There are a few key words that universally pique interest. Peking duck, toasties, 1970's Hong Kong and Long Island Ice Teas are a few of them. Smash them all together and you get Ni Hao Bar, the buzzy Cantonese bar on the Civic Hotel's rooftop by the folks behind Kowloon Cafe and Kowloon Stir Fry King.
Murals of Bruce Lee and projections of classic Hong Kong films dapple across neon-signs that evoke the fast-and-loose energy of '70s Hong Kong send you through time and space, a million miles away from the Sydney CBD.
Owner Howin Chui looks to bring what he loves about the bustling island, particularly its cuisine and nightlife, to Sydneysiders, by way of delicious Peking duck toasties, and cup-noodle-seasoning fries.
If that's not enough, the menu also features a wok hay cheung fun (Wagyu beef-filled rice-noodle rolls with a smoky glaze); spinach noodles with spanner crab, XO sauce and pork crackling; and grilled corn ribs with spicy bean paste butter and parmesan. Not to be outshone, the drinks list is a cracker of East-meets-West mash-ups. Long Island Iced Teas are spiked with Vita Lemon Tea, a lemon drink that's huge in Asia; Aperol Spritz's are perfumed with lychee; and the Nia Hao 1 is a riff on Wet P*ssy using soju instead of vodka.
Weekly specials keep things fresh like one dollar oysters and short-run cocktails, live music as well as guest chef residencies.