Löwenbräu Keller

Right in the heart of The Rocks, you will find Löwenbräu Keller serving up authentic Munich-style cuisine alongside an extensive list of quality imported biers. The restaurant stays close to home with its German heritage, featuring a medieval bier-hall environment, and waitresses dressed in dirndl dresses complete with pigtails.

Knusprige Schweinshax’n

This was jaw-droppingly humungous. In a pool of creamy buttery mash and bier jus, the fatty piece of oven roasted pork knuckle was done well - crisp and flavourful on the outside and blushing pink on the inside. The sauerkraut was on the mushier, saltier side with its distinctive sour taste really perked up our tastebuds. 

Service? Poor and rude, to say the least. However, this seems to be standard and from what I have heard, is to be expected at Löwenbräu Keller.

On the whole, the Knusprige Schweinshax’n was a very heavy meaty dish, that would be much more suited for the carnivorous type. Though it's not the food I would find myself craving, it was amusing to try. But once was enough.

Löwenbräu Keller

18 Argyle Street

Sydney, NSW

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Wagaya

Eating our way through Sydney, Wagaya was next on my hit list. 

A and I were heading out for a few drinks that night, so we didn’t want anything too heavy. Tight dresses and food babies were not an option. Wagaya's izakaya styled menu was exactly what we were looking for.

The atmosphere was very unique - a modern space that fused Japanese traditional furnishings with a modern flare. 

Just one of my favourite parts of Wagaya were the touch screen menus. After settling into our booth, this self-service method of ordering meant that we could take as long as we wanted to drool over the photos and be our indecisive selves.

Agedashi Tofu

Being a big fan of tofu, we ordered both the Agedashi Tofu and Teriyaki Tofu. The wobbly cubes of tofu had been lightly dusted with potato starch to give it that crispy exterior. These tofus came steeped in a fragrant dashi based broth, and were showered with finely chopped spring onion.

Teriyaki Tofu

The same lovely tofus were brought out on a sizzling hot plate - six golden tofu pillows doused in a sweet teriyaki sauce. Meltingly soft, this dish was just as delicious as the former.

Spider Roll 

By now, you may know of my love for soft shell crab. Having said that, this dish was inevitable  The vinegary sushi rice was cooked till each grain was rounded and full, which hugged moreish chunks of soft shell crab. Finished with zig zags of spicy mayo and crunchy renkon chips, I was kicking myself for only ordering half a serving.

Ebiten Avocado Roll 

The Ebiten Avocado Roll was a long, thick roll filled with juicy prawns, topped with slices of fresh avocado and sprinkled with a generous layer of flying fish roe. Generous lashings of creamy mayo completed the dish.

Wagaya was completely charming - with quick service, delicious offerings, and reasonably priced food, it’s not hard to see why we retuned the following night. Though we were only in Syndey for three days, another meal at Wagaya had to be had. 

Wagaya

Level 1, 78-86 Harbour Street 

Haymarket, NSW

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Jamie's Italian & Ladurée

Jamie's Italian was the name that popped up over and over again when I had asked for suggestions on where to eat in Sydney.  Jamie Oliver. Italian. Jamie's Italian - sounds good. With that said, it seemed like an obvious choice to check them out for lunch on the second day of our SydyCity trip. 

The lively ambience of Jamie's Italian was captivating - a narrow space that seemed to go on forever, dimly lit light fittings, and buzzing on a rainy Friday afternoon. 

Crispy Tomato & Mozzarella Arancini

I had been eyeing off these arancini balls 878 km away in Melbourne, and was ecstatic to try them. Stuffed with rich and creamy risotto, these great balls of fire sat on a bed of spicy arrabbiata sauce, topped with pickled red chillies. Wonderfully crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside, these were devoured in no time. We soaked chunks of ciabatta in the leftover sauce which left a warm sensation over our lips as we waited for our mains.

Black Angel Spaghetti

Freshly made on the premises every day, the squid ink pasta was black, rich and deeply flavoured. Its briny flavour was full bodied and highlighted with the sweet and plump scallops. The al dente noodles and scallops shared the stage with garlic, chilli, anchovies, wine and capers. With the anchovies and capers already dotted throughout the dish, they were perhaps a little too heavy on the salt.

Land & Sea Risotto

The rice itself was very well-cooked and plump which soaked up the lovely seafood stock. From the land came Italian sausage and pancetta. Hailing from the sea, were mussels and clams, which were all tossed with white wine, black olives, sweet baby tomatoes and field mushrooms. I liked that the mushrooms added hints of earthiness to the dish, however, again found the dish much too salty. We did finish the dish though, with plenty of water. 

Overall, Jamie's Italian did not wow me. Unfortunately, we either came at a bad time, chose the wrong dishes or perhaps I was just too ambitious. Though I may not have been blown away with the food, it was still a fabulous lunch with wonderful company in the heart of Sydney.

Jamie's Italian
107 Pitt Street
Sydney, NSW

A short leisurely walk later, we arrived at Westfield for a hit of sugar and caffeine at French luxury bakery, Ladurée.

Considered one of the best known makers of macarons in the world, Ladurée's Chocolate Coconut Marshmallow Macaron tasted exactly as it sounds like - a soft and spongey like marshmallow sandwiched between a crispy shell-like crust and soft chewy meringue. 

The question is, would I return for Ladurée macarons ? Most likely not - I find Zumbo, LuxBite and La Belle Miette offer much more consistent and interesting macarons at more reasonable prices. It also helps that they are much more closer to home.

Ladurée

Level 3 Westfield Sydney

Corner Of Pitt St Mall & Market Street

Sydney, NSW

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Buns & Balls

There was no way I was going to miss visiting Buns & Balls on my weekend trip to Sydney. With such a cheeky name coupled with my giddiness towards puns, it was unavoidable. That, and the fact that I am in love with burgers, I really am.

Braised Chilli-BBQ Beef Burger 

This burger was fantastic - get it. Fall apart braised beef, cheddar cheese, grilled onions and crunchy coleslaw lathered in chilli - giving rise to an explosion of flavours which left me saying over and over how amazing each bite was. I had however, one tiny little gripe, directed at the bun being slightly stodgy. Nonetheless, I inhaled it. 

Chicken Balls in a Spicy Louisiana Sauce

The juicy golf sized chicken balls were dowsed in a smooth hot sauce which were of considerable heat. Another winner, though were outshone by the Braised Chilli-BBQ Beef Burger.

Spicy Louisiana Wings

We also ordered a three pack of Louisiana Wings, which were rather marvellous. These wings were served with a side of gooey blue cheese sauce - which I didn't touch as blue cheese and my taste-buds do not agree. I happily went without the blue cheese sauce, as the wings were coated in the same delicious sauce as the Chicken balls. What can I say, you can't go wrong with $1 wings.

Pineapple, Ginger Beer, Vodka and Bitters & Passionfruit Amaretto Sour

Both the vibe and service were spot on at Buns & Balls, and given its price point, I think it's a place you could easily visit on a weekly basis. Whether it be for the live music, finger lickin' food, or you're simply on the prowl for some juicy buns and tasty balls - Buns & Balls have got you covered. 

Buns & Balls

33 Bayswater Road
Sydney, NSW

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CHUR Burger & Gelato Messina

My first bite in Sydney was at CHUR Burger, and I would not have wanted it any other way.

Making our way through Surry Hills at 3.00pm, most other restaurants were so quiet that you could've heard a fly fart. On the corner of Albion Street, this was far from the case. Coupled with a lively vibe and atmosphere, CHUR Burgers were up and alive, churning out burgers for all. 

Fish Burger

The fish burger was balanced, delicious and a breath of fresh air . Each ingredient worked well together, the softness of the brioche, the crunch of the crumbled fish fillet and the crisp coolness of the pickled cucumber drizzled in lemon mayo and dill.

Pulled Pork Burger

On the other end of the table was one of the most vibrant and visibly appealing burgers I've seen in a while now. Loaded with crunchy red slaw CHUR BBQ sauce and fennel mayo, each element played a stellar role in supporting the tender pulled pork. The brioche buns were light, which soaked up the juices well. I do have to say that the pork and brioche together was a little too sweet for my liking though.

Sweet Potato Fries

To go with our burgers, we also nibbled on Sweet Potato Fries that were super fresh and fluffy. Dotted with garlic and lime, these were our cheeky way of being healthy. 

Voted the best burgers in Sydney, CHUR Burger is doing plenty right for fixing up those hunger pangs. $10 for a burger and $5 for sides, there isn't much to complain about. Chur, mate !

CHUR Burger

48 Albion Street 
Surry Hills, NSW

With bloated belly burgers, we were still keen to get something sweet to share. With Gelato Messina still top of mind, there was no better place to visit than the original Gelato Messina store at Darlinghurst.

Muum Maam & How Now Brown Cow

The Muum Maam was mm mmm mmmm. Sinful fried bits smothered in a creamy coconut custard gelato and completed with swirlings of banana jam. Every spoonful and every lick left me speechless. 

This is the place where diets go to die.

Gelato Messina

1/241 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst, NSW

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