Ramen Down-Under: Ippudo Sydney

Ramen was on the uptick in Toronto thanks to the booming successes of Kinton Ramen, Momofuku, Sansotei, amongst others. Still, prior to my departure from my hometown, Ippudo had yet to grace our mediocre metropolis with their fine Japanese ramen. Having missed Ippudo in my last visit to NYC, the discovery of its presence in Sydney was a welcome surprise. Located on the 5th floor of the Westfield Sydney, this upbeat ramen shop buzzes with activity. The line of hungry customers in front of the restaurant is a long-standing fixture.

Manly Fish: Garfish

It was a breezy Friday morning in Sydney and the office was ever so slightly, less busy than a regular day. My coworkers and I found ourselves short of work with no fires to put out. With no better use of our time, we decided to hop onto a ferry out from Circular Quay to the sandy beach of Manly. We came across the Garfish Seafood Restaurant and were delighted to find that it served some of the freshest seafood around Sydney. Located in the gorgeous beach-side suburb of Manly, it also boasted a spectacular view of the marina.

N2 Extreme Gelato

Using liquid nitrogen to create creamy, smooth ice cream is not a particularly new concept to the world. In fact, the method may have been suggested as early as 1901 by an Englishwoman named Agnes B. Marshall. Nevertheless, N2 Extreme Gelato may very well be one of the first attempts to bring the concept to reality on the streets of Sydney.

Line and Dine: Mamak

Work wrapped up early last Thursday night. Using the extra time I had, I decided to queue up at a local dining hotspot in Haymarket/Chinatown. Mamak is a popular restaurant which specializes in Malaysian roti.

The queue outside the restaurant is always a bit of a curious spectacle considering the wide number of dinner options that are in the immediate vicinity. As a visitor to Sydney, I was inclined to uncover the reason behind it. It took about 20 minutes to get seated as a solo diner.

Quick Eats: Menya Mappen

Menya Mappen is the epitome of Japanese assembly line fast food. All orders are serviced in a queue - hungry customers enter from one end, happy customers exit from the other. The food selection consists primarily of their noodles, rice bowls, in addition to an assortment of Japanese sides.

I passed by on one fine Thursday afternoon in search of lunch and happened upon Menya Mappen as I entered a building just off of George St near Liverpool St. Inside the building, there were plenty of other options (Pepper Lunch, Oiden, etc.), but Mappen happened to be in my direct line of sight. At the entrance of the restaurant, signs directed customers to an entry queue on the left.

A closer look at Menya Mappen's regular menu.

Night Shift 2: Two Sticks - Yunnan China

In preparation for yet another late night at work, we were eager to try the next local specialty. Two Sticks - Yunnan China is a busy little noodle house located at the corner of George and Goulburn. As the name implies, the restaurant features flavours of Yunnan province with a strong focus on noodle soup.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, the first thing we noticed was how busy it was. Having passed by on other occasions, I've always noticed a queue just outside the restaurant. Seating arrangements were rather cozy - tables were small and seated at most a group of three. Luckily, my colleagues and I were able to grab a table within 10 minutes.

Night Shift: Umi Sushi

It was a late Thursday night and work had just wrapped up. My colleagues and I were ready to call it a night but the pangs of hunger beckoned for a tasty meal. I asked if there were any good Korean restaurants in the neighborhood and my colleague told me there was a place real close. A couple minutes later, we ended up in front of Umi Sushi + Udon, a Japanese restaurant.

Located in Darling Harbour, Sydney, Umi Sushi + Udon was one of many dining establishments along the strip. Like others in the area, this restaurant has an open storefront and patio seating. Inside the restaurant, one will find a sushi bar with a conveyor belt that runs along the perimeter.

Steakhouse: The Meat & Wine Co.

Business travel is a bittersweet affair. On the one hand, I receive the opportunity to dine with my superiors for the fine price of free. On the other hand, I am tragically torn apart from my co-blogger and dining partner of choice. Perhaps the upshot is that I won't be entirely clueless the next time we're in town together.

In this particular instance, I was whisked away to the distant, coastal city of Sydney, Australia. Having endured two grueling, long-distance flights, it was safe to say that a proper meal was long overdue. Thankfully, the invitation to join my colleagues for dinner couldn't have come any sooner.

Like cattle being led to water, one of the locals herded the group to the nearby Meat & Wine Co. Located along the beautiful Darling Harbour, this upscale steakhouse was stylized with both modern and rustic influences. Lighting in the dining area was appropriately dimmed such that dining guests would be able to view the moonlit harbour unobstructed through the glass-paned storefront.