Sydneysiders splurge on pricey takeaway while eateries are closed

Sydneysiders are suffering through another lockdown, but for some the pain is eased by scoffing top-notch takeaway that costs almost as much as a weekly minimum wage.

Forget rations. Sydneysiders are gorging their way through the Covid lockdown, with some
of the city’s priciest and most decadent eateries reporting big sales in top-end takeaway.

At the pointiest of pointy ends is Catalina’s $555 lobster box, with owner Judy McMahon seeing the luxury feast flying out the door of the Rose Bay eatery since the start of the shutdown.

Catalina’s Seafood Box costs $555, but they are flying out the door during lockdown. Picture: Supplied

The restaurant’s lamb rack roast ($140) is another home delivery winner. Picture: Supplied,

Consisting of one Sydney rock lobster, a dozen Sydney rock oysters, eight king prawns and a fully-dressed mud crab, the boxes are either collected, or delivered door-to-door by one of the restaurant’s wait staff who have turned to delivery driving during lockdown.

Around 20 suckling pig roasts ($140) have also been snapped up, along with more than 100 serves of the market fish with mash and caper butter, 92 wagyu burgers, 91 beef tenderloins and 86 bowls of seafood risotto.

Indulgent luxuries like caviar (served in 50g hits with trimmings) are also racking up sales and, McMahon says, keeping her staff’s bills paid.

The interesting thing is with us it’s the luxury stuff. I mean, it just walks out the door. It’s amazing,” McMahon told Confidential.

Catalina owner Judy McMahon says luxury items are selling like hot cakes. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Over at Potts Point’s Greek favourite The Apollo, owner Jonathan Barthelmess is offering an all-inclusive $380 feast — dubbed The Full Greek — which has been a huge hit since the start of lockdown.

Surry Hills Argentinian stalwart Porteno announced this week it had resumed sales of its popular $145 banquet packs (for two), which are pumped out nightly until they sell out.

Nomad head chef Jacqui Challinor says her Surry Hills eatery sends out 40 to 100 dinner packs a night at $120 per pack (for two), with demand for culinary luxuries soaring.

“You have a lot of people prepared to drop a bomb on takeaway because they haven’t really been financially affected by the pandemic and, in fact, they’re probably better off because they’re not spending money on travel and going out,” Challinor says.