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The latest Sake Restaurant and Bar has opened at Manly Wharf, with an unbeatable harbour view. The space is huge and there are many seating options (booths, at the sushi bar, inside or out.
The Hiramasa Kingfish was beautifully prepared and you can't really go wrong with the jalapeno and the yuzu dressing.
Hiramasa Kingfish, Lime and Jalapeno kosho, yuzu ponzu $19
The Sashimi cones of kingfish and salmon were tasty and fun to eat.
Sashimi cones with kingfish, avocado and salmon, avocado ($12 for two).
The Popcorn shrimp had a crispy coating and the batter was very light. dressed beautifully in the yuzu mayonnaise.
Popcorn shrimp, yuzu, spicy mayonnaise $22
The Grandmaster sizzle is a Japanese take on a hamburger steak. It was strangely satisfying topped with daikon and paired with crunchy yam chips.
Grandmaster sizzle, Wagyu patty, mozzarella, daikon oroshi, yuzu ponzu $26
For dessert, we couldn't go past the Dragon Egg, a signature dish at Sake. As the waiter pours on the hot miso caramel, the egg begins to crack to reveal a white chocolate shell filled with roasted banana and a banana and hazelnut cream. It was rich, decadent and a great way to end the meal.
Dragon egg: White chocolate, hazelnut and banana cream, roasted bananas, miso caramel $23
Dragon egg: White chocolate, hazelnut and banana cream, roasted bananas, miso caramel $23
Serving sizes are a little small for the price but I guess you are also paying for the expansive harbour views. Sake Manly is a great place to unwind with some good modern Japanese food and cocktails to match.
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Koi, established by Masterchef alumni Reynold Poernomo, is well known for its beautiful desserts and I've had the opportunity to try many of the cakes and pastries. This time, I was here to visit the upstairs restaurant where they do a mix of savoury and sweet.
We opted for the 5 course set menu at $80pp which consisted of one entree, one main and three desserts. The meal kicked off with a savoury snack, a Confit duck donut with berry jam. The donut was fluffy and I enjoyed the pairing of the duck and berry flavours. 
Confit duck donut with berry jam
For entree, we had the BBQ Moreton Bay bug with pickled kohlrabi and crispy sweet potato. The Moreton Bay bug was beautifully cooked and soaked up the delicious curry sauce. The crispy sweet potato added a great textural element to the dish.
BBQ Moreton bay bug with gulai, kohlrabi and lime
The Sous-vide quail had a crispy skin and the eschallot and quail jus packed a whole lot of flavour. So far the savoury dishes have exceeded my expectations.
Sous-vide quail with caramelised eschalot and quail jus
The Crispy duck breast was very tender, however, the purple carrot could have been cooked for a tad longer. The beetroot puree added earthiness to the dish.
Crispy duck breast with purple carrot, beetroot puree, smoked pine nuts and duck sauce
The Murray cod was beautifully steamed but the highlight for me was the poached mussels. They were plump and juicy, and took on the umami flavour from the shallot dressing.
Steamed murray cod with smoked white fungus, white radish, shallot dressing and poached mussels
Onto desserts and we started with the Deconstructed carrot cake. I'm not usually a fan of carrot cake but in this instance, I enjoyed the interpretation. It was very light, not overly sweet and had so many different textural elements.
Textures of carrot with apricot, passionfruit whipped ganache and milk meringue
Next was the Vanilla mousse with Calamansi. Firstly, the dessert looked stunning as it hit the table, with the burnt honey mango resembling honeycomb. The mango sorbet was silky smooth and I enjoyed the pops of flavour from the compressed cumquat and pepperberries.
Vanilla mousse with calamansi, pepper berry compressed kumquat, burnt honey mango, citrus nitro and mango sorbet
Avocado gelato with espresso, chocolate jaconde, barley soil, salted caramel jelly
All in all, I was impressed by the quality of the dishes but would have preferred the ratio of savoury vs sweet to be reversed for a more balanced meal.
China Doll at Woolloomooloo combines modern Chinese cuisine with alfresco dining. On a sunny but very windy day, we were seated on one of the outside tables with a great view of the Sydney skyline.
The Cured Hiramasa Kingfish was a perfect way to kick start our meal. It was light, fresh and tangy and got us wanting more. 
Cured Hiramasa Kingfish with Avocado & Jicama $25
The Fried Tofu with Five Spice Salt were beautifully crisp on the outside and silky smooth on the inside.
Fried Tofu with Five Spice Salt & Ginger Soy $12
I had been to China Doll years early and remembered the Tea Smoked Duck as a highlight. Of course I had to order it again and it was just as good as I remembered it. The aroma of the tea was evident as the dish hit our table. It had a distinct smokey flavour and together with the crispy skin, mandarin segments and the plum and tamarind sauce, made for a stunning dish.
Tea Smoked Duck with Tamarind & Plum $39
The side of Broccolini with Oyster Sauce & Garlic was simple and gave us our veggie intake for the afternoon.
Steamed Broccolini with Oyster Sauce & Garlic $12
The Penang Curry, whilst not the most photogenic dish, delivered in terms of incredible flavour. The beef shin was tender and falling apart, soaking in the curry sauce which was salty, tangy and sweet.
Penang Curry of Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Shin $38
We also ordered the Steamed Market Fish, which today was a Snapper. It is cooked in the traditional Cantonese style, topped with shallots, ginger and soy sauce. Whilst not as bold in flavour as the duck or beef curry, it was a very comforting plate of food.
Whole Steamed Market Fish (Snapper) $42
For dessert, we were treated to the Large Dessert Platter (we had ordered the Small but the server upgraded it for us as we were celebrating a birthday). The platter consisted of the Sago pudding with Vanilla Coconut cream and passionfruit coulis, Raspberry and Mango sorbet and Black sticky rice with cris corn and poached pear. Each was very enjoyable in their own way and I especially loved the Sago pudding which had a great balance of salty, sweet and tangy flavours.
Dessert Platter Large $30
China Doll is one of the few fine dining Chinese restaurants that I feel is worth going to with fantastic food, attentive service and water views.
Among the line up of restaurants on the waterfront in Barangaroo is Zushi, a modern Japanese restaurant. With a view of the glistening harbour, we couldn't go past the Sashimi boat. Zushi's version certainly did not disappoint. The sashimi was wonderfully fresh and the variety reminded me of what you would find in Japan. The sea-urchin and scallop were some of my favourites.
Chef’s selection of assorted sashimi $120
Continuing on with the seafood theme, we had the Kingfish carpaccio with red grape and finger lime. The dish was vibrant, fresh and a delight to eat.
Kingfish carpaccio, red grape, finger lime $24
Zushi's version of agedashi tofu with Silken beancurd was delicious.
Crisp-fried silken bean curd, bonito flakes, dashi $15
The Teriyaki salmon was perfectly cooked and I enjoyed the charred leeks.
Teriyaki salmon, asian greens, leek $24
You don't often find wagyu beef in a sushi roll. It's hard to see why as it works beautifully. I loved the addition of the sweet potato batons on top which gave it a hit of sweetness and crunch.
Wagyu, asparagus, avocado, sautéed onion, sweet potato crisps, nashi pear apple soy, honey mayo $18
The Twice-cooked pork ribs was tender and flavoursome with the balsamic glaze. The little cubes of crispy tofu was a nice surprise and the dish had a great balance of sweet and savoury.
Teriyaki balsamic glazed, twice-cooked pork ribs, crispy tofu $30
Great food and a delightful ambiance, Zushi is a top spot if you are looking for some Japanese eats in the city.
Located in St Leonards, Mas.Que started popping up on my Instagram a few months back and I had been eager to try their Asian fusion fare since. Starting off with the drinks, I was intrigued by the Black Tea Latte which allowed you to draw your own art. The "ink" was some charcoal and beetroot essence and I had fun making my own creation. The latte had a very strong tea flavour too which I enjoyed.
Black Tea Latte $6.5
The Brulee latte is essentially a cross between a creme brulee and a latte. It had the hard crack of a creme brulee and a cinnamon stick, which you use to stir the latte one the top layer is gone.
Brulee latte with cinnamon stick $7
Onto the food and we got a load of dishes to share. The Wagyu Tataki and Soba noodles was a light and refreshing dish. The noodles came with a very flavoursome handmade sauce and an onsen egg that was perfectly cooked. Topping this off was a generous portion of thinly sliced Wagyu beef.
Wagyu Tataki & Soba $25
The highlight of the meal for me was no doubt the Soft Shell crab on Golden Sand Congee. It looked spectacular when it landed on the table. and was backed up by its taste. The congee was deliciously thick and had a lovely golden hue thanks to the split mung bean and the cordyceps (a type of fungus). It was topped with a crunchy Duck Yolk golden crisp with the piece de resistance, the soft shell crab, sitting on top. The crab was stunning and the dish was the perfect winter warmer.
Soft Shell Crab on Golden Sand Congee $23
The Taiwan Classic Bowl with braised pork and egg rolls was moreish and packed full of flavour. It's comfort food at its best. The side of Taiwanese fried chicken was crispy and succulent.
Taiwan Classic Bowl: Taiwanese slow braised pork, fried chicken bites, egg roll, rice $15
The Truffle pasta was a simple dish with only a few ingredients on the plate but done exceptionally well. The pasta had a good bite and I loved the truffle flavour that was present throughout the dish.
Truffle Mushroom Pasta $22
The Flaming bowl came with Truffle kombu sauce comes with wagyu beef, seared right in front of you. It's like a little set menu and comes accompanied with a soft boiled egg, fried tofu and pickles. The Truffle kombu sauce was full of umami flavour and it was another very fun dish to eat.
Wagyu Sirloin flaming bowl with Truffle Kombu Tsuyu $27
With so many cafes and restaurants in the lower North Shore, Mas.Que manages to stand out with its inventive cuisine, backed up by flavor.
Blanca's concept of Japan x Mediterranean fusion was one that piqued my interest. Located in the Hall St dining precinct, the restaurant offers a la carte or a selection of degustation options (seven, eight or ten courses). Eager to try as much of the menu as possible, we opted for the ten course option.
We started with the Sydney Rock oysters which were given a hit of citrus flavour from the mandarin-szechuan pepper mignonette and these were quickly downed in one gulp and left us wanting more. 
SYDNEY ROCK OYSTER mandarin-szechuan pepper mignonette, amaranth, avruga
The slices of Raw aged beef were very tender and came served in a sesame leaf, which you roll up to eat. Together with the pickled radish and wasabi mayo, it made for a very tasty yet delicate dish.
RAW BEEF & SESAME LEAF aged raw beef, pickled radish, fresh wasabi mayo
The Bonito Pastrami looked like a painting on a plate and was one of my favourite dishes of the night. The bonito was cured and blow-torched giving it a smokiness, soaking up the umami flavours of the Yuzu-soy and brown butter dressing. This was offset by the yuzu cream which gave it a great touch of freshness.
BONITO PASTRAMI yuzu-soy & brown butter dressing, kombu, yuzu cream, avruga
The Peking duck croquette was exactly how you would imagine it - crunchy coating with the most delicious filling of duck, almonds and cinnamon cream inside.
CROQUETAS `BEIJING DUCK´ hoisin marinated duck, almonds, honey, cinnamon cream
The next dish of Blanca Black Bun looked just as impressive when it hit our table. The first thing that I noticed was the sheer size of the soft shell crab. They definitely didn't scrimp on the crab and the batter was super crispy. I would easily come back just for this dish.
BLANCA BLACK BUN soft black bun, crispy soft shell crab, XO-mayo, spicy red cabbage
Moving to a more Mediterranean flavour, the Grilled Octopus was served with a rich romesco dressing, garlic confit and thyme. The octopus was very tender and I especially loved the intensity of the sauce.
GRILLED FREMANTLE OCTOPUS & octopus carpaccio, romesco dressing, garlic confit, thyme
The Monkfish took us back closer to Japanese flavours with the white soy-wasabi dashi packing a punch. The roasting of the cabbage really brought out its sweetness.
SAIKYO MISO MONKFISH white soy-wasabi dashi, daikon, kale, asparagus, radish, roasted cabbage
The Pork ribs cooked in miso caramel was eaten in the form of a san choy bao. Like all the other dishes, it was full of flavour and the pork had wonderful caramelization, but unfortunately the meat was a little dry. The dish was accompanied by Crispy Blanca potatoes. Topped with aioli, furikake and a chii pickle sauce, the cripsy potatoes were irrestible and despite being quite full at this point, I couldn't resist eating them.
PORK RIBS & MISO CARAMEL togarashi, miso caramel, pork crackling, spicy baby gem lettuce with CRISPY BLANCA POTATOES & AIOLI garlic, furikake, chili pickle sauce
The Matcha Tea & Strawberry dessert was a great combination of textures and flavours, executed with great balance. The star of the dish was the sorrel sorbet, a unique flavour that was very refreshing.
MATCHA TEA & STRAWBERRY matcha tea-white chocolate cream, sorrel sorbet, almond frangipane, sorrel, strawberry, pistachio
The final dish of Bondi Sands with Chocolate and vanilla cream was very rich and I would have loved a few more segments of mandarin to cut through the richness.
‘BONDI SANDS’ No3 CHOCOLATE & VANILLA CREAM chocolate ganache, salted caramel, mascarpone-vanilla crème, hazelnuts, mandarin
The dishes at Blanca was an eclectic mix and I enjoyed the diversity. Service was knowledgeable and friendly, and I still can't stop thinking about the soft shell crab.
Pilu at Freshwater is an Italian fine dining restaurant on the Northern Beaches, with a focus on Sardinian cuisine. The day we visited was unfortunately a rainy one, but it was still a very picturesque setting overlooking Freshwater beach. I could only imagine how amazing it would look on a summery day. Perusing the menu, we opted to go for the 7-course degustation ($125pp) but decided to start with half a dozen of Sydney rock oysters. These gems are from Pambula and are served with apple cider and cucumber. Sweet and plump, they were gone in a flash.  Pambula Sydney Rock Oysters with apple and cucumber
Soon after we were presented with the complimentary flat bread with house made ricotta and truffle oil. The flatbread was deliciously crunchy with a good sprinkling of salt and rosemary, perfectly paired with the creamy ricotta.
House made flat bread with ricotta and truffle oil
Onto the first course and it's a Smoked mullet and celeriac panada with Dill oil, apple and cucumber gel and horseradish cream on the side. An interesting blend of ingredients, the dill oil together with the horseradish cream tied the dish together.
Smoked mullet and celeriac 'panada', horseradish, apple, cucumber and dill
The Ravioli of ricotta with a sea urchin emulsion and tarragon oil was unfortunately a little underwhelming. The ravioli is a traditional Sardinian version, quite different to the shape of the usual ones you see in an Italian restaurant. The skin was a bit too thick for my liking and the sea urchin flavour wasn't as strong as I had hoped.
Ravioli of ricotta, mozzarella, grapefruit, sea urchin and salmon roe
The Fregula risotata is a toasted Semolina pasta and together with the pecorino cheese, charred onions and wild garlic puree made for a very tasty vegetarian dish.
Hand rolled fregula risotata, pearl onions, leeks and wild garlic
The Barramundi in smoked ham consomme was delicious and I enjoyed the unusual textures of the sea herbs. The smoked ham consomme was crystal clear and packed full of flavour.
Barramundi, sea herbs, baby turnips and smoked ham consomme
The Roast suckling pig is one of the signature dishes at Pilu and it's not hard to see why. The suckling pig has the great mix of crispy crackling and tender meat. The accompaniments of black olive tapenade, poached paradise pear helped in countering the richness of the dish, and I loved the flavour of the pistachio mortadella.
Melanda Park free range oven roasted suckling pig with condiments
Condiments accompanying the suckling pig
The palate cleanser of Pimm's and strawberry consomme, cucumber granita and mint delivered - it was light, fruity and refreshing.
Pimm's and strawberry consomme, cucumber and mint
The final dish of our degustation was a Sardinian pastry filled with ricotta and sultanas, drizzled with honey from nearby Forestville. The pastry was delightfully crispy and the flavours of honey, the dehydrated orange and ricotta blended superbly together.
Sardinian pastry filled with ricotta and sultanas, served with local honey
It's the perfect place for a lazy long lunch at a beautiful location. I enjoyed some dishes more than others, so would probably opt for the a la carte option next time.
A Tavola in Bondi is the second restaurant of its name, after the much-loved original in Darlinghurst. The restaurant looks bright and inviting, with giant copper lights and a long marble communal table which is also where the pasta gets made daily.
Before getting to their famous pasta, we opted for a couple of entrees to whet our appetite. We started off with the Burratina, which was paired with dehydrated beetroot, fennel, orange segments and pea shoots. It was a light, summery dish and I couldn't get enough of the creaminess of the burratina. 
Burratina, fennel, beetroot, orange, pea shoot
The Lamb involtini was a delicate dish, with tender pieces of lamb backstrap stuffed with Tuscan kale. The salsa verde also managed to pack a punch of flavour.
Lamb involtini - lamb backstrap, cavolo nero, pine nut, induja, salsa verde
The Squid ink ravioli looked striking as it hit the table. It definitely tasted of the sea and the mussels were incredibly plump and tender.
Squid ink ravioli, mulloway, asparagus, mussels
The Pappardelle with wagyu ragu was definitely the highlight of the meal.
The pasta was silky smooth and the ragu was wonderfully rich, and a very generous serving too. It was one of the best pasta dishes I've had in Sydney. 
Pappardelle, wagyu beef shin, red wine, tomato, horseradish
The Red Cabbage Salad with raisins and walnuts was incredibly tasty and a great play on textures. It has just the right amount of acidity to cut through the richness of the pasta dishes.
Red cabbage, raisins, dolce latte, walnuts, balsamic $16
A Tavola is a great spot if you are looking for some amazing fresh pasta in Sydney.
Having heard rave reviews about their Fried Chicken, I couldn't help paying Paper Bird in Potts Point a visit. Having been to their previous restaurant, Moon Park in Redfern, I had very high expectations. My friends and I decided to go with the banquet menu, which at $60 offered very good value given the amount of food on offer.
We start off with the Ddeokbokki, Korean glutinous rice cakes. They are crispy on the outside with a kick of heat thanks to the red chilli paste Gochuchang. 
Ddeokbokki, gochuchang & peanuts $8
Next was the Menbosha, a modern take on prawn toast. The toast was deep fried goodness and the filling of prawns and cabbage was creamy and delicious.
Menbosha: a prawn toast & cabbage sandwich $8 ea
The dish of Pork and squid ink sausage, grilled calamari and almonds looked simple but was bursting with flavour - a truly great stir fry dish.
Pork & squid ink sausage, grilled calamari & almond $22
The Eggplant with black pepper sauce and cashew was expertly cooked, almost taking on a meaty texture.
Eggplant, black pepper sauce & cashew $14
The signature dish - the Shrimp brined fried chicken - lived up to all expectations - a crunchy coating on the outside, succulent on the inside. The syrup drizzled on top added just the right balance of sweetness to the dish.
Shrimp brined fried chicken, soy & syrup $27
The Jeonbokjangbap which consisted of abalone slices, rice, nori, egg yolk and cucumber kimchi was another delight in terms of flavour and texture. The thinly slices of abalone could easily have been overcooked but were just perfectly tender.
Jeonbokjangbap: soy braised abalone, rice, nori, egg yolk & cucumber kimchi $29
Turning our attention to desserts, we started with the Coconut rice, lychee, strawberry & hazelnut. The combination of the lychee with the stawberries was spot on.
Coconut rice, lychee, strawberry & hazelnut $13
The final dish of Milk bingsu, green apple, melon sorbet & white chocolate was a refreshing way to finish off the meal. Bingsu is a popular Korean shaved ice dessert and Paper Bird's version was light and fluffy.
Milk bingsu, green apple, melon & white chocolate $13
The food of Paper Bird is fresh and exciting, offering a great modern Asian menu with heavy Korean influences. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their brunch menu.
Cod's Gift is a restaurant focused on sustainable sourced seafood in Dural in Sydney's north west. The interior is beautiful and lush, with velvet, brass and marble featuring heavily among the blue and green tones.
The menu is definitely not your standard fish and chips fare. We started off with half dozen of the Sydney Rock oysters from Merimbula in NSW. They were dressed with a Caramelised cabarnet vinegar with escallot and native pepper; and house ponzu with finger lime. The oysters were plump and creamy and I would have been perfectly happy to eat them with just a squeeze of lemon, but the dressings added an extra dimension to them. 
Rock oysters Merimbula NSW $4.5
The Kingfish sashimi looked like a beautiful summery dish when it hit our table. It was dazzling with flavour from the watermelon, blood orange, pistachio and jalapeno combination.
Kingfish: blood orange, dill, watermelon radish, pistachio, jalapeno $26.5
Straying from the seafood theme temporarily, the Portobello mushroom was a bit milder in flavour compared to some of the other dishes. The buckwheat and crisp lotus were some interesting textural additions.
Portobello mushroom, cauliflower, buckwheat, heirloom tomato, lotus crisp, ponzu $28
The Lobster donuts caught my eye when looking through the menu. The mini donuts were filled with rock lobster, tom yum mayonnaise, sweet corn and lemongrass salt. It was the perfect sweet and salty combo.
Lobster donuts: Western Australia rock lobster, tom yum mayonnaise, sweet corn & lemongrass salt $22.5
The Snapper with sage crumb was beautifully cooked with a crispy coating and still flakey on the inside. The shaved fennel added a touch of freshness and it was a very satisfying dish to eat.
Snapper with sage crumb, preserved lemon butter, lilliput capers and shaved fennel $32
For dessert, we couldn't go past the Figs with mango, sticky rice ice cream and black sesame tuille. It was quite a sweet dessert and I wished there was more of the delicious, locally sourced figs.
Local figs, mango, sticky rice ice cream, black sesame tuille, salted pistachio, chilli, lime $18
Cod's Gift is well worth the drive to Sydney's north west, with the seafood dishes definitely playing the starring role,
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