The Hungry Bunny

The Darwin waterfront is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The precinct is expansive, and spans the convention centre at one end, to the Stokes Hill Wharf at the opposite end. The stretch is lined with a multitude of dining options, and we were recommended the seafood at Crustaceans on the Wharf as a must-try. Sitting right on the historic wharf, the casual restaurant, which is more glorified canteen than full-serviced restaurant, is breezy and bustling. During the dry season, the alfresco tables which offer a spectacular view into the sea, are snapped up fast, so make reservations early early. While the food wasn't exactly mind-blowingly impressive, the seafood was one of the cheapest we've ever had. Our bill for three hearty dishes, including a whole lobster, came up to less than 100 buckaroos, which was unbelievably value-for-money. We liked that the grub here was rustic and uncomplicated, where a light touch was employed with the seafood to highlight

So, we wanted to have shabu at Shabu Shabu Gen, but failed to make reservations at the tiny little restaurant on a Saturday evening. Obviously, we were turned away. So us lazybums simply walked into the restaurant next-door, sister restaurant Bistro du Vin , but they were also a full-house. So, we thought, surely La Strada , another door down, would have availability. I'm pretty sure you know where this is going, but yup, no free tables either at La Strada. But then the awesome service at La Strada cushioned their rejection by informing that Caveau Bar next door, also under the Les Amis Group as with the aforementioned 3 restaurants, shared the same kitchen and we could take a seat in the bar, yet order food from its relations next door. Turned out a blessing that the other 3 restaurants were all busy occupied. We ended up ordering exclusively from Caveau 's menu, and discovered the food at the unassuming little bar was outstanding! Like, everything we ordered was flawle

A tapas bar/restaurant in the heart of the city centre, Moorish is constantly lauded as a must-try in Darwin. Boisterous and fabulous, the restaurant is a perpetual full-house. It's little wonder why locals throng to the vibrant bar-restaurant: the food, which draws its inspiration from the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East, puts a refreshingly unique spin on local and seasonal produce. Flavours were riotous, compelling, and moreish, pun intended. Service may get a little choppy, especially during peak dining hours, but staff were generally engaging, if a little frazzled. Just booze up and you won't even notice the inordinate lapses between the starters and mains. The Tapenade Crusted NT Barramundi (A$35), juicy and robust with the salty tang of olives, was enlivened by lashings of olive oil, cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin, kalamata olives, roasted green beans, and anchovies. The Dukkah Crusted Eye Fillet of Beef (A$39.50), set on a bed of sweet pota

Now that all of our favourite tv shows are on hiatus, we find ourselves going out A LOT. Instead of bagging dinner home to veg out in front of the telly, we actually get out, dine out, date each other, date our friends. So I haven't seen Lips in a while (our monthly girls' night out having lapsed due to life's constrains), and we thought we'd do a double date with our husbands in tow. And we thought we'd go to their neck of the woods, away from town where it's nauseatingly congested, for dinner. So she'd suggested Tung Lok Xihe at The Grandstand , a frequent haunt of hers. Tung Lok Xihe Restaurant is the peking duck specialist under the Tung Lok empire, and I think their Xihe concept is on par with the Imperial Treasure Group's Super Peking Duck entity. The Tung Lok empire restaurants may be less illustrious than the regularly celebrated Imperial Treasure Group, but I like their consistent reliability in churning out good solid food. Aside from the

Remember how I initially said that P.S. Cafe is overrated? Which I reaffirmed a year later. But then I discovered their stellar pizzas at its Tiong Bahru outlet, which prompted me to give the insanely popular restaurant group another shot. I've now done an about-turn, and I'll totally admit this: We love PS Cafe . We frequent their Ann Siang Hill bistro, which is our favourite of the lot. It has the most extensive menu, which includes their amazing Asian selection a la Chopsuey Cafe (but without the over-enthused inclusion of parsley in every.fricking.thing), and their service is actually attentive (our water glasses get refilled), unlike the harried staff at its Dempsey outlet (we got no water at all throughout the 2 hours we were there having dessert). Also, I love its buzzy corporate vibe on the weekdays, which eases into a more relaxed casual ambience on the weekends. A bonus for crowd-averse peeps like us: this is probably the least crowded PS Cafe on the weekend

I'm always on the lookout for good Teochew restaurants. Of course, nothing can beat my gran's Teochew food, but since she's no longer around, I'll just have to settle for whichever restaurant serves the best Teochew cuisine. We rotate between two favourites, Chui Huay Lim for when we're feeling a little fancier, and Swa Garden for when we're unwashed and shabby. But since the latter closed down, we've only had the former to satisfy any Teochew food cravings. So then a foodie friend says nice things about the Paradise Group's Teochew restaurant concept, and even though I'm not a fan of any of Paradise's restaurants, I thought I'd give its Scotts Square branch a shot. As expected, Paradise Teochew Restaurant wasn't great. To be fair, they had decent renderings, and the dishes weren't altogether horrid. It's just somewhat unimpressive, and in every aspect, Chui Hui Lim just fared better. Except for the service. Like Chui Huay

The Pearl serves one of the best brunches in Darwin. The Parisienne bistro may be distinguished for its dinner prix fixe offerings, but its brunch was most outstanding. I was actually surprised, as I didn't expect to eat Melbourne-quality brunches in Darwin, arguably Australia's most disparate city. The food was exquisite yet hearty, and pretty everything was a must-try. Service, while lean in number, was cheery and efficient. Do note though, that in spite of its relaxed ambience, the restaurant enforces a smart casual dress code. A vegetarian option that was so delicious I near-forgot it didn't have any meat, the melange of  Roasted Mushrooms & Grilled Haloumi (A$18), poached egg, roquette, grilled tomato, white bean puree, and salsa verde was nuanced and rustic. I'd never been a fan of haloumi until this, the grilling treatment searing a beautiful golden off its chewy meatiness. The Croque Madame (A$19.50), a confection of sourdough toasted with a thick

The last time I stepped into the former Supreme Court was when it housed the Singapore mediation and arbitration centres. It's now the National Gallery, and whereas the building was swarmed with lawyers a-plenty, it's now a thriving arts facility teeming with family-units and tourists galore. And where there previously was just the one legal guild for food, there's today a slew of dining options. As per new opening S.O.P., we waited a year before visiting any of the restaurants. First off the to-eat list was Aura , yet another Italian concept under the ilLido group. What I particularly like about the Beppe de Vito-founded group of restaurants is their consistency. The Italian cuisine may not be the most exciting or mind-blowing, but their offerings tend to be a safe-reliable. Service was, as expected, well above average, attentive without being intrusive, and sufficiently knowledgeable to recommend winning options. And for a fine-dining restaurant, the vibe was relaxed