Address:
Shop 252, 20-34 Albert St
City:
Strathfield
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2135
Telephone:
(02) 8756 5689
Email:
Website:
Even a block away from this restaurant, I couldn't help salivating to the awesome smell of Korean BBQ wafting down the street. It's the popular Bassim Korean BBQ restaurant. I've come to this place on numerous occassions and recently as last Saturday night. We took our friend visiting back home from London here. It was a last minute thing but I'm glad we came here rather than the usual "around the corner" cafe.
Parking is always a challenge in this area of Strathfield. It's just a few metres away from Strathfield station and the Strathfield Plaza. Although it usually doen't take to long to wait for parking at the council carpark just a few steps away from the restaurant.
You then just need to follow the scent of yummy BBQ and the trail of smoke to find this place. Once you enter, you might just be overcome by the smoke the place generates. If you've never been to a Korean BBQ restaurant before you will probably be intrigued by what you see. Each table contains their own cooking burner. Usually it's hot coals burning with a hot plate on top to cook the meat on. Bassim has this on every table and also there is a tube vent that is supposed to suck the smoke away as you cook. This concept doesn't seem to work very well when we were there.
You are then given numerous condiments such as Kim Chi, pickles, dips and sauces. You are also given some vege's to start with. You then are meant to choose some marinated meats to cook. I recommend you order one meat dish per person and maybe some extra. You can always order more meat as you go. Because of the condiments and bowls of meat and vege, your table will get very crowded.
Service is very good. The waitresses are very polite and patient. The will replace your cooking hot plate as soon as they recognise it has too mcuh burning marinade on it.
Did I mention the smoke? Oh yeah.... smoke! Not a good place to bring young kids or if you have asthma or a breathing condition. I also realised it's not a good place to go when it's hot. You sit right next to the burning coals so it gets extremely hot on a hot day or night. It was like being in a sauna in there. Sweating like a pig! Food was great but it was such a relief when we got out of there.
Korean BBQ I have to say if is the best tasting BBQ I've ever had. I recommend that you give it a go sometime. That is, if you don't mind cooking the food yourself, the smoke, and the heat.
Price wise, we ended up with a $140 bill for 4 people - incl drinks.
Address:
31 Alfred Street
Circular Quay
City:
Sydney
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2000
Telephone:
02 9251 8683
Email:
reservations@cafesydney.com
I have finally tried this wonderful restaurant. For years working in the building just next door, I have taken this restaurant for granted and not made the effort to try this place out. It wasn't until my friend Daz who decided to celebrate his birthday here that promted me to go.
I believe the reservation took place 2 weeks before the dinner date and lucky for us, we did manage to get squeezed in their busy reservations list. We however got a 8:30 booking on a Friday night. To pass time between finishing work and dinner, we had pre-dinner drinks at ECQ Bar at the "Toaster" next to the Opera House.
Once wew did arrive at the Cafe Sydney, our tables were not yet ready and were asked to stay at the bar while we wait. Hubby ordered a Vodka Martini for the very first time and paid for it later in the evening (I'm not talking about money here).
The ambience was very romantic and the interior was classy. Although, I did notice it was very dark with not much lighting at all. I was very careful walking around in case I tripped over something. Later the lack of lighting made it very difficult to see what was in the menu and then seeing what I ordered.
Cafe Sydney is much famous for it's view. It is situated right in the middle of Circular Quay where you will see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the famous Opera House. The restaurant is located on the upper floor of Old Customs House. The table we were allocated was just inside the balcony, overlooking the harbour view. It was a beautiful night and more so with a surprise symphony of fireworks right in the middle of the harbour.
Now the food. Food was absolutely delicious - and so it should be seeing the prices are at the high end. I easily ended up with $100 bill for my meal alone. This included a dozen oysters which were devine by the way and the lamb cutlets... yummmmm. The servings were filling and had to skip the dessert.
Service was good and not pretentious. Friendly, yet not intrusive. The place is quite pricey so expect to pay approx $45 for a main meal. If you are lucky to have and Entertainment Card, use it. It will help bring the total down. I highly recommend this place for romantic dinners with your partner. Groups are ok but I think it was a little to intimate and dark for my liking. The location is perfect with the view and all. Only probelm I can think of is the parking. If you are planning to dine here a little later in the evening, I think it would be a great idea to get here early and have pre-dinner drinks somewhere first to secure you on street parking. A couple of friends went around in circles for ages before they decided to park at the Opera House.
Address:
Corner of Playfair & Argyle Streets
The Rocks
City:
The Rocks, Sydney
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2000
Telephone:
02 9247 7785
Email:
This is my favourite time of the year. It's springtime, daylight savings has begun, it's my birthday month, and best of all, it's Oktoberfest TIME!! YAY!!! You can not pass off September and October without experiencing some sort of German festivities. It's a time for thigh slapping fun, dancing, yodeling, hugging!?....and of course BEER!
One thing I learned about Oktoberfest is the majority of the festivities are celebrated in September. From mid-september until the first week of October it is usually celebrated. My hubby and I were very fortunate to be in Munich back in 2005, just in time for the genuine Oktoberfest. The first thing we did as soon has we hit Munich soil was to head for the bier halls at the Oktoberfest festival. I was absolutely amazed. Everyone was so happy and everyone was your friend. We've never met and spoken to so many strangers before! It's amazing how beer can suddenly bring people together.
The place was a gigantic amusement park with huge tent beer halls lined up in the middle of everything. Hubby and I weaved through the halls but was just not lucky enough to snap any seats. It was so loud in there. Everybody were singing, laughing and having a good time.
There were food stalls outside, Some unusual food like whole smoked trout on a stick were sold like pluto pups. Heaps of sausages and mustard!
Last week, hubby and I decided to try and relive that time back in Munich. We went to Lowenbrau for dinner after work. We've been to this place before, but it wasn't now I just realised just how much effort his place put in to make this look and feel just like a beer hall at the Oktoberfest. The tables and chairs are placed in long communal lanes. All diners are to sit next to each other even if you don't know them. The Oompa band were playing the same music, and the waiter are all dressed in trditional german outfits. They looked their part, they also had the friendly personality and accents. It was fabulous! I loved it! We immediately ordered our beer. I had a girly one that tasted like mango. We also ordered a kinda meat platter for two. We were rightfully warned that it is a big serve.
This is a great place to unwind and have a good time. The entertainment is so uplifting. I couldn't resist to hold up my beer stien and sway to the music. It's not such a hard thing to do when you've had a couple of them 
Give it a go. Make sure you book before hand, even on a weekday. It's a very popular place for parties and corporate ones too.
Dunke!
Address:
Centric Park, 4 Hyde Parade
(Parking available undeneath, entrance just pass Gloria Jeans)
City:
Campbelltown
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2560
Telephone:
4627 5656
Email:
campbelltown@pancakesontherocks.com.au
Okay, here's another ever popular family restaurant opening up in the changing and expanding Macarthur area, Pancakes on the Rocks. Many of you may think this famous restaurant only exists at "The Rocks", Sydney. Well, that's what I initially thought. I must be the last person that lives in Macarthur who found out about Pancakes opening here. Apparently, Pancakes on the Rocks have also sprouted in Northmead and Darling Harbour. Here are the list of locations.
THE ROCKS
4 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney
Trading Hours: 24 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK
Phone: 02 9247 6371 | Fax: 02 9252 2900
Email: therocks@pancakesontherocks.c om.au
NORTHMEAD
100 Briens Road (Corner of Redbank Road) Northmead
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 02 9683 4322 | Fax: 02 9683 7587
Email: northmead@pancakesontherocks. com.au
DARLING HARBOUR
229/230 Harbourside Shopping Centre, Darling Harbour
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 02 9280 3791 | Fax: 02 9280 0467
Email: darlingharbour@pancakesonther ocks.com.au
CAMPBELLTOWN
Centric Park, 4 Hyde Parade, Campbelltown
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 4627 5656 | Fax:4627 8086
Email: campbelltown@pancakesontheroc ks.com.au
PARKING AVAILABLE underneath, entrance just past Gloria Jeans
Since it opened in Campbelltown earlier this year, I'd been keen to give it a go and see whether it was able to maintain the standards of its mother restaurant at the Rocks, Sydney. I wasn't in a hurry to enter it's doors. I knew the place will be totally packed for the first few months after opening. Campbelltown residents have been deprived too long from restaurants other than McDonald's, Red Rooster, KFC etc... etc..
I was able to finally drag the hubby out of bed for 10 o'clock Sunday brunch. I decided it was pancake Sunday. So off we went. Not knowing exactly where is was. All I knew is that it was in the new development area between the Catholic Club and Macarthur Square, called Central Park.
When we got there, the place was about half full with lots of staff walking around. We sat and decided our menus. The waitress came and took our orders. Then the long waiting game began. It was unbelieveable. We waited for about 40 minutes for a simple pizza and chicken mushroom crepe. It was only after we did receive our meal, our drinks decided to turn up. It took for my husband to go up to the bar himself to alert them we were still waiting for our drinks. I thought that was bad enough.
While we ate, the people next to us were receiving their drinks. Suddenly, there was a huge splash of sticky drink everywhere. The waitress accidentally spilled the drink all over the customers table, clothes and on the floor. What we thought to be very wrong was that the waitress just stood saying sorry while the customer started cleaning it up with their serviettes, including the floor!! I don't know if those people got compensated for that. They should have at least been given a free meal.
Food was ok. Nothing surprisingly exciting about it. I thought is was just right for brunch. I did not like the long wait very much at all. By the time we finished, it was lunch time.
It's what happened next after we got up to pay for our meals that made me realise what was one thing this restaurant was lacking. A waitress (I'm not sure if it's the same one) carrying a glass of strawberry milkshake dropped it and splilled it all over the timber floor. I couldn't look. I felt so bad for the waitress. The waiters were inexperienced. Well, either that or just very clumsy.
The total cost of the meals was very cheap. Having the Entertainment Book voucher makes a huge difference. We only paid about $24 for two people. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the place. I think I won't be going back there in a hurry. I think I'll wait until they settle in a bit more. Hopefully the service improves significantly and speeds up. It's a bit of a worry that we had to wait so long for simple brunch in a not so full place. I can imagine what it may be like during a full house during dinner, eeeccckkk.... Yep, definately can wait awhile before I go back there.
Address:
Located at the Hungerford Hill Winery
1 Broke Road
City:
Pokolin
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2320
Telephone:
61 2 4998 7666
Email:
terroir@hungerfordhill.com.au
Of the many, many times I have been to the Hunter Valley, this was my first time to try Hungerford Hill's famous restaurant in the region, Terrior Restaurant. We tried to have lunch here last year by just rocking up there with no reservations. Not only did we get rejected at the door, we felt it too. The waiter, or who ever he was was so rude. There is a pleasant way to say they are fully booked. Oh well. Maybe he was having a bad day at the time.
Although our first impressions were not so good from last year. I was still determined to try this place out. It's been highly recommended by the Hunter Valley tourism booklets. So I made sure I made reservations days before we arrived.
When we arrived around lunch time, 12:30pm on a Saturday, we were very surprised on just how empty the place was. No one was there at all! A huge contrast from last year.
We took our seats near the window with the view and sun ( because it was a rather chilly day). Since we were the only customers there at that time, we had very nice personalised service. Food arrived at the right time and it was a delight. Terrior Restaurant is considered to create modern Australian cuisine. Menus which purposely compliments the Hungerford Hills award winning wines.
For mains, husband ordered the eye fillet of beef with truffle butter, mushrooms, roast garlic and confit tomatoes $40; wine match glass - 2005 Hungerford Hill Shiraz, Hunter Valley, NSW
I was feeling a little ill from the ride from Sydney to Pokolbin, so I ordered an entree for my main. scallops, almond tarator, asparagus and green olive salsa $24:
wine match glass - 2007 Hungerford Hill Pinot Gris, King Valley, Victoria
Food was top class. Hubby enjoyed his very tender beef and I very much enjoyed the scallops. Serving was just right. Service was a lot more friendly this time. The waiters would come to chat a little with us and made sure we were ok with our meals. It was a pleasant experience. Soon the place started to take in more patrons. I thought, thank goodness for that. I just hate being the only customers in a big restaurant. There's something about being the only one there and the waiters are so attentive to our every bite Ahh.. maybe it's just me?
Address:
1014 Hermitage Road
City:
Pokolbin
State:
NSW
Postcode:
Telephone:
02 4998 7888
Email:
info@casuarinaestate.com.au
Casuarina Restaurant is the name. It's not in Sydney but rather in the heart of Sydney's closest wine country region, the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley is a very popular destination for Sydneysiders and it's only 2 hours from Sydney. So even if it's not a "Sydney" Restaurant, I thought I should make a review on their faboulous restaurants. Casuarina is a definate favourite of ours.
Hubby and I made our annual pilgrimage to the land of the vine over the Queen's birthday long weekend. Being lovers of wine, dining and cheese, I can't think of a perfect place to visit and not having to travel too far for it.
This is our 3rd time dining at the Casuarina Restarant. The restaurant is part of an estate which includes accomodation and facilities for wedding receptions and conferences. I, myself have never stayed in this place. I may consider it next time because the restaurant is simply amazing.
Casuarina's specialty is the flambe. Flambe is a cooking technique when the chef would usually bring along the cooking trolley up to the customers table and cooks the food in a flambe type frying pan. The chef will then use alcohol (usually brandy) in the dish and set it alight into a big flame. It's all fancy and very different.
That's me on the right, avoiding getting burned
Hubby had a Seafood Chowder $18.00 (baby clams, mussels, smoked cod, saffron, hunter chardonnay, fresh herbs, lemon rind & a touch of cream).
For mains we ordered the Chilli Lobster & Prawns $90.00 for two a Singaporean recipe with tomato, ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste, coriander, coconut cream, blackbeans and chilli prepared as hot or mild as you like it.
I thought is was awesome! I was carefully observing exactly what the chef was putting into the pan in the hope I'mm be able to remember all the ingredients and try it at home. We did attempt to recreate it last time and it wasn't a bad. I regret not video taping it. Sad, I know, but it looks quite easy and it's so yummy.
As far the service was concerned, we felt the waitress that was assigned to us was totally ignoring us. Clearly, she was pampering the other couple next to us. Our flambe chef was absolutely amazing. He made sure we were paying attention to what he was doing and even told us to get the camera ready when he was about to flame the pan. When he asked the waitress to give us cracked pepper, she totally ignored the instruction. The matre' d was polite and cheeky as always.
Highly recommend you give this place a go if you ever are in the region.
Address:
43 Stewart Street
City:
Narellan
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2567
Telephone:
02 4647 2735
Email:
Wow.... I was totally impressed with this place. For years now since moving to the Camden area, I've been wanting to try this place out. It's been recommended several times in the Macarthur Dining Magazine and won many awards.
It finally happened one cold Thursday night when our plans to exit the M5 and head for Macarthur Square was abolished after seeing the ridiculous Narellan Road traffic. Instead we turned right and headed for Narellan. I then thought it was a great opportunity to try out Lexies. The hubby was hungry so he was not in the right frame of mind to say no. Bingo!
At first, we had no idea how to get to this restaurant. It's located at the end of Narellan Road. It's in a street that is parallel to Camden Valley Way. So we turned right into Camden Valley Way and then left into a small side street and followed the road to the left. Success again!
The restaurant is actually an unusual colour purple on the outside. So it's hard to miss.
Once we made it in, I was a little turned off by the pink, or was it peachy, coloured walls with teal blue cornices. It was like a time machine that took us back to the 1980's. It brought back memories of mum and dad's old place before it was repainted and brought in line with the times. It was hideous.
Service was absolutely wonderful. The waitress and the owner, Marion(? I think her name was) were so pleasant and made us feel very welcome. At the end of the night, as we were about to leave, we were surprised when the waitress asked us if we could wait a moment because the owner wanted to see us before we left. We felt so good after that dinner. It was a very pleasant and homely experience. So what about the food?
Double WOW! Food was just amazing. Being located on the outskirts of Sydney, we didn't really expect too much from this purple residential house looking restaurant. Man! we were wrong. Previous critics mentioned gourmet... well gourmet it was. I was amazed just how much the restaurants in the Macarthur region has developed. It's about time too!
For entree I had salt and pepper squid. It wasn't your usual deep fried variety you find at a Chinese take-away, it's the most gourmet squid I've ever tasted.
Salt & Pepper Squid
For mains I had sliced beef stack with garlic mash, roasted eggplant, sweet potato, and wheat flour type chips drizzled with aioli. Side serving of salad. Oh.... divine!! The beef was so tender it really did melt in the mouth. It was a taste sensation. Servings were very generous. Neither my hubby and I could completely finish it. Maybe we should have shared an entree instead. I was so impressed that I sent my compliments to the chef.
Prices were reasonable considering the quality of the food and wonderful service. I can't remember exactly the price range. I'll have to get back to you on that. They don't seem to have a website or I'm just not aware of it.
Oh... the place is BYO. They have no alcohol on the premises. Make sure you bring a bottle of your best wine to match the gorgeous food.
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