Sydney Connection has the finger on the pulse of everything that is going on in the greatest city in Australia. What happens in Sydney often is reflected in other Australian cities shortly after.
Sydney started a gourmet revolution in Australia and now is considered one of the world’s best gastronomic hubs. But there is another side to Sydney and that is its fantastic street and budget food.
In this blog we focus on excellent food that is guaranteed not to break the bank that you can find outside the five-star restaurants.
Ho Jiak – Haymarket
If you like Malay food then head over to Ho Jiak in the Haymarket. One of the signature dishes here is the Char Koay Teow, succulent chinese sausage, bean sprouts, egg and charred flat rice noodles.
Ho Jiak can be best described as a Malay Grill House, it sports colourful decor and paintwork and an atmosphere that is authentic and inviting.
Banh Xeo – Rosebery
Keeping with the Southeast Asian theme, Banh Xeo serves up great Vietnamese food. Everything from crunchy pig’s head, fluffy pancakes and of course pho, the signature dish of Vietnam which is a DIY beef noodle soup.
The portions at Banh Xeo are on the ridiculous side, and you better be hungry as the excellent food is really filling.
El Jannah – Granville
If you like chicken then you must pay a visit to this great diner in Granville. This fine Lebanese chicken shop cooks its charcoal chicken to perfection. Crispy and deep flavoured on the outside but still moist and succulent on the inside, all accompanied with homemade flatbread, pickles and a pungent garlic sauce.
Spice I Am – Surry Hills
This highly authentic Thai restaurant has an extensive menu with 82 items to select from. Sydney has its fair share of Thai restaurants but this is one of the very best and great value for money.
The Thai chef cooks to family recipes and does not falter from traditional ingredients, either imported by himself or grown locally. Some of the dishes on offer are far from the standard Thai dishes that can be found in most restaurants.
Spice I Am has a BYO policy which reduces the cost even more for the diners, this authentic Thai restaurant will remind you of visits to Thailand and will not break the bank.
Vic’s Meat Market – Pyrmont
Vic’s is run by a fourth generation butcher, and his sandwich bar selling smoky pulled pork at the fish market in Pyrmont always has a bust trade.
It was quite a gamble opening a meat fest in the fish restaurant but it works, the first thing customers see is a large butchers shop, with some excellent top class meat for sale. Next door lives Kong, which is their pet name for the giant smoker.
Vic’s just specialise in one sandwich, and that is pulled pork on a soft white roll cut with vinegary coleslaw. It is so delicious that they have not had to expand the menu, although there are moves afoot in that department.
These great dining experiences are just some of the great authentic eateries that you can find dotted around Sydney. We will discover even more when we revisit this blog.