High Street Bistro, Willoughby

It's hard not to be immediately charmed by a local restaurant that has a wheelbarrow full of fresh produce out the front, as well as a 'doggy parking' area complete with water bowls for our four-legged friends. Sir D and I are lunching at High Street Bistro which is packed on a Sunday. A voucher deal for 3 courses for two for only $39 keeps our wallets happy, but the normal prices aren't too steep, with around a $30 average for main courses.

Pancetta wrapped scallops with black pudding and horseradish broth

Pancetta wrapped scallops combines two of my favourite things - scallops and cured pork. The black pudding is a nice dash of saltiness while the horseradish broth (which is actually more like a cream-based sauce) adds some zing to the dish. The scallops are cooked perfectly and the pancetta is wonderfully crisp, so it's great start to the meal.

Pan fried handmade ricotta and basil gnocchi with burnt sage butter and parmesan

It's hard not to like this light-as-air ricotta gnocchi, especially when it's being bathed in a burnt butter and sage sauce. The gnocchi is topped with baby asparagus spears, crispy fried sage leaves and shavings of parmesan.

Fish and chips with tartare sauce

Ramen Zundo, Sydney

Move over Gumshara, there's a new ramen place in town! Ramen Zundo is located in the World Square shopping precinct - not in the underground shopping area where Coles is but on the ground floor level in one of the corridors that connects to Liverpool Street.

Menu

The menu is relatively short and sweet, with a few different broths and flavours for ramen, as well as Japanese curry and sides. Order and pay at the counter, before taking a number and a seat. It's not too long before a steaming hot bowl of ramen is placed in front of you.

Zundo black - $11.80

Snacking in Hong Kong

Shopping all day can work up an appetite, but luckily in Hong Kong there are places to eat around every corner. Here are just some of the snacks that I ate along the way...

Hong Kong Egg waffles - HK$15 (about AU$2)

You can't go to Hong Kong without trying egg waffles, or gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔). Every time I go to Hong Kong, I try to eat as many of these as possible because they're so good! They are made by pouring a batter made from eggs, flour, sugar and evaporated milk onto a hot waffle iron with round indentations. Each egg-shaped bubble is filled with a soft cakey centre but the rest of the waffle is wonderfully crispy. They come in a range of different flavours nowadays, but I almost always get the original "egg" flavour. My favourite vendor is North Point Egg Waffle which has several locations around Hong Kong.

Wonton noodles including a side dish - HK$42