Just found out we are off to Sydney for work at the end of the month. Any suggestions on restaurants or wine stores. Was there last year in Jan., anything new or classic that we might have missed last time.

Landshark,

Here is mypost from our trip to Sydney, adelaide and the Barossa last January.

Thanks

We arrived in Sydney Tuesday morning, had lunch in the Four Seasons hotel. I went across the street to the Australian Wine Center and was quite surprised at the increase in prices since last year. Example a bottle of 2001 Two Hands Ares was $200.00 aus, which at the present conversion rate would be about $ 156.00 us, I bought this wine in Los Angeles last year for $ 76.00 us. 2002 Two Hands Lily’s was $79.99 aus -$ 63.00 us again I bought this in LA for $ 40.00. I guess I will have to look elsewhere.
After our location scout we went to dinner at a sushi bar in the rocks, Shiki, not bad.
The next day we had lunch at Aqua Luna pretty good food overlooking the Quay.
For dinner we ate at The Pier an exceptional seafood restaurant built on a little pier. I ordered an incredible grilled squid with pepper sauce for a starter and a Blue Eye filet for the main, both were a real treat. They had a pretty nice wine list we ordered a 1992 Yalumba Shiraz / Cabernet The Signature nice wine. When we finished our assignment on Thursday we had dinner at Rockpool, amazing food, we ordered a Pinot from Tasmania on the recommendation of the wine steward, not bad, but the food was amazing, Asian fusion. I ordered a sashimi appetizer that was simply amazing, followed by Seared Ahi wrapped with prosciutto and stuffed with anchovies, exceptional. Food has been great the wine purchases a little disappointing.

Dude - you gotta get out of the tourist areas. The Rocks and Quay are totally not where you want to shop unless it's for handcrafted gifts (some good shops for that). That's why you're paying so much. Ask the locals for a good places to eat or buy wine.

I don't think I've EVER had as good seafood as I had when I was in Perth and other cities in Western Australia. Just stupendous and if you eat at a nice place, they haven't cooked the crap out of it like they tend to do in every restaurant I eat at here.

I would love to get to anywhere, but when we travel for work we rarely see anything but the set location, some restaurants, the hotel and the airport. We always have to get to the airport three or four hours before we fly, 23 bags on this trip, followed by hours in baggage claim and customs. The first day when we arrive is spent scouting, meeting and negotiating with the production company; this day is usually our best chance at seeing something. Next day is a prelight and prep day, 6 to 10 hours. The following day is our shoot day, a 12 to 16 hour day. Then it is back to the airport again, we try to get out as much as we can but it is tough. This time we were staying at The Four Seasons, the rocks are right there.

Had a fantastic dining experience atGuillaume at Bennelong last week.

Hard to imagine a better setting than this place, which is located in the southern shell of the Sydney Opera House. It is glass enclosed and affords a breathtaking view of the harbor, skyline, sunset, bridges, etc... Plus, they had a huge diamond-vision screen at the bottom of the Opera House steps that was broadcasting the Federer-Safin semifinal of the Aussie Open (which we occasionally monitored during dinner - what a classic match).

I started with a Roasted Whole Marron (sort of like a mini-lobster) with carmelised pork belly, baby fennel and a frothy emulsion of spices.

Main course was Sealed Grainfed Beef Tenderloin with a tombé of field mushrooms, baby spinach, confit of shallot and merlot suace. Also a side of Paris Mash, truly one of the most outstanding potato purees I've tried.

Finished with Nougat Glace with hazelnut, almond and strawberry coulis. All were delicious.

My Australian host picked the wines ('01 Bannockburn Chardonnay, and '02 Yering Station Pinot Noir Reserve). Both were 90+P.

Definitely not a tourist trap as my cynical side feared when I heard we were actually eating in the Opera House itself. Highly recommended.

Cheers,

Otis

otisabdul: I dined there when we were in Sydney. We loved it also. Another couple sited next to us got engaged that night.

You are lucky that you get to travel to Sydney frequently. I love Sydney!

LCC:

Sydney is defintely one of my favorite international cities. It's in my top five, for sure. Singapore, Paris, London, and Buenos Aires would round out the top five.

Cheers,

Otis