Sometimes, when we go to a restaurant that doesn't take bookings, as we approach the restaurant I will quicken my pace from a leisurely walk to a hurried trot in an attempt to reach the end of the queue before anyone else walking in front of me to said restaurant does. It is as if by decreasing the distance between me and the queue, through increasing travel speed, my goal of getting into the restaurant earlier can be fulfilled. Of course, this is not always the case; sometimes the party of two that arrive 10 minutes later will receive a table earlier than we do. Despite giving me the satisfaction of reaching a restaurant before the ambling diners behind me, there is no sure way to make the wait shorter when it comes to restaurants which are so popular that waiting has become part of the dining experience. Such is the case at restaurants such as the xiao long bao institution, Din Tai Fung, and the epynomous Gelato Messina.

There are a lot of choices to make when you eat out at an Italian restaurant. Should you order pizza, or pasta? A salad to cut through the carbs, or perhaps some entrees to start? Do you like your pizza with a thin or thick crust? Pineapple on top?

If you were to ask me what my favourite Italian food was, I wouldn't be able to answer you. I absolutely love Italian food, whether it be pasta, pizza, arancini, pane (bread) or any of the various antipasto delicacies. Actually, that's a lie.... I would probably say Gelato, but that is another type of food that deserves its very own category...

But of all Italian food, it would be extremely hard to me to choose just one that I adore. It's good eating out at Italian restaurants with a big family because you're always guaranteed to order a wide range of meals, which means that I hardly ever miss out on anything that I love. Must orders whenever we eat Italian are always a seafood dish of some sort, whether it be a Spaghetti Marinara or a Frutti di Mare pizza, most of the time accompanied by a lovely parmesan and rucola salad and crunchy, aromatic garlic bread.

Papa's Pasticceria in Haberfield is famous for its light, fluffy and unique Ricotta Cheesecake, a cake no sweet tooth (or anyone, for that matter) could ever resist. The cheesecake is not heavy or 'cheesy', per se, but is wonderfully spongey, creamy and airy. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, Papa's cheesecakes is encased all around in a layer of spongey pastry, inside of which reveals a sweet, white ricotta cheese filling. Cinnamon and icing sugar is dusted on top in a criss-cross pattern, a sweet and delicate finish.

I've loved this cake from the moment I had my first mouthful, and have had it on numerous occasions since, one of which was on my birthday. It is one of my all time favourite cakes to eat, so when I stumbled upon this recipe post on Wholesome Cook by blogger Martyna Angell, I knew I just had to try making one for myself.

I love Italian food. Being a Chinese-born Australian living in Sydney, I'm exposed to a plethora of different cuisines that are constantly teasing my nose and tastebuds. Despite being an avid Asian food lover, Italian cuisine is also close to my heart, and one of my other favourites. Growing up in the inner west, I would always enjoy the nights when we'd drive to Haberfield for an Italian dinner fix. We frequently went to Il Goloso when it was on the main drag of Ramsay Street (now located in the old post office on Dalhousie st), and also like to go to Napoli in Bocca, with its huge pastas and lovely fluffy pizza crusts. Not to mention Pasticceria Papa, famous for their Ricotta Cheesecake. We love the cannolis, too!


A new discovery we recently started going to this year was La Disfida, further down on Ramsay Street near the roundabout. This little restaurant doesn't take reservations for parties smaller than 5, so there would often be a crowd of people waiting outside on a Friday or Saturday night.