"The sourdough starter at Sixpenny is older than the restaurant (which opened in 2012). Nicknamed Bob, the fermented culture came from Oscillate Wildly, where Sixpenny owner Daniel Puskas previously worked. Beyond fresh loaves, it shows up in Sixpenny’s Yesterday’s Bread (blitzed leftover slices refreshed with coffee). The chef also created the mead vinegar custard with strawberry consomme and frozen raspberries, first introduced in 2016, which is unlikely to ever exit the menu given its hold over diners. While Puskas continues to offer guidance, current head chef Tony Schifilliti (Cirrus Dining) has put his creative signature on the menu, injecting his love of fermented ingredients into items like roasted koji ice cream or ink-sauce garum with fish. Since Sixpenny was awarded three hats in the 2019 Good Food Guide, landing a booking can be tricky. But you can always buy Schifilliti’s Cura seasonings from P&V Merchants, the city’s best bottle shop for filling your pantry. Must-try dish: Pick up the chef’s mushroom shio koji from P&V. It tastes like the Sydney alternative to Noma’s mushroom garum." - Lee Tran Lam