The latest contender in the Sydney food truck bonanza has an interesting story. Luke Bridgeford and his team are serving your traditional Aussie pressed sambos, both sweet and savory, from the bowels of a rare, Cold War era, VW Kombi van. One of only a handful left in the world, this innocuous looking vehicle used to coordinate military airstrikes. Fast forward a few decades, replace the shock and awe with ham and cheese and you've got Jafe Jaffles. Stay in touch with Jafe Jaffles movements here and check out some of the other mobile mouthpleasers over here.

Original post by James Ross-Edwards at 'The Moderation Hotel' The Excelsior Hotel Surry Hills Some people I’ve seen enjoying tacos at ‘El Loco’: People that are attractive (nice). People that are attractive (disinterested). People with long, straight hair that don’t eat much. People that — due to overthinking their style — wear their clothes too tight. DJs. People with shaved chests, chunky watches and (leased) BMWs. People that pay $300 for self esteem. People that chase guys that look like scarecrows. People that chase girls that went to their ‘sister school.’ Rockabillies. People that work in hospitality and are smug because it’s Monday. People that work in social media and are smug because it’s 2012. People that call female bodies ‘rigs.’ People that have ‘sick rigs.’ Gays. People that captain local cricket teams. People that sell amphetamines. Old people. People that see investment opportunities. People that see Instagram opportunities. People that enjoy the moment. People that spoil it for everybody. The Moderation Hotel is an irregular musing by indefatigable local scribe James Ross-Edwards on Sydney's most-loved drinking establishments. Follow James on Twitter  Read more at The Moderation Hotel 

Not everyone has time for a complete, sit-down, silver service meal at lunch on a weekday. Most of the time it's stone-cold sushi or avocado on toast at your desk between spreadsheets. Which isn't healthy, nor does it inspire you to work any harder or faster, which was the whole point of the grab-and-go lunch in the first place, right? So these days we're loving the spread of lunch options from our favourite restaurants, that A) come quick and easy,  B) are bite-sized in terms of price and C) are within walking distance of the CBD. First there was Shortgrain, Longrain's answer to speedy Thai, and now there's Little H, Bar H's Cantonese inspired, canteen-style takeaway window that operates out of the regular restaurant between 11.30am - 2.30pm Monday to Friday. Coincidentally (or not, perhaps) Shortgrain and Little H are actually in the same street, and although that caused a scuffle for a while there between the two owners, we ain't complaining. Anything to get us out of the office, ey? Hamish and Bec Ingham's Bar H is renowned for its flavoursome, seasonal and delicate food, where snap-fresh ingredients are key and central to the restaurant's success. It was no surprise then, that Little H follows on in the same vein of awesome, starting with the steamed free-range shredded pork burger with paper-thin strips of fennel and mint leaves. For $12 it's a catch, the pork is sweet, sour and smokey all at once. Deep-fried silken tofu with caramelized tomato sauce offers cloud puffs of soft tofu that acquiesce under a chopstick, and the sauce? Well, why isn't all tomato sauce caramelized? It's ace, and especially well matched with the home-brewed iced tea. To finish, little pots of sticky coconut tapioca pudding with fresh figs and swirled with dark caramel top everything off on a high note. We ate spoonfuls on the stroll back to the city, in the sunshine, thanking the Gods of this town that we didn't have to eat desk sushi that day. Little H at Bar H 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills for orders and daily specials call (02) 9280 1980 or email enquiries@barhsurryhills.com   Words and photos by S. McComas

Anywhere promising patrons that they can 'FEED THEMSELVES FOR A WEEK FOR $21' gets a hearty high-five from us. Bucklers Canteen is a recent addition to the sparkling firmament of Bondi cuisine, and cater for both types of food: expensive and not-expensive. They're currently promoting a series of specials guaranteed to raise the 'perennially-poor and long-haired' quotient munching at Bucklers. TUESDAY: $3 Ribs WEDNESDAY: $5 Burgers THURSDAY: $5 Nachos FRIDAY: $3 Tacos SUNDAY: $5 Bangers & Mash Slip in a jukebox, regular games nights, resident musicians (you've actually heard of!) and a big ol' drink list... well you've got yourself a swish night out there, my friends. WHAT: Bucklers Canteen WHERE: Corner Beach Rd and Campbell Parade, Bondi WHEN: Tue - Thu: 4:00 pm - 12:00 am, Fri - Sun: 12:00 pm - 12:00 am HOW MUCH: Cheap as Chip$

    I walked past this little place about 60 times before going in for lunch. It's unassuming, shiny on the outside, and on William Street, the butt-hole of this city. But yesterday I did wander into Bibim, to mix on a lunch break and was so surprised by the food that i'm going back tonight for dinner. And potentially again tomorrow. AND EVERY DAY AFTER THAT. BIBIMBAP-BOOM. Korean eats set off a tiny fizzle of sparks in the past year and showed potential to seriously hit the mark of a major food trend, but then tacos descended, and Seoul food was left behind in the dust a little. But little Bibim, to mix stuck around, and while off to a slow start (from what I could see in my walks past), it has lately been picking up the pace. They've got tables outside (something which Miss Chu battled with the council over for about a year) AND they now have a liquor licence, which means you can order a glass of Soju, a distilled rice liquor, with your bibimbap or haemul-jo - a prawn, calamari, garlic chive and onion pancake with vinegar dipping sauce. For those who need a little brush up on what exactly a bibimbap is, the word literally means "mixed rice" in Korean. It's a bowl of steamed rice topped with sliced and sautéed meat (beef, chicken or pork), tofu or kimchi tuna, with julienned carrots, daikon, cucumber, mushrooms, spinach and zucchini, topped off with a fried egg and a large pot of hot sauce, which all mixed with your chopsticks equals a tasty, tasty dish, for only $12.50. And, if you order the dolsot version, your bibimbap will be served in a super-hot stone bowl, in which the rice is crisped up and turned a crunchy golden brown (the dolsot is the way to go). Sides of tofu, spicy pickles and and egg roll would also be an ace decision. The ingredients are fresh and the flavours are spicy and pungent, but in a good way. Do you Bibim, to mix? Well, you will now. Bibim, to mix 169 William St, Darlinghurst (02) 8095 9830 SM www.twitter.com/sophmccomas

Short of throwing ourselves off the Harbour Bridge, there’s nothing we won’t do for the legends of Bourke Street Bakery for supplying us with such tasty sausage rolls every seedy Sunday morning, and when they opened Wilbur’s Place in a Kings Cross thoroughfare recently, we knew it would be good. What we didn’t know is that it would be BYO, which has secretly become extinct in this city, AND it would be super affordable. You can take a seat on one of the long street-side tables, have a main each from the menu (which changes almost entirely on a weekly basis), maybe two whole grilled garfish with mash and a cauliflower, green olive, parsley and pickled shallot salad, or lamb shoulder on a bed of pearl barley, stuffed with olives, anchovies, pine nuts and raisins, and also two sides – perhaps a bowl of crisp and dangly green beans with a herb and nutty pesto, or golden brown polenta chips with whipped labne, down a bottle of your own wine, and spend only around 30 bucks each, including a tip. Although it’s probably a good idea to hang around for the impossibly large bowl of ricotta doughnuts with chocolate sauce, just to you know, make sure they’re up to scratch. For lunch there are porchetta or brisket rolls with salad for just 10 dorra, and for breakfast they’re all about the sandwiches – cheese and tomato, crouque monsieur or a brioche bun with rhubarb custard and a glass of homemade lemonade to wash it all down. Everything on the Wilbur’s menu is available takeaway, although we’re told they’ll have a craft beer on tap in another few weeks, and also a house red and white sold by the glass, eating at home on your couch won’t be nearly as enticing as it sounds. Wilbur’s Place http://www.wilbursplace.com/ (02) 9332 2999 36 Llankelly Place, Kings Cross Tues-Sat 8am-9.30pm Sunday: 8am-4pm

Simply Raw has recently merged with small business Luv Bites (who we featured a little while ago) and the two proud owners, Janine Zappini-Rosa and Kristina Pardy now work together under the 'Simply Raw' banner offering "a range of delicious and nutritious 100% organic raw vegan desserts & more". The pair have created a new range of superfood health bars which the likes of Jessica Mauboy, Rebecca Gibney and Tobey Maguire have been snacking on. Kristina commented that they are "focusing on creating health food bars for those who suffer with dietary restrictions, particularly for schools and health centres" The duo are even trying to replicate the popular chocolate bars we know and love (shown above) and make 'em nice and good for you, they'll soon be available through retailer, so look out for more info at www.simplyraw.com.au or follow them on facebook for recipe updates www.facebook.com/simplyrawfood  

What do we want? CHEESE FOR DINNER! When do we want it? NOW. Burrata translates as buttered in Italian and finally, there’s a place where a tender knot of it, brimming with cream, is classified as a meal. The folks behind Tablefor20 and Sticky Bar, have opened the doors to Buffalo Dining Club and we think we've found our nirvana. Fresh burrata and buffalo mozzarella are flown in three times a week from Italy - cheese is obviously a big deal around these parts, so the lactose intolerant can sit this round out. Your cheese order comes with a side of honey roasted fennel, chilli braised broccolini, portobello mushrooms or balsamic baby carrots, and if you have room for more, get into a plate of cacio e pepe, spaghetti with black pepper and pecorino, which is served out of a hollowed-out pecorino wheel. Yep, you heard me, a bowl of cheese, and it ain't too bad either.  A 500ml carafe of house wine won’t set you back much at all and neither will a few slices of Prosciutto San Daniele to go with it. The room is small, but there are a few tables outside, and some tables upstairs also. If you need us, we’ll just be slumped over the bar in a cheese-coma bliss. Buffalo Dining Club 116 Surrey St, Darlinghurst Lunch from 12pm Wed-Sat Dinner from 6pm Wed-Sat Sophie McComas www.twitter.com/sophmccomas

Bruno's feels just like home - if home were a retro, multi-level, 1900s-French-style fit out, complete with its own Manhatten-esque rooftop. If this is home, we’re never leaving. The much-loved Hunky Dory Social Club has opened its stunning doors downstairs to make way for Bruno’s Restaurant with Chef Daniele Trimarchi of Fratelli Paradiso and Icebergs fame headlining in the kitchen. Evenings kick off with a communal-dining setup, complete with crocheted tablecloths (made by someone’s mother), dim lighting, Elvis tunes in the background, a ceiling partially covered in cowhide and old-school Jesus photos adorning the walls. If The Godfather himself decides to drop in for a few slices of 24-month cured San Daniele prosciutto, no one would blink an eye. The homage to the Old Country is strong here, particularly through the menu, as Trimarchi draws on his Italian heritage. Ingredients are fresh, flavorsome and familiar to lovers of the Mediterranean. The menu features an array of classics, like the refreshing Insalata Caprese and some creative combinations like the Insalata di Lenticchia of blue lentils, goat’s cheese, baby beetroot, tomato and fresh herbs. Homemade wood-fired bread complements the spicy cured pork paté with goat’s cheese. A spread of traditional and experimental wood-fired pizzas stand out from the menu and are available throughout the venue until midnight. The cuisine feels authentic, surrounded by Hunky Dory’s signature raw-edged interior. Upstairs we opt for cocktails like the Tomy’s Margarita and a Honey Daiquiri, savoured as the last rays of sunlight disappear from the open roof terrace. With the opening of Bruno’s Restaurant, Hunky Dory Social Club has it all, cementing its place in the small-bar scene with kick-arse bars, swinging tunes and now a divine culinary scene to boot. It makes for an all-round rockin’ good time in our books. Bruno’s – Downstairs at Hunky Dory Social Club 215 Oxford St, Darlinghurst www.hdsc.virb.com Bookings: (02) 9331 0442 Fri-Sat: Noon till late Sun, Tues-Thurs: 6pm till late   Sheree Joseph www.twitter.com/flyfromadream  

We welcome the Organic Bread Bar to Paddington with open arms. Not only because we love their organic coffee and delicious bread made fresh in the on-site bakery, but because of the chilled out charm of the owners and the set up that sees the early morning coffee crowd sipping lattes in the live bakery, while the bakers get to it. Organic Bread Bar prides itself on using traditional ingredients that are  baked in 50 year old German machines imported from the owners home town in Stuttgart, Germany. They also have some amazing treats such as scons, pain au chocolat and rustic bacon & egg roles. WHAT: Organic Bread Bar WHERE: 356 South Dowling St, Paddington WHEN: 7am - 4pm, Monday - Sunday

Duke Bistro above the Flinders Hotel in Darlinghurst will knock your date's socks (read: knickers) off with their Valentine's Day menu: To Start: A glass of Drusian Prosecco Chilled Macadamia Soup   Salt Baked Parsnip, Buttermilk, Fried Potato & Pickled Turnip   Mulloway, Tomato & Sprout Pistou   Duck Breast, Toasted Bread Sauce, Bitter Leaves, Jus   Hawthorn, Strawberry Junket, Victoria Sponge   Petit Fours   All for a cool $80.  We love Duke, they're laid back and playful with a dollop of supreme finesse. If all that doesn't work you can always head downstairs and shot some picklebacks as a last resort. Duke Bistro bookings at reservations@dukebistro.com.au 

  I was trying to explain the concept of the food truck to a bunch of English people the other day, and they looked a little disgusted. "What... The food is actually cooked in a truck? On the side of the road?" They seemed to liken it to the convenience of a Portaloo, rather than the American institution of fresh, fast, mobile food.  They weren't impressed. What you really need to know about the impending food-truck frenzy that is about to park itself on our street corners, is that yes, the concept of the food truck is all about snack-venience, but this isn't your average hot dog stand at the cricket. This is a restaurant, on wheels. There is as much passion invested in the eats they are producing, as the emphasis they place on the freedom of happening to run their business out of a truck. This is street food, something Sydney only previously understood as a late-night donor kebab, eaten gutter-side. Over the next week or so, we'll be bringing you images and interviews with a group of people behind the 10 food trucks that will soon be rolling out a personal take on Sydney street food. This week, we've had a chat to Ellyn Tse, head chef at Tsuru Food Truck. We're pumped to hear you will be satisfying our hunger for something different in the Sydney food scene, what's your background?  Hi! We're really excited too. I grew up in a family of restaurateurs, my family owns and runs various establishments in Indonesia and have been doing so for more than 40 years. In Australia, I have been running my own catering entity for close to 7 years. I am actively volunteering my time cooking for a not-for-profit organization called 'Eat. Drink. Give.' whose primary objective is Food Without Prejudice. We raise funds through catering for functions and events, and we give back by providing complimentary dining experiences to the disadvantaged sector in our community.  Our past works include providing catering for Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, 4A Contemporary Asian Art Gallery, & Harris Community Centre in Ultimo. Tsuru Food Truck will also be collaborating with Eat. Drink. Give. in its operation. There will be nominated 'Eat. Drink. Give. days' where a percentage of proceeds will go towards funding Food Without Prejudice project. When and where should we be expecting you to park yourselves in Sydney? We should launch in just under 2 months. Trading hours and locations-wise, we are still waiting for City of Sydney for their confirmation. Hopefully, we'll hear from them soon enough! What will you be serving? We'll be serving up pan-Asian menu, ranging from steamed pillowy Chinese buns folded over various fillings, Onigiri (Japanese rice balls), and yummy things on sticks. Our signature dish is 'the PIG' - a piece of luscious pork belly that has been roasted, then slow-braised overnight in old family recipe, and sandwiched in between our very own house-made steamed buns. What's your price point? From $3 to $30 for combo Why do you think Sydney needs a food truck culture? Food truck culture allows good-quality food to be easily accessible, and to go to where people gather. It is a great added option to late-night dining, festivals/outdoor activities, and creates a unique and iconic feature to the streets of Sydney. Best of all, the myriad of food of Sydney food trucks translates the vibrant multiculturalism of Sydney. SOUNDS GOOD TO US! Stay tuned for updates on the Tsuru Food truck, and follow their progress on their facebook and  twitter pages. Sophie McComas www.twitter.com/sophmccomas