{"id":39251,"date":"2015-03-16T07:12:36","date_gmt":"2015-03-15T21:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/blog\/?p=39251"},"modified":"2018-05-14T07:21:29","modified_gmt":"2018-05-13T21:21:29","slug":"a-bargain-hunters-guide-to-dining-celeb-chef-style-in-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/a-bargain-hunters-guide-to-dining-celeb-chef-style-in-sydney\/","title":{"rendered":"A bargain-hunters&#8217; guide to dining celeb-chef style in Sydney"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>With cooking shows as hot as ever \u2013 I\u2019m looking at you MKR \u2013 it\u2019s fair to say Aussies love all things <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/blog\/?s=food\">food<\/a> and they <em>really<\/em> love a celebrity chef. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/sydney-cbd?CID=social=blog:lmau:retail::SM191:\">Sydney<\/a> is spoilt for choice in the celeb-chef restaurant stakes but they often fall into the special occasion price range. Look beyond the obvious picks though and there are budget-friendly dining options with star power to be found for every meal of the day.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And if you\u2019re lucky you might get up close with one of these geniuses of the kitchen like I did&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"4\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;\"><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/p\/zWo-uckfpM\/\" target=\"_top\">A Saturday very well spent learning from #genius chef @markbest at the Sydney Seafood School for @lastminutecomau. Review to come but right now I&#8217;m recovering from my food coma! #lovemyjob<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\">A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2015-02-21T06:49:30+00:00\">Feb 20, 2015 at 10:49pm PST<br \/>\n<\/time>But I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. It\u2019s brekkie time!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bills.com.au\/\">Breakfast: Bill\u2019s, 79 Hall Street, Bondi Beach<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong> The chef:<\/strong> Bill Granger<\/p>\n<p><strong> Claim to fame<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Restaurant owner (it all started with Bill\u2019s in Darlinghurst in 1993 but today he has restaurants in London, Tokyo, Seoul and Waikiki, along with two other Sydney outposts.)<\/li>\n<li>Cook book author (11 in total) and newspaper columnist (the weekend isn\u2019t complete without his <em>Sunday Life<\/em> recipes.)<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0TV series host (<em>Bill\u2019s Food<\/em> is up to series five and viewed in 30 countries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The luxe option (and the bargain option too!)<br \/>\n<\/strong>The beauty of Granger\u2019s easygoing approach is that all of his restaurants are affordable. #winning. We\u2019re sampling the newest restaurant in Bondi.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Bills.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39252 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Bills-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Bills on Bondi\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" \/><\/a>\n<p><strong>What to drink<\/strong><br \/>\nA green juice with spinach, cucumber, apple, ginger, chia and celery ($9.50) ticks the box for the health conscious (or try a smoothie of pineapple, kale, coriander and coconut water ($9.50) for something different). If you\u2019re feeling a little less virtuous, a fudge chocolate or salted caramel milkshake ($7) is your go-to.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Green-smoothie.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39255 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Green-smoothie-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Green smoothie\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><br \/>\n<\/a> <strong>What to eat<br \/>\n<\/strong> I can\u2019t go past the \u2018Fresh Aussie\u2019 \u2013 gravlax, poached eggs, avocado, kale and cherry tomatoes ($24.50) &#8211; it\u2019s one of the tastiest healthy brekkies I\u2019ve had in Sydney in a long time. For research purposes, I steal a mouthful of Mr LML\u2019s scrambled organic eggs (a Granger speciality) from his \u2018Full Aussie\u2019 \u2013 which also includes sourdough toast, cumin roast tomatoes, bacon, miso mushrooms and pork and fennel sausage ($24.50) \u2013 and can confirm the eggs are the goods.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/brekkie-at-bills.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-39256\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/brekkie-at-bills-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"brekkie at bills\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" \/><\/a>\n<p>In a stroke of ordering inspiration, we opt for a breakfast dessert to share: a kid\u2019s size serving of the famous ricotta hotcakes which come with honeycomb butter, banana and a side of maple syrup. If there\u2019s a breakfast heaven, this dish must be there (full serve of three, $20).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"4\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/p\/zGcCQOkfow\/\" target=\"_top\">Breakfast heaven is @bill.granger hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Value for money<br \/>\n<\/strong>While not the cheapest breakfast menu in Bondi, the Granger touch makes it worthwhile, especially when the food and drinks are top notch. Plus, it\u2019s not often breakfast is the go-to for a celeb chef dining experience &#8211; the most important meal of the day is usually the cheapest one to dine out for \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p><strong>While you\u2019re here<br \/>\n<\/strong>Hit up the markets at Bondi Primary School on nearby Campbell Parade. Visit on a Saturday and you\u2019ll be greeted with the farmer\u2019s markets for gourmet goodies, or get crafty with the Sunday offering of clothes, jewellery and gifts.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Bondi-markets.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39257 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Bondi-markets-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Bondi markets\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a>\n<p>And if you need to walk off those ricotta hotcakes, there\u2019s no better place to do than the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"4\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/p\/zG3p1rkfuy\/\" target=\"_top\">Summer lovin&#8217; \u2600\ufe0f<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Lunch: Sydney Seafood School, Sydney Fish Market, Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The experience<br \/>\n<\/strong>Sydney Seafood School is Australia\u2019s leading cooking school with an impressive 13,000 guests attending each year. And no doubt part of the appeal is the strong line up of celebrity chefs who present classes, including the likes of Rockpool\u2019s Phil Wood, Guillaume \u2018s Guillaume Brahimi, and Sake Restaurant and Bar\u2019s Shaun Presland.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Sydney-Seafood-sign.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39258 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Sydney-Seafood-sign-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Sydney Seafood sign\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" \/><\/a>\n<p><strong>The chef<br \/>\n<\/strong>We\u2019re lucky to have Mark Best run the show for our Saturday class.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Claim to fame<br \/>\n<\/strong>An icon of the Sydney restaurant scene, Best is a world-renowned chef, restaurant owner, cookbook author, and among a distinguished few to score 19\/20 in the SMH Good Food Guide.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The luxe option<br \/>\n<\/strong>Marque Restaurant in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/sydney-surry-hills\">Surry Hills<\/a> is one of Sydney\u2019s very top restaurants. Best has also recently brought his successful Melbourne bistro Pei Modern to Sydney under the same name, located at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/four-seasons-hotel-sydney\/W20307?\">Four Seasons Hotel<\/a> (if you go, the ricotta dumplings are a must).<\/p>\n<p><strong>What to eat<br \/>\n<\/strong>This isn\u2019t a restaurant so you need to earn your meal here! Part one of the four-hour class begins in the state-of-the-art tiered auditorium where Best runs us through a demonstration of the four dishes we\u2019ll soon be recreating. It\u2019s like a cross between a uni lecture theatre and a cooking show audience. And he makes it all look deceptively easy!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Mark-Best.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39264\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Mark-Best.jpg\" alt=\"Mark Best\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1020\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nPart two sees us move next door to the luxe kitchen, splitting into groups of five and six, and dividing and conquering the recipes to speedily create the menu with the help of assistants and Best himself. \u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/P10304351.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-39273\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/P10304351-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"P1030435\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" \/><\/a> \u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Aprons.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39265 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Aprons-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Aprons\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many hands make light work and we\u2019re soon sitting down to enjoy the fruits of our labour with our team mates.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Our-creation.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39270 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Our-creation-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Our creation\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" \/><\/a>\n<div id=\"attachment_39268\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/just-like-kettle.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39268\" class=\"wp-image-39268 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/just-like-kettle-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Just like Kettle\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-39268\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dish of the day! Tuna and watermelon tartare with handmade chips- Just like Kettle chips but better).<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>What to drink<br \/>\n<\/strong>While the focus is on the food, a glass of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/nsw-hunter-region-nsw\">Hunter Valley<\/a> Riesling is the perfect accompaniment to our spread.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Value for money<br \/>\n<\/strong>At $165 per person, it\u2019s not cheap but it is great value: the Sydney Seafood School gives you access to celebrity chefs that you would never otherwise get. Plus, you\u2019ll score \u00a0recipes and tips to make the dishes at home and totes impress your friends.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hot tip:<\/strong> If $165 is out of your price range but you want a taste of the Mark Best experience, hit up the $49 three course Friday lunch at Marque.<\/p>\n<p><strong>While you\u2019re here<br \/>\n<\/strong>Pick up oysters or prawns for later at the fish markets downstairs. Or if you\u2019ve had enough seafood, Vic\u2019s Meat Market is a must. While its location at the fish markets might make you scratch your head to start with, it really is perfect: seafood after all is usually consumed that day while the vast array of meats on offer are just as good tomorrow or the day after.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Vics-meat.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-39271\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Vics-meat-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Vic's Meat Market\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" \/><\/a>\n<p>If you\u2019re on the celeb chef trail this one doesn\u2019t disappoint: Vic\u2019s Meat Market supplies 90% of the country\u2019s top restaurants including the likes of Mat Moran and Peter Gilmore. Restaurant quality meats available to the public at wholesale prices is a recipe for success. If you\u2019d rather your meat\u00a0 cooked and ready to eat, you\u2019re also in luck, with the adjoining sandwich bar. Pulled pork on a soft white roll? Yes please. If you\u2019re feeling really fancy, the wagyu bar is where it\u2019s at. We\u2019re lucky enough to sample some of the menu and each and every mouthful exceeds the last. It\u2019s the best steak I\u2019ve <strong>ever <\/strong>had. <a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/FotorCreated.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39266\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/FotorCreated.jpg\" alt=\"Wagyu Bar\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/a>No doubt catering to the nearby clientele of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/astral-tower-and-residences-at-the-star\/W3360?\">The Star<\/a> casino, the unassuming bar is the only place in the world where you can have a glass of Penfold\u2019s from your birth year. Yep, wow factor.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dinner: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/operabar.com.au\/\"><strong>Opera Bar and Kitchen<\/strong><\/a><strong>, Lower Concourse Level, Sydney Opera House<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The chef<br \/>\n<\/strong>Matt Moran. Is there anything this man can\u2019t do?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Claim to fame<br \/>\n<\/strong>Acclaimed chef and restaurant owner (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ariarestaurant.com\/\">Aria in Sydney and Brisbane<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.northbondifish.com.au\/\">North Bondi Fish<\/a> and Chiswick just to name a few), TV show host, (<em>Paddock to Plate<\/em> is compulsory foodie viewing), cookbook author and newspaper columnist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The luxe option<br \/>\n<\/strong>Two-hat favourite Aria is well worth the splurge: the Harbour view, the food, the wine and the service are exquisite.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The bargain option<br \/>\n<\/strong>For Harbour views without the Aria price tag, you can\u2019t beat Opera Bar and Kitchen. Once a bit of a no-go for foodies (why so often is it the better the view, the worse the food?), the Moran touch gives the setting the menu and quality it deserves. We\u2019re here for dinner to soak up the after-work sunset view but lunch and breakfast are also on offer.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/FotorCreated2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39267\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/FotorCreated2.jpg\" alt=\"Harbour Views Opera Bar\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/a><strong>What to drink<br \/>\n<\/strong>With a view like this it would rude not to start with a cocktail, and the Sydney sling ($18) gets our vote. But it\u2019s the Ridge of Tears Shiraz by Logan ($75 for a bottle) that really wows and has me contemplating a trip to Mudgee asap.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wine.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39272 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/wine-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Pounding Grape\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a><strong>What to eat<br \/>\n<\/strong>Water views and seafood go hand in hand and the raw bar doesn\u2019t disappoint. While the seafood platter ($150) is tempting, the rock oysters ($24 for half a dozen) gets my starter vote.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Oysters-starter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39269 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Oysters-starter-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Oysters starter\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a>\n<p>And because I obviously love a good bar, the speciality Charcuterie Bar catches my eye and we sample the signature board ($28) consisting of blackmore wagyu, prosciutto, salami, housemade pickles and sourdough. It\u2019s not the best presented board I\u2019ve seen but the taste more than makes up for it.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Opera-Bar.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-39278 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Opera-Bar-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Opera Bar\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a>\n<p>When you see Moran meat of any variety on the menu, you order it, so Moran\u2019s 280 gram grass-fed sirloin served with twice-cooked fat chips and a choice of sauce (Dijon mustard thanks) is an easy pick.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/best-steak-ever.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-39279\" src=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/last-minute\/blog\/uploads\/2015\/05\/best-steak-ever-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The Best Steak EVA\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" \/><\/a>\n<p><strong>Value for money<br \/>\n<\/strong>It\u2019s great when you consider the location and quality of the food \u2013 just don\u2019t expect a quiet romantic meal a la Aria: most peeps are here for the drink and the view.<\/p>\n<p><strong>While you\u2019re here<br \/>\n<\/strong>The Opera House might provide the perfect setting for wining and dining but make the most of the setting and check out a show or go for a stroll around Circular Quay and the Rocks. No judgement from us though if you stay firmly in your seat at Opera Bar and order another Sydney Sling and a Popcorn Gaytime ($14) or a cheese board. Oh so Sydney.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-version=\"4\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/p\/zCgsXgkfpf\/\" target=\"_top\">Hello @operabarsydney! Can think of worse places to spend a Friday night. #ilovesydney @sydney<\/a> A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2015-02-13T11:12:17+00:00\">Feb 13, 2015 at 3:12am PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\" async=\"\" defer=\"defer\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>Nicole and MR LML experienced Sydney thanks to Destination NSW.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Pssst: Got any Sydney foodie\u00a0photos to share? Get social and hashtag #NewSouthWales and #liveeverylastminute and we&#8217;ll share our faves \ud83d\ude42<\/h3>\n<h2>What meal would you LOVE to try here? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/accommodation\/australia\/sydney?CID=social=blog:lmau:retail::SM191:\">Sydney hotels<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/domestic-flights\/cheap-airfares-to-sydney?CID=social=blog:lmau:retail::SM191:\">Sydney flights<\/a><\/li>\n<li>For more great things to do in Sydney, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sydney.com\/things-to-do\" rel=\"nofollow\">Sydney.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With cooking shows as hot as ever \u2013 I\u2019m looking at you MKR \u2013 it\u2019s fair to say Aussies love..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":39323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[72,398,106],"acf":{"credits":[{"name":"","label":"","full_url":""}],"enable_review_score":false},"posts_api_cpm_point":{"name":"","description":"","thumbnail":"","address":"Sydney NSW, Australia","latitude":"-33.8688197","longitude":"151.20929550000005","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39251"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39251"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40504,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39251\/revisions\/40504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}