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Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney waterfront dining: Felons Seafood restaurant at Manly Wharf serves four choices of fish and chips, mud crab and more
The views are stunning, the fish are jumping, but something's missing from this new waterside restaurant. August 12, 2025 , register or subscribe to save articles for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. 1 / 11 Felons Seafood's location, right on the water on Manly Wharf's East Esplanade, is an open invitation for a long lunch. Edwina Pickles 2 / 11 Northern Territory mud crab in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce. Edwina Pickles 3 / 11 Choose from four different fish for the traditional fish and chips. Edwina Pickles 4 / 11 Potato scallops are fancified with a cool, herby blue-swimmer crab remoulade. Edwina Pickles 5 / 11 Edwina Pickles 6 / 11 Felons Seafood is the next step in Manly Wharf domination for the Artemus Group. Edwina Pickles 7 / 11 Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven. Edwina Pickles 8 / 11 Buttermilk soft serve. Edwina Pickles 9 / 11 Edwina Pickles 10 / 11 Edwina Pickles 11 / 11 Edwina Pickles 13.5 /20 Seafood $$$ $ It's quite an undertaking for a brewery to step into the world of demi-fine dining, but here's Felons Seafood, the next step in Manly Wharf domination for the Artemus Group (the developers behind popular Brisbane dining precinct Howard Smith Wharves). It started with Felons Brewery – a fun, large-scale brewpub with views across the water on the West Esplanade, and continues with this restaurant, which opened in June and is overseen by chefs Corey Costelloe (owner of Marrickville neighbourhood bistro 20 Chapel) and Luke Bourke ( The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 's current Young Chef of the Year). The pair, who spent a decade together working at Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney, have co-created a menu focused on responsibly caught fish, treated with respect and care. The location, right on the water on Manly Wharf's East Esplanade, is an open invitation for a long lunch. Inside, a dining room of neutrals and rattan, offset by touches of navy. Floor-to-ceiling wood-framed French windows wrap around the restaurant, waiting to be opened in warmer months to let in the sea breeze. Outside, tables hug the perimeter of the restaurant with big blue umbrellas up during the day, and gas heaters at night. Choose from four different fish for the traditional fish and chips. Edwina Pickles This is a deep dive into the seafood culture that once defined the Aussie coast, combined with strong Mediterranean sensibilities. Nothing is overly embellished, and the fish takes pride of plate. Potato scallops are fried to deeply golden and crisp, fancified with a cool, herby blue-swimmer crab remoulade. A bouncy Mooloolaba king prawn cocktail is served on a bed of shredded lettuce dressed in a classic Marie Rose sauce, served with a side of buttered brown bread. Fun with a tropical fruit-forward Galaxy Haze pale ale. There are a few menu items that make use of Felons' beer range, but it's more of a subtle taster than a schooner in your face. The traditional fish and chips feature a choice of four fish, including the classic dusky flathead and (my pick) spangled emperor. The goujon (or tail end) is fried in a crisp lager batter until strawberry-blonde and served on a bed of tallow-fried, skin-on chips with tartare sauce. Order the mignonette salad on the side, all sharp corners and mustard-bitey, or the green Greek salad – three types of cucumber, two types of capsicum, green olives, toasted sunflower seeds, soft feta and a dusting of oregano. A beautiful echo of a proper fishing town chipper. Northern Territory mud crab in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce. Edwina Pickles The food is good. Great, even, at times. Look at that delicate fillet of Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven, the skin seared until crisp and the flesh just-set. It's served simply with aioli, romesco sauce and a wedge of lemon. Then there's the Northern Territory mud crab bathing in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce dotted with crisp-fried curry leaves, and a stack of flaky roti tucked in among the legs and claws. The technical prowess on the plate is undeniable. It's just a shame it's let down by inexperienced waitstaff who give the strong impression they'd rather be anywhere else on the planet than serving tables. Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven. Edwina Pickles There's a lot of rushing about and plenty of staff, as far as I can see, but not a lot of friendliness or practical care when it comes to the basics. I'll probably go to my grave, for instance, wondering why our waitress chooses to place that $90 crab, not on the table, but on the spare chair on top of my coat and bag. Or why, on the same visit, we're seated outside at night in the middle of winter without asking where we might be comfortable. Sure, a few strong floor members are doing their best, but it's a big ship to steer when the majority of your crewmates are inexperienced. If you can see past the service, the food really is worth a look. Order a dozen pristine, fresh-shucked rock oysters with plenty of brine and a side of Baker Bleu bread and salty butter. Don't bother ordering anything by the glass (the danger of not being able to order a follow-up glass is clear and present), but do consider a bottle of crisp white wine like the Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko – just the right amount of crispness and pear fruitiness. Go hard on the whole fish and the snacks, and end by sharing the unapologetically tart buttermilk soft serve sweetened with a drizzle of bittersweet stout caramel. Consider walking, not running, and making some time for a long lunch during the warmer months. Atmosphere: Sunny, bougie-casual and family friendly Go-to dishes: Black pepper crab ($90); traditional fish and chips ($28-36); potato scallop ($28); buttermilk soft serve ($14) Drinks: A neat selection of Felons beers on tap and a surprisingly hefty wine selection for a restaurant opened by a brewery Cost: About $200 for two, excluding drinks Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can't pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up
Time Out
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Everything has the feeling of a gentle caress rather than a whack over the head with a flamethrower
While there are no shortage of live fire restaurants in the capital - from small plates at Dalston's trendy Acme Fire Cult to whopping great slabs of cow at the City's pricey Ibai - there are few who wear their smokey status so coyly as Cinder, which has the honour of a nomination for Best Local Restaurant of the Year. Where many chefs wield their Josper grills like an upmarket version of your dad at the barbecue, restaurateur Jake Finn poetically describes his wares as being 'kissed by the flames'. The second outpost of his enterprise, following the teeny, 18 cover Belsize Park original, Cinder's St. John's Wood branch is even daintier; all vintage tiling, sage green hues and exposed, dusky pink plasterwork. Individual booths are curtained off like a chic French bistro, while a massive framed Lego artwork should feel out of place but somehow doesn't. With the sun pouring in and a bustling terrace of diners out front, it underlines the idea that, despite picking a pair of ultra swanky north-west London neighbourhoods to take root in, Cinder still wants to feel relaxed: the fun mum at the barbecue who's topping up your prosecco, to continue the analogy. Their sharing plates menu comes good on Finn's promise of a fiery smooch. Everything has the feeling of a gentle caress rather than a whack over the head with a flamethrower. There's homemade hunks of bread, grilled and served with a slippery confit garlic tahini dip and burnt tomato salsa, as well as charred yellow courgettes that retain their bite, draped with pine nuts and sat on a rich, creamy bed of stracciatella (burrata's less intense cousin). Burnt leeks are soft, unctuous and essentially a carrier for the mountain of pecorino and hazelnuts on top, while the BBQ octopus is an absolute winner: slathered in a sauce with just the right dose of spice and sat atop a pile of potato salad and pickles. It's like a posh seafood alternative to a chicken wing. A larger plate of pull-apart braised sticky beef rib comes perched on its bone, just to show that Cinder can do big and meaty when they wish, while there are non-fired items to add a different flavour to the party too. We tried the spicy tuna ceviche, which came with lashings of a tomatoey, Bloody Mary-esque marinade that I would readily slurp by the bowlful like a gazpacho. If you go to Cinder, however, be prepared to slurp (or, at least, be sure to order the aforementioned bread). Finn is clearly not a fan of dipping vehicles and a lot of his dishes are of the fairly wet persuasion; I had to ask for a change of plate midway through to get rid of some leftover liquid. Absolutely stuffed, we were told that the doughnuts here are a must. A trio of small sugar-dusted balls were perfectly nice - and served with an exceedingly good banoffee sauce - but I wouldn't skimp on the savoury section to save room for them. Instead, finish off with (or start off, or drink continuously throughout) their speciality margarita. Made with a burnt jalapeno paste that gives a perfect, smooth slow burn from the hint of smoke, it summarises the subtle brilliance of Cinder in a glass.
Time Out Dubai
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Wondering where to party indoors this summer? Gatsby Dubai has you covered
When the Dubai heat starts to sizzle, Gatsby Dinner Show & Club is where things get even hotter – but only in the best kind of way. It's loud, it's lively and it's definitely not a quiet night out. Sitting nicely on the rooftop of Nakheel Mall in Palm Jumeirah, Gatsby is part supper club, part stage show and a full-blown night out. As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by velvet booths, golden accents, glittering chandeliers and a bar that doubles as a stage. It feels like a throwback to the roaring twenties, well, if the roaring twenties came with DJs, strobe lights and people dancing on tables before dessert. The dinner show itself doesn't just start and stop. It just gets better with time. The show features everything from extravagant dance acts to live vocals that will have you doing double-takes. On the menu, Mediterranean-inspired plates are designed for sharing, though we wouldn't blame you if you didn't. Tuck into crispy calamari, grilled octopus, juicy Angus tenderloin from the Josper grill and the kind of rich chocolate tart that deserves its own standing ovation. Drinks are a serious deal here. Gatsby's mixed drinks list leans into the venue's vintage inspiration, with playful nods to the Prohibition era. There's even a mixed drink called Prohibition Is Over. If you don't like leaving early, you're in for a treat because Gatsby is keeping things going late into the night – air con cranked, beats pumping and the party showing no signs of slowing down. Book now at or text them on 04 554 9418.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Photograph: Supplied / Molli.
May 2025: It hasn't been long since Molli sprung onto the scene and yet she's already changed her stripes. There's a brand new fermentation genius at the helm in the friendly form of head chef Caitlyn Koether, who brings experience from San Francisco's famous Bar Tartine as well as Relae in Copenhagen. Expect wildly inventive flavours and drinks from legend Kayla Saito (ex- Aru) in a groovy artistic space that's welcoming all day long and into the night. On the new night menu, we love the tomato and charred bread dip with smoked mussels; the fried potato with black garlic and allium aioli; the embered onions with sweetbreads and bone marrow; and the Hazeldene chicken with charred shishitos, amaranth and koji jus. Check it out! - Lauren Dinse Read on for our original review of Molli from Sonia Nair in October 2024, noting that certain aspects of Molli's offerings have since changed. Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique. Tucked away in the residential backstreets of Abbotsford is Molli, a neighbourhood bar and bistro just a stone's throw away from stalwart café Three Bags Full. Funnily enough, the perennially popular brunch destination is an earlier venture of Nathan Toleman, owner of Molli and founder of hospitality conglomerate the Mulberry Group, the same establishment behind CBD restaurants Hazel and Dessous. Molli is a warm and inviting space, belying its expansiveness as a 100-seater. Clad in dark timber and light-filled, with sage green walls adorned by still life oil paintings and vintage furnishings, Molli is simultaneously classy and cosy. Seating can range from tables and banquettes to a wraparound bar overlooking the open kitchen, where one can witness firsthand the flames of Molli's prized Josper charcoal oven. Get there between the witching hours of 5 and 6pm on weekdays to capitalise on Molli's aperitivo hour, a delightful window in time when oysters are $4.50, select beer and wines are $10 and a curated list of cocktails are $14 each. Molli excels in reasonably priced daily specials, whether it's their $30 pasta and vino lunch on Friday and Saturday or their $60 Sunday set meal. Adjacent sister venue Little Molli is a daytime café and deli. Kayla Saito brings her extensive experience as bar manager at Dessous to Molli, with inventive cocktails like the Barracuda Spritz – a summer fizzer featuring housemade pineapple wine and apricot brandy. Courtesy of sommelier Andre Magneklint, the thoughtfully curated wine list blends classics with lesser-known varietals both locally and abroad. Chef Aleks Kalnins, formerly of Hazel and Matilda 159, is at the helm of the food menu. As is the case with many a wine bar, it's eclectic, borrowing influences from Japan, Italy and Spain and incorporating a hyperlocal approach that spotlights fresh produce from notable Australian suppliers like Brisbane Valley Quail, Ramarro Farm, Alpine Trout Farm and Portarlington Mussels. Sustainability is a keen focus of both the food and drinks menu, with tipples like carrot top vermouth crafted from wine wastage and leftover carrots and condiments like ketchup fashioned from Swiss brown mushroom juice. The mini potato rosti is making an appearance at wine bars around Melbourne, most notably at fellow newcomer Elio's Place. While Elio's version is topped with trout mousse, Molli's is covered in the lighter cod roe, an ideal complement to the rosti, itself sublimely crisp on the edges with a pleasantly sticky texture within. The BBQ scallop doused in a buttery and piquant sauce of fermented bullhorn pepper is a highlight. Be sure to order some of the country loaf, purveyed by famed Collingwood bakery To Be Frank, to mop up the sauce. Interspersed with cubes of cucumber and sitting in a pleasantly savoury saffron sauce, the swordfish tartare is a touch too unassuming for our palates after the richness of our previous entrée. The accompanying nori and brown rice crackers, tasty as they are, further overwhelm the mild tartare. Fresh and enjoyable nonetheless, the swordfish tartare would work better as an entrée consumed first. Seaweed features again in the deliciously umami nori crumble blanketing the immaculately cooked octopus, served alongside a dollop of harissa aioli. Strewn across with strings of stracciatella, the housemade casarecce in a fermented tomato sugo is akin to a subtler take on the ubiquitous vodka tomato pasta. The pasta is perfectly al dente and the sharpness of the grated hard goat's cheese chevrano ups the ante, but the dish arrives curiously cold. On the other hand, the Humpty Doo barramundi is faultless, perched on a bed of spring greens in a sea of lovage sauce. More than worthy as sides are the smoked baby potatoes, once again topped with nori, and butter lettuce peppered with the sweet citrus undertones of lemonade fruit. The chocolate and pickled cherry torte we enjoy for dessert is also good, even if upping the pickled cherries quotient would've resulted in a more complex, multidimensional dessert. In essence, the vibes are unimpeachable at Molli. Barring a few minor quibbles with the menu, our experience bears testament to the thought and care that has gone into curating a space that is already beloved by Abbotsford locals and nearby visitors alike.
The Star
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Fun, feisty Latin flavours at Sol, a new rooftop restaurant in KL
Perched on the 40th floor of The Met in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, is a restaurant called Sol. From an aesthetic perspective, the place is a head-turning stunner. A large, expansive space with a show-stopping bar and an open kitchen somewhere in the corner. Foliage is omnipresent throughout the restaurant and cascades alluringly from the ceiling like verdant green chandeliers. And then there is the view. High above the city's hustle and bustle, you'll get a panoramic visage of KL, from its restless traffic to the copious skyscrapers that wound around each other. And when you squint hard enough, you'll see the denizens of the city in miniaturised forms. It's an enthralling window into the cityscape and its people – all captured within a picturesque restaurant. Sol is the creative output of Leslie Gomez, the founder of the Olive Tree Group which operates restaurants like Frangipaani, La Chica and Luca, to name a few. Gomez has been blazing a trail in the local F&B scene since he first arrived from India many moons ago and opened his first restaurant, Pride of India, in 2003. In those fledgling years, his rate of expansion was relatively modest but began to pick up pace from 2013. Today, he owns and operates 30 outlets. The restaurant has a glass encased eating area that is ideal for star-gazing. With Sol, Gomez says he was actually looking to craft a rooftop bar in the city centre but chanced upon this space instead. 'I always wanted a rooftop bar somewhere in the city centre but it's tied up with buildings, so there's nowhere you can really get a good view of the KL skyline. 'When we saw this place it wasn't really designed for an F&B outlet – it was just an office space. So we redesigned it and everything fell into place,' he says. The restaurant is unique in that it espouses the values of fun-dining, a concept which juxtaposes good food and drinks against the backdrop of live entertainment in the nights. 'This idea is popular in places like Dubai. The food is a highlight but we also bring in good bands to play at night and over the weekends, so there is an entertainment element to your meal. It's something that no one else in KL is doing – I think we are the first ones to introduce the concept,' says Gomez. Gomez is the creative force behind Sol, which celebrates fun-dining and Latin flavours. The food is fused around Latin-American themes that also celebrate the eatery's Josper grill. The menu itself is spearheaded by experienced group chef Fazil Shahreen, better known as Jjay, who recently introduced a spanking new a la carte menu. To begin your culinary adventure here, sample the new fare like the Octopus & Chorizo Skewer (RM42), which is accentuated with pomegranate chimichurri and lime. The chorizo makes use of lamb and has been grilled with chorizo butter, lending it a smoky, meaty countenance that permeates throughout the musculature of the meat. The octopus has spring and bounce in its step, rationed out in bite-sized portions that take the hassle out of excessive mastication. Up next, try the Sesame Crusted Manchego Pepper (RM24). Here, Mexican peppers are stuffed full of Manchego and mozzarella cheese and topped with a pimiento salsa. Stuffed full of cheese, this breaded, deep-fried Mexican pepper is an instant charmer. The pepper is a breaded bombshell that is crisp to the touch and yet yields easily to a gentle succulence and sweetness. This Mexican beauty's natural attributes are given a shot of hedonism, courtesy of the ooey-gooey cheese that oozes out of its pores. It's the equivalent of pairing a good girl with a bad boy and watching sparks fly. Then there is the Rosaceo Salmon (RM42). Here, the salmon has been cured with sugar and salt for six hours, before being sliced up. Soft, velvety salmon is paired with dill oil and cauliflower crema in this inspired dish. The fish is then paired with a cauliflower crema, dill oil, caviar and capers crisp in what proves to be an inspired configuration that puts the voluptuous, silken qualities of the salmon on a pedestal. And yet, as good as the salmon is, the breakout star in this amalgamation is the surprising duo of cauliflower crema and dill oil which collude to provide creamy, oleaginous undertones and a touch of elegance to the meal. If you're up for another dip in sea-faring waters, look at indulging in the goodness of the Charcoal Seared Halibut (RM75). The fish is seared first before being lightly kissed with charcoal on the surface. The charcoal-seared halibut is paired with both salsa verde and salsa macha. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star This aquatic stunner is paired with a salsa verde and salsa macha (made with toasted chilli peppers, garlic, peanuts and sesame seeds) and juxtaposes the freshness and smoky undertones of the fish against the robust, slightly fiery salsa macha in what proves to be an union of equals. Perhaps one of the scene-stealers on the new menu is the Taco Beef Gnocchi (RM48) which features a classic chilli con carne interspersed with gnocchi – both of which are baked together and topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Gnocchi and chilli con carne make for an unconventional yet winning pairing. This dish is the dictionary definition of 'hedonistic'. It's an unabashedly cheesy offering enlivened with the richness of the chilli con carne, whose goodness soaks into the pillowy contours of the gnocchi, lending the meal an instantly addictive appeal. The Nduja Cabbage (RM29) is a game-changer of a dish – the sort of revolutionary culinary icon that startles you into covert submission from the get-go. Even if you're not a fan of cabbage, you'll find yourself bending to the will of this vegetal vixen. While Nduja is traditionally a pork sausage, in this iteration, Jjay has converted it into a lamb variant and then turned that into a nduja butter. The Nduja cabbage converts a pedestrian vegetable into a culinary superstar. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star This unctuous power tool is then brushed over the cabbage, which is grilled and subsequently oven-baked. The cabbage is then enhanced with feta cheese, which has been whipped with jalapeno and coriander leaves and the entire concoction is topped with dehydrated black olives. The cabbage is astoundingly good – lightly charred, caramelised to a buttery, burnt consistency outside with a sweet crunch inside. The savoury richness of the nduja permeates throughout the vegetable while the feta adds a creamy, herbaceous element to the meal. End your meal on a sweet note with the beguiling qualities of the Tiramisu (RM30), which has Spanish coffee, smoked mascarpone, smoked paprika and honey chilli powder. Chilli in your tiramisu might not sound great in theory, but this sleeper hit is a surprising winner. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star I understand the foreboding and sense of apprehension you might feel about even trying this sweet, spicy temptation but let me assure you, sometimes the best adventures can only be experienced when you choose to take a leap of faith. Do this and you'll discover a world of pleasure hidden within the chambers of this dessert, which churns out a tapestry of bold, caffeine-laced flavours with surprisingly good fiery underpinnings. Moving forward, the industrious Gomez says he isn't content to rest on his laurels. Despite having only just opened Sol, he has plans to open even more outlets in the near future. 'I have been in Malaysia for 26 years now, and this country has given so much to me. I am very grateful and want to continue to give back, so in another three to four years, I hope to have 50 outlets,' he says, smiling. Address: Level 40, Menara The Met, Jalan Dutamas 2, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Open: Monday to Friday: noon to 2am; Saturday to Sunday: 3pm to 2am
