Hot List Update: The Old Ricos Tacos Site Is Reborn (and Added)

The Hot List is our guide to Sydney’s most essential food and drink experiences, updated weekly. Learn more.

This week’s Hot List Activity

• Added: Khanom House
• Most trending restaurant: Olympus
• Most trending bar: Letra House
• Most trending cafe: Superfreak

If we’re being honest, there’s something thrilling about elusiveness. That specific cake or doughnut seems that little bit better when you can only get it every now and then. Or – sorry to say – even have to queue up before it sells out. So it’s been with The Baking Lists, a popular stall that’s been touring Sydney’s markets for the past two years.

Today it officially opens in Chippendale as Khanom House, inside the old Ricos Tacos site. The exquisite cakes belie the fact baker Yeen Verasenee is self-taught, via hundreds of test bakes based on recipes adapted from websites and cookbooks. The first thing he does when working on a new creation is cut the sugar percentage. The results are cakes and sweets with gentle flavours – like pandan, black sesame or young coconut – that are delicate and well-balanced.

Head in for seven-layer honey cake; doughnuts filled with pandan custard or crème brûlée; chiffons; Basque cheesecakes spiked with matcha or Thai milk tea; strawberry shortcakes; and coconut mango Swiss rolls. The new name means “dessert house” in Thai and honours Verasenee’s heritage. With it comes this permanent location, including 15 seats inside, 16 on the footpath and coffee from Marrickville’s Double Tap.

Is it as elusive as a market stall? No. Are we heading there immediately for a fix? You bet.