Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 132

EXPENSIVE
Capitan Torres SPANISH Sydney's Spanish quarter, based on Liverpool
Street (a 10-min. walk from Town Hall station on your right just past Sydney's
main cinema strip) offers some great restaurants, of which Capitan Torres is my
favorite. Downstairs is a tapas bar with traditional stools, Spanish serving staff,
and lots of authentic dark oak. Upstairs on two floors is a fabulous restaurant
with heavy wooden tables, chairs, and an atmosphere thick with sangria and
regional food. The garlic prawns are incredible, and the whole snapper a memo-
rable experience. The tapas are better at Asturiana ( & 02/9264 1010 ), another
Spanish restaurant a couple of doors down. Make sure you insist on eating at the
bar for that authentic experience. Warning: Spanish serving staff in Sydney can
be a bit gruff, so come armed with your own sense of humor.
73 Liverpool St. (just past the cinema strip on George St., near Town Hall). & 02/9264 5574. Fax 02/9283
2292. Main courses A$18-A$23 (US$12-US$15); tapas A$8-A$11 (US$5.20-US$7.15). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily
noon-3pm; Mon-Sat 6-11pm; Sun 6-10pm. CityRail: Town Hall.

Edna's Table AUSTRALIAN Jennice Kersch and brother Raymond have
Australian native cuisine in their hearts, and it shows as they introduce diners to
such exotic specialties as crocodile and assorted local seafood. Interesting combi-
nations include barramundi (a big freshwater fish from the Northern Territory)
cooked in paperbark, carpaccio of tuna with native anise, and Balmain bug (an
unusually-armored, small native crayfish), and ravioli in pepper-berry sauce. One
of Australia's national icons—the kangaroo—also hops onto the menu, despite
calls to preserve native wildlife in the wild, rather than in the refrigerator. It's all
served up in one of Sydney's most beautiful heritage buildings—refurbished in a
light and elegant style—close to the Town Hall and Queen Victoria Building.
204 Clarence St. & 02/9267 3933. Reservations recommended. Main courses A$28-A$33 (US$18-US$21).
AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch Mon-Fri noon-3pm; dinner Tues-Sat 6-10pm. CityRail: Townhall. Monorail: Park St.

INEXPENSIVE
Supreme View Café CAFE If you happen to be in the city center,
then this fabulous, largely undiscovered restaurant/cafe is a must for the great
value food and absolutely fantastic views reaching over Hyde Park and even to
the harbor. It's very large inside, has panoramic windows, and serves meals from
the counter. Breakfasts are hearty and include bacon and eggs, omelets, and cere-
als. It's particularly handy if you are staying in the lower Oxford Street area. All-
day dishes include the likes of sandwiches, Caesar salad, homemade pies, pastas,
and lasagna. Even if you're not hungry it's well worth popping in for a coffee.
Level 14, Law Courts Bldg., 184 Phillip St. (Queens Sq.). & 02/9230 8224. Main courses A$8-A$13
(US$5.20-US$8.45); coffee and cake A$5 (US$3.25). No credit cards. Mon-Fri 7am-5pm. CityRail or bus:
Museum.
Sushi Roll SUSHI The fresh, simple food at this bargain-basement take-
out is a healthy alternative to the greasy edibles with which many travelers end
up satisfying their hunger. A large range of sushi and nori rolls peek out from
behind the counter if you turn up at lunchtime, and you can eat at the tables
opposite. The gourmet sandwiches and meals served up by other establishments
in the food court here make it a good stopover after a morning's shopping and
sightseeing.
Sydney Central Plaza (downstairs in the food court next to Grace Brothers department store on Pitt St. Mall).
& 02/9233 5561. Sushi rolls A$1.70 (US$1.10) each. No credit cards. Mon-Wed and Sat 8am-7pm; Thurs
8am-10pm; Sun 10am-6pm. CityRail or bus: Town Hall.

Finds