February 25th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Latest, Podcasts | Leave A Comment »
A good restaurant doesn’t have to be a stuffy one – Dan Hong has highjacked traditional expectations of fine dining in Sydney, and as executive chef at Merivale, re-engineered them so that a strong voltage of fun charges through the places he oversees. He looks after Ms G’s, Mr Wong, El Loco and Papi Chulo and there’s […]
January 8th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Favourites, Restaurants | 4 Comments »
Some winning streaks can not be stopped. The new Papi Chulo restaurant in Manly continues Dan Hong’s hitmaking record with Merivale (Ms G’s, El Loco, Mr Wong) and the executive chef is joined here by two brilliant co-conspirators and head chefs, Patrick Friesen (who has been running Ms.G’s for the last two years) and Christopher Hogarth […]
August 15th, 2011 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Uncategorized | 11 Comments »
You could accuse 2011 of being a repeat offender when it comes to good new places to dine. Surry Hills is often the scene of this particular crime, given the location of the recently opened The Carrington and its likeable pintxos bar meets old-school pub approach; the truly excellent Orto Trading Co. (still titleholder of […]
June 1st, 2011 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
It’s fun smashing tacos at the El Loco cantina in Surry Hills, but a major serviette-frisk of your face/hands afterwards may be necessary – the one-way slide of fillings as you work through the ingredient-crammed tortilla is kinda inevitable. I’m enjoying the rise of the messy, eat-with-your-hands approach. Like The Dip, this eatery is about fun, […]