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Dracula's Cabaret (Melbourne, Australia)
by TigerMystery
Dracula's is a themed cabaret restaurant. They are two in Australia: one on the Gold Coast and one in Melbourne. This review concerns the one in Melbourne, although from what I've heard, they are fairly similar (except that the Melbourne one is cheaper!)
When you first enter, you go into a cocktail bar, then onto a ghost ... train to the actual restaurant. This was very novel, and gets you in the right mood for the evening.
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The Show:
They change the show every few months, but it is generally always a cabaret-esque show with a vampire/ horror theme. The show I saw was called Vampirates (vampire pirates). I don't really remember whether there was an actual storyline (think there might have been a very vague one); it was more about the singing and dancing. There was also some comedy thrown in and some audience participation. The whole thing was fairly camp, but a lot of fun if you don't take it too seriously.
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Food:
A three-course meal is included in the ticket price, and dinner is served in the gaps between segments of the show. The food was amazing. The menu was not extensive; there were only a few options for each course, but I am a fussy eater and I found something I liked! The dessert was a particular highlight: a mascarpone mousse in a dark chocolate case shaped like a coffin! The current menu can be seen on the website, so you can have a look before you book your ticket..
A large selection of drinks is available, including a range of cocktails. They were all a bit pricey, but I had managed to find a voucher (look in tourist information centres and hostels for voucher booklets) for a free cocktail, and drank water after that, so the price was kept down!
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Suitability for Children:
There were a few children in the audience when I was there, but they also do special sessions ("Drax 4 Kids") for children aged 8 to 13 . I would recommend taking your children to one of these as the main show is really aimed for adults, and there is strong language.
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Photographs:
You are not allowed to use your camera anywhere in the restaurant, but they take souvenir photographs with the cast that you can purchase. I had the audacity to ask to see the photograph before committing to purchasing, which obviously does not happen very often, and the lady looked very shocked about this! As with most souvenir photographs, they were quite overpriced, and the fact that you couldn't take your own pictures was the one downside to the place.
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Fekerte's (Canberra, Australia)
by fionamcg
Fekerte's restaurant in the Dixon area of Canberra is so popular that is has its own mention in the Lonely Planet. This medium sized restaurant is run by a wonderful family who moved to Australia from Ethiopia, bringing with them the knowledge and understanding of how to cook fantastic, traditional Ethiopian food and present it to the ... unfamiliar; they have done it so successfully that Fekerte's now has its own following with regulars from Sydney and fans travelling from Europe to taste it.
Ethiopian cuisine is often likened to Indian in the sense that they both use spices and have curries, but the flavours, mix of spices and methods differ so much that Ethiopian cuisine truly has its own genre. The common base of many dishes is injera bread; this is a sponge like sour flatbread that compliments the spicy powerful curry. The injera is used to scoop up the curry and as the sauce is absorbed into the permeations of the bread to ensure that no ounce is missed.
Religious traditions have had a great impact on Ethiopian meals. The dominant religions are Orthodox Christianity and Islam, and their influence result in times of fasting in particularly from meat and the forbiddance of Pork. Ethiopian cuisine therefore has a dominance of vegetarian dishes and consequently is very healthy. Fats and oils are not excessively used in the dishes and there a great variety of pulses are used. On my last visit I tried samosas, and keywat or spicy beef, lega tibs- lamb marinated in spices and sautéed with onions and peppers and cauliflower in a tomato marinade which is the only time I have ever enjoyed cauliflower!
Each dish was a perfectly cooked and suited the varying tastes of the group as we were educated on which dishes would suit spice lovers, veggies and the carnivores. The staff were extremely willing to explain the menu and which dishes would be good for beginners; as the restaurant is run by a traditional Ethiopian family, there is a genuine understanding of the culture which bolters the authentic, traditional feel of this modern Ethiopian restaurant. As this is also an Aussie restaurant, they facilitate BYO - bring your own dink, but also provide various wines too. The restaurant is sleek and sophisticated and has a relaxed but chic atmosphere. Although nearby there is the popular chain Pizza Hut, the soothing ambience of the restaurant makes you feel a million miles away from the high street.
I was surprised how quickly I fell for Ethiopian cooking. I believe this is tantamount to how good Fekerte is as a chef, and not just how fantastic Ethiopian cuisine is. If you are ever in Canberra, Fekerte's is a must, but I would suggest you book!
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Hard Rock Cafe Sydney (Sydney, Australia)
by sstephenson
No trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to The Hard Rock Cafe. It's got a great atmosphere and a great menu! It's located in the heart of Darlinghurts, five minutes out of the city but close to Kings Cross Station and suburb.
The restuarant has nice mood lighting and a full cadillac hanging over the bar! There's also an ... on-site souvenir shop which offers a range of merchandise.
The booths are comfortable and you're not interrupted by other diners. The waiters are friendly and helpful and are always on hand to help with your orders.
The food itself is well cooked and there's plenty to choose from incuding a range of margarehitas and alcohol. The prices are reasonable for the restaurant though it's not the cheepest but for a backpacker it's definately worth a visit.
So why not stop off and visit this great restaurant whilst you're Down Under?
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