Five Fave Eats from Simon Food Favourites!

Food lover Simon Leong of Simon Food Favourites ©

Welcome & thanks to guest star and food blogger extraordinaire Simon Leong - here are his tips on some of the best, and best value, cafes & restaurants in Inner Sydney.

Discovering great tasting dishes is one of my passions and Sydney certainly has plenty to offer if you know where to look. To whet your appetite, here’s a sampling of five of my favourite reasonably priced eats I recommend you try, which are located in the CBD, Haymarket, Redfern and Darlinghurst.

1. Salad Niçoise from Le Grand Café. You have to be lucky getting a table due to its popularity but it’s a great place for quality food at a reasonable price. The Salad Niçoise ($12) is a small work of art with an egg yolk which isn't overly cooked and real tuna that's seared on the outside and sliced. It’s served with a mixture of beans, potatoes and tomato in a light tasty dressing. (More here.)
2. Har Mee from Singapore Shiok!* Located in a food court this humble eatery serves only 9 dishes on the menu and makes a full flavoured broth Har Mee ($10.50) without being too salty. It's substantial in size and there's plenty of prawns and an abundance of the highly fatty yet crispy pork fat plus a sliver or two of pork meat which makes it a delicious winner. (More here.)
3. Hash Brown from Baffi & Mo Espresso. A small and cosy cafe serving decent coffee and quality food at reasonable prices with possibly the best homemade hash browns in Sydney. The Potato Hash Stack ($14) is one of their signature menu items which comes with double smoked ham, avocado, fresh tomato, asparagus and lemon dressed rocket topped with a poached egg. If you fall in love with their hash browns then you can also order more as a side for only $3 each. (More here.)
4. Duck and Prawn Pancakes from Phamish. I love Vietnamese cuisine and if you love your fresh rolls then you simply have to try the Duck and Prawn Pancakes ($14 for 2 pieces) which often sell out on the night. The place is popular so waiting for a table is often the case but they also have take away if you can’t wait. They make a pretty good soft shell crab as well which is usually cooked to a crispy perfection. (More here.)
5. Sandwiches from Hole in the Wall. If you’re in need of a tasty sandwich that’s made with some love and care, then try the No. 18 The Will Special ($8.90) from this literal hole-in-the-wall hidden sandwich shop. It comes with Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Crispy Prosciutto, Lettuce, Mayo, Beetroot, Onions & Tasty Cheese on toasted turkish bread. For a fully vegetarian sandwich, you can’t go past the Tempeh Burger ($8.90) which has plenty of salad combined with humus and salsa for extra taste. If you hate queuing you can also order your sandwiches in advance on their website. (More here.)

Simon Food Favourites (on Twitter: @simonleong)

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Note: Prices are only indicative and may have changed since my last visit.