http://www.chow.com/boards/37 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:23:46 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849073#7342230 It's true that I didn't explain myself properly, and my saying that it was "off" was perhaps misleading (I didn't say it was dangerous). But I don't think that therumpus' question about "fresh" and trustworthy sushi was completely unrelated to eateries' upholding standards of refrigeration (and reporting that refrigeration). Again, I'm sure that David Jones has improved their standards since these articles, but I never thought the sushi there was ever particularly better than any other utility sushi. Nor did I think it was better at the place in Chifley Tower, which I believe might be Makanai (what used to be the Asagao chain), and is not related to Azuma (the main Japanese restaurant) as has been suggested. Nor would I recommend the place in lower ground Hunter Connection, which I believe might be Kansai (?), and is more of an all-you-can-eat sort of affair... not really a guarantor of quality. Honestly, if we're just going to go off quality of ingredients and preparation, I would honestly recommend and stand by Sushi Nagashima. If you haven't tried it, give it a whirl. anarcist Wed, 16 May 2012 11:41:58 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849073#7342230 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849273#7339854 It really depends on what you like and how much you want to spend. Personally I think that the best restaurant in brisbane is Ortiga and would be great for a formal/ more expensive dinner- try the sherry. I also love Montrachet's, it is run by the well loved Thierry Galichet their take on french cuisine is traditional but always very good. Restaurant two, Aria, Jellyfish and the Anise are good as well - again it all depends on what you like. If you are looking for something more casual then I would suggest trying the Southbank/Westend area - this is good especially if you are going to QPAC, I am liking Ole at the moment for pre/post theatre food. Westend also has some great "ethnic" food - check out Trangs for good Vietnamese, it doesn't look like much but their Pho is fantastic. Little Greek Taverna also has some good cheap greek, great for a bite before heading for a night out. The Gunshop Cafe in Westend does fantastic breakfasts/brunch. As does Sassafras in Paddington and Campos Coffee in Wandoo St. Campos is in the gentrified James St area which has a great market (including a good sushi place), wine celler (Cru) and plenty of boutiques. There is also a great cooking school/ shop in Water St in the Fortitude Valley/James St area called Black Pearl - they import great cheeses and always have good/interesting and high end cookware. I would also recommend King of Kings a yumcha institution in the Valley's Chinatown, if you are there on a Saturday I would highly recommend this. If you are interested in bars/clubs the Valley is the epicentre of brisbane. I would suggest The Bowery (a speakeasy style bar) Larouche (which is quirky and serves interesting cocktails) and the Brunswick social which has good pork buns and is open very late. There is also X & Y which is more relaxed but the staff are good. Tuckeria (a mission style burrito joint) is up the road if you get hungry on the way home. If you have anymore questions or want to run a place past me feel free I think I have eaten at most place in this city. bald lemon co. Tue, 15 May 2012 12:26:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849273#7339854 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848064#7339718 There are some great recs on this board for Melbourne you should go though. My pick for a romantic (and pricey for worth it!!) dinner would be Jacques Reymond or Ezard - both glorious, degustation-y places. There menus are online for you to peruse to see if they are to your taste. Mr Wolf is very family friendly, especially for an early dinner - there's kids everywhere!! Kid friendly menu and staff. www.mrwolf.com.au/ Have a lovely time in Melbourne. AussieBeth Tue, 15 May 2012 07:44:00 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848064#7339718 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833259#7339662 There's a pretty decent detailed guide to this subject I found useful at http://www.experienceoz.com.au/c/content/page/Free+things+with+Kids+Sydney that has info about kid's attractions, family-friendly beaches, suggested accommodation and where to stay, etc etc. Migh twant to check it out. Cheers. geezertd Tue, 15 May 2012 06:19:58 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833259#7339662 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846434#7339367 Hi Late Sunday Night Wellington is not great for eating. If you're at the Rydges, they'll be able to advise you easily. Duke Carvell's is amazing as is Logan Brown, Shed 5 is good too. All will take bookings easily. They are Wellington based restaurants. Lunch in Taupo: The Vine Eatery or have fun at The Prawn Farm on your way out. Fresh prawns bred in the thermal waters of Taupo. Touristy but fun. Bistro Lago at the Hilton is also very good. Rotarua I'm told Mokoia is very good for Dinner. Auckland - you are seriously spoiled for choice, The French Cafe and The Grove are amazing. Clooney, Soul, Sidart and Roxy are all spectacular. I would recommend booking for all of them. For lunch you may want to try Depot, O'Connell Street Bistro or District Dining. Have a fabulous trip The Big Foody Tue, 15 May 2012 02:36:25 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846434#7339367 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847009#7339135 Check our Imperial Lane in the city between Queen St and Fort St, awesome cafe! Kohu Road Creamy in New Lynn is amazing too and you can get the bus out there. The North Shore has great cafe's especially Hinemoa St in Birkenhead and Takapuna has some great ones too. The Big Foody Tue, 15 May 2012 00:35:47 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847009#7339135 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846631#7333012 Fiji Market is a wonderful find. Most of their merchandise is dedicated to Indian ingredients and spices, but they have a good selection of other Asian and Mexican/South American spices and groceries. I buy a couple of my favourite Mexican sauces there-- Valentina Salsa and Herdez tomatilla salsa. They also sell small and large cans of chipotle en adobo, achiote, and dried chiles. Last time I was in there (a few weeks ago) they were out of a number of things they normally carry, and the shopkeeper told me they were waiting for another shipment. But yeah, I can never walk out of there without a backpack full of stuff. gemuse Fri, 11 May 2012 11:51:53 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846631#7333012 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/768345#7332956 I didn't book but my girlfriend was able to book for us on a Saturday night with a couple of weeks notice. kersizm Fri, 11 May 2012 09:29:25 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/768345#7332956 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838128#7326301 agreed pizza_minelli Tue, 08 May 2012 10:44:01 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838128#7326301 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847868#7323936 Much appreciated Darrius Mon, 07 May 2012 02:23:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847868#7323936 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/816509#7316620 sunnyand72 is right, it is best to check www.dineout.co.nz to see which restaurants are open. St Germain is one of my favourites. I can also recommend The Bodhi Tree (Burmese food). We lost quite a few of our hotels in the cbd so I would recommend booking accommodation early. What is your budget? There are a couple of nice hostels - there is one in the old jail down Lincoln Rd which is apparently quite nice.. and of course there are lots of hotels and b&b's. Glow_worm Thu, 03 May 2012 04:26:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/816509#7316620 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846956#7314218 I went in winter, I didn't feel the lack of anything. Celeriac, jerusalem artichoke, rhubarb. Didn't feel I missed anything. Attica doesn't seem to change much through the year as I seem to have shared the menu with many others who have been mr_gimlet Wed, 02 May 2012 09:17:17 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846956#7314218 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847010#7311805 Hello, I am aware of the March festival in Hokitika and that there is a small restaurant that way on the west side of the South Island. But I'm not sure I'll get that way. So I am wondering if there are other permanent or open options in the country. I read about the Native Chef kiosk in Auckland, but they closed for the season. Of course, this may just require a return trip another year! Thanks! Bogberry Tue, 01 May 2012 09:42:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847010#7311805 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846271#7311776 This is a controversial one, because Indonesian tends to cater to students = cheap. So there are lots of recommended places, but they are probably at the value end of the spectrum - places like Nelayan and Coconut House in the CBD. Of the more expensive places, Warung Angus in North Melbourne is well regarded - it is Javanese. mr_gimlet Tue, 01 May 2012 08:55:54 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846271#7311776 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844953#7309824 That looks delicious :) PattyC Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:55:07 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844953#7309824 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845451#7308551 Press* was pretty fun. I ate there twice when I was in Adelaide a few weeks ago. Imagine Cumulus with more meat. kersizm Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:52:55 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845451#7308551 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845825#7308151 I was just in Sydney. Two places worth checking into with good food: Pony Restaurant on the Rocks. My daughter (a foodie--age 23) lives there, had eaten there, and took us back. Looks like they do group functions. Also check out Four In Hand Restaurant in Paddington--about 12 minutes from the CBD. They do functions and have a private dining. This is perhaps my favorite restaurant in Sydney, in a tiny botique hotel in a residential neighborhood of terrace houses. www.fourinhand.com.au . Lots of atmosphere. Lastly, don't know if they do big groups, but Bistro Moncur in Woollahra about 15 minutes from the CBD is really really really good. gdmack Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:44:05 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845825#7308151 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843261#7306426 @brewers_wife knows her stuff! I've also heard good things about the food at Temple Brewery and also love The Royston Hotel which is a pub specialising in craft ale and micro brews. Tuesday nights is meet the brewer night. You can try @brewers_wife's beer there too. My passion is the farmgate-to-plate dining, and here's my pick of venues, in no particular order: O'Connells The Wayside Rose Diner Bar The Vine Pei Modern Pope Joan Next Door Diner Huxtable Gorski & Jones LivingRoom The Albert Park Hotel stickyfingers Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:53:27 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843261#7306426 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792095#7298101 Vaucluse Hotel in Richmond, 350g porterhouse steak with chips and salad just less than $20.00 Open all day kenwong167 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:06:37 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792095#7298101 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844123#7285361 This is great, thanks! I'll be there in July. I would be interested in your thoughts about the wineries as well. PattyC Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:58:17 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844123#7285361 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844132#7282089 How did the winery tour of the morington peninsula go? kersizm Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:35:55 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844132#7282089 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844042#7275297 Just quickly as I'm running to Adelaide to eat at Press. ;) Casa Ciuccio is the new place from the team that brought you Bar Lourinha. Matt McConnell is in the kitchen so the food is very similar, however, there is the addition of a BBQ Pit and lots of small cold tapas type dishes in the front bar. I ate; peppers stuffed with crab, house cured bonito, green figs with basil, rabbit croqueta, anchovy toast things (which were fabulous), sweetbreads with cider vinegar and honey, suckling kid (from the pit) & dulche de leche with peanut praline for dessert. All very good and washed down with a Curly Flat 2011 white pinot. Casa Cuiccio has only been open for a week and a half and was pumping last night. Unlike Bar Lourinha, though, they do take bookings. They will also be opening up a produce store next door and I also believe the McConnell's have taken over the builders arms. It looks like the McConnell brothers are taking over Gertrude Street! kersizm Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:25:40 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844042#7275297 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/839475#7273962 Hi there Neat casual should be fine http://www.pressfoodandwine.com.au/ Darrius Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:21:38 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/839475#7273962 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842358#7268862 Fix does take bookings. BeanTownGolfer Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:48:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842358#7268862 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/817265#7261423 For what it's worth, finger limes are starting to come into season now (at least in Western Australia). For those who can't find finger limes at their local high end grocer or farmer's market, it might be worth contacting the growers - usually small, boutique farmers - direct and inquire if they'd be willing to post some out. www.limeburst.com might be a good place to start. sharpe_555 Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:24:28 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/817265#7261423 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840652#7259682 Quay definitely. Sepia however, have impeccable staff who make the dining experience a pleasure (that's not to say that Quay doesn't!). Mid range & Others, Duke Bistro, Four In Hand, Ms G's, Universal, Sixpenny, The Apollo. Danchez Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:15:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840652#7259682 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840503#7249323 I don't know about getting a nice breakfast with a water view, but I always enjoyed Moore & Moore on Henry St. in Freo. I haven't been for a while, but when I used to frequent Freo they made fabulous breakfasts and lunches. They also have local artists displaying their work if you're into that kind of thing. Generally things can be a bit hit and miss in Freo, but if you go for a wander you might stumble upon something good. To be honest as far as food goes up the North coast there's not a huge amount available. Things may have changed as tourism has developed over the years, but from memory you might have little to choose from other than standard pub grub fare. Exmouth did have a Chinese restaurant once upon a time, but I remember little about it other than my father horrifying the owners with his rampaging table cloth tricks...sorry I'm not of any more help. I would definitely second verysimple's idea of getting a stack of fresh seafood (which will be amazing if local!) and cooking it yourself. I'd ring around and check what is actually open on ANZAC Day in Perth as things do get sporadic, but again, I'd second the suggestion of Duende in Leederville or Clarences in Mount Lawley. Otherwise, if you have a car, I'd suggest somewhere in the Swan Valley at a winery such as Jane Brook or Sitella's, both of which are very pleasant on a sunny Autumn afternoon. TheHuntress Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:42:31 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840503#7249323 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676477#7239176 Agree with PhilD about a level of service/treatment reflects how much you respect a restaurant. Had dinner at Quay last weekend. Albeit smart - a t-shirt is a bit too casual. D Darrius Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:28:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676477#7239176 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840654#7234674 Go! Go now, before the hordes take over this tiny brilliant cafe. Twenty & Six has been open about four months. It's coffee is spot on, up there with de clieu and seven seeds. But the food is beautifully presented and magnificently prepared! I had a breakfast of mushrooms, chorizo, creme fraiche, parmesan... wonderful! One of my friends ordered honey and goat. Honey comb and and whole round of la luna goats cheese. It came with lavender leaves and brioche tied with string. It looked beautiful. Website is on the way: http://www.twentyandsix.com.au/ Go! Go! Go! KZM kersizm Sun, 25 Mar 2012 05:48:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840654#7234674 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840008#7231010 France Soir is a vibey french restaurant in south yarra. Mains around $35 http://www.france-soir.com.au/ Darrius Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:39:42 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840008#7231010 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834580#7221368 My thoughts on my meal last year - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/787023 PhilD Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:17:28 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834580#7221368 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838798#7218121 Thanks MrG. That sounds like the best plan. I'm going to be there for Easter Sunday so not sure if that is going to decrease my options. BeanTownGolfer Fri, 16 Mar 2012 23:28:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838798#7218121 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838817#7216043 Agree with Onara. Definitely Quay. Sydney has very interesting small bars which do great food. Bootleg in Darlinghurst. Gastro park in Darlinghurst is a must do - its very playful and the cut above the rest. Berta in Darlinghurst I would suggest is very Sydney in its attitude to food in terms of cooking and use of produce. Surry Hills/Darlinghurst has a huge array of restaurants so you really can't go wrong. Check out Sydney Morning Herald "good living" guide (food section in the paper) it gives regular reviews and tips of the latest and greatest in Sydney. Also for lunch try the pork and fennell sausage roll at Bourke Street Bakery. Very Aussie with a twist - can't say you've been to Australia without trying a pie or sausage roll!! :) SurferSooki Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:32:35 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838817#7216043 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830588#7212135 Ha ha! That ought to read "the former was utterly disappointing, etc". Onara Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:55:49 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830588#7212135 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/837378#7212116 Lorenzo's is pretty good too http://www.lorenzosdiner.com.au It's very close to Caveau, and that strip of Keira St is reputed to be a bit of an ''eat street" Onara Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:28:51 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/837378#7212116 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838416#7209241 Yes, I agree about PM24. Not fabulous overall, but we had a very good steak ;-) Vis-a-vis Tasmania...in 2008 I stayed at a place in Freycinet called Sheoaks (I think...not quite sure). They made a wonderful breakfast, super yogurt with homemade stone fruit compote. For some reason that stood out in my mind. Hobart also surprised me by how elegant it was. Launceston I just wanted to get out of. Also, there's a bird sanctuary outside of Hobart that I remember being stunningly beautiful and quiet...just this long spit of land looking out to Antarctica. Are you going to New Zealand? There's a similar feeling to Tasmania. We were just there for three weeks and absolutely loved it. The raw food stuff is phenomenal. I've never had apples that good before. And honey. And green-lipped mussels. And really good Turkish food. Oh, and amazing plums. And the ocean is soooo blue. I'm ready to move, seriously. My favorite place was Waiheke Island. We spent four days there in a rented flat with a big deck and a nice wood stove. We didn't wind up doing any of the winery stuff, just toured around ourselves...the best part was the un-peopled eastern part of the island. And there's some quite decent food there (Mudbrick winery has a good cafe in town, as well as their own restaurant). We also loved Wellington, even though the weather sucks. It's just super fun! Good food there too. Funny...we went to a pizza place called Scopa four times. Not sure what they were putting in their pizza, but we kept finding ourselves drifting back that way. Cooking in Auckland seemed a bit more on-the-ball -- probably our best meal was at Ponsonby Road Bistro, but we didn't do any of the upscale places like the French Cafe or Merediths (nor did we go to Logan Brown in Wellington). But anyway, looking forward to hearing more about your experiences in Melbourne... chloehk Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:24:07 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/838416#7209241 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/807782#7208969 Just wanted to report back that I was recently in Melbourne and gave Josie Bones a try. I had read a bit about it, and thought the whole craft beer + nose-to-tail would really appeal to my partner. Had I known this was a reality TV chef project, I would not have touched it with a 10 foot pole, so luckily, I did not read up on that until after we returned from our trip. We really enjoyed the meal, ambience, beer, and service. We were there early on a Sunday night and it was very relaxed with just a handful of other tables full. We were served by three staff (including, apparently, Juila Jenkins and Chris Badenoch himself) and it was attentive and fun, without being overly fussy or pushy. They encouraged us to try a range of beers (which we did), and the meal came out at a relaxed pace, though they seemed to sense perfectly when we were just finishing one dish and ready to move on to the next. Things we tried: Started with pork cracklings, of course. Great way to accompany your first beer choice, though they were oversalted. We moved on to the scotch quail eggs with anchoïade. Fun little bites, very umami, and again, a great complement to the beer tasting. Next came the hop & hickory smoked ox tongue with piccalilli. This was a revelation, and if it was the only dish I had, I would have left happy. I've had tongue many ways, but never this tender, moist and savoury. Then we broke things up a bit with a salad dish. Heirloom tomatoes with Fiore di Burrata, pickled shallots, and basil. A tasty interpretation of insalata caprese. Very nice and I even spied what looked like some green zebras in there. Next up was the black pudding with green apple and a pickled ginger and ginger beer jelly salad. I'm a lover of blood sausages, so was eager to try this. It was very mild and delicate in flavour, and so was overwhelmed by the ginger in the salad. The salad was very imaginative (loved the cubes of ginger beer jelly!) and could of stood well on its own. But I thought it way too assertive to pair with the black pudding. I felt like it kind of destroyed my palate and didn't taste the second half of the pudding. There were many more dishes on the menu that we wanted to try. We would have been ready to call it quits at that point, but then we saw a dish come out for another couple seated at the bar and had to have it. Mountain goat with goats cheese, mint, and pomegranate. This was terrific. Kind of lamb-y, and perfect fusion of flavours. But it also kind of pushed us over the edge into "too full", which was a pity, because then we found out that there were some really amazing looking cheese plates and desserts. But there was just no more room at that point. All in all, we tried about 7 beers. But you do have to be careful, as our beer tab ended up matching our food tab. The beers are all very full bodied. Makes for a very interesting tasting, but it does fill you up. I might have like to see a few more lighter German style lagers, just for variety. All in all, super-enjoyable meal. Will definitely make this a regular visit when in Melbourne. gemuse Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:34:08 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/807782#7208969 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835832#7178689 I think Cumulus is constantly a struggle, now. kersizm Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:02:15 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835832#7178689 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/812806#7171986 We had excellent meals everywhere we went in Palm Cove. The food at NuNu was fantastic, but expensive, we had good Thai next door, great prawns at the sea food cafe at the other end of the beach (can't remember what it was called, but it's a woman's name!). mabelmaguire Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:24:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/812806#7171986 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/815770#7167134 Pinot in Mornington: Paringa Estate and Stonier. Unbelievable stuff. Stonier do various single vineyard Pinots which are very different from one another, very inetresting. I also like Pinots from the other two wineries I mentioned, Moorooduc and Yabby Lake. Asomaniac Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:12:06 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/815770#7167134 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/832004#7166931 Hi, Zinfanatic--I spotted you as a Californian from your moniker. For excellent pizza and a view of a suburb (i.e., neighborhood) where "people actually live" and shop, try Pizzeria Amici in Heidelberg. It's a downhill walk from the Heidelberg train station, on the Hurstbridge line. It's an Italian neighborhood, and the people at P.A. make true Italian pizzas, with thin crusts and fresh ingredients (and will make concessions to Ozzie tastes). I sympathize with chloehk re the high prices here--for everything! GRowell Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:37:02 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/832004#7166931 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833376#7165008 Supper Inn gets great wraps because it is open at 3am. When I was working in kitchens we would end up there regularly getting drunk as a crew. However, on the whole it isn't that good. Sichuan House is the best for Chinese food in the CBD. For vietnamese Pho Huong cnr of Russell and Lonsdale and its (superior) branch on Barkley in Footscray are excellent. Bar Lourinha is one of my favourite places in Melbourne. It can get pricey though.. especially if you like to drink - like me. ;) kersizm Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:15:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833376#7165008 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/831483#7164965 Strongly disagree on the food at Kumo, I have taken picky Japanese there. The rest I can sympathise with. mr_gimlet Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:46:15 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/831483#7164965 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834835#7164326 I've had breakfast, brunch and lunch there as it's very close to my home as well (though not walking distance). Very pleased, especially with the very professional waitstaff. The dinner menu was up on the board and it looked good. Being new, it's obviously very 'in' at the moment. I'm not sure how sustainable it is in such a high profile and expensive location, but I hope it does well. mr_gimlet Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:36:03 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834835#7164326 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826399#7162686 I agree wholeheartedly with this review Mr_Gimlet. Took my staff there for Christmas lunch and was really impressed. I had dinner at Ezard's last week, and while the food and service was fantastic, I reckon Chin Chin better value (at least half the price), and the flavours comparable. camdira Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:10:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826399#7162686 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834623#7159940 Anyone have any restaurant recs for the Hunter Valley region? We are going to be there for 2 nights in April. One night we will be celebrating my nieces' 21st birthday. Thoughts on BISTRO MOLINES? any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Johncw3_SF Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:13:54 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/834623#7159940 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833154#7159923 Hi all. I'm going to be visiting Hobart in early April. I will be by myself and will be staying at the Hotel Islington. Would love to hear some great restaurant recommendations. I won't have a car, so walking distance would be preferred or I guess I could take a taxi. Thanking you all in advance. -John Johncw3_SF Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:01:43 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833154#7159923 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/760675#7156561 My colleague went to Pata Negra recently and said it wasn't anything too special. People used to rave about it about 3 years ago, but I haven't heard anything great about it recently. TheHuntress Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:43:28 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/760675#7156561 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833616#7149948 Portia's place - in Kingston Excellent chinese and if parliament is sitting you can do some poli spotting. Had an excellent night here on my own. The service was also attentive. www.portiasplace.com.au/ :D Darrius Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:19:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/833616#7149948