Nando's, North Ryde

With Macquarie Centre quickly becoming the largest  suburban shopping Centre in NSW we decided to take a look around at the restaurants in the area, where we took a stop at Nando's. 

Check out our experience in the video below!  

Nando's
Cnr of Waterloo and Herring Roads
Level 4, Macquarie Shopping Centre
North Ryde, NSW,2112

Caffe Bom - Eastwood

Caffe Bom is the perfect place for a catch up session with a couple of friends or a new spot for you to write that last minute essay and an extra perk they have free internet! After walking past Caffe Bom numerous times, I finally decided to venture in to have a look. I discovered was a cute and cosy cafe, with antique looking items placed throughout the shop. Although it doesn't have the greatest food, their presentation in store more than makes up for it. On my recent visit to their cafe I ordered their Belgium waffles and green tea latte. I must admit I was a little disappoint with their waffles on the day that I last visited l, they were slightly cold and hard but they were still decent. On the other hand however I really enjoyed there green tea latte! All in all I think it's a great little undiscovered cafe and would definitely visit again!

La Piazza - Woodfired Pizza

La Piazza - Brighton - Le - Sands

Whether you're looking for a romantic place to eat, a place to chill with your friends, or just a place to enjoy delicious pizza then La Piazza is the right place for you. La Piazza specializes in wood fired pizza and offers nothing but the best. I had the pleasure of having the meat lovers, supreme and seafood pizza. The pizzas were absolutely delicious and the best thing about it all was the price. Lunch special $10 for a pizza and a drink, which is very cheap in my opinion for wood-fired pizzas. I will definitely be coming back for more to try the rest of the menu with my friends!

Tokonoma Lounge (Surry Hills)

The 12-course degustation (on a Groupon voucher) is amazingly good value; We loved the spicy edamame, the salmon tartare and the sushi selection. The smoked miso king salmon and the selection of desserts were both standouts, the stuff dreams are made of. Service was friendly, efficient and unobtrusive; our water glasses never stood empty and the pacing of the courses was just right. We had a very enjoyable evening and highly recommend you give it a try.

Sauce, Auburn

Hey guys! If you’re looking for a nice place to dine without the hefty price tag then Sauce in Auburn, which serves Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, is the place to go. Conveniently located in the heart of Western Sydney, Sauce offers a great variety of food and desserts. I really enjoyed the experience last time I was there, with the friendly service and the great tasting food, you really can’t go wrong. I ordered the Chicken Funghi served on a large plate with a side of chips and salad (and don’t forget the great tasting sauce – which is what they’re famous for) which tasted amazing. It didn't take long for the dish to arrive at our table, even though they were pretty busy, which is always a plus at a restaurant, and i could barely finish my plate since the servings are so big. Overall, Sauce is a great place to dine and is definitely worth trying!

Oiden Bowl Bar, Sydney CBD

Oiden Bowl Bar is not your ordinary Japanese restaurant.

 My friend introduced this place to me before we went to watch a movie (it is like a short walk away from George St Cinema!) ... i wanted to try a place that was affordable, wasn't too far, healthy (ish), had tasty food and i haven't tried before (haha). 

When i saw the restaurant i was quite excited, i've been to quite a lot of Japanese restaurants but i've never been to one like this! there was a queue to get the food (it was quite busy)... it was my first time going to a Japanese self-serve restaurant like this (honestly didn't even know they existed). It was fun and the line moved quickly! 

Firstly, you would join the queue and then pick a drink from the fridge, grab a tray and order your type of rice bowl (beef, chicken, salad, curry etc available in different serving sizes). They give you your order while you are in  the queue! and you can pick your toppings, utensils, deep-fried items and dessert. When you reached the end of the queue, you will reach the cashier (which is cash only). The seating works according to first-served, first-seated and there seems to be a lot of people that quickly eat and go (off to work?). There was also self-serve water~ When you have finished eating, just place your tray on the receptable and all is done. 

It definitely was an interesting experience. I ate the three yummy items above, (potato salad, Takoyaki and a small chicken Teriyaki chicken Bowl) all for less than $8! (and it was filling :)). 

In the area and looking for something different? Check it out!   

 Oiden Bowl Bar

Shop 12, 537-551 George St, Sydney, NSW, 2000 

 Website: http://www.oiden.com.au/

George's Cafe, Burwood

Burwood is the perfect place to dine, with plenty of restaurants all lined up on one street, there’s plenty to choose from and I’m sure you won’t go wrong.

Last time I was there I opted for some much needed dessert so I decided to try George’s Café. Located in the heart of Burwood, it has plenty to offer. From entrées to main dishes ranging from chicken to fish to meat and there’s always room for dessert. I tried the sticky toffee pudding served with ice-cream and topped with strawberries. The pudding was served warm and was a very large serving size and for only $12.20, it’s definitely worth trying. The sponge was fresh and the toffee topping was just the perfect thing to satisfy my sweet tooth. If you’re ever in Burwood or just looking for somewhere nice to eat, I definitely recommend you try George’s Café. 

Holy basil - Canley Vale

I've been to quite a few Thai restaurants and I can honestly say Holy Basil is the best Thai restaurant hands down. I find its best to go with a large group of people so you can try a wide range of items from the menu. My favourites were their Thai green curry, Thai red curry, satay skewers and of course their amazing fried ice cream. Their serving sizes were quite large so I found that I did have to share my dessert, but it was definitely worth it. If Canley Vale is a bit too far west for you, they have another location in Sydney CBD with a the same menu and same amazing quality of food.

Sokyo, Pyrmont

Looking for quality Japanese food or something a little fancy? Conveniently located at The Star is Sokyo!

Dishes starting from left column: Moreton Bay Bug Tempura, Lamb Chops, Queensland + Spicy Tuna Sushi Rolls, Kurobuta Pork Belly Robata,Tofu Cheesecake & Sokyo “Mochi Ice Cream”

 My sister and i had heard  about this place from friends and decided to try it out for lunch... and it did not disappoint! Every dish was unique in texture and flavour... and all so delicious! The lamb chops with black garlic eggplant puree, Aka miso, basil really stood out for me,  it was cooked so well and the flavours were just so nice that i honestly wanted to eat more of it (but i guess it was good we didn't order more...this was a pretty huge lunch lols).

 Both desserts were very impressive! The Tofu Cheesecake with thyme sugar and strawberry consommé had the right amount of sweetness, soft texture without any overpowering taste of tofu or cheese.The Sokyo "Mochi Ice Cream"  (green tea mochi filled with frozen strawberry milk shake) was a very delicate and light dessert but it was sooooo gooood!!

So not only was the food amazing, so was the customer service. When i go to restaurants i take customer service quite seriously since it can really affect your mood. Our waiter was not overly attentive but he was very friendly, easy to talk to, welcoming of feedback (of the food) and very considerate. 

Possibly one of the best experiences - amazing food, presentation, customer service and atmosphere. A bit pricey but definitely worth it! Highly recommended if you like quality Japanese food or if celebrating a special occasion!   

Sokyo
Level G, The Darling, The Star

80 Pyrmont Street Pyrmont, NSW 2009 

Website: www.star.com.au/sydney-restaurants/signature-fine-dining/Pages/sokyo.aspx

 

Bayvista, Brighton - Le - Sands

Cheesecake strawberry Belgian waffles

Easily one of the best dessert bars that Sydney has to offer! Bay vista has a range of unique and delicious desserts that will leave you smiling. The service and location of Bayvista is amazing - located just opposite the beach; offering some beautiful scenery when enjoying your dessert. I had the cheesecake strawberry waffles, and it was delicious! I really recommend this dessert if you are a fan of cheesecake. The only problem with Bay Vista is the price, but nonetheless, it's worth it for sure!

Kobow

Kobow is a great location for a large gathering, with its large serving sizes for low prices. I recently visited Kobow to have a catch-up with some old school friends, so we were just looking for a location which was appropriate for a large social dinner. Kobow is home to some of the best Korean cuisine in Sydney. My personal favourite was their seafood pancake. With their large serving sizes, we were able to share a large amount of food amongst us all allowing us to trying a variety of items off the menu. It's conveniently located right next to darling harbour, so it makes for the perfect location for a night out in the city. It’s just a short 10 minute walk from town hall station.

Thaija Vu

Hey guys! If Thai food is your passion, then Thaija Vu is the place for you. It is located in the inner west of Sydney and is at an accessible location (Guildford to be exact). This restaurant is a funky and urban place to dine while offering great customer service and quality food. The entrée was salt and pepper squid with a sweet chili sauce dip which did not fail to impress. 

For my main dish I tried the Sizzling Lamb plate which was divine. It came out on a hot plate which made sure that the food stayed hot and ‘sizzling’. Filled with veggies and lamb pieces, this dish was definitely enough to fill one person. Not to mention the desserts were amazing and the prices were good and low and within a uni student’s budget.

Overall, the experience at Thaija Vu was a good one and the restaurant is definitely worth trying. :)

La mint

The service was good, the surroundings are quite beautiful, and there are many good wine bars,pubs and cafés nearby if you want to make it a big night after your meal. The food is good, but it is pricey. 

HanYang Galbi, Strathfield

Feeling like Korean? Well Strathfield is the place to go! 

After a day in the Blue Mountains, i was suddenly craving Korean BBQ for dinner (yeah pretty random). I came with one other friend and like the students we are, we looked for a place that had nice atmosphere, appealing food and reasonable pricing... and then we found HanYang Galbi!

Unlike some Korean BBQ places, this place wasn't stuffy at all and had such great ventilation that it kind of surprised me. We ordered some pork belly, beef neck,an onion pancake and soju. 

Then all this came out! you get all these side dishes and free water too!

 Kimchi, salad, corn, egg, anchovies, water chestnut & more

When the meat came, they helped us cook some of it and made sure we didn't burn it (lols). Personally, i preferred the pork belly over beef neck because it was more juicy. The onion pancake was HUGE and i was full after my second piece (but it was still tasty)...luckily they allowed take-away.

onion pancake (also contained seafood)

Overall, a nice experience at HanYang Galbi! Altogether, everything was $55 for two people (which is pretty good value), food was filling, nice atmosphere and friendly customer service. 

If you are looking for a place to eat Korean or Korean BBQ, why not try HanYang Galbi?  Check it out!

HanYang Galbi
26/45-47 The Boulevarde, Strathfield NSW 2135

Passionflower

Passionflower @ Capitol Central
- Strawberry Crepe with cookies and cream / vanilla icecream.

If your a fan of dessert, this is a must try! Passionflower offers a range of desserts that will leave you hungry for more. The strawberry Crepe that i had is one of my personal favourites, along with my choice of icecream.The taste was amazing, price was reasonable and the place is awesome for just chilling with friends. I'll be coming back for more. Be sure to check it out!

Ippudo 16 September 2014

I've been to Ippudo so many times that I have tried all the different bowls of ramen on offer. I decided to go for old faithful: karaka men. This bowl comes with Ippudo's signature milky tonkotsu broth and spicy miso and ground pork. Ippudo's broth strikes a good balance with something that's quite tasty and full of collagen and pork flavour without being too heavy (i.e. great for when I don't have the appetite for Gumshara's gut bomb tonkotsu). I love spicy food so for me the spicy miso and the roughly textured ground pork makes this bowl of ramen more interesting and elevates it to another level.

Flavours of Sydney

Hey everyone! Welcome to our food blog! Just a little bit about the authors first off, we are five university students who have a passion for good food and we will be blogging our food adventures around Sydney. Our goal is to find some of the tastiest cultural food around Sydney on a student budget and tell you all about it! Feel free to leave us a comment of some of your favourite places around Sydney that you think we should check out! Below we have include a picture of the five us!