The August Hit List: Raja, Ommi Don, Takam, and More

Ahana Dutt grew up in Kolkata: the mangos at neighbourhood fruit stalls were so fragrant, you could smell them a block away; and the fresh-ground turmeric at spice shops also had a similar, heady impact. The chef later became a name-to-watch at Sydney’s Firedoor restaurant, winning a Hot New Talent award from Time Out in the process. At the just-launched Raja restaurant, she riffs on the cuisine of her homeland (think spatchcock makhni with buttered roti and rice) with some local twists. The kasundi is presented with desert lime, for instance, and the achaar is powered by native citrus. This portal to India is brought to you by Nick and Kirk Mathews-Bowden, the team behind nearby Ezra.

For reservations, call (02) 9161 4131.

At Where’s Nick, award-winning sommelier Bridget Raffal enthusiastically champions female winemakers (Pascale Riviere, Clare Burder, Victoria Torres) and offers a thoughtful and inviting drinks list to choose from. She’s left her mark on the food menu, too: the fava was introduced when she joined the wine bar, years ago, and the salty, rich Greek dip (which she first encountered in Athens) has rightly gained a dedicated fan base – a diner once ordered three bowls of it in one night. Credit also goes to head chef Leila Khazma, who adds a personal, home-style touch to everything that’s served: a recipe for Greek rice-stuffed zucchini flowers originates from her mum’s best friend, while the kefte flavoured with anchovy and sardines evokes memories of a dish from her student days.

Cooking is in Omar Hsu’s DNA. His grandfather ran a hawker stall in Taiwan, where Hsu was born, and his dad trained in Japanese cuisine. The chef moved to Sydney in 2012, and cooked at various restaurants for Matt Moran, before launching Ommi Foods in 2020 with wife Josie Yuan (coincidentally, they both attended the same culinary school in Taiwan, but didn’t meet until in Australia). Their business showcases the flavours of their homeland, and Ommi Don – the food-court gem Hsu opened in May – highlights the golden kimchi from their range. It also features Taiwanese rice bowl sets that shine, thanks to extra culinary flexes – like compressed shiitake mushrooms, or seaweed that’s brushed with sugar syrup, fried until crisp, and boosted with a coating of sesame oil marinade.

Walk-ins only.

When Mat Lindsay opened Poly in 2018, there was a lot of (understandable) hype. A wine bar courtesy of the acclaimed chef from Ester? There was always going to be a big in-built audience for that. Five years on and, sure, the kitchen has seen some changes (Jeff Lusis took over from launch chef Isabelle Caulfield; there was the thankfully-not-devastating fire last year), but the wine bar still remains a vital part of the dining scene. The beloved fried potato with egg yolk dish endures on the menu and has a vocal fan club: presenter and author Linda Marigliano recently said it was “so good, it should be illegal”, and it appears in Lindsay’s upcoming Ester cookbook.

There’s no doubt that Sydney’s brunch culture is one of its biggest strengths. And the rise of cafes remixing breakfast staples in multicultural and meaningful ways has been particularly inspiring. At Takam, Francis Dela Cruz, Aileen Aguirre and Lesley Roque are keenly moving #filipinofoodforward (as the sign outside their eatery says).

Yes, you can get eggs here, but they might be billed as poqui poqui, a dish from the country’s north. At Takam, they’re reconfigured like Japanese omurice, with smoked omelette and mushroom fried rice – and they’re brilliant. The highly sought-after dinner service levels up Takam’s menu and requires advance booking.

For more info, email hello@takam.com.au.

Anyone missing Andrew Bowden (Andy Bowdy) and Maddison Howes’ much-loved Saga cafe will find solace in their new venue: Salma’s Canteen. They’re running it with Kepos Street Kitchen’s Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley, so it essentially offers the greatest hits of both ventures (Bowdy’s knockout pastries, and the moreish Middle Eastern dips and salads synonymous with Rantissi). You can pile a plate with koshari, dukkah-dusted cauliflower or roasted pumpkin wedges dolloped with yoghurt or box up Saga favourites like banana cream pie, vegan choc-raspberry cake with macadamia praline or Pete’s pavlova.

Walk-ins only.

If you were to name an essential Sydney restaurant, Lucky Kwong would be a prime candidate. The menu reflects Kylie Kwong’s Chinese heritage as a third-generation Australian: her great-grandfather Kwong Sue Duk arrived here in the 1850s, from the Guangdong province. Lucky Kwong’s food also showcases the native foods grown nearby by Cudgenburra and Bundjalung horticulturalist Clarence Slockee: his bush mint crowns the Australian-Cantonese coleslaw and also garnishes her spanner crab and prawn dumplings with Sichuan chilling dressing.

Aloonak might be the only Persian sandwich shop in Sydney. For this alone, it’s worth visiting (and it’s one reason why Have You Eaten’s Nick Jordan ranked it on his list of 27 Lesser-Known Sydney Restaurants you should try). But it’s noteworthy, too, because the fillings are remarkable. You can order bread stuffed with Persian potato salad, kuku sabzi (a herb-filled frittata), or even request a Persian hot dog. If you still have room for extra carbs, try the cheesy royal chips, topped with mushrooms, or browse the pizza menu.

Walk-ins only.

Yakitori Yurippi was the recent cover star of Gourmet Traveller’s Japan issue. Browse the magazine’s pages and you’ll find recipes for restaurant’s chicken meatball skewers, scallops grilled with konbu butter, miso-glazed zucchini and okra flavoured with ponzu and bonito flakes. But there’s something about the in-person thrill of dining at the smoky, lantern-lit eatery that makes the real-deal experience hugely appealing. There’s the char and sizzle of ingredients, whether it’s chicken pieces, buttered corn or king mushroom chunks placed over the ever-changing heat, and the way the signature tare gets boosted every night with new drippings and aromatic ingredients.

Manly Pavilion’s location is an undeniable drawcard. It sits right by the water and the beach is footsteps away. This wouldn’t be a huge selling point during winter, except that Sydney’s streak of sunny days keeps persisting and if you’re going to take advantage of the weather, this is a pretty scenic spot to do so. The menu also helps maintain the coastal holiday feel, with spanner crab toast, watermelon carpaccio, a take on the ubiquitous kingfish ceviche, and citrus pavlova with coconut meringue.