CB I remember at 10 William Street, a pasta dish, very Italian, inspired by the Golden Century clams with XO sauce and the crispy rice noodles, which is an iconic dish. It was an Italian riff on that, incredible. I think Australian chefs are more creative — they can pick and choose. I wouldn't say it's cultural appropriation, more they're inspired by ingredients and travel. I feel like the flavours are stronger here, more umami, more intense; a mixture of the culture, the weather, everything.
JG What struck you at Lune?
CB Don't judge me, I tasted 10 different pastries for research! They had Christmas specials, a stuffed turkey one with crispy chicken skin, and loads of sage and rosemary through it. And a delicious eggnog cruffin with a beautiful nutmegy eggnog cream centre. It was so inventive compared to London, where you would just have classic mince pies. Here people put their own spin on things, which feels more liberating. I feel envious of that sometimes.
JG You have been out with Kylie Kwong in Western Sydney. What did you find there?
CB Amazing hidden gems, probably known to the locals, but not everyone else. It was interesting to see all the traditional dishes and those cultures, but also the way they were interpreted by Australian immigrants; using ingredients from here, but also flavours from their ancestors. All of them were vibrant in terms of flavours, presentation, colours, and smells. I wish on Instagram you could smell things. Now with video like reels, that brings the clatter and the vibrancy more to life, but the smell and the flavour are phenomenal.
It was great to be with Kylie and meet the owners. Some were third, fourth generation, aunties and uncles all cooking together. You ask them, ‘Who's the chef?’ And everyone's a chef, which is incredible, and they're front of house at the same time. It's so nice to go to local places that have been there for 20, 30, 35 years. And they’ve stood the test of time, but also to see some of the new menu changes as well. The Lebanese Yum Yum Bakery had traditional dishes that have been going for decades, but then some new dishes. The son of the owner said, ‘Oh, you have to try our new tacos.’ And they were unbelievable, so good.
CB Yeo Dong Sik in Lidcombe was super surprising because people associate Korean food with a spicy kimchi bulgogi kind of place. I asked the owner-chef what his favourite dish was. It was a delicious, homely pork broth, crystal clear, with pork and noodles in it. It was his mother-in-law's recipe. It was so different from my perception of Korean food, especially the fried chicken, but it was just a very humble soup. Buckwheat noodles with perilla powder and perilla oil were insane — the temperature, the texture of chilled buckwheat noodles, with a bite, but still very gelatinous. The perilla oil had a sesame nutty flavour, something I've never tried before and made me want to go to Korea. Food that transports you or makes you want to discover the culture more, that's what surprises you.
JG What about Battambang II, the Cambodian Chinese in Cabramatta?
CB There was a colourful lemongrass, fish, turmeric soup which I don't think I've ever tried. It was phenomenal, again, so comforting, and felt medicinal. Obviously turmeric has got that anti-inflammatory property, with earthy, rooty flavours of krachai.
JG And what about the Bankstown Vietnamese, Thanh Van?
CB This glamorous lady, a mama, is 73 and making not traditional pho but a beautiful thick braised beef and carrot stew, working with her daughter-in-law in the kitchen. Her husband's on the floor, and his son's on the floor, and her brother's on the floor. What you taste is someone else's home. A lot of the places I'd love to go back to.
JG You tried Ethiopian food too?
CB I haven't had that much Ethiopian food previously. A lot of the Ethiopian places in London are more like salad bars. At Gursha in Blacktown it was amazing to see all the awards on the wall and this beautiful basket, which I believe is called mesob, a large handwoven round basket like a table. They served injera which is a sour, tangy crepe made with teff and it came with stews that were super spicy with heat that crept up on you. They had a chicken and egg curry, which is amazing, and a boiling pot of delicious lamb stew with chickpeas at the bottom. It was really humbling to be there. The table next to us had a tea with, I think, frankincense.
JG What else do you want to do in Sydney while you're here?
CB To hang out with nature, go for some long walks along the Harbour. And a lot of eating. Ester is a favourite. Josh Niland, any of his places. I've already been a bit lazy and pre-ordered his Salmon Wellington for Christmas.
