Sydney Offline?

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:23 pm

Hi all,

While our SA counterparts busy themselves organising the last offline for 2007, anyone in Sydney keen for the first offline in 2008?

Carl will be back in Sydney for the Christmas-New Year period, and sounds keen for the Sat 5th Jan. Anyone else keen?

Cheers,

Monghead.

camw · Post by **camw** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:40 pm

I'm keen.

griff · Post by **griff** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:47 pm

I'm up for it obviously

I'll bring my better half as well!

cheers

Carl

bacchaebabe · Post by **bacchaebabe** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:22 pm

Could be persuaded. Need to check my diary though.

cc · Post by cc » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:40 pm

i m up for it

Calvin

cuttlefish · Post by **cuttlefish** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:50 pm

I'd like to come, if I make it back into OZ by then, but don't know at this stage...

GRB · Post by **GRB** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:52 am

Would be good but I am out of town until the end of Jan.

Glen

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:04 pm

Sounds like there are a few interested parties...

What about a restaurant? Any suggestions?

Restaurant Atelier in Glebe?
Alio in Surry Hills?
Marque in Surry Hills?
Claude's in Woollahra?

Suggestions welcome...

Monghead.

griff · Post by **griff** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:43 pm

monghead wrote:Sounds like there are a few interested parties...

What about a restaurant? Any suggestions?

Restaurant Atelier in Glebe?
Alio in Surry Hills?
Marque in Surry Hills?
Claude's in Woollahra?

Suggestions welcome...

Monghead.

Atelier was good last time. Bernadette is nice

Is Bistro Ortolan open? Heard good things since last I was in Sydney.

cheers

Carl

camw · Post by **camw** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:13 am

Would prefer it not to be Claude's. Would like to try Ortolan or the others mentioned would be fine.

Muscat Mike · Post by **Muscat Mike** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:04 pm

I might be able to come, hope so.
I can recommend both Atelier and Alio. Alio does a very good dego. for $65 and are BYO.
Mike.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 4:28 pm

Hello all,

Bistro Ortolan and Restaurant Atelier will be closed for their holidays on the 5th Jan. Thus far, Alio not picking up their phone...

Any other suggestions???

Cheers,

Monghead.

griff · Post by **griff** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:43 am

monghead wrote:Hello all,

Bistro Ortolan and Restaurant Atelier will be closed for their holidays on the 5th Jan. Thus far, Alio not picking up their phone...

Any other suggestions???

Cheers,

Monghead.

Oh dear! Not what you want to be doing just before Chrsitmas.

Don't knwo if they are BYO but how about

Foveaux

Glebe Point diner

Also Perama is a posibility.

Lastly, maybe you can swing a gig at Oscillate Wildly (not sure if they are open and if they are most likely booked out)

That is it from an out of towner

Merry Christmas!

Carl

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 9:55 pm

Foveaux is sensational, and I have been able to BYO there in the past due to a remote association to the sommelier, and some pretty special bottles, but I am not sure if they would allow BYO on a Sat for a large group... I think their corckage was $15 per bottle. I will make enquiries anyway...

I will also try to make enquiries into the others on Carl's list (time at work permitting), and see how we go.

Happy holidays to all.

Monghead.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 1:01 pm

An update.....

Alio- CLOSED
Ortolan- CLOSED
Atelier- CLOSED
Beppi's- CLOSED (their magnum room would have been sensational)
Foveaux- CLOSED
Glebe Point Diner- CLOSED
Perama- CLOSED
Tabou- CLOSED

Marque- Available, but dego only- 8 courses for $135 pp, also, could only accomodate table of 8 max.

Bird Cow Fish- Available for now, but currently negotiating BYO, so fingers crossed.....

Any other suggestions welcome.....

Cheers,

Monghead.

camw · Post by **camw** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:16 pm

Had a very good meal at Harbour Kitchen & Bar last year (see http://www.winestar.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16578). Desgustation or off the menu available. Being in a hotel I'm guessing it would be open -> http://www.harbourkitchen.com.au

Tried calling La Goulue and The Mixing Pot but they are both closed as well.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:47 pm

Some reasonable news at last.....

Looks to be three choices, with some info/pros/cons:

Bird Cow Fish
-Modern Australian
-Casual bistro style
-In Surry Hills
-Entrees $20, Mains $25-35
-Corckage $10 per bottle
-Need to be in by 6:45pm so kitchen can accomodate us
-Need to be out by 11pm due to council regulations
-Interior simple, and due to floor-boards, can get very, very noisy
-Food abit hit and miss
-Service could be patchy/chaotic, which may interfere with the flow of vino

Marque Restaurant
- Modern French/Australian
- Fine Dining, Three Hats
- In Surry Hills
- Set degustation menu $135 per person, 8 courses
- BYO cost ?? $15 per bottle from memory
- Could only accomodate 8 on one table
- Service should be exemplary
- Food is sensational
- Wine list excellent if we are in need for back-ups

Harbour Kitchen and Bar
- Still waiting for call back from manager to give us the green light to BYO, but promising from past off-line there...
- Modern Australian
- Fine Dining, One Hat (I think)
- In the Rocks
- Entrees $20-35, Mains $35-55
- BYO cost ?? yet to be confirmed
- Service is good, but quite formal in the stuffy hotel style
- Food is good, but over-priced
- Ambience/Views- matched only by a handful of restaurants in Sydney

What do you all think???

Cheeers,

Monghead.

griff · Post by **griff** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:02 pm

Been to Marque and that was very nice but it might get a bit pricey (BYO seems to be $20 from the SMH but they may negotiate)

Bird Cow Fish looks good for us (although it is a bit early)

I have no experience with the Hyatt.

I did some researching as well (damm Sat is a difficult BYO option - especially in Jan!!! My hat's off to you for perservering Monghead

)

Two more reastaurants that are possibilities (BYO, decent food that should complement the wine and still have room at the moment) are:

Elio
Italian, very simple food (reminds me of Il piave actually) but well excecuted.

http://www.elio.com.au/

Linda's on King
Ex-chef of Macleay St Bistro. Classic bistro comfort food according to a good friend who's palate I respect. Second best restaurant in Newtown after Oscillate Wildly he said

Wouldn't mind trying this one unless someone has had a bad experience.

http://www.lindasonkingst.com.au/index.html

The menu on the site is current and to add to that the specials tonight were Entree: Salt & pepper prawns with something, Oysters bloody mary, Mains: BBQ swordfish with provencal tomato salsa, Chicken Jambalaya?, Dessert: Chilli Tiramisu.

In summary I wouldn't mind Bird Cow Fish but Linda's sounded OK as well.

cheers

Carl

camw · Post by **camw** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:25 pm

griff wrote:Elio
Italian, very simple food (reminds me of Il piave actually) but well excecuted.

Had a New Years day offline their a couple of years back, so should hopefully be open. I like the food there as well.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:26 pm

Okay.......

I have booked:

-Bird Cow Fish for 10 people
-Linda's on King for 10 people
-Elio for 10 people
-Marque for 8 people
-Will also book Harbour Kitchen when they get back to me confirming BYO

Please put your votes in so I could cancel the others. I think most places should be able to accomodate a few more than 10 if need be.

Carl, thanks for the other two suggestions. They look good on their websites. By the way, just let us know how many others will be joining us from the other forum.

Cheers,

Monghead

camw · Post by **camw** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:16 am

I'll put my vote in for Elio.

camw · Post by **camw** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:47 am

Danny (Baby Chickpea) would like to be counted in please.

Muscat Mike · Post by **Muscat Mike** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:48 am

I would also like to vote for Elio. It was one of my selections previously for a group but got out voted.
From memory about $7 corkage.
Mike.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:03 am

Good morning all,

While our SA counterparts stumble out of beds from their last offline for 2007, let's see where we are at with our first offline for 2008...

So far, votes for Elio (which would be my preference too).

Harbour Kitchen got back to me and indicated that BYO "very special bottles" would be OK, but if more than 10 attending, they would insist on private room hire, especially during the busy Jan tourist trade, which would incur a $900 fee. Thus, this one could be very pricey...

Attendees thus far:

- Carl and Rebecca
- Muscat Mike
- camw
- Danny (Baby Chickpea)
- Monghead and Wifey
- bacchaebabe ?
- cuttlefish ?

Any others???

??Wine theme??- suggestions welcome.......

Cheers,

Monghead.

griff · Post by **griff** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:54 am

Elio seems to be the consensus pick. Easy to get back to my parent's place where I am staying so glad for that.

No preferences for the theme except perhaps no WA wines as I have had many recently :twisted:

cheers

Carl

Muscat Mike · Post by **Muscat Mike** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 12:13 pm

Sounds good Carl and thanks for all your efforts. What time are we booked for? Hope you have a great New Year. See you Saturday,
Mike.

griff · Post by **griff** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:09 pm

Muscat Mike wrote:Sounds good Carl and thanks for all your efforts. What time are we booked for? Hope you have a great New Year. See you Saturday,
Mike.

I would like to claim credit but it is Monghead that has organized it

I'm sure he will provide details soon. He may be a bit busy tonight however

See you Saturday.

cheers

Carl

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:17 pm

Happy New Year to all,

Wow, what a night to finish off the year, but more about that later...

OK, looks like we will lock in Elio for the 5th Jan. I think I had booked it for 10 people at 7pm. I will confirm this tomorrow, and perhaps see what they could do in terms of menu/glassware/private dining area. I will also cancel the reservations at the other places, so speak up soon if any objections to Elio are floating out there....

Cheers,

Monghead.

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:17 pm

To re-confirm...

Elio Restaurant
02 95609129
159 Norton St Leichardt
7pm Saturday 5th Jan

Table booked under "Lennart"

Corckage $9.50 per bottle
A la carte menu available for us
- Entrees $20-25, Mains $30-35, Deserts $10-15
Private dining area unavailable

Attendees:
- Carl and Rebecca
- Muscat Mike
- camw
- Danny (Baby Chickpea)
- Monghead and Wifey
- bacchaebabe ?
- cuttlefish ?

For those who have been there, how is their glassware???
Should we each bring 2-4 glasses in case???

Wine theme???
Options???

Cheers,

Monghead.

bacchaebabe · Post by **bacchaebabe** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:27 pm

Howdy, sorry first day back at work so not much of a chance to revisit this thread.

Would personally prefer Linda's as it's walking distance but also fine for Elio's and Italian would be a nice change. I went to Linda's on NYE. They are the second best restaurant in Newtown but so much easier than Oscillate Wildly which sometimes just feels a bit too try hard for the area. It's also very small and impossible to get into. Linda's is much bigger, a bit cheaper (we usually spend around $55-$60 including three courses, BYO and generous tip). I think corkage is $2 or $2.50 a bottle. Their glassware is OK but they only have one (yes 1) decanter. Fortunately, I'm the only person who ever seems to want to use it but that wouldn't be the case for an offline!

However, like I said, also fine with Elio as long as they take Diners or AMEX.

It will probably be myself and Lisa but I'll confirm tomorrow after chatting tonight.

Have we got a theme or just something noice?