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Looking for something "cool" and insta-worthy? Burwood's newly opened Roji Monster might just be the place. With some Japanese influence this place's main attraction is their shaved ice ("monster ice cream" as they call it). It is a popular dessert in Asia, especially during the summer time. Roji is actually a chain from Taiwan, which we've tried before when travelling in Asia.



Currently there are four flavours available including milk, Uji matcha, French cocoa, and black sesame. The most impressive thing is there are 25 kinds of toppings to choose from. Besides shaved ice, Roji Monster also has things like waffles and mochi  just to name a few. 


How to order shaved ice?
The ordering system is kind of interesting, you first pick a card with the flavour you want, then pick two stamps with the toppings you want and stamp the card before handing it over to the staff.

Uji Matcha $14
It is no secret we are tea-lovers, and so we had to pick the Uji macha. For the two toppings we got the salted cherry jelly and the rice dumpling (a.k.a. mochi) w/ hojicha jelly. The shaved ice was relatively fine and you can taste the matcha. We didn't enjoy the two toppings as much, the cherry blossom jelly was firm and pretty much flavourless. The mochi was bland and the hojicha jelly wasn't anything better. 

Monster Waffle $14
We really liked the waffle, unlike an ordinary waffle, this one felt more like a pancake with a crispy outer shell and a soft cake-like centre. The sweetness for us was just perfect. The only drawback was the softserve being too sweet, otherwise the consistency was great.


Food: 5/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:
  • Insta-worthy
  • Nice waffle
Lowlight:
  • The shaved ice was interesting, but not something we'd order again
Website: N/A
Roji Monster Ice Cream Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Reuben Hills has become a household name in Surry Hills. We decided to revisit for the namesake "(Not) Reuben" sandwich in our desperation to find a good Reuben in Sydney after the sad close down of Ruby & Rach, which in our opinion was the hands-down best Reuben joint at the time. Read til the end for the verdict...

The Not Reuben $21.50
The "Not Reuben" seriously has nothing to do with Reuben Sandwich, it is more appropriately a brisket sandwich or for meat-lovers like us really a veggie sandwich plus a thin slice of brisket on the side. Imagine a moist and juicy piece of brisket...well this was the complete opposite. Apart from the sweetness of the coleslaw we couldn't really taste anything else.


Fried Chicken Basket $19.50
We are glad we ordered this chicken and restored the rightful balance of protein in a weekend brunch. We came for the "Not Reuben" but found solace in the chicken. The seasoning was familiar and good in a way, with a hint of chilli kick to it. The chicken was perfectly cooked, the skin was thin and crispy with the meat tender and juicy.



Food: 5/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:
  • The chicken is safe choice
Lowlight:
  • Pricey for what you get
Website: http://www.reubenhills.com.au/

Reuben Hills Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Just when you think December can't get any hotter, think again...a new Japanese-style pub grub just landed in town with a menu centering on food on a stick. Kushiyaki simply means skewered food that is cooked over a grill. This type of street food is popular in Japan, and is considered a good way to relieve stress after a day of work. The atmosphere is generally casual and lively. It is the perfect place for friends to gather over a glass of cold beer accompanied with a selection of vegetables and meat skewers without finding yourself bankrupt the next day.




Sitting around the grill counter provides a perfect view of the chefs in action, which also means it can get a little smoky. 


Ordering is pretty straight forward, if you are unsure of what to get just turn to the skewer cabinets. There are plenty of poultry and non-poultry skewers to choose from, and honestly they all look ridiculously good. 


Scallop & Bacon $7.50; Shitake Mushrooms $6; Spinach,
Cheese & Bacon $6.50; Enoki Mushrooms & Pork Belly $6.50
Sukiyaki & Wagyu Beef $8.50
King Prawn & Pork Belly $7.50
Beef Hanging Tender & Capsicum $8
Cherry Tomato & Pork Belly $6; Wagyu Extreme Loin $10; Fresh Lettuce & Pork Belly $6.50
At Goryon-San instead of seasoning the skewers with sauce (Ta-re), they are simply seasoned with a little salt after grilling. Nevertheless, the skewers are still delicious and packed with flavours.

Our top picks were the sukiyaki & wagyu beef,  tomato & pork and lettuce & pork.

Hakata taki Karaka Gyoza (6pcs) $22
We have had plenty of gyoza before, but nothing like this one here. This Gyoza served in spicy tonkotsu broth is something that is worth trying, and we were impressed. Almost like having a wonton soup, the gyoza was plump and soft, the soup was nourishing and slightly spicy.


If you are looking for a place to chill-out, Goryon-San is the perfect place for it, with a great vibe and good food.

Food: 9/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:
  • Great ambience 
  • Food was good overall
Lowlight:
  • Apart from the sukiyaki wagyu beef , the other beef skewers were just ok
  • At times, the smoke from the grill can a little intense
Website: https://goryon-san.com.au/
Goryon San Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Good news for foodies that work or live in the city, Continental has opened their second restaurant in the heart of Sydney, even better is that they are open till late. What appears to be a simple deli serving a good variety of cold cuts, cheeses and canned seafood during the day, Continental turns into a casual bar with a European twist at night. Having had several visits to the original restaurant in Newtown we have high expectations, and were eager to find out if the new venue is just as good.
Steak Tartare $26
This is not our first time trying Continental's steak tartare, so why are we getting it again? Because it is simply delicious! It is the best we've tried in Sydney, and we have been to several French restaurants. We just love how the seasonings marry together creating a flavourful dish that is light and refreshing. 


BBQ Octopus $32
The octopus was succulent and tender, and the Romesco sauce on the side had a nutty flavour with a hint of sourness which goes great with the octopus. Even better than the octopus is the sweet and crunchy salad on the side, with green apple, green mango and kohlrabi. 


Rigatoni $30
Here comes something more substantial - rigatoni cooked with cuttlefish, sausage, bottarga and brocolini. The pasta was completely smothered in the rich creamy sauce. It's all about the salami oil. The addition of bottarga crumbs added a layer of umami flavour.


Creme Caramel $16
To sum up everything, we got the creme caramel. This creme caramel was eggy and silky smooth, the bitter caramel sauce was made with fig leaf and maple syrup, which gave it a unique fragrance.



Food: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:
  • Menu simple yet delicious
  • Perfect late night venue for food and drinks
  • Steak tartare is a must get for us
Lowlight:
  • Fewer choices than the Newtown venue
Website: http://www.continentaldelicatessen.com.au/
Continental Deli Bar and Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Following Ester's successful opening in 2013, the team behind it has now opened a sister restaurant Poly. Having dined at Ester before, Mr Piggy and I could not wait to check out what Poly has to offer. The menu is concise and the place aims to deliver food in a casual "hands-on" manner. The dishes are small in portion, and this gave us a good chance to sample a variety.

Popped Buckwheat, Fennel Salt (complementary)
A house-made "popcorn" was given to start us off. Unlike normal popcorn, this one is made with buckwheat seasoned with fennel salt. Almost like eating normal popcorn, this popwheat had a similar texture only nuttier.

Comte Donut $15
This must be the best donut we have ever had! Sweet donuts are usually not my thing, I often find them so sweet that my teeth are about to fall out. When I saw this savoury donut on the menu, there was no way I was going to skip it. It was sooo good - we never thought a donut could be so delicate. Unbelievably crumbly, after taking a bite out of it, the whole thing starts crumbling down inside our mouths. The Comté cheese was blended into the dough giving it a touch of savouriness and the sprinkle of spices added a smoky touch. 


Scarlet Prawns, Salted Egg Sauce $22
The prawns were sweet and tender, it was an interest pair with the salted yolk sauce, which drew out and enhanced the natural sweetness of the prawns.

Pork Pastrami & Lardo Toast $15
In simple words this was a toast with a big fat slice of lardo on top, we couldn't find the pork pastrami. For some reason I actually quite liked it even though I usually prefer my meat lean. The radicchio added a nice bitter savoury contrast and helped to cut through the greasiness. Mr Piggy didn't enjoy the fattiness as much.

Enoki, Pancetta $12
A simple dish, which was all about the natural sweetness in the enoki, where by cooking it in pancetta oil it added a nice savoury contrast and more depth in the flavour.

Octupus, Chilli Oil $24
The octopus was fresh and perfectly cooked, with beautiful charred edges and the inside remaining juicy and tender. The creamy potato foam was a good match to absorb all the flavour.

Sausage Sandwich $15
This is what sausage rolls should be all about! Buttery brioche bun, sweet onions and hot mustard together with spicy chorizo, what more can you ask for? The chorizo was charred to perfection, as u bite through the crispy skin the sausage bursts and fills your mouth with aromatic chorizo oil.

Sweet & Sour Ribs, Crackling $28
This was when we got really hands-on with these sticky 
ribs. The meat was tender and you could really smell a nice dose
of vinegar in there. The airy crackling was a good touch to top it off.

Snowpea, Anchovy, Kombu, Pecorino $15
The waitress insisted we should get some greens...okay just to be healthy! Raw snowpeas with vinegrette dressing and shaved pecorino. What a pleasant combination - the salad was light and refreshing.

Lemon Vanilla Soda $7
For drinks we got the lemon soda. You could really taste the lemon flavour, and it wasn’t overly acidic = win 😋. The vanilla gave it a smooth and creamy finish (you can also see the vanilla seeds too).

Overall, we liked how most dishes were fun and creative and most importantly had the flavours spot on. Looking forward for our next visit.

Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 6/10

Highlight:
  • Comte donut
  • Sausage sandwich
Lowlight:
  • Comte donut and sausage sandwich too small!
Website: https://www.polysurryhills.com.au/
Poly Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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About me

We are passionate about food and travel and believe food is the best way to learn about different cultures. We wish to share with you our food adventures around Sydney and overseas in honest and in-depth reviews.

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