Posts Tagged "Contemporary"

District Dining

Posted by D on 23 May, 2011 in Australian, Contemporary, Sydney | 11 comments

Another brainchild of Warren Turnbull of Assiette fame, District Dining has brought fine dining quality at a price for the masses. Gone are the crisp ironed white table clothes, the fine china and the silverware changed at each course – instead District Dining has a warm wooden interior with marble top tables and large blackboards advertising the daily specials which all add to the contemporary tone.

When we enter dining room on a busy Saturday night, the place is buzzing. Conversations are flying everywhere and we strain our heads over the crowd to find our dining companions. One thing I’m struck by

Pier Restaurant

Posted by D on 20 March, 2010 in Australian, Contemporary, Sydney | 13 comments

Ask me what my favourite seafood restaurant with fine dining in Sydney is and my answer would definitely be Pier Restaurant at Rose Bay. I first visited here as a poverty stricken university student when a single meal here could have easily paid for over a week’s worth of university cafeteria sandwiches. Many years on, I still remember the meal I had there. So when a high school friend announced a quick visit to Sydney and Pier pipped as the place for our catch up, I didn’t have a moment’s hesitation in saying yes at the chance to re-visit.

Sake Restaurant

Posted by D on 26 January, 2010 in Contemporary, Japanese, Sydney | 10 comments

I’ve always had a rule that I generally stick by and rarely break – never order food from a joint where the chef isn’t from the same background as the cuisine. Not to be discriminatory in any way, the simple fact is that I like my food authentic as I can get. Also, call it a quirk of mine, but my mind simply refuses to comprehend the disassociation.

There are however a handful of chefs that beg to differ. Sake Restaurant at the Rocks as can be expected by the name serves contemporary Japanese food and but the executive chef is not Japanese, but a gaijin by the name of Shaun Presland (previously of Sushi E and Establishment

Rockpool

Posted by D on 6 December, 2009 in Australian, Sydney | 8 comments

Say the name Neil Perry, and the ears of anybody who knows anything about food prick up. Over the years this chef has firmly cemented himself into a position of one of Australia’s most influential chefs. He is responsible for a spattering of award winning restaurants around Sydney including Rockpool, Rockpool Bar & Grill and Spice Temple, as well as Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne.

Last month, celebrating a special occasion, I was surprised with a dinner at the original Rockpool which was first opened in the Rocks in 1989. The entrance to the restaurant is understated to say the least. Keep looking

Bentley Restaurant & Bar – Let’s Do Lunch

Posted by D on 2 November, 2009 in Contemporary, European, Sydney | 4 comments

One last Let’s Do Lunch last week to close off on a month of good eating thanks to the Sydney International Food Festival. This time, we decided to head towards Surry Hills and gave Bentley Restuarant & Bar on Crown Street a try. The restaurant is housed in a refurbished pub which has an unassuming aura about it. In that respect, it’s almost too easy to forget that this restaurant has been awarded two chef’s hats for several years running.

The set menu this time for the Let’s Do Lunch special was a roast spatchcock with sweet corn polenta, pistachio and aspagarus. On the