Poong Nab Dong (CLOSED)

We know it’s nice and comfy in the inner-city bubble, but there are exceptional eats to be had in Sydney for those with adventure in their heart, and a car or Opal card to get them there.

In addition to being the birthplace of the Granny Smith apple, Eastwood boasts a strong Korean community – they were doing kimchi out here long before it graced a single burger patty or canapé in the inner east. So a trip out here for Korean barbecue should be at the top of your evening escapades wish list.

Book a table at Poong Nab Dong. At this recently spruced-up restaurant you can fit four people directly around the gas-fired, charcoal enhanced table grills, and add additional tables for a bigger crew if they're happy to relinquish barbecue duties. Unlike some of Koreatown’s alleyway establishments, this is the place for perfectly charred pork ribs rather than a raft of six-buck beers – though a cold tinnie was never an unwelcome addition to an all-weather barbecue. A $25 bottle of quaffable semillon Chardonnay is an equally pleasing dinner companion.

They don’t over-sweeten the marinades here and we love them for it. Tender strips of beef develop exactly the right amount of scorch around the edges without premature charring, and two mini racks of pork ribs are gently seasoned before they're grilled to compliment – rather than overwhelm – the juicy, fatty meat.

Got a gargantuan hunger? Order a serve of the spicy pork lettuce cups. These are not the delicate ssambap you’ve eaten at Moon Park or Kim. Lettuce leaf bowls come packed to the breaking point with white rice topped with sticky, spicy pork pieces. Eat it with your hands and God be with you.

The seafood pancake is another huge dish starring green onion lengths, calamari and mussels bound together with enough eggs to make a paleo adherent weep with joy.

And as if all this bounty wasn’t enough, cheap eats in the suburbs also appear to come with friendly and accommodating service.

You may not want to go much further than a block from your front door to get dinner most nights, but when the spirit of discovery moves you, point your Google Maps towards Eastwood and prepare to reap the delicious rewards.