Dan Hong's Lotus Burger at Ms. G's

In 2008, now-famous chef Dan Hong (Mr Wong, Ms. G's) was chosen by Merivale to head up the kitchen at Lotus, a good-times bistro and bar in Potts Point (the space is now home to Bistrot 916).

During his tenure he masterminded a number of dishes that have since become part of Sydney dining lore – notably the Celestial cocktail, the Lotus hot-fudge sundae and, most renowned of all, the Lotus burger. It was a prelude to, and helped drive, Sydney's burger obsession.

For the uninitiated, the Lotus burger features a hefty smoked brisket and dry-aged Wagyu patty, melted cheese, pickles, ketchup, maple-smoked bacon and miso-caramelised onions. It's all held between a soft potato bun. Lotus closed in 2012, but returned for a year-long pop-up in 2019. And now the burger's back, rebranded at Dan Hong's Famous Cheeseburger, and available to take away for Friday and Saturday lunches at Merivale's Potts Point diner Ms. G's.

There's a bunch of other great stuff, too: chicken katsu sandos; a prawn katsu burger; and fries sprinkled with salt and vinegar, seaweed or snow cheese.

Order here.