Ingenious fusion of modern Asian cuisines at hip Sydney restaurant & bar
November 26th, 2014
Introducing an inventive re-definition of Asian fusion dining – Ms.G’s was opened in 2011 by Sydney’s Merivale hospitality group under the direction of two talented young Asian chefs – executive chef Dan Hong and now ex-head chef Jowett Yu (who recently launched his irreverently named Ho Lee Fook restaurant in Hong Kong). Initially inspired by the mega-popular Momofuku restaurants of Korean-American chef David Chang, chefs Hong and Yu created their unique style of modern Asian dining with a hybrid fusion of Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese cuisines, interspersed with elements of American street food. Set within a multi-level terrace along a tree-lined street where fashionable Potts Point intersects with the notorious Kings Cross, Ms.G’s (a play on the ubiquitous Asian food additive MSG) idiosyncratic design of mismatched furnishings, graffiti covered walls and mishmash of retro-kitsch sets the scene for a unique and vibrant dining experience unmatched in Sydney.
At the street level entrance, cartons of beer stack up against the bar and a long communal table extends down the centre of the space. Steps lead to split levels of dining spaces – with booth settings on the lower level and another long communal table the centrepiece of the upper level. Further stairs lead up to a mezzanine bar, while the open kitchen is located in the lower basement level.
In the basement kitchen, head chef Paul Donnelly and his team cook the modern reinterpretations and fusion of various Asian cuisines in a menu, designed by executive chef Dan Hong, that pushes the boundaries of creativity. Among the many standout dishes that epitomise this approach are Ocean Trout Tostada – with green papaya, guacamole, red nahm jim; Shanghai Noodles with shitake, shimeji, enoki, gruyere & dancing tuna flakes; and Bo Ssam – Crispy Pork Hock with apple kimchi, 5 flavor sauce, lettuce, herbs. And for dessert, the intriguingly named “Stoner’s Delight part 3” – with doughnut ice cream, peanut dulce de leche, peanut & pretzel brittle, crispy bacon, Mars Bar brownie, potato chips and deep fried nutella.
The upper level bar features a drinks list equally as inventive as the cuisine, with signature cocktails categorised under “Unpackaged” and “Packaged”. Packaged cocktails such as Good Morning Vietnam – shochu, raspberries, lime, palm sugar, Vietnamese mint, soda; and Pearl Diver – strawberry infused Lillet Blanc, Wyborowa vodka, Prosecco & strawberry pearls, are served premixed in sealed plastic cups, accompanied by colorful plastic straws – a truly novel cocktail experience.
Ms.G’s serves dinner Monday to Saturday from 6 pm (Sunday from 5 pm), with lunch on Fridays between 1 pm and 3 pm, and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. The bar serves drinks daily from 5 pm until late (Sundays between 1 pm and 9 pm). Bookings only taken for lunch, or dinner groups of over 8 persons.
