Snack Bar: Dinner for LA, Enmore Country Club Turns Two and More Local Food News, January 17, 2025

• Enmore Country Club is two and the team’s celebrating on Saturday January 18 with drink specials, live music and impeccable vibes. From 4pm.

• Together with Arlo Communal, Bar Buci is raising funds to support communities in LA affected by the wildfires. Tickets to the dinner on January 24 include a welcome drink, share-style dinner and wines by Giorgio De Maria. All proceeds will be donated, bookings essential.

• Looking for a jazzed up espresso? Tessuto in the CBD has you covered. The trattoria, from the Seccolo team, is turning it up with pistachio espressos and tiramisu iced lattes.

• Fried cheese, in all its forms, is important. So it’s vital we share the news that Wildflower has added golden sticks of fried Goldstreet Dairy Jersey to its snack menu. A deep-red pomodoro on the side to dip.

• The Martini heads at Bar Planet have turned their skills to the hangover favourite: the Bloody Mary. The Dirty’s signature seaweed vodka joins the tomatoey house mix and tabasco. With plenty of skewered olives. Sundays only.

• Want to dine at Quay for less than $100? Head in for dessert.

• Celebrate Lunar New Year at Stanmore’s Pantry Story. A sticky char siu pork pie is on the specials board – unless there are enough calls for it to stay.

• Vege Mamma’s frilly out-there cakes are popping up at Bronte’s Bar Buci this weekend. Head in from 9am to get your sugar hit – each cake is $45 and serves three. Available in limited numbers.

What we covered this week

• First look: The Bar Copains team goes large with its new bar and restaurant: Bessie’s and Alma’s. The pair – with a big open kitchen, loose brief and “obnoxious” drinks – opened last night. They’re the hottest spots to be right now, Sydney.

• Local knowledge: Field & Fin is an unassuming Marrickville star. The casual garden restaurant is also an aquaponics farm where fish for future menus swim in tanks fed by rainwater.

• Worth the trip: a meal at Thirroul pizzeria Ciro’s – with house-made vermouth, a charred garlic bread pooling with butter, and a pie or two – feels like a holiday.

• First look: At Redfern newcomer Taguan there are Filipino riffs on Aussie cafe fare, plus plenty of nods to tradition, including tokwa especial and a family-recipe adobo.

• “Bittersweet”: Khamsa, the treasured Palestinian cafe in St Peters, is closing. But there’s still time for one more stop for those perfect green falafels or a bountiful Jerusalem bowl.

You might’ve missed

• The Nilands’ 14 hotel rooms at The Grand National Hotel are ready – book a stay and look forward to Josh’s take on brekkie.

• Coming soon: the venues we’re already looking forward to in 2025.

• I Can’t Stop Thinking About: head to Burwood for a scoop of ice-cream – where champagne-coloured swirls are laced with jackfruit and citrusy saba banana – that took one Broadsheet writer back in time.