Tucked away on Level 1, The Galeries on George Street in Sydney’s CBD is Lotus The Galeries. Unassuming yet sophisticated, this venue has been one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets and our only regret is not knowing about it sooner. The menu boasts some of the best Shanghainese dishes with a nod to Cantonese cuisine and the unique table-side Peking Duck experience is truly a highlight.
For a Wednesday night, the venue is surprisingly busy and is buzzing with guests – a joy to observe after what has been a horror year for the hospitality industry. Restaurant manager Ryan Bishell is busy greeting guests who are excited to be out and about again and you can see Ryan’s enthusiasm rubbing off on the rest of his friendly team as they go about their business looking after hungry and thirsty patrons.
But back to the Peking Duck experience…. what a great way to share a meal with friends! This incredibly delicious journey starts with thinly sliced duck skin from the breast served with white sugar. The duck skin is full of flavour and literally melts in your mouth. And this is just the first part of this exquisite experience. It’s then followed by duck pancakes and served table-side with three special sauces, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber, and leek. A half-duck is a very reasonably priced $59 and a whole duck is $108 and can be enjoyed Wednesday – Saturday.
The range of mouth-watering dishes on the menu to accompany the duck is impressive. For example, the crispy eggplant with honey and soy sauce is a nice sweet, but subtle vegetarian dish or you could mix it up a little with a selection of dumplings. The Snow Mountain BBQ pork bun (don’t confuse this dish with your standard BBQ pork bun, because there is nothing ‘standard’ about this tasty bun) is a must-have, as is the pork xiao long bao.
Of course, there are so many exciting dishes on the menu, it’s impossible to try everything in one sitting. This just means another visit is in order to try other eye-catching dishes such as the lightly crumbed Japanese scallops on yuzu mayo and nori flakes; the soft-shell crab, king prawns and calamari in a Singaporean tomato sauce with steamed bao; and the slow-cooked beef short ribs with aged black vinegar, garlic and chilli.
Lotus The Galeries also offer stylish private rooms for functions and events, so worthwhile considering for any upcoming work soirée or family gatherings.
But don’t take our word for it…next time you’re looking for somewhere special to dine without the ‘special’ price tag, look no further than Lotus The Galeries. Ryan and his incredible team will take good care of you (and your appetite and cocktail needs).
Yes, now the secret is out…