WINE > S.C Pannell Sunrise 99, 2022 (18/20)

There are Grenaches that charm, and then there are Grenaches that draw a line in the sand. S.C. Pannell’s Sunrise 99, from a century-old McLaren Vale vineyard, feels like the latter: a debut that arrives fully formed, pitched at the serious, ageworthy end of the spectrum while still humming with McLaren Vale warmth, but this…

ByCrispinFebruary 15, 20260Comments

STAY > Ovolo Sydney, Woolloomooloo (16/20)

Ovolo Sydney, Woolloomooloo is the hotel that turns a heritage finger wharf into a neon‑lit playground: all‑in perks, bold design and a quietly serious sleep, right on the harbour’s edge. Set between the Royal Botanic Garden and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, it feels as much like an adults‑friendly clubhouse as a classic…

ByCrispinFebruary 15, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > NSW EAT > SYDNEY WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Otto, Wooloomooloo (16/20)

OTTO is Sydney’s original la dolce vita wharf restaurant: a polished, sun-struck slice of Italo-Sydney glamour where seafood, pasta and people-watching all arrive at roughly the same high gloss. AMBIENCE > Along Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf, OTTO is the restaurant that still looks like the postcard: linen-draped tables marching along the boardwalk, super-yachts bobbing in front,…

ByCrispinFebruary 15, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Vinesmith, Melbourne (15/20)

Vinesmith is a rare thing in Melbourne’s CBD: a true city cellar door and more than that it actually feels tethered to the vineyards it pours, with a French‑leaning bistro upstairs that looks over Treasury Gardens and feels worlds away from the office towers below. It’s part wine bar, part bottle shop, part dining room,…

ByCrispinFebruary 7, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Abysse, Ebisu Tokyo (19/20)

Abysse in Ebisu is that rare fine-dining room where Tokyo’s elegance, French technique, and Japan’s coastal abundance converge in a single, quietly dramatic arc. Anchored by seafood and the seasons, chef Kotaro Meguro’s cooking feels both deeply considered and instinctive, like a tide that knows exactly when to rise and fall. AMBIENCE > Slip…

ByCrispinJanuary 9, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > YUZAWA NIIGATA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Beaux Séjour, Naeba Niigata (15/20)

Beaux Séjour at Naeba Prince Hotel delivers a surprisingly polished, gently old‑world French dining experience at the base of one of Japan’s classic ski mountains, with a New Year’s menu that leans into nostalgia, craft and alpine comfort in equal measure. AMBIENCE > Tucked inside the sprawling Naeba Prince Hotel complex, Beaux Séjour feels like…

ByCrispinJanuary 4, 20260Comments

EAT > APPI KOGEN EAT > JAPAN WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Shiratsuyu at ANA Intercontinental Appi Kogen (14/20)

Shiratsuyu at ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen is less a standard hotel restaurant and more a calm, quietly luxurious alpine dining room, where polished service, thoughtful cooking, and a deep sense of place come together just steps from the snow. Returning to Appi Kogen after a couple years has been a mixed experience. Our first time…

ByCrispinDecember 26, 20250Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > KUFUKU±, Akihabara Tokyo (17/20)

Tucked into a quiet backstreet on the Akihabara side of Chiyoda, Kufuku feels like stepping out of electric town and into a parallel world—one where time, fermentation, and French technique quietly reframe Japanese comfort food. Set inside a lovingly preserved kominka, this is destination dining for travellers who like their Tokyo with as much patina…

ByCrispinDecember 22, 20250Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > JULIA, Shibuya, Tokyo (19/20)

Tucked away in the residential fringes of Jingumae, just beyond Omotesando's designer bustle, JULIA remains a Shibuya gem for those seeking Japan's seasonal essence through innovative fine dining. Returning after our acclaimed 2024 visit to the expanded space—where Chef Nao and Sommelier Kenichiro elevated their husband-and-wife intimacy to a poised team operation—this latest meal reaffirms…

ByCrispinDecember 20, 20250Comments

DRINK > BARS DRINK > SYDNEY

DRINK > Conte, Sydney (17/20)

Conte in Sydney’s CBD is grand, an unapologetically Italian, ode to the Negroni. Part bar, part ristorante, and all about drama, detail and la dolce vita energy. With more than 30 (and climbing toward 40) Negroni riffs, serious Italian wines and a full dining menu, it feels less like a pre-dinner pit-stop and more like…

ByCrispinDecember 7, 20250Comments