The Big Night Out
Some of Sydney's best fine diners — including Quay and Bennelong — are serving up tasting menus at reduced prices for two months.
Overview
If you've been saving your hard-earned cash for a big night out, here's your excuse to spend it. Some of Sydney's fanciest restaurants — including Quay, Bennelong, Otto Ristorante and Firedoor — are now offering five-course tasting menus at (relatively) reasonable prices.
Throughout July and August, there'll be limited-edition menus on offer at each Fink Group venue, ranging from $100–195 per person. Sure, these prices are nothing to sneeze at, but you won't find these deals at any other time of the year. And they all include a cocktail on arrival, too.
At Quay, Peter Gilmore has created a five-course version of the restaurant's decadent ten-course menu. It'll feature signature dishes and a few new ones, including the playful new Moo dessert. With the restaurant's standard menu going for $285 a head, this one, at $195, is a steal.
Meanwhile, Bennelong is recreating high-end versions of Aussie favourites — and serving them up inside the Sydney Opera House. Those include yabby buckwheat pancakes with lemon jam and cultured cream, along with the restaurant's famed lamington dessert. All for $170 a head.
Otto is, of course, doings things the Italian way with a full on pasta menu. Yes, its five carb-loaded courses (for $120) include mushroom-stuffed agnolotti and lobster bisque cappellacci, filled with spanner crab and mascarpone. At Firedoor, it's swapping the usual fire-roasted meats for fire-roasted veggies, serving a five-course menu (for $100) that champions all things plant-based.
The Big Night Out menus will be available for lunch and dinner throughout July and August. Be sure to make a reservation, though (and select the Big Night Out option when booking) because these popular spots are sure to book out — especially at these prices.
Images: Brett Stevens and Nikki To