Lunch at Musashi, 447 Pitt Street (Cnr. Pitt & Campbell Street). Fresh and good value Japanese food near my old workplace in Sydney.
Going back to Sydney was always going to be about having good coffees. From left to right: Toby's Estate Cafe & Tea Emporium (32-36 City Road Chippendale), Campos Coffee (193 Missenden Rd Newtown), Billy's Bar Espresso (Pacific Square Shopping Centre, Shop K3, 737 Anzac Parade Maroubra). Billy's was my local, but I fell in love with Campos in Newtown: their excellent coffees and the great friendly vibe of the place. Single Origin (60-64 Reservoir St Surry Hills) also makes a great cuppa.
I was lucky to be in Sydney just in time for the 2009 Sydney Good Food and Wine Show. Gordon Ramsey was there as a guest presenter and we sampled his marinated Tasmanian salmon served on a bed of lightly sautéed baby spinach and radish.
What's a trip back home without some fine home cooking? I miss my Aussie kitchen.
A good ha'lal Chinese restaurant is a rare beast in Sydney. Trust me, with a Muslim sibling who also loves her food, we have tried to find them. Neptune Palace is pricey, but for good reason. We will always go back for the soft-shelled crab and wasabi beef. Gateway Building, Level 1, Corner of Pitt and Alfred Streets Circular Quay.
Locally brewed German beers and sausages in the middle of industrial Fyshwick, Canberra??? This is my heaven except that it is in the middle of nowhere with no accessible public transport nearby. Nab yourself a designated driver (possibly with the lure of great German food) and get down there. Zierholz at the Brewery, 6/19 - 25 Kembla St Fyshwick, Canberra.
Could not resist the urge to eat a HK-style meal in Chinatown. Cafe de Macau, 761 George St Sydney. 
Vietnamese pork or chicken rolls may be called 'Salmonella rolls' because of the poor hygiene practices that go into their preparation but coriander, soy sauce and the chilli is just such a damn good combination! New Paris Bakery, 882 Anzac Parade Maroubra Sydney.
One for the chocoholics out there. KokoBlack is on Bunda St Canberra (and various other places in Victoria). It will surely only be a matter of time before they expand to Sydney.
It's not often one thinks of Uighur cuisine but the great thing about trying to find ha'lal food is what you end up stumbling upon. Any restaurant that offers to roast you an entire lamb gets a tick in my book. Apandim Uighur, Lvl 1, 8 Dixon St, Sydney.
And everything else. Starting from the top left corner and moving clockwise:Pho Gia Hoi Vietnamese Restaurant, 711 George St Sydney
Minh Hai, 615 George St Sydney
Kuleto's Cocktail Bar, 157 King St, Newtown, Sydney
Super Bowl Chinese Restaurant, 41 Dixon St Sydney
Rama's Fijian-Indian Restaurant, Hodgson Crescent, Pearce, Canberra
Haig Ital. Restaurant, 108 Northbourne Ave, Braddon, Canberra (2 pictures)
The surface has barely been scratched. Looking forward to my next trip home.
