Chinta Ria

Simon Goh's Melbourne restaurants have a great reputation and he has transported the Victorian formula to Sydney's Cockle Bay. Brave man indeed! Many Melbourne restaurateurs have tried to do this before and failed dismally. Sydney simply is a very different market. In this case, however, success is almost tangible.

There are queues already, (he does not take bookings) and unless you are there before 8.00 PM (even on a Monday!) you probably won't get in without getting into the queue.

Location is fabulous, on the roof of the Cockle Bay complex, overlooking the city on one side and Darling Harbour on the other. You can sit either inside or on the terrace and the presence of the huge smiling Buddha can't be ignored.

Inside is noisy and bustling and outside is strangely serene. The service is wonderful and you have the impression that there are more waiters and waitresses than guests. They all seem to move to some fabulous silent ballet,  working  as a real team, in a way I have never observed anywhere else. Absolute top marks for that!

The menu is a strange mix of Malaysian and Indonesian, with a touch of Singapore and a large dollop of Simon Goh. The food, although not authentic for any specific region, is clean, fresh, presentable, tasty and an absolute joy to eat.

Last night, I simply had one of the most enjoyable meals in a very long time. The wine list is sparse, but competent and there is a reasonable choice of wine by the glass. I'd like to see a couple more good Clare Rieslings, as they would complement the food far more than your boring old Chardonnays. (I must admit that this is the kind of food that inspires me to drink beer, so I was not over worried, either way)

Simon himself is an extremely friendly extrovert ball of energy.. He seems to be everywhere at once. So good to see the boss at grass-roots level! All in all, I strongly suggest you go and sample his fabulous food at THE place to be seen at this point in time.

This place will go a long way and I am sure, has already been adopted, to be typically "Sydney"

Chinta Ria (Temple of Love)
The roof terrace -  level 2
Cockle Bay Wharf at Darling Park
201 Sussex Street
Sydney  NSW 2000
Tel.: 02 9264 3211
Fax.: 02 9264 1411