Sepia, Sydney CBD - Take #2

Two years on from my last dining experience and Sepia is finally closing down, following long-standing rumours - the finale to the era in which they reigned supreme in the Sydney fine dining arena with three-hatted ratings across 10 (!) consecutive years.

Outside of Restaurant

Situated in the newly renovated Darling Park building, their exterior and interior decor haven't changed since although, maybe due to different seating location, it was much brighter at the table this time round - all the more for better photos, aided by their handy table lamp. The other diners probably thought that we were a little bonkers playing around with the lamp in order to attain optimum lighting. 😂

Doltone House Hyde Park, Sydney CBD

Even though Doltone House is conveniently located next to Hyde Park in the middle of the Sydney CBD, it was no easy feat (for me at least) to get there. Gaining entry into Doltone House was somewhat like finding Wonderland:

• First I was stymied yet again by GoogleMaps, which for some unknown reason had directed me the other side of the block on Castlereagh Street,
• Whilst walking around the block to the correct side (on Elizabeth Street), I walked past the bride & groom escaping for pre-wedding photos in Hyde Park,
• Eventually faced an inconspicuous black door that was locked from the outside, only to be let in by one of the photographers who was coincidentally just coming out of the building,
• Met the father of the bride in the lift on the way up to the ballrooms where the wedding ceremony and reception would be held,
• Only to be gobsmacked impressed by the opulent, dark decor of the venue with a massive crystal chandelier hanging off the ceiling and down the grand stairwell

Main Ballroom

ChinChin, Surry Hills

Getting to ChinChin requires a bit of a trek from Central Station and given that it is hidden from the main roads of Surry Hills, it took us a while to find the right place. The entrance is rather dim and decorated with a fluoro pink bunny (why oh why), which gave it a bit of a nightclub vibe.

Outside of Restaurant

Inside of Restaurant

Burnt Orange, Mosman

Our trip to Burnt Orange, Mosman, took a freaking 2 hrs due to traffic as well as a long, scenic detour to Manly. This time, we were stymied by the in-built Mazda GPS - let's just say it was a major shock to us all in the car when the GPS stated that we had arrived at our destination but we were facing Manly Wharf.

Anyway, we finally (finally!!) made it to the cafe:

Main Entrance of Cafe

Interior of Cafe

Inside, they have an extensive open porch area, that was enclosed so the restaurant can retain some warmth against the chilly winter air (and potential haze in the skies from recent back-burning).

The Langham, Millers Point

I came to The Langham for a wedding ceremony, followed by reception in their prestigious halls. The hotel has been refurbished in recent years - all black and white interior filled with bright lights in every corner, comfortable lounge chairs and fresh floral centrepieces.

Entrance of The Langham

In addition, they have a sweets/lolly pop bar for guests (or perhaps all for show since I didn't see anyone touching the display) near their concierge desk:

Sweets Bar

Bare Witness, Rhodes

Set within the suburb of Rhodes, Bare Witness stands by the tranquil foreshore of Homebush Bay. The area has been redeveloped in recent years and various cafes and eateries have popped up to feed the hungry masses living in the multitudes of high-rises.

Outside of Cafe

Inside Cafe

Bare Witness serves as one such cafe, offering prime waterfront views with its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Quay, Sydney CBD

In conjunction with the gradual revamp of The Rocks, Quay will be closing for renovations from 1st Apr 2018 for three months and we see the departure of their signature snow egg (whyyy! 😭). Fortunately, there was a last-minute table availability two days prior and I quickly snapped up the booking in spite of a late dinner time.

The day arrived and the constant rain couldn't drown out my excitement for (finally!) visiting Quay.

Entrance of Restaurant

Despite being booked out for the late sitting, quite a few of the tables were unoccupied on arrival but were later (briefly) filled over the course of the night.

Capriccio Osteria, Leichhardt

I was invited to celebrate a friend's birthday at Capriccio Osteria and on the day, I ended up carpooling with friends to get here. This was probably the first time I've stepped foot in Leichhardt so was interesting to discover a long food strip filled with cafes and restaurants (mental note to visit again during the daytime). As there is limited street parking, it took a while before we found a spot a few blocks away and walked back to the restaurant.

Outside of Restaurant

Capriccio Osteria is just one of many popular restaurants on the main food strip that serves up some interesting Italian fusion cuisine.

Girdlers, Brookvale

Hidden in the rabbit warren that is Warringah Mall, Girdlers is decorated with lush greenery across wide open spaces.

Entrance of Cafe

The cafe is spread across a large area but only provides three small sections of under-cover tables - there are a few scattered umbrellas, else you're exposed to the elements despite the rooftop battens. Fortunately for me, sitting at an uncovered table, there was only a brief sprinkle of rain before the clouds gradually parted to reveal brights rays of sunshine and blue sky.

Moby Dicks Whale Beach, Whale Beach

After attending the very picturesque wedding ceremony at Snapperman Reserve under the glaring, hot Australian sun (at a scorching 35°c!), the wedding party eventually moved to Moby Dicks Whale Beach on the other side of Palm Beach peninsula.

Outside Restaurant

Upon arrival, I was welcomed by multiple wait staff offering champagne and beer before even stepping a single foot into the reception venue. A steep set of stairs lead off the main road, past a small outdoor courtyard, and down into their function room/hall, which has floor-to-ceiling windows facing Whale Beach (would be awesome for sunrise).

Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Mosman

I first visited the Middle Harbour Yacht Club a few years ago for a work Christmas party and if memory serves well, the food wasn't that great. Last time, my (vegetarian) work colleague was served half a cooked eggplant, along with a drizzle of sauce, on a plate as his 'main' dish and the meat-y mains (i.e. barramundi or roast chicken) was either cold or overcooked... but will history repeat itself?

On this occasion, we were promptly served drinks on arrival at 1:30pm but unfortunately the (alcoholic AND non-alcoholic) beverages served from the street-level bar, facing the enclosed beach, were seriously watered down. Great views though.

View from Club

Okonomiyaki Dohtonburi, Quarry Bay

Okonomiyaki - a grilled Japanese savoury pancake topped with sweet okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes and seaweed flakes - can be easily found freshly made by the occasional food stall at events/markets, along with the token takoyaki and deep fried chicken stalls. If you're lucky, you can find speciality restaurants within the Kansai region of Japan that allow you to cook your own okonomiyaki. I tried this on a previous trip to Osaka but SissyG and I were way too noob to figure out how to do things on our own so the waiters took pity and ended up cooking everything for us 😆.

However, to see such a restaurant in Hong Kong is a peculiarity, given the Hong-Kongese penchant (especially for younger generations) for not cooking at home and opting to eating out.

Outside of Restaurant

Night Noodle Market 2017, Sydney CBD

Once again, the Sydney Night Noodle Market was held in Hyde Park and flagged the beginnings of the Good Food Month (i.e. October every year).

Entrance to Night Noodle Market

The food selection appeared to be the same as last year (with the most popular being Hoy Pinoy, Messina Gelato, Black Star x N2 Gelato), along a few new additions spread throughout the park.

Harbour Room @ InterContinental Sydney, Sydney CBD

Entering into the InterContinental Sydney is like walking into a opulent marble maze in order to find the lifts to the Harbour Room. Fortunately for me, I just followed a couple I knew, who appeared to know where they were going, before heading up together to this engagement party.

The Harbour Room is located on the 31st floor with some spectacular (200 degree) views overlooking the Botanical Gardens through to Circular Quay:

Circular Quay

North Ryde Golf Club, North Ryde

Finally - finally! - I was invited to a wedding reception that was relatively close to home and civilisation. Whilst I have driven past the North Ryde Golf Club on many occasions in the past (en route to my childhood piano lessons *shudders*), I have actually never ventured beyond the main road and visited the site.

Main Entrance of Golf Club

Unsurprisingly, there is ample on-site parking that allows for quick access to the golf course but in order to access their restaurant (La Fontana Ristorante), you need to walk around the building (from the golf course entrance) to the main entrance. The restaurant itself is rather large and provides an awesome view from the outdoor balcony overlooking the golf course and nearby water feature.

The Elevation & Gelato Messina, Parramatta

My original intention was to visit XS Espresso but upon arrival, I realised the Parramatta branch only served coffee and limited baked goods so I ended up walking down the road to The Elevation for brunch.

Outside of Cafe

Inside, the industrial/Scandi theme reigns supreme with pale wood and black metal, along with choice decor items including terrariums (one of the larger ones spans the length of the base kitchen cabinets!).

Get Your Pink On! at The Commons Local Eating House, Darlinghurst

Okay, I didn't really try any of the food from The Commons but I did spend an enjoyable afternoon in their front courtyard for a "Get Your Pink On!" function - a collaboration between FCBA and @Eatventures in support of Breast Cancer Network Australia.

Front Courtyard

In keeping with the pink theme, the courtyard was decorated in pink and the food followed suit.

Taisho Japanese Restaurant, Zetlands

In celebration of FCBA's second anniversary, a special lunch event was held at Taisho's new store in Zetlands. For those that have never ventured to Mascot, you wouldn't have heard of Taisho's flagship store (join the boat, guys), which specialises in BBQ wagyu beef.

Outside Restaurant

The restaurant is located on street level of the East Village shopping centre, close to the car park entrance so you can't really miss it. Lined with double-storey windows, the restaurant provides ample natural light inside and the interior decor naturally draws the eye from the ground floor to ceiling.

Ninou Boulangerie Pâtisserie Viennoiserie, Rosebery

Ninou first came to my attention when their fascinating desserts kept popping up on social media and therefore I was excited when the opportunity came by for a visit to their cafe in Rosebery, courtesy of FCBA. The concept of a French-inspired bakery in Sydney is intriguing - having authentic French bread loaves, baguettes and desserts all accessible at our fingertips without need to fly the required twenty odd hours to the "city of love".

Inside Cafe

But does it live up to the hype?

Mekong, Chippendale

In a last bid to utilise my entertainment book vouchers before the end of the May, I organised a dinner with DrL and AW at Mekong. Not to be confused with Lower Mekong located on street level, which serves up Vietnamese food, Mekong is its more mature, upper-class sister restaurant that offers South-East Asian cuisine in a fine dining setting.

Outside of Restaurant

Having only walked by in the past, it was an interesting experience walking up the stairway, past bamboo walls to the 2nd floor. Dim mood lighting, dark wood and shiny metallic surfaces reigned supreme in this restaurant, which overlooks the humble Spice Alley and Kensington Street below.