The Cube

Finally back to Sydney for work so I shortlisted some places that I wanted to try. Initially to be for a 5D4N trip but ended up longer as I had to serve isolation due to covid-19. Hence deliveries and room service food. 

In no particular order but main meals before snacks.

Level 1, 55 Dixon St, Haymarket, NSW 2000

Been feeling skewers, plus some of the places I wanted to visit are not open on Monday so this was the first place I hit, on a Monday night. I was quite full from a late Thai lunch with my colleagues (no photos cos on best behaviour) but didn't want to miss dinner. Haha. Order was via a handheld device which was great. 

 

Exchange Place, 3 Sussex St

I wanted french toast for breakfast, it technically a dessert but I'm not complaining. On menu is nutella french toast, dsecribed as 'nutella stuffed brioche with crunchy cornflakes, peanut butter ricotta, sour cherries, berry maple syrup + crushed pistachio. Unfortunately, it looked pretty, sounded tasty on menu but I didn't enjoy it. It was just sweet and oily-ish. 

Shop 1/222 Kent Street, Sydney 2000 NSW

I try to pick cafes that are open before 8am and this fits the criteria. I wanted chia pudding when I saw it on their menu... but it was not available on my visit. So I got the granola instead. It was ok. 

Shop 3, 2-12 Angel Place, Sydney CBD

Most of my shortlisted venues are Japanese restaurants, except this one. So thought I'll make this one happened. Haha. The menu is appealing to me, I was indecisive with the pasta choice. I decided on a starter of tuna crudo, persimmon, yoghurt and shiso, $9 (photo was very blurry and I didn't realise so shall skip from posting). Both were very tasty but the place is quite small. 

383 George Street

We don't have this in Melbourne yet, and this is close to work in Sydney so it was a quick takeaway during non-peak hour. I had a late lunch that day. I order a little cheeseburger and side of small chips. Can't remember which topping I got though. It should be tastier due to price point.

47 Reservoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Caught up with my friends from previous Japanese class! They recommended this skewer place. Dinner with them have always been awesome and they really know good Japanese restaurants. ^^

We ordered the 5 kushi-yaki of the day, 1 lettuce maki each, shitake mushrooms and Hakata taki-awase (house recipe gyoza & ramen in rich tonkotsu soup with cabbage). Friend said she felt it was better when she went the first time but it was still very tasty to me! We shared a tiramisu as dessert. 

The Grace Hotel, Level 1, 77 York Street, Sydney 2000 NSW

Room service menu is much, much smaller and they are only open for order 6-8pm. I ordered twice because they are much tasier than the other 2 available options. I prefer the other 2 that I dined-in though. 

I order pollo amatriciana, apparently described as 'An epic pairing of tender chicken breast, caramelised onions, mushroom & bacon' on their menu. I think I make better pasta and by no means I am a fantastic cook. 

This is when I learned rice is a better option for delivery food. It was a rainy weekend night and delivery took more than 1.5 hours to get to me, and I ordered at an off peak hour too. By the time I received the food, the noodles were clumped together. Taste was still ok but I knew I can't keep them as leftover as it would be worse the next day, especially since there is no microwave or stove in the room. 

It was a quite a hassle to order, wait and pray they would bring it to the front desk, so I usually order more than 1 meal and ration them. 

Craving for wat tan hor so that was what I ordered. Interestingly, even though it looks so, it is char hor fun in Ho Jiak's menu. 

57 King Street, Sydney 2000 NSW

Thought burger is a safe option but this was quite mediocre. Apparently I should have ordered fish & chips since it's an Irish pub. 

Another one that sounded good on paper. To be fair it wasn't bad but looked really sad though (see photo). I asked for wholemeal bread and croissant, peanut butter, granola, fruits and coffee. I don't know why it wasn't send up to me on a tray. 

77 Bathurst St, Sydney 2000 NSW

My conclusion from ordering deliveries when scooped up in a hotel room is that Deliveroo's website is better to leave messages or that their driver are more clue-y. Both times of order via deliveroo, it got send up to my room with no issues. The time with Uber, the driver called me and asked me to go down to collect. He got it when I told him to bring it to the concierge or front desk though. I almost imagined that he would leave it outdoor the hotel door. 

Oily but good food. 

421 Pitt St, Haymarket 2000 NSW

I walked passed after dinner at Yebisu. It looked interesting enough and there was a queue at the door for dined-in. I wanted to continue walking, to pretend to walk off the food I consumed that day... but got a cake for dessert. Flaw logic but tasty cake. 

Went to the one in The Galeries during lunch cos nearest to work and got the Ham & Spam. Pleasantly surprised that the scrambled eggs didn't give me the runs. I'm liking these korean sandwiches. 

Also went to the one in The Galeries, it is just next to Toastiesmith. So we got this as dessert after Toastiesmith. 

It's fluffy, light and not too sweet. Winning points. 

Shop 5, Palings Lane, 320 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Back to this patisserie because colleague is adamant that their cakes are good. I had the Ruby cake and felt it is too sweet for my palate, and also had the famous mascarpone cake which I'm not a fan because it just taste like coconut and nothing else. (Don't throw things at me). 

Anyway, 3rd time lucky and this time I got their cheesecake. Ok this one is good cake, light and fluffy.

What I didn't like was how someone from the kitchen (maybe the owner?) told the staff who organised our order that the staff that he should not agree to separate packaging in front of us. I went with a colleague, we were going to get one each but I decided to shout him for his cake and pay together. If there is a rule of no separate packaging, I could insist that they split the bill or passed my card to my colleague. Just feel that she could be more flexible and not tell the staff off.