I think it’s only fair if I put up another post about Sydney’s Best Foods for Cheap prices, but this time, with some Western options. I love Asian food - as I’m sure this fact is clearly reflected in my postings - but I also like Western food. I think the main reason as to why I tend to consume a lot of Asian food in Sydney is simply because there are so many places serving good food for reasonable value. They’re also often very fast and no fuss. This time though, I will talk about my favourite place for a cheap steak and burger.
Right opposite Campbell Street - ThaiTown as discussed earlier with Chat Thai and @ Bangkok - sits a bar called “The Haymarket Hotel”. It’s actually more of a lounge space rather than a bar. I really like the atmosphere of this place. They’re opened for lunch time until late at night, and the atmosphere is always really casual and stress free. Unlike other lounges in Sydney, you don’t have the urge to wear something fancy or dress up when you go to The Haymarket Hotel.
They have a bar in the middle where you can get drinks, with many different types of beers on tap. They also have big TV and a projector if you want to catch the sporting events that may be on. For me, I always go there for the food, and maybe a beer. They have really good deals here for the food. Similar to many bars in Sydney, they have implemented the strategy to have what you could call a “daily offer” whereby certain dishes can be bought for about $12, with a beer! But if you don’t drink, you could find options for about $10 as well.
I’ve tried their Fish and Chips, House Burger and Steak. Out of all the dishes, I would go back to order the burger again. The patty is always well seasoned and grilled for just the right amount of time. The sauce for the burger is nice and the vegetables are fresh. I always leave the place satisfied after having their burger. The fish and chips is not too bad either. One thing about though, is that I find the fish a bit too oily. This seems to be a reoccurring theme with a few fish and chips orders nowadays. I don’t know whether this is a part of their recipe or the kitchen’s just too busy too leave the fish to drain, but I just don’t enjoy eating oily battered fish. Other than that, it’s a massive serving and an overall good dish. The steak is not too horrible. It’s the best cut and don’t expect anything too much for $10 to $12. The sauce is decent, but they never really give enough for you to fully appreciate and enjoy. The steak is quite tough and chewy, which could either be a good or a bad thing depending on your preference.
I would recommend The Haymarket Hotel for its chill ambience and overall good food and drinks. If you do pop in, try to get a jug of beer or cider. A jug is something less than $12 I think, so it’s definitely a good buy if you’re with a few mates, or if you’re just feeling super worn out and thirsty. As I said it is located just across from Campbell Street - where Starbucks is - on George Street. The exact address you could put into Google Maps if you want to be extra sure is 661 George Street! I will also leave the link of The Haymarket Hotel before, whereby you could check out the promotions as well as the food and drinks menus.
Another place I would recommend you to go a meal is at cafe called “Caffe Tiamo” just behind Worldsquare. Before I forget, the exact address is 374 Pitt Street. The name is Italian (or is it Spanish, I speak French so could only assume here), but the cafe is a replica of the famous Korean cafe trends in the city. It’s a very cozy place and is my number cafe I turn to when I want to connect to decent internet and get some work (and you tubing) done.
Most importantly, you would not regret ordering what I think is the best Green Tea and Taro Lattes in the city. The green tea latter is actually not made from the same type of tea we would often associate with Japanese green tea. I believe it to be like an extract or a concentrate of green tea flavors, but much sweeter. This is then steamed with warm milk, and voila, delicious! The taro latte has that sweet taro flavour, just like if you are drinking the tea from Chatime or EasyWay. They also have other drinks, and the coffee here is not bad either. The baristas clearly know what they’re doing, but when they’re busy, they don't tend to pump up coffees and drinks very fast, understandable at times.
As for the food, they do have one of the best Asian-influenced burger patties around. It is a bit more expensive than the burger I talked about at The Haymarket Hotel, the size and the taste make up for it. The burger is massive. It has the usuals like lettuce, onions and tomatoes. It also has a fried egg, which is somewhat Asian. But the best of all is the meat. It has hints of garlic and Asian sauces, most probably sweet soy sauce and a touch of sesame oil. I’m not chef so I wouldn't know but if you do try it you’ll know exactly what I mean. It’s full of flavour and it’s what a patty should be. And of course, you can't forget the mayo that's lying on top of the meat, and the beautifully grilled buns. Yum.You may also try their salt and pepper squids, as shown in the picture. It’s not too bad, but it’s a smaller portion since it’s considered to be like a snack kind of plate.
You really will have loads of choices for good food and drinks here. They also have sweets and desserts. Did I mention that they also have free Wifi? They have both indoor seatings and a terrace in the back. During good days, I would recommend you head out to the back terrance and chill there. It’s not facing the busy streets and it’s got that rooftop kind of feel to it - although it’s literally on the second floor with open roof.
The cafe does get quite busy and seatings do get limited. It is a small cafe so the first come first serve rule is very important. If you’re a group of four to six people or more, chances are you’ll be seated outside in the terrace, since the tables are bit difficult to rearrange due to the limited space. If you’re alone or just with a friend or two, you should be fine. If not and you really can’t be bothered, head over to the corner of Pitt Street and Liverpool Street to Cherry Bean Cafe; it’s another awesome place.
And there we have it with two other great options to eat, drink and relax. I would suggest that you check out their respected websites prior to going for latest news and offers.
http://www.thehaymarkethotel.com.au/home/
