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Teriyaki
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Everyone loves Teriyaki, it is a style of cooking literally meaning glaze and grill. The shiny sauce is used to coat meats, fish and vegetables and can be found on every Japanese menu around the country. Some restaurants make their own sauce from passed down family recipes making the experience unique and special. Teriyaki chicken is a common filling for sushi, while a simple piece of Teriyaki Salmon can make a memorable meal.
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Japanese
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Sushi
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Sushi is the ‘vinegared rice’ used to stuff the rolls and a variety of other ingrediants such as raw fish with nori seaweed, avocado and cucumber or chicken teriyaki. They are served with spicy wasabi and soy sauce to give them a kick!
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Japanese
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Pad Thai
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If your not sure what to order at a Thai restaurant you can't go wrong with Pad Thai! Definitely one of the most popular Thai dishes that consists of noodles, dried shrimp, chicken, red chillies, tamarind and thai basil. Some restaurants are now introducing a ‘chilli beef’ pad Thai which gives a whole different texture and flavour to the dish.
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Thai
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Thai Spring Rolls
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Not unlike the Chinese version, these are served in most thai restaurants you come across. Deep fried in pancake rolls, some are vegetarian and others include chicken, duck or prawns with herbs and spices. Usually served with a sweet chilli dip or a sweet plumb sauce, they are delicious as you crunch into the pastry wrapper and reveal the delicious contents!
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Thai
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Tom Yum
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The most famous of Thai soups, Tom Yum is spicy and sour and utterly delicious. Served usually with prawns and chicken, the flavours are created by crushing all the herbs into a paste and stir frying in oil. To make the soup, stock is added and topped off with fresh herbs. Tom Yum Soup is often served with a bowl of steamed rice.
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Thai
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French Onion Soup
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Soft and delicious caramelized onions are steeped in a beautiful broth, laced with cognac and white wine, a truly warming soup that is good at any time of the year. A crouton of bread with cheese melted on the top (usually gruyere) is placed in the middle of the bowl and eaten with the soup, dunked in so that the cheese oozes all the way through the soup!
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French
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Tapas
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Tapas has had a rapid rise in popularity over the last 5 years due to the sociability of eating in groups in a casual way. Lots of small dishes are provided as ‘taster’ type delights, consisting of food such as ham and cheese croquettes (croquetas), garlic prawns (gambas ajillo), patatas bravas (spiced potato, garlic and tomato baked dish), tortilla (Spanish omelette) and many others. Usually eaten with a good bottle of Spanish wine.
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Spanish
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Chorizo
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A spicy hard sausage that is used in many dishes, or served on its own as part of a tapas. When fried, the deep red colour seeps into the pan (the colour comes from the smoked paprika from which the sausage is made). Can be served sliced in baguettes or included in other dishes, including potato dishes, it adds a different texture and warmth to whichever meal you have.
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Spanish
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Rillette
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Rillettes are the perfect party food, great for a mid week lunch and fabulous as something to share as part of a meal. Rillettes are made by simmering meats (usually pork, duck or rabbit) for a long time until they are mouth meltingly tender and then mixed into a rich paste. Served with crusty French bread rillettes can also be made from fish such as salmon, trout or smoked fish. We also found a vegetable rillettes made from eggplant and olive - not traditional but an alternative.
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French
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Bouillabaisse
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A rich and deep fish stew made from virtually any fish that you can find, originally made by the Breton and Normandy fisherman at the end of a days’ catch. The fish, heads and tails, are thrown into a huge steaming pot with saffron, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, celery, you name it. Any amount of fish and shellfish are used, but traditionally the rule is no less than five fish! Served as a steaming bowl with a rouille (a garlic style mayonnaise) and crusty French bread or baguettes.
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French
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Gazpacho
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A summery cold soup, very traditional but also made in several different ways in restaurants. The base of the soup is tomato and pepper which as been blitzed from raw, and with the addition of cucumber, onions, tarragon and garlic. A dish of diced cucumber, capsicum and avocado in salsa-style is served to the side to sprinkle over your soup, along with garlic croutons. A very delicious appetiser
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Spanish
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Chicken Wings
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Chicken wings – barbecue marinade, spicy chilli marinade and even southern fried coating are predominant in American restaurants. Small wings and even tiny drumsticks are served, skin on with a delicate marinade and a selection of dips, such as barbecue, chilli, blue cheese and lime and pepper. Sometimes chargrilled and other times cooked in the oven and oozing in sauce. Starter portions are usually quite large!
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American
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Meat Loaf
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A staple dish in the USA, meatloaf is usually cooked in the oven and consists of a combination of meats such as minced beef, pork or chicken, laden with onions, herbs and spices and usually served with a gravy or spicy tomato sauce. Sometimes served with fries and salad or even coleslaw or roasted vegetables and even mashed potato, a classic meal eaten in households all over the US.
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American
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Burgers
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What is an American restaurant without burgers? Every US café and restaurant in Australia will serve burgers and plenty of different varieties and toppings. Usually come with bacon, cheese, barbeque sauce, jalapenos, lettuce and tomatoes inside a seeded bun. Other varieties include chilli burgers (served with minced beef) ranch burgers served with blue cheese and Italian burgers served with crisped up pancetta and mozzarella. Side dishes are usually fries and salads.
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American
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Caesar Salad
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Originating in New York, way back in the early 1900’s this salad is served in every restaurant in the US. Crisp Romaine lettuce is served with a parmesan and garlic mayonnaise, anchovies and croutons, with more grated fresh parmesan on the top. Some restaurants also serve this dish with a boiled egg, or serve as a Chicken Caesar Salad.
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American
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Fries or Chips
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Still predominant on menus, chips or fries are served in so many different ways now. Fat chips or skinny fries, curly fries, straight cut or skin-on wedges are all served with various meals or on their own. Some of the fries are served just salted, but others are seasoned with spices such as Cajun, to make them that little bit hotter. Usually served with dips or sauces such as barbecue sauce, ranch dressing or just plain tomato sauce.
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American
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Moussaka
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An oven baked lasagna style dish but with the pasta being replaced by layers of eggplant. In between the layers is a delicious mix of spiced minced lamb with oregano and tomatoes. The whole dish is topped with a béchamel sauce and baked in the oven until the top is bubbling and golden. Some moussakas have a more savoury custard topping. Moussaka is made differently from restaurant to restaurant and can include sliced courgettes or part fried potato slices, depending on the chef’s recipes.
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Greek
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Kleftiko
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A joint of lamb, usually a whole leg which has been slow roasted until it falls of the bone. Cooked with garlic, lemon, potatoes and onions with plenty of oregano and thyme and tomatoes. Often the lamb is wrapped in paper and sealed to keep in the flavour and left for many hours on a low heat. Very delicious and very Greek!
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Greek
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Spanakopita
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A Greek savoury pastry often served as a starter or a snack, consisting of filo pastry wrapped around a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese, onions, egg and seasoning. The dish is usually served as a triangular pastry, but some restaurants make large trays, almost pie like, and cut out wedges to serve with a mixed salad and yoghurt dip.
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Greek
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Thai Green Curry
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Thai food is famous for its curries and the Green curry is probably the most famous of the lot. Made from fresh chillies, lemongrass, shrimp paste, galangal, garlic, lime leaves and coriander, Thai green curry paste has a fabulous distinctive flavour and is mixed with coconut cream to make the curry creamy. Quite often served with green beans and pea aubergines and mountains of jasmine rice, it is a heart warming dish that is loved by Thai food fans around the world.
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Thai
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Boeuf Bourguignon
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Another classic French dish very hearty and wholesome. A rich red wine sauce with tender braised beef, carrots, onions and cubes of bacon or pancetta really fills you up. The addition of herbs and garlic brings out the flavour of the meat to perfection. Crusty French bread is served with the meal to mop up the juices!
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French
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Pate de Campagne
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Another rustic French dish, originated by farmers wives, particularly in the North of France made by using up any meat that was available, along with herbs, garlic and sometimes brandy or cognac. Usually rough cut and cooked in a terrine in the oven, served as a starter with bread and cornichons (gherkins)
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French
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Spanish Omelette
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There are many varieties of the spanish omelette but the true variation only consists of eggs with potato and onions with a hint of garlic. Nowadays restaurants also serve them with capsicum and they are frequently part of a tapas platter. Usually sliced into wedges and served with bread, the Spanish often make this dish into a sandwich!
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Spanish
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Paella
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Paella is served in huge circular pans, set in the middle of the table for sharing. Originating in Valencia in the l9th Century, when it was essentially a rice dish with vegetables and seafood or meat, most paellas are now mixed and include chicken, squid, vegetables, rice, saffron and white wine, with heaps of garlic! The rice is often left to ‘crisp’ up on the base of the pan and needs scraping to remove – very delicious.
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Spanish
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Lamb
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‘Chuletillas de Cordero – beautiful little tender lamb chops are cooked with a garlic and salt crust. Can be served as a tapas hot or cold, but usually served with a side dish of crispy potato cubes, marinated in herbs and garlic and fried. Very tasty.
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Spanish
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Pancakes
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Served as part of a breakfast or as a dessert, you cannot escape pancakes in all forms and fashions in an American restaurant. For breakfast, which tends to be all day in American restaurants in Sydney, they are served with thin and crispy rashers of bacon and maple syrup. For dessert, they can be served with fruit and syrup, ice cream and even extra cream. Banana pancakes are one of the most popular served.
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American
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Mezze
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Traditional starter of an array of small plates of Greek food, similar to eating tapas style in Spain. Regular dishes include hummus (chickpeas with garlic and tahini) taramasalata ( fish roe), felafels and kofte (spicy meatballs or cigar shaped formed meat with herbs, spice and onions), grilled octopus, grilled halloumi cheese and an aubergine salad, plus many more. Served with pitta bread for dipping and cucumber and mint tsatsiki
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Greek
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Souvlaki
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An Amazing Greek dish consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. Check with the staff to the scale of heat as it has been know to surprise people! Be brave and add more spice with a hot chill sauce or soften the heat with garlic yoghurt or hummus
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Greek
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Baclava
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Very sweet and almost ‘teeth-curling’ this is a delicious Greek pastry served as a dessert and comprising of flaky filo pastry, crisp on the outside but with a gooey filling of cinnamon spiced nuts and dried fruit bathed in honey or a sweet syrup. Whilst sold in restaurants as a dessert, it is often found in Greek delis and sandwich shops.
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Greek
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Mango Lassi
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Served in most Asian restaurants, it is probably a ‘signature smoothie’ type of drink. Fresh mangoes with yoghurt and light spices poured over ice – absolutely delicious and refreshing to the palate and takes away any heat from spicy food still burning your tongue!
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Asian
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Beer
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Singha and Kloster are the most consumed Thai beers. Singha was originally brewed over 80 years ago in Thailand by members of the Thai nobility. Fairly strong and ‘hoppy’ tasting, it is made from barley and has 6% alcohol content. Kloster is a much smoother beer and a little more expensive.
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Thai
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Whisky
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Some restaurants in Australia serve a selection of Thai whiskies. The whisky is made from rice and is sharp and sweet, but very high in alcohol content at 35%. Mekong and Kwangthong are popular brands. It is not a cheap drink to buy, even though its cheaper in Thailand than beer!
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Thai
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Lemongrass Soda
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Very refreshing drink made with lemon grass syrup and mixed with soda or sparkling water, garnished with lemon slices and served over ice. Sometimes garnished with Thai basil to give a more herby taste.
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Thai
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Thai Papaya Smash
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A wonderful cocktail mainly served in the medium to larger restaurants. Made with fresh papaya, orange and a shot of tequila and dash of freshly squeezed lime it has both a bitter and sweet taste. The addition of agave nectar brings more sweetness, but sometimes you have to ask for it.
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Thai
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Kir Royale
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Champagne based cocktail, with a touch of blackcurrant cordial. A kir is simply made with white wine and cordial, but the royale is always made with champagne. Usually served in a fluted champagne glass using house champagne. A great deal of champagnes come from the town of Rheims, where many large and well-known ‘houses’ are situated.
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French
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Chablis
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A classic French white wine from the northern part of the burgundy region, made primarily from the chardonnay grape. A very clean white wine but with a deeper flavour than Sauvignons, almost ‘flinty’ and with very little oaking apparent. Moderately priced, it vies for attention with Pouilly Fume and Pouilly Fuisse which are also very popular but tend to be slightly more expensive
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French
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Sangria
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This is a lovely refreshing ‘punch’ style drink, served in big pitchers or jugs and set on the table for everyone to share. Alcohol content varies, as some restaurants make it the traditional way with red wine, chopped fruit and brandy, while others make it a cooler, longer drink with red wine and soda or lemonade, but still with copious amount of fruit. Called Sangria due to its deep red colour (sangria means ‘blood’ in Spanish) it is served in restaurants and pubs in Australia in the summer months, with lots of ice. Fruit often includes apples, oranges, melon, pears and nectarines, more or less any fruit available.
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Spanish
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Naranja
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The Spanish are very proud of their oranges, so much so that they make a big thing out of serving fresh juice ‘presse’ style, which means the oranges are freshly pressed only when the drink is ordered. The oranges tend to be very sweet and are often used in cocktail style beverages, particularly with a touch of Grenadine and a green liquer such as crème de menthe or Chartreuse. Whichever way, the drink is a kick of sunshine.
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Spanish
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Rioja Wine
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The most prolific Spanish wine served, Rioja is popular with red wine drinkers, whether amateurs or connoisseurs. Deep and fruity from the Rioja region of Spain, it comes in many varieties, but a good example should be smooth and velvety. Varies in price, but a good one can be purchased at a relatively cheap price.
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Spanish
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American Beers
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Some of the larger American restaurants serve all types of beer including stouts, ales, lagers, wheat beers and special brews, sometimes up to 40 different types. The bigger restaurants will also tend to have custom brews, which are usually smooth and wheaty. Cider has also become popular, even though in the US it is not so prevalent. Bottled beers are also readily available and will almost always be American.
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American
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Manhattan
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One of the most famous American cocktails, this is normally promoted in most American-style restaurants. Cocktail list is usually pretty comprehensive, but the Manhattan is probably the most asked for. A mixture of whisky (usually rye whisky), sweet vermouth and bitters, it is stirred or shaken with great gusto and then strained into a cocktail glass. Sometimes it is served as a longer drink over ice in a highball glass. Decorated with a cherry or a slice of lemon, most restaurants will serve variations of this cocktail with other elements.
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American
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Ouzo
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Traditional Greek drink served as an aperitif, although Greek people will drink it at any time! Quite a firey spirit, totally clear until water is added and it becomes cloudy. Almost aniseed in flavour, not unlike the French Pernod, but stronger.
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Greek
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Rakomello
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This is more like a ‘hot toddy’ and made with the incredibly alcoholic raki spirit, but mellowed down with water, honey, cloves and cinnamon. Served hot, it is particularly popular in winter months – worth trying, it is quite unique, and the Greeks use it for ‘medicinal purposes’ !!
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Greek
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Retsina
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Another traditional Greek wine, not known for its smoothness. It has been resonated with pine to preserve the wine, an age old tradition from thousands of years ago. It pairs effortlessly with dishes containing herbs such as rosemary, oregano and dill and is a good accompaniment to chicken and fish dishes. Crisp and quite a herbal taste, but some people really like it. Retsina is also available in a rose version but not all restaurants stock it – do ask though, as it is eminently more palatable than the white version!
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Greek
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Sake
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Sake is a Japanese fermented rice drink, usually served warm and frequently called ‘rice wine’. It is served in small china bottles or in small ‘cup’ style vessels in very small quantities! An acquired taste and quite pungent!
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Sushi, Japanese
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