233 replies to this topic

[FDE]

Yes, Golden Century got superb fresh seafood. It is probably the most famous Chinese restaurant there... many Chinese politicians visited there. Their seafood is comparable to Hong Kong if not better... I mean, lobsters that I had in Hong Kong were imported from Australia.

[Makonnen]

First time posting ...

I have five dinners to fill in Sydney this week. Am on a moderately restrictive expense account--Tetsuya's is, unfortunately, out. I am in the CBD, and prefer to walk to dinner if possible (but I don't mind long walks). I am thinking of the Rockpool Bar & Grill one evening, and the Falconer one evening. Should I? Where else should I go?

Sunday nights are always a challenge in new cities because most places are closed, but last night I went to Selah (http://www.selah.com.au/ ). Meh. "Spicy Salt & Pepper Squid" was nicely flavored on the outside, but too chewy (the batter) and too tasteless (the squid on the inside). The Seared Jewfish was a bit of a disaster--the fish was fine, but the sauce was a pool of water, and the noodles were pretty non-existent. The tastiest bit was the serrano ...

Looking forward to recommendations!

[lebowits]

First time posting ...

I have five dinners to fill in Sydney this week. Am on a moderately restrictive expense account--Tetsuya's is, unfortunately, out. I am in the CBD, and prefer to walk to dinner if possible (but I don't mind long walks). I am thinking of the Rockpool Bar & Grill one evening, and the Falconer one evening. Should I? Where else should I go?

Sunday nights are always a challenge in new cities because most places are closed, but last night I went to Selah (http://www.selah.com.au/ ). Meh. "Spicy Salt & Pepper Squid" was nicely flavored on the outside, but too chewy (the batter) and too tasteless (the squid on the inside). The Seared Jewfish was a bit of a disaster--the fish was fine, but the sauce was a pool of water, and the noodles were pretty non-existent. The tastiest bit was the serrano ...

Looking forward to recommendations!

If it's still there, not far from the Rockpool in Darling Harbor is a place called "Chinta Ria". They had great asian noodle dishes and was always busy. Been years since I was there, but remember it fondly.

[nickrey]

Over near the casino at Darling Harbour is a restaurant called Blue Eye Dragon which serves exceptional Taiwanese food.

Chinta Ria, mentioned above, is cheap and cheerful with nice food.

Again if you like Chinese food, try Golden Century, which serves very good Cantonese food.

What sort of food do you like? Are you willing to travel a few kilometers? If so, I'd pop off to Surry Hills or Darlinghurst where there are many fine restaurants (Bentley Bar and Grill for techno-emotional), Billy Kwong for fine Chinese, the Four in Hand for great food in a pub setting, A Tavola for fine Italian. All these are moderately long walks but worth it. You could also try Otto at Woolloomooloo wharf.

All of the restaurants (except Chinta Ria) are rated 14 or more out of 20 in our local good food guide and all worth a visit.

Edited by nickrey, 02 May 2010 - 06:18 PM.

[Makonnen]

Over near the casino at Darling Harbour is a restaurant called Blue Eye Dragon which serves exceptional Taiwanese food.

Sweet, thanks, that looks like a good bet for tonight. Should be about a 30 minute walk, I think. Will post a mini-review.

<SNIP>

All of the restaurants (except Chinta Ria) are rated 14 or more out of 20 in our local good food guide and all worth a visit.

Is this guide available online? Would love to give a gander.

[nickrey]

All of the restaurants (except Chinta Ria) are rated 14 or more out of 20 in our local good food guide and all worth a visit.

Is this guide available online? Would love to give a gander.

Unfortunately no. It is available from newsagents in book form for around $20 or as an i-phone app for $11.99.

[Snadra]

Shame about Selah - I would have recommended it actually, as generally I really enjoy it.

I haven't yet been to Rockpool Bar & Grill, although it's just around the corner from me, but I'm reliably informed that it's worthwhile. Spice Temple, just downstairs from it, is excellent.

In addition to Chinta Ria (Malaysian), which I've gone to for years and is always excellent, you could check out Longrain (Thai)(http://www.longrain.com/) or Republic Dining (http://www.republichotel.com/), both of which I've been to several times over the past few years and have been reliably good.

Pony Dining in The Rocks can be quite fun (http://www.ponydining.com.au/home.html), although the food goes up and down, and it's a bit chilly at this time of year if you're on an outside table. On the other hand, by the time you're there you're not far from the Lord Nelson...

For something quite different, and very inexpensive, I love Uighur Cuisine, (http://www.smh.com.a...0246311755.html) at 8 Dixon Street in Haymarket. I like the kebabs (flavourful but quite chewy) and the special fried pastry particularly.

Finally, you can wander down to Woolloomooloo Wharf. Besides Otto's mentioned above, China Doll is quite good, and Kingsleys is reliable for a straight-forward steak. Plus the setting can't be beat.

Enjoy your stay.

[Makonnen]

Just to give some closure. I ended up eating at

* Makoto. I almost turned away, but am _so_ happy I didn't. The best salmon sashimi I've had perhaps ever, and across the board yumminess. Fantastic stuff, thoroughly enjoyed.

* Golden Century. Tasty, and clearly a place worth going with a group to indulge in some of the live seafood cooked to order.

* The Rockpool. I dunno ... the goat cheese stuffed tortellini was spectacular, just incredibly good. Other than that, though, it was all solid, good, etc. But not, IMHO, worth the expense. The setting is pleasant, the wait staff attentive (how waitstaff deal with a single diner is often a good test, I believe). But if I am spending that type of money, I really want to be in ecstasy as I eat--or at least in shock and surprise. And I wasn't. Probably would have been smarter to just pony up the extra money for Tatsuya's.

* The Blue Eyed Dragon. Easily my favorite meal in Sydney. Delicious all around--an appetizer of calamari and duck eggs, and a main of prawns in plum sauce. Would go back.

So, that's that--thank you for the guidance! Off to Melbourne to try my luck there for five nights. Will post in that thread shortly. Cheers!

[PhilD]

Shame about Selah - I would have recommended it actually, as generally I really enjoy it.

I agree it is a shame it didn't deliver. It isn't a destination diner but a useful place in this part of town which is devoid of much else that is good at this price point. I wonder if it was a bad day in the kitchen...?

Blue Eyed Dragon is a new one on me, sounds good and worth a trip over to that side of the harbour. Sydney looks like it has a complete compliment of Chinese regions, time for some more exploration.

[Makonnen]

Blue Eyed Dragon is a new one on me, sounds good and worth a trip over to that side of the harbour. Sydney looks like it has a complete compliment of Chinese regions, time for some more exploration.

It is nicely hidden--walking, I turned right onto the street that has the main casino entrance. A little further on, on the left hand side of the street is either a school or a church. Immediately after it--in a building that at first glance is actually part of the school/church, is the restaurant. An open air patio, and a very inviting space inside. Enjoy it, and hope it is tasty that evening ...

[Snadra]

Shame about Selah - I would have recommended it actually, as generally I really enjoy it.

I agree it is a shame it didn't deliver. It isn't a destination diner but a useful place in this part of town which is devoid of much else that is good at this price point. I wonder if it was a bad day in the kitchen...?

Useful is right! There's little in that part of the city that won't run an enormous bill up AND has food that's worth bothering with, particularly for dinner. Lunches are a bit easier, although that could be because expectations sometimes aren't quite as high at lunch.

Speaking of that area, I'm going to Quadrant for lunch next week. Shall report back!

[Luke]

Hi Guys,

Dined out at Sean's Kitchen for the 2nd time last Wednesday night. Awesome - food was superb, service great and prices left me with that "I got what I paid for" feeling, which is just what I want. Would definitely put it on my list of restaurants to visit again.

Cheers
Luke

[Snadra]

Had lunch at Quadrant Restaurant the other day and it was frankly disappointing. The service was rather good, and the view is great - looking out over Circular Quay to the Art Gallery - but the food is unappealing and lacks freshness. My dessert, a chocolate and hazelnut tart, tasted as if it had been plated the day before. The potatoes were appealingly brown and crisp looking, but were limp and had little flavour. It's a shame, because it's an excellent location, but it feels lacklustre and the prices are steep ($36 for grilled scotch fillet and $32 for grilled salmon). Luckily the company was great!

Edited by Snadra, 12 May 2010 - 11:13 PM.

[Luke]

Had dinner at the "Italian Village" on the Rocks last week.

Service was a little slow but food was good. Wine list was good. Entree was small, but good (Garlic Prawns).

Mains was eye fillet which was ordered Medium-Rare and cooked Medium-Well (lucky I am easy going), but the sauce was excellent and vegetables really good. Side servings of house made fries, mayonnaise and a garden salad were also really good.

Cheers
Luke

[Brianemone]

Will be in Sydney next week. We have been planning this trip for the last 5 months so hopefully it will be an enjoyable trip. Our three dinners will be at The Bentley Bar, Quay and Marque. Hopefully we can try some quality, less expensive places for lunch/brunch.

[roosterchef21]

Will be in Sydney next week. We have been planning this trip for the last 5 months so hopefully it will be an enjoyable trip. Our three dinners will be at The Bentley Bar, Quay and Marque. Hopefully we can try some quality, less expensive places for lunch/brunch.

Good choices. Somewhere cheap you could try is Cafe Sopra. They have a few locations but it's one of those places where a lot of Sydney's chefs and food identities go to. It's run by the Fratelli brothers. Really good food in a nice setting and cheap. You could also try for cheapish lunches are Glebe Point Diner, Yoshii for lunch or Bodega on Thursday or Friday plus the aforementioned yum cha places earlier in the thread. If you want/are willing to spend a little extra go to Sean's Panorama. Really simple food with a killer view. It's on Bondi Beach. To me it's what Australian dining is all about. It's not the best restaurant in the country by any means. But it's about the lifestyle and culture in this country. Chef with his own farm uses those ingredients on his really simple chalkboard menu which is on the beach in a really relaxed setting. No pretentious dining rooms, over the top service or anything like that. Just somewhere where you can have an ice cold beer or wine, eat great food and watch the waves roll in.

Edited by roosterchef21, 10 July 2010 - 03:49 AM.

[Brianemone]

My Wife and I had a great time in Sydney.

Our first dinner was at The Bentley Bar. My wife had the Vegetarian Tasting menu, I had the one with meat. Her first course (smoked potato foam and other things) was the most memorable from her food. The dessert was stunning, some inventive technique being shown in the freestanding Mandarin custard with a liquid chocolate interior. Porkbelly coated in a milk gel, dehydrated mushrooms. Very exciting food. Lots of great tastes and great service. Best lemon/lime/bitter from the three restaurants we visited as well. (my wifes drink of choice)

Quay was second, stunning view from the Rotunda. The first three courses were subtle. All very well cooked and presented, the vegetables with little goats cheese filled tuile sticks as great from these. The last three savoury courses were phenomenal. The pork especially has seared its place in my mind forever. The guava egg was incredible as well.

Marque was our third dinner. In contrast with Quay, the first three were among the most impressive of the evening. The paddle crab with almond and corn was superb, as was the cured mackeral and smoked foie gras (omg, smoked foie gras) and the Scampi with cos lettuce. The duck and veal were both good, but much more simple than the other courses. The sauterne custard pre dessert was the silkiest egg custard that I have ever had. An optional cheese course was offered that featured Vacche Rosse Parmegiano and a truffle stock, it was very good.

We also had a great pizza at Ventuno for one of our lunches, I would happily return for another if I find myself in Sydney again.

I was impressed by the level of service given at all of the restaurants. Very knowledgeable staff, and wonderful food all around.

[roosterchef21]

How did they compare to other restaurants you have been to of a similar or better standard?

[Brianemone]

The professionalism of the front of house staff was far superior to any of the NZ restaurants I've visited. The food at Quay as the best looking presented food I've encountered and the Pork was one of the best things I've ever eaten anywhere. I'd say that if there was a big enough customer base in Auckland, both Meredith's and Sidart would be on par with Marque. As it stands they miss the little things like Petit four and optional extra courses.

One thing that Sidart did have over both Quay and Marque was how almost every dish made me grin in delight. There was only one dish at Sidart that didn't hit the sweet spot and that was the blue cheese pre dessert which was a little too heavy to acheive that.

I'd like to compare it to other restaurants around the world, but unfortunately my fine dining experience has been limited to NZ and now Sydney.

[roosterchef21]

Nice to hear comparisons. Until the Michelin guide heads down this way, we have to make our own assumptions what sort of level they would be at. Not to mention my own morbid curiosity...

[Snadra]

Recently visited one of my favourite places, Lochiel House, again. We're not frequent visitors, but it honestly seems to get even better everytime we go - and apparently the SMH reviewers have agreed, giving it an extra hat in the last Good Food Guide. This time they had steak tartare on the menu (I am incapable of resisting raw meat!) with rice crisps, nori and a warm yolk. It had just the slightest resilience and was perfectly balanced. They have great relationships with local producers and it shows through the entire menu. Also, having a non-drinker as my partner, I really appreciate the care they put into matching wines by the glass to each of the dishes on the menu.

For those just visiting, they are some distance out of central Sydney (and they are a regional restaurant, in a very old building with slanty floors - call it charm), but worth the effort.

[olicollett]

Hi all,

I'm going to be in Sydney for a week in January and I was after some recommendations

I have a reservation at Quay so I was looking for some recommendations for good cheap eats in the city so that I don't end up bankrupt!

[Luke]

Sean's Kitchen (again) for me tonight.... :)

Food was awesome as always. Service (particularly drinks) was below par. Two seperate orders for drinks were "forgotten"...Anyway, apart from that, it was great.

Mains (for me) was South Australia Rib-Eye steak cooked med-rare and it was! Side dishes included house made chips cooked in duck fat, onion rings, cauliflower, brocoli greens. All these dishes were great.

The real masterpiece of the night was a vanilla and honey creme brulee with a strawberry & rhubarb compote. Probably the best creme brule I have ever had. The mouth feel was just awesome.

Cheers
Luke

[Broken English]

I'll be heading down to Sydney again soon. I'm stoked to go to the new Becasse, from what Monty (Koludrovic, head chef)described last time I saw him, it'll be something else.
Marque is always on the list, as is my old work Fratelli Paradiso. I really want to try Sepia this time, and probably Grant King's new restaurant in Potts Point.