Every October for the past 13 years, Sydneysiders and visitors come out in their thousands for the annual night noodle markets. They comprise pop-up Asian-style hawking in the very centre of the city, with Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and regional Chinese restaurant stalls tucked around the trees and fountains of Hyde Park - a signal that it's safe to come outdoors.
The night noodle markets are just one highlight of Crave Sydney International Food Festival - a month-long package of food and drink events across Australia's largest and arguably most dynamic food city and into regional New South Wales as well.
Breakfast is served at Bondi, October 14, from 5.30am
It's not every day you get a bill's breakfast on the beach at sunrise, complete with a live orchestra, Opera Australia principal soprano Lorina Gore and a dawn didgeridoo. Bill? That'd be Bill Granger, the father of Sydney breakfast with several iconic cafes across Sydney, two in Japan and the hit new Granger & Co in London. There's a limited number of front-row possies on the Bondi sand, complete with brekkie. Breakfast on Bondi was a new event for Crave in 2011 and ended up being a truly magical experience. This year promises to be even more thrilling.
Night Noodle Markets without the lines (October 3-5, 8-12, 15-10)
The Noodle Box is a new ticketed space at the noodle markets, replicating a traditional Malay village. Drinks, live jazz and a Malaysian menu are all part of the deal in this exclusive area - the full noodle-market experience without the lines. It's reserved for groups, but individual tickets are available for two special nights, on October 8 and 15.
The World Chef Showcase (October 6 and 7)
Welcome to the pointy end, where a constellation of star chefs descends on Sydney to cook, demonstrate recipes and prepare collaborative dinners at our best restaurants. Very special guests include Italy's most highly ranked chef, the engaging contemporary genius Massimo Bottura (of Osteria Francescana in Modena); and celebrity pizza chef, Gabriele Bonci from a place called Pizzarium that's considered the best in Rome. What Bonci doesn't know about pizza . . . They're teaming up with Sydney's leading Italian chefs - Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater) and Alessandro Pavoni (Ormeggio at the Spit) - for a special spotlight on Italy. Oh, and Antonio Carluccio's coming, too! The atmosphere across this weekend is extraordinary and the tastings at the chefs' demonstrations are, well, as amazing as you can imagine. It's like being behind the scenes in some of the top restaurants in the world.
Let's Do Lunch, weekdays through October
Even the Food Festival team sneaks out to lunch at least once in October to try the set menu (with a glass of wine) at some of the city's best restaurants. The sum of $38 buys you a spot at the likes of Balla - a glorious new Italian restaurant in The Star casino with a brand-new hat in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, The Bather's Pavilion, also hatted, at Balmoral Beach, or perhaps The Bridge Room, a finalist in the best new restaurant category of this year's Guide, with beautifully light, fresh, creative contemporary cooking in an almost deco-style space. It's a great way to try out the top tables in town, without a top-table bill.
Get a booking at Momofuku Seiobo
It's like bidding on eBay, logging on at 9.58am 10 days out from your desired dining date to see whether you can snaffle a table at Sydney's hottest 2012 opening. (Bookings are on-line only.) This tiny, funky restaurant with counter dining, a fantastic set menu and the wildest, most eclectic soundtrack is the brainchild of American-Korean chef David Chang, top of the charts in New York city.
Chang is a true original and Momofuku Seiobo reflects his personality perfectly. (Chang will also be speaking at the World Chef Showcase Talks and Thoughts program on Saturday October 6.) And the hugely original and delightful Christina Tosi, pastry chef in charge of all Momofuku's dessert menus in New York, will be in town to co-host a one-off dinner at Seiobo on Saturday October 6, also part of the World Chef Showcase weekend.
Check out Sydney's small bars
They're hidden where you least expect it and feel like they've been there forever, even though the small bar scene is relatively new. The Prohibition-era look is everywhere, matching the hideaway feel of places such as Palmer & Co in Abercrombie Lane (cool cocktails and waitresses in flapper dresses) or The Baxter Inn in Clarence Street (no sign but you'll know it by the queue) with its spectacular whisky wall. Tucked into a laneway in still-very-happening Surry Hills is 121BC - an Italian wine bar with an excellent Italian share plates menu. Several small bars are offering a cocktail of the month through October - a cocktail with matched canape for $20. A great excuse for some bar crawling.
Dim sum and duck at Mr Wong
Have a drink at Palmer & Co (above) then head to the talk of the town - Mr Wong, the brand-new, new-look Cantonese restaurant with old-style classic dishes such as steamed prawn dumplings, drunken chicken and, of course, roast duck. The fit-out is breathtaking - a mix between colonial Shanghai and an ultra-modern Hong Kong diner, and the food is fantastic, thanks to chefs Dan Hong, Jowett Yu and Eric Koh (formerly of London's Hakkasan). During October, you can come for a "surprise Saturday lunch" here - and try a sample menu of highlight dishes for $55 per head.
Explore Greater Sydney and beyond
Little Italy, Little Korea, Little Shanghai . . . Sydney has so many distinctive food villages and precincts, often dominated by one particular culture. During October, roads get closed, stalls are set up in the street, bands and performers come out to play and we revel in the flavours of the world, right on our doorstep, at a series of community festivals. There's South American in the suburb of Fairfield (October 13) and at Darling Harbour (October 6), Korean in Strathfield (October 28) and Italian at Haberfield Primavera (October 14). If you're in the Byron Bay region on October 6, check out Sample at Bangalow - a feast of local produce and food stalls.
For more details on all of these events, see cravesydney.com. Noodle Box tickets are available only via showbiz.com.au/cravesydney
The night noodle markets are just one highlight of Crave Sydney International Food Festival - a month-long package of food and drink events across Australia's largest and arguably most dynamic food city and into regional New South Wales as well.
Breakfast is served at Bondi, October 14, from 5.30am
It's not every day you get a bill's breakfast on the beach at sunrise, complete with a live orchestra, Opera Australia principal soprano Lorina Gore and a dawn didgeridoo. Bill? That'd be Bill Granger, the father of Sydney breakfast with several iconic cafes across Sydney, two in Japan and the hit new Granger & Co in London. There's a limited number of front-row possies on the Bondi sand, complete with brekkie. Breakfast on Bondi was a new event for Crave in 2011 and ended up being a truly magical experience. This year promises to be even more thrilling.
Night Noodle Markets without the lines (October 3-5, 8-12, 15-10)
The Noodle Box is a new ticketed space at the noodle markets, replicating a traditional Malay village. Drinks, live jazz and a Malaysian menu are all part of the deal in this exclusive area - the full noodle-market experience without the lines. It's reserved for groups, but individual tickets are available for two special nights, on October 8 and 15.
The World Chef Showcase (October 6 and 7)
Welcome to the pointy end, where a constellation of star chefs descends on Sydney to cook, demonstrate recipes and prepare collaborative dinners at our best restaurants. Very special guests include Italy's most highly ranked chef, the engaging contemporary genius Massimo Bottura (of Osteria Francescana in Modena); and celebrity pizza chef, Gabriele Bonci from a place called Pizzarium that's considered the best in Rome. What Bonci doesn't know about pizza . . . They're teaming up with Sydney's leading Italian chefs - Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater) and Alessandro Pavoni (Ormeggio at the Spit) - for a special spotlight on Italy. Oh, and Antonio Carluccio's coming, too! The atmosphere across this weekend is extraordinary and the tastings at the chefs' demonstrations are, well, as amazing as you can imagine. It's like being behind the scenes in some of the top restaurants in the world.
Let's Do Lunch, weekdays through October
Even the Food Festival team sneaks out to lunch at least once in October to try the set menu (with a glass of wine) at some of the city's best restaurants. The sum of $38 buys you a spot at the likes of Balla - a glorious new Italian restaurant in The Star casino with a brand-new hat in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, The Bather's Pavilion, also hatted, at Balmoral Beach, or perhaps The Bridge Room, a finalist in the best new restaurant category of this year's Guide, with beautifully light, fresh, creative contemporary cooking in an almost deco-style space. It's a great way to try out the top tables in town, without a top-table bill.
Get a booking at Momofuku Seiobo
It's like bidding on eBay, logging on at 9.58am 10 days out from your desired dining date to see whether you can snaffle a table at Sydney's hottest 2012 opening. (Bookings are on-line only.) This tiny, funky restaurant with counter dining, a fantastic set menu and the wildest, most eclectic soundtrack is the brainchild of American-Korean chef David Chang, top of the charts in New York city.
Chang is a true original and Momofuku Seiobo reflects his personality perfectly. (Chang will also be speaking at the World Chef Showcase Talks and Thoughts program on Saturday October 6.) And the hugely original and delightful Christina Tosi, pastry chef in charge of all Momofuku's dessert menus in New York, will be in town to co-host a one-off dinner at Seiobo on Saturday October 6, also part of the World Chef Showcase weekend.
Check out Sydney's small bars
They're hidden where you least expect it and feel like they've been there forever, even though the small bar scene is relatively new. The Prohibition-era look is everywhere, matching the hideaway feel of places such as Palmer & Co in Abercrombie Lane (cool cocktails and waitresses in flapper dresses) or The Baxter Inn in Clarence Street (no sign but you'll know it by the queue) with its spectacular whisky wall. Tucked into a laneway in still-very-happening Surry Hills is 121BC - an Italian wine bar with an excellent Italian share plates menu. Several small bars are offering a cocktail of the month through October - a cocktail with matched canape for $20. A great excuse for some bar crawling.
Dim sum and duck at Mr Wong
Have a drink at Palmer & Co (above) then head to the talk of the town - Mr Wong, the brand-new, new-look Cantonese restaurant with old-style classic dishes such as steamed prawn dumplings, drunken chicken and, of course, roast duck. The fit-out is breathtaking - a mix between colonial Shanghai and an ultra-modern Hong Kong diner, and the food is fantastic, thanks to chefs Dan Hong, Jowett Yu and Eric Koh (formerly of London's Hakkasan). During October, you can come for a "surprise Saturday lunch" here - and try a sample menu of highlight dishes for $55 per head.
Explore Greater Sydney and beyond
Little Italy, Little Korea, Little Shanghai . . . Sydney has so many distinctive food villages and precincts, often dominated by one particular culture. During October, roads get closed, stalls are set up in the street, bands and performers come out to play and we revel in the flavours of the world, right on our doorstep, at a series of community festivals. There's South American in the suburb of Fairfield (October 13) and at Darling Harbour (October 6), Korean in Strathfield (October 28) and Italian at Haberfield Primavera (October 14). If you're in the Byron Bay region on October 6, check out Sample at Bangalow - a feast of local produce and food stalls.
For more details on all of these events, see cravesydney.com. Noodle Box tickets are available only via showbiz.com.au/cravesydney
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