When was the last time you had a decent night out in Darling Harbour? The answer is probably either 'not lately' or more likely, 'never'. Well all that's about to change, Sydney. Because the new Wululgul Pop Up at Barangaroo, open until August 2016, is all kinds of awesome.
Let's start with the way it looks. Sure, the purple lighting at night is dagsville (as much as they want you to think you’re not in Darling Harbour, little touches remind you that in fact, you are. That, and Bungalow 8 being literally next door) but the rest of the design is a nice combo of Japanese minimalism and Nordic finesse, with walls and seats made up of exposed brown cardboard tubing, which (fun fact) are normally used to mould concrete on building sites. A long line of tables and seats face the water, overlooking Pyrmont beyond.
There are three kiosks on site. Choose from American eats at Belle's Hot Chicken direct from Melbourne, Sydney's own Malaysian slice of heaven Mamak, and cocktails from the guys behind the Barber Shop at Gin & It. There's even a little coffee cart from Edition Coffee Roasters. And Sydney's best gelato, RivaReno Gelato, are due to open their cart selling house made Magnum-style ice cream on sticks in the coming weeks.
Queues are more hectic (and significantly longer) at lunch than at dinner, so keep that in mind when you head down - which you definitely should, cos harbour-side eating ain't never been this cheap.
Here's our list of what to eat and what to avoid at the raddest new pop-up in town:
Belle's Hot Chicken
Order the... chicken wings
Order the wings. The meat has been brined to seasoned tenderness and the coating is seriously crisp – so much so that it crackles as you bite into it, coming off in salty shards. Just try not to nibble at the ends where all that crunchy batter is ready and waiting for the taking. They’re served on a slice of fluffy white bread, which soaks up some of the red, spicy juices. Tear pieces off and eat them along with the meat, maybe even go rogue and make a little sambo of it.
Mamak
Order the... original roti with chicken curry
Try the classic roti with chicken curry. What you'll get is a two-pocketed pack, one with a big fluffy tangle of freshly made roti and the other with a pool of cardamom and clove-rich curry dotted with tender wedges of potato and a few big hunks of chicken on the bone. The chicken is fall-apart tender (albeit not free-range, grrr), and has taken on all of those flavours from the sauce. There's even a little dip of sambal on the side, all salty and fishy and perfect as a heat-booster.
Gin and It
Order the... Coriandrum cocktail
Order the Coriandrum cocktail, which tastes like a bonfire by way of Bombay Sapphire gin smoked over Apple cedar wood. It's savoury, herbaceous and slightly sweet thanks to the coriander and celery liquor added into the mix, made in house, and there's a kick of acid from fresh lemon. Don't leave without trying it, cos it's the best drink here.
Edition Coffee Roasters
Order the... Elixir cold brew coffee
Grab an Elixir cold brew coffee at the Edition coffee cart. They’re the colour of pale whisky, and come in little jars. Because they aren’t strong, almost like a tisane, you can taste every element of the bean: its citrussy tones, its floral qualities, and slightly bitter, cacao-like depth. Plus they’re served icy cold, so are ridiculously refreshing.
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