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:
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.
Address:
Entry via Centrepoint
Gallery Level
100 Market Street
City:
Sydney
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2000
Telephone:
61 2 8223 3883
Email:
reservations@360dining.com.au
I brought my family here last night Satuday to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday. My mum doesn't get out much so I thought it would be nice to bring her to a place that's well known and brag to her workmates about it.
at the Sydeny's Centrepoint Tower
The 360 Bar and Dining is located on top of Sydney's famous icon, the Centrepoint Tower. I've been here once before but I recall the name of the restaurant was different. Being smack bang in the middle of the city, it is virtually impossible to find street parking on a Saturday night. If you do find one, it's most likely limited to 2 hours only. So instead, we chose to park in the Piccadilly carpark on 137 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. This is only about 200m from the tower. I was told you can get a discount if you are to dine at the 360 restaurant. I totally forgot about this, so I wasn't able to get it this time. Instead, we paid $18 flat weekend rate.
As we entered the restaurant after the fast ride up in the elevator, the matre' d and waiters were very polite and accomodating. The place was very chic and classy as you would expect from a top fine dining restaurant on Sydney's iconic symbol. We were quickly ushered in to our tables. I requested for a window location which was no trouble at all and then handed over a birthday cake I bought for dessert. We were quickly served a glass of water and given our menus. The waitress we had was very nice and very patient.
My parents and grandparents has no idea I was bringing them here. They were awe of the beautiful Sydney view from above. The sun had almost set so it was a beautiful seeing the different hues of the sunset. Dad was quick to point out where he used to work. Grandma was a little confused pointing outside, saying "wasn't Star City over there a moment ago?" We forgot to tell her it's a revolving restaurant.
We then got served with a selection of breads. Knowing from past experiences with ritzy restaurants, the serving can tend to be small. So I definately didn't refuse the bread. It wasn't till later, I realised how wrong my assumption was.
We then started to order. My brother, Brian ordered the
Lavender consomme, sea scallops, hawkesbury calamari and sorrel
for entree and
Crispy skinned ocean trout, white asparagus barigoule, hazelnuts, pea shoots and veloute of white asparagus and truffle for main.
His girlfirend, Kerri ordered the Summer Bean Salad -
Seasonal salad of summer beans
for entree and
Poached free range chicken breast, fricassee of mushrooms, carrot puree and oloroso sauce
for main.
I ordered Eight freshly shucked tasmanian pacific oysters with cucumber and apple granita with chardonnay vinegar for entree and
Slow roasted beef fillet, braised cheek, foie gras, zucchini blossom and eshallot puree
for main.
The rest of the family ordered similar dishes.
The waitress kindly recommended to order some side order too. I took the hint and ordered all three: Green leaf salad with sherry vinaigrette, Baby potatoes with garlic butter, Steamed green beans with extra virgin olive oil.
I got a little worried at first when the first entree's came out. The scallops came in a large plate with only a fraction of it covered by food. I knew for certain, I would probably need to bring them to a MacDonald's drive thru afterwards. We all received and enjoyed our entree's.
When we finished, the waiter took our empty plates and politely offered if we would like some more bread. He said it in an encouraging way as if to say, we should have more bread. Now I'm thinking at this stage, 'Yep, definately macca's after this'.
Nibbling on the extra bread did help in passing the time before our mains arrived. This is when my assumptions of small serving was corrected. The servings were just right. It really helped having the side orders too.
My brother really enjoyed the Trout to which he kept calling it tuna, hubby was a little quiet having his poached chicken. I sensed he regrets not getting the Beef because the beef not only looked great, it was absolutely devine. Mum also ordered it and loved it. It was cooked to perfection. It was tender and had a melt in your mouth sensation. Dad and grandad wasn't too fond of their Trout. They are more accustomed to fat drenched buffet style food. So I wasn't surprised. All that mattered is mum liking it, for it was her brithday.
Later after our tables were cleared, and a few... well.. more than a few kodak moments, we were then serenaded by the waiter with a "Happy Birthday" as he carried the lit up cake to Mum. It was a delight. I was so impressed with the service they provided throughout the night. I didn't need to call them or look for them. They were always there when you need them. A quick gesture to them from across the room for more water, they were on the ball.
Oh, I forgot to mention the price. This was something I was dreading at since I booked the place. I chose the $75 pp for a two course meal since I was bringing cake. The BYO cake added an extra $5 pp. A bottle of wine was approx $50, side orders were $11 each.
In the end, I was so impressed with the service, I didn't care about the bill (as much ). The staff's attentiveness and politeness was a key ingredient in making the evening a success. My fear in choosing a dud place for my mum's very special day had all disappeared.
Address:
City:
State:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Email:
Hey! I know my restaurant reviews have been a little scarce lately. My apologies. I now have about 5 minutes to try and cram something in before my hubby picks me up from the office.
Well, I haven't really been eating out so much in the past few weeks. I'm trying to save a few $$ for my trip to NZ. I've been to a Thai restaurant in my local area which I will review soon.
This weekend, I'm taking out my family to the 360 Bar and Restaurant located in the Centrepoint Tower. We're there to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday. So keep an eye out for my review on that place. It's a pricey, so we'll soon see whether it is worth it.
On Monday, I will be meeting up with friends at either the Belgium Bier Cafe near the Rocks, or try the Bavarian Bier Cafe. I've never been the Bavarian one so I'm hoping my friends will agree to my preference.
Ok, that's all I can write for now. Hubby is about to arrive. Be sure to be back here to find what happens to my upcoming dining experience.
Have a good weekend!
Address:
199 George Street
City:
Sydney
State:
NSW
Postcode:
2000
Telephone:
(02) 9238 0000
Email:
Kable's serves modern Australian cuisine. It is the prime fine dining restaurant of the Four Season's Hotel in Sydney in close proximity to the Rocks and Circular Quay. The elegant decor of the Four Seasons compliments the relaxed and classiness of the restaurant. It is located on the second level of the hotel and can seat 120 people and also his private dining rooms to suit guest from 10 to 50 people. The dining area is arranged in a way that it feels like you're sitting in the middle of a great hallway. It's a very open plan. I wouldn't consider it to be a very cosy and romantic place to have dinner. It's very suited for a more business type lunch or dinner. Also, even though it's right at the Rocks and Circular Quay, you won't get much of a view except for the Jackson's on George Bar Restaurant across the road.
The restaurant also offers a unique experience at the Chef's Table. This exclusive dining experience allows you and guests of up to 16 people to indulge in a personalised 5 course meal created by a personal chef. You will have the opportunity to take a tour of the kitchen and get spoiled with chocolate tasting at the end. I haven't personally tried this myself but it certainly looks very tempting.
I've dined here a couple of times after work. Initially tried this place because I had an Entertainment Book voucher. However, I was so impressed that I had no hesitation to go back there again a week later. The food was impeccable and the service was top notch. The waiter was very attentive and pleasant I'm looking forward to dining here again. I'll make sure I take some photo's this time.
Kable's is open for breakfast everyday, lunch and dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays. If you don't have an Entertainment Book Card, but have an American Express Card, then this will also give you a nice 15% discount. Highly recommended!
UPDATE
Hubby and I had dinner here again last night (15/10/2008). We hadn't been back for a while and with daylight savings, it made it even more tempting to dine out. We had another brilliant dining experience at this place. the service was just perfect and very polite. All waiters were attentive and perfectly followed etiquette or serving us.
This time, I had the sushi of salmon, swordfish, and tuna. Very elegant.
For mains, we had the Squid Ink Seafood Fettucini. Unfortunately, I didn't take photo's of this because we were too focused on digging in to the dish. It was sooo yummy. The serving was quite large. I had to pass my left overs to my hubby, as I do 
This was $42
For dessert we shared the Marshmellow and fruit fondue. This consisted of a strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce, and a vanilla type custard. The fruit consisted of strawberries, dates and pineapple, all served with a little wooden spatula stick to dip ito the different sauces. YUM! ($26)
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