The Bridge Room

From the moment you slide into your stylish but comfortable Autoban chair in this relaxed-looking dining room, it’s evident you’re in for a seamless experience. The rounded edges of the chairs echo the Deco lines of the building, and the service is equally free of sharp bumps. Having had his fill of Sydney toques already, Chef Ross Lusted has returned to the charcoal grilling of his South African youth, simply because it tastes good. Now that’s not to say dishes like Moreton Bay Bugs, Sweet Grilled Endive, Tamarind and Roasted Chilli Paste ($35) lack complexity; rather it’s that Lusted makes them look like remarkably simple packages. While he employs a global palate of flavours, honed during his Amanresorts days, local produce sings across the menu, starting with Natural Oysters ($4.50/each) with white miso dressing and chives. Move on to a pretty plate of hand-picked Spanner Crab ($33) with mandarin, Meyer lemon curd, chestnuts and nashi pear, before standout mains like the Japanese-inspired Ocean Trout with Silken Eggplant, Sesame and Puffed Rice ($45) lubricated with a roasted tea broth. Your must-have dessert is the Burnt Caramel Cream ($16) – a re-imagined crème brûlée juxtaposed against mint and juicy Packham pear, presented in ceramics designed by Lusted himself. It’s perfect against the 2012 Peregrine Charcoal Creek Riesling ($14/glass).

The Bridge Room
Ground Level, 44 Bridge Street, Sydney
Ph: (02) 9247 7000 thebridgeroom.com.au
Modern Australian $$$$

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REVIEW: Karen’s Diner Top Ryde

REVIEW: Karen’s Diner Top Ryde

I am not going to lie, walking into Karen’s Diner, which is reputed to have the worst customer service in the city, can be nerve-wracking. After several minutes of nervous pacing and scrolling through the reservation confirmation with clammy hands, a Karen turned to serve me. Rolling eyes and sass made up most of her demeanour, which finally put me at ease. As I looked around, I realised I was not the only nervous one in the diner. Many of  customers were similarly hesitant to order their food, all of whom were understandably unwilling to invoke the Karens’ wrath but equally keen to experience what this place was all about.

An evening at Karen’s Diner was a fun experience indeed. From aggressive pushes of food on the table to constant f-bombs and booing at customers, Karen’s Diner was a vibe.

The diner decorations were also quite beautiful. Seated at a high-top table with a table full of has-beens next to a comic plastered wall we watched the customers heading out to play the Wheel of Misfortune. Misfortunes that could land you anywhere between model walks to the not-so-fun spicy shots.

I ate a meal called the “Royale Karen” alongside sips of a cocktail called the “Sour Karen” – listening to Good Golly Miss Molly playing overhead. The food was good, but it could have been better.

Ironically, Karen’s Diner was not the worst customer service that I have experienced. From existing Diner videos on YouTube, I was expecting much worse. The Diner has started out well, but it could do much better with more realistic Karens. Overall, it was an enthralling and hilarious experience.

KAREN’S DINER TOP RYDE is a 3 month pop-up located at the Top Ryde Shopping Centre. The pop-up experience ends on July 22. For Bookings head to: www.bemorekaren.com/ryde

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