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.
Not only is Brisbane getting an epic Australian return for the W Hotel brand with W Brisbane, but it has been confirmed that one of the property’s on-site restaurants will be none other than a Queensland iteration of Sydney-originated favourite Three Blue Ducks. The hugely anticipated April debut of the 312-room modern hotel will open…
Across the weekend of 10th and 11th March, Seabreeze Beach Hotel in South West Rocks will be once again hosting Crafts on the Coast. The annual craft beer festival will be drawing on some of the best names in the north coast brew and cider scene to make its third year bigger than ever before,…
Sydney’s food blogger community has been raving about Waterloo’s Allegra Dining for quite some time and it seems, in this particular case, it’s perfectly fine to buy into the hype. Tucked away at the far end of the breezy courtyard of 18 Danks Street, which also hosts Kepos & Co and a bunch of showrooms,…
One of New York’s most acclaimed and distinctive club nights (and labels) of the past decade is making a surprising trip on over to Sydney via reliable party people Astral People and Cake Wines. Founded by Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin, Mister Saturday Night will have it’s down under debut this Sunday 25th February at…
Pioneering Scottish craft beer company BrewDog have announced plans to open their first Australian facility in Brisbane with production to commence by 2019. The name which has been at the forefront of the craft beer revolution in Europe for years perked the interest of the Brisbane City Council and their economic development board Brisbane Marketing,…
Darlinghurst has got a new late-night dumpling go-to with Ginkgo Bar & Dining, a North East Chinese pop-up restaurant from the same team behind Ultimo’s beloved Harbin style restaurant Chulin. Owner Carly Jin and her husband Tim are aiming to make this a showcase for Harbin style dining, with a menu featuring over 16 varieties…
Gourmet Cinema will be returning to Melbourne this March, calling upon six of the city’s best restaurants to complement an eclectic film program screemed at the Caufield Racecourse. The annual outdoor movie and food experience will feature food and drink from four restaurants per session, with one hero restaurant taking creative licence with a special…
Heating up for its second year in Portland, Maine will be Sunaana (an inuit word meaning “what is it”), a winter beer and music festival taking place across the enormous 30-acre Thompson’s Point and representing a surprising connection between the New England city and the Nordic country of Iceland. It was such a roaring success…
From now until the 21st February, Mantra Hotels is offering their largest ever global sale, featuring significant savings on more than 130 hotels across the Mantra, Peppers, BreakFree and Art Series Hotel properties in Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. The sale represents a big savings opportunity for both visitors and staycationers with stays up to…
Indonesia’s first ever internationally branded Marriott Hotel has made its debut with the opening Yogyakarta Marriott Hotel. Referencing the country’s rapidly growing market for both domestic and international travel, the renowned hotel brand is strategically positioned in an area of Yogyakarta where guests are able to immerse themselves in local culture and explore the city’s…
Following tour dates across the U.S as he returns to the road later this month, unimpeachable music legend Willie Nelson will circle back to Austin, Texas mid-March where he will headline his 6th annual Luck Reunion. The festival that happens in the midst of SXSW will once again be spread across Nelson’s Luck Ranch just…
One of the most unique hotels in Australia will sadly be shutting down – or should we say, zipping up – later this year. Melbourne’s urban glamping concept St. Jerome’s – The Hotel, the brainchild of Laneway Festival co-founder Jerome Borazio, has announced a sad farewell set for April 25th, packing up their 21 world-class…
Heating up for its second year in Portland, Maine will be Sunaana (an inuit word meaning “what is it”), a winter beer and music festival taking place across the enormous 30-acre Thompson’s Point and representing a surprising connection between the New England city and the Nordic country of Iceland. It was such a roaring success…
Magnum, everyone’s favourite indulgent ice cream, has lifted the lid on three new exciting flavours worked up in collaboration with numerous designers and influencers from Australia’s fashion industry. The flavours, each inspired by a different designer, are being described as “artisan-inspired” and have hit shelves across the country to what will undoubtedly be some feverish…
Joining the already announced venues of Belles Hot Chicken, Fishbowl, Edition Coffee Roasters, Toby’s Estate and the Sydney debut of Melbourne’s famed 8Bit at Darling Square’s forthcoming Steam Mill Lane will be five new eateries, each reflecting a very diverse palate. Darling Square, part of the $3.4 billion plan to reshape Darling Harbour by the…
Singapore-based design hotel group, Naumi Hotels, have just made their official debut in Australasia with the 193-room Naumi Auckland Airport property. With the playful addition just minutes from the international and domestic airports, the group are hoping to absorb and reflect a unique contemporary design that borrows from local culture, evident in the hotel’s central…
Lunar New Year is right around the corner, ushering in the Year of the Dog with the traditional festivities which always inspire a general celebration of Chinese culture, good fortune, longevity, wealth and happiness. As always, there will be a bunch of celebrations from some of the city’s best restaurants and precincts and to make…
Hilton Sydney have partnered up with Veuve Clicquot for to stage a bunch of “Yellow Hour” pop ups throughout the lush CBD property, presenting a number of specials each day between 5pm and 7pm Tuesday 13th February to Sunday 15th April. Zeta Bar, Marble Bar, and glass brasserie will each be flecked by yellow hues…
Legendary Woollahra restaurant Bistro Moncur are planning a very special dinner to celebrate their 25th anniversary. The French dining institution’s impressive legacy will be highlighted and showcased on Friday 2nd March with a simple, elegant set menu designed by Head Chef Mark Williamson and Damien Pignolet, the original founder who will be returning especially for…
There’s something incredibly sweet about Lady Bird, without having the film push into over-sentimental territory. That in itself is a remarkable achievement for Greta Gerwig, who in her directorial debut has turned in an endearing and sincere coming-of-age story that, although quite monotone, springs to life with particularly powerful performances from two female actors of…
Johnnie Walker have announced a forthcoming Australian launch for the premium Blue Label Ghost and Rare, the first in a brand-new series of special releases from the whisky giants. The special release series will highlight the use of rare whiskies from “ghost” distilleries that have long since closed, blended with other very rare malt and…
Luxury Thai resort Sri Panwa has recently revealed two new developments under their Baba Beach Club brand, bringing both Phuket and Hua Hin lush beachfront properties that should fit in well with the islands’ famously relaxed lifestyle. Finessing their established concept, both properties have been carefully designed to include a residential element alongside a beachfront…
Renowned rapper artist Lil’ Wayne will be headlining a new hip-hop festival across Sydney and Melbourne this March as Jumanji Festival makes stops in Sydney and Melbourne. The inaugural event will be one of the only hip-hop focused festivals of its kind in Australia, and it’s looking like the line-up will keep growing right up…
From Amy Shark to Jaden Smith, the seventh annual showcase lineup for Pandora at SXSW is looking like a mighty good time, with diversity spanning numerous styles and sounds including indie, pop, Latin, R&B, hip hop, Americana and country. Announced today, Pandora will once again take over The Gatsby in Austin, Texas for three days…
Mike McEnearney has added a second iteration of his famed Kitchen By Mike concept to Sydney Airport’s improved dining scene, but this time it’s the spin-off “Express” version. Designed to offer high quality meals for passengers on-the-go, Kitchen By Mike Express has popped up at Sydney Airport’s T1 International before the security checkpoints for those…
With the recent 15th Anniversary of Get Rich or Die Tryin, it was perfect timing for once-dominant rapper 50 Cent to hit Australia with a brief but welcome tour. Yes, musically 50 is nowhere near as relevant as he used to be, but even non-fans would agree that Curtis Jackson is one of the most indelible…
The entrance to Kid Kyoto should be on busy Bridge Street, but the logical way into the modern Japanese restaurant is shut. Instead you get signage gently redirecting you to Bridge Lane, where the real entrance to Kid Kyoto lies, almost opposite to dumpling favourite Mr Wong. There’s a reason for this, and the many…
t seems the big nostalgia-satisfying rebrand of Pizza Hut Australia is going to roll out at a rapid pace this year. Not long ago Sydney’s Waterloo became the flagship location for their new concept store, a crowd-pleasing shot at bringing back the beloved Pizza Hut all-you-can-eat sessions of yesteryear with a few modern twists like…
Linked by an immersive technology setup, groups in Singapore and Sydney are set to sit down and dine together as the Singapore Tourism Board partners with Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel and numerous celebrity chefs to host a “Singapore meets Australia” dinner party. Set for the 22nd February the “SGxAUFoodies” event will be a unique way of…
Some of Australia’s top chefs are joining together for an epic fundraising dinner in memory of the late Jeremy Strode, the talented and widely loved chef who is best known for his work at The Fish Shop and Bistrode CBD. As a testament to his influence on this country’s hospitality industry, the dinner will feature…
