Recently in Sydney Category

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia and Australia.

Café Sopra, a fresh-food produce store/café /restaurant in Sydney, is so delicious that I ate there twice on my recent vacation. An online review said that the food was so good that even a supermodel would order seconds!  Awarded "Favorite Mediterranean" by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and "Best Café" by Time Out Magazine, how could I resist? And the best part is there's more than 1 location as Cafe Sopra is part of the Fratelli Fresh stores at Waterloo and the ever so trendy inner-city suburb of Potts Point, Sydney.

While the front of the store offers rows and rows of fine Italian produce, the café is well hidden. A giant-size blackboard serves as the menu with daily specials and signature dishes being crossed off the board throughout the day as dishes are sold. The stuffed zucchini flowers (filled with four cheeses) were amazing; be sure to order at least two per person. The dishes are ideal for sharing and the waiters are happy to provide smaller plates to allow this. The only criticism of dining here is that they do not accept reservations.  So, either arrive early or be prepared to sit and wait for up to 20 minutes for your table, while enjoying a great bottle of Italian wine.
 
Both restaurants are open daily for lunch and dinner. Potts Point and Waterloo are a short taxi ride away from The Westin Sydney where I suggest you reserve one of 50 Heritage Rooms with soaring ceilings and antique windows. These rooms are located in Sydney's original General Post Office (GPO) and are linked to the more modern 31 story tower of the hotel.

Flying to Australia from the States is an ordeal — hours in the air followed by the ultimate in jetlag — but a nourishing meal at the airport either once you land or before you take off from Sydney International Airport can go a long way toward easing the pain.

In Terminal 1, one of your fastest options is an outpost of British pan-asian chain Wagamama; it's also one of your cheapest in the morning with a AUS$10 breakfast special [PDF]. In Terminal 2, the meat pies at Harry's Cafe de Wheels will help settle your stomach (or at least hopefully not sit in it like a lead balloon.) Likewise, Pie Face in Terminal 1 offers a wide range of both sweet and savory options in a tender, flakey crust. Get a breath of fresh air and a beer before your flight on Volare's sun deck.

If you're lucky enough to have access to Qantas' First Lounge in the airline's Terminal 3 (pictured), a lovely meal by Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry awaits. But if not, his Rockpool Bar & Grill is but a few blocks from the Westin Sydney.

Sydney rose to the international stage with the 2000 Olympics, but it's been a world class city for a very long time. This October, it showcases its global chops with the Sydney International Food Festival, which replaces the popular Good Food Month sponsored by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Events are planned for every day in October, but the big kick-off is October 3 at the Growers' Market, where Chef Fergus Henderson of London's St. John and Australian chef and TV personality Luke Nguyen will talk barbecue, and at the Art & About art fair where a free barbecue helps spice things up.

The excitement really picks up the following weekend, with the World Chef Showcase, two full days of events bringing together over 30 chefs from around the world and Australia for demonstrations and discussions. Then, starting October 13, a night noodle market runs for two weeks in Hyde Park, across from the Sheraton on the Park, giving you a chance to sample specialties from across Asia.

If all the official goings-on aren't exciting enough for you, keep your eye out for off-festival events such as secret dinners and deals at local restaurants.

Many Americans know Australian food through Crocodile Dundee and Outback Steakhouse. But that's sort of like assuming you know American food based on The Blues Brothers and McDonald's: the truth is there's some incredible food being served in Sydney and elsewhere in Australia that has nothing to do with oversized steaks and "shrimps on the barbie."

For one thing, Sydneysiders have access to some of the freshest seafood in the world, much of which arrives via the Sydney Fish Market, about a kilometer west of Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbor, which offers tours and cooking classes should you be interested. Or sample what's fresh at Doyle's.

The pinnacle of this bounty from the sea can be found at Tetsuya's — but unless you're able to book months in advance, you likely won't get a sample. Try instead for a reservation at Pier in Rose Bay, which offers a breathtaking view with its "Mod Oz" dishes of sustainably caught seafood. Or for something much more casual, Fish Face, a combination sushi/fish and chips joint with a BYO wine policy.