@chocolatesuze Better late than never but Pantry Story is incredible, best buttery pastry! #sydneyfood #stanmore #sydneybakery ♬ Carefree Days – Peaceful Reveries

I am probably the last person in Sydney to visit Pantry Story but today was finally the day!

The iconic round table in the centre of the room has all the baked goods available for the day and I can only imagine how I looked as I kept circling around trying to decide what to get. Be sure to order the palm sugar latte, it is insane and tastes like liquid Kendal

We started off with the prawn and chicken sausage roll which was phenomenal, super juicy centre and incredibly flaky and buttery pastry.

The special of the day was the crab rangoon with puff pastry filled with both real and imitation crab meat, sour cream and cheese sauce.

The focaccia is a winner, served warmed and toasty and absolutely packed full of kimchi and cheese.

And finally a must order is the honey butter croissant which has the perfect sweet and salty balance.

@chocolatesuze Fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant with the best charred octopus #surryhills #shaffa #sydneyfood ♬ Night of Arará II – Miki Ikhifa & Nubalix

I love sitting at the bar looking into an open kitchen because it’s like dinner and a show. Get yourself to Shaffa in Surry Hills and make sure you order the super fluffy focaccia and the hummus with crispy chick peas.

Everything was 10/10, but the charred octopus is a must-order. The way the smokiness of the octopus plays with the spicy sujuk and the sweet crushed tomatoes? Pure magic.

Another winner is the cauliflower loaded with creamy garlic labneh, a kick of chili, and the perfect crunch from almonds and fried kale.

And we couldn’t resist the chicken cigars with shatteringly crisp pastry shells filled with juicy chicken, drizzled with bittersweet pomegranate molasses and raw tahini and scattered with toasted seed nibs.

@chocolatesuze Fave wine bar with a sunlit courtyard #lavantcave #paddington #sydneyrestaurant #creatorsearchinsight ♬ original sound – ChocolateSuze

I love a long lunch and L’vant Cave in Paddington is the perfect place with a beautiful sunny courtyard out the back of the P&V Wine Store. 

We start off with half a dozen baked Coffin Bay oysters in the most incredible garlic butter sauce. 

Then onto the fruits de mer, we ordered one of everything. The trout tartare is beautifully fresh, the smoked eel brandade are fried to a pleasing crunch; the mackerel rillettes are smooth and rich and the Dory roe with crisps is a fun and delicious snack perfect with drinks. 

The garlic snails on toast is a must order, the snails are perfectly tender but the sauce! Buttery and deeply fragrant of herbs, it was out of this world and I would like a never ending subscription please.

The pigeon liver parfait on toast is decadently rich. The parfait is smooth and melts on the tongue and the gamey earthiness of the liver is tempered with shavings of orange zest.

 We shared the steak which was perfectly tender and had the most intense flavourful jus and I just had to order the chocolate mousse which was the perfect balance of bitter and sweet.

@chocolatesuze Cosy date night vibes #vincenzos #sydney #darlinghurst #sydneyrestaurant ♬ champagne – G Sounds