FORKING AROUND SYDNEY

WHERE: Double Bay, inside the Intercontinental Hotel. WHY: For consistent and expertly crafted Japanese fare in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. MVP: The pavlova, a modern and aesthetically pleasing interpretation of the Australian (or depending on your POV, New Zealand) classic with a feather-light and just-the-right-amount-of-chew meringue. It's not overly sweet and is a good complement after devouring a round of sushi rolls. Alas, it's not currently on the spring menu. WTF: Despite being a classy Japanese noshery in an exclusive part of Sydney, Sake does not have its own restroom. For that you must use the communal hotel toilets behind the restaurant. IN A NUTSHELL: Just like its progenitor at The Rocks, Sake Double Bay delivers fresh and satisfying Japanese food in a convivial atmosphere with excellent service. Dragon Ash and Spider Maki sushi rolls Chicken kaarage Pavlova Sake 33 Cross St, Double Bay NSW 2028 02 8017 3104 http://www.sakerestau

WHERE: Darlinghurst off busy Victoria Street near St. Vincent's Private Hospital. WHY: For those who have become blasé towards mediocre Thai fare in Sydney, Moon delivers hat-worthy European-Thai cuisine in a cozy setting. MVP: Just two words - BEEF. RIBS. Braised for 72 hours, no words can describe how stunningly tender the perfectly-seasoned meat is. Absolute bovine divinity. Special mention goes to the wonderful woodland presentation of the Groot After Moon dessert. It was so spectacularly pretty and life-like we almost didn't want to eat it, but thankfully we did, because it was delish. If you would like to order this dessert, it's best to pre-order because the kitchen only makes a limited quantity per day (we were told only four). WTF: For such an outstanding noshery, it was disheartening to see it empty when we arrived at 12.30pm on a Sunday. By the time we left just over an hour later, there were thankfully three other tables, so please support this fabulou

WHERE: King Street Wharf, between Darling Harbour and Barangaroo. WHY: For good quality Chinese fare. Nothing groundbreaking here but the food is done well and they've made attempts to modernise the dishes (such as with the Finding Nemo dumplings, sure to be a fave with kids). MVP: For the entertainment aspect, the deep fried ice cream is pure theatre. The deep fried ice cream ball is standard vanilla, but it's covered by a thin chocolate dome which melts away with the supplied jug of warm chocolate sauce. It's chocolate on chocolate and a fun way to dress up this exoteric dish without messing with this classic too much. WTF: Not sure why the sweet and sour pork is served on a bed of shaved ice, but it's ostensibly to keep the batter of the pork pieces crunchy. Does it work? Yup. Is it because of the shaved ice? NFI. IN A NUTSHELL: Good place for Chinese food in the tourist-heavy area, but the prices are higher than most.  BONUS: During September at speciall

WHERE: Petersham, NSW, just off busy New Canterbury Road. WHY: The seafood. So fresh and cooked so bloody well. And those potato scallops, while small in stature, are huge in taste and texture and arguably the best in Sydney. Damn they're good. MVP: The FICH Burger is the best fish burger and one of the best burgers we have tasted in recent memory. Just the perfect combo of crunchy batter, flaky fish, soft buns, and enough extras to make it interesting. Tastes like a perfect Filet-O-Fish (that's a compliment). IN A NUTSHELL: There is no need to head to the beach for one of the best fish and chips experiences in Sydney. Fich N Chips Fich Burger When Fich Meets Belem FICH Shop 3, 98-106 Audley St, Petersham NSW 2049 02 9572 7887 https://www.fich.net.au/