Vancouver had been on my list for quite awhile since I fell in love with it while visiting when I was a kid. With birthday pending, it seemed like it was finally time to return for a few days.
Unlike most of recent travels, my plane seat for this one was a wee bit cramped. Fortunately, it was a quick 2.5 hour flight and next thing I knew, we were landing, greeted by this fella.
It was a pretty quick drive to where I was staying, an Airbnb in a very central location. Given it that was now after 9pm and in a state of hunger, I opted for a spot very close by – a sake bar with plenty of food options too.
My very friendly server soon presented me with my choice of cup I wanted for my sake. Given it was my bday, I opted for the festive glass one. To go with my sake, I ordered a Japanese bar staple – takoyaki aka “octopus balls” – and some mixed tempura.
The takoyaki was just the right texture with the perfect amount of Japanese mayo and bonito flakes – delicious. The mixed tempura was light and was enhanced greatly by dipping into the accompanying green tea salt. I also was intrigued by a sake they had that was stored in cedar to ferment, which gave it this faint smoky flavor. I said my goodbyes and headed back to the condo to get some much needed sleep.
After working for a few hours (gotta pay for this trip somehow!) I hopped in a quick Uber to another Japanese spot for lunch – this time for a local favorite – aburi sushi.
Aburi style sushi, in which the fish is seared with a torch, has apparently become all of the rage in Vancouver and Miku is considered to be one of the vanguards. I decided to go with a set lunch which featured both aburi sushi and some of their other favorites.
First up were a pair of chef’s choice appetizers – tuna sashimi and seared sable fish with edamame. Both delicious along with a really good miso soup. Given how hungry I was, this was a nice start.
Next up was the main event – an assortment of their deluxe rolls, premium nigiri and of course, the aburi sushi (the ones in front) All it was very good, and I was wise to save the aburi sushi for end as I was very full after those.
The weather was pretty much perfect so I decided to walk off my lunch with a stroll along the waterfront, including watching sea planes land and takeoff for parts unknown.
I continued my walk along the water until the marina, which featured some truly unique looking boats amongst the usual yachts. Further on there were a series of luxury condos that probably cost a pretty penny.
The weather was so nice I decided to continue my wandering to the other side of the coast, which featured the 2 main beaches of Vancouver- English Bay and Sunset.
Next thing I knew I had basically circled all the way back to my neighborhood, which was a good thing as I was starting to tire. I gave it a final push forward and made my way back to my condo for a much needed nap. Tonight would be what I was considering my real birthday dinner. But that’s for another post.
During my research for places to eat in Vancouver, one stop kept coming up again and again – Published on Main, which also had recently received a Michelin star. That, unfortunately, had also led to it being very tough to secure a seat.
Fortunately, they had a sister restaurant – Bar Susu, which had a slot available for me. Even better, their version of a tasting menu was half the price. Score.
The original Bar Susu had unfortunately suffered some major damage due to a fire, which had made them move temporarily to a coffee bar they also owned. They actually did a great job of disguising it with some mood lighting and transforming the coffee bar with an actual bar.
I was soon greeted with my first course, which they dubbed as “snacks”’- chicken liver rosette and fried cheese with tapioca. I’m not the biggest fan of liver, mostly a texture thing, but I did my best with this version. Not my bag but I could tell it was expertly made. The cheese was definitely more my speed, with the tapioca adding some next texture.
The next course was much better – scallop crudo with watermelon radishes in a coconut, ginger, lime leaf broth. The scallops were perfectly seasoned and the slightly bitter radishes paired beautifully with the acidic broth. Absolutely superb.
Next up was one of the best salads I’ve had in a long time – autumn salad with a white mustard miso dressing, radish, beets, shaved goat cheese, seeds and nuts. This was a symphony of flavors and textures, each bite different than the last. I was blown away.
The next course was really why I was there. It wasn’t supposed to be my main course but I sweet talked them into allowing me to swap it with the other main course. Hot smoked trout with sautéed spinach in a tomato tamarind dashi. The trout was perfectly cooked and so fresh, and the dashi was bursting with flavor. Absolutely superb.
My final course was Basque cheesecake with quince sorbet and shaved beets. As shown in the pic, they added a birthday candle but thankfully did not sing to me. This was a great way to finish with the rich cheesecake tempered by the tart sorbet.
I chatted a bit with the manager and told him how I had originally tried to go their main restaurant. He said if I wanted to go there for a nightcap he could set that up. I graciously accepted.
After hiking up the hill a bit, I arrived at Published on Main, which was still quite bustling. They had set me up at the bar, and I was soon handed a book – I mean a literal book – of their autumn cocktail selections. Each cocktail had a page story from the bartender about their childhood home and what inspired them to make the cocktail.
I decided to go with one made by the bartender who was serving me – Oban Little Bay, Los Siete Misterios Doba-yej mezcal, Campari, Coconut bitter blend. This was one seriously complex drink, especially the coconut bitters mixed with the various alcohols.
I chatted a bit more with the bartender, who was from Nova Scotia and had bartended all over the world before landing in Vancouver. He also told me how amusing it was for people here trying to deal with some rare snow they had last year. He, of course, was more than used to it and had to help some friends with their snow shoveling.
I finished up my drink and said my goodbyes. Tomorrow was going to be another beautiful day so I intended to take advantage of it as much as possible.
I woke up to a bright and sunny day that beckoned me to get out and about. So off I went to the nearby Granville Island.
Not surprisingly, it was already packed with locals and tourists alike. My main destination was the Granville Island Public Market.
I saw what I assumed was the line to get into the market but turned out to be just for what was apparently the best donut shop in all of Vancouver.
The line actually moved pretty quickly and soon I was faced with a wondrous variety of donuts from which to choose. I opted for a glazed pumpkin donut (apparently one that people stand in that line for) along with a German chocolate and coconut donut.
I wandered around the massive main hall, which featured just about every type of food imaginable and was ultimately drawn to a small stand that featured both whole rotisserie chickens and carved sandwiches. I chose the chicken au jus with caramelized onions, lettuce and Dijon mustard on a pressed ciabatta roll.
This was a mighty fine sandwich, with the juicy slices of chicken blending perfectly with the lettuce and the tangy sauce. I ate it on a bench outside listening to a guitarist strum softly away mixed with the occasional outbursts of screaming kids running around.
I finished up my sandwich and decided to explore the rest of the island for a bit. For such a relatively small area, it boasted an impressive variety of stores, theaters and even a couple of breweries.
I had originally intended to go dinner at a spot on the island called Bridges, which I had gone to as a kid many, many moons ago. It had closed during the pandemic but had recently reopened as part of a local chain. I needed a beer break so instead of dinner, might as well go there now.
It turned out to be a wise decision as the restaurant had been complete gutted of its fine dining past in favor of what didn’t look like very good pub food. Fortunately, the local beer I had was quite refreshing, and I had a table with a great view.
The best and more economical way to leave the island was via one of the ferry services, in this case False Creek Ferries, which shuttled people up and down the coast. After waiting about 20 mins in line, I was soon puttering away towards my nearby destination- David Yam Park.
The park ran along the waterfront, which was filled with what I assume were very pricey condos. The weather continued to be perfect so I continued down the waterfront along the park, which was filled with people similarly appreciating the sun mixed with pleasant breezes.
My entire body indicated it was done with my strolling so I turned around and made the relatively short trip back to my place. After some rest, it was dinner time and fortunately my choice for tonight was very close by.
A local favorite celebrating its 20th anniversary, Nuba is a Lebanese restaurant in the trendy Yaletown neighborhood, only a few blocks from my place. The menu was heavy on garlic but fortunately one of their signature dishes – Najib’s special – didn’t.
It was a large bowl of perfectly fried and seasoned cauliflower with tahini and pickled red onions. Delicious.
I decided to stick to vegetarian and next ordered the grilled halloumi cheese with a grapefruit and arugula salad. This was another winner with the dense salty cheese nicely balanced with the tart grapefruit and the peppery greens.
I wasn’t originally going to get a dessert but a white chocolate crème brûlée was too good to pass up. With a perfectly crisp top and dense, luscious white chocolate with some hints peppermint, it was a very unique but delicious brûlée. Too bad I didn’t have anyone to share it with as the portion size was massive. I made the prudent choice not to eat the whole thing.
I had just enough energy left for a quick nightcap and the nearby speakeasy The Stock Room sounded like a cool spot. Hidden behind a burger joint vía as the name implies, a stock room, it definitely had a speakeasy vibe and I was soon seated at the end of the bar.
There were lots of intriguing options but my eye was drawn to one called Lost Luggage, which turned out to be one of my bartender’s favorite.
The drink was a fascinating mix of Havana Club 3 year, Campari, Aperol, Lime, Orgeat and toasted cinnamon. The lime counteracted the bitter notes and the rum with the toasted cinnamon sweet notes were in turn balanced with the bitterness. I enjoyed the deep house beats and the overall vibe of the room but I suddenly hit the wall, hard. It was time to go and catch some Zzzs to save up strength for my final full day.
I woke up to the cumulative toll on my body starting to come due. Still, the show must go on so I dragged myself out of my place and headed to the West End for some dim sum.
Vancouver has a massive Chinese population so dim sum is very popular and plentiful around town. Since I wanted to check out Stanley Park, I selected a spot called Jingle Bao which had been highly recommended.
I decided to try an item from each of the main sections of menus, starting with dim sum sides – fresh shrimp spring rolls.
Most shrimp spring rolls have a fair amount of shrimp mixed with filler. Not these though. It was entirely shrimp completely through. Delicious and a great way to start.
Next up my favorite – sui mai or pork dumplings. I should have taken another pic to show how huge these were. It took 3 full bites to finish one off but they were fantastic.
Finally, I had to get something from their bao (buns) options and chose one of their specialties – the bun platter, which was a BBQ bao, a pandan (veggie) bao and a chicken bao. The pandan (the green one) was the particular standout and would never have guessed it was vegetarian.
Needing both to walk off all of that food and also wanting to check out Stanley Park, I set down the street to the entrance of the massive park.
The weather was once again perfect and the path was filled with tree changing into their autumnal colors. Soon I was greeted with my favorite statue in quite awhile, welcoming me to the park.
Why thank you, Lord Stanley. Shortly beyond the entrance was a series of massive sequoias trees that shaded the entire area.
I made my way through this beautiful trellis and into the main trail of the park.
My ultimate goal was walk the Stanley Park Seawall but first wanted to check out Beaver Creek, which was teeming with endangered species.
Unfortunately as evident by the pic above, it wasn’t exactly easy to spot anything. My back was staring to hurt too so instead of trying to get a better view, I went up the trail to connect with the Seawall.
What followed was a 3 hour along the entire Seawall that was so stunning, it deserves a separate post. Coming soon…
As noted in my last entry, the pitstop at the craft brewery had put some pep in step so decided to check out one last place before ending my Shibuya interlude. Fortunately, it was only a few blocks away.
Parco Shibuya was a recently opened upscale mall which featured different types of store (fashion, outdoors and even anime/gaming. It was essentially the heart of the Shibuya fashion scene with all of the major players having some sort of presence there. Of more interest to me was the 9th floor roof deck, especially since the sun was setting.
The roof deck was full of young Japanese, hanging out along the surrounding benches and stationed at various points to watch the sunset. I did the same as the sky turned a golden hue.
On the way down, I stopped on the 7th floor, which featured gaming characters and the ever-present Nintendo, which was the busiest by far. Since it was now near dark, the lights of Shibuya were set aglow.
I wanted to walk around a bit more but a combination of factors cut that short. First, the toll of slugging around my backpack made my shoulders feel like they were on fire. The other thing was I noticed that the buses to the airport got a lot more scarce as it got later. I didn’t really want to take any chances considering my previous logistical nightmares. So, after yet again having various map apps steer me wrong and a very kind expat help me secure a ticket, I was off to the airport.
After I cleared security for the third time, I decided to kill some time at the Duty Free shop. Normally, I just window shop but when I saw my ATF Japanese whiskey on sale for a really good price, I pulled the trigger. I saw as a reward to myself for a jolly good vacation.
By the time I got back to the lounge, it was bursting at the seams. I was able to snag one of the last seats, and ordered from the Noodle Bar a bowl of ramen, which turned out to be way better than expected. I have to admit by this point was I pretty loopy (hence no pic of the ramen)
Finally, it was time to board and unlike my relatively Spartan seat, this one was pretty swanky. Called “The Room” it had a very large seat and even its own panels that could be closed like a door. I forgot to take a photo (again, loopy) so please enjoy this one I found from a random travel blog.
I could actually fit all the way in this one when in flat bed mode. That plus my general exhaustion allowed to sleep through most of the 10 hour flight. Next thing I knew, I was back in the States and thanks to Global Entry, made through customs in mere seconds. My trip was over and lived on only in my memories. Oh yeah, and this blog. Thanks for reading. Until next time to ???
I was determined to push through all of those logistical nightmares and soon I was greeted with some truly breathtaking aerial views of the entire city of Tokyo. At the top, by the helipad natch, was a grassy area where people were lying down and taking it all in.
Every angle had a new vista, including one particularly popular for selfies so when in Rome…. It was interesting being up that high and seeing the layer of pollution which was hampering the crystal blue day.
I had been eyeing a section called the “sky hammocks and gave my barking dogs some rest for a spell. There were also couches set up at various spots, which was a nice touch. Although once on the site there was no rush to kick people out, I decided to let some others get a chance and made my way first an inside version, which actually was very helpful as it pointed out major buildings/landmarks for each viewpoint. There also an apparent evening lounge.
I was getting hungry at this point and luckily I knew how to get to my next stop as I had been there before – Sushi Midori. The restaurant was nestled in a food court of the nearby Shibuya Station. But the long line that had already formed indicated it wasn’t a typical mall restaurant.
Known for some of the best bargain sushi from the best source possible (all sourced from the world famous Tsukiji Fish Market) it had long been a very popular lunch spot. My number was 69, so I had that going for me at least. The problem was the current number was 27. The bench wasn’t there last time and given my current condition, was much needed.
It soon became a war of attrition and eventually a bit after an hour later, I was finally ushered into the small main room. I got lucky with a bar seat in front of the main chef. That meant it was easy to go with the biggest option they had – omakase nigiri from the chef.
I was first given two starters – a hot savory custard known as chawanmushi (a personal favorite) and a small salad with crab and miso. Both were outstanding and great way to start the meal.
Known for their speedy service, I was soon greeted with quite the feast. Way too many items to list out so I took a pic of the menu descriptions for those curious. Several of the pieces I had never eaten before but all delicious, with precise levels of wasabi and other spices to complement them. This was the work of a true sushi chef and amazingly only cost $26. I was beyond full but wisely ate the truly great sorbet that did help finish off this wonderful lunch.
I waddled my way out of the restaurant and made the quick trip to the famous Shibuya crossing, which I took a pic of in the middle of it by holding my phone above my head and hoping for the best. I think it turned out pretty nifty.
My backpack had become an albatross as I once again failed to find a locker for it. At least my next stop wasn’t too far away nor did it require much physical energy. It did however take the usual sign language to figure out where exactly it was. I was reduced to going “Cat cafe – meow” which finally got the correct response.
Cat Cafe Mocha was the one that started it all, allowing visitors for a per 10 minute charge to hangout with a bunch of cats. It was on 2 levels with the first floor featuring a couple of cats just deigning people to be in their presence. There was one girl who was reading to one of them hiding under a chair. It was about as Japanese as it gets.
The next floor however, was party Central with cats everywhere. For a small fee, people were giving them treats or trying to entice them with various toys. I even got a couple to come over and say hello. They were clearly used to being around people and the patrons were very happy to be around them. It was strange sure but in a city with such small accommodations that they can’t keep cats of them own, why not have a place where they can go to love their furry friends?
Having abandoned all hope finding a place to stash my backpack, I wandered down a nearby alley way where for the first time pretty much all day I heard multiple people speaking English. Perhaps drawn for craft beer, Olson was a small tap room with an impressive list of their own various styles of beers. Unfortunately, neither of the proprietors spoke any English so asking about their beers proved fruitless.
Still, it was a place to sit and have some pretty decent craft brews. More importantly, for my immediate needs, they had a plug so I could charge my phone. This brief respite was just what I needed for the final push, which will be the thrilling conclusion of this side quest of mine. Coming soon…
When I was planning my return from Australia, an interesting route popped up – Sydney to Tokyo then a 15 hour layover until LAX. A mini trip to Tokyo (via Haneda which is much closer than Narita.) I couldn’t book that fast enough.
Flying via ANA, I was given access to New Zealand Airlines business lounge, which was pretty standard. I was saving my meal for the flight anyway, which was pretty good, especially the smoked duck appetizer. My seat and this airplane for that matter had seen its better days – including the undersized bottom of the flat bed which made getting my legs in fully challenging.
I was still able to get in at least a few hours of fitful sleep and soon arrived, in pitch black 5am to Haneda. My plan was to head to the ANA Lounge to drop my backpack off and more critically, take a shower. This unraveled quickly as they forced me to go through immigration after I told them I’m trying to just stay in the airport.
After jumping through many hoops (Japan still getting the process smoothed out letting foreigners back into the country). I found myself in front of the bus ticketing office. I opted for the 8:30am bus to Shibuya as that would give me enough time for a quick nap and then shower.
My first sign of trouble was when my boarding pass didn’t work to get me back into Departures for the lounge. I had to wait about 20 mins for the ANA ticketing office to fix that. Soon I arrived at the lounge so it was time for a quick nap. The lounge was absolutely rammed with people, including many screaming kids so I was looking forward to getting into Shibuya.
I had made a reservation for the shower room and after about an hour it was my turn. The shower room was very, very nice – from the incredibly comfy bath towel to everything from toothbrush/toothpaste to a stool to sit down getting dressed. I was feeling soo much better… which lasted about 5 minutes until after a tortured back and forth with a lounge attendant via eventually Google Translate, I had to keep backpack. I wasn’t pleased but had a bus to catch. Except, there was one problem. I had no way of getting outside because I was in Departures.
After a few failed attempts, I retreated back to the lounge to figure out what to do. Again, the communication was painful but eventually, they got someone from Immigration to help out. It was now past my bus departure but at this point, I just didn’t want to be trapped at the airport.
Finally. I was instructed to follow this rep who took me to an abbreviated version of the process – basically the one crew members go through. I was told I wouldn’t be let in a third time today (Hell I didn’t want it to be twice!) and was free. I went back to the bus ticket office and they graciously swapped out a new ride, which was leaving in a few minutes.
I had made an 11am reservation for Shibuya Sky (see part 2 coming soon!) and by the time I got to Shibuya it was now 10:45. I had read about a place where I could drop off my bag but had a lot trouble finding it. Eventually through basically a lot of sign language back and forth, I found out it doesn’t open until 11 – great.
Google Maps had enough problems for me in Australia but it had no shot in Tokyo where things are almost entirely vertical and therefor making it a real challenge to find spots. After basically going in circles, I finally found the correct entrance… only the elevator didn’t stop on that floor. I was soon joined by a group of travelers all lost trying to find this stupid thing.
Through our collective efforts, we were able to figure out where to go, and I made it with a minute to spare on my timed ticket.
My flight wasn’t until 9:30 pm and with having to check out at noon, that gave me just enough time to check an item off my bucket list – The Icebergs Club at Bondi Beach. Home to arguably the most famous pool in the world and spectacular aerial views, to get there, I first walked to a train station at bit further from my usual spot but still not too bad. It was about 10 degrees cooler too so that helped tremendously. I then took the train to Bondi Junction and then finally boarded a bus to get to near the club. All told took about 40 mins door to door. Not bad really and when I excited the bus I was greeted with my reward.
The club was located on the far end of the beach above a cliff offering just jaw dropping views of the entire coastline. Having first proved I wasn’t a Sydney local (who have to be or become members) I made my way down to the club’s casual bar and grill.
Being a Tuesday, it wasn’t very crowded so I was able to snag a great spot overlooking everything. Keeping it simple, I ordered their bar burger – bacon cheeseburger with an interesting addition of beetroot along with fries. With that views, it could have tasted like shoe leather, and I wouldn’t have cared. However, turned out to be a very good burger with beetroot adding a nice element to more standard fare.
The halls were lined with the past presidents of the club (from 1923 to present) and vibe was very much of a swim club bar. There was a nice, steady breeze that kept me lingering until it was time to check out the main attraction.
The main pool (the aptly named Big Pool) was reserved for members and for those who had passed their mandatory swim test with a smaller pool open to all for about $7. Needing to block the intense sun, I purchased a cool club cap and asked if I could take a couple of quick snaps.
After that, I walked towards the main path to the beach. The cap was a much needed item and helped big time counteract the strong rays. I could see ahead there weren’t many places along the beach with shade so chilled a bit under one of the rare spots that did, watching the surfers do their thang in the roiling waters.
I continued down the main path, passing some really cool murals that had been painted along with a skate park, turning back to get a couple of shots of the Icebergs club now in the distance.
I had been struck by the lack of lifeguard towers but towards the other end of the beach was the main station, which I had heard barking out various orders during my stroll.
I came to the end of the beach, which had a small tide pool area next to what I’m sure are crazy expensive condos/rentals. I was getting pretty parched as I had finished my usual liter of water and had noticed a small cafe in the center of the walk.
I had initially wanted a beer but guess shouldn’t have been surprised that it was non alcoholic drinks only. I chose at least an interesting one – a yuzu infused non alcoholic sake, which was tart and refreshing.
The service was almost non-existent which was fine with me given my view and the cool ocean breezes. If there had been a hammock, I probably would have stayed a lot longer and possibly missed my flight. But no, I returned to my senses and treated myself to an Uber back to the hotel.
My time in Australia had almost come to an end but what a capper. It’s rare when something not only lives up to your hopes but surpasses them. Bondi Beach and especially the Icebergs Club did just that.
The day I had been dreading weather-wise was finally here. Fortunately, I had planned around it with some indoor activities. First up, lunch at Tiny’s Sandwich Bar. A cold sandwich with one of their boozy shakes sounded like the perfect way to beat the heat.
It was a good thing I had booked a table as the place was full with workers on their lunch break. I’m a sucker for a ham sandwich and the Number 1 – with shaved honey ham, lettuce, shallots, cucumbers and dijonnaise on Vienna bread was an easy choice. A great combination of flavors that were all held together with the thick and chewy bread. For the milkshake, I asked my server which one she preferred and immediately replied with the Cherry Jack – Jack Daniels whisky, cherry liqueur, vanilla ice cream and marischino cherries. Aussie shakes were similar to most I’ve had in Europe, which are more frappes than shakes in terms of thickness. This was a dangerous drink but oh so good.
Next, I decided to treat myself to a long overdue Thai massage – in this case a combination Thai and Swedish massage with hot stones and some reflexology throw into the mix. 90 minutes later, I emerged a new man and made the short trip back to the hotel to flee the now 100 degree weather with 20 mph winds of hot air. A/C never felt so good.
One of the things I like to ask servers/chefs/bartenders when visiting a new city is to ask them where they go on their day off. For Sydney, the consensus pick was Uncle Ming’s. Lucky for me, it was located a mere 3 blocks away so after the sun went down, I made my way downstairs, past the suit shop and through the curtains to a very, very red room.
I love this kind of place, if not quite this red, so I took a seat at the bar and ordered a Tsingtao Dark Ale, which I didn’t even know they made. They have a simple but enticing small menu of Chinese and Japanese small plates. I figured I needed at least one more local thing so selected the tempura local prawns and the 5 spiced pork and peanut dumplings. My server had enthusiastically recommended having the honey sesame dipping sauce with them, and she was right. As Guy Fieri likes to say on his show, they should bottle that sauce. It was outstanding, especially with the perfectly cooked prawns. The dumplings, while good, suffered the same problem I had with my previous Sydney dumpling order – too much wrapper. Still, the honey sesame sauce helped cover over that flaw.
I joked with my server if she had to readjust her eyes when leaving such a red place. She laughed and said she’s used to do it by now but at first it was a problem. The kettles above the bar were used for a truly genius idea – shared cocktails for the table which patrons can then portion out themselves like serving tea. There was also a cocktail that was set on fire to give it a smoky taste. I also particularly got a kick out of the etchings on the glass fridges which featured the legends Bruce Lee, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris, who inexplicably was in his Invasion USA outfit.
I had been researching gelato spots near me and had narrowed it down to two. I asked my server which she preferred and without hesitation said “Messina” She, in fact, loved it so much she still seeks it out even though she’s in a different neighborhood now.
I walked down the now familiar George St but this time turned toward St. Martin Place. Along the way, I passed by the main Post Office and Monument to the Fallen, and eventually arrived at a very stylish plaza, which had a few restaurants and bars on one side, and my destination on the other.
With over 40 different flavors, including special weekly one-offs, I was a kid in an, err, ice cream store. Originally, I was going to get my standard pistachio but I saw they had one that combined 2 of my ATFs – pistachio praline. After that taste, I asked for one of the other flavors that stood out to me, one of their limited specials – Melt in Your Moscato – Vanilla clotted cream gelato with strawberry purée and chunks of strawberry shortcake. It was the clear winner.
I took a seat outside, listening to two models complaining about the declining sales of their NFTs, and enjoyed this outstanding gelato, which tasted pretty much exactly as the description implied – delicious. I had thought that it would be too rich to get another scoop but I saw they had a “tiny” option so I felt I would regret it if I skipped the pistachio praline. My server ended up giving me a generous serving and once again, I headed outside to eat this fantastic combination of pistachio gelato with pieces of praline and caramel, which tasted exactly like the Pralines n Cream of my childhood.
I waved the white flag and started my walk back, this time going straight up George St, which while not as packed as Saturday, was still teeming with patrons. It had finally turned a bit cooler so I enjoyed taking in the night air one final time in Sydney. Tomorrow would be the last hurrah, and the expected 10 degree drop in temperature would be most welcomed as I finally make my way to Bondi Beach for a proper send off to my Australian adventures.
My Manly excursion had left me a bit drained so for the first time I decided to have dinner come to me via Uber Eats from a Japanese spot only a couple of blocks away. Apparently the Travel Godz frowned upon this as I had my first truly subpar meal in Australia – so blah it’s not even worthy of a picture on here. Oh well, at least it was relatively cheap and did give me time/energy to rally for a Saturday night in the CBD.
I decided to check out a couple of highly regarded cocktail bars. First up was Employees Only, a Sydney outpost of the famous New York City speakeasy. I made my way down the steep staircase into the main room, which was full to the brim of people enjoying a night out. I made my way to the bar where the very friendly bartender explained they were no longer taking drink orders because the burlesque show was about to start. Well alrighty then.
Burlesque shows for me can be very hit or miss but this was an excellent show. The dancer really knew what she was doing and the staff all played along, including throwing a ton of cocktail napkins in the air during various points of the show. The audience ate it up and everyone was having a great time. After it was over, I was motioned over to finally order my drink. I chose one of the staples of the NYC bar, FRAISE SAUVAGE – Beefeater Gin shaken with Wild Strawberries, Tahitian Vanilla & Fresh Lemon, Topped with Sparkling Wine. Served in a Tulip. It was very nice and refreshing drink. I was concerned the vanilla would make it too sweet but it was nicely balanced with the more acidic elements.
The DJ was playing all of the party hits. I admit it was fun to hear “Livin La Vida Loca” again for the first time in eons. Still, after about an hour or so, I had my fill and made my way back up the stairs to continue walking down George St, which was now filled with the cacophonous sounds of various music coming from the bars and the revelers wandering around them.
My next stop had been rated a top bar in Sydney for years, Grain at the Four Seasons Hotel. Based on what I had read about it, I was surprised to find a much more party-like atmosphere, with the bartenders getting into the fun very much like those at Employees Only. Thankfully, the music was much better, with the DJ playing some great classic disco and early house tracks. I took at seat at the end of the bar and ended up selecting Hunter Gatherer – Kangaroo Mescal, Laphoiag 10 YO, Port, Peated Barley Port and Blackcurrant. This was one complex drink – definitely a sipper.
As I enjoyed my drink, I stuck up a conversation with my seat mate who was American but had recently relocated to Sydney. He was now in IT but years ago had started out as a researcher on Saturday Night Live during the early 90s. Being a total nerd of the show, I was fascinated about his time there – Phil Hartman was the nice cast member, and nothing was more stressful than when Lorne made changes after dress rehearsal. He had stayed in the hotel many times and knew everyone on the staff at the bar although he didn’t drink alcohol. The bartender, seeing that I was now friends with their regular, gave me taster of a new margarita recipe he was working on, which was quite nice.
Soon it was closing time so I said my goodbyes and started the walk back up George St. The street was still teeming with people at the witching hour. I briefly considered one more round, but it had been a very long day so I decided instead to go back to my room.
It now being Sunday I had a hankering for some eggs Benedict (known here as Bennie) I had been told that a nearby stop, Cafe Alma, had really good Bennies, which sounded great to me. The clouds from the previous days were going and now the sky was a brilliant blue. The downside of that though is the sun was much more intense, so much so that I decided to minimize my exposure by taking the tram to at least the majority of my walk to the restaurant. I exited Town Hall and was grateful the remainder of my path was shaded.
The Bennie was excellent – perfectly poached eggs, a generous heaping of Tasmanian smoked salmon and a “spicy” Hollandaise (which wasn’t really spicy) with an interesting addition of sliced pickles, which I mostly set aside although did have a couple of bites with them in the mix.
After finishing, I noticed that the restaurant faced out towards a park so I made my way in that direction. To the side of the park was a series of casual restaurants and food stands which I strolled through noting several spots I definitely would have checked out if I was a local. The park, given it being a sunny Sunday, was not surprisingly full of kids enjoying some truly impressive play equipment that encircled the park.
Having previously hit one of side of Darling Harbour, this time I headed towards the other end, which gave me some new perspectives. One thing that had caught my eye on the other end of the harbor was the Maritime Museum with some impressive ships outside of it.
I didn’t really want to go through the entire museum so I made due walking along the deck. The submarine, and of course, the battleship were the main showstoppers but the whole layout was very impressive.
To cross back to the other side, I made a short trek uphill to the Pyrmont Bridge, which was a great way to take even more picturesque harbor views. I could feel myself baking in the sun so I retreated to the relatively shady York St, which was one of the main routes to my hotel but I hadn’t been on this end of it previously.
Knowing how hot it was going to be tomorrow and unsure how comfortable it will be to dine al-fresco, I decided to do that tonight, at sunset but first wanted to check out a nearby bar, Rekodo, for a pre meal cocktail. With the weather now pretty much perfect, I made the trek down the hill back to the Bangaroo section of Darling Harbour.
Part of a three section venue called Bangaroo House, Rekodo was on the second floor. Recently rebranded as a Japanese influenced bar/restaurant, it also featured DJs playing vinyl only. It was dusk when I sat down at the long bar and ordered one of their specialty cocktails – The Perfect Pair – Nashi pear infused Barcardi Oro, Shichida Saga sake, pineapple, sage – delicious and refreshing.
I enjoyed my drink and chat with the bartender who enjoyed showing me the ingredients to his various concoctions. The 2 DJs traded off between soul/funk with some Italo disco thrown in here and there. They weren’t exactly the best mixers but solid track selection. Soon, it was time to head nearby to the restaurant – Jordon’s Seafood.
I had passed by Jordon’s Seafood a couple of times in my various treks and knew I wanted to dine outside so made a reservation to ensure that. It was a good thing too as there were only a couple of tables left.
I had been told to get the fish pie and in reading the description – Prawns, scallops, hake in a prawn bisque bechamel with black truffle and salmon roe – this seemed like a no brainer. I asked my server which of the Australian chardonnays he preferred and without hesitation he (oddly enough) said the cheapest option. Sold. The chardonnay wasn’t too bad but soon after the fish pie arrived, it seemed like a good pairing. The fish pie was pipping hot and when I dug inside, it was full of chunks of seafood. The star though was the sauce, deep and rich of prawn flavor, it was one of the best singe dishes I had so far during my trip.
After dinner, I briefly considered getting some gelato from the place I had passed by several times with normally a long line. There was no line now, but I was beyond full. I didn’t really feel like schlepping up that steep hill and noticed that there was an entrance to the Wyndard station, which is close to the hotel. I walked through a series of high tech tunnels and emerged only a couple of blocks away. I made a mental note of that in case I needed to use it again with the oppressive heat coming tomorrow. It would be my last full day/night of the trip but I was going to tread lightly given the weather. The homestretch was in sight.
ElReyalto Travels 