Restaurant Reviews

Red Lantern on Riley: Restaurant review

Address

60 Riley St
Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW

Hours

Lunch Thu-Fri noon-3pm
Dinner daily 6pm-10pm

Prices

E $18-$25
M $36-$39
D $16-$24;
dégustations $50-$85

REVIEW

There's bustle without the hustle, bite without the skite - Red Lantern manages to be streetwise and sophisticated at the same time. Hoist a Hoi An Julep while contemplating the extensive French and Australian wine list and the Indochine idyll, long marble tables, padded banquettes and Vietnamese bric-à-brac. The entrées are where the true power lies. Gold goes to cod sashimi with an explosion of lemongrass, passionfruit, red cabbage and micro-herbs. It's plated to resemble a garden tapestry, with coils, strips and threads of ingredients. Silver: char-grilled turmeric chicken with white cabbage. Bronze: rice cakes with caramelised pork belly and tiger prawns fizzing with pork floss. Caramelised chicken nestles in a clay pot with green beans and lotus root, while flavour-rich wok-tossed strip loin seals the deal. There is big investment, too, in vegetarian dishes, stuffed, roasted and rolled. The dessert tasting plate? Why stop now?
Phone:
(02) 9698 4355
Bookings:
Bookings essential
Features:
  • Licensed
  • Bar
  • Vegetarian-friendly
  • Outdoor dining
  • Impressive Wine List
Accepted card types:
  • American Express
  • Diners Club
  • Eftpos
  • MasterCard
  • Visa
Chef(s):
Luke Nguyen & Mark Jensen
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide's reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.