Top Sydney restaurants offer takeaway hampers so couple’s can celebrate Valentine’s Day in private

Valentine’s Day is especially significant for this top chef, who runs Merivale’s MuMu and Mr Wong. But it’s also his wedding anniversary, meaning, when it comes to dos and don’ts on the day of love, he knows a thing or two.

Valentine’s Day is especially significant for top chef Dan Hong. Not only does Hong run Merivale’s MuMu and Mr Wong — some of Sydney’s best restaurants — which are constantly booked for Valentine’s Day. But it’s also his anniversary with his wife of more than 10 years. Meaning, when it comes to dos and don’ts of Valentine’s Day dining, he knows a thing or two.

Here are his surprise tips for how to spend the perfect Valentine’s Day.

1. If you’re cooking at home, opt for something you might not have tried before. I love doing Korean BBQ. You can get everyone involved and all you need is a little portable grill in the middle of the dining table. Australia has really good wagyu and everyone can get stuck in cooking their own meat, wrapping in lettuce and eating with a whole lot of Kimchi.

2. If you’re heading out, I would be trying to get a table at Fred’s in Paddington. If I was to choose a beautiful restaurant with great food and service to eat with my wife it would probably be something like Fred’s in Paddington.

Dan Hong drinking at The Establishment. Picture: Julian Andrews

3. But if you’re favourite restaurant is booked out, don’t panic. It’s okay to pick another night to go out for dinner other than February 14. Support restaurants by going midweek or early in the week when they’re a little quieter. And usually you would get even better service.

4.Take advantage of restaurants activations that are happening throughout the entire month of February. Going out on Valentine’s Day is overrated, it’s like New Year’s Eve. It’s definitely better to go out another day during that week if you need to.

I’d recommend checking out the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Mahjong club this Saturday, February 17 at Est. I am developing some amazing Lunar New Year bites to go with Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails.

There will be Mahjong tables for all of us to play and Remy Hii is hosting the event. Come celebrate the year of the dragon in style.

5. For the ultimate Valentine’s Day picnic, I suggest packing caviar and Chicken McNuggets to eat with the caviar. Then also some good quality bread, charcuterie, pickles and cheese, a bottle of Champagne and a bottle of Red Burgundy.

WHY MORE COUPLES ARE HIDING THEIR LOVE AWAY ON V-DAY

On Valentine’s Day, more and more couples are deciding to show their love in more private settings.

While restaurants have been the traditional date night option, a new study shows more and more people are choosing to show their love in less public ways.

A study from pasta maker Barilla found that over three quarters of Australians prefer to celebrate intimate moments of romance in private. That’s because 37 per cent of Australians find public displays of love embarrassing.

Perhaps this is the reason for the rise in restaurants offering take away options or picnic hampers for the love day.

North Sydney’s French Brasserie Loulou has created a range of take-home hampers which cater from breakfast in bed to a deluxe French-style picnic, complete with charcuterie, parfait, a selection of cheeses.

Fleur Burrows and Brehan de Gouvello enjoying a Valentine’s Day picnic prepared by North Sydney restaurant Loulou. Picture: Julian Andrews

Their famed beef wellington has also become available to takeaway, so it can be served at home and comes with a single fresh rose.

Popular inner city bakery Humble is offering a range of heart-shaped treats for couples to take away to share, including heart-shaped shortbread biscuits.

Popular new eatery Promenade Bondi also has a takeaway menu so dishes like fish and chips can be enjoyed on the beach.

Best friends since primary school, Jemma Nicholson and Stephanie Wise, started a business to cater to the needs of couples who want to do something special for each other, but outside the traditional restaurant setting.

Picnics With Love sets up luxurious picnics, bringing the crystal glassware, antipasto grazing board and ice buckets and ice, so all guests have to do is turn up.

“Our clients have the autonomy and flexibility to make their occasion as personalised as they like, without the restrictions you may get at a venue. Most importantly, we take the stress out of organising and setting up and best of all, there is no packing away, washing up or hauling everything back to your car,” said Jemma Nicholson.

SARAH’S QUEST FOR A PERFECT PROTEIN BAR

Celebrity nutritionist Sarah Di Lorenzo is taking on the big guns of the industry by launching her own brand of protein bars.

Best-selling author Sarah Di Lorenzo launches brand new protein bar range. Picture: Supplied

The best selling author, TV personality and single mother of three this week hits stores and online with her 10:10 protein bar, based off the success of her original 10:10 nutrition plan.

“I could never really find a protein bar on the market that ticked all the boxes for

successful weight loss,” Di Lorenzo said. “They were either too hard, too chewy,

tasteless, too big, too high in calories, had artificial sweeteners, and the ‘healthier’

ones were too high in carbohydrates.”

She added: “A lot of the products also seemed to be pitched at a male-dominated audience

spending hours in the gym. What about the everyday mums and dads looking for a

healthy treat to get them to dinner time?”

Di Lorenzo describes the bars as “the perfect snack for busy people”.

The Sunrise resident nutritionist is in a woman in demand. Her celebrity clients include Natalie Barr, Monique Wright, Matt Doran and Sally Bowrey.

LATE AND LIVELY: WELCOME TO THE PLEASURE CLUB:

Sydney, get ready for some late night Pleasure.

Booming hospitality group Odd Culture Group have announced their new, groundbreaking late night bar and entertainment spot The Pleasure Club will open underneath King Street in Newtown next Friday, February 23.

Pleasure Club, Sydney team members Matt Whiley and Sam Kirk. Picture: Supplied

The bar has already made headlines before it even opened, being the first venue in 99 years to be granted a 4am liquor licence.

And it seems the The Pleasure Club will continue to be in the news, with world class bartenders Sam Kirk and Matt Whiley confirmed to be behind the venue’s newly announced cocktail lab.

Originally from the UK, Kirk came to Australia to launch the new Jacksons on George. While Whiley has already firmly established himself in Sydney’s cocktail scene with his innovative bar Re.

Kirk and Whiley first worked together 10 years ago at Whiley’s award-winning London bars, The Talented Mr Fox and Peg + Patriot.

The entertainment is also aiming to get attention which is slated to be ‘beyond the ordinary’ and sees everything from psychedelic rock, to blues to live theatre.

“We want to change the way we perceive and interact with late-night experiences in Sydney,” the group’s creative director Nick Zavadszky said.

“After so many years of control and limitations, Pleasure Club is our creative vessel – a pocket dimension of all the weird and wonderful shit we like to celebrate. It exists to provide connection, escapism from the world above and give Sydney a safe and inclusive space to enjoy late nights.”