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.

Topdeck are offering discounts on their Middle East and Africa itineraries right now

Topdeck, who have had quite a year introducing new itineraries to their ever-growing range of adventures, have just slashed the price to their Middle East and Africa Trips for the 2018-2019 season. For a limited time, those keen on heading out to one of Topdeck’s stand to save up to $900 with a 7.5% Early…

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The Good Filo is South Sydney’s new Greek dessert bar and patisserie

In the wake of all the New Year’s cheer the South Sydney suburb of Ramsgate will welcome a modern Greek-Australian patisserie co-owned by Aki Daikos, best known as the man behind the city’s super popular Tella Balls Dessert Bar. The Good Filo, co-owned by Daikos and Head Baker Kiriakos Metaxotos will open its doors on…

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Film Review: Alexander Payne thinks a bit too big with Downsizing (USA, 2017)

There is no escaping a society defined by over-consumption, over-population, excessive stress and glaring inequality as Alexander Payne delivers a big message with a small scale, working his surrealist charm and far-flung sense of adventure into Downsizing. The long-gestating project, directed by Payne and written with frequent collaborator Jim Taylor, is a grand, and at…

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David Thompson has made Long Chim’s top quality Sriracha Sauce available for retail

Aaharn Sriracha Sauce is, according to renowned Long Chim chef David Thompson, arguably the world’s best tasting sriracha sauce to exist. And who are we to argue? Thompson uses to sauce in his restaurants worldwide, and with the kind of acclaim that regularly surrounds the chef and pretty much everything he does, it’s safe to…

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Live Review: YelaWolf proves he is one of hip hop’s most unique emcees with rousing Sydney show

Just hearing YelaWolf spit a verse live is a show in itself. The Alabama emcee has an innate talent for the kind of machine-gun rap very few can do so well, making it look easy as he confidently, and clearly, spins verse after verse with head-spinning proficiency, jumping from word to word without ever losing…

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Nestle announce construction of Australia’s next tourist attraction: the big Milo tin

a prawn, a pineapple, and soon enough a tin of Milo. That’s right, Australia’s next upscaled icon will be the good ol’ Milo tin in response to high demand put on Nestlé and the powers that be for the country’s next ‘big thing’ to be everyone’s favourite chocolate drink. Spanning just a few days, more…

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Fried chicken, champagne and sneakers hybrid store opens as Butter expands to Parramatta (Sydney)

Surry Hills’ popular fried chicken and sneaker hybrid Butter is officially expanding out west, opening a two-level concept store in Parramatta this week. The hip hop flavoured shop will be much bigger than the Surry Hills store, which has built a cult following over the past year and a half. Chicken, champagne and sneakers will…

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James Squire will release limited edition Hop Father XPA in January

Now in its second year, the limited edition Hop Father has become an anticipated annual fixture on the release calendar for legendary brewery James Squire. It’s latest iteration is the Hope Father XPA newly released and brewed especially by seventh descendants of James Squire, brothers Ben, Matt and Chris Cooper. The brothers got together at…

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New Zealand’s excellent Panhead Custom Ales re-enter the Australian market

If you’ve ever stumbled upon Panhead Custom Ales in New Zealand then you already know that they are one of the country’s best when in comes to craft beers. They were sorely missed when they retreated from Australian soil with a year-long absence, but following a brewery expansion with the valuable backing of Lion, the…

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Keys to the City: How AVANI hotels are using their guest rooms to unlock local knowledge

“Local Knowledge” is often hard to grasp for tourists who may not have the time, capacity or even patience to plan their trip down to the finer details. It’s an increasingly difficult well of information to tap into as well, with the often ridiculous deluge of blogs (not the good kind) and Zomato/Yelp reviews dirtying…

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Tech Review: Beoplay M3 features impeccable design and excellent performance, but is it worth the price?

Bang & Olufsen are often out of any reasonable price range for the casual tech consumer, and the company is usually off collaborating with other high-end luxury brands like Lamborghini – their latest partnership which has the reputable Danish tech company fitting the new Lamborghini Urus supercar with a bespoke 1,700 watt audio system. Their…

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Rekorderlig launch low-sugar, low-carb cider exclusively in Australia

Swedish cider brand Rekorderlig are renowned for their rich, sugary ciders which remain distinctive in a now extremely crowded market. In a move that seems overdue, they’ve finally decided to expand their brand into the increasingly common low-sugar game with the launch of Rekorderlig Low Sugar Strawberry-Lime, the first and hopefully not last expression focusing…

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Tech Review: Bose SoundLink Micro is a top performer for something so small

Let’s get straight to it: Bose have struck excellent balance with their SoundLink Micro, released earlier this year, and it’s arguably the best sounding speaker of its size that you’ll find on the shelves this holiday season. The soft, rubbery square Bluetooth speaker with rounded edges is being pushed as the reliable audio company’s appeal…

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Rarities and unique drinks on the shelf for Newtown’s new P&V Wine & Liquor (Sydney)

Lou Dowling of Mary’s has teamed up with the beloved burger joints co-founders, Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, as well as renowned wine and drinks expert (and well-known journalist) Mike Bennie to open P&V Wine & Liquor in Newtown. Located on Enmore road, the recently opened drinks concept is being described as “part bottle-o, part…

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Radisson to debut in Mumbai with 112-room property planned for 2019

Come 2019 renowned hotel brand Radisson will make its debut in Mumbai, Maharashtra with the 112-room Radisson Mumbai Andheri MIDC. Set to accelerate Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s overall growth and expansion plans in the country, the new hotel will be developed in partnership with GHV Hospitality India Private Limited in one of the most prominent…

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Maurice Terzini and Adrian Reed open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in Canggu (Bali)

Maurice Terzini, the renowned chef behind Australian icon Icebergs Dining & Bar in Sydney (and others), has teamed up with Adrian Reed (of Motel Mexicola) once again to open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in the heart of Bali’s Canggu junction. The duo, whose first Bali collaboration Da Maria Bali is a beloved spot for Italian dining,…

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Review: Nespresso take a giant leap forward with the futuristic VertuoPlus

Such a substantial departure from the long-established pods that have been churned through Nespresso machines for years is a bit of a risk for such a dominant company. Introducing their new Vertuo line-up earlier this year represented a huge leap for the brand, presenting several models – some made by Breville and DeLonghi – onto…

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The William Inglis Hotel is South West Sydney’s first five-star luxury boutique hotel

Next month South West Sydney will be getting it’s very first boutique five-star luxury property with The William Inglis Hotel, part of the high-end MGallery by Sofitel collection which also includes The Como Melbourne and Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney. The eight-level, 144-room hotel will form part of the new $140 million precinct near Warwick Farm,…

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Tech Review: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop dominates its price range with superior battery life

At first it may seem odd Microsoft present such a standard-looking laptop following their run with the Surface Pro and Surface RT series, a wearily received but now beloved family of tablets that really reinvented the company’s image to the casual tech consumer. Their goal of creating new product categories is nowhere to be found…

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Thousands of free grapevines on offer as Sydney to become the world’s largest Urban Vineyard

A new initiative dubbed The Urban Vineyard Project is coming to Sydney over the holidays with the aim of giving away thousands of grapevines to be planted across the city, including on balconies, in backyards and even windowsills. The idea is to turn Sydney in the world’s largest urban vineyard, recalling the city’s central Macquarie…

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Adrian Reed of Motel Mexicola opens Luigi’s Hot Pizza in Canggu, Bali

Maurice Terzini, the renowned chef behind Australian icon Icebergs Dining & Bar in Sydney (and others), has teamed up with Adrian Reed (of Motel Mexicola) once again to open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in the heart of Bali’s Canggu junction. The duo, whose first Bali collaboration Da Maria Bali is a beloved spot for Italian dining,…

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The Fernery is Mosman’s new rooftop garden with a Gin room and Rosé bar (Sydney)

The team behind The Greens North Sydney and Camperdown’s sprawling acre Eatery are putting the finishing touches on their third Sydney venue to open in Mosman at the beginning of next month. John Tully and Luke Heard will present the ritzy North Shore suburb with The Fernery, a lush garden terrace poised to dominate the…

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Deliveroo have revealed the top 100 most delivered dishes from around the world

Who would have thought a burrito from Guzman Y Gomez was in the top 15 of Deliveroo’s most ordered dishes from around the world? The ubiquitous delivery service have taken the time to draw on piles of data from the past 12 months to put together a definitive list of the most ordered-online dishes in…

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After three years in the making, Matt Moran’s ambitious Barangaroo House is now open (Sydney)

Ambitious, architecturally stunning, and right by Sydney Harbour. Solotel and Matt Moran have finally opened the three-level Barangaroo House to the public. The dramatic award-winning building on Barangaroo Avenue has been carefully shaped to offer three distinctive dining and bar concepts, all taking full advantage of those sweeping water views. “Barangaroo House is looking beautiful,…

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The best New Year’s Eve parties around Brisbane for 2017/18

The loosest day of the year is upon us! New Year’s Eve is going to bounce us into 2018 and it’s your choice whether you want that to be in style or in shambles. It’s long known that deep in the heart of the CBD is exactly where you do not in any way, shape…

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Wailoaloa Beach’s Crowne Plaza set to be the largest hotel resort in Fiji

InterContinental Hotels Group have signed a management agreement with Quantum Hi-Tech Group Limited to develop the largest hotel resort in Fiji. Set to open in 2020, Crowne Plaza Fiji Wailoaloa Beach will be positioned just a 10 minute drive from the island’s primary Nadi International Airport, boasting a beachfront location and five restaurant and bar…

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Lufthansa plan new business class product for forthcoming Boeing 777-9 fleet

Come 2020, passengers on Lufthansa will be opened up to a swift upgrade in privacy and comfort as the airline has this month unveiled plans for a new Business Class product for their forthcoming Boeing 777-9 fleet. This will range from seats with more desk space to new mattresses, duvets and even pyjamas. The focus…

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Aussie travellers are now able to apply for a Brazilian visa online

The Brazilian Government has just made it much, much easier for Australian passport holders looking to travel to Brazil with a new online visa which features a response time of 72 hours. The new electronic visa takes some of the hassle out of planning a trip to the highly sought after desintation, which is ranked…

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Surfs Up! Cebu Pacific introduce direct flights between Manila and Siargao

Cebu Pacific has announced the introduction of direct flights between Manila and popular surfing destination Siargao just in time for Australia’s summer holidays. With year-round fares from Sydney starting at AU$384, this increases accessibility to the tear-drop shaped island, which is located 800km southeast of the Philippines capital in the province of Surigao del Norte….

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United Airlines will fly you to Texas for free if your first or last name is “Houston”

If your first or last name is “Houston” then you have a damn good reason to be excited about United Airlines’ new daily nonstop service between Sydney and Houston, Texas which will be introduced on 20th January 2018. To celebrate the inaugural flight, the airline has put a call out for anyone with the aforementioned…

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