Vasco Bar, Surry Hills

Photo from Vasco Bar owners

Boisterous, fun, unapologetically loud, and a bit rough around the edges. Not really a place for conversation, quite likely somewhere you'll do shots and definitely somewhere you'll leave with ears ringing. The mischievous Italian bar tenders are insistent that you have a good time. In a few words: Italian Rock n' Roll bar.

Vasco Bar
421 Cleveland St
Surry Hills 
Night: Tues - Sun

Chur Burger, Surry Hills

Oozey gooey beef burger, $10

These burgers are the bomb. They're not made from a catalogue of ingredients, just a few select things done really well. Indulgent, sweet, oozey and damn good (check the photos). The light, sweet brioche bun is the hero here, and ordering a diet alternative would be missing the point. Don't overlook the perfectly cooked sweet potatoes fries, either.

If you set up at the bar, you get a very intimate look into the burger prep. Hip-hop beats and the swift chef work = contagious energy. 

Chur is probably the best burger I've tried and funnily enough, the cheapest too. Fish, beef, pork, chickpea or chicken; all of them check in at $10. Thank you, Good Chur.

The main thing that separates Chur from other burger joints? They're made by chefs, not cooks.

Chur Burger
48 Albion St
Surry Hills 
Lunch: Mon  -Sat
Dinner: Tues - Sat

The Apollo, Potts Point

Village Salad, olives, Karanika Wine

I came to The Apollo for my Birthday a few months ago and couldn't be happier with the choice. 

First is the restaurant itself. That romantic Grecian room is damn easy on the eyes. The décor is dramatic, but somehow understated.  Those arched windows, the time-worn columns, golden lighting and the peeling white walls. Warm, sultry and lively with diners. The perfect mix of good feelings. One might call it an ambience trifecta. 

The Greek food here is as beautiful. It's what I love so much about Mediterranean cuisine; the ability to extract so much flavour from a few well-sourced ingredients. As a cheese enthusiast, ordering the baked cheese dish was a no-brainer. Golden fried haloumi came out sizzling in a little pan, covered in bubbling honey and dried oregano. So friggen good. 

We had a group table, but the L shaped bar is super sexy. I want to sit there next time.

Our waitress was so accommodating and lovely that we felt compelled to invite her to sit and have birthday cake with us afterwards.

The Apollo
44 Macleay St
Elizabeth Bay
Lunch: Fri - Sun
Dinner: Tues - Sun