Restaurants in Australia
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A
Isthmus Of Kra
This is where the local business community 'does lunch'. Specialising in Thai and Nonya cuisines, the Isthmus of Kra is a chance for business execs to show the clients they take to lunch how cosmopolitan their tastes are. The blue dumplings (dyed with butterfly-pea flowers) are sure to impress. In the evening, take some friends and choose from one of three banquet options. It's a good idea to book.
reviewed
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B
Bodega
The coolest progeny of Sydney’s recent tapas explosion, Bodega has a casual vibe, good-lookin’ staff and a funky matador mural. Tapas dishes vary widely in size and price, from spiced pumpkin and feta empanadas to hefty slabs of seared salmon with tahini and pickled cucumber. Wash 'em down with Hispanic wine, sherry, port or beer and plenty of Mediterranean gusto.
reviewed
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C
Hanuman Restaurant
You won't believe you're in the outback when you try the incredible Thai- and Indian-influenced cuisine at this stylish restaurant. The delicate Thai entrees are a real triumph as are the seafood dishes, particularly the Hanuman prawns. Although the menu is ostensibly Thai, there are enough Indian dishes to satisfy a curry craving. There are several vegetarian offerings and a good wine list. Book ahead.
reviewed
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D
Tetsuya’s
Down a clandestine security driveway, Tetsuya’s – rated one of the top restaurants in the world – is for those seeking a culinary journey rather than a simple stuffed belly. Settle in for 12-plus courses of French- and Japanese-inflected food from the creative genius of Japanese-born Tetsuya Wakuda. Book way ahead.
reviewed
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E
Añada
Dishes such as mackerel with orange-blossom and pistachio or veal meatballs and braised cuttlefish are alive with hearty Spanish and Muslim Mediterranean flavours. It’s unpretentious, passionate cooking and the place fills up most nights. There’s the usual arrangement of big and little plates plus a good selection of Iberian wines. Book ahead or try to nab a table at the bar or outside.
reviewed
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Silk's Brasserie
The decor and staff are equally welcoming at Leura's long-standing fine diner. Dishes can sometimes be overworked, but serves are generous and flavours generally harmonious.
reviewed
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Churrasco
At this swanky Brazilian barbecue, illuminated by a strange mix of trendy hanging globes and chandeliers, black-clad waiting staff proffer wave upon wave of South American-spiced chorizo, chicken and tender steak skewers. Share a salad (around A$11) to avoid meat overload. The vegetarian version (at the same price, which hardly seems fair) swaps in vegetables and haloumi.
reviewed
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G
Almustafa
With belly dancers on the weekends and water pipes for afters, Almustafa is a fun place to eat - which wouldn't matter if the food wasn't first rate. Try not to fill up on the more-ish hummus and baba ghanooj dips; save room for stuffed vine leaves, sizzling lamb kofta, chicken shwarma and the other greatest hits of Lebanese cuisine.
reviewed
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H
Single Origin Roasters
These impassioned, bouncing-off-the-walls caffeine fiends love to chat about the fair-trade or environmental credentials of their beans. The menu's full of cutely described yummies such as the 'salad of weeds, waxies and scratchies' and the 'fish finger sarnie innit'. Unshaven graphic artists roll cigarettes at the little outdoor tables in the bricky Chicago-esque hollows of deepest Surry Hills.
reviewed
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I
La Disfida
This humble local pizzeria of 13 years' standing serves decent pasta as well as pizza, but don't even think about it. Head straight for a delicious traditional thin-crust pizza, hot out of the wood-fired oven. It's been rated the best in Sydney, so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table. The staff aren't renowned for their charm, but the pizza is worth it.
reviewed
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Degraves Espresso Bar
The rickety cinema seating and fashionable gloom make Degraves a quintessential Melbourne laneway experience. If you've overindulged in that other Melbourne laneway experience, the hip little bar with no signage, beat your hangover with poached eggs or French toast with maple syrup from the all-day breakfast menu. Or just pull up a pew for an always-good coffee.
reviewed
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K
Gravy Train
You wouldn't chug across town to get here, but you'd certainly pull in for a bite or coffee if in the area. Gravy Train is the coalface of Yarravillagers: students, workers and pram-pushers all converge on the bright dining room or roofless courtyard. Some artful savoury dishes accompany staple café fare, and there's a good selection of sweet things too.
reviewed
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L
Flower Drum
The Flower Drum continues to be Melbourne's most celebrated Chinese restaurant. The finest, freshest produce prepared with absolute attention to detail keeps this Chinatown institution booked out for weeks in advance. The sumptuous but ostensibly simple Cantonese food is delivered with the slick service you'd expect in such elegant surrounds.
reviewed
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M
Hopetoun Tea Rooms
For five generations, ladies and 'nice' families have been nibbling pinwheel sandwiches here, taking tea (pinkies raised) and delicately polishing off a lamington. Hopetoun's venerable status, arcade location and pursed-lip air make afternoon or morning tea here refreshing indeed - the antithesis of Melbourne's constant coffee-taken-in-hip-laneways shtick.
reviewed
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N
Erciyes 2
The cafe up front serves quick takeaway meat pies and kebabs, along with some excellent dips - try the jajik (cucumber, yogurt and garlic). If it's good Turkish pizza you're after, you won't go away hungry. For something fancier, come at night, when the BYO restaurant does similar fare but with belly dancing as well (Friday and Saturday only).
reviewed
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O
Don Don
For years we’ve thumbed our way through diminutive Don Don’s photo menu, discovering consistently delicious dishes. Expect everything from katsudon (rice with deep-fried chicken, beef or pork, egg and condiments) to sashimi, mostly served with rice, miso and Japanese pickles on the side. Be prepared to queue.
reviewed
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Bills, Surry Hills
The loyal and eclectic crowd has followed Bill Granger's success from his Darlinghurst eatery to this shiny new upstart. This equally chic joint offers outdoor seating and some tasty selections which may include the roasted lamb rump with baked eggplant or black mussels with romesco sauce. Take it all in, and enjoy; your fellow diners certainly will.
reviewed
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Q
Otto Ristorante
Forget the glamorous waterfront location and the A-list crowd – Otto will be remembered for single-handedly dragging Sydney’s Italian cooking into the new century with dishes such as strozzapreti con gamberi (artisan pasta with fresh Yamba prawns, tomato, chilli and black olives). Bookings essential.
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Fraser’s Restaurant
Atop Kings Park, overlooking the city and the glittering Swan River, Fraser’s location is unrivalled. The food has enjoyed a good reputation for years, with Mod Oz standards such as chargrilled rock lobster and roast ’roo on beetroot rōsti and polenta. Its more casual sister restaurant next door, Botanical Café, is open for breakfast and lunch.
reviewed
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Grappa
The culinary highlight of Leichhardt, Grappa has an open kitchen, a snazzy bar and cream leather seats – it’s the setting for rich, succulent dishes (such as baked snapper in a rock-salt crust) and bounteous wood-fired pizzas. If it’s warm, sit outside on the terrace, sip chianti and think of Tuscany. Ahhh, Tuscany…
reviewed
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Cafe Fidama
With so many world flavours available, Fidama has thrown open the food-group classification to include influences from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia. Dexterous dishes are served up in sleek surrounds - all dark wood, banquettes and bentwood chairs. Locals love it here, so if you find yourself in the 'hood, it's best to book ahead.
reviewed
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U
Aqua Dining Restaurant
You'll be hard pressed to find a flashier restaurant design, but it's the astounding view of the bridge and Opera House (plus the Olympic swimming pool below) that will take your breath away. Expect sterling service and fancy food (the hickory-smoked Yamba prawns are especially good), plus a worthy wine list. Reservations are recommended.
reviewed
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V
O'Connell's
This posh pub is a long-time leader in the gastropub stakes. Forget about fronting up for a plate of cheap food cooked until it's colourless. O'Connell's is fancy down to the glassware, though good value. Choose to dine in the casual front room, or take yourself off out the back to the formal dining room - the same hearty menu's on offer.
reviewed
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Relish On Regent
This little deli in the backstreets of Paddington has a large communal table and sunny window seats. Chose from the enticing salads, filo pastries and frittatas at the counter or direct the construction of your own sandwich from the fresh ingredients. This is a great place to assemble a picnic on the way to Centennial Park or the beaches.
reviewed
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Gelbison Pizzeria Ristorante
'Mel Gibson's', as it's often called, is an old favourite with beach bums, film industry types and assorted gluttons looking for great Italian staples. Gelbison never seems to change and in Bondi that's a rare thing. There are pizzas and pastas galore, and sidewalk tables within the ocean breeze's reach won't hurt your enjoyment either.
reviewed