Here are some of mine:
In and Out Burger: While they are only confined to the USA for now and the Southern States the food is made in store, they cut the potatoes directly in the kitchen, slice the lettuce and Tomatoes.
Denny's: because sometimes you have a 3am hunger craving and their pancakes are waaaaaay better then McDonald's pancakes I hear.
Cinnabon: because I don't know anywhere else in Australia that does good cinnamon scrolls.
Panera bread: because of the healthy factor. A wide variety healthy options at this place.
Dunkin Donuts: so I can compare Dunkin Donuts to Krispy Kreme…
Restaurant/Dining/Food Chains We'd Like to See down under
Sydneyswans on 23/07/2015 - 09:30
Comments
Be prepared to sell a kidney though, the suckers are way overpriced!!!
What prices have you seen? I've only eaten K-BBQ twice. $30 per head, eat all you can meat and salad/side dishes/soups etc buffet. Campsie in Syd.
There's one in Epping too at roughly the same price for eat all you can, but it was far inferior. Wouldn't go there again.
I'm sure I've read about ones in the CBD which also do eat all you can in the same price range, though you have to ask staff for each batch of meat. The one at Campsie I go to (often, but for lunch rather than the BBQ at dinner time) is a serve yourself deal. So much better that way.
@waterlogged turnip: Last one I went to was in the city, was about $39 a head IIRC & the refills on meats were ridiculously slow, they were relying on people to fill up from the bain-marie crap & not wait for BBQ meat. Piss poor IMHO, not worth the asking price…$30 would be better if they weren't playing funny buggers with the refills. I don't even bother trying anymore…
Honestly, Korean food in general is overpriced in Australia IMHO; yeah it's nice, but it ain't all that…IYAM, a lot of restaurants asking nearly $40 for basic dishes like hotpots is just greedy.
@StewBalls: I agree with this completely (+ they are just MSG flavoured IMO). You'd probably be better off getting the meat from Korean Grocery Store and DIY (though the Korean stores in general are overpriced).
we used to spend about $70 for two at Tosung. Spent the same amount at their butcher shop but with more meat. Their meat is expensive but very delicious.
P.s. We had been eating the rice incorrectly until we had bbq with our Korean friends and they told us to roll the rice using the salad.
There are a few restaurants here in Sydney which offer unlimited banchan with your meal. One (my favourite place) offers this even if you just order one dish of the menu and are dining by yourself. I used to go in and order a bibimbap, and they'd insist on covering my table with little banchan dishes. Like 10+ different types. LOVED that place. Haven't been for ages but now I'm craving it baaaadly.
Staff would replace anything you'd finished as soon as they noticed the banchan dish was empty. No issues at all with asking for more. I am a salad/veggie and kimchi fiend though, so this really catered to my preferences naturally.. I don't usually order meaty dishes. For people who love meat and regard vego things as being.. non foods lol.. I can see how unlimited/extra/free banchan wouldn't really mean much or add much value.
But mmmmmmmmmmm. Linky
@waterlogged turnip: That's fairly normal for Korean restaurants. If you want a proper Korean food, I recommend going to Korea (most of the stores here I've been to use too much MSG on those small dishes).
I didn't neg you btw.
@StewBalls: I agree with you 100%. I ate at Moo Dae Po in LA, it totally ruined korean bbq for me here…the variety, service and value was astounding!
@StewBalls: the ones in the city are generally more expensive. suburbs are cheaper, $30 and you'll be super full, with actual service.
yep, heaps on the coast too.
Also everywhere in the Brisbane CBD too, at least, until the Health Department and Fairwork Australia got a hold of them.
Then they all closed down. :(
how much is a sandwich though - $30?
Yes. All I want is a Reuben sandwich with some actual !@#$% meat in it.
Putting two shaved slices of Pastrami that would tear apart in a breath of wind in between two inch thick pieces of rye bread does not constitute a Reuben.
And dont get me started on the use of mustard and not thousand island/russian dressing!
</sandwich rage>
Japanese food chains:
- Mos Burger (outside QLD - NSW please!)
- Sumiya
- Yoshinoya (please come back!)
- First Kitchen
- Freshness BurgerAlso a Jumbo Restaurant from Singapore would be awesome.
Is Yoshinoya anything like Menya Oiden in the city?
I would say it is different - simpler food and specialty is sukiyaki beef rice (comes in various types of sets). Completely awesome with the pickled ginger. It was also very cheap.
yes, we certainly lack 'small meal' joints. By this I mean a yoshinoya style meals for $5-6 which would make a nice lunch without you wanting a nap right afterwards.
Freshness burger and mos burger were amazing when I got tired of the local food over there (there is only so much fish + chicken I could eat).
Wow I was over there for a while and never got sick of the food. Did you try all the different beef including the matsuzaka, kobe and no name A1 etc.? Also I must say I had some of the best non-Asian food in Japan (including German, Spanish and Indian) - was even hard for me to believe but they are very meticulous in their food (although the German restaurant was operated by an ex-pat). The quality of the sashimi there is incredible (always would have thought Australia would be better but I guess they get the best/quite a lot of the top produce from here). They have such a variety of food over there that it is incredible - different ramens (tsukemen became my favourite and nothing here has come close), soba, udons, shabu shabu, chanko (sumo wrestler food), sukiyaki, yakitori, ekiben (train station bentos), tofu, etc. and I haven't even started with desserts and snacks.
The only foods that I could not stomach was raw chicken… and milt which I probably got about 3 times (and had it once) was milt… how the hell do people drink/eat that…
thinking of going to Tokyo for a week at end of year.
I will have to post about it so people like you can give me (and wife and son) hints on where to go/what to do.
All the foods sound great. (not Milt though)
mister donut would be great too.
great japanese donut store but closed down on the Gold Coast.
Mister Donut is the best. They do some flavours that western doughnut joints don't. And they rotate special edition flavours too. I used to go there every other day on my way back home when I lived there… explains my waist line :-) Dam you Mister Donut!
+1 for the Japanese chains….. So much better than the US chains
Yoshinoya
save time, save money!
the reason Yoshinoya closed was coz not enough people liked it?
CURRY HOUSE CoCo ICHIBANYA !!!!
CHIPOTLE (Haven't had it, but so much craze about this in US)
YOSHINOYA (Would eat this everyday)
+1 for CHIPOTLE…
+2 for CHIPOTLE
In and Out Burgers
And Tender Greens, it was good to eat something healthy in America for a change.
And from Japan- Yoshinoya
We have chipotle - it's called GYG
GYG has nothing on Chipotle. That barbacoa!
+3 for CHIPOTLE
Hope it comes and stays good value!Mad Mex is pretty much the same.
Australian translations of American stores rarely work and then menus are always different anyway. Even McDonalds has quite a number of things on it in America that you can't get here eg breakfast biscuits.
How could you say Mad Mex is the same as Chipotle? IMO Mad Mex tastes like garbage compared to chipotle, I understand that they sell the same thing but quality of Chipotle is much better.
+9000 for CHIPOTLE
Chipotle is terrible, very bland. GYG is much better.
In and Out is really cheap, hence the popularity. It's decent, quite tasty.
In and Out had a store at Biggera Waters in QLD. I ate their a few years ago.
Looking it up now it has changed name to In and Out Kofte Burgers.
it was never the US store though, just same name.
Ok. I was told it was the same place.
What is the story behind them using the same name? They had a really similar menu.
stores do this to trade off a known name. Tricks people into thinking its one.
This is the store in Harbour Town isnt it?
Yoshinoya…YEEESSSS PLEEEEEEASE.
There was one in Sydney years ago. I went there now and then, but kinda feels like a McDonalds for Japanese food.
Didn't try the ones in Japan though.I've only been to the ones in Hong Kong. It's quick, easy, cheap (yes, like McDonalds), but taste great (probably MSG, but who cares). Satisifaction level is hundred times higher than any McDonald meal/KFC.
Cheesecake Factory!
Not sure about the wings - but yes it does operate as a proper restaurant and tends to have massive queues during peak times.
Isn't there already one in Sydney for years?
I went to one in San Francisco. When I ordered a sandwich with chips, the serving was huge. Could feed 3 people!You might be confusing it with the cheesecake shop (which sells only cakes) - no Cheesecake Factory as in Sydney as far as I'm aware.
I remember there was one in Northwest Sydney and have been to their website.
I am aware of the Cheesecake shop because when my friend told me to go in USA< I almost got the names mixed up too.@sagrules:
Yes i tried too but coudnt find it anymore, except the US site. I swear there was one around Baulkam Hills area and saw the website too, maybe a knock off?. Even colleages said they went. But that was 5 years ago.
This. CF is the best chain that I've ever eaten at, period.
All their entrees, mains and desserts are absolutely superb and I can't quite understand why I've never seen them outside of the U.S.
It's so good, epic serving sizes too
I've left that place feeling ill for two days just from eating waaaay too much. You just feel obliged to have three courses.
I was just thinking about thier sweet brown bread they serve before your meal comes. It tastes like chocolate but really it's caramel.
expensive but it was awesome, went in LA last year near disneyland… so good
Any restaurant from "man v food".
TOAST BOX! I love Asian breakfast and I hope it springs up here one day!
Apart from that, I also want more American foods like:
- Shack Burger (cos I want to try)
- Wendys (for their straightforward American fast food dishes)
- A&W (mainly the ROOT BEER FLOAT!)Hungry now………
Wendy's as in the burger joint did start to open some stores in Australia in the 1980s but Hungry Jack's took over their restaurants I think. Not sure if it was poor sales. Now as for A and W we used to have an A&W/Long John Silvers down the road from my house here in Sydney. It was a former Pizza hut dine in restaurant. Looks like Yum brands were experimenting with new restaurant ventures outside of the states. Of course the place failed on all accounts. There was Maccas and KFC next door and one burger there was more than $10 for an equivalent of a Whopper.
My folks used to tell me about Wendy's when I was little but I didn't believe them. TriCorp, now Yum Foods! used to operate Taco Bell here too until it went under in the early 2000's.
I wouldn't think they would be successful in Australia anyway.. I would eat there simply because I grew up with Wendys and A&Ws as one of my comfort foods when I was little. So it brings back a lot of childhood memories in me.
I ate at shake shack a few times when I was in the US.
It was so good. A bit expensive but awesome.shake shack for me as well, i wrote to them a few years back seeing if I could franchise it in australia however they said no.
Wendys (for their straightforward American fast food dishes)
We already have Wendy's in OZ but its the shake place (not the same by a long shot)
At the risk of impending negs, I've eaten at In & Out Burger during my last two visits to California.
I don't find it particularly impressive. Their burgers are a leap above McDonalds certainly, but when I think to compare them against Grill'd, Rib's & Burgers and even the humble Cafe Burger — they just don't hold up in my books!What is it that makes them great in your eyes, everybody?
Also with relevance to the thread, I'd like all 7/11's in Australia to be upgraded to the quality of Japanese 7/11's.
I'd give you two votes if I could.
In & Out would have to be the most overrated fast food chain I've been to.
The Japanese 7/11's are definitely a mile ahead of anything we have here.
I agree with your assessment completely.
Anyway, you have to go far to find a chain that knocks up better burgers than Grill'd.
if you go down the coast at some stage go to Brooklyn Depot. Fantastic place for a burger and a drink - very US style.
and a decent price.
Not a chain but a heap better than grill'd (which is OK too)
http://www.brooklyndepot.com.au/or is you head to Noosa The Burger Bar is an orginal, been around for years now.
http://theburgerbar.com.au/great choices, I see no need for more burger chains from the US.
Agreed, was not particularly impressed with In & Out Burger. My cousin and uncle were raving on about them so maybe my expectations were elevated…
Fatburger on the other hand, they were pretty awesome. The one I went to seemed to offer remarkable customisation… nearly everyone in the queue in front of me had some little change they wanted and this one guy rattled off half a dozen changes. Kudos to the server he just wrote it all down without blinking an eye!
I think most of the hype about in & out is of their infamous "animal style" burgers and fries
A quick google search will make your mouth water!
In and Out for sure.
Denny's for awesome breakfast deals.
McAlisters for their range and quality
Chipotle…mmmm
Real US BBQ
Real pizza like Papa Johns or a good New York Slice
Good Mexican from Mom and Pop places
Acme Oyster House in New Orleans
Flip Burger
Gus's Chicken in Memphis
Oklahoma Joes in Kansas CityI know I will think of more!
Papa Johns is sooo good. All the goodness of a pizza but without an oil bath.
Taco Bell
Panda Express
Popeyes chicken
White CastleActually I want it all, I love fast food so much.
Lizzy- they just opened up a Little Ceasers in Liverpool Sydney but thats probably not real Pizza. Lindy411- Taco Bell Australia as quoted from the Wikipedia page:
"Taco Bell first opened in Australia in September 1981, but Taco Bell was ordered to change its name after the owner of a local restaurant successfully sued Taco Bell for misleading conduct.[56] The local restaurant was called "Taco Bell's Casa" and had been operating in Australia since the 1970s. The owner successfully argued that Sydneysiders would confuse the takeaway chain with his restaurant, and this would damage his reputation. Taco Bell later opened in 1997 in Australia with a store in the cinema district on George Street, Sydney and a year later in 1998 within a few KFC stores in the state of New South Wales, but by 2005, the Taco Bell brand was pulled out of the country"
At least one globally operating company has taken notice. Greg Creed, CEO of Yum Brands, has indicated that he’s considered re-establishing his company’s Taco Bell restaurants in Australia, which had failed in a previous attempt, after experiencing a new, vibrant food scene in Brisbane.
Duran sees Australian demand for Mexican food growing for the next two or three years before leveling off: “The market is quite small. It looks like a big country, but it’s still just 24 million people.” Duran is focused on beating the importers on quality. “Tortillas are about making them fresh,” he said. As the bills of lading indicate, many shipments of US tortillas are sent to Australia frozen.
But even if Duran can stem the flow of imports and meet domestic demand with his tortillas, the US won’t be completely shut out of the business. All of the corn El Cielo uses in their tortillas is imported from US farms.
Nothing beats GYG and mad mex is a further second but I'm open to seeing new or reestablished players in the market
OMG bring back Taco Bell. I used to go to the George st one every time I went to concerts at the Metro. Happy days. Very sad when they closed shop. When I went to Hawaii a few years later, I ate my weight in taco bell.
When I had Little Ceasers it was oily one/two topping pizzas. I would not buy again.
Lost me at the first line — Taco Bell is easily the worst fast food chain in the USA and probably the worst food on the planet. American oversized garbage-filled 'burrito' tubes, the only Mexican connection is with the names of some menu items.
Lol no offence but out of all fast food chains in the US, you chose the worst of them all…
Taco Bell makes me feel sick every time I eat it. I wish it was here so bad…
pandaxpress +1
Olive Garden. Super cheap Italian food.
Olive Gardens' sister company RedLobster is pretty decent too.
nah. They were pretty bland IMO. The atmosphere looked very forced too. One of the few I didn't like
*Krusty burger
*big petes house of munch
*mcburgertown
*uncle moe's family feedbag
*lard lad donuts
*city wok
*panucci's pizza
*elzars fine cuisine
*fishy joesWell played.
Id also like to see the diner from summer bay franchised across the nation
I have 2 1/2 words for you;
Gulp'n'Blow
can I order 1 shitty noodle with 1 shitty chocolate please?
Aren't those the specials on the menu at the Coogee Bay Hotel?
Nordsea
Carl's Jr. is coming to OZ:
http://www.brw.com.au/p/business/property/carl_jr_looking_fo…They do some cheap and fancy large burgers like the $6 burger (for $3.95):
http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/the-problem-with-car…Would cost $10+ here in isolated Australia lol.
Excited to see this… originally Hardees renamed Hartees in Australia tried to set up here in the 70s legend has it that after a few cans of dog food were found around Bankstown and Blacktown stores as example people obviously stopped going there and they quickly shut up shop…
That's awesome news — Carl's Jr is a favourite haunt from the states, could only be topped by Fudruckers gourmet burgers.
For me, I'd like to see foreign cuisines done properly in Australia. It probably is me not knowing where to get the proper ones in Australia more than anything. I've had "Sichuan" food that tasted sweet more than spicy; all Korean restaurants I've been to use copious amount of MSG and had flavours that were as authentic as sweet Sichuan food. My friends who were Malaysians were complaining about how food back at home were 100 times better (which did make me want to go to Malaysia at one point in my life).
we need Panda Express down under…
Korean BBQs are everywhere. At least they are in Sydney.