Pier 26, Darling Harbour

I know, I know. I'm a little obsessed with this place, but can you blame me, when the food looks like this?








Add them up and what do you get?


Pan-fried pork chop with sage and lemon risotto with spinach jus and crackling $16.00


Macadamia crusted salmon with spiced peaches, rocket and kipfler potatoes $20.00

I had the salmon which was magnifique! The salmon was perhaps a tad over-cooked for my liking, but still relatively moist and juicy. A generous splattering of toasted macadamias gave a pleasing crunchy richness to the salmon, balanced with mouthfuls of peppery fresh rocket.

The spiced peaches were interesting too--cooked through but still retaining its shape, with a warming touch of spices. The roasted kipfler potatoes had a golden tan, seasoned with a dusting of salt and providing just enough carbs to fuel me for the next couple of hours.

I was reassured that the risotto was very good and the earth-shattering crunch of the crackling prompted a bit of green-eyed envy.

Sitting on the outdoor balcony with the sun shining on my face, buoyed by muted peppy dancebeats, and watching the midday rays glinting off the Harbour... is it any wonder I come back here time and time again?

Pier 26 Bar
Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour
Tel: 02 8270 5126

Open 12pm till late, 7 days

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Pier 26, July 2006
Pier 26, March 2006
Pier 26, April 2005
Pier 26, August 2004

Upcoming events

I'm most excited about next week's opening of Haigh's at The Strand. I first discovered Haigh's hand-made delights on my last trip to Melbourne and, like, yum! The 100sqm outlet will be Haigh's biggest store (apart from the Adelaide Visitors' Centre) and is the first in Sydney (there are six stores in Adelaide and five in Melbourne). About time we got one!

The other drool-worthy news for Sydneysiders is the Two-for-One seafood buffet offer by Four Points Sheraton's Corn Exchange restaurant. I've posted about the seafood buffet before and it's definitely worth a belt notch or two. The offer is valid lunch or dinner anytime (except Thursday nights) with prices ranging from $49.50-$69.50 (per couple) depending on when you go. To make a reservation you need to call 02 9290 4816 and quote 'WINTER 2 FOR 1'. Bookings are limited to a minimum of two, and a maximum of four people.


FRIDAY 17 JUNE 2005
Sugar High Friday #9: Tarts
Send those sugary crumbs flying and post your end-of-week sweetener by Friday 17/6/05.

SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2005
Northside Produce Market
Miller Street, North Sydney (between Ridge and McLaren Streets)
8.00am - 12.00pm
3rd Saturday of every month

MONDAY 20 JUNE 2005
Does My Blog Look Good in This #6
Send your best foodie pic to Meg by 20/6/05 to be included in this peer-judged photography event.

WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE 2005
Haigh's finally opens in Sydney at The Strand.

FRIDAY 24 JUNE 2005
Is My Blog Burning #15: Eggs
Get your eggs-quisite works of art to Seattle Bon Vivant anytime from Friday 24 June to Sunday 26 June.

SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2005
Bankstown Bites Food Festival
Bankstown City Plaza (near Bankstown train station)
10.00am-4.00pm
Free one-hour food tours on noodles, tea and Asian, Lebanese and European delights will be conducted on the hour. Book in on the day.

THURSDAY 30 JUNE 2005
End of Month Eggs on Toast Extravaganza #7
Cook a goog and send it to Jeanne. And it looks like this month's theme is "short dramatic works", or as Jeanne suggests, "One flew over the chicken's nest. Layer Cake. Cluck back in anger."

FRIDAY 1 JULY - SUNDAY 3 JULY 2005
The Good Food and Wine Show
Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour
(Melbourne 17-19 June, Brisbane 4-6 November)
Tickets on sale now (enables pre-booking of tickets into the Celebrity Theatre)

WEDNESDAY 6 JULY 2005
Wine Blogging Wednesday #11: Get off! (dry)
Drink red, white, rose or champagne, but this month's vino must be neither dry nor sweet.

MONDAY 11 JULY 2005
Dine & Dish #3: The Freshman
This month Sarah urges us to get out there and welcome a new restaurant on the block.

FOODIE TV VIEWING
WED 7.30pm-8.00pm SBS - Food Lovers Guide to Australia
THU 11.15am-11.30am ABC - Food For Thought
FRI 8.00pm-8.30pm SBS - Feast India
SAT 8.30pm-9.15pm SBS - Iron Chef

Steve Eats It, so we don't have to

Woohoo. Steve has finally posted volume 8 of his ever-popular Steve, Don't Eat It series.

This time Steve brews and consumes prison wine to an authentic recipe, an episode filled with the usual moments of slack-jawed disbelief alternating with hysteric laughter.

For those who aren't familiar with the pioneering Steve, I urge you to check out all the episodes now. If the contents of the post don't bring up your lunch, your guffaws of laughter probably will.

I will never look at a sports sock in the same way ever again.

Check out all the issues of Steve, Don't Eat It here.

Bon Appetit!

Autumn in Sydney

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn." ~Elizabeth Lawrence

Explosion of red in a suburban Sydney street


Trees turning in Sydney City's Hyde Park.

Even though we technically moved into winter as of June 1st, the trees are still a slow-motion sunset of russet reds, burnt oranges and mustard yellows.

I do like autumn. The last final bursts of vibrant colours are definitely how I want to go. No point hanging around, clinging onto a trembling withering branch whilst I wait for the inevitable. I'm going in a last-ditch blaze of glory before a gentle Aladdin's carpet float propels me downwards to the ground below... whereupon a small impetuous child in gumboots will probably come along and jump up and down to the sound of crackling and high-pitched glee... =)