Mr NQN, Queen Viv and I were grateful that Wow Bulgogi has such a distinct and eye catching name. Miss America is even more grateful for it too. This steamy hot Summer evening, we were supposed to meet at our new place as Miss America had yet to visit our new digs. Not for lack of trying. You see on Hallowe’en he couldn’t find our house having gone to the wrong street entirely and not possessing a mobile phone, he rang us from his home at 10pm distressed at wandering the streets of my suburb unable to find us. Tonight, the meeting time passes and he still hasn’t turned up. We leave a note on the door and go to Wow Bulgogi wondering what fate might have befallen him this time. We sit down and peruse the menu and then who should emerge from a taxi but Miss America!

“I don’t want to talk about it” he says distraught at the heat and another goose chase around the Eastern Suburbs. We prod him further and he tells us “I remember the name was ‘Wow’ something and I rang directory assistance and they told me this place”. Turns out he had written down the wrong street number for us and the distinct name of this restaurant was the only thing that lured him to the right spot. He was living the 2009 version of the Scorcese comedy “After Hours”.

Onto the food – and the heat. Some might say that we are crazy having bulgogi during a heatwave and you may be right. We were seated near the open windows and even though there was an air conditioner at work, it didn’t feel like it once the hot plate was turned on. The menu explains that it’s called Wow Bulgogi as they want people to say “Wow!” when they taste the food.

Drinks from left to right: 17 cha, Aloe vera drink, chorok maesil and sikhye (rice punch) $4 each

The Aloe Vera drink is the favourite with its sweet, almost faux grape flavour taste. The Sikhye or rice punch is sweet with little bits of rice floating in it and the chorok maesil is a pleasant, fruity flavoured drink. The 17 Cha is a plain unsweetened green tea and is quite dull in comparison. We get our complimentary assortment of accompaniments including potatoes, marinated tofu strips, kim chee, beansprouts and coleslaw with the tastiest being the sweet soy potatoes and the marinated tofu strips.

Sam Gyubsal Pork Belly $16

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Friends in high places, they mean a lot of course but friends in the right places means a lot too. My friend M was just the person that I needed to speak to about a very important topic and she suggested that we meet up at Saks Espresso & Wine in Surry Hills as she works nearby. I did my due diligence (i.e. looking up reviews) and it all looked good. There’s a selection of arty books resting against the banquette near the window and inside is all red and it’s full with patrons.

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A glass of fragrant lavender and rosemary marks the spot at our table at Martin Place Bar, the recent winner of the Bistro of the Year at the I love Food Awards. Even on this Wednesday afternoon it’s crowded with people eating and taking advantage of the “Lunch Within the Hour”  where diners can book and pre-order what they want and within 5 minutes of sitting down they can eat their meals and for the rest of the time can enjoy themselves rather than feel rushed and anxious if their meal will arrive. Today we’ve got a bit more time to enjoy things though and are partaking of a 3 course sampler lunch.

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