October 2009

Spice up your Life

From mee goreng to Moorish chicken, we taste test the offerings from Sydney’s best ethnic chefs

WORDS UTE JUNKER

For a taste of the exotic, few places beat the great flavours of Sydney’s ethnic restaurants. We visit some of the city’s favourites to find out what keeps diners coming back for more and their tips for success.

Vietnamese

Red Lantern
This chic innercity diner serving up authentic Vietnamese cuisine evolved out of chef Luke Nguyen’s desire to discover his heritage: the culture, language and, of course, the food.

What inspires Luke: “I travel back to Vietnam on a regular basis, befriending street food vendors, restaurateurs, cooks and meeting up with my food-obsessed family to eat and cook. I pick their brains, scribbling down different recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.”

Luke’s recipe for success: “Enjoy and be passionate about what you do. Once you’re on that road, treat people with respect, then your path to success will come with ease.”

Don’t-miss dishes: Lightly battered chilli salted squid; slow-cooked turmeric goat curry; sesame balls filled with custard apple and served with black sesame ice cream.

Japanese

Azuma
Kimitaka Azuma has built a Japanese empire of his own in Sydney, spearheaded by his fine dining outlet, Azuma.

What inspires Kimitaka: “The seasons of the year, ingredients, and the beautiful Japanese tableware we serve our dishes on. Japanese cuisine is about being a delight to the eye as well as the taste.”

Kimitaka’s recipe for success: “Always be customer focused and listen to their opinions.”

Don’t-miss dishes: Seared tuna with daikon radish and ponzu dressing; deep-fried New Zealand flounder fillets served with braised vegetables.

Indian

Nilgiri’s
Ajoy Joshi keeps things fresh at this Indian favourite by featuring new regional dishes every month.

What inspires Ajoy: “The people around me — my staff, my customers, and my 11-year-old son, who loves food.”

Ajoy’s recipe for success: “Change is the constant thing on my menu. Just as music comes in many forms — Mozart, Beethoven, Ravi Shankar — there’s no limit to food, especially Indian food. We change the menu to stretch both ourselves and our customers.”

Don’t-miss dishes: “The menu changes every month — but what we try to do is bring out one particular spice in every dish, whether that’s clove, pepper or cassia.”

Chinese

Spice Temple
Restaurateur Neil Perry’s latest restaurant has quickly been crowned Sydney’s best Chinese restaurant, with head chef Andy Evans showcasing the flavours of regional China.

What inspires Andy: “Anything done really, really well. I’ve always gotten excited by different flavours and different cooking techniques — in Chinese cooking, a single dish may have been cooked four different ways before it makes it to the table.”

Andy’s recipe for success: “Working with guys like Neil Perry is a great way to expand your technique and knowledge of food. Neil works with amazing produce — his philosophy is to always buy the best.”

Don’t-miss dishes: Hot numbing chicken, made with Szechuan peppercorns and handmade chilli oil; Hunan fish; dry-fried lamb.

Malaysian

Chinta Ria... Temple of Love
On a balmy evening, Chinta Ria is the perfect place to chill out to a cool jazz soundtrack while enjoying Donny Pang’s fine Malaysian fare.

What inspires Donny: “My grandmother was a good cook and she was my inspiration. I joined in the cooking sessions and my style is very much a reflection of our family get-together sessions.”

Donny’s recipe for success: “Hard work, perseverance and being innovative.”

Don’t miss dishes: Satchmo’s squid, lightly battered then sautéed in a sweet tamarind sauce.

Lebanese

Emma’s on Liberty
It doesn’t get more authentic than the hearty home-style fare Anthony Sofy dishes up at this cheerful diner.

What inspires Anthony: “Growing up watching my dad, who was a fantastic cook — he had an amazing passion.”

Anthony’s recipe for success: “Attention to detail. We keep it simple — everything on our menu is fresh. The restaurant is an extension of our home; we cook what we like to eat.”

Don’t-miss dishes: Moorish chicken, marinated in sumac, chilli vinegar, and garlic paste.

FIND IT

Red Lantern
545 Crown St, Surry Hills, tel: +61 (2) 9698 4355

Azuma
Lvl 1, Chifley Plaza, 2 Chifley Sq, tel: +61 (2) 9222 9960

Nilgiri’s
81-83 Christie St, St Leonards, tel: +61 (2) 9966 0636

Spice Temple
10 Bligh St, Sydney, tel: +61 (2) 8078 1888

Chinta Ria
Lvl 2, Roof Terrace, Cockle Bay Wharf, 201 Sussex St, tel: +61 (2) 9264 3211

Emma’s on Liberty
59 Liberty St, Enmore, tel: +61 (2) 9550 3458

AT THE SOURCE

We ask the chefs where they eat when they’re back home.

Vietnam: In Hanoi, Luke Nguyen recommends Quan An Ngon, housed in a French colonial building with alfresco dining on the balcony or in the courtyard under ancient trees. It’s a favourite with locals, so you need to get in early to beat the queue. In Ho Chi Minh City, Luke says XU Restaurant and Lounge is the perfect place to indulge after a day spent walking around. Start in the funky bar downstairs with Asian-inspired cocktails, rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of Vietnam, before moving upstairs for food that is “smart, contemporary and very, very good”.

Japan: Puff er fish is perhaps the most notorious dish in Japanese cuisine — unless prepared by an expert who knows how to remove the fish’s deadly poison, it can kill an unwitting diner. But the taste, according to Kimitaka Azuma, is divine — he recommends you try it at Hamatou in the Roppongi area of Tokyo.

Malaysia: Donny Pang loves the Nonya cuisine of Malaysia’s Chinese community, which features dishes such as beef rendang and assam laksa. One of the best places to enjoy Nonya food in Kuala Lumpur is at Precious Old China, an atmospheric restaurant in an antique Chinese villa setting, above Central Market.