On my last day of holidays, before I head back on Monday, I planned a lunch date with my mum.
I awoke to a glorious Sydney day with not a cloud in the sky and thought what better way to spend it then on the water.
Mum and I jumped on our local ferry and headed over to Barangaroo, not really sure where we’d sit to eat. If you’ve not been to the dining strip yet, it’s a must try, however, be prepared as the multiple restaurants make it tough to pick a spot.
After having walked past sushi, Thai, Spanish, modern Australia and fish, we stumbled across Lotus Dining. We saw dumplings on the menu and we were sold.
This place was amazing! I always say it’s tough to find places to eat that tick these three boxes:
- Good price
- Good service
- Good food
And often I’m found forgoing one of the three but at Lotus, I was pleasantly surprised to have been treated to all three!
We ordered the prawn, calamari and ginger dumplings to start and they were flavoursome and cooked perfectly. Each bite revealed a new taste and paired with the chilli and soy sauce it was a delicious way to start our dining experience.
For the main, we ordered the tea smoked plum duck with cassia bark and lychee, the lotus fried rice with duck, egg and mustard seed and a side of steamed snow peas, broccolini and cavolo nero with tamari.
The duck was a stand out dish that was crispy on the outside and tender beneath. The almost jam-like plum sauce was just sweet enough to be able to indulge in and the lychee was a great addition.
The duck fried rice (we really like duck) was a modern take on a Chinese staple with loads of egg and scallions. It was so delicious, I was happy just eating it on its own, without taking the sauce from the duck dish.
As for the steamed greens, you know veggies are done well when you keep going back for more. I’m really trying to eat more healthy these days (hoping it’s not a fad and I can continue this for the whole year!) and so I always try and order a veggie side to accompany my food. The veggies were crunchy and fresh and the addition of the tamari kept me reaching back to the plate for more and more.
The staff are incredibly attentive but not the kind who linger and make you feel awkward. The decor is fresh and modern and although the restaurant can seat a lot of people, you don’t feel like you’re sitting on top of your neighbour.
The only issue I have with the experience is I didn’t leave room for dessert!
I really don’t know how to score this as to me my experience was perfect! I’ll give it a 4.5/5 as I think I think to head back and try the dessert and wines.
A must try in Barangaroo for sure!
Bon Appétit!
-tgfs x
That Girl from Sydney 