Din Tai Fung, Westfield Sydney

Who doesn’t love dumplings? Caitlin. But we went anyway.

Shrimp & Pork Wonton $6.5
I had heard great things about these slippery little suckers floating in a spicy sauce. They did not disappoint.

Steamed Pork Dumpling Xiao Long Bao (4 pcs) $5.8
Perfectly crafted pascals filled with pork and soup.

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Shao Mai (4 pcs) $9.8
Although almost double the price of the xiao long bao these are defiantly worth a try.

Pork bun $2.8
Not the best. Resembles more of a meatball in a bun then the pork buns I’m used to.

Three hours later with Din Tai Fung dumpling bar still on the mind we returned once more for round two.

Spicy Sesame Noodle (Dan Dan Noodle) $10.8
With a strong taste of sesame oil and satay this dish was good but needed some wontons or tofu to jazz it up.

Shrimp & Pork Wonton Noodle with Spicy Sauce $11
Couldn’t resist trying this after the wontons we had earlier were so incredible. I added some soy/vinegar and chilli. The fresh noodles absorbed the flavoursome spicy sauce. So good I couldn’t help but drink the remaining liquid. Also resulted in me choking on the chilli but it was totally worth it.

Ding Tai Fung is worth checking out if you find yourself craving dumplings whilst shopping. Beware the queues do get long during the lunch rush. However, they do offer a ordering card. Simply tick your choices on the card and hand it to the cashier. Although Ding Tai Fung isn’t great value for money ill defiantly be back for more wontons.

Rating 7/10

Hugos Lounge, Kings Cross

Although Hugos has a reputation of being full of egos the girls and I were pleasantly surprised after a much anticipated Friday night out. The eight of us were greeted by the stunning girl on the door who presented us with complimentary cocktail cards. Anything that’s free is always a hit with my friends.

We were ushered to our designated area where we ordered the following…

Complimentary cosmopolitans
A cosmopolitan is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Pineapple $5
Large chunks of caramelised pineapple, succulent leg ham, roma tomatoes, stringy mozzarella and parsley.

Margarita $5
For the vegos. Cherry tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, torn basil and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Pepperoni $5
Now for the Pepperoni lovers. Giant slices of pepperoni, tomato, finely shredded mint, chilli and oozing buffalo mozzarella.

Chilli prawn $5
The hero of the night. Plump juicy chilli prawns, Roasted Capsicum, tomato and tangy Salsa Verde.

Hugos is perfect for group get togethers with $5 pizzas and cocktails there’s no excuse for not being able to make it.

Rating 8/10

Charlie & Co Burgers, Westfield Sydney

Peter and I had been talking for weeks about checking out Charlie & Co Burgers. Despite the terrible reviews I convinced Scott that paying $18 for a burger would be worth it. After all, it was created by Justin North.

The four of us sat down and quickly ordered. Cait and I being fans of mexican swiftly decide on The Macho Mexican. Scott and Peter opt for the more traditional Wagyu & Co burger. We also order two bowls of parmesan and truffle fries.

We dig into the greasy fries first. A look of instant disappointment appears. We order some aioli to kill the overbearing taste of parmesan. Although the burgers appear to be dripping in mouth watering sauce the taste is lost in the extremely thick beef patties. I struggle to eat it as falls all over the plate.

The Macho Mexican $13 out & $15 in.
Spiced minced beef, chill beans, guacamole, lettuce, cheddar, tomato salsa and sour cream.

The Wagyu & Co. Burger (extra aioli) $16 out & $18 in.
Wagyu burger with beetroot relish, pickled gherkin, aged cheddar and aioli on a sesame bun.

Parmesan and truffle fries $8.

Make no mistake the food was eaten simply because we paid through the nose.

Rating 3.5/10 (because the aioli was yum)