International restaurants in Pacific
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Flaming Bull Steakhouse
Among so many great places to eat, one expects to choose some fab French cuisine. But Flaming Bull's eye fillet on mash is impossible to beat. Add the big hug from the waiter and the outrageous atmosphere and you too will keep coming back. Vanuatu beef is good - organic from contented cows that graze around coconut plantations - but then the seafood is straight from the water to you, so the coconut-crumbed prawns are tempting. There's live music later, with local bands playing mellow love songs.
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The Summit Restaurant Orbit Lounge Bar
Sure, it's not exactly cheap, but you're here for the supreme 360-degree views of Sydney. This high-rise restaurant rotates a full turn every 105 minutes, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the chilli-prawn tapas, seared rare tuna, wagyu beef rump or pepper-crust snapper before the view starts repeating itself. And remember to dress up: there's a dress code.
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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.
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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.
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foodgame
Whether you sit at the steel deli counter, in the plush lounge area, at the communal table or outside, you'll enjoy the salads (Thai to Caesar), burgers (satay to steak) and pasta (ravioli to fettuccine). And don't even think about leaving without dessert (lemon tart, sticky date pudding, lime-infused coconut panna cotta...)
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Tilly's
Built around Chantilly's sunny foyer. Drink in superb bay views, or take your meal, maybe baked poulet on crispy potato roast with papaya and lime dressing, out onto the private jetty. There's also a great tapas menu.
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La Pizzeria
This simple little place has great comfort food like the best osso buco or fish curry you've ever had. It's a popular spot with expats who chat away to you, and for pizza (eat-in or takeaway).
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Zanzibar
Zanzibar is tastefully decorated and has an exotic charm. It does international cuisine.
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El Tigre
Sick of small-town restaurants that all basically serve the same meal? Stop with the crazy pills and hunt out this funky little restaurant (slightly tricky to spot from the street). The menu is eclectic, with interesting touches such as ratatouille with your ostrich, or apricot sauce with your lamb backstrap. Sit near the kitchen at your peril – the smells from within can quickly drive you insane with hunger. Hip, distressed interior, lounge music, atmospheric lighting and service that cares make it our top pick in town.
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Le Roof
Everything about this top-notch gastronomic restaurant is impeccable: the food, service and setting. It's on the jetty over the water at Anse Vata. Don't be too disappointed if you can't have a table by the deck as you can watch the tropical fish in the two large aquariums inside the restaurant.
The only drawback is the loud music from the neighbouring bar and nightclub, which sometimes disturbs the otherwise perfect atmosphere. But then again, it may put you in the mood to go nightclubbing after dinner.
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Point Cruz Yacht-Club
Never short of a happy crowd, this Honiara institution is best known for its cold Solbrew than for its affordable fare. It's a shame, because the dishes are simple and full of flavour. Burgers go down well with the brews served on the premises, but you can also treat your tastebuds to kingfish steak, sirloin steak or beef curry. And the seafront lies just beyond the glass. Brilliant value. There are plans to refurbish the place, so keep your ears to the ground.
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Bisztro
Bisztro Warmed by open fires and with service smooth but relaxed, this restaurant is hidden away in an old wooden house on an almost-suburban street. Ingredients are largely locally sourced and carefully selected. The restaurant also sells its own preserves and relishes, so if your meal inspires, grab some chilli paste or pickle to cater your slow-food, roadside meals later in your travels.
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JJ's on the Park
Dishing up good Western-style food and blessed with terrific harbour views from the 180-degree glass frontage, JJ's is an atmospheric place to dine. Salads, burgers, enchiladas, steak and fresh seafood dishes are served in generous quantities and the wine list is impressive. The surrounds are glossy and polished, service is attentive and a Fijian Belafonte often taps the ivory in the background.
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Raffles Floating Restaurant
The floating restaurant attached to Raffles Tradewinds hotel is one of the most scenic spots in Suva to dine. Lunch is the best time to enjoy the harbour views, when the glass windows surrounding the interior flood the room with light. Seafood and classy steak dishes feature highly on the dinner menu, but lunch is a cheaper and more relaxed affair. The burgers here are legendary.
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Brantry
Chef Prue Campbell and sister Felicity continue to run the best and most consistent restaurant in the region at this 1950s town house, a few minutes from the town centre. Dine in intimate, unobtrusive surrounds, inside or out. The menu makes use of some of NZ’s finest ingredients, including top-quality cuts of beef and lamb. The set menu (two-/three-courses $40/50) is a gift.
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Frank’s Late Night Lounge
Effortlessly cool and retro late-night lounge-bar-cafe. A mirror ball hovers blithely above rescued 1950s furniture while Sinatra and Dean Martin bubble away as the soundtrack. An eclectic list of teas and NZ’s best boutique beers partner a small global menu with surprises like Tibetan momos (dumplings) and Moroccan fish. Occasional live gigs complete the picture.
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Grand National Hotel Restaurant
It's located right next to its namesake drinking hole, but this is definitely not pub grub. A bright and elegant dining room offers inventive cuisine like duck breast with soused vegetables or roasted lamb with carrot purée. Well-chosen wine recommendations add even more punch, and the pear strudel with prune armagnac ice cream ends the night nicely indeed.
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MCA Café
Situated under the slick Museum of Contemporary Art, this trendy cafe's outside tables boast stunning views of Circular Quay and the Opera House. The simple menu offers diners treats like seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc, corn-fed chicken breast or beer-battered fish 'n' chips. Breakfast is also popular, and the service is right on the button.
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Garuva Hidden Tranquillity Restaurant & Bar
This genuine gem of the Valley restaurant scene has the ultimate chilled-out vibe: dimly lit private booths with cushioned seating are partitioned with white silk curtains. All dishes are the same price including the delicious lamb curry and warm Thai beef salad. The cocktail bar out the back is a good option if you missed out on a booking (essential).
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Bills, Woollahra
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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Le Rendez Vous Restaurant
This is not the most romantic spot for a rendezvous, but it has a reputation for fine food and an airy setting with funky wooden tables and chairs under a thatched roof. The menu covers enough territory to please most palates, with such classics as chilli garlic prawns, beef eye fillet, burgers and fish of the day. Good fruit platter too.
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Tiko's Floating Restaurant
Elegant and devoid of pretension, Tiko's serves excellent surf-and-turf fare, including New Zealand steak and fresh local fish (walu and pakapaka), on board a gracious cruising vessel. The wine list includes Grange Hermitage and the windowed walls bathe the place in amber at sunset. It's best enjoyed on calm nights.
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Scott’s Epicurean
This gorgeous joint features swanky leather banquettes, pressed-tin ceilings, great coffee and an interesting and affordable menu: try the sweet orange breakfast couscous or the ever-popular spaghetti aglio e olio. Service is friendly, it’s fully licensed, and a charming outdoor area beckons in the warmer months.
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Zinc Bar
Corner bistros don't come fancier than this joint, and if you score an outdoor table you'll be sitting among the prettiest people in Potts Point. Luxurious breakfasts (think pancakes with spiced plum sauce and creme fraiche, or poached-pear muesli) are served until mid-afternoon on weekends, when you'll fight for a spot.
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Denniston Dog Saloon
Lots of wild West Coast wood and Kiwiana antiques give the Denniston Dog a rustic air. Then again, a couple of beers, some tasty scallops and a good steak probably have the same effect. ‘The Dog’ is both bar and restaurant. After you’re watered and fed, take the locals on at pool. Occasional touring bands raise the roof.
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