Eggplant with Honey at El Bulli - Photo: Andrew Lim

The 2008 list is out, and again Sydney’s Tetsuya’s has again been ranked as one of the world’s top ten restaurants.

Fusing flavours of Japan with renowned French technique, Tetsuya’s was ranked ninth in the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, down from fifth last year.

Neil Perry’s Rockpool (fish) restaurant was the only other Australian restaurant squeezing inside the top 50 at number 49.

For the third successive year, Spanish restaurant El Bulli topped the global poll of industry experts - astonishingly, one of three restaurants in Spain named in the top ten.

The UK’s Fat Duck, France’s Pierre Gagnaire, Spain’s Mugaritz and chef Thomas Keller’s restaurant French Laundry, in California complete the top five.

Shannon Bennet’s Vue de Monde in Melbourne was the only other establishment in Australia in the top 100.

View the full list.

Kel lounging at the FCC - Phnom Penh

In both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh we visited the the FCC. In fact, we visited, ate and drank there several times whilst we in Phnom Penh.

After a hot day, visiting the sights of Phnom Penh, there was nothing better than sitting on the balcony overlooking Sisowath Boulevard with your drink of choice in hand as darkness descends over the confluence of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong Rivers.

Nightfall over Sisowath Boulevard

The food wasn’t bad either - in fact if you’re after a fix of flavours back home, this is one place that certainly delivers it. Or you can always try something a little more local, like the Khmer style mixed platter below.

The Khmer Platter - Duck cakes, spring roll, fish amok, by char, Cambodian curry, Beef lok lak with steamed rice and mixed sauces

Jared Ingersoll of Danks Street Depot has just released his second book “Sharing Plates” which I’m yet to check out.

However, the recipe for Baked Ricotta with cherries in a vanilla syrup (taken from the book) looks most awesome.

Check out the review for breakfast at Danks Street Depot.

Post scriptum: It may be Mother’s Day this weekend, but if you’re thinking about breakfast in bed for your Mum or wife, read this article first and think again.

One of my favourite restaurants in recent times around Sydney town, Omega (read the review from October 2005) - has closed its doors.

Word has it that owner Peter Conistis has been forced into bankruptcy and had no other alternative but to close the business, terminate employees and surrender control of the premises in the week before Christmas.

If you’re thinking of travelling to Argentina, it’s worth your while understanding that you’re probably better off not going if you’re a vegan. Vegetarians can get by, but Argentina is the meat lovers paradise. Real meat, not the processed crap you’ll find on top of a Dominos pizza, nor the type you’ll find on the shelves in your supermarket that’s been pumped full of antibiotics and never ever seen a blade of grass.

Steak is not a choice, it’s a lifestyle. Eating copious amounts of protein is an everyday thing - when the national average is twelve steaks per person, you’ve got to understand that eating steak is simply what you must do.

The afternoon steak is the workhorse steak, the backbone of the day. It’s the steak that gets you around the city, ensures a successful nap, steers you into the bar and (most importantly) gives you the mental clarity to choose the right cut of meat in the restaurant that night. Misorder the first steak and you will either find yourself losing steam by eight o’clock, when no restaurant is open, or scampering to find an awkward third bridge steak, to tide you over until dinner.

Argentina on two steaks a day. Also, Phil Chan’s been traversing the South American continent and is currently in Brazil. Check out his blog.

China’s cuisine is renowned for being “in your face” - from the BBQ dogs visible in the markets to the kebabbed scorpions sold from grimey street stalls, however there is no simple way of describing Guo-li-zhuang.

Guo-li-zhuang is a new restaurant in Beijing with a specialised menu - every dish here will contain either the testicles or penises of a wide range of animals, from seals to ox, from goat to horse.

The deer and the Mongolian goat were surprisingly similar: a little stringy, they had the appearance and feel of overcooked squid tentacles. The Xinjiang horse and the donkey, on the other hand, were quite different. Though both came sliced lengthwise, and looked like bacon, the horse was light and fatty, while the donkey had a firm colour and taste. The testicles were slightly crumbly, and tasted better with lashings of the sesame, soy and chilli dips thoughtfully provided.

Read the complete article at The Telegraph.

A short motorbike ride from the centre of Hoi An led us to a hut-like building on stilts with a large decking area, all over water. Greeted by a middle-aged woman we were brought grilled prawns with lime, tamarind crab and lotus nut soup plus several other courses as we gazed across the Hoi An river in the midday sun - all the while consuming an icy cold Saigon Green beer, or three.

What’s your ultimate food moment? Here’s what Jamie Oliver, Bill Granger, Keith Floyd and even the Prince of Wales consider as their ultimate moments.

I’m certainly not intentionally going on the search for the worst pizza in town. That prize is possibly held by the either the greasball fast food joint on Darlinghurst Road in Kings Cross or another one of the same variety on George Street. However, neither of those places would consider themselves as restaurants, more like 4am post-drink pre-taxi cab haunts for the drunkards who would not know what they are consuming at that point in time.

A late night at work and some pizza was on order, tonight from Dimitri’s on Crown Street. Half an hour later and one of most anaemic looking pizza arrives at our door. Perhaps looks aren’t everything? Perhaps they may help. Anyway, this would go on record as one of the worst pizzas ever. The best part was the base, and even that wasn’t great. Prawns - ahh yep, that’d be frozen shrimp and there’s was about 6 of those on the whole pizza. Pineapple - I think they must have run out, since pineapple is such an unusual ingredient. Zero taste and a $20 pizza that would be better served lining a cat litter box. That’s one place we wont be going back to!

So.. have you got any recommendations for pizza in the Surry Hills area?