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Mizuya has its perks: a clean, different and futuristic feel aesthetically; friendly staff with frequent assistance; the genius of putting cocktails, karaoke and Japanese food in the same enterprise. But a number of things kept it from reaching its expected potential. We didn't end up staying for karaoke, so this is just a review of our dining experience.

The restaurant's design is interesting and unlike most, split into scores and scores of wooden booths you navigate through like a maze. Our table number was in the 80s, so I assume there would be close to or over a hundred different booths in the maze altogether. However, no booth was directly aligned with another, meaning you'd still have your privacy despite being surrounded by people, which was nice.

One of Mizuya's major "selling points" is its touch screen ordering style. This may sound phenomenal and unbelievably exciting to some, although this feature is becoming increasingly common around Sydney. At the end of each booth is a fixed screen on which you order from a vast range of different Japanese food styles - sushi and sashimi, kushiyaki, rice and noodles - and of course drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and dessert.

For a group of eight, this became tiresome really fast.

The two people sitting closest to the screen had to do all the ordering work for everyone else, as the screen was fixed in its place. We all ordered different things at different times and felt pressured to choose as soon as we could, not wanting our friends to have to keep scrolling. The device was quite glitchy as well - I've been to other touch-screen sushi restaurants which use iPads and are quick and easy to navigate, but this would simply not work. We would press the "Next" button or try to order something, and it would crash for a few seconds, then click five different things at once, and we'd have to cancel and start again.

Ordering our food was quite a tiresome affair. We soon gave up and asked the waitress for hard copy menus - she gave us one (between eight people!) which was a basic, text-only list version of what was on screen. By the time we'd finished ordering, the two seated on the inside fervently regretted their choice of seating.

Most of the food was good. As Japanese cuisine tends to go, the menu featured small, expensive portions, generally ranging from about $5 to $20 per course. This may not seem like much, but keep in mind you'd have to order at least two or three to really fill up.

I ordered sashimi ($9.80), marbled beef ($5.80) and salmon nigiri ($8.50).
The sashimi was some of the best I've had - very fresh and soft. At $1.40 per piece it was pricier than most Japanese restaurants I've been to, but this was to be expected as an upscale restaurant, rather than a sushi train.
The marbled beef was basically just meat skewers - they were cooked well, but still overpriced in my opinion.
At $1.70 per piece the salmon nigiri wasn't too bad - certainly cheaper than Sushi Bay, which was surprising. The quality wasn't the best however. The ends of every salmon piece were chewy and hard - to be expected from a lower-level sushi train, but not from a restaurant like this.

For dessert we ordered the vanilla ($3) and green tea ($3.50) soft serves, and I decided to try the "green tea creme brûlée" ($7.50), which I'd never had before. A couple of my friends had decent soft serves, but one or two were noticeably melting by the time they got to us, which was just not good enough. The creme brûlée was great though, and I say that as someone who isn't a big fan of green tea. It was bigger and better than I expected.

The waitstaff were commendable, immediately accommodating to requests like hard-copy menus, serviettes and a knife and fork for one of my friends. They were also frequently around to clear empty dishes and make sure things were going okay, which was great.

Overall - good assistance, mostly decent food, interesting style but terrible functionality for bigger groups. The whole notion of "dining and karaoke" immediately suggests this is a place you would come with a bigger group, rather than with just one other person, but the dining style struggles to accommodate bigger groups.

In other words, I'd only recommend this place to groups of two or three… meaning you'd have a whole booth to yourself, pay more than you would at a sushi train, and in a group that small probably wouldn't stick around for karaoke anyway.

Approximate cost: $5-$20

There's not much to criticise about this place if anything, but there's not much to exclusively compliment either. It's just a little cafe at the Penrith plaza intersection for anyone sick of the lack of options around there. However, it feels like a quieter, more understated but equally expensive version of Sittano's, so you're not getting anything new.

Service is decent, and the waitresses were nice enough. Our food came out quite quickly - I was particularly surprised at receiving my milkshake within just a couple of minutes, and the place certainly had customers. The steep price of $6 for a milkshake was a little disappointing, but the splurge was made.

Food was fine, but nothing special. I ordered the moroccan lamb burger, and for the price of $17 I expected better. The lamb patty tasted very bland and average, the burger as a whole was mediocre and the "basket of fries" are the same fries you can get at McDonalds for a dollar. My friend ordered the moroccan lamb salad (~$15) which looked delicious, and she couldn't even finish the whole thing as the serving was so large.

The biggest con was the limited menu. There were burgers, salads, a few specials and "generic cafe food" like muffins and pizza breads, but it's quite short. No pastas, limited meats and nothing overly exciting.

Verdict: It's okay, but in the past I've passed right by it and not noticed it. I wasn't missing anything.

Approximate cost: $17

I've heard a lot of people in Sydney talking about Moo Burger and was keen to see what the hype was about. Turns out, it's not about much.

The ambience of the restaurant in Newtown is fine enough. They only had a ten-seater table left and there were three of us, but they didn't mind letting us just take the whole table, which was nice. The walls are covered in drawings of cow-related things - another cute touch. The noise levels are okay, and the bar is in the centre of everything.

But the food! For $16 per burger, I was expecting something magnificent. The 'Greek Lamb' burger sounded extremely promising and I was quite disappointed by what I got: an average burger that wasn't nearly as satisfying as a guilty Saturday night spent at a McDonalds drive-thru. I compare it to McDonalds because they recently had a lamb burger out for maybe a third of the price of this burger - and their's tasted better. This was dry, semi-flavoured and difficult to eat. The salad tasted like nothing special and the tzatziki tasted like it was store-bought.

And no sides were included in the price! A side of chips were an extra $4 and that was the cheapest they had to offer. You'd think for $16 you'd at least get some chips thrown in with your burger, but no. The staff were pleasant enough, but the 'order at the counter' style again made me wonder why I was being charged so much. It's hard to evaluate a staff member's service when the restaurant barely requires them to serve you. Not an experience I'd like to relive any time soon.

Approximate cost: $20

This has been a favourite local restaurant of mine over the years. The quality dips up and down over time - presumably as new owners and chefs come and go - but as far as the food goes it's certainly an underrated achiever in Sydney's outer west.

Chinese food has a tendency to taste 'soaked' and rich, which you'll notice here. The sauces sink into the rice and create a 'heavy' feel. But whilst it doesn't feel healthy, it tastes delicious. There is a decent-sized menu featuring an assortment of lambs, porks, beefs, chickens, seafoods, noodles, omelettes and so much more. Because the style is not quite as clean as Thai, I'd recommend getting a few small dishes.

The restaurant is quaint, and very well-presented for a small business. There is an authentic black-and-red colour theme, with authentic wall decorations and round tables, the larger ones affixed with a rotatable tray for convenience. Presentation-wise, this restaurant is admirable.

The waitstaff isn't the friendliest. They're accommodating, quick, and I've never received a messed up order, but you may find yourself thinking a smile or two wouldn't hurt. I usually opt for takeaway anyway (not for this reason; eating in bed is just so much better for the lazy man) but it's still something noteworthy.

If you're looking for a well-presented, more intimate Chinese restaurant with decent food and respectable prices, Macau is the place to go.

Approximate cost: $12

Kuleto's brings in a wide bunch, from classic Newtown hipsters in their early 20s to retired ex-partiers in their early 30s. It's a great little place for those wanting more of a chilled out night with friends than wild clubbing.

The main focus of the menu is the cocktails, which range from the chocolate and creamy Toblerone to the fruity Apple & Passionfruit Collins. Whether you're into fruity or creamy, dark or light, sweet or sour, there will be something to suit you, and they're pretty darn delicious. The prices typically range from $15 to $20, which is about average for a decent cocktail. The bartenders are quite friendly, although surprisingly there's usually a longer wait on the preparation of the drink itself than the line to get there. Some of those cocktails can get quite complicated though, so that's not unusual.

There are a few different sections: there's a few tables just across from the main bar downstairs, an upstairs area, and the outdoor balcony area for smokers. Whilst I'm not a smoker, I usually prefer to sit outside as it's less noisy and crowded.

Overall, a decent place for a mellow night. But really, who dances in Newtown anyway?

Approximate cost: $15

Hands down, Cafe Katsuri offers some of the best South-East Asian food and best customer service I have ever witnessed.

The menu is quite wide, offering an assortment of Indian, Malaysian and Thai dishes. Of the various dishes I've sampled, I can't complain about a single one. The best is their lamb korma, which is easily the best I've ever had. Their Thai noodles are similarly delicious. Prices are slightly more expensive than other restaurants, but the food is brilliant. Also, every dish is halal if that affects you.

There is also an assortment of drinks and iced teas, although their coconut juice is by far my favourite, tasting nothing like the terrible-tasting coconut water served in bottles.

The waitstaff are incredibly warm and friendly. I've had separate encounters with three of them, all whom I ended up in conversation with for several minutes, with jokes and laughter apart of it. During the payment in particular, they tend to converse in a very sincere manner, and leave you feeling positive. Before and during meals they are also very accommodating, topping up your glass without having to ask and making sure everything is going well. You will occasionally experience delays receiving food, which I think is a luck thing.

The design of the place is nothing fancy, although most restaurants directly on George Street don't tend to be very decorated. However it's still comfortable, and the food quality more than makes up for it. Don't underestimate this charming restaurant!

Approximate cost: $15

Tacky. Tacky. Tacky.
This is one of the first things that comes to mind upon entering this place. Everything is a dull, plain white, with wooden tables and chairs that resemble a low-budget school cafeteria. If it weren't for a video screen playing Bollywood songs and clips at the front, there would be no colour to focus on.

The waitstaff is rude and rigid. I came in with a friend, and the waitress who served us didn't even ask him what he wanted, but merely took my order and swept away. The place was virtually deserted when we were there, and the other staff members had constant cold, uninviting expressions on their faces. We just ended up sharing a lamb korma with naan, which was fairly decent - but there's better out there.

Overall, not a place I would revisit. Average food, disappointing lack of ambience and very low customer service.

Approximate cost: $15

As far as Thai restaurants go, this is one that has fancy written all over it, but the food just doesn't measure up.

Overlooking the water from both inside and outside, you'll be impressed by the views, but they're really all you'll be paying for. It's common knowledge that Sydney's waterfront restaurants steeply incline their prices, but quality won't necessarily measure up.

In this case, I Thai is one of the most expensive Thai restaurants I've been to in Sydney, yet none of the dishes I've sampled (including Crying Tiger, pad thai and various curries) have particularly wowed me. They're fine, but nothing special, which is a little disappointing seeing you could get similar quality from the Thai at a reputable shopping centre food court.

The waitstaff are friendly and patient, although deliverance can also take quite some time. If presentation and ambience is more important than food quality to you, this could be a good place to go to. Otherwise, there are plenty of other decent and cheaper options for Thai in Sydney.

Approximate cost: $25

Put simply, the Peachtree Hotel is Penrith summed up in bar-form. There's a very relaxed attitude, dress is often as casual as a tank top and boardshorts, and in addition to a DJ you can sometimes experience random bits of fun like enormous jumping castles and photographers.

There's a mixed bunch of people here. Some come in large groups to drink, drink and drink some more. Others are in small duos just grabbing a bite on a Sunday afternoon. I fall into the latter when it comes to this place.

The food is quite decent. I've experienced steaks, salt & pepper calamari and pizzas, and they've all been filling and worth their price of ~$20. The menu is typically Australian and generic, but there's nothing really to complain about.

On bartenders and chefs - no comment. They make no effort to be friendly unless they know you, but they're not particularly rude either. All in all, whether this place will be to your liking or not really depends on how well you think you can adapt yourself into a clear-cut subculture. I have heard stories about wildly intoxicated people, racism and fights outside, but have seen none of these from personal experience.

Approximate cost: $20

This place has gone very much downhill over the years. It's old management was brilliant and the food was perfect, but the couple who took over this past year have not kept up the legacy.

For easy things like salads and hot chips, they're fine. These are priced quite well (a large bag of hot chips for under $3) and whilst they're nothing to gush on about, they're good if you're grabbing a quick bite.

However, their pastas and hot dishes are a whole other story. My favourite dish had always been the Chicken & Cheese Macaroni, which the old management cooked to perfection. Now though, it's essentially a container of soggy oil with frail pieces of pasta floating in it. The potato bake has been replaced by a sort of potato slushy mash that you could probably drink through a straw.

The workers are friendly enough, but if the food is miserable, what's the point? Try the chips, avoid the rest.

Approximate cost: $5