. Nelly Robinson will change the way you think about British food.
It’s a degustation only menu, which means you can settle in and enjoy the ride without agonising over what to choose. Dietary requirements are catered for as long as you let them know in advance.
At $110 for 9 courses, it’s great value.
The food is creative and fun and presented beautifully. Reading the menu, you form an idea in your mind of what each dish will look like. It’s never even close. There is a back story to every dish and if you’re lucky Nel himself will bring your food to the table and explain it to you.
Take charcoal pork for example, which pays homage to the first dinner Nel’s now wife cooked for him. Apparently her barbecuing skills leave something to be desired. Can you spot the pork ?
Despite appearances, the pork was succulent and tender.
Pea and ham is a tribute to Nel’s grandad as he used to always serve pea and ham soup when Nel came to visit. I’m pretty sure that grandad’s version looked and tasted nothing like this. It’s vibrant and full of punchy flavour.
Similarly, Lanchashire hotpot is nothing like what you’ve been served in an English pub.
Fish out of water is the only one we came even close to guessing. The fish is cooked perfectly and the “water” elevates the dish from good to great.
At the end of the 9 courses, we find we’ve still got room for dessert (just) and leave the restaurant comfortably full, vowing to come back.
I’ve been visiting the Essential Ingredient since it opened in Crows Nest back in 2005. It’s my favourite place in Sydney to buy gourmet spices, ingredients you struggle to find elsewhere in Sydney (achiote paste you know I mean you), cooking equipment I never knew I needed and a great range of cookbooks.
I was pretty delighted when they moved from Rozelle to Surry Hills early 2019, but also a little nervous about the impact on my credit card of being able to pop in anytime I wanted.
I love experimenting with food. I’ll happily spend hours combing through recipe books and my friends are always making fun of the number I own. I always try to fit in a cooking class whenever I travel but for some reason it’s something I’ve rarely done in Sydney.
The new premises includes a cooking school where they hold regular weeknight and weekend classes and every time I get the Essential Ingredient newsletter I always think the classes look so interesting, so recently I decided to treat myself to a couple of cooking classes for my birthday.
The first class was Mexican food, one of my favourite cuisines and one which is sadly very underrepresented in the Sydney dining scene.
Pico de Gallo and Guacamole
The class ran for around 3 1/2 hours starting at 6pm. During the class we cooked 6 dishes: vegetable quesadilla with tortillas we made; tequila prawn tapas with guacamole and pico de gallo; achiote barbecued chicken; barbecued corn with chipotle mayonnaise; rocket, radish and orange salad and Oaxacan mangoes.
Despite a bit of a hitch where someone mistook a bowl of salt for sugar, all of the dishes turned out great. They were all full of flavour but still very light and fresh.
The presenter Wanitha Tanasigam was very bubbly and clearly had a wealth of cooking experience. There were only 8 of us in the class so there was plenty of time for one on one instruction. As well as showing us how to cook the dishes, she helped everyone improve their knife skills and showed us plenty of little tips that will make things easier in the kitchen.
Achiote Barbecued Chicken
While at $170 it may not be the cheapest cooking class in Sydney, given it included the cooking instruction, wine and beer to have with the meal, take home recipes, a 10% off shopping voucher and a tortilla warmer, I think it was pretty good value especially considering the quality of the instruction and the produce we cooked with.
And perhaps the best recommendation I can give – rather than filing away the recipes as I usually do thinking I’ll get around to trying them again some day, I made most of them the following Saturday. They may not have been quite as picture perfect as the ones we produced at the class but my partner declared all of them a great success and wants to know when I’ll be cooking them again.
I’m looking forward to next Saturday’s canape class. Stay tuned for an update.
Oaxacan Mangoes
Update
I’ve now been to the second cooking class which was creating a Christmas menu. Again, the teacher was great, it was a very friendly group of people in the class, it was loads of fun and I learned a lot, including how to roll out, stuff and truss a loin of pork.
I’m looking forward to the next class list coming out in the new year and signing up for some more.
Zushi has been around for almost 9 years and I used to go fairly frequently but hadn’t been for a few years before my recent visit. Not because there was anything I didn’t like, it’s just that living in Surry Hills there is always the next new thing to try.
Going back was a little like catching up with a friend you haven’t seen for ages and getting along so well you wonder why on earth you haven’t seen them for so long.
On a busy Friday night they managed to fit us in at the sushi bar despite not having a booking. I actually prefer sitting at the bar, particularly in a Japanese restaurant because it’s great for watching all of the action. No matter how many times I see it, I’m still amazed by the knife skills of Japanese chefs and the precision with which they arrange the food.
We ordered the $55 chef’s menu which I’d recommend doing. The food we got was very good value for this price – tuna tartare, sashimi, pork bao, scallops and beef. All of the food was great, very tasty and light and fresh.
Wine prices are reasonable, with plenty of good quality wines $50-$60.
Service was professional. Our water and wine glasses were regularly refilled and the food came with just the right amount of time between courses.
Overall a great experience. I definitely won’t wait so long to go back.
The fact that the name of Cuckoo Callay is inspired by a poem from Alice Through the Looking Glass is illustrative of the playful nature of the place. The decor is reflective of the theme, with a pink flamingo on the menu and a phrase from the book spelled out in neon on the staircase.
On a Saturday early afternoon it’s full of hipsters, but where in the eastern suburbs isn’t?
The staff were very cheerful and friendly. I was given water along with the menu as soon as I sat down. There was only a short wait for my food and as soon as I’d finished I was asked whether there was anything else they could bring me.
Although it’s an all day menu, most of the meals are more breakfast orientated. The Gorgeous Jorge – sourdough toast topped with avocado, tomato, goat’s fetta, dukkah and a poached egg sounded great, but a little too much like the breakfast I’d had earlier in the day, so instead went for the Sideways Shuffle – Blue swimmer crab cake with corn & avocado salsa, watermelon, cucumber & lemon jelly and poached egg.
When it arrived the presentation was so amazing, I was almost hesitant to ruin it by eating it. But glad I did as I really enjoyed the dish. There was plenty of crab in the cake and the watermelon added a fresh light touch to balance out the dish. I wasn’t quite sure how well watermelon and egg would go together, but it just seemed to work. The egg could probably have been cooked a little bit more as the white was a little runny in places but this was a minor point.
The takeaway coffee I had was also great and served with a big smile and a joke.
I’ll definitely be back earlier in the day to try the Gorgeous Jorge.
Madame Shanghai is part of the Lotus Dining Group which runs Chinese restaurants under the Lotus banner at Galeries Victoria, Barangaroo and the Chinese Gardens. It’s situated on College Street and the terrace has great views over the park.
The food is described as contemporary Chinese with more of a street food focus than their other restaurants.
The decor is intended to evoke 1930s Shanghai. Think opulent and glamorous, with lots of velvet and plush carpet in shades of jade and gold.
Drinks
Wai Tan cocktail
There are some innovative cocktails as well as takes on some old classics. My friend orders the Wai Tan which is made with rum, green apple, orgeat and cinnamon. He declares it a winner. I’d say it’s worth ordering just for the smoking cinnamon stick.
The wine list is incredibly extensive. There are 16 wines by the glass, 14 half bottles and more than150 wines by the bottle.
I tried a French Semillion / Sav Blanc and a Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley. At $16 and $17 for a glass not exactly cheap but pretty similar to what you pay at most higher end restaurants in Sydney and both very drinkable.
Food
There are so many things on the menu which look good that we’re struggling to make up our minds and so we order the 10 course chef’s selection.
At $69 per person we are expecting each course to be pretty tiny, but this definitely wasn’t the case. If you’re planning on ordering this menu, wear loose clothing.
First course was vegetarian San Choi Bao made with asparagus, pickled turnip and spiced pumpkin seed. I’m not normally a fan of vegetarian food but this was full of flavour and a good bit of crunch and I really enjoyed it.
San Choi Bao
Next up was vegetable and pork dumplings. I’d put these in the OK but not great category. The filling on the vegetable dumplings in particular was pretty dry. Definitely not the quality you’d get at Din Tai Fung. Which is kind of strange given that the Lotus Group runs a dumpling bar.
The dumplings were followed by Hot and Numbing Chicken Ribs with dry jerk sauce. These were much better, the jerk sauce packing a good punch.
Hot and Numbing Chicken Ribs
This was followed by Tempura Jasmine Smoked Fish with 5 Spice. I was definitely not a fan of this one. The batter wasn’t light like tempura and because the fish was smoked it had a very strong fishy flavour. I wouldn’t order this one unless you a very big seafood fan.
Lamb Cutlets with Miso Butter
The next course is Grilled Lamb Cutlets wih miso butter, cumin and crispy salt bush. Luckily there is only one cutlet each as we’re already full and there are still 5 courses to go. The lamb cutlets are a hit with both of us although given the absence of cutlery the only way to eat them is with our fingers which does feel a bit strange.
The verdict on the salt bush is not so positive, it’s very hard to batter and deep fry something so small without it being overwhelmed. We both try a few pieces then leave the rest.
Steamed Chinese Broccoli
The next 3 savoury courses come out together. Steamed Barramundi Fillet with chilli, garlic and pickled mustard greens, Steamed Chinese Broccoli with soy and red wine sauce and Steamed Rice. The barramundi is probably my dish of the night. It’s perfectly steamed and a very pleasant balance to the fried dishes that have preceded it.
The last savoury course is Sticky Pork Hock with lemon aspen and tamarind. It seems like the pork has been deep fried so again his one’s a bit heavy for me.
Mystery Dessert
Dessert is a dish that doesn’t appear on the menu. I won’t ruin the surprise, but it’s definitely not a peach.
Overall I have mixed feelings about the experience. I loved the opulent decor. The service was great and the banquet amazing value for the amount of food we got. I really enjoyed some of the dishes but not all.
I tend to eat at Asian restaurants a lot because I enjoy fresh, light, healthy food. The dishes that didn’t appeal so much to me were the ones which were deep fried, which is probably more reflective of my taste than a fault of the restaurant. The dishes that I enjoyed and the other positives are enough to make me want to go back, this time ordering from the a la carte menu.
Gogyo is owned by the same Japanese company which owns Ippudo ramen and it’s ramen which is also the star attraction here.
The restaurant’s previous incarnation was as Salaryman (another Japanese restaurant) and they’ve retained much of the same fit out, including the long share tables and seats at the bar and overlooking the kitchen. Exposed brick gives it an industrial feel.
It’s the kind of place you come to for a quick mid week meal rather than somewhere to linger over a bottle of wine (or three) with friends.
Grab a seat overlooking the kitchen if you can as this is where the action is.
My go to dish is always the Chilli Shoyu pictured at the beginning of the post which is made with spicy chicken broth and has habanero pork mince as well as pork belly chasu. It’s packed full of flavour and heat. It comes with a wedge of lemon to lessen the kick. They recommend not adding it until you’re half way through the dish as the effect of the chilli is cumulative and you’ll notice the heat more the more of it you eat.
On a recent visit I tried the more traditional Tonkotsu ramen pictured above. It was pretty good, but let’s face it you can get good Tonkotsu at a myriad of places in Sydney (and some cheaper than here) so I’m going to stick with the chilli from now on. If you want to try something really different go for the Kogashi Miso which is made with charred miso.
The ramen is pretty filling so unless you are feeling exceptionally hungry you probably don’t need anything else. The waiter convinced me to order some gyoza as well as the ramen on my most recent visit and while they were really good, it was simply too much food.
It’s my 5th attempt to get into the new Goryon-San in Surry Hills and we’ve finally secured a table so I’m pretty excited. The problem is that excitement also brings with it increased expectation and sadly in this case the expectation wasn’t met.
If you want to get in you’ll have to be patient. I tried walking in without a booking at 6pm on a Sunday night and a couple of times during the week and even when there was an empty single seat in the window I was told I couldn’t have it because it was deemed too uncomfortable (not quite sure why then the chair was there).
I was advised to book online but when I tried that the booking engine indicated they don’t take bookings for single diners. I then tried booking for 2 but the next available table was more than a week away. So I finally tried phoning and on about the 4th attempt got someone to answer the phone who advised there was a table available that night.
First up we ordered Zuke Salmon which according to the menu was marinated avocado and salmon sashimi. So we were a little surprised when what turned up was essentially 2 corn chips which 2 small pieces of salmon and a slice of avocado on each. It was lacking in flavour (definitely couldn’t taste any marinade on the avocado) and at $12 not exactly great value. The garnish of wilted watercress certainly didn’t add to the dish.
Perhaps we’ll fair better with some of the signature Kushiyaki we thought. But again this unfortunately wasn’t the case. The whole concept is meant to be modeled on restaurants in Tokyo where meat is grilled over hot coals. But surprisingly they use an electric grill rather than coals and so you get none of the smokey flavour.
The best way to describe the food is bland.
The chicken skewers were a small pieces of chicken thigh without any seasoning or accompanying sauce. Both my partner and I decided after the first bite the only way to eat it was to smother it in Togarashi seasoning (which they helpfully have on every table).
The signature dish of fresh lettuce and pork belly skewers which gets its own write-up on the menu is about 95% lettuce with a wafer thin layer of pork belly (see the image above) and again totally lacking in seasoning. Out comes the Togarashi again. At $7 a stick I’m starting to feel a little gouged.
The last of our order was billed as premium wagyu beef. At $25 I was expecting a reasonable sized piece of meat but the serve was tiny. It was accompanied by some more of the wilted watercress and a thin slice of lemon and wasabi. Consistent with the other dishes it was lacking in any form of seasoning.
At this stage we realise we’ve probably under ordered as we are both still hungry but decide that we’d rather go home and cook something ourselves.
At $100 for 2 for a very light meal, 1 beer and 1 glass of wine we definitely didn’t get good enough value to make up for the food. We leave wondering what all the fuss is about and just how busy it’s likely to be in a few weeks once the diner reviews start to appear online and the next newest thing arrives in Surry Hills. We won’t be back.
Nomad seats 180 people and on a recent Thursday night at the first dinner sitting every table in Nomad is full. The fact that it’s so busy 5 years after it opened in the very fickle dining hood of Surry Hills is testament to how good it is.
The venue
It’s an old warehouse and it retains that industrial feel with exposed beams and distressed timber. When you walk in the first things you notice are the two giant wine barrels and the mouth watering smell of smoking meats.
At the centrepiece of the space is a large open kitchen surrounded by a counter which gives a front row seat to watch the food preparation. Equally as entertaining is a seat at the window where you can watch the passing parade of people.
The food
I’ve been quite a few times and have tried both the a la carte menu and the Feast menu. Both options are good but now I usually stick to the $69 Feast menu. It’s such good value it sways me every time. Even better is the Saturday lunch option where you can get the Feast and bottomless (good) rose for 2 hours.
There is also a $95 Bigger Feast menu which includes all of the food on the $69 menu plus a few other dishes. Unless you have a pretty big appetite you’ll probably struggle, so I’d recommend trying the regular Feast menu the first time.
The first course on the Feast menu is the cannelinni bean hommus with house made sourdough and pickles. I’m not usually a huge fan of hommus but this stuff is to die for, beautiful and smokey. Even if you go a la carte I’d definitely recommend ordering it.
Next up is a charcuterie plate which is again made in house in the glass maturing cabinet and comes with more of the very moorish sourdough. It’s followed by zucchini flowers with pecorino truffle honey.
When I first saw the zucchini I thought it was going to be overwhelmed by the cheese as it seemed like there was so much, but it so light and airy and the sweetness of the honey adds another dimension.
Just in case you think you’ve narrowed down the menu to at least Europe, kingfish ceviche arrives. The fish is very fresh and lightly marinated with finger lime. The coriander cracker adds some crunch to a dish that often doesn’t have a lot of texture.
By the time the spatchcock arrives both my partner and I are feeling full but it and the accompanying BBQ cauliflower are so good a little while later there is nothing left on the plate. The meat is tender with a great smokey flavour (there is a theme here) and the harissa adds a nice punch without being overpowering.
When we’ve convinced ourselves we can’t possibly eat any more, out comes the dessert, an ice cream sandwich with olive oil partfait, halva, pistachio and honey and a few minutes later we somehow find ourselves discussing whose going to have the last spoonful.
The service
Another drawcard for Nomad is the service. Our waiter is very friendly but professional, always there to refill water and wine glasses, provide an explanation of each of the dishes and regularly check in to make sure everything is OK.
Great food and wine, good service and really good value. What more could you want in a restaurant.
I love discovering a new place in my hood. On a Saturday night when Surry Hills was flooded with people visiting the annual festival, MV Bistro and Wine Bar was a welcome oasis.
As you’d expect from a venue with wine bar in its name, there’s an extensive wine list including 17 by the glass. Prices are very reasonable by Surry Hills standards, with plenty of choices at $11-12 per glass and $55-60 per bottle. We tried a few different ones and definitely no complaints.
The service was great, the waiter came over regularly to refill water glasses and check if we needed anything. He was so friendly by the end of the night we’d shared enough banter to make him feel like my new best friend.
The original plan was to have a glass of wine while we we worked out where to eat but we liked the place so much we stayed for dinner. We were expecting that the food would take second place to the wine but were very pleasantly surprised by both the quality and price (mains are around $28-$30).
I had the beef tagliata which is a simple dish but was done well. My meat loving partner in crime was a huge fan of his pork sausages and surprisingly declared the rocket and parmesan salad an absolute winner.
If you feel like something less substantial there is a selection of cheese and meat plates as well as entree sized nibbles.
They have various specials during the week. I’m definitely going back to try the Wednesday pasta and a glass of wine for $25 and the Sunday roast with all the trimmings for $20.
