August 24th, 2017 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Favourites, Latest, Restaurants | 4 Comments »
“I don’t know what I’m eating, but it tastes amazing,” my friend Tabitha says about the menu at Bad Hombres in Surry Hills. You don’t need to carry out an intelligence operation to enjoy the dishes here – the tacos and quesadillas are optimised for strong rat-a-tat bursts of flavour that’d score well on any […]
January 15th, 2016 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Cafes, Favourites, Latest | Leave A Comment »
The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar reopened in Redfern last week, so it’s a good time to respark interest in this great one-of-a-kind venue. It’s gotten a lot of worthwhile attention for proving that there’s more to tea than a bag thoughtlessly dunked into a mug – and even though steeped leaves are a headline […]
October 12th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Favourites, Latest, Restaurants | Leave A Comment »
The name Dead Ringer might evoke mirror images and carbon copies – so it’s ironic that this new Surry Hills bar is unlike anything else around in Sydney. But its one-of-a-kind impact is what makes it so great; and, like Automata, it’s one of my favourite places to open this year. Dead Ringer is by […]
March 10th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Latest | 3 Comments »
Even before the team from Hartsyard opened its new bar in Enmore, I think we were all already pre-enrolled in The Gretz Fan Club. Owners Naomi Hart and Gregory Llewellyn have deservedly gained a huge, unshakeable following for their original venture in Newtown – where Hartsyard’s supersized flavours (and charms) can still conjure a wait […]
January 6th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Latest | 2 Comments »
Just opened: Tokyo Bird in Surry Hills. Having followed this yakitori bar on Instagram for nearly a year, it’s nice to see that it’s transformed from small-screen pixels and eatery-in-progress to an establishment you can step inside and happily sink a few hours. It’s still early days (it only opened on Boxing Day, after all), […]
October 7th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Latest | 7 Comments »
The best-looking construction site in Sydney has to be the new Gelato Messina Dessert Bar in Darlinghurst. Lit up by neon glitz and filled with multi-colour rows of ‘assembly parts’ (fudges, jellies, sweets galore) and carnival-style equipment (a fairy-floss machine, a popcorn incubator), this build-your-own sundae establishment is a sugar-fuelled delight. In fact, it’s basically […]
August 26th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Latest | 2 Comments »
Usually an unassuming place, Chippendale’s current standard operating procedure is to hook you right in. Recently, the postcode has been scoring touchdowns with places like Brickfields and Ester (which landed the double hit of Restaurant of the Year and Best New Restaurant at Monday’s Time Out Sydney Food Awards); and it’s now home to LP’s Quality […]
July 10th, 2013 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars | 4 Comments »
Earl’s Juke Joint in Newtown is finally open. There’s been drumroll anticipation for this new bar since last August, when Time Out Sydney reported that Pasan Wijesena (of Shady Pines) would kickstart his own establishment at the old Betta Meats location on King Street. I’ve been keeping an eye out for any microscopic change in […]
April 15th, 2013 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars, Favourites | 12 Comments »
Mary’s in Newtown has had many former lives – it’s been a Greek sporting club, a women’s sanctuary, a Masonic hall and an STD clinic. Now, it’s one of the best new bars in Sydney. The creative DNA of Mary’s is impressive: it’s run by Jake Smyth of Bodega and Kenny Graham of Porteno. Helping […]
December 21st, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Bars | 4 Comments »
Monopole in Potts Point is a small space (so watch your elbows), but it’s still generous on flavours and ideas. It’s the new venture for Brent Savage, Nick Hildebrandt and Glen Goodwin, the creative forces behind the brilliant, two-hatted Bentley restaurant in Surry Hills. Last week, Monopole opened in the old Sailor’s Thai site; into […]