Gone but not forgotten 2020 - our annual round up of farewells in the year

This year we've been dreading writing this list of places closed over 2020. While it feels like the last thing you want to read, we feel it is important to reflect and remember on what has passed over the food retail rainbow. 

Kusuka ~ Indonesian/Strayan, Darling Square

Kusuka, our favourite IndoStrayan cafe, has moved again, this time to Darling Square. Any excuse to revisit Kusuka...

Satuco ~ Indonesian, Campsie Centre Shopping Mall

Ah, an Indonesian stall in a shopping centre food court, now that something we'd like to see Australia-wide.  We'd much rather get a bakmi ayam than a McBurger after a trip to Big W.

Li's Chengdu Kitchen ~ Chinese, Burwood

We heart Chengdu noodles and snacks at Li's Chengdu Kitchen in Burwood.

VN Streetfoods ~ Vietnamese, Wolli Creek

If you can't beat the crowds to Marrickville's legendary VN Street Foods, give their Wolli Creek branch a whirl.

Bite Cave ~ Balinese Indonesian - Bondi Junction

What's that Robin? There's a Balinese joint in Bondi Junction? Quick, to the Bite Cave!

Mogu Mogu ~ Japanese - Chinatown

In our eternal search for hole-in-the-wall restos with outdoor seating we discover that Japanese sweetie shop Mogu Mogu on George Street has a donburi (stuff on rice) menu. Happy happy!

Galbi Korean Charcoal BBQ, Waterloo

Galbi in Waterloo has been one of our little saviours during the zombie apocalypse - outdoor seating, purdy bonsai garden and healthy delicious food. 

Everest BBQ ~ Nepalese, Rockdale

It's not hard to find a Nepalese restaurant in Rockdale these days, there seems to be a momo joint on every corner. But the smokey siren call of Everest BBQ gets us in, smack bang outside the railway station.

C-Side Function Centre & Kiosk - Greek Fish 'n' Chips, Kyeemagh

Seek out the pointed spire along General Holmes Drive for a taste of the Greek isles mixed with fish 'n' chip shop classics.

Killiney Kopitiam - Singaporean ~ Central Park, Chippendale

A small bite of Singapore sits inside the lower levels of Central Park. Mee rebus, soft googies, sock coffee and kaya toast await at Killiney Kopitiam

Yummy Noodle & BBQ ~ Chinese, Chinatown

Our favourite spicy noodle soups in Chinatown right now are at Yummy Noodle & BBQ in Chinatown.

Taste of Nanking ~ Chinese - Zetland

Ah, the golden mile that is Gadigal Ave in Zetland gives it up once again.

Superbowl Rides Again!

The very much loved iconic Superbowl in Dixon Street Mall shut its doors during the zombie apolcalypse, news that even made the  hoighty toighty pages of Gourmet Traveller.  Along with the recent closure of BBQ King and the long-gone glory of Supermeal, we were beginning to think Chinatown's wonderful old school Cantonese restos were just a Tsingtao soaked memory.

Crab Noodles at Christies Seafoods, Sydney Fish Market

Another of life's little mysteries solved: crab noodles at Sydney Fish Market.

B-Kyu Newsletter - yes, we have one!

Pssst. Hey mate, we've started a newsletter. You know you want to subscribe.

Chili Express ~ Chinese, Mascot Central

More great zombie-proof dining in Mascot Central.

Xi'an Cuisine ~ Chinese, Haymarket/Chinatown

Our quest to find outdoor dining with b-kyu street-cred during the zombie invasion brings us back  to Xi'an Cuisine on Hay Street, one of Chinatown's golden great hole-in-the wall restos.

B-Kyu Armchair Travels - Melaka, Malaysia

We made it to Melaka for New Years Eve, where the pussycats sleep in tangles, musical Hello Kitty rickshaws rule the streets and we find the remains of great civic building projects, both good and bad, old and new.

Shalom - Indonesian, Mascot Central

The new bit of Mascot around the train station is just getting better and better food-wise. And it just got closer!

Cho Express A Taste of Taiwan ~ Zetland

There was an excellent-but-sad article on the struggles of Sydney's Chinatown in Gourmet Traveller last week. On top of the mentioned zombie invasion woes, Chinatown now also competes with surrounding suburbs for bums on seats.

B-Kyu travels: A quick stopover in Johor Baru ~ Malaysia

Johor Baru - just over the border from Singapore, with the longest customs wait in the world.

The Peach Chinese Noodle Bar ~ Mascot

We're over the moon to see restaurants reopen after lockdown, though we're still a bit coronanoid thus sticking to restos we can sit outside, like The Peach Noodle Bar in Mascot.

Kurumac - Takeaway version ~ Japanese - Marrickville

We continue our eating / walking / takeaway series with bento lunch from Kurumac in Marrickville.

B-Kyu cooks: Not our mother's corned beef recipe

A recipe for spiced corned beef, but not how our mother's would make it.

Sharon Kwan Kitchen ~ Malaysian, Petersham

Is it a caterer? Is it a takeaway? Is it a restaurant? It's Sharon Kwan Kitchen, and she is everything.

Sydney Cebu Lechon ~ Filipino, Enmore

Another of our pre lockdown meals , this time at Sydney Cebu Lechon on Enmore Road. Oh, dining out, how we miss you!

Alex 'N' Rolls ~ Vietnamese Street Food, Marricvkille

Our adventures in walking and takeaway continue with Alex N' Rolls in Marrickville.

Bon Japanese Restaurant ~ Canterbury

A worthy final meal out before the zombie invasion at Bon Japanese in Canterbury. Turns out to be final in many ways.

Pochito Chilean Street Food ~ Mascot

As takeaway food is the new normal and going outside becomes a treat, we do our exercise with a purpose and walk to Pochito Chilean Street Food in Mascot.

B-Kyu travels: A Couple of Days in Singapore

Over the New Years holidays we had the (now privileged and lucky) opportunity to travel to Singapore, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. We started off with a couple of days in the Garden City, ever changing and still surprising.

Brazilian Flame Meats and Barbeque ~ Zetland

 Essential eating for the carnivorous.

Ayam Ayam ~ Indonesian, Maroubra Junction

Ayam Ayam is by the folks from the glorious Medan Ciak,  reason enough to mosey out to Maroubra.

Ibby's Seafood - Lebanese Fish'n'Chips, Lakemba

Ah Lakemba, what a place to eat! We went out to try an Indian Chinese restaurant but it was closed, so we try Lebanese fish and chips instead.

Jilat Jilat Malaysian Cafe ~ Darlinghurst

Our new favourite Malaysian resto...

Ajisen Ramen & The Century Bar - and ten years of blogging

In 2010 we wondered if writing a food blog would be a good idea. Flash forward ten years later.

Hong Kong Kitchen ~ Wolli Creek

Broken hearted from the closure of the glorious Ching Yip Coffee Lounge, we try Hong Kong Kitchen in Wolli Creek for our dose of Hong Kong cafe food.

Valentine's Day Romance at Woolies Town Hall Cafe

This year for Valentines Day we venture outside our inner west bubble, head up the escalators and into the Met2 Cafe at Woolworths Town Hall. It's all gravy, jelly and romance.

Kushboo Sweets and Restaurant ~ Bangladeshi - Lakemba

Lakemba closes off streets and slings on its finest threads for Bengali New Year in April. We tagged along by accident and ended up eating a traditional new year meal at Kushboo Sweets and Restaurant.

Thai sweets stall - Chinatown

Chinatown now has a small stall selling Thai snacks for a dollar a pop. Giddy up.

El Manara Lebanese Restaurant ~ Lakemba

Racking up two decades of service in Haldon Street, El Manara Lebanese Restaurant is a quiet, but tasty, achiever. You can bet a pink pickle on it.

Check In Street Food Bar ~ Thai, Eating World Food Court, Chinatown

There's something special about the stall in Eating World Foodcourt where Check In Streetfood Bar resides. Maybe it's the eye-catching corner location. Or maybe it's a bit of foodcourt magic.

Moka ~ Japanese, Beaconsfield

We were sniffing around Green Square Station and bumped into Moka, which specialises in omurice, a Japanese hunger buster of omellette covered rice, plus sauce.

In 1980s Skewer BBQ ~ Chinese, Chinatown

While much of Sydney Chinatown is going modern, In 1980s Skewer BBQ is taking a trip back to the eighties.

Chinatown Noodle Restaurant ~ Chinese - Town Hall, CBD

We make so many visits to Chinatown Noodle Restaurant it starts to feel like Groundhog Day. Queue repeats of "I Got B-KYOU Babe."