Meet Alan. With infectious enthusiasm and the friendliest of friendly manner, he’s the owner-operator of Kirribilli’s hippest Asian restaurant, Street Market.

He may come from a rural Chinese province – pay homage to the recreated street market spice stall when you walk in – but there’s nothing small town about this bustling Asian tapas joint where the lines between Chinese, Thai, Malaysian and Japanese cuisines are blurred to create one delicious melting pot of quality seasonal food.

A tapas inspired menu means you can graze your way through small morsels like oyster shots, salmon carpaccio, Szechuan spiced squid with lime aioli, soft shell crab with wasabi mayo and handmade steamed prawn and pork wontons (Alan’s grandmother’s recipe) that’ll blow your mind.

Keep the taste test going with the ‘charcoal’ section of the menu where everything from garlic mushrooms to lemongrass infused pork neck is whacked on a skewer and roasted over hot smoky coals.

Still hungry? Move on to larger dishes like Head Chef Tim Casaje’s – who’s resume includes personal chef to Bahrain’s Prime Minister and Shangri La Hotel in the Philippines – signature dish of quail and Asian style crispy pork belly with anise infused sweet potato puree. Don’t leave without considering the noteworthy dessert menu – switch your chopsticks for a spoon and scoop up every last mouthful of the creamy leche flan, a delicious concoction somewhere between a creme caramel and baked cheesecake.

If you’re not known to pass up a Yum Cha date, go for lunch Thursday to Sunday and get stuck into favourites like vegetable and chive dumplings, spice-crusted tofu with ponzu sauce, BBQ pork buns and Cantonese wontons.

It seems Alan has already won over the locals, it’s just a matter of time for the rest of us.

Street Market Asian Tapas
Shop 3, 12 Fitzroy Street, Kirribilli 2061
T: 02 9922 3111
Open seven days: dinner 5.30pm – late; yum cha lunch Thursday – Friday 12-3pm, Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm