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Wine Bar

Ester

Up to now, dinner at Poly was probably my favourite upscale dining experience in Sydney, the poor service notwithstanding. Given that I’m currently trying to make one income stretch between two people however, I don’t really have a whole lot of time to be exploring the fine dining scene in Sydney, which is notoriously expensive as it is. But one really nice meal out at the end of the year for Chris’ birthday, our anniversary, and Christmas has always been a constant, and this year I chose Ester, the elder sister to Poly. Ester looks like every other popular Modern Australian restaurant that has ever been, but that’s not a bad thing. The interior is sleek yet warm, the bare…

29/01/2020

Chippendale, Modern Australian, Mr. Moneybags ($50 Plus), Wine Bar

Poly

Nothing tastes as good as a celebratory meal, and oh do I have reason to be celebrating today. After barely 3 years out of university, Chris (aka my other half) has been promoted to a senior software developer! He’s of course stoked, and don’t tell him I said this because he’s already had so many congratulations that he’s running the risk of getting a big head, but I’m also completely thrilled – for him, and for this excellent excuse to splash out on dinner at Poly.

01/05/2019

Best Of Sydney, Hatted, Modern Australian, Mr. Moneybags ($50 Plus), Surry Hills, Wine Bar

Restaurant Hubert

I’m not much of a birthday person. I know plenty of people who use birthdays as an excuse to have a month-long celebration but frankly? I just don’t have that much energy. For me, what birthdays really amount to is a chance to have a good meal, where you splurge a bit on something you normally wouldn’t have. This year however, things are a little different. Not only am I in a brand-new city, instead of one full of restaurants I’ve been lusting over for years, I’m also on a significantly tighter budget on account of living away from home. But after much research and changing of minds, I eventually settled on Restaurant Hubert to celebrate turning 25 (ugh).

20/06/2018

European, French, Hatted, Mr. Moneybags ($50 Plus), Sydney CBD, Wine Bar

Osteria Ilaria

Rarely has a restaurant impressed me on the first visit the way Tipo00 did. Their meticulously hand-crafted pasta dishes were melt-in-the-mouth scrumptious, and each subsequent visit has been similarly astounding, and well worth the ridiculous wait times. So when the geniuses behind Tipo opened Osteria Ilaria a couple years later, all of Melbourne were waiting with bated breath to see if it lived up to its reputation. As it turns out, we needn’t have worried. Following Tipo’s example, Osteria Ilaria soon snapped up another Best New Restaurant of the Year Award, with accolades coming out of its ears, and queues extending down the street. But unlike Tipo, Osteria Ilaria is not a quaint little pasta bar. Hot on the tail…

17/01/2018

European, Hatted, Italian, Melbourne CBD, Mr. Moneybags ($50 Plus), Tapas, Victoria, Wine Bar

Embla

There’s nothing that perks me up quite like a good meal at a wine/tapas bar. The cosy venue, sophisticated and indulgent atmosphere, and parade of small but exquisitely designed dishes (and maybe a drink or two!) never fails to put me in a good mood. And for the longest time, my go-to spot has been MoVida Next Door. Of course, I knew about Embla – who doesn’t? It’s only the Age Good Food Guide’s best new restaurant of 2016 – but I’ve never quite mustered myself up for the visit, despite having almost-went several times.

12/07/2017

Best Of Melbourne, European, Hatted, Melbourne CBD, Modern Australian, Mr. Moneybags ($50 Plus), Tapas, Victoria, Wine Bar

City Wine Shop

Everyone knows The European, the quintessential, well, European restaurant and wine bar. Slightly well known is City Wine Shop right next door, set back into an alcove with nothing but a small sign proclaiming ‘bottle shop’ to give it away. But City Wine Shop is no slouch. With its food coming directly from the kitchen of The European, this little wine bar boasts a selection of nibbles, an impressive rotating menu scrawled onto a blackboard, and of course an extensive selection of wines. I found service to be a little confusing, as I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to find my own spot, or wait for someone to seat me. But that’s understandable enough, as every other person through…

09/06/2016

European, Italian, Just A Bit Special ($20-$35), Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Wine Bar

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