Barangaroo hasn’t stopped surprising us. The mere task of transforming the barren waterfront into some kind of dining precinct seemed insurmountable. Then the construction barricades came down, revealing space, oh so much space, dedicated to restaurants for every type of cuisine. What really surprised us is the calibre of these eateries.
The CBD’s waterfront precincts have a predilection towards touristy-ness, as we like to call it, but Baranagoo’s Wulugul Walk is a beauty. Sleek and chic, its hand picked restaurants, patisseries and specialist grocers are all carefully curated, but not sterile, or afraid to have a little bit of fun.
Case in point: Lotus Dining. Modern Chinese dining has never looked so good. Ever.
Light and bright, like the rest of this strip, the covered al fresco tables allow all-weather dining. Tuck into dishes like crispy pork wontons and watch the ferries zip past. Move on to oysters, served with lemon aspen sorbet and butterfly pea flower, and resist the urge pat a few of the happy dogs being walked along the promenade. There’s no sound of traffic blasting into your dinner conversation and no uptight stuffiness you might find up the hill in the centre of the CBD. It’s upscale casual, done right.
But beware, mains like 15 hour slow cooked beef ribs served with ponzu, soy and kale, will demand your full attention. It’s melt in your mouth good. Served family style, the dishes from Shanghai-born head chef Chris Yan are designed for sharing. The servings are generous, which is a good thing, because you’ll want to devour every mouthful of the crispy chicken. And then there’s the hefty seafood selection – pick Southern rock lobster, QLD mud crab and WA snow crab straight from the tack, or try spring bay mussels braised with Tsing Tao beer – either way, you won’t be disappointed.
And then there’s dessert. Not usually considered a highlight of Chinese cuisine, Lotus Dining has taken a different approach. Pastry Chef Tiffany Jones and her team work magic bringing traditional desserts to life with Asian flavours – the Yuzu and chrysanthemum cheesecake is a must try. Then there’s Passionfruit on the Vine. Coated with boiled down passionfruit skin, the chocolate shell is a perfect replica of the passionfruit, and once cracked open, reveals an ice cream heart with the fruit’s beautiful bold flavours.
Lotus Dining Barangaroo
Shop 8/9 Wulugul Walk,
Barangaroo, Sydney
T: (02) 8318 3688
