Who knew that on the quiet and apparently sort of seedy Victoria Street, located 5 minutes from Kings Cross Station, a place with a small pink neon sign by the name of Ms. G's would cause such a stir amongst the Sydney dining scene. Yes my friends, I have finally acquainted myself with this super high-profile restaurant, led by none other than the famous Dan Hong.
The menu at Ms. G's explored many enticing options from small starters to salads, larger mains and desserts. I had heard so many wonderful things about the place and too many recommendations of certain "signature" dishes but lets face it, there was only two of us and there's only so much we could've ordered for one meal :P Again, picking the dishes was by no means an easy task.
To start off, the Mini Bánh Mì ($6 ea) burgers were not only adorable in appearance but also super tasty as a bite size starter. We ordered one of each flavour and both resembled that of a Vietnamese style roll - the Crisp Pork Belly was deliriously juicy and tasty in the orange peri-peri-like sauce. The Katsu Chicken was just as fabulous as it was super crunchy and tender with the same sauce to bring out all the flavours from the meat. Both are must-orders!
I wasn't so thrilled with the Betal Leaf ($6 ea) as it had celery inside (one of my most hated veggies :P). Nevertheless it was quite refreshing and I did enjoy picking out the snow crab pieces - you're meant to eat this wrapped up in the leaf, like a san choy boy but didn't really work out for us...oh wells.
Seriously too cute and delicious to resist! I can totally gobble up 4 of these easy.
Ms. G's Grilled Corn On The Cob ($4 ea) was infused with strong fragrant scents and smothered with a blanket of parmesan and lime. M & I didn't particularly love this either as the coriander was quite strong...and it just didn't click well with us.
Although I thought it was a bit weird to combine fish with watermelon, I did thoroughly enjoy the Roasted Barramundi ($26). Dressed and cooked in Sambal Matah with a toss of Watermelon cubes here and there, this dish looked AND tasted the part.
Cooked with perfectly golden brown edges, there was a slight crunch when you bite into it before the soft tender fish meat dissolved gracefully in your mouth...simply yum. The Sambal Matah was quite subtle and so we kind of wished there was more sauce, nevertheless as the Barramundi was so well-cooked, it did just fine the way it was. The spicy and sweet chilli aftertaste that lingered was surprisingly pleasant
Ms. G's Fried Chicken "Chops" 2 Ways (6 for $15) was probably the safe option yet a good one. To the left we have the Spicy Korean and to the right we have Naked With Jerk Mayo.
M preferred the Korean version as it was glazed with a glossy shine of sweet chilli - it wasn't actually very spicy though. I on the other hand, took favour in the original version as it was lightly battered and more flavoursome. The Mayo (and rice) did well to balance out the saltiness of the chicken - but I must reinforce, the chicken was sooooo tender! 2 thumbs up!
The Prawn Toast, Yuzu Aioli, Herbs ($14) was definitely a unique dish for me. It didn't exactly feel like toast though - more similar to that of a Sticky Fried Rice Cake but with a scrumptious prawn filling.
The toast was beyond crunchy and the textural difference definitely made it quite amazing. However, it was too salty on the whole and the flecks of herbs inside the prawn filling can be a bit strong for those with sensitive taste buds but nonetheless, quite delicious.
For dessert, we simply had to try the "Stoner's Delight 2.0" ($12) - the name was too epic to pass by.
WARNING: This dessert is not for the faint-hearted: think doughnut ice cream, peanut butter, raspberry jam, candied bacon, potato chips, mars bar slice and banana fritter.
The plate was texturally playful and extremely indulgent. I loved the ice cream as it literally reminded me of a doughnut and the crunchy LCM-like pieces were a joy to eat. The raspberry attempts to balance out the heavy chocolate and peanut butter richness yet it really doesn't. There are seriously so many dimensions and elements to this dessert...it truly was a stoner's delight!
The atmosphere and decor at Ms. G's is very funky and modern - sprawled over four floors, there were dangling ropes on glass windows, statement graffiti walls, frames on ceilings and even a veggie garden courtyard! There's also an upstairs bar with extensive options for wine, cocktails, sake and beer.
The vibe was casual but fun and buzzing with a relatively young and hip dining crowd. We were lucky that we turned up at 5:30pm because not many people were there yet and we were able to secure a table immediately. Despite the place causing a stir quite long ago...it still remains to be really popular with fellow Sydney diners.
At the entrance to Ms. G's, a large Dan Hong poster occupies one side of the door with an enticing Fried Chicken Tuesday offer. Hmm...
I regret not trying out a Slushie as they looked super cool in those Bubble Tea cups with the thick straws...
Overall, Ms. G's was a unique dining experience in its modern quirkiness and creative, not-so-ordinary dishes. The contemporary vibe was definitely evident and the place did a good fusion take on Modern Australian cuisine with Asian influences. However I think I was a little over-hyped for the place, hence it didn't fully meet my expectations. Then again, there are so many dishes on the menu I have yet to try out...
I would definitely recommend Ms. G's as a casual hang-out place to go with friends as the atmosphere is really great and it'd be fun to share alot of the dishes together whilst slurping away on a slushie perhaps. Staff and service was uber friendly and location is quite convenient for those who rely on public transport :)
Ms. G's
155 Victoria Street
Potts Point NSW 2011
http://merivale.com.au/msgs/
Labels: Asian, Vietnamese
