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.

Sydney Harbour’s three-day Wine Island festival returns this November

We have to go back! To where? To Wine Island of course, Sydney’s idyllic three-day wine festival which takes place entirely on the harbour’s picturesque Clark Island. The typically Sydney event will returning from Friday 10th to Sunday 12 November, offering guests access to a pop-up paradise featuring curated selections of wine, food, live music,…

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Film Review: Edgar Wright is a slave to the rhythm in Baby Driver (USA, 2017)

It’s obvious that great care and thought was put into Baby Driver; we should have expected nothing less from visionary Director Edgar Wright, he who has brought us incredibly unique films like Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Shaun of the Dead in the past. With the idea snowballing in his head for decades, road-tested…

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Ben & Jerry’s to give away 20,000 free tubs this weekend

This Sunday 16th July is free ice cream day. Ben & Jerry’s just kicked off a new partnership with food delivery service foodora. Put two and two together and somehow that equals 20,000 free tubs of ice cream, which will be given out across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this weekend in person. To celebrate making…

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Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club and Virgin Australia Velocity announce frequent flyer program cooperation

It has now become easier to accrue points for both members of Hainan Airlines‘ Fortune Wings Club and Virgin Australia‘s Velocity program. The recent announcement that Hainan Airlines has begun a frequent flyer cooperation with Velocity comes as a very welcome one for frequent travelers between Australia, New Zealand, and Greater China, kick starting a…

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TV Review: Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 Mid-Season Finale trades blood for peace

Fear the Walking Dead’s double-episode finale took the necessary steps to reveal just how far Madison is willing to go protect her family, especially after Travis and everything else that they have gone through since the infection began. It’s a success in that respect, nicely paced while it worked towards one pivotal moment – and…

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District Brasserie opens in Chifley with an in-house bakery, bar and restaurant (Sydney)

Chifley continues to grow as one of Sydney’s most exciting new food hubs with District Brasserie, a new opening helmed by Head Chef Mark Knox with a commitment to “refined yet casual” dining. The multifacted 200-seater restaurant, bar and bakery, designed by the stalwart Paul Kelly, has also recruited Jason Hillier-Leggatt, a former pastry chef…

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Eau-de-Vie to host a whisky degustation dinner so rare that tickets are over $1000 (Melbourne)

Single malt fanatics in Melbourne have a very unique event to look forward to come September. It’s an exclusive whisky degustation dinner, said to be the only one of its kind in the world, hosted by constant award-winner Eau-de-Vie Melbourne. It won’t be cheap either; tickets to the dinner at priced at $1,500 per head,…

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Recipe: Apple Tart Tatin

Twisting the top on one of Grant Burge’s award-winning dessert wines is exciting enough, but it’s always ideal to have some food to match it with as well. As we learned at their recent event at Sydney’s Acre Eatery, thrown in collaboration with Secret Foodies, wine and food matching is no longer a niche interest….

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Great Britain is getting a culinary showcase at Surry Hills’ nel. restaurant this month (Sydney)

Constant award-winner and one of Surry Hills’ finest, nel. restaurant, is currently running a limited edition menu for all those who want an edible homage to Great Britain to eat your way through. Chef Nelly Robinson is sprinkling his characteristic creativity to pull on some childhood memories and give them little modern twists, offering guests…

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Aloft Hotels call on budding Australian musicians for fourth annual Project Aloft Star competition

The After drawing 600,000 public votes last year, Aloft Hotels have brought back their successful “Project Aloft Star” program for the fourth year in a row. At it’s core, the program is a far-reaching band competition, amplified by partners MTV to give budding musicians and bands the chance to really kick start their career, shooting…

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Review: Darlinghurst’s Lucky Suzie brings modern Malaysian to a whole new level (Sydney)

Darlinghurst’s Lucky Suzie is one of the area’s best kept secrets; there’s no doubting that. What chef Zachary Tan (widely known for Devon Cafe) has worked up in his experimental modern Malaysian kitchen is a consistent burst of big traditional flavours mixed into modern, eye-catching dishes with a menu that seems to be changing regularly….

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A specialist Japanese sake shop has just opened in Stanmore (Sydney)

In response to the increased demand and awareness of Sake amongst Sydney’s most discerning diners, the team behind Chef’s Armoury have decided to open the city’s first specialist store dedicated to the art and versatility of Japanese sake. Going by the simple name of Sakeshop, the store has flung open its doors on Percival Street…

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Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains and Collin Fassnidge plan Winter Wonderland dinner (Sydney)

After a successful outing last year, the picturesque Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is once again planning to host an extravagant Winter Wonderland gala dinner fronted by celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge. The My Kitchen Rules judge will be making the short journey out of Sydney to lead guests through a culinary journey, centered around a four-course…

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Bosozuku is South Yarra’s new Japanese burger, sake and karaoke den (Melbourne)

Named after a notorious outlaw subculture in Japan, Bosozuku is South Yarra’s new Japanese burgers joint and sake den, a 200-seater located just off Chapel Street with designs on becoming one of the city’s new favourite destinations. It’s from the same team behind Bird Watching Society and St Kilda’s buzzing Lady Grange, taking on a…

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A new Head Chef has brought an Ibero-American twist to The Butler (Sydney)

Flipping up the food menu at Potts Point favourite The Butler is newly appointed Head Chef Amber Doig, who has made some significant changes by bringing in an Ibero-American influence while retaining the venue’s share-style approach to dining. In making use of traditional Central and South American cooking techniques, recipes and methods, the New Zealand-born…

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Burger Watch: Mister Gee’s exceptional Buttersoft makes its way back onto the menu (Sydney)

Welcome to Burger Watch, where we acknowledge the constant creativity bursting from all sides of the epic burger wave that regularly sweeps Australia. The highest-of-high demand is reserved for this timeless food staple and just about every interpretation of it, whether it to be an over-the-top glutton-fest or a focus on simple burgers done well….

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The best Bastille Day events in Melbourne and Sydney 2017

Friday 14th July is Bastille Day, France’s national day which always brings an excuse to indulge in the rich culture and cuisine of the famous country. Being that some of the country’s best French restaurants are located up and down the East Coast – particularly Melbourne and Sydney – Bastille Day across the country’s two…

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Aussie producer Jack’s Creek wins World’s Best Fillet Steak

Don’t call it comeback. Australian beef producer Jack’s Creek have, for the third year in a row, dominated London’s coveted World Steak Challenge, walking away with the title of World’s Best Fillet Steak. Bringing home one of the competition’s top awards, this has solidified Jack’s Creek as a serious force despite being a relative newcomer…

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Film Review: It Comes at Night (USA, 2017) is a nightmare filled with suspense

It would be easy to expect a horror film from the trailer of It Comes At Night, but those familiar with Trey Edwards Shults’ debut feature Krisha should know better. Though he may not be quite skilled at the in-your-face scare, Shults is clearly an intelligent and unique voice for those who love to mix…

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An authentic French baguette pop-up has opened in Potts Point (Sydney)

Sydney CBD’s Jardin St James are reaching out from their location in the forecourt of the city’s oldest church for a little hole-in-the-wall pop-up down in Potts Point, set to operate from today for the next month or so with a heavy, heady and delicious focus on the art of the French baguette. At least…

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Hotel Review: Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur offers an air of old-fashioned charm

Kuala Lumpur has the most affordable five-star hotels in the world, many scattered all over the city so that visitors have some excellent choices no matter which location they are scouting. For the city’s dynamic Chow Kit an obvious go-to is the Sheraton Imperial, a sprawling property that lives up its celebrated brand, from comfortable…

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Max Brenner will cover absolutely anything you want in chocolate for World Chocolate Day

Ubiquitous chocolate heaven Max Brenner is doing things a little differently come this year’s World Chocolate Day on Friday 7th July, offering chocolate-lovers the chance to get (almost) anything they want drizzled in the brand’s signature melted chocolate for free. Yeah, that means anything: avo on toast, a burger, a person, your old Sisqo CD’s,…

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Mercure Sydney breathes new life into their resident Eve’s Bar

Borrowing from the urban vibe of New York City, Mercure Sydney have given their Eve’s Bar an essential makeover, determined to positioned it as a go-to for not just guests, but also locals and commuters looking for a reliable option for lunch or after-work drinks. Sporting a brand new design, the bar now glows with…

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Mary’s CBD has introduced a full breakfast menu (Sydney)

The burger gods at Mary’s have decided that their CBD joint (the one right near Pitt St Mall) needs a bit of a makeover, so along with a new fit-out the team have introduced a full breakfast menu, primarily aimed at the many, many sad and regretful hungover individuals that stalk Sydney’s street on the…

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Sydney favourite Belly Bao is officially moving to Newtown

It’s been four years since the almighty Belly Bao shot straight to the heart of Sydney’s food lovers. In 2013 they began trading fortnightly at Paddington Markets, growing a loyal following with lovingly steamed bao buns and various fillings like crispy fried chicken and crackling roast pork belly. They worked up a collective appetite among…

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Melbourne Central is planning a two day….Unicorn Festival

Surprisingly Melbourne has never had a Unicorn Festival before. What’s even more surprising is that unicorn doesn’t mean a multi-coloured mythical horse-like creature with a sharp horn anymore; it means sugary, ‘gram-worthy desserts like donuts, scrolls and ice creams. That’s what’s in store for Melbourne locals and visitors at the city’s first ever Unicorn Festival,…

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The Lansdowne has Mary’s burger pizza, fish finger sandwiches and kimchi pancakes on the menu (Sydney)

Though the enormous – and enormously important – opening weekend for The Lansdowne is done and dusted, the triumphant return of the Sydney icon still has a long way to go. The much talked about re-opening has already marked a big win for the resurgence of the city’s once-smothered live music circuit, but there’s more…

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Award-winners like Sixpenny and Biota join The Gantry for a special winter menu (Sydney)

A beautifully curated menu has hit Sydney’s The Gantry for the remainder of this month, offering an extra special collaborative feast that includes chefs from heavy-hitting culinary powerhouses like Sixpenny and Biota Dining. It’s a rare opportunity to showcase dishes by so many award-winning chefs in one spot, presenting diners with an essential, affordable set…

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Fourth of July events across Sydney and Melbourne 2017

Break out the fireworks because Fourth of July is upon us, giving us Aussies a good excuse to celebrate everything we think we know about American culture. That is, fatty delicious food, of course. There’s a whole bunch of events around the major cultural hubs of Sydney and Melbourne today (some even lasting the rest…

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Butter is turning red for Puma with a limited edition menu (Sydney)

Teaming up with Puma for Arsenal FC’s first visit to Australia in 40 years, Surry Hills fried chicken and sneaker joint Butter has gone through a bit of a makeover, borrowing a bright shade of red from the limited edition and never released Puma Arsenal Suedes​. In addition to giving away 50 pairs of the…

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