Le Mary Celeste is named after an American merchant ship, whose crew mysteriously vanished at sea back in 1872. Though, the bar itself has done anything but vanish from my ever-evolving ‘Paris recommendations’ shortlist. In fact, it consistently ranks around the top. Last week I stopped in for my monthly fix of boozy lunch, to […]
The definition of a quintessential Parisian restaurant has long been etched in the scriptures of cuisine and cliches run rampant on this concept. But I would argue that the quintessentially of Parisian establishments is far more transient today than ever before. Paris is multicultural. A melting pot of cuisines, and only those who cook with […]
Mexican is a cuisine rarely done well the world over, and while not always strictly authentic, there are places that give it a red hot go, and succeed. La Perla Bar is one of these places. If you find yourself in the lower Marais, and in need of a cheap meal, La Perla bar also […]
A few years back, from the balcony of my Airbnb on Boulevard Beaumarchais, I noticed a freshly painted pastel-green terrace, that stuck out like an olive on a cheese board. That olive turned out to be Maison Plisson, my first stop of the day for coffee and breakfast. I returned recently to see how things […]
If crustaceans are your jam, this 9th Arrondissement hot spot is sure to shuck your shell. Half restaurant, half posh-grocer, JUSTE narrows its focus on seafood with the hardest shells to crack, and allows you to consume on the spot, or at home (for a -40% price reduction). Oysters come served with the obligatory bread […]
Descending the steep hills of Sydney’s lower North Shore can be a daunting task. Keeping your eyes on the road while trying not to be distracted by the expansive vistas of our glorious harbour can prove a challenge… but fear not! If you do take a tumble, you may find yourself rolling all the way […]
It’d been too many moons since I popped my head into Surry Hills’ stalwart Nomad, so it was time to see what they’d been up to. Turns out, they’re still up to their old tricks. We foolishly begin with “not enough Oysters”, and are swiftly forced to order a couple more per head, with their […]
Once a household name amongst my friends group, the unimaginatively named Chinese Noodle Restaurant (or “Dumpling Drama” as we referred to it. Don’t ask), has been off my radar for the last couple of years, until my interest was recently reignited by mention from a friend. A return visit was in order. You could just as easily […]
It’s only once in a blue moon you’ll need to scrape my verdict of a restaurant off the ceiling, after having been shot vertically out of the proverbial cannon that is the absolute perfection of any particular dish. Bring your spatulas, and your expectations, to East Mamma. Although Australia is spoiled with a few AVPN […]
Any restaurant with a furnace that resembles something out of a Saw film, must be operating on some higher level. I learn from one of the cooks that it exists to facilitate the scorching of hot coals, inevitably to be utilised for the cooking of, well… everything on the menu. Our seat at the bar […]