The Argyle is Sydney’s well known watering hole for after work drinks and boozy nights out. It’s also home to restaurants Sake, The Cut and Ananas. It’s now added a South-East Asian vibe to the main bar with a spanking new cocktail and food menu to suit.
A gigantic lucky cat welcomes you to the cobblestone courtyard decorated with Chinese lanterns and a tuk tuk. The brand new dumpling kitchen is at the entrance of the building, you can’t miss it! The menu doubles as your order form, simply fill it out and order at the kitchen or from your server.
Michael Nguyen ex Red Lantern and Shaun Presland from Sake have been given free reign in the kitchen and you can tell they had a lot of fun experimenting with the dishes. I’d love to know the thought process behind the cheeseburger gyoza. Yup a cheeseburger in a gyoza. Genius! What else can go inside a gyoza? Maybe New York baked cheesecake and fantales? One bite of these bad boys and you’ll be all “OMG”. Actually more like “Omm mm gom” while trying to chew the fantale gyoza. Not recommended if you’re on a first date or have dental work.
The firecracker prawn and scallop har gow are delicious colourful bites of goodness, befitting of a fancy Hong Kong Michelin star restaurant. I spied a dumpling that looks like a siumai in the bamboo basket but siumai isn’t on the current menu. The food isn’t confined to just dumplings. There’s a peking duck ‘pancake’ in a fluffy white bun instead of a pancake – with a BBQ pork belly option too; fresh zesty salads; soups with noodles and wontons; a slowed cook brisket japanese curry and classics like spring rolls and salt and pepper squid.
Daniel “Muffin” Mussen ex Shady Pines has created a complementing cocktail menu that will have you feeling like you’re on holidays. The Green Tea Colada was a big hit – a concoction of Sailor Jerry rum, green tea, coconut and topped with mint, an umbrella and a palm-tree swizzle stick. The Trade Winds was very refreshing, not too ‘ginny’ and the Bonsai Juice very ‘green’ and healthy for a cocktail. If you’re with a bunch of mates or would like to make lots of new mates, go for a treasure chest cocktail.
The Argyle is a fantastic addition to the current invasion of cool and quirky Asian eateries in Sydney. Did I mention the staff were super friendly too? With food served until the early hours and dishes setting you back $2.50-15.00 each, one can easily stay in the Argyle for the whole night… or day.
Open 7 days, lunch to late.
