For anyone inclined to grab some delicious Turkish food at The Sultan’s Table, let this review serve as a warning to avoid the fate that has plagued many visiting, including us, of being turned away without a reservation on a Saturday night. Looking like a takeaway joint from the outside, it is deceptively large with tables to dine in towards the back and a loyal and numerous clientele that already know the score. If you want to eat here on a Friday or Saturday night, it’s a good idea to book ahead by a few days.

This Saturday night we are in possession of a reservation. And a good thing too, for even as we’re dining early at 6pm, we watch a steady stream of people being turned away. For those of you that do find yourselves in the same situation, there are tables outside where you can eat your takeaway but of course it’s not quite the same.

Prices for dine in are mostly $1-2 more than for takeaway except for the plates of dips which are double the price. We presume this is to discourage people from ordering a plate of dips and sitting there for an hour. We start off with a plate of the colourful dips with Turkish bread and then order an eggplant fritter, the Sultans Kebab, Iskender Kebab, Guvec and a Kusabilli Pide all topped off with a baklava.

Service it has to be said is very charming and friendly. It seems the gruffer types are behind the counter dealing with the takeaway customers (and even then they aren’t that gruff it should be said) and the friendly ones are taking care of the restaurant. We muse that they probably split themselves up beforehand and said “Ok you like people, you deal with them, I don’t so I’ll just cook and do takeaway orders.”

Mixed dips (medium) $14 with Turkish bread $3 Clockwise from top left: carrot dip, jajik, spinach, babaganoush, chili, hummous, beetroot and spinach dip with eggplant in the centre.

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Being invited to the Opening of the Nepalese Food and Cultural Festival is an exciting thing indeed, especially where are people with Ambassador titles also in attendance. This evening, Mr NQN and I are excited to be in attendance of the launch of the Nepalese Food and Cultural festival at the Grove restaurant in the Sydney Stamford Airport.

Nepalese dancers

Why at this hotel? Well apparently there are quite a few Nepalese staff members including a chef working here – in fact there are about 40,000-50,000 Nepalese in Australia. Flawed or unflawed, I usually measure how big a community is based on the number of restaurants there are and I only know of two in Sydney. This rule is promptly thrown out as I realise that it doesn’t apply here. The Nepalese community has their own newspaper and this day is the start of 2066 according to their calender.

After the speeches from the H.E Ambassador of Nepal, Mr Yogendra Dhakal and the Hon. Minster Verginia Judge MP and other dignitaries we’re led downstairs to the Grove restaurant. The Nepalese chef Sher shows us the dishes along with the spices used in traditional Nepalese cuisine. Typical spices used are cumin seed, coriander seed, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, mustard seeds and tamarind paste.

Steamed Momos with spicy sauce

He shows us the Steamed Momo’s which are Nepalese dumplings made with chicken and traditional Nepalese spices with a black sesame sauce. These are said to be the first things that visitors are served. The sauce is deceptively fiery and tingly with the tongue and lips quivering for some time afterward which I have to admit is a new sensation for me as I’ve never experienced it when eating.

Kashiko Masu or Male goat meat curry braised with onions, cumin, coriander, chillies and flavoured with Himalayan spices

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On our way to meet Queen Viv at Piccolo Bar in Kings Cross (said to be the oldest cafe in Kings Cross), Queen Viv calls my mobile to tell me to switch Radio FBI on. For who else is being interview but Vittorio, the face of Piccolo Bar, the tiny, cozy little cafe which has taken up residence in Kings Cross since 1950. Unfortunately just as the interview is starting we go through the tunnel and miss most of it. Ah well, it only makes us more interested in meeting up there. It’s been about 15 years since my last visit.

We walk past the tables and Vittorio is outside giving me a good look up and down as if I’ve fallen from a spaceship. I learn that this is how he looks at all new customers and that he is certainly a character. There’s a $3 minimum (how these things charm me) and when my husband comes in, he does the same looking at him closely from the side, head cocked horizontally. It’s a tiny space, much like the name suggests and in its heydey they crammed 25 people into the inner cafe, which if you’ve visited, you’ll see that it’s quite a feat.

Vittorio’s eccentric charm isn’t lost on us and he floats about collecting plates and taking orders. He playfully and dramatically scolds a young girl on a mobile phone telling her to get off the “devil’s tool” and proudly says that he doesn’t own one. I ask him about the numerous Cate Blanchett pictures dotting the landscape and he clasps his hands together and assumes a dreamy countenance “Oh I Looooove her! I adore her, she’s like an angel” he trills. And no she hasn’t visited

Books offered to us by Vittorio

We make our order and the chef cooks everything one at a time. Regulars file in and get a familiar greeting. A Matthew McConaughey lookalike says that he feels like soup so the chef gives him some soup to taste. Vittoria stops by our table and in an avuncular gesture, plonks down some second hand books for us and asks us if we’d like to take some books home with us. His charm offensive is taking effect.

Queen Viv orders a toasted turkish bread with artichokes,avocado, mushroom and cheese.

Omelette with up to 3 filling $8.50

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