The Star: September 15, 2016

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Travel
Thursday September 15 2016
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The Star
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Dine out and take in a Sydney show
• By Mike Yardley
HARBOURSIDE lunching in
Sydney doesn’t get any better
than at pint-sized Watson’s Bay,
home to the storied Doyles
on the Beach restaurant, first
established in 1885.
A word of advice though, book
as far in advance as possible, to
secure a ringside seat, because
this venue’s insatiable popularity
doesn’t abate.
Sticklers for tradition, Doyles
still uses old fashioned methods
in handling their catch; the fish
is iced on the boat and most fish
is caught by hand line.
The extensive lunch menu
spans the ocean, from jumbo
prawns and tasmanian scallops
to john dory and barramundi
fillets. How about live lobsters
from the tank?
All meals are artistically
presented, the service is impeccable
and if you’re struggling to
settle on a dish, plump for the
Fisherman’s Platter for a splendid
showcase of the Doyles experience.
The beverage menu is equally
dressed to impress – opt for a
Doyles Mojito or Mango Fizz
mocktail, to wash it all down. It’s
a signature Sydney encounter.
www.doyles.com.au
Fancy a strip of sandy solitude?
Make a date with Kutti Beach.
Head to the end of Wharf Rd in
Vaucluse and totter down the
narrow set of stairs to the golden
beach. This quiet strip of 100m
of sand, flanked by rustic boathouses
and cooling palm trees is
one of Sydney’s best little secrets.
An uber-cool picnic spot
awaits you in swanky Potts Point.
Follow the pathway by Potts
Point Bookshop which will lead
you to a Gatsby-style garden,
complete with ginormous koi
pond, oriental bridge, lily garden
and watery views.
Officially known as the Arthur
McElhone Reserve, it’s the kind
of setting packing a picnic was
made for.
Sydney prides itself on being
ahead of the urban lifestyle
curve, and local wisdom would
have you believe that rooftop
bars are so last year, giving way
to basement bars. A star specimen
is Lobo Plantation at 209
Clarence St, where a curved
stairway leads you down into the
RELAXING: Kick back and enjoy the Sydney Harbour view.
TRADITION: Doyles on the Beach restaurant has an extensive menu, but be sure to book. (Right): Disney’s musical Aladdin is
playing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.
shabby-chic decadence of latterday
Cuba.
The expansive cocktail menu
showcases the bar’s collection of
more than 250 Caribbean rums.
Pair them with share plates of
empanadas or meatballs and
shake the night away.
Three bold new productions
have just premiered in Sydney,
featuring home-grown talent
from New Zealand.
The Australian premiere of
Disney’s blockbuster musical,
Aladdin, has taken the stage
at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre,
sweeping audiences into an
exotic world of daring adventure,
classic comedy and timeless
romance.
Adapted from the Disney classic,
the dramatic production features
exhilarating choreography,
show-stopping musical numbers
and astounding visual effects,
teamed with a premium cast
including New Zealand’s own
acting royalty, George Henare
playing the Sultan.
Theatre audiences have a once
in a lifetime opportunity to see
a world-first production of My
Fair Lady, directed by stage and
screen icon, Julie Andrews, and
featuring another Kiwi, Katherine
Wiles, who will play Mrs
Boxington. The production is
celebrating the 60th anniversary
of the beloved musical. Also
this month, the world premiere
of Dream Lover – The Bobby
Darin Musical takes the stage at
Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, revealing
the intimate and epic story of
legendary singer, songwriter and
actor Bobby Darin and his movie
star wife, Sandra Dee.
Capturing the glamour and
passion of the big band era, the
Vegas Rat Pack and the Golden
Age of Hollywood, it’s a crowdpleasing
night out.
Starring David Campbell and
directed by Simon Phillips, who
began his career in New Zealand,
Dream Lover features a sensational
cast including an 18-piece
band that will bring Bobby Darin’s
extensive songbook to life
for a new generation featuring 34
great hits from the 50s and 60s.
For full details, head to www.
sydney.com/nz/events Just steps
from Wynyard Station, the Travelodge
Wynyard deserves a gold
medal for its winning location.
All the top-billing landmarks,
whether it’s the Opera House
and Circular Quay or Darling
Harbour and the Botanical Gardens
are just a short stroll away.
My guestroom was bright and
airy, with stylish furnishings,
air-con, ultra-comfy bedding, a
work desk, minibar and tea and
coffee-making facilities.
This sharply-priced four-star
hotel is casual, but classy. Enjoy
daily free WiFi, cable TV channels
and a fully equipped on-site
gym.
In-house dining is also available
at the Citrus Grove Restaurant,
serving relaxed contemporary
Australian cuisine.
Ultra-attentive and friendly service
from the hotel staff combine
to make this a top CBD roost.
Grab a great deal at www.
tfehotels.com
FAST FACTS
•I made my way to Doyles
courtesy of Captain Cook
Cruises, and their fantastic
harbour hop-on, hopoff
service, lacing up a
swag of harbour-hugging
ports of call. With the one
24-hour pass, the rocketfast
ferries depart from
Circular Quay, Darling
Harbour and Manly,
calling into Taronga
Zoo, Watsons Bay, Fort
Denison, Shark Island plus
Garden Island. Plus, you
can enjoy hefty discounts
on entry prices, if you’re
taking in the likes of the
zoo or Madame Tussauds.
www.captaincook.com.au