Hiro Sushi, the best sushi bar in Tahoe

I was up in Tahoe in late November, and stumbled upon this little shack late one night as they were about to close. The crowds were thinning out, so we managed to get a good table near the window. Sushi was the highlight of the menu, and we ordered several varieties, as well as sashimi and some handrolls, but the one dish that really stood out was the 'boxed' style sushi, consisting of seared halibut wrapped over rice and put into a box to shape, hence the name for this dish. It was one of the prettiest presentations I've seen for a sushi dish, and I wanted to share it here. It tasted as good as it looked.

Pony Lounge & Dining, Sydney, Australia

This delightful restaurant is situated on the side of the red-brick "The Rocks" Centre on the corner of Argyle Street and Kendall Lane.

Diners have a choice of sitting either at the long wooden table on the outside or at smaller individual tables inside paired with Eames DCM dining chairs. The pony-skin clad kitchen counter is the first thing that catches your eye and the further straw bale and rope installations add to the cowboy theme.

The food was excellent. The Sydney Rock Oysters (of course) were fresh and garnished with a special vinegar. The tuna tataki salad was lightly seared and seasoned though I thought the portion could be much more generous. It arrived looking like tuna tataki with a small garnish of salad. As for the main, I had the 350gm sirloin which was grilled to perfection. The only drawback here was that they only had French mustard and NO English mustard. Perhaps it is my Asian palate for spiciness but I have a hard time finishing a large steak without English mustard keeping it interesting. In fact, English mustard mixed with the steak jus is a perfect accompaniment to any steak. HOWEVER, the best part of this meal (despite my VERY full state), was the apple and almond galette topped with vanilla bean ice cream. The pastry was light and flaky and yet substantial enough to hold a dollop of ice cream on the top of each forkful. Delicious. Pony's head chef Damian Heads should be applauded just for this dessert.

After this feast, I walked all the way from the Rocks back to my hotel. Well worth it.

Pony Lounge & Dining, Cnr Argyle St & Kendall Lane, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000, +61 2 92527797, reservations@ponydining.com.au