Help Syd Girls!

[Mother Duck]

Hi there Sydney girls - I could really do with your help...

...I am bringing my friend to Sydney for the weekend on 24th March (she doesn't know where she is going!)

The reason I have picked Syd is that I REALLY want to take her to a restaurant called 'The Dark Side' - meant to be at 38 College St, Hyde Park - apparently you dine there in the dark and the waiting staff have night vision goggles

Sounds like a hoot! I heard about it on ABC National - anyway I really really really want to get a table there but am really stuck - I have been to their web site and tried to book online but have not heard back - I have tried all numbers I can find but get no answer -

I can't even find Hyde Park on whereis.com so I don't even know which area it is!

SO please please please - can any of you help me out?

It would mean so much to my girlfriend and I - she has been in this small town forever and something like this would be unforgettable for her!

[Pixie]

Hyde Park is very central in the CBD if you were to get a train you could get off at Museum or Town Hall or St James, seeing as how the place where you are going is on College street Museum is the closest I know the area and I have never even heard of it and thinking about college street have no idea where it would be?

St Mary's cathedral is on College street etc maybe the restaurant is inside a hotel?

I did a search on where is and got this map
http://whereis.com/whereis/getMap.do?ref=homeMap

good luck! sounds like a pretty cool place!

Ohh OK here you go

THE DARKSIDE OF HYDE PARK
OPENING 13th NOVEMBER
The Darkside in Sydney is located at The Oaks Hyde Park Plaze Level 2 / 38 College St Sydney

That's in one of the hotels I think

[razzle]

This is where it is: 38 College Street, Sydney (http://www.whereis.com/whereis/getMap.do?ref=homeMap). It's opposite Hyde Park.

This is from the Yellow pages:
The Darkside Restaurant
Hyde Park Plaza Sydney NSW 2000
ph: (02) 9357 3078

This is from their website:
THE DARKSIDE OF HYDE PARK
SYDNEY
NOW OPEN
38 College St Sydney 2010
Phone (02) 9361 5987
Fax (02)9357 3234

Maybe they've changed numbers? It certainly sounds interesting though! Might have to give the Melbourne one a bit of a whirl!!

[Mother Duck]

Thanks - Boomtish I have tried both the listed number - not connected and the number on the website - no answer

Buggr Buggr Buggr

I will try under that hotel listing - thanks DM

Still no luck for now though - it does sound like fun, and for us something very different!

[Mother Duck]

Thanks DM - I rang that hotel - the restaurant has closed down - BOTTOM!!!!!!

So girls my question has changed - what quirky little place do you know of that I can take my friend to so she will have a forever memory????

[kiwibird27]

A pie from the pie shop on the corso at Manly at 3 o'clock in the morning while sitting in the gutter (u may have to have a few drinks first??!!)

Otherwise can't really help you - heaps of cute, cheap restaurants here - head to Oxford street - just walk in somewhere??!! then go party with the gay men afterwards - thats always fun!!!!

Teppanyaki, dinner cruise on the harbour - not really out there enough I think??!! Will have to think about it??!!

[draught]

I don't live in Sydney (obviously) but when I did I always thought that places that were quintessentially Sydney were the places near the sea - "Le Kiosk" as Shelley Beach (over Manly way) or any of the Balmoral beach places. They aren't quirky but they are lovely, are next to the ocean and have great seafood.

Hmmm...a forever memory....need to keep thinking about that.

[Peaceangels]

Not sure how tight your budget is, but the Blu Horizon Cocktail bar at the Shangri La Hotel (used to be ANA Hotel) has amazing views of Sydney harbour and surrounding areas. It is on the 36th floor of the hotel, drinks are a bit pricey, but definately worth it even if you only have a couple.

It's right near the Rocks area, so after your pre-dinner drinks you could wander around the Rocks and choose a nice restaurant (Sailor's Thai is nice).

There's a great website that will tell you all about restuarants in Sydney CBD & surrounding areas, it is: www.eatability.com.au

That way you can choose for your budget and the type of food you both like.

Hope you find one for a memorable evening!:)

[Pixie]

Aghh Ness I love the Cocktail bar up there OMG goodness they are sooooo yummy use to love going there have 3-4 different ones then some yummy dinner in the rocks!

quirky hmmmm Lowenbrau (sp) in the rocks can be quirky especially if they have there oohmmm pa pa band going they all dress like they are in the sound of music, German place very yummy ohh and you can get some snachapps and it has gold in it and you get to have a shot with real gold in it :D yes it's true !

but yep follow peaceangels suggestion use the link you should be able to find somewhere on there!

[MumsieMel]

HARRY'S!!!!

I love Harry's! :D

http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/

I love their Tiger Pies!!

Not exactly a resturant but somewhere you could drop past for lunch!

Good luck! :fingerscrossed:

[Jenko]

There is a bar down in circular quay called Minus5. It is wholly made of ice. It costs $30 to get in this includes one drink and you can only stay 30 minutes. I haven't been there, but a friend went on the weekend. She said it was great. I guess it's a bit of a novelty.

I'm not sure how to insert a link. But if you google minus5 bar sydney - all the details come up under sydney.citysearch.com

[Mother Duck]

A pie from the pie shop on the corso at Manly at 3 o'clock in the morning while sitting in the gutter (u may have to have a few drinks first??!!)

Otherwise can't really help you - heaps of cute, cheap restaurants here - head to Oxford street - just walk in somewhere??!! then go party with the gay men afterwards - thats always fun!!!!

Teppanyaki, dinner cruise on the harbour - not really out there enough I think??!! Will have to think about it??!!
Would LOVE to party with the gay men - which is the gayest bar????

[natasha]

OOh OOh go tho the Blu Horizon Cocktail bar at the Shangri La Hotel !!!
Its FABULOUS!!!!!:smiliedance:

The cocktails are sooooo nice and the view is just amazing! Then go across to the restaurant thats up there,,,can't remember what its called but the food is delish!!!! Bit pricey but defo worth it.

Nasha xxx
DD 1
DH41

[Mother Duck]

Well now

Thank you all for helping me out!

Here is our plan to tour your town!

Fri pm a casual cruise of the harbour followed by a visit to the Minus5bar - hmmm not sure if we will do a dinner cruise - will play by ear!

Sat am at the Rocks market - fun fun fun, casual coffee yum yum - find a nice restaurant for lunch - hmmm still thinking on that one

Sometime Sat will go to the highpoint tower for the view!

Sat pm - Blu Horizon bar sometime after 5 for yummy bar snacks and cocktails (well non alc for me but should get my friend nicely sozzled!)

Then a ghost tour of the rocks at 7:45 ooooohhhhhh spooky!

Hopefully if we still have some energy to burn will go to Kings Cross - so tell me where the good gay bars are etc - those guys know how to dance up a storm!

And a nice casual breaky at the b&b Sunday morning pre mid-day flight home!

I am so looking forward to it - and my friend still has no idea where I am taking her! Tee hee :)

[Pixie]

Kings cross not any gay bars as far as a I am aware, Oxford ST on the other hand!

Stonewall is good up near Taylor square and oposite there is a big red pub called the Oxford it's very good up there, they might ask you "you know this is a gay bar" if you go upstairs...I always lied and said "yes I know" having short hair helps lots lol

good luck!!

[WeThree]

depends on how gay you like your clubs, lol
my gay brother doesnt like stonewall, he says its to gay, hehe
I spent many a good night at the Imperial in my younger days (the club featured in 'Priscilla' )my brother said its still pretty good, and that they still have the drag shows, which are good fun!
Newtown area (Oxford St) is where you want to head though, not Kings Cross, for all things gay, lol, oh and some great little restaurants and shopping as well!! :)

[Pixie]

Stonewall is very, very gay :D but that's why I like it could always go there with my GF's and get totally left alone lol they have drag queens as well who sing/mime to songs which is pretty funny.

It really depends where you go I have been to most of the gay places on Oxford street (hey don't judge me, i like to party :D) and they are my fave but again it's the being left alone bit..go to some of the others and women bother you all night and you spend half the night saying "sorry I am not a lesbian, just here for some fun" gets tiring! Unless you wanna give it a go always fun to pretend you're a lesbian and see how you go lmao :smiliedance:

[Mother Duck]

Thanks guys - sounds like heaps of fun!

When I was in Melb I used to hang out at the gay bars - great party spots!

I am sssoooo excitementness about my trip away - can't wait!

[Mother Duck]

H'ya Sydney girls

We had an awesome time in your town!

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

We arrived at the B&B about 3pm then went for a walk around Circular Quay then to the Minus5 Bar then on to dinner at Sofatel (quail and duck - oh yummy) then walked home through China town markets then exhausted into bed!

Sat - after a delish brekky at the B&B wandered around the market at the Rocks - then met with Tiny Star (t'was good to meet you TS!) at the Lindt cafe, followed by more walks around the city and back to the market - a drink at a very happening pub with an Irish folk type of band (well not for me but that's OK) - On to the Altitude Bar - Blue Horizons - whichever - a cocktail/mocktail later walked back to the Quay where we had yummy Italian dinner and a great coffee - then met up (loaded with days shopping I might add) with our Ghost Tour of the Rocks - very interesting

On to another great pub and band where I did partake of a thimble size red wine - walked All the way to the other side of the city to Karaoke World - which after all wasn't quite what we were after - so home to an exhausted shopping filled dream state!

Thanks for all the tips - We had such a wonderful time!