Pasta Wafu, Darling Square - Sydney

I’ve had some of the best Italian food in Japan. I always hit up pizza and pasta shops whenever I visit Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. It’s all thanks to my homie Kerby Craig’s influence. The Japanese take (or known as Wafu) on pasta is especially interesting.

Speaking about Kerby, he recently teamed up with renowned chef Hamish Ingham and restaurateur Rebecca Lines to open Pasta Wafu. This eatery is located in the centre of the newly developed The Exchange in Darling Square. The focus of their joint venture is Japanese style pastas. Expect dishes like the classic mentaiko pasta and more with their very own fresh housemade pastas. So what sets Pasta Wafu from most Italian pasta you may ask? It’s the fusion of familiar Italian pasta making and cooking methods with Japanese ingredients and flavours to bring out and maximise umami in every dish.

The classic Mentaiko pasta ($14) is available on menu. It consists of Pasta Wafu’s housemade spaghetti with mentaiko (pollock roe) butter sauce and nori. This is a staple in all Japanese pasta shops. The simplicity of the creamy sauce with explosions of umami from the nori flakes and mentaiko with some subtle sweet notes is what appeals to me with this style of pasta.

The miso fettucine ($14) has housemade fettuccine, miso bolognese, shiso and nori. Whilst the miso bolognese had lots of umami and nori, the shiso added some complexity to the dish. I would have liked more miso bolognese sauce as it was a tad on the dry side. But I’m taking into consideration the fact that I was the first customer on their soft opening and some teething issues is always expected (from any new eateries/restaurants). Nevertheless, flavours were solid.

My absolute favourite was their kinoko spaghetti ($14). Spaghetti with mushrooms, shio koji (malted rice with salt & water) and shoyu butter. There was definitely no shortage of umami in this dish. The shio koji brought out umami from the mushroom and gave the dish complexity. The shoyu butter added depth to the flavour. I added bacon for $4 and onsen egg for $4.

Tiramisu ice cream mochi

Classic Japanese sides are also available like crispy renkon ($5) and karaage chicken ($11).

They also got you covered with a great line of beverages. The Shokuhin umeshu ($14) is a must try especially if you like sweet fruity notes in your alcohol.

I miss Japan and the dishes just took me back to my lovely winter holiday visits to the land of the rising sun. Congrats Kerby, Hamish and Rebecca on your joint venture together! 

Pasta Wafu

The Exchange Darling Square

35 Tumbalong Boulevard 

Sydney NSW 2000 

Hours:

7 days 11:30am to 9pm

Bite Chew Drink, Sydney

Korean fusion cuisine is big in Seoul. We are starting to see a rise of that style of food here in Sydney too. Places like Seoul Project and Chicken Institute. The new Bite Chew Drink (BCD) is a Korean fusion restaurant that attempts and succeeds to marry Western and Korean cuisine. BCD is tucked away inside Regent Place's lower ground.

The space has a contemporary tavern-like interior with neon signs, moody dark walls and wooden tables. The menu consist of fusion pasta dishes, ribs, fried chicken, meat platters and a whole page dedicated to salad (there's gotta be some sort of balance right?).

Fries

Their shoestring fries ($8) is so damn good! Perfectly cooked and flavoured with honey and garlic herb seasoning powder. 

Angry pasta

The angry pasta ($17) is basically a baked sweet and spicy spag bolognese. The sexy melted stretchy cheese had us swooned from the get go. It's definitely not your typical spag bol but the twists and combinations work pretty damn well. I'm a fan!

White tteokbokki

Then there's the white tteokbokki ($28) dish, which is another super fusion pasta dish. A carb mixture of spaghetti and rice cakes in generous slightly spicy creamy sauce with clams and meat. This is definitely not your typical boscaiola but it works and it's damn delicious!

 

BCD fried chicken

 We also tried their BCD fried chicken ($18 for half). Whilst it closely resembles the good ol' Southern fried chicken, it's definitely Korean Fried Chicken to the core. Super crisped coating, juicy tasty meat and not oily!

Kimchi fried rice

The kimchi fried rice ($5) is a nice side dish to get with the fried chicken and it compliments it well.

Original BCD ribs (half rack) with extra cheese

Last but not least is their massive original BCD pork ribs ($32 half rack). The glaze was sweet, smoky and sticky. The meat was tender and tasty! We love stretchy cheese so opted for extra gooey cheese ($3) to go with the ribs.

Bite Chew Drink

Shop 9.08 Regent Place,

501 George Street,

Sydney NSW

Hours:

Monday to Friday 11pm to 12am

Saturday 12pm to 12am

Sunday 12pm to 10pm

Chester White Cured Diner, Potts Point

Truffled cacio e pepe mixed in a pecorino cheese wheel

When I think of diners, the first thing that comes to mind are burgers, milkshakes, and pancakes. But in a hipster-like diner tucked away in Orwell Street Potts Point, it's a different story.

Chester White Cured Diner is all about charcuterie, outstanding pastas and more. The interior has a diner and vintage look with high seats and tables, counter seatings, and seatings by the porch. It's unpretentious and the vibe is very chill. I like that they also do their own pickles.

Truffled cacio e pepe

We started with their big gun from the get go. The Truffled Cacio e Pepe ($21) is the most ordered dish here. I totally understand now why it is popular. A genius method of serving al dente spaghetti mixed with black truffle, parsley, salt & pepper in a heated truffled pecorino cheese wheel. Whilst the spaghetti is mixed in the cheese wheel, it also scrapes the soft bits of pecorino and it also captures all the glorious truffle flavour and aroma.

Not Chesta Carbonora

Then there's the amazing Not Chesta Carbonara ($21) that was freshly prepared at our table. It's a team up of beautiful organic porcini mushrooms, speck, egg, pecorino and fusilli pasta. The pasta was the perfect vessel to capture the sauce made up of egg and smoky sharp pecorino cheese. I couldn't help but be in awe with every bite of the crispy speck.

Lamb shoulder

The lamb shoulder cooked for 8 hours with roasted baby potatoes ($16) was another winner. The lamb was tender, fatty, buttery and flavoursome. The paprika added smoky goodness to the meat. The classic roasted baby potatoes were perfectly cooked and seasoned. Try it with their insane chilli sauce!

Chester White Cured Diner

3 Orwell Street

Potts Point NSW

http://www.chesterwhitediner.com.au

Opening Hours

Wed & Thurs 5pm - 11pm

Fri & Sta 12pm - 11pm

Sun 11am - 5pm