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Arrive on a Friday or Saturday night this restaurant is sure to be filled with loud folk music between numerous large steins of beer. If you are a good down to earth party atmosphere then this is for you.

Lowenbrau Keller Restaurant serves the famous Bavarian Lowenbrau Original beer on tap and has won the Best Entertainment as well as the Best European Restaurant in 2005.

Oom Pah Pah music accompany diners as they are treated to excellent and authentic German dishes such as sausage plates with sauerkraut, schnitzles, strudels and meat loaves. While the meal is being consumed the waiters and waitresses amuse everyone with their skills in carrying 9 or 10 steins of beer at the same time, across the hall to serve to one table of thirsty customers.

After dinner guests can stay for another stein while participating in beer drinking and nail hammering competitions.

In this restaurant, laughter is an all round sport and everyone is there to eat, drink and be merry.

The upcoming Oktoberfest is also celebrated here at the Lowenbrau, and it is recommended to book early if you want to be guaranteed seating!

Lowenbrau Keller Restaurant Bar
Cnr Argyle and Playfair Streets
The Rocks NSW
Tel: 02 9247 7785
www.lowenbrau.com.au

This tiny, insignificant corner joint may not catch the eye of the everyday passers by, but for those in the know, this is the success story of a micro-coffee roaster.

It's a mixed crowd of people, from businessmen to students to medical doctors and university lectures, but no one feel out of place in this welcoming cafe.  The place is small, so don't expect to have spacious leg room to sit and read your books. Coffee lovers come here for a quick espresso shot, or to hover over the tall standing tables for a bit of gossip while sipping some of the aromatic coffees in town.

The wooden decor perfectly match the thick creamy aroma of the coffee in the air, and the constant whizzing of the coffee machine accompanies every conversation. The happy staff when not busy creating their wonders will be happy to talk to you about the origin of coffee as well as their specialty blends, and if you like it, you'll be able to buy the beans to take home and try at brewing yourself.

Just for now, to get in with all the USA election hype: try the Obama Blend. According to their description, the blend has "great depth of character, strong, and eloquent" and is an excellent drink for "going forward". Only time will tell if the coffee will live up to the real deal, or the other-way round!

Campos Coffee
193 Missenden Rd
Newtown NSW 2042
02 9516 3361
www.camposcoffee.com 

New on the Sydney dining scene, The Medusa Greek Taverna restaurant boasts authentic but creative Greek cuisine, which almost seem like a contradiction as creativity generally dissolves any authenticity in a cuisine. However the restaurant's chef Gregori Akridas seems to have found the right balance, and his menu is full of Greek flavours that is authentic with creative combinations.

The entrees list a selection of cold plates of dips and salads and vine leaf rolls that will induce anyone's appetite before the main course. From fetta and spinach dip to grilled prawns served with pea puree, you can taste the flavour of Greece on your fingertips. Even the Kavelli - a warm woodfired bread, seem to taste better than any bought from a bakery or grocery store.

The mains are full of hearty meats such as the tender slow grilled lamb, beef fillets and roasted chicken. A good selection of seafood is also on the menu as well as a vegetarian musaka for the vegetarians among the diners. The menu is well thought of and the staff are equipped with enough knowledge to recommend the best matching wine for the table.

Baklava is pretty much the only dessert served in the restaurant however being in the heart of the city, it's not hard to just walk a few blocks to find a cake store or ice cream bar for that after meal sweetness.

Medusa Greek Taverna
2 Market St
Sydney 200
02 9267 0799
www.medusagreektaverna.com.au

There is a saying that if an Asian restaurant does not have slippery floors and a slightly dirty kitchen, then it's not authentic and perhaps not even nice. However, The Malaya seems to turn the tables on this rule. Located on the waterfront of King St Wharf, Sydney's newest restaurant and entertainment precinct, The Malaya had to live up to both the real estate cost and the status of those restaurants surrounding it.

The modern decor may fool you that this might be just one of the modernised Asian cuisines, but a glace around you'll see satisfied clients hovering over plate after plate of Kapitan curry, Ayam perchik, laksas and sambals. Then, there is that smell, the smell of the flavours to come, leaving you eager for your meal.

Recommendations: Kapitan Prawns, Ayam Perchik, Barbecued fish fillet with sambal and their skewered satay sticks. It can get a little spicy, but surprisingly even for a infrequent spice eater like me, I do find myself enjoying the meal as the spices don't overpower the original flavours of the dish at all.

Unfortunately, the restaurant does not cater for vegetarians and gluten free very well, so call in advance to ask for special menu assistance should you require special dietary requirements.

The Malaya
39 Lime Street
King Street Wharf
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9279 1170
www.themalaya.com.au

 

The fact that it's not quite French is what's best about this restaurant. Chef and owner Warren Turnbull, whom previously worked in another established Sydney dining scene Banc, wanted to create something that not only the French would love, but the rest of the world too. So this little "French" restaurant is quite a fusion really and is especially special for those with an eye for creativity.

A traditional Parisian would frown upon Turnbull's cuisines but for the rest of us, his creation can be seen as art and inspiration from around the world. There are no duck confit in sight, instead oysters in Vietnamese and baby corriander dressing and tuna, cucumber and avocado sushi takes their places in entree, and with a dish like Mushroom and asparagus risotto with parmesan ice cream and parmesan crisps, you can easily oversee the more ordinarily named chicken confit, lamb and John Dory fillets on the menu.

The mostly French and Australian wine list is the perfect companion for his menus, and the 10 course Degustation Menu available for  $90 is probably one of the 'best value' fine class dining in Sydney available. And not only is the food here more than delicious, the attentive staff will make anyone's experience in the restaurant a pleasant and enjoyable one.

OPEN:
Lunch: Friday, 12pm - 3pm
Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday, from 6pm

Restaurant Assiette
48 Albion Street
Surry Hills
02 9212 7979
www.restaurantassiette.com.au 

Bookings essential

It's the recent next big thing to do besides all the must-dos like the Bridge Climb and the Sky Walk on Sydney Tower. While high tea is hot in Sydney, book an experience at the Sydney Opera House where you can have a relaxed afternoon sipping tea and having some of the best cakes and pastries while listening to world calss opera under the roof of a World Heritage listed architecture.

The menu is designed by famous Australian chef Guillaume Brahimi whose cuisine is praised by most at Guillaume at Bennelong, comprises of delicate pastries, cakes and petit fours accompanied by various styles and flavours of teas.

And the setting would be absolutely magical. Not only is this a dining and a private performance experience, you'll be sitted in a room with panoramic view of the Sydney harbour. There is simply no better way to do high tea if this is the only ever high tea you have in Sydney.

An absolute must for opera lovers who have a taste for fine afternoon tea. This experience is currently running a July promotion, and is not available everyday so call the Opera House on 02 9250 7250 for a list of dates and to reservate your place.

Current high tea season:

Wednesdays 2 - 4pm
23 & 30 July

JULY SPECIAL:
Until 29 July, buy High Tea for two for $200 (save $90).
Valid for July dates only. Bookings essential. Quote "WEB OFFER" when you book.

Sydney Opera House
www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Everyone is talking about it. Altitude Restaurant and the Blu Horizon Bar at Sydney's luxury hotel Shangri-La is going to be one of the most romantic, high class and exquisit dining in the city.

Hovering at thirty-six floors above Sydney harbour, the restaurant over looks the waters off Circular Quay, looking into a panorama of the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park all in one perfect frame. It's no longer dinner by candle light, rather by glittering white, red, blue and yellow lights that decorates the harbour at night.

The cuisine is modern Australian with a hint of European influence. Chef Steven Krasicki has a wealth of experience from some of Sydney's reputable restaurants and upon joining Altitude as Chef de Cuisine, has brought him modern cuisine styles infused into traditional methods, creating dishes that sound good even on paper. Should you be stumped by choices, the Epi-Curious menu containing eight courses with the best season selection the restaurant has to offer, and is available with matching wine.

The extensive wine list not only features the best of the Australian wines, but also has top international favourites from France.

The restaurant will offer two complimentary glasses of Australian sparkling wine for diners who make reservations between 6pm - 6:30pm Monday to Friday. (Must mention 'Website 36 early diner booking' to receive the offer)

Unfortunately a classy restaurant such as this can sometimes come across a little too - snobby. Expect to be deprived of the window seat when requesting for one, as they are often "reserved for certain people".

Altitude
Shangri-La Hotel Sydney
Level 36, 176 Cumberland St
The Rocks
www.altitudesydney.com