three words: man. eating. tiger.

I've got to say, I've never tried nor have I had the desire to try Bangladeshi cuisine. That was... until BANG Restaurant came along. Opening earlier this year, owner Nicholas Gurney and Bangladeshi-born Head Chef Tapos Singha (ex Est., Gowings Bar & Grill, Lucio's) have created a walk-in only bar in Surry Hills which uses local produce to recreate Bengali street food.

A little tricky to find (even though it's on the main street), but if you follow the red light it leads you to a 60-seat restaurant with a vibrant atmosphere, loud music, exposed brick, open-plan kitchen and communal tables. With an all-Portuguese wine list and a portion of food takings going to Bangladesh relief aid, Gurney claims "the restaurant pays tribute to the energetic blend of art, intellect, passion and poverty, love and hate that line the streets of Bengal".

I came on a Friday night with three of my girlfriends. We got a table fairly easy, arriving around 6.30pm. We started the night with the insanely delicious cocktail called Man Eating Tiger - Rum, apple brandy, Bangali spice and lemon juice. Easily one of the best cocktails we've ever tasted. To say we had a few rounds before starting dinner is an understatement. We also ordered a couple of bottles of Beyra Branco.

We started our meal with the Dal Puri - Fried roti, spiced lentils. To me the roti was nice, but I absolutely hated the dipping sauce. Tasted like the smell of a mens urinal, needless to say I only dipped once. I need to note that this was my own experience, the other girls loved everything about this dish. Next up we had the Fuska - Spiced potato, coriander, green chilli, shaved egg, tamarind water, which had the perfect balance of puffiness to crispiness. We also had the Honey Roasted Paneer, eschallots and peas which was... nice. It's Bangladesh's response to haloumi, but for me that can never be replaced. Kind of tasted like a condensed (and tastier) version of tofu.

For the larger share dishes we ordered the BANG Routi Kebab - Hanger steak, paratha, daikon and watercress; Wagyu tri tip curry, chicory, satkora and the Lamb shoulder blade, okra, mint yoghurt, black salt. Each of these dishes come extremely highly recommended, however the crowd favourite was the kebab. We also ordered the side of Snake beans, sultana and almonds.

Being a sweet lover and trying a new cuisine for the first time, we ordered the Kulfi - white chocolate and hazelnut. This was nice, but I probably wouldn't order it again. It's not really a standout, and not on par with the rest of the dishes.

Provided I had no expectations I was absolutely blown away. The food was delicious and lived up to the street food niche. Incredible flavours, perfect serving size, great combination of textures (and not too oily - which is what I was expecting). The waitress we had was a little odd, but she got the orders right and was fairly prompt so I can't complain too much. And that cocktail!!! We ordered another for good measure, and to finish our dining experience on a high.

Restaurant: BANG Restaurant
Total price (for 4 ppl): Food: $163; Beverages: $250
Hours: Tue - Thu 6pm - 12am; Fri - Sat 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 12am
Must order: BANG Routi Kebab; Man Eating Tiger