Rhodes Phoenix (Sydney)

Dinner with family on Chinese New Year’s Eve is an important tradition. Rhodes Phoenix was packed with diners looking forward to the Year of the Dragon.

The large tables were enjoying traditional banquets. With only 4 of us, we went for the timeless dried oysters with ‘black hair’ seaweed (homonym to ‘great business profit’), a 1.9kg lobster with ginger and shallots, and the modernised cumin lamb shanks.

I have always loved the dried oyster dish and enjoyed the rare occasion to taste the intense savory fishy, yet subtly sweet flavour. However, lamb shanks were very tough.

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Details:
Rhodes Phoenix
Rhodes Shopping Centre
Level 5, 1 Rider Boulevard
Rhodes NSW 2138


See previous blog entry on Manly Phoenix here

Taste of Shanghai (Sydney)

There is a growing number of modernised Shanghai-ese restaurants all over Sydney. We went to Taste of Shanghai at the underground of the World Square complex near Chinatown.

The dish of the night was pork belly served in a hotpot. The gelatinous pork was probably the nicest I have had since my visit to Shanghai last year, with radish at the bottom absorbing the sauce.

We also had xiao long bao, dumplings and (seemingly the diners’ favourite) prawn fried rice which were above average.

Details:
Taste of Shanghai
World Square Shopping Centre
Shop 9.07, 644 George St 
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.tasteofshanghai.com.au/

Sepia Restaurant (Sydney)

We went to Sepia, the 2012 Restaurant of the Year, for our Christmas (eve) meal to finish the year.

The quality of the degustation menu reflected the restaurant’s accolades. My favourite was the scampi with shellfish custard. The texture of the custard worked so well with the scampi. However I hoped the scampi, rather than the intensely savory soy smoked eel with sea urchin cream, to come after the mild fish starters as it gives the menu a better progression for the palette.

We paid $25 extra for famous black stone dessert, but I much favoured the complex black forest.

Details:
Sepia Restaurant & Wine Bar
Darling Park
Ground Level, 201 Sussex St 
Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.sepiarestaurant.com.au/

District Dining (Sydney)

We visited District Dining with a group of 6 for a work Christmas dinner party. Heading into the festive season, the modern dining room was buzzing despite being a mid-week service. There was a good variety of mojito’s and cocktails to start the evening, along with some crispy pigs ears which were very tasty.

The dishes overall were robust. Seared scallops were perfectly cooked and roasted spatchcock extremely moist. The wagyu beef brisket went well with the miso glaze, and was nice and tender at the top – however it was rather dry at the bottom.

Details:
District Dining
17 Randle St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
http://www.districtdining.com.au/