AUSTRALIA SPECIAL EDITION 23Your Sydney secret:
These days with social media, I’m not
sure there are any more hidden secrets.
My favorite little hidden gem has got to be
Happy Chef in Chinatown (Sussex Centre
Food Court, 401 Sussex Street). They have
been serving the best laksa for years.Favorite day trip:
A drive to Berry/Kangaroo Valley –
a scenic 1.5 hours from Sydney. Berry
has quaint one-off shops, a few wineries,
and some great cafés, such as Sourdough
Bakery (23 Prince Alfred Street; berrysour
doughcafe.com.au).Best Sydney neighborhood:
For a first-time visitor, it has to be Bondi
Beach. There’s so much to see and do,
from the Bondi to Bronte walk, surfing,
or a morning dip at Icebergs’ pools, to
great cafés and restaurants like Seans
Panaroma (270 Campbell Parade;
seanspanaroma.co). It’s one of Australia’s
most iconic suburbs.Great for a drink:
Well, apart from our wine bars at Glass
Brasserie and MOJO (8 Danks Street;
lukemangan.com), I love The Baxter
Inn (Basement 152-156 Clarence Street;
thebaxterinn.com) and Hubert (15 Bligh
Street; restauranthubert.com). Hidden
from view, they’re both little underground
bars serving great cocktails and a huge
selection of whiskey – must-visits!Brunch hunch:
Little Jean in Double Bay (Shop k1, 1
Kiaora Lane; littlejean.com.au) has a
really interesting menu. If I’m trying to
be healthy, then their granola is great,
but if I’m indulging, it’s going to be their
“Banoffee” hotcakes.Top restaurant tip:
Australians love to dine, so book early.
For lunch, always ask for an outside or
window table – we have some of the
best views in the world that are not to
be missed.LUKE MANGAN
Chef and culinary entre-
preneur Luke Mangan owns
and operates restaurants
in Australia, Singapore, and
Tokyo. He also has his own
line of gourmet products
and cofounded an awards
program for developing the
careers of young chefs.
Kangaroo Valley’s Hamp-
den Bridge and (left) the
Bondi to Bronte walk.