In the midst of Sydney, sitting comfortably in a thicket of buddha belly bamboo, is this restaurant that resembles a Balinese temple. The greenery is so dense the temperature drops a few degrees on entry to The Buddha Belly, a restaurant perched on rambling land devoted to tending bonsais and creating Japanese style gardens. Start with a stroll around the bonsai gardens or potter across the wooden bridge and skip over the stream of water rushing from the waterfall. Despite its position on busy Mona Vale Road the only sounds are the splash of water and the bamboo leaves shivering in the breeze. Visiting the The Buddha Belly is so relaxing it's like a religious experience. The restaurant is housed in a Balinese-style structure that affords fantastic views of the gardens. The Asian-influenced menu embraces clean flavours and healthy ingredients: roast chicken breast is served with crisp snow peas in a vibrant Thai coconut broth and the goat's cheese and spinach pancake with Asian mushrooms and poached asparagus is both light and rich. Most of the produce used in the dishes is hand-picked, and the recipes are designed to let each element shine. Servings could be more charitable considering the prices, but as it's a truly unique restaurant they can afford to push the prices a bit. The private pagoda is also perfect for small groups, but make sure you book.
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