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Guillaume at Bennelong – The Last Supper

Posted: March 3, 2014 in Circular Quay, French, Hatted Restaurants, Modern Australian, Sydney City
Tags: Bennelong Room, Guillaume, Guillaume at Bennelong, Guillaume Brahimi, Stokehouse, Stokehouse by Bennelong, Sydney best restaurant, Sydney Opera House, two hat restaurant, Van Haandel Group

Since publishing this post, Stokehouse have announced 11 March 2014, that they have pulled out of the Bennelong project and will not occupy the Sydney Opera House site.

Guillaume at Bennelong sadly closed its doors to the public on the 31st December 2013, after making the controversial decision not to renew the tender with the Sydney Opera House. The announcement of this news was almost as heartbreaking as the thought that the venue would be turned into a bistro style restaurant and cafe. To the disappointment of onlookers, it was widely known that the Sydney Opera House insisted on creating a venue that was more accessible to the public. However, all is not lost. Guillaume Brahimi is currently renovating his new restaurant in Paddington, for a late April to early May opening. It will be named Guillaume, taking over the Darcy’s restaurant site and is said to be a more relaxed dining experience than its Bennelong self.

It will be interesting to see the Stokehouse by Bennelong, with the Van Haandel Group securing a 10 year lease. Opening day is set for May 2014, where the venue will see a two tier site with casual dining on the upper level and a more sophisticated two hat dining experience on the ground level.

I wanted to visit Guillaume at Bennelong one last time before it was all over. You can read about my first visit here. Today, we sat down to 4 courses for $150.

Cafe Sydney, Circular Quay

Posted: May 25, 2013 in Circular Quay, Modern Australian, Sydney City
Tags: cafe sydney, Circular Quay, Food Blog, food porn, food porn nation, pictures of food, Sydney food, Sydney Food Blog, Sydney Restaurants. Sydney Restaurant

It’s over to Cafe Sydney for Ms G’s birthday. After searching high and low, I wanted to get the right venue that had the right mix of atmosphere, great food and that also took advantage of what was left of the good weather. Cafe Sydney seemed like just the spot.

Guillaume at Bennelong, Sydney Opera House

Posted: May 5, 2013 in Circular Quay, French, Hatted Restaurants, Modern Australian, Sydney City
Tags: best restaurants in Sydney, Best Steak in Sydney, Food Blog, food porn, food porn nation, Guillaume at Bennelong, Guillaume Brahimi, Sydney Food Blog, Sydney Hatted Restaurants, Sydney Morning Herald Two Chefs Hat, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Restaurant, Sydney restaurants, three chef hats, two chef hats

Guillaume Brahimi has announced on the 2 July 2013 that Guillaume at Bennelong will be shutting its doors by the end of 2013. Read here for further details.

Guillaume Brahimi has had a formidable career to date. Born in Paris, his star was on the rise taking on various roles at three michelin restaurants.

Moving to Australia, Guillaume earns a record breaking two chef hats within 6 months of opening his restaurant Pond. He is later invited to turn around Bilson’s at Circular Quay (now Quay) with no chef hats and 11/20 rating, remarkably taking Bilson’s to receive the coveted three chef hats.

In 2001, Guillaume is awarded the highly sought after contract to take over the restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. Within a year of its debut, it is recognised as one of the top 50 new restaurants in the world. The restaurant has a long list of accolades under its belt. Awarded year in and year out, it reaches the pinnacle (three chef hats) and today sits as a two chef hat restaurant with a 17/20 rating.

With his culinary prowess set against the backdrop of the most breathtaking views of our iconic foreshore. It is hard to believe that Guillaume at Bennelong is not on anyone’s hit list. This may be more the case than ever before, now that the space for the restaurant is up for tender with rumours that it may transform it into a cheap eats venue.

That said, I was able to pay Guillaume a visit for my birthday before any major overhaul thanks to my sister – agirlhastoeat.

El Loco at the Sydney Opera House

Posted: January 21, 2013 in Cheap Eats, Circular Quay, Hot Dogs, Mexican, Sydney City
Tags: Cheap eat, Dan Hong, Justin Hemmes, merivale, merivale group, Mexican, Mexican food in Sydney, Opera House, Sydney Cheap Eats, Sydney Opera House

As part of the Sydney Festival, Justin Hemmes (Merivale Group) has partnered with Sydney’s Opera House to secure the iconic hot spot to bring us this cool little pop up restaurant-come-bar.

From the 4th – 28th January, Dan Hong (Mr Wong’s & Ms G’s) will be overseeing the venture where he will be dishing up a selection of the el loco menu along our beautiful Sydney shores. With a slight surcharge included… Que?

The hot dog revealed a delicious grilled pork frankfurt nestled away in between a soft doughy bun.

Smothered in blinding amounts of cheese, I was unable to detail the other additions. It was only with each bite that brought the discovery of the pickled jalapenos, mayo and salsa. I even felt a slab of butter!

Unfortunately, the tacos were less successful. The beef tacos distinctively boasted of Asian rather than Mexican flavours which was subtle and kind of… not what I had in mind. Beef in black bean anyone?

In my surprise taco, they served up kidneys which I probably wouldn’t have ordered if it wasn’t a surprise. The battle was already lost before it even begun. Kidneys were served hard and rubbery, which wasn’t very palatable.