Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 3 . SYDNEY
DARLING HARBOUR/COCKLE BAY
Chinta Ria (The Temple of Love) MALAYSIAN Cockle Bay’s star attraction
for those who appreciate good food and fun ambience without paying a fortune,
Chinta Ria, is on the roof of the three-story Cockle Bay development. In
a round building dominated by a giant golden Buddha in the center, Chinta Ria
serves up fairly good “hawker-style” (read: cheap and delicious) Malaysian food.
While the food is good, the atmosphere is even more memorable. The service is
slow, but who cares in such an interesting space, with plenty of nooks, crannies,
and society folk to look at. There are seats outside (some get the noise of the
highway), but the best views unfold inside. The hot-and-sour soup—a broth
made with tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and preserved cabbage—makes an
interesting starter, and I recommend the chili prawns and the Hokkeien Char
(soft-cooked egg noodles with extras) as main dishes.
Cockle Bay Wharf Complex. & 02/9264 3211. Main courses A$11–A$28 (US$7.15–US$18). AE, DC, MC, V.
Daily noon–2:30pm and 6–11pm. Ferry or monorail: Darling Harbour.
SURRY HILLS
Nepalese Kitchen NEPAL Adventurous gourmands around here dig into
this somewhat mildly spiced cuisine, which is something like a mixture of
Indian and Chinese. Steamed dumplings, called momo, and stuffed crispy pancakes
made with black-lentil flour are interesting starters, and the goat curry is
the pick of the main courses. Also popular is the chargrilled lamb or chicken
marinated in roasted spices. The curries are very tasty, and there’s a large selection
of vegetarian dishes, including flavorsome eggplant curry. Accompany your
meal with achars (relishes) to highlight the flavors of your dishes.
481 Crown St., Surry Hills. & 02/9319 4264. Main courses A$8–A$12 (US$5.60–US$8.40); 2-course meal
A$18 (US$13). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 6–11pm. CityRail: Central, then a 10-min. walk up Devonshire St.
IN KINGS CROSS/DARLINGHURST
Bourbon & Beefsteak Bar INTERNATIONAL Extensively renovated in
2003, the Bourbon & Beefsteak has been a Kings Cross institution for more than
30 years, and still attracts everyone from visiting U.S. sailors and tourists to businesspeople
and ravers. The fact that it’s open 24 hours means many people never
seem to leave—occasionally you’ll find someone taking a nap in the bathroom.
The American-themed restaurant is always busy, churning out steaks, seafood, salads,
Tex-Mex, ribs, and pasta. Breakfast is also served daily from 6 to 11am.
Something Fishy
If you like fresh seafood at cheap prices, then saunter down to the Sydney
Fishmarket , on the corner of Bank Street and Pyrmont Bridge
Road, Pyrmont (& 02/9660 1611, or call the Fishline at & 02/9552 2180
for information on special events such as seafood cooking classes). The
major fish retailers here sell sashimi at the cheapest prices in Sydney, but
if you prefer your seafood cooked, then stay for lunch at one of the
eateries scattered along the boardwalk and inside the main building.
To get to the Fishmarket, take the light rail from Central Station,
Chinatown, or Darling Harbour to the Fishmarket stop, or you can
walk from Darling Harbour (follow the signs).