If any Fodorites are free for a coffee/morning tea/lunch/dinner? We can call it a mini GTG - I arrive late Friday 10th June and depart lunch time Monday 13th!

I'm staying in the city in York Street.

Anyone?

Yes! Let's have a mini GTG, I don't think I can make it to Cairns but I can to Sydney!

Great Susan - it will be lovely to see you again - wonderful!

Who else?

I'd love to come to a mini GTG. Just let me know where and when

That's great dkw - we'll look forward to seeing you.

Great idea, Stormbird. Count me in. Will be good to see you again, Susan.

It would be good to see you again too, Bokhara! And it will be great to meet you dkw!

Let us know where you'd like to go Stormbird.

I may be around - not sure yet!

Okay so here's the thing! I'm wondering if Saturday night would suit everybody? I'm also free Sunday night so either/or.

Now where to eat. The most recent Sydney restaurant thread here is 2008!

I'm not a big foodie/wino but my DH absolutely loves wine for sure. My DS will be with us as well so I'm thinking not too expensive/high end if possible, anything with a varied menu I guess. We are not big seafood eaters. Though my DH does like seafood he moans sometimes that we never have it so when we go out to dinner he vows he will have seafood then but then I go and order a steak and there's no way he can sit there eating seafood watching me eat a yummy steak - so in the end he generally orders the steak or similar!

We won't have a car so within the CBD/Rocks/Darling Harbour etc etc area would be great.

Okay now - Suggestions?

I'm happy to do either night, so whatever suits everyone else. I eat everything, so I have no particular preference, to start the ball rolling for those locations here a few possibilities.

My picks from mid-range Darling Harbour would be: Malaya http://www.themalaya.com.au/page/location.html
Or Chinta Ria: http://www.chintaria.com/

The Turkish at Ottoman is good, it's near to the Rocks, might be a bit pricey, but they have a great wine list, sister restaurant to the Canberra version. http://www.ottomancuisine.com.au/

Staying in the wharf area, the next bay along, seafood is great at Flying Fish http://www.flyingfish.com.au/

In the Rocks, I had a very good steak at Pony and it is open on Sunday night http://www.ponydining.com.au/

In the CBD, Golden Century in Sussex street is my favourite Chinese. I haven't been to Bécasse but a friend said it was great, might be too expensive. http://www.becasse.com.au/

Either night is fine with me and I'll eat just about anything. I'm happy with any decision regarding a restaurant. I'll be taking the train, so anything within a 20 minute or so walk from a station would be great for me.

I'm really looking forward to meeting you all!

Thanks for the suggestions Susan - I'm liking the sound of the Ottoman Cuisine - I love all things Turkish and it could be fun!

But I don't want to be the bossy boots so if anyone else - Bokhara ? have a further suggestion I'm up for it!

flying fish is fantastic - but quite exxy!

any advances on this

I've not been to Ottoman.....

Me either, although I've been to the one in Canberra & it's fantastic, so would be very happy to try the locals.

Okay I have booked Ottoman for Saturday 11th June at 7pm - hope that is okay?

Not sure if we wanted to meet for a drink first or just go straight to dinner - Ottoman does not have a bar per se to have a drink AT if you know what I mean.

So just let me know what you think about that.

So there will be Stormbird, Mr Stormbird, Master Stormbird, Bokhara, Susan7, dkw and hopefully Margo_Oz. Sounds good!

Ottoman is fully licensed.

Well done, Stormbird! I think Ottoman is next or close to the Sebel Pier One, so we could always meet there for a pre-dinner drink.

http://www.sebelpierone.com.au/conte...front-bars.seo

Okay so that is quite close to Ottoman - would everyone like to meet for a drink first? Would you like to meet at say 6.00pm

Please give a yay or nay to both questions - don't be shy and if you have a better suggestion/idea please let us know!

dkw I think that this option should work out well for you with the trains as I would think you would get off at Circular Quay?

We are staying at the Travelodge Wynyard and I thought we would walk down but maybe dkw, if you wanted to walk back/or share a cab back to Wynyard with us for your return home that might be a safer option for you, you'd be welcome to join us. But it's entirely up to you.

Drinks at 6:00 at the Sebel and dinner at 7:00 at Ottoman....sounds great!

I'll walk up from Wynyard....no problem there. Heck, if it's really nice, I may just toddle on over the bridge and walk from home.

Thanks for the offer Stormbird...I may take you up on that.