• The fromage-loving Studd siblings have joined forces with the Mary’s crew, delivering The Punk Roquer. The new burger’s got a fat beef patty, fried potato, chutney and Le Roi Roquefort blue cheese – an artisanal cheese made in a boutique dairy in France’s Averyon region. Available at all Mary’s locations.
• Shadow Baking is popping up at Circa, the Middle Eastern Parramatta cafe, on Sunday September 29. Head in from 8am to get the Darlo bakery’s line-up of goods – plus a one-off special: a pistachio and cardamom frangipane scroll, crowned with an airy rosewater- cheesecake icing and pistachios.
• Superfreak’s shouting free coffees for the first 50 people to mention the code phrase “locals club” on Saturday and Sunday. It’s to celebrate the arrival of U Turn Marrickville, the stand-out vintage store that’s just opened on Illawarra Road. Plus, you’ll grab score 20 per cent off your secondhand purchase with your caffeine.
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SIGN UP• Lennox Hastie wants you to pitch your pintxos. The Gildas captain’s inviting you to interpret reinvent the restaurant’s namesake, a tasty three-ingredient skewer. The winninger’s Gilda entry will feature on the menu, and they’llits creator will be invited to dine at Gildas with three of their mates. Enter now.
• Take a walking tour through Woollahra and Paddo with tasty stops at Bistro Moncur, Civico 47 and Ursula’s. There are two spring dates – October 4 and November 1 – and the tour’s led by local historian Elliot Lindsay. There’s a course at each stop, and wines too. Tickets are $315 per person and very limited.
• Fresh New Dear Sainte Eloise head chef Sam Rozsnyoi’s put fish and chips on the menu. The very -nice, Monday-only serve’s got beer-battered ling, chippies and a scoop of herby mashed broad beans.
• Aria is celebrating 25 years of existence dining with a pair of special menus available from September 2 til 29. There’s the exclusive seven-course tasting menu, where Matt Moran shares stand-out dishes from different menus over the years. And a knockout snack menu hits the bar. Bookings essential.
• Just Desserts, at Sydney Fringe Festival, hits Machine Hall with a performance by Ngaiire, an ACID.FLWRS floral installation and dessert bar by pastry chef Anna Polyviou. It kicks off at 6pm tonight, and you can nab $50 off tickets with code FRINGE99.
What we covered this week
• First look: Ama goes from pop-up to permanent, with its family-recipe beef noodle soup – found in Thailand’s Chinatowns – arriving in Surry Hills. There’s also salapao (steamed buns), golden fried bean curd rolls and jok (Thai congee).
• Coming soon: Slice Shoppe, an inner west pizzeria with the “whole shebang”, is arriving to an already adored Marrickville dining room this spring.
• First look: char stars at Izakaya Kushi, the new yakitori house on the northern beaches. Opt for skewers of Wagyu, or a tsukune number with a dippable onsen tamago.
• Burger Royale: we tried “Australia’s best burger” – but is someone telling whoppers?
• After a four-year hiatus, moody steakhouse The Cut reopens in The Rocks. The restaurant’s got Rockpool DNA – and a slow-cooked prime rib that’s cut tableside and a Gibson with an oyster on the side.
• The NSW Government’s considering mandatory sexual violence training for all NSW bar staff.
• Local Knowledge: Amami Mart brings Japan’s outstanding konbini culture to Leichhardt. Get ramen chips, swirls of Hokkaido-milk soft-serve and fresh-made onigiri.
• First look: Fabbrica’s got a strong hand, with the pasta pros returning to the inner west – and now holding a pair of Kings. There’s silky cacio e pepe, a Mapo collab and big bar energy.
• “We’re over the hump”: after a false start, Neil Perry opens Bobbie’s, his first “real bar”. It’s grooving in Double Bay, with a fluffy Garibaldi, slick service and New York charm.
You might’ve missed
• Kate Reid knows it’s been nearly five years since she announced her world-famous croissant shop Lune was coming to Sydney. Now, the flagship Rosebery site (nearly) has an opening date.
• Coming soon: Prefecture 48 brings “every Japan” to a heritage-listed CBD site. It’ll be home to six venues, where you can get pastries, whisky or sit down for an omakase experience. Plus, Maybe Sammy’s on drinks.
• First look: Kariton Sorbetes trips west with its second NSW store. It’s almost a homecoming as Tthe team brings its lauded scoops to the local its community, as well asalong with a new flavour based on a viral chocolate bar.