You all have been very helpfull helping us make up our mind for our Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne trip. Followed Mary's ? about the Melbourne restaurants. Any suggestions for us in Sydney and Canberra. Thank you all again. Marijke

We really liked the cafe at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which isn't open for dinner. If you call ahead, you can get a table on the waterfront with a great view of the opera house. The "Modern Australian" food was a bit pricey but outstanding.<BR><BR>I also liked a Chinese place I think was called Quay East, right near the Rocks and Circular Quay. Fairly standard Chinese, but quite tasty. A good place to go if you're staying in the neighborhood, want Chinese for dinner, and don't want to pay very much for it.

Marijke,<BR><BR>there is a proliferation of restaurants in Canberra, supposedly the highest number per-capita for the whole of Australia - they range from 5 star dining to so-so quality. <BR><BR>The available cuisine is also very wide ranging due to the presence of embassies in the city. Manuka, Kingston, Dickson and Civi (city centre) are very popular dining / capucinno regions and are within a 10 minute drive of each other. <BR><BR>For a bit of fun walk the main street of Dickson and pop into the one that takes your fancy - may I suggest 'The Noodle House' it looks like a dump but the food is to die for (esp. their Laksa).<BR><BR>James

James is right about Canberra - there are two precincts in suburban Canberra - at the suburbs of Manuka and Dickson - where you can walk up and down the street and you have every type and price range of restaurant to choose from.<BR><BR>We also love "Axis" which is at the new National Museum - has good food, and a lovely view of Lake Burley Griffin.

For the most romantic location and fantastic New Australian cuisine, you should go to Bather's Pavilion on Balmoral Beach. the chef/owner is Serge Danserau, who used to be the head chef at the Regent Hotel. Great wine selection. Take a lovely stroll along the beach after dinner.

I agree with the Bather's Pavilion at Balmoral. This restaurant is divided into 2 - an expensive side and the more casual inexpensive side. Great spot in summer.<BR><BR>I'd also recommend looking at: www.citysearch.com.au<BR>for restaurants. I've used this site before and can vouch for their thumbs up restaurant recommendations.