Snack Bar: Free Vietnamese Pét-Nat, Sydney’s Best Pancakes and More Local Food News This Week

What’s on around town

• P&V Newtown is the spot to be on Friday. The team will be hosting a free tasting of Vietnamese rice wines from Hanoi’s Song Cai Distillery. It’s the first Vietnamese-owned distillery and winery in the country, producing a range of booze, tonics, sodas, miso, vinegar and soy. “We’ll be damned if these aren’t some of the most untamed, outside-the-box and truly charismatic drinks we’ve ever sold,” Mike Bennie says. Drop in to taste a rice wine pét-nat made from sticky rice fermented in clay amphoras; both an aromatic sparkling and a more traditional yellow rice wine; a vermouth-style drop; and a sweet purple rice wine. From 5.30pm till 7.30pm at 64 Enmore Road, Enmore. 

• Marani Deli is hosting Dinner at Babushka’s, a share-style meal by Masterchef contestant and author Anastasia Zolotarev. Expect Ukrainian snacks aplenty and a wine on arrival, plus cabbage rolls, chocolate walnut cake and a Georgian wine list to sip from on the night. From 6.30pm April 15. Bookings via email essential, $120pp.

• Celebrate Lunar New Year at Hotluck Club’s one-off snacky dinner, with a set menu at an Indian wine bar by the water, longevity noodles in Manly and limited-edition baked goods at Pantry Story, Baker Bleu and Miss Sina.

• Six to try: the best pancakes in Sydney, including picture-perfect short stacks, iconic ricotta hotcakes and a few plate-sized numbers drenched in syrup.

• Summer is nearly over – but you can drink in the last of it with boozy slushies all over town. 

What we covered this week

• Peter Gilmore’s peerless fine diner Quay closed last weekend. Our top chefs and food writers farewell the icon – sharing what the venue, and the man, meant to them.

• Ricos Tacos at The Norfolk is closing. Its captain Toby Wilson is departing to focus on pop-ups and creative work. Keep an eye out for Ghostboy Cantina’s return.

• First look: Dumps World is the inner west’s new too-cute dumpling grocer – with chicken parmie and XO scallop dumplings and nourishing “post-babes” meals.

• First look: Bronte Road Fish opens to fanfare for its bang-up fish burgers and crunchy, umami potato scallops.

• Coming soon: Doom Juice Cellar Door is being resurrected in the old Poor Toms space – with the same fun energy and natural wine, but “slightly nicer furnishings”.

• Four new wine bars to add to your rotation – for build-your-own wine flights, free weekly tastings and cheffy snack menus.

• Hit Hamsi Taverna for chef Somer Sivrioglu’s take on Turkey’s “biggest gift to Australia” – it’s the prime position for a sunset drink, charcoaled seafood and a particularly good fish sandwich.

• A guide to dining in Orange, from Hey Rosey’s head chef Hugh Piper. He knows the best pastries in town, a kid-friendly pub, a dependable Thai joint and an osteria in the hills.

• First look: At the Sandoitchi team’s new onigiri bar, they want you to say “itadakimasu” for your meal. The set menus, katsu fish and salt-and-vinegar karaage eggplant are particularly special. 

• First look: Jimmy’s Shawarma adds a Beirut-style shawarma bar to Enmore Road. Plus, Lebanese beers and live Arabic music.

You might’ve missed

• Wildflower, Marrickville’s pioneering brewery, is closing. Kind of. The wild-fermented brews will soon be out of production – but there’s plenty of time to party.

• Find some of Sydney’s best rice and wings at a petrol station.

• Valet is just one more reason to hit the south end of King Street. A local roaster’s behind the cafe – there are miso-caramel tarts and, of course, excellent coffee.