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.

First line-up announced for Melbourne’s first ever solar powered music festival

This December Melbourne will be hosting a festival that blends music with renewable energy solutions. Titled OFFtheGRID, the event will be presented by Finding Infinity and will take over the forecourt at Australian Centre for Contemporary Art for a summer solstice aimed at both providing punters with an awesome local line-up and raising awareness and…

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Ananas Bar & Brasserie’s Halloween Champagne Brunch – The Rocks (Sydney)

French hotspot Ananas Bar & Brasserie has been hosting special Champagne Brunches once a month for awhile now, pulling on various themes from Willy Wonka to Winter Wonderland. The well-received concept is refreshing and playful, spinning the traditional champagne brunch into lively buffets with free-pour packages, and a DJ for background music (themed, of course),…

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Cake Wines plan community feasts in gardens and markets around Sydney

From now until mid-December, popular wine champs Cake Wines will be staging a series of weekend lunches and dinners in local community gardens and farmers markets with the help of some of Sydney’s best chefs, including Mike McEnearney (of Kitchen by Mike fame) and Richie Dolan (of Chiswick). With such talent on board, the Cakes…

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Candelori’s (Spring 2015) – Smithfield (Sydney)

Candelori’s is a long-running, well-known restaurant in Western Sydney that more recently went through a major rework and now stands as, quite possibly, the best looking restaurant in the area. Step through that massive door and you’ll be met with an imposing space, designed to fit over 200 diners by stalwart design group DS17, who…

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La Puerta Latino Flavours opens in Neutral Bay (Sydney)

Neutral Bay’s growing dining scene has just taken a big step forward, welcoming Oscar Espinosa, ex-Head Chef of Mexicano, for his first solo venture, tapping into authentic South American food with La Puerta Latino Flavours. Just off the Military Road strip, on Waters Road, you’ll find the restaurant-bar and it’s heady tapas-style approach to flavours…

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Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café – The Rocks (Sydney)

Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café in The Rocks has a prime location for foot traffic, whether it’s tourists from the many cruises that ship in and out of Circular Quay or regulars who recognise the area as a regular haunt. As a chocolate-cafe chain (they have two other locations in Sydney, both by the water), Guylian…

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On the Shelf: Kininvie 23 Year Old Batch No. 3 (Single Malt Scotch Whisky)

William Grant & Sons have recently launched their highly anticipated third release from the lesser-known Dufftown Kininvie Distillery, also marking the first drops we have seen from the distillery down here in Australia. The Kininvie 23 Year Old Batch No.3 is an incredibly rare, super premium single malt Scotch Whisky that is unlike anything that…

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Laphroaig planning exclusive Whisky pop-ups in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane

Iconic Islay distillery Laphroaig are celebrating 200 years in 2015, and before the year’s out they plan on bringing their Smoke on the Water Whisky Pop-Up to the east-coast of Australia to spread the love. Two centuries of distilling one of the world’s most unique and rewarding Whiskies is no small feat, so we expect…

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Sam Smith releases cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Love is a Losing Game”

Sam Smith is still one of the most anticipated voices in music today, gleaming with a dulcet, soulful tone that has him easily accenting emotions that contemporaries may struggle to capture. A good demonstration of that is his newly released cover of Amy Winehouse ballad “Love is a Losing Game”, which debuted this past week…

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Saturday Night Live’s “Hotline Bling” parody has Donald Trump dancing for forgiveness

Despite more than a few protests, Donald Trump was included on the most recent Saturday Night Live, surprisingly going along – mostly to great effect – with some typical SNL hilarity, in addition to starring in a parody for “Hotline Bling. Both cringeworthy and kind of brilliant, SNL manages to convince trump to portray your…

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Eric Koh’s popular Dim Sum pop-up extended to late December (Sydney)

Highly regarded dumpling master Eric Koh initially planned to stay a temporary resident at Work in Progress for just six weeks in September, but his @Erickoh residency at Merivale’s small bar has met with such a huge response that demand has forced him to remain in the kitchen until 23rd December. Koh’s dim-sum pop up…

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The Cut Bar & Grill’s David Blackmore Wagyu Beef Burger – The Rocks (Sydney)

For one of the most recognisable and awarded steak houses in Sydney, The Rocks’ The Cut Bar & Grill has never really offered a burger on their menu. That’s all changed now; as part of their lunch menu, The Cut now offer up a David Blackmore Wagyu Beef Burger and it’s come after a great…

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Zeus Street Greek opens up in Rosebery’s new food precinct (Sydney)

Rosebery’s new food emporium on Morley Avenue is quickly starting to take shape, coloured with a range of top Sydney eats and drinks and this week the precinct just welcomed the third Australian store from Zeus Street Greek. The hugely successful greek street food purveyor has been on quite a roll since the first store…

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Applejack hospitality group to open new bar on Oxford Street (Sydney)

If you live in Sydney then you are no doubt aware of how influential Applejack Hospitality have been to the small bar scene. They own and operate some of the city’s most popular and distinctive haunts including Bondi Hardware, The Botanist, SoCal, and most recently, The Butler. Now, the rapidly expanding hospitality group have announced…

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Four Pillars Gin opens Distillery Door just outside of Melbourne

Only about an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD in Healesville is where you’ll be able to find the new Four Pillars Distillery. The much adored, award-winning Australian Gin will officially be opening it’s distillery doors to the public this weekend (31st October – 1st November) and celebrating with a series of masterclasses, tours, and of…

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Italian eatery One Ford Street opens in Balmain (Sydney)

Last week Balmain welcomed a brand new eatery attached to the recently re-worked Cricketers Arms Hotel on Darling Street. Named One Ford Street the attractive new spot will focus on fresh, authentic Italian food with a menu designed by Chef Sam Bennett (ex Bourke Street Bakery; Fix St James) who is working alongside floor manager,…

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Documentary about Noma and René Redzepi gets a trailer

With countless established restaurants around the world, the title of “Best Restaurant in the World” is one that cannot be taken lightly, and it has belonged to Copenhagen restaurant Noma on more than one occasion. What Chef René Redzepi has done with Noma has attracted people from all over the world, so immortalising his journey…

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Kansas City Shuffle opens up in The Rocks (Sydney)

Kansas City Shuffle (KCS) has given The Rocks has a shiny new café to play around with, and this one is far from your standard newbie. For one, it comes from the ultra reliable Ben Sweeten, standing as his seventh café venture, after involvement in successful venues like Joe Black Café and Proud Mary. Secondly,…

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Doctor Who Pop-Up Shop opens at Broadway Shopping Centre in Sydney

Ahead of the big Doctor Who Festival this month at Hordern Pavilion/Royal Hall of Industries, Broadway Shopping Centre has become the new temporary home to the returning Pop-Up Shop completely dedicated to the iconic sci-fi franchise. Aimed at all the companion, Whovians, and Time Lords around the city, the pop-up stocks exclusive merch, toys, gifts,…

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Plot details released for Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The November issue of Entertainment Weekly has just been released, and with it is a bunch of first-look imagery and details on Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a planned trilogy. First off, it’s important to note that although J.K. Rowling was heavily involved in all 8 Harry…

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Popolo expands kitchen, welcomes Naomi Lowry as new head chef (Sydney)

Three years in and Popolo still stands as one of the best and most popular restaurants in the Rushcutters Bay. Their award-winning Southern Italian food has built owner Flavio Carnevale a solid reputation, and he’s set to further this with the recent addition of Naomi Lowry (ex-Biota Dining; Pilu at Freshwater) as Head Chef, who…

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Geisha Haus – Potts Point (Sydney)

You’ll find Geisha Haus tucked away upstairs via a nondescript entrance on Roslyn St, right next to Gastro Park. Formerly known as Beach Haus, the hidden little, oddly shaped gem is now a hub of fresh and creative contemporary Japanese food, with a menu shaped by Rajendra Kumar Tamang, a man who already has an…

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Yayoi Garden – CBD (Sydney)

Popular CBD Japanese restaurant Yayoi Sydney is now Yayoi Garden, and while the interior has the same casual elegance, the menu has slightly changed, with set tasting menus introduced to reflect the spring-summer season, while the sake list is even more extensive than before. My previous visit was a pleasant experience, delivering a Japanese dining…

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The Star’s Sky Terrace reopens with new look for spring and summer (Sydney)

There are a few quintessential vantage points around Sydney for which to fully absorb the magnificent views, and The Star’s Sky Terrace is most certainly Pyrmont’s primary position. Knowing that they have the perfect summer spot for events, The Star will be pushing more session-type events for their picturesque rooftop space alongside pop-up bars, and…

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Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards Nominees for 2016

On Monday 7th December of this year, Time Out Melbourne will be crawling through a massive list of nominated local bars and crown winners across several categories at a special ceremony hosted at The Mill House in Flinders Lane. The ceremony has fast become one of the liveliest celebrations of Melbourne’s famously comprehensive bar culture,…

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Time Out Sydney Bar Awards Nominees for 2016

On Sunday 6 December of this year, at the new host venue of Sky Terrace at The Star, tastemakers and scene sifters Time Out will once again be crowning the winners of various categories for their annual Sydney Bar Awards. The ceremony has long been known as one of the liveliest celebrations of Sydney’s diverse…

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Renowned Italian restaurant Machiavelli expands to Sydney International Airport T1 with Mach2

Popular Sydney restaurant Machiavelli has long stood as an institution for lovers of good Italian food and drink, and after all these years the owners have finally expanded their reach within the city, opening up a sister restaurant at a very unexpected location. Titled Mach2, the stylish new Italian venture has become the newest opening…

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Watch the bloody new trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight

As with all Quentin Tarantino films, The Hateful Eight has quickly become one of the most anticipated releases of the new year, and after watching the newly released second trailer, it’s not hard to see why. The all-star, gloriously violent project is led by Kurt Ressell, who plays John “The Hangman” Ruth, a man transporting…

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Watch a ton of new footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Even though the recently released trailer of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is said to be the only glimpse of the new film before it’s released next month, a new Japanese trailer has surfaced, with a surprising amount of new footage that gives a closer look at some of the characters. This isn’t one of…

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Coldplay dive into disco-funk with “Adventure of a Lifetime”

In a surprise announcement, Coldplay have released the details of their next album A Head Full of Dreams along with the tracklist and the full version of their first single. “Adventure of a Lifetime” has the band delving into a little disco-funk, providing a nice groove over which Chris Martin sounds comfortable and confident. The…

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