Stra Pocha

This place is HOT!! And I mean literally. For once we decided to stray from Ceci and try out this infamous restaurant in Strathfield known for its spicy chicken. A Korean friend of ours was warned upon ordering this dish that it was extremely spicy and she might not be able to handle it.

Whole BBQ chicken with special hot sauce

So did it live up to the hype? You bet! This dish is easily one of the hottest foods I have ever tasted. The heat starts as a warm burn in your mouth and keeps on building until you just have to give in to the water. For those who don't have taste buds of steel, there are other less spicy dishes on the menu, rated by the number of chilis next to the name, but definitely give the chicken a try - it's soo good!

Pony

Pony is a funky little restaurant right at the centre of the Rocks. The food is described as a "fusion of traditional Mediterranean and modern Australian cuisine". They have a range of tapas style dishes which is what we decided on that night.

Grilled Italian flatbread with smoky eggplant and white bean dip; Artisanal hand made salami, grissini; Baked eggplant, basil and feta rolls, tomato sugo; Crisp fried prawns, sichuan spice, sweet soy; Wood fired chipolatas 'le saveur de romeo', tomato relish; Salad of wild baby rocket, pear, fennel and parmesan; Chicken skewers, rosemary, lemon and mustard marinade; Seared scallops, green pawpaw, cucumber, cashews, lime and palm sugar; Pumpkin and ricotta tortellini, burnt sage butter.

All the food was exquisite! Highlights included the eggplant dip, garlicky, tangy and chunky; the eggplant rolls with a creamy feta centre; the chipolatas, smoky and meaty; pumpkin tortellini with a sweet and creamy filling.

The staff were attentive and helpful and the restaurant had a bustling atmosphere. An overall wonderful dining experience.