Not Quite NigellaThe cooking, eating and travel blog of a hungry blogger from Sydney, Australia featuring original recipes, interviews and articles on all things food @

Vina Vegetarian Restaurant, Newtown

Not Quite Nigella — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:00:43 +0000

One night on twitter I wrote the following sentence “I need a tshirt that reads: ‘I survived an Elliott family dinner’” It was a simple enough request. Find a restaurant for Mr NQN and his brother for their joint birthday. Make it vegetarian/vegan friendly. “Oh and I don’t want to pay over $15 a person” [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

The Pie Tin, Newtown

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:42 +0000

A few years ago I thought it would be fun to make pies for a living. I made them for a restaurant and I made them using the owner’s secret recipes. They were brilliant recipes but sadly I was sworn to secrecy so I am not able to share the recipes with you. So when I come across a [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Nan Tien Buddhist Temple Tea House, Berkeley

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:27 +0000

“If you can answer this question correctly, you are the smartest person in Australia” Mr NQN said looking at me over the top of the iPad. As a child of Chinese parents that was subjected to flash cards before I could talk it is pretty much a given and an imperative that I will jump when [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Smash Sausage Kitchen, Newtown

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:00:31 +0000

It was a day smack bang in the middle of Winter. I was at home working and watching the temperature like a hawk and by midday it hadn’t climbed over 11.1°C/52°F. Then by that afternoon it flicked over to show 12°C/53.6°F. I let out a “Yaaay!” before realising how ludicrous it sounded. Getting excited over [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Nourishing Quarter, Redfern

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:00:39 +0000

I am lucky enough to be given a lot of restaurant recommendations which I am very thankful for and I usually listen to them or at least research them more comprehensively by computer. I was recommended Nourishing Quarter by a journalist that I travelled with. She also told everyone that she couldn’t tell the difference [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Shenkin, Erskineville

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:00:12 +0000

Israeli food? Now that’s something of a missing cuisine here in Sydney insofar as restaurants or cafes go. Shenkin is a family business with five brothers, two of whom work here and one brother who owns the Max Brenner franchise (yes the Max Brenner franchise). As befits a family business their father bakes all of [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

The Silent Dinner Party

Not Quite Nigella — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:00:21 +0000

“I’m not allowed to speak for two hours” I tell Mr NQN. “I’d pay money to see that” he says laughing. The Silent Dinner Party is an event that I heard about first on Amy’s Cupcakes and Cornrows blog. Part of Sydney’s Fringe Festival it is run by Australian performance artist Honi Ryan who has [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Sherpa Kitchen, Newtown

Not Quite Nigella — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:00:20 +0000

The saying goes “When in Rome do as the Romans do“. Mr NQN gives the phrase a special twist for the Nepalese restaurant we are in. “When in Nepal, eat goat” he sagely advises when we’re dithering over the menu at Sherpa Kitchen. It’s Good Friday and the dining choices are limited and we’re taking [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Meet My Suburb Tour: Cabramatta (Nine Eateries In One Day!)

Not Quite Nigella — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:59 +0000

The Mall area Last month, a bunch of food bloggers and I went on a Meet My Suburb Walking Tour of Kensington and Kingsford where I showed them around the secret local’s favourites in the area. It was so much fun so some other blogger friends and I decided to do the same in Cabramatta. [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by:

Cafe Giulia, Chippendale

Not Quite Nigella — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:00:20 +0000

“Have you been to Cafe Giulia?” Mel asks and when I say no but I’ve heard good things about it, she swings her Mini Cooper across a few lanes and zips up some side streets. “That was very naughty to do that” she says half seriously. Within a few minutes we’ve stopped near Cafe Giulia, [...]

Not Quite Nigella is sponsored by: