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.

Raffles International Showcase details revealed for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia

Local institution Raffles College of Design and Commerce will once again be enjoying a big presence at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia as they plan to showcase seven designer’s Resort ’19 collections. With an aim to lift the best emerging design talent around, Raffles will be building on an already rich legacy at the…

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A regional Greek dining series is rolling out at Alpha Restaurant (Sydney)

Inspired by the recent sell-out success of their Cretan dinner, Alpha Restaurant is planning to highlight more of Greece’s distinct regions with their regional dinner series, spanning dining experiences pulled from Peloponnese, the Ionion Islands and Central Greece. Whenever a restaurant puts on a regional dinner series it always spreads awareness of the significant differences…

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Peter Doyle announces retirement from fine-dining favourite est. (Sydney)

Legendary chef Peter Doyle was one of Australia’s very first “hatted” chefs. The culinary veteran earned the accolade while leading his debut restaurant Reflections at Palm Beach, decades before he was to take the reigns at Merivale’s flagship fine-dining restaurant est. in 2003. Since then, Doyle has earned an outstanding reputation as one of the…

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IHG to open dual-branded Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn hotels in Melbourne CBD

IHG Group will be opening Australia’s very first dual-branded hotel in the middle of Melbourne’s CBD, merging Hotel Indigo Little Collins and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall. Slated to open doors by 2022, the ambitious property will take over from the site currently trading as The Walk Arcade, developing the space to allow both…

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Where to spend Mother’s Day 2018 in Sydney

Lavish long lunches and fancy dinners always rule when it comes to Mother’s Day options around Sydney this year. If taking your leading lady out to experience some of the best food the city has to offer, while letting the restaurants add their own little touches to each menu, sounds like your idea of a…

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Hartsyard’s famous fried chicken gets a dedicated restaurant with Wish Bone (Sydney)

Fried chicken fiends have been flocking to Wish Bone since the long-awaited restaurant opened at the former site of The Gretz on Enmore Road. Though their award-winning bar is no more, the Hartsyard team have a guaranteed winner on their hands with this new venture, which puts the focus on the jaw-droppingly good fried chicken…

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Melbourne’s trendy Coburg is getting an eye-catching new design hotel

IHG and Barnes Capital will be doing things a bit (actually, a lot) differently when they collaborate to open a new Holiday Inn in the increasingly trendy Melbourne suburb of Coburg. Moving away from the hotel brand’s established aesthetic, Holiday Inn Melbourne Coburg will be focused on modern unexpected design, with an eye-catching façade of…

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Australian chef David Thompson to bid farewell to Bangkok’s iconic Nahm

Australian chef David Thompson has been conquering the culinary world ever since word spread about Nahm, his multi-award winning Bangkok restaurant which is regularly considered as one of the best dining spots in all of Asia. After nearly two decades with the Nahm brand, originated in London, Thompson has decided to bid farewell to the…

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Cannabis the star of Sydney’s massive upcoming Hemp Health & Innovation Expo

As talks around legalising marijuana continue to progress in Australia, it’s becoming increasingly important to directly engage with the complexities of cannabis. While the densely layered stigma surrounding the misunderstood plant is still gradually peeling back, there remains much to understand and learn about what is now the latest superfood to be made legally available…

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8Bit to give away 300 free signature burgers at Steam Mill Lane this week (Sydney)

To celebrate the first permanent Sydney store from Melbourne-born burger heroes 8Bit, the video-game inspired joint is planning to give away 300 freebies of their signature burg: the 8bit with cheese. They’ll be serving up these totally free, totally delicious burgers on Thursday 3rd May (that’s tomorrow for those playing at home) from their home…

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Shangri-La to open massive luxury hotel in Manama as part of Bahrain Marina

Several waterfront villas and a luxury hotel are being planned for Manama, the capital city of Bahrain. The property, to be managed by the iconic Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, will form part of the immense 310,00 sqm Bahrain Marina development, which is a landmark waterfront development for the city that will include not…

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Cuckoo Callay’s super indulgent bacon festival is back (Sydney)

Now well-established amongst Sydney’s bacon-loving diners, Cuckoo Callay’s Bacon Ooze Festival is back with an entirely new menu for the fourth consecutive year. You’ve got until the last week of June to head along to either (or both, do both) the popular café’s Newtown or Surry Hills outposts and dig into a specially created menu…

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KFC are giving away free fried chicken in Sydney this weekend

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of KFC in Australia, the behemoth fast-food chain will be posted up at Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney this Friday 27th April. Starting from 12pm on the day, they’ll surely be attracting some pretty crazy queues because they are giving away free fried chicken. Understandably, KFC Australia are expecting thousands…

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Review: Hotel F6 is one of Helsinki’s most charming boutiques for a short stay

Tremendously attractive and tasteful, Hotel F6 is a boutique in Helsinki well worth paying attention to. The popular hotel opened around two years ago and has since been one of the most booked properties in the area, not just for the refined, youthful spirit but also it’s remarkable location: tucked away quietly in the middle…

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Film Review: Ghost Stories (UK, 2018) is a refreshing and original horror anthology

With high replay value and some clever pacing, Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson have transposed their West End play Ghost Stories to the big screen with a refreshing eye for originality, spinning a grand three-part horror anthology into one thoroughly entertaining and unpredictable film that never stops subtly building towards its tremendous finale. And that’s…

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Five reasons Helsinki’s Flow Festival needs to be on your European festival bucket list

The capital of Finland may be better known for efficient and eye-catching design, jovial saunas and superb produce, as opposed to Europe’s most quintessential tourist attractions, but the city also plays host to one of the continent’s most increasingly sought after annual music and arts festivals. The acclaim regularly surrounding Flow Festival speaks volumes for…

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Fishbone Local brings sustainable seafood barbecue to Canggu (Bali)

It should be well known by now that Canggu is one of the hottest neighbourhoods in Bali right now. The increasingly popular beachside destination has been attracting all kinds of new businesses, the latest of which is a seafood shack going by the name of Fish Bone Local. The first of several planned projects for…

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Priscillas is the new veg-first restaurant and bar at The Imperial Erskineville (Sydney)

Inner-west icon The Imperial Erskineville has been making a hell of a lot of noise since its recent re-launch following an eight-month $6 million redevelopment. Now the venue’s owners are ready to unveil the venue’s resident restaurant, Priscillas, which combines live entertainment with a fabulous “Drag & Dine” concept and food that focuses on a…

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Interview: Getting to know rising Brooklyn R&B artist, Adrian Daniel

One showcase at SXSW clearly wasn’t enough to spread the word about Brooklyn R&B artist Adrian Daniel. The relative newcomer, fresh off releasing his excellent sophomore album Flawd, flew under the radar at last month’s quintessential showcase event but there’s little doubt the music world will be hearing more from him as people start picking…

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Renowned British Chef Alastair Little is opening a pop up restaurant with Merivale (Sydney)

From 23rd until later 2018 Merivale will be hosting a special collaboration pop-up restaurant with renowned British chef Alastair Little on the first floor of Hotel CBD in Sydney. Dubbed Little Bistro the new restaurant will take guests on a journey that typifies Little’s storied career with a short, seasonal menu defined by simplicity and…

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Original superstar bartending team from Eau di Vie to return for one night only (Sydney)

Sydney cocktail lovers are going to want to head along to Eau de Vie on Sunday 29th April because for one night only, the super stylish small bar will be getting the original bartending team back together in collaboration with The House of Angostura. For those not familiar with the bar’s storied history, that means…

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Alcohol Delivery service Tipple has officially launched in Sydney

Alcohol delivery service Tipple has now launched in Sydney, heading on up coast after great success in Melbourne with an unsurprisingly positive response to the on-demand alcohol delivery service. With plans for rapid expansion throughout the city, Tipple has initially targeted the inner-west and inner-city suburbs including the CBD, Annandale, Enmore, Alexandria, Darlington, Paddington, Surry…

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Luke Nguyen brought on board to refine Vietnam Airlines’ food offerings

Vietnam Airlines has signed a three year contract with celebrity chef Luke Nguyen aimed at reinvigorating their on-board food offering. The bestselling author and TV host will be working closely with the airline as Global Cuisine Ambassador, a collaboration designed to further promote Vietnamese culture and cuisine to the world. Nguyen has developed eight of…

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Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival announces huge 2018 program (NSW)

15 new events will be added to the 2018 Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival this year, expanding the program of essential food and wine experiences held each year across the region during May and June. That’s more than 40 events this year, showcasing everything from breezy gourmet dinners curated by award-winning restaurants, wine and…

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Neil Perry to debut Burger Project Black Label with premium burgers in Sydney

Neil Perry and Rockpool Dining Group are taking a huge step for their beloved Burger Project with the launch of the very first Burger Project Black Label, an expression of the burger chain which is – as you can tell from the name – a much more premium version of the concept. To give you…

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Interview: Austin’s Deezie Brown on Kanye West comparisons, Judith, and more

Every young rapper has to be the “next something”. The next Jay Z; the next Ice Cube; the next MC Lyte; the next Nas. Reference points are handy for upcoming artists, although they may be frustrating in the long term. It’d be no surprise if Deezie Brown has run into a far few of those…

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Paper Bird channels Korean, Japanese and Chinese flavours into a new weekend brunch menu (Sydney)

Rising Potts Point favourite Paper Bird has brought back their popular contemporary East-Asian weekend brunch menu this past weekend, launching a series of new dishes complemented by extended opening hours for locals and visitors who really want to sink their teeth into the modern interpretations of Korean, Chinese and Japanese flavours. From 10am to 3pm…

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Southern Comfort BLACK takes the beloved whiskey liqueur back to its roots

One of the world’s most beloved Whiskey liqueurs has launched a new expression to enhance all the classic notes of the original. Southern Comfort Black has officially made it’s way into the Australian market, bringing a robust whiskey-forward profile with subtle spice and fruity accents. Master Blender Drew Mayville has crafted the new release at…

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Holey Moley Golf Club to open their biggest venue to date in Kings Cross (Sydney)

Adding to their ever-expanding presence across the country, putt-putt party bar Holey Moley Golf Club will be opening their newest location under Sydney’s iconic Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross. Set to launch on 10th May with what is being described as a “Gatsby-style” grand opening, the rapidly growing chain of venues will bring a two-storey…

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Interview: Compton emcee Buddy talks “Black”, L.A. and putting a band together

When he released Idle Time back in 2014, Compton rapper Buddy immediately showed the world he was bound to be one of the next big names in hip hop. Keeping up with features from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and even pop star Miley Cyrus, the young emcee proved his penmanship was as sharp…

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