The Auswine Forum

Hi Good Peoples,

I am having dinner with an out of twon mate in Sydney on Friday night and am looking for a BYO that serves good food near the city.

I like Tabou but they are a no go on this occasion. Any Sydney siders have any suggestions please?

Hi Ric,

The best BYO Ive eaten in (around) syndey is Claude's. They also have a really nice paired wine list. 3 hats in SMH - at least it did last time we ate there which was last Sept. Can't remember what if any corckage was charged.

Tony

For tasty Italian food and great atmosphere, I often go to Pinokkio's at the Spot in Randwick.
More quiet and private with fresh Italian dishes is Bambolina, not far from the Spot.
These two are my favourite local restaurants.
Cheers,
Attila

Hi Ric,
Do you like Indian? Abhis of North Strathfield have opened a second restaurant called Akis on the Cowper St Wharf at Wooloomolloo.
Food is fantastic at Abhis, and Im sure Akis is the same.
You would have to ring them to see if they have BYO, but Abhis has always been byo. phone 9332 4600 www.akisindian.com.au
Bruce

Ric

Claude's as you are no doubt aware, is the duck's nuts, but you will pay for it. I went to Fuel Bistro (run by the same guy as MG Garage) in Surry Hills last week and it was excellent modern australian, sensibly priced and byo. The prawn and crab ravioli was a great starter and the lamb went beautifully with the Knappstein Enterprise cab we brought along. I think corkage is $4 per person. I recommend it highly.

Ric
Try Pazzo on Crown Street (just down from Tabou).
BYO cheap corkage.
Excellent home style Italian.
Cheers

Near the city I would suggest:

(1) Marque - $$$ but worth every cent (chef Mark Best is very wine knowledgeable and the sommelier was recently voted sydney's best). Much prefer this to est. and Rockpool and tetsuya's.

(2) Head to Cleveland Street Surry Hills for plenty of cheap Lebanese, Thai and Indian restaurants.

(3) The Three Turtles on Oxford Street Paddington - there is barely a decent restaurant on oxford but this one is arguably the best Thai.

(4) Head to Darling Harbour for Zaafran which is BYO by request ($$ Indian)

(5) Arthurs Pizza on Oxford is also excellent (you can pop in to the Vintage Cellars next door and weep at the prices! )

(6) As far as I know, you cannot BYO anywhere at Woolloomolloo Wharf but its a great scene and location (try the new Indian there maybe for BYO?

(7) Mid range wise ($$), I would choose Longrain in Surry Hills. I have been there twice in the last month and it is fantastic (great food, reasonably priced, top bar, gorgeous women ) - I sat next to kd lang last week. BYO only on request and not on Saturdays.

(8) Salt on Crown Street is very good but $$$. Haven't been there since Jeremy Strode left but I have heard it has slipped and prices have fallen. BYO only by request.

PS - Claude's owner and chef Tim Pak Poy has left. The restaurant has been bought by a 30-year-old chef. Watch this psace as they say ...

Baby Chickpea wrote:Near the city I would suggest:
(6) As far as I know, you cannot BYO anywhere at Woolloomolloo Wharf but its a great scene and location (try the new Indian there maybe for BYO?
...

Kingsley's has wagya to die for, and as you say the setting is lovely. BYO, they say, is somewhere from $15-30 per bottle, though it usually ends up at $15 per table. Not bad at all

Baby Chickpea

the new 30 year owner/chef of Claude's has been the 2IC there for years under Tim Pak Poy. I doubt Claude's standards or style will drop off although it will be very interesting the next time I eat there.

Mrs Hacker and I have had a couple of great nights at Ripples, near the North Sydney Pool, near enough to the northern pylon of the Harbour Bridge. Great food and BYO, with good a view as Sydney can offer.

Watch out for wine thieves posing as diners though!!

cheers,

David M.

Thanks to all those that have responded. Getting a BYO in Sydney on Friday is not easy but I have booked at Fuel Bistro. Now what plonk will I pull out of cellar....

Next time you're deliberating on Sydney BYO's, and if travelling north over the bridge doesn't fill you with trepidation, consider Brass Razoo on Willoughby Rd. Great food and possibly Sydney's friendliest floor staff. The friendliness won't surprise you Ric, as the hostess Sharnette hails from Bowral. They have a neat little list consisting mainly of treasures from Bests and Rockford: handy if your own wines fail to measure up on the night.