Author: Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.

Live Review: Snow Patrol’s first Sydney show in years sees Gary Lightbody flooded with fan-mail

“Someone passed me a note so damn right I’m going to read it, and if anyone else wants to pass me a note then I’ll read that fucking note too”, shouted Snow Patrol‘s affable frontman Gary Lightbody after reading aloud what appeared to be an invitation to a comedy gig in Sydney. A fan had…

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Belles Hot Chicken kicks off new guest chef series “Rulers of the Roost”

Belles Hot Chicken have this week launched their very first guest chef series, dubbed “Rulers of the Roost”, which will be highlighting a superstar chef line up to join founder and chef Morgan McGlone across the Sydney and Melbourne venues of the famed chicken joint. Each guest chef will be creating a one-off, event-only menu…

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Details revealed for The Morrison’s sixth annual “Oyster Festival” in Sydney

Now in its sixth year, The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room’s celebratory, month-long “Oyster Festival” plans to spread plenty of events throughout the entirety of August. From 1st to 31st, there’s going to be plenty of oysters shucked around the expansive venue, with the Morrison team expecting to serve more than 17,000 of those shelled…

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Details revealed for The Morrison’s sixth annual “Oyster Festival” (Sydney)

Now in its sixth year, The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room’s celebratory, month-long “Oyster Festival” plans to spread plenty of events throughout the entirety of August. From 1st to 31st, there’s going to be plenty of oysters shucked around the expansive venue, with the Morrison team expecting to serve more than 17,000 of those shelled…

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Details released for the Xbox Adaptive Controller’s unique accessible packaging design

We’re on the cusp of a major development in gaming, and an important step forward for consumer technology. Historically, those who live with disabilities are overlooked when it comes to designing pieces of modern technology, and this has been most apparent in gaming. As you can imagine, it must be difficult to navigate traditional video…

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Live Review: Majid Jordan’s slinky retro R&B proves a massive hit at Metro Theatre

Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home” remains the megastar’s finest pop moment to date, which is saying a lot considering the quality of chart-toppers like “Take Care” and “One Dance”. The smoothed synthpop dipped in retro swagger bought out a side of the forever record-breaking rapper-singer that we’ve never heard before, and have never heard…

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Games Review: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Switch, 2018)

Wolfenstein II‘s latest Nazi-stomping iteration was one of the biggest and best FPS releases of last year, praised for its original script, compelling characters and bucketloads of aggressive, absorbing gameplay; the title — officially Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus — once again reinvented a classic franchise and continued the quality from The New Order and…

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Tech Review: Sony WF-SP700N – great sound, perfect noise cancelling, terrible battery life

Ever since Apple released the Airpods in December of 2016, there’s been a steady increase in number of big-ticket, fully wireless ear buds coming to market. With the Internet of Things steadily spreading toward more casual adopters of technology, and Bluetooth technology improving year on year, it’s become necessary for these devices to enter the…

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Glebe’s Thievery is doing a special “Middle Eastern Yum Cha” menu in August (Sydney)

Glebe Point Road’s playful mod-Lebanese restaurant Thievery is doing something a little different for the month of August, temporarily replacing their original offerings with a special “Middle Eastern Yum Cha” menu in an attempt to fuse aspects of Middle Eastern and Asian eats. Executive Chef Julian Cincotta, who only recently returned from an extensive journey…

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Australian cinemas introduce six new popcorn flavours, including Spicy Nacho and Salted Caramel

Not long after limited edition vegemite & cheese popcorn hit Village and Event cinemas across the country, there’s been a deluge of new twists on the timeless movie snack with Parlour Lane Popcorn Company hooking up with Event and BCC Cinemas to exclusively offer several flavours including Spicy Nacho, Salted Caramel, and Salt & Vinegar…

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Kimpton to open new luxury hotel in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighbourhood

During the last five years the number of Australians travelling to Japan has shot up by a remarkable 170 percent, and with officials predicting tourist numbers to hit 40 million by the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, it’s no surprise IHG are looking to substantially up their presence in the country. A big assist to…

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Exploring Downtown L.A.’s underground tunnels is a glimpse into 1920s prohibition

There are millions of interesting little details threaded through the rich, and often controversial, history of Los Angeles: one of the most storied cities in the world thanks to its confluence of just about everything you can think of. It’s one of North America’s most multi-cultural, famed for it’s (mostly) sunny weather and largely distinct…

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Unlocking the Golden Gate: Five essentials for your first time in San Francisco

Just shoot straight up to the top of the 210-foot Coit Tower for an immediate reminder that you’re in one of the United States’ most beautiful cities. Perched high above Telegraph Hill, you’ll take in the iconic San Francisco Bay and its sprawling urban metropolis, framed by a fog so thick and ubiquitous it has…

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Virgin Australia announce direct services between Newcastle and Auckland

Novocastrians are about to receive greater access to the vast beauty of New Zealand as Virgin Australia plan to be the first airline in 16 years to introduce direct services between Newcastle Airport and Auckland. Newcastle Airport will welcome the new routes during the peak holiday period from 22nd November 2018 to 17th February 2019,…

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Arnott’s have turned your favourite biscuits into mini cakes

Arnott’s have been doing a lot of crazy things lately. Last July they translated four of their most iconic biscuits [that aren’t Shapes] into ice creams, they recently opened a giant Shapes box, and now they’ve fattened some of their biscuits into indulgent mini cakes. And it’s the ones you would have asked for anyway:…

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You can now communicate with Etihad Airways via WhatsApp

A new digital service which allows passengers to communicate with Etihad Airways via WhatsApp has been launched by the airline as part of an ongoing strategy designed to provide an enhanced offering to their premium guests. For now, the service is only open to guests at Abu Dhabi International Airport and allows them to chat…

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Michelin starred Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan is opening at Dubai’s lush Atlantis, The Palm

Dubai’s famous Atlantis, The Palm isn’t about resting on laurels when it comes to the destination resort’s highly regarded culinary scene. The luxury property, which is already home to Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar and Chef Noby Matsuhisa’s NOBU amongst others, will welcome the renowned Hakkasan Group later this year as they open…

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Hong Kong’s North Point waterfront welcomes the twin-tower Hotel VIC

Adding substantial new character to Hong Kong’s picturesque North Point waterfront is a new twin-tower hotel – Hotel VIC on the Harbour – bringing the bustling precinct 671 guestrooms and suites, with every room boasting panoramic views of both the harbour and the city. With designs on catering to all types of travellers, the property…

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Wu-Tang Clan will play two very special shows at the Sydney Opera House in December

Up from the 36 chambers the legendary Wu-Tang Clan have announced a triumphant return to Australia with two exclusive, very special shows celebrating the 25th anniversary of their iconic debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The 1993 classic will be performed in full by all nine surviving core members at none other than the Concert…

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Merivale trades Papi Chulo for Queen Chow on Manly Wharf (Sydney)

Based on the success of Merivale’s Enmore debut, the hospitality group have now opened a second location for their Cantonese kitchen Queen Chow, which moves into the former digs of waterfront meat-sweat haven Papi Chulo. Patrick Friesen and Eric Koh are aiming for “classic neighbourhood Cantonese” inspired by the way the diverse cuisine is recreated…

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First Impressions: Sacha Baron Cohen gets boldly political on Who Is America?

Ultimate troll Sacha Baron Cohen is back in form for his new show Who Is America?, screening for Australians exclusively from today on Stan, and this time he’s splitting his time between four characters. You’ve got the right-wing blogger for a fictitious website dubbed “truthbay.org”; a cis-gendered liberal who is so open-minded he watches his…

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Bistro Rex is tracking this year’s Le Tour de France with a new concept menu (Sydney)

With Bastille Day rolling through Sydney (and the world) this weekend there’s going to be plenty of celebrations throughout the city geared towards all things French dining. And seeing as French cuisine is one of the most diverse and technique-heavy in the world, that’s not a bad reason to get out and eat your way…

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Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki are offering a rare half-price sale on all suites

Anyone heading over to Hawaii this summer and desperately looking for ways to treat oneself while also saving some money will be happy to know that Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki are having a rare suite sale, with room rates falling to half the usual price. That’s a pretty sizable chunk of savings right there,…

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NYC Restaurant Week announces 2018 program, opens for reservations

The most exciting time for foodies to visit New York City is once again upon us; the 26th annual NYC Restaurant Week is set to make a huge return, stretching from 23rd July to 17th August with the admirable aim of making 380 of the city’s greatest restaurants, of all ranges, a platform for culinary…

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Review: Shangri-La Hotel – Supreme Comfort in the Heart of Tokyo

As forward-thinking Tokyo is, the idea of classicism still very much permeates many of the city’s institutions. Elegance and efficiency is a pathological expectation, and more often than not, those expectations are met tenfold. This is a large reason why, despite an overwhelming language barrier and high degree of cultural shock (for first-timers anyway), Tokyo…

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Mantra opens a new $40 million hotel in the heart of Albury, New South Wales

Furthering their presence in regional areas around Australia, Mantra – whose Mantra Group was recently acquired by AccorHotels for $1.2 billion – has opened a shiny new property in the border city of Albury, overlooking its section of the vast Murray River in the heart of the Riverina town. This is the first hotel to…

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Games Review: Mario Tennis Aces (Switch, 2018) nails the sports-fighter hybrid

Introducing fighting elements to a tennis game was a clever move from Camelot, and its one which carries much of Mario Tennis Aces into uncharted territory, giving the gameplay just enough depth to justify stamping this as the finest Mario Tennis title to date. While there is most certainly a feeling of missed opportunities peppered…

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Review: Devon Cafe nail the winter truffle menu yet again (Sydney)

Now that all three of their venues across Sydney (the original Surry Hills location, North Sydney and Barangaroo) are well-established, Devon Café has never been in a stronger position. The highly influential and pioneering café, which arguably bolstered the cities offensive in its ongoing dining rivalry with Melbourne, remains one of the best and most…

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Review: Lucio Pizzeria celebrate “Australia’s Best Pizza” win (Sydney)

Walking away with the title of best pizza in Australia is nothing to be taken lightly. That’s exactly what Lucio De Falco did at this year’s authoritative World Pizza Championships, snatching the title from the usual suspects and bringing it home to his two Sydney restaurants, Darlinghurst’s acclaimed Lucio and its more recently opened Zetland…

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Emirates are now letting passengers book their seats via virtual reality

Emirates has become the world’s first airline to introduce virtual reality on its digital platform, allowing would-be flyers access to 3D seat models as part of a visualisation engine displaying a 360-degree view of the interior of both the Emirates A380 and the Emirates Boeing 777. This has been designed especially to give customers a…

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