Why this perpetually busy restaurant is one of Sydney's most meaningful dining experiences
The chef and his team have been running this iteration of Cafe Paci on the south end of King Street for the past six years. Good Food gave it a full-page review and one hat when it opened, but the restaurant has evolved and matured since 2019.
You might also recall the original Cafe Paci in Darlinghurst, built on the remains of late-night Mexican party bar Cafe Pacifico. It was unapologetically itself, from the entirely grey fitout (the walls, floors, tables and chairs were all painted Taubman's Iron Age) to the groundbreaking menu.
A few iterations from that original carte are still available today. Try a soft rye taco, filled with thinly sliced ox tongue, char-grilled until the meat is almost candied around the edges, and finished with chopped egg and a sauerkraut that can only be described as delicate. (If that's a word you can use to describe fermented cabbage.)
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Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why this perpetually busy restaurant is one of Sydney's most meaningful dining experiences
Instead, have a devilled egg, inspired by Petanen's time cooking alongside O Tama Carey at her Darlinghurst restaurant, Lankan Filling Station. The 'devil' bit is a mix of coriander, chilli, salt, pepper and turmeric, all toasted until close to burnt, then whipped with egg yolks and caramelised butter. Garnishing it with trout roe feels like some sort of egg-on-egg Finnish in-joke. I'm into it. The chef and his team have been running this iteration of Cafe Paci on the south end of King Street for the past six years. Good Food gave it a full-page review and one hat when it opened, but the restaurant has evolved and matured since 2019. You might also recall the original Cafe Paci in Darlinghurst, built on the remains of late-night Mexican party bar Cafe Pacifico. It was unapologetically itself, from the entirely grey fitout (the walls, floors, tables and chairs were all painted Taubman's Iron Age) to the groundbreaking menu. A few iterations from that original carte are still available today. Try a soft rye taco, filled with thinly sliced ox tongue, char-grilled until the meat is almost candied around the edges, and finished with chopped egg and a sauerkraut that can only be described as delicate. (If that's a word you can use to describe fermented cabbage.)
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Why this perpetually busy restaurant is one of Sydney's most meaningful dining experiences
Instead, have a devilled egg, inspired by Petanen's time cooking alongside O Tama Carey at her Darlinghurst restaurant, Lankan Filling Station. The 'devil' bit is a mix of coriander, chilli, salt, pepper and turmeric, all toasted until close to burnt, then whipped with egg yolks and caramelised butter. Garnishing it with trout roe feels like some sort of egg-on-egg Finnish in-joke. I'm into it. The chef and his team have been running this iteration of Cafe Paci on the south end of King Street for the past six years. Good Food gave it a full-page review and one hat when it opened, but the restaurant has evolved and matured since 2019. You might also recall the original Cafe Paci in Darlinghurst, built on the remains of late-night Mexican party bar Cafe Pacifico. It was unapologetically itself, from the entirely grey fitout (the walls, floors, tables and chairs were all painted Taubman's Iron Age) to the groundbreaking menu. A few iterations from that original carte are still available today. Try a soft rye taco, filled with thinly sliced ox tongue, char-grilled until the meat is almost candied around the edges, and finished with chopped egg and a sauerkraut that can only be described as delicate. (If that's a word you can use to describe fermented cabbage.)
The Age
17-07-2025
- The Age
Sydney's only hatted Sri Lankan restaurant is closing. Hop to it to eat one last hopper
After seven years of non-stop hoppers, fiery, fragrant curries and spice-laden sambols, celebrated Sri Lankan restaurant Lankan Filling Station is preparing to close. 'At this stage, there is no exact end date, but it will be soon, perhaps the end of winter,' chef and owner O Tama Carey said in a statement. Carey opened Lankan Filling Station in a tiny, narrow space on Riley Street in Darlinghurst in 2018 following two years of market stalls and pop-ups. The restaurant quickly became known for its signature dish: hoppers – lacy-edged, bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice and coconut, designed to be torn and swiped through tamarind-spiced black curry or slow-simmered coconut lentils. The venue was awarded a hat in every edition of the Good Food Guide during its operation, with the 2025 Guide describing it as 'a celebration of spices,' praising the depth and complexity across the menu – from playful snacks to rich curries.
