Located on 135 Alison Rd, the Randwick Club had two openings last month in August, which I was lucky enough to attend with miss sennnaa. ZHU Canton is a modern Chinese restaurant with a bright set up and beautiful decor, serving all my favourites from Har Gau to Peking Duck. On the other hand, LVL4 is a hip and chilled out bar with more of an organic set-up for those who want some time off without all the extra stuff. All in all, the events were super lively and fun - and of course, accompanied by delicious food and amazing cocktails!
ZHU Canton Opening
I love restaurant openings because food is always amazing. I'm so glad miss sennnaa invited me and another friend to go with her :) ZHU Canton's philosophy is encapsulated in its choice of name. As explained on its website,
"The two words making up the restaurant's name, share several meanings, including 'host', 'to join together' and 'to express good wishes'. Zhu was also of course, a Ming Dynasty emperor."Upon stepping foot on the 3rd floor of the Randwick Club on 26th August, we were greeted with Lychee champagne and that's when we knew this was going to be great.
The elegant decor complements what the restaurant is going for - a modern and sophisticated Chinese dining experience. One of the most unique and captivating decor pieces is the installation of printed sails on the ceiling, by Giant Designs (think of other favourites like Ding Tai Fung and Red Lantern on Riley).
I loved the food they served and the service was still really good on such a busy night (claps for the staff). I actually didn't end up having any photos of the food because they were all only on Snapchat :( but the highlights were the Har Gau (Steamed Prawn Dumplings), Peking Duck and Mango Pancake.
Of course, in sophisticated Chinese dining, it is beyond food, it is about the mood at atmosphere. The opening night of ZHU Canton was all about that. Dim sum (Chinese tapas) were both served in different corners of the restaurant as well as to your table so there was a lot of energy and movement. And it wouldn't be a proper opening for a Chinese restaurant without lion dancing!
Website: http://www.zhucanton.com.au/
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LVL4 Opening
Located on you guessed it, level 4, the stylish and chilled out bar opened its doors to us on Monday 29th August. LVL4 is a bar with live music, mismatched lounges, high tables and an outdoor area with a view towards the City. If you're from UNSW, it's the perfect place to chill out after classes on Friday if you want to get away from the sometimes obnoxious Roundhouse. You know, you can just head there after class before starting your Friday night!
What I mean by a 'more organic set-up' is in its mismatch of furniture that give off a vintage yet modern vibe. I love this rustic appeal and how it connects with uni student today. From the armchairs, to the lounges, to the tables and even rugs, the bar makes sure that you know you're in a cool place. It's definitely worth a visit after class. At the opening, there was also lots of food from ZHU Canton (YES).
I always think that bars are one of the hardest things to nail because they must connect with their demographic - everything from the drink-list to the decor, they must be considered and curated precisely. LVL4 is run by two young ladies, Holly and Molly who were super friendly and made us really cool cocktails. I got the Passionfruit Mojito and it's genius. At $11 each during happy hour ($14 otherwise) for a great cocktail with a punch, its more than reasonable.
I'm just bummed that it rained that night, I couldn't get a good shot over the City from the outdoor area (but they do have a few on their Facebook) but I was very happy with the live music and overall atmosphere of the place.
Make sure you check out their Facebook page for upcoming artists and events :)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lvl4randwick/
Website: http://www.lvl4randwick.com/
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