Continuing on from our girl’s weekend, we were looking for somewhere that had a good vibe, wasn’t overly crowded and had a good food and cocktail list. I did a quick search and came across Li’l Darlin, which was close to our hotel and thought we’d give it a go. I called up to see if they took bookings, and unfortunately they were fully booked, however their amazing host Francesco said to still come in and he would take care of us.
FOOD
Li’l Darlin offer a beautiful wine list that isn’t extensive, however has been well put together to showcase a range of beautiful wines. The food menu features tapas, designed to share, which was exactly what we were after. When I initially looked at their website, the first thing that caught my eye was the amazing Fairy Floss martini, so when we first arrived, it was cocktails all around. What better way to start an girls night than with a over flowing pink fairy floss cocktail!
With a table full of cocktails, it was time to start ordering some food. After having a quick read through the menu, everything looked amazing and made the decision so much more difficult. We decided to go with a few small entrees to start and a pizza and see how we went from there.
We started with the ‘Beef & Veal Meatballs’ which were braised in tomato and basil sauce and served with beautiful oven-warmed sourdough bread and lightly seasoned with olive oil. The sauce was full of flavour and the seasoning from the sourdough worked beautifully with the meatballs.
My girlfriend had never tried duck before, so I convinced her to order the ‘Peking Duck Pancake Rolls’ served with hoisin sauce, cucumber and shallots. Served on the cooler side, the Peking duck was served in a thin crepe like casing and had a beautiful hoisin sauce to finish. My girlfriend loved them and was so wishing we would have ordered more than just the two!
Everyone seems to rave about their Peking duck pizza, however my one girlfriend was a bit spectacle on it so we decided to keep it safe and go with their ‘Margherita Pizza’. You can never go wrong with a classic of tomato, mozzarella, olive oil and parmesan cheese. If you are a cheese lover, this is your pizza! The thin crust base with overloaded with delicious cheese and a few pieces of basil to finish.
ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE
This part restaurant, part wine bar, part cocktail bar is the perfect setting for a night out on the town. The space is bustling with a mature crowd, well dressed and enjoying themselves with fancy cocktails in hand. With several locations throughout Sydney, this dimly lit space is intimate with a chilled out vibe to be enjoyed day and night.
Long communal marbles tables fill the restaurant with a few small tables for two along the window for the more intimate guests. The large stone bar acts as a feature piece to the restaurant, perched up a few steps with down lighting to showcase the beautiful stone.
The service we had was top notch and probably the most memorable part of our entire night here. Francesco was on top of every table to ensure they were all happy and enjoying themselves. From our first conversation over the phone until the moment we left the restaurant, he said he would take care of us, and he did not let down.
Overall this was such a great find and perfect for the type of night we were looking for. The food, drinks and service all got a perfect 10 from me and will definitely be heading back here on our next trip to Sydney.
*Also, if you check into the restaurant on Facebook or Instagram, your first cocktail is reduced to only $10!*
