The latest reviews of Sydney restaurants by the Australian Good Food Guide. http://www.agfg.com.au/ en-au Copyright 2008 Australian Good Food Guide Publishing Pty Ltd rss@agfg.com.au (AGFG Webmaster) webmaster@agfg.com.au (AGFG Webmaster) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:14:46 GMT Located in Crow's Nest, BahBQ Brazilian Grill brings the fiery flavours of Brazil to Sydney's north shore. Sleek and modern in design, BahBQ delivers service with a smile and warm hospitality for all. Fused with a variety of intense aromas and heat, BahBQ's Brazilian menu offers a range of traditional BBQ dishes as well as a large a la carte selection. If beef isn't your food of choice, why not try BahBQ's range of chicken, seafood and vegetarian dishes? Your BahBQ experience could include meals such as marinated haloumi, shiitake and oyster mushroom risotto with truffle oil, followed up with churros and warm Belgium milk chocolate. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/crows-nest/restaurants-dining/bahbq-brazilian-grill http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/crows-nest/restaurants-dining/bahbq-brazilian-grill Offering fresh Tapas-style plates to share with friends as well as a delicious à la carte menu. The food is as diverse as the wines, featuring Spanish, French and Latin-American cuisine.Signature dishes may include for tapas Beetroot & Goats cheese Parcel with watercress salad in a balsamic reduction or Cabrito - garlic lamb tenderloin with sweet potato mash, rosemary jus & warm salsa or for mains Paella Valenciana plus a range of delicious desserts. The Wine Plate Restaurant and Bar aim to produce a diverse range of foods and wines from around the world. With a contemporary, innovative design, this establishment also plays host to a variety of local musicians to accompany your Friday night tapas or lazy Sunday drinks. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/newtown/restaurants-dining/the-wine-plate http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/newtown/restaurants-dining/the-wine-plate A new restaurant in the Hawkesbury area offering a casual dining experience and offering tasty, contemporary dishes that are pleasant to the eye and the palate. The menu changes frequently with the emphasis on fresh produce, dishing up a range of modern Australian cuisine. There is also an ever changing specials board as well, with chef Jarryd Faint producing an ever expanding range of popular dishes since he opened the eatery at the young age of 20. With a simplistic design dominated by pine and brick, Restaurant 22 places its emphasis on customer satisfaction and is an up and coming establishment well on its way to popularity. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/the-hawkesbury-area/windsor/restaurants-dining/restaurant-22 http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/the-hawkesbury-area/windsor/restaurants-dining/restaurant-22 Tucked down a laneway in the heart of Mosman is MosLane Café/Kiosk, a little patch of Italy offering welcome respite from the bustle of Military Road. Take cosy refuge in the tearoom or find sunny salvation in the courtyard, where patrons gather beneath the shade of umbrellas with cups of organic coffee and loose leaf tea. Blackboards spell out the day's specials – perhaps freshly baked melanzane eggplant rigatoni, assorted Sicilian arancini breaded rice balls, or beef lasagne cooked to Nonna's recipe – which are augmented by a delicious selection of homemade panini sandwiches, cakes and sweets such as tiramisu or ricotta cannoli. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/mosman/restaurants-dining/moslane http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/mosman/restaurants-dining/moslane The authentic Vietnamese flavours made famous by Bay Tinh Restaurant in Marrickville have now arrived in Crows Nest. Take a seat in the front section – warmly inviting with deep red walls and glowing red lanterns – to enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes from the extensive menu, or sample Vietnamese tapas in the beer garden out the back. The menu combines both traditional and refreshingly original options; to start you could have salad of duck twice cooked with aromatic spices, pickle, lettuce leaves, lime juice & special Vietnamese dressing, and for main, 'ca kho to' – the chef's secret family recipe of salmon cutlet slow cooked in a rich caramelised sauce, served with thin slices of marinated pork. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/crows-nest/restaurants-dining/bay-tinh-restaurant http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/crows-nest/restaurants-dining/bay-tinh-restaurant Statements don't get much bolder than Sydney's Osteria Balla at The Star, the latest and, in his own words, most Italian venture by veteran chef Stefano Manfredi. Defined by sweeping curves, jagged geometry and a soaring wall of glass looking out across Pyrmont Bay, Balla forms both a striking homage to its namesake (Futurist artist Giacomo Balla) and a contemporary spin on the classic Italian osteria. It's a spin best articulated by Manfredi's menu of traditional Milanese dishes reinterpreted for the modern age – perhaps antipasti of slow cooked octopus with potato and Tuscan olive oil, followed by expertly house made pasta or a mouth-watering selection of wood-grilled meats. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/pyrmont/restaurants-dining/osteria-balla http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/pyrmont/restaurants-dining/osteria-balla Following the success of Wa Japanese Restaurant in Bondi Junction comes Wa Sushi Café, recently arrived in Darlinghurst. This charming eatery is decorated in smart, simple Japanese style, with wooden floorboards and rice paper screens. Contrary to the restaurant's name, the menu isn't only limited to sushi; there are plenty of other tasty, authentic Japanese dishes to enjoy, from fresh sashimi to delicious chef's specials. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydney-eastern-suburbs/darlinghurst/restaurants-dining/wa-sushi-cafe http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydney-eastern-suburbs/darlinghurst/restaurants-dining/wa-sushi-cafe Opened in 2010, Il Grappolo Cucina e Pizzeria is an informal yet stylish venue tucked away in Rozelle. Attracting a mix of families and couples, Il Grappolo does food the Italian way; all the pizza dough, gnocchi, pasta, ravioli and desserts are handmade in house, and the focus is all about preparing the food simply and letting the flavours shine through. It's something that the owner/chef, who worked in fine dining and Michelin starred restaurants in Italy, does effortlessly. You could try the Insalata Caprese, a simple yet flavour packed dish of Italian buffalo mozzarella, roma tomato slices, shaved celery, Gaeta olives, basil & extra virgin olive oil, or for something more substantial, Scaloppine al Limone – veal pan seared with white wine, lemon & broccolini. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/rozelle/restaurants-dining/il-grappolo http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydneys-inner-west/rozelle/restaurants-dining/il-grappolo Positioned just off the main drag in Neutral Bay, y2 Izakaya brings the fun and art of Japanese tapas to Sydney's north shore. Socialising and sharing are essential sides to dining at this trendy, dimly lit venue, where you'll find groups of friends clustered around long communal benches, grazing on sashimi and yakitori. The idea is to sample many assorted dishes as opposed to filling up on just one or two, though the different portion sizes offered leave that up to you. Expect dishes to be both authentic and innovative – oyster shots topped with flying fish roe and daikon oroshi, for example; yakisoba noodles served with spiced prawn, celery root, onion, green leaves and tomato; or lychee and jasmine sorbet for dessert. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/neutral-bay/restaurants-dining/y2-izakaya http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/lower-north-shore/neutral-bay/restaurants-dining/y2-izakaya A few blocks up from Coogee Beach, Vivo Mexican Tapas delivers classic Mexican flavours with swanky Spanish tapas style. It's a fusion that locals are eagerly lapping up at this funky two level eatery, eclectically furnished and decorated with a vibrant mosaic of pictures. Whether you like it mild or searingly spicy, the innovative menu is full of tantalising tastes like traditional nachos mixed with shredded chicken or pulled beef, served with tasty dollops of tomato salsa, guacamole & sour cream, and such tapas-style offerings as scallops pan fried with lime and cumin, served with frijoles, Mexican slaw and crumbled cheese. Keep an eye on the specials board and daily dessert selection. http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydney-eastern-suburbs/coogee/restaurants-dining/vivo-mexican-tapas http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/nsw/sydney/sydney-eastern-suburbs/coogee/restaurants-dining/vivo-mexican-tapas