2020 was the year when we were all basically locked up in our houses, unable to travel to different places and use #travelgram. While our travel goals were put on hold, our taste buds continued to graze the global table of plenty in Sydney. American, British, Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Lebanese restaurants in Sydney remained open. Thank goodness we are a diverse lot! We still had access to dishes from delicious Indian curry to the usual serving of pies and fish and chips.
With feet firmly planted in Aussie soil, we continue our food journey this 2021 with chicken! There are hundreds of chicken restaurants in Sydney which is just a portion of over 19,000 restaurants in the city according to World Cities Culture forum. It is a good time to explore new cuisines especially if you’re a fan of chicken! It’s time to move out of our usual fried chicken lives and introduce some new flavors.
Filipino chicken adobo
One particular cuisine that’s slowly making itself known to the world is Filipino food. In the US, Philippine dishes are making waves in New York and Los Angeles. In Sydney, there is a thriving community of Filipinos who will tell you that their Chicken Adobo is truly a dish worth trying thanks to some YouTube influencers. The mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in this classic recipe seeps into the chicken meat while spreading a distinctive aroma. The end result: a salty and sour ensemble best served with rice.
Lebanese charcoal chicken
Lebanon is located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. And we all know that this cuisine has been extremely popular especially among the health-conscious. Described as light, fresh, and balanced, Med cuisine has gained a following amongst Australians thanks to Middle Eastern / Lebanese restaurants in Sydney. While there are so many dishes Mediterranean cuisine can offer, there is one particular recipe worth trying. This is the charcoal chicken in Granville. Also called farrouj meshwi, this grilled dish boasts a smokey garlic flavor with a kick of lemony sumac best paired with unleavened bread.
Malaysian chicken rendang
Filipino and Lebanese restaurants in Sydney are not the only cuisines that flaunt their flavors when it comes to chicken. The Malay cuisine takes pride in their Chicken Rendang which has taken many forms and iterations in Southeast Asia. Borrowing flavors from a neighboring peninsula (India), the curry-like stew generously bathes its chicken in a coconut-based sauce mixed with distinct spices. Its bright orange color attracts the eye and warns you that it can be quite spicy! It is best served with rice or noodles.