Nick Mahlook Credit: Scott Ehler
Culinary director of Public Hospitality Group, chef Nick Mahlook
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As culinary director of Public Hospitality Group, chef Nick Mahlook oversees the restaurant and bar menus at Oxford House, a lifestyle hotel with a Palm Springs aesthetic in the inner Sydney neighbourhood of Paddington. He’s also responsible for setting the direction for the food offerings at Public’s other hotels around Sydney, including the nearby Strand Hotel in Darlinghurst and the busy Redfern pub The Norfolk. Here Nick shares his tips for an indulgent night out on Oxford Street, which runs through the centre of Paddington and Darlinghurst, and its maze of side streets.
Enjoy the best of both worlds
When Oxford House opened its doors in September 2022, it brought a Palm Springs aesthetic and new energy to the inner-city suburb of Paddington. The breezy boutique hotel straddles the border of the Paddington and Darlinghurst sections of Oxford Street, which is home to some of the most vibrant boutiques and funky bars in the city.
It’s also one of the most LGBTQIA+ friendly precincts in Sydney: each February the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade makes its way along the Darlinghurst end of Oxford Street from Hyde Park in the city centre, passing iconic gay clubs such as Stonewall Hotel Sydney and Universal along the way. This end of Oxford Street is also home to the edgy music venue Oxford Art Factory and renowned bars like Shady Pines Saloon, Bitter Phew and Cliff Dive, which claim to be Sydney’s wildest watering holes
Equally LGBTQIA+-friendly, Paddington is also an epicentre of Australian fashion, with many of the most prominent local designers setting up shop around The Intersection, a precinct of upscale boutiques clustered around the intersection of Oxford Street and Glenmore Road. Further along Oxford Street, you’ll find homewares stores, hairdressers and reimagined Australian pubs like Paddo Inn and The Light Brigade alongside more fashion boutiques.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2019, Sydney Credit: Jeffrey Feng
Celebrating the colourful collision of creativity and culture across our communities, the world renowned Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade unites hundreds of thousands of revellers for the biggest night on the LGBTQI+ calendar.
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Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2019, Sydney Credit: Jeffrey Feng
Celebrating the colourful collision of creativity and culture across our communities, the world renowned Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade unites hundreds of thousands of revellers for the biggest night on the LGBTQI+ calendar.
Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Credit: Destination NSW
Patrons enjoying live music at the Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.
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Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Credit: Destination NSW
Patrons enjoying live music at the Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.
Discover a new favourite bar
Head down some of the many side streets leading away from Oxford Street in Paddington and you’ll find more restored neighbourhood pubs, but for a secret watering hole hidden in plain sight, walk into the lobby of Oxford House and make your way to the hip Pool Bar in the hotel’s central courtyard. “We definitely have people coming in when they’re just walking along Oxford Street,” says Oxford House’s Nick Mahlook, who devised the menu for the pool bar. “But most people don’t know we have a pool deck; they don’t know that anyone off the street can go and eat and drink there. And even though it’s a big open space, no-one knows it’s there.”
“It’s a great spot for cocktails and people-watching,” says Nick, who recommends the Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz gin fizz on tap: “It’s delicious — and we do a great grapefruit negroni [with Pampelle grapefruit aperitif as well as gin, Campari and Antica Formula vermouth]. And a spritz is always a good idea at this time of the year.”
Once you’ve settled in for a drink at the pool bar, you may not want to leave, it seems. “The bar’s open until 9 o’clock,” says Nick, “and then guests will all migrate to the restaurant out the front for dinner.” Oxford House’s food offering is expanding through a joint venture with the team behind the award-winning The Rocks cocktail bar Maybe Sammy. Taking over the Art Deco corner pub The Rose Hotel right next to Oxford House, El Primo Sanchez will serve up creative Latin American-inspired cocktails and Mexican dishes with a twist.
Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
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Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
Venture into the side streets
If you want to venture elsewhere for dinner, Nick recommends 10 William St, a wine bar and restaurant on William Street in Paddington. “10 William is always a favourite of mine for getting a bite to eat — they have great little sharing entrees, beautiful fish, simply grilled meats, that classic Italian good stuff.”
Nick also suggests heading down to the side streets on the Darlinghurst end of Oxford Street. He’s a fan of the neighbourhood trattoria Pellegrino 2000 — “it’s kicking a lot of goals” — but his pick is Poly, a natural wine bar in the Paramount House Hotel. “Poly is one of my favourite places that I’ve eaten at this year; it’s a great spot. It’s the sister restaurant of [Chippendale restaurant] Ester, it’s got an open hearth and everything’s cooked over coals. They do really simple but interesting food with great produce.”
When the Oxford House restaurant closes for the evening, Nick and his crew are spoilt for choice for a place to go to wind down, although, he suggests tongue firmly in cheek: “Chefs don’t drink.”
“We’ve got a sister hotel, The Strand [on William Street, Darlinghurst], it’s open until 3am on the weekends,” Nick says, “so we either go there, or if The Unicorn [steps away from Oxford House on Oxford Street] is open, we go across the road. The Unicorn does some awesome meals — it’s a great pub: drinks, vibe, food, it’s got a great offer. And Big Poppa's [a hip-hop themed Italian restaurant on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst] is open until 3am — I like the food there.”
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Firedoor, SydneyCredit: Nikki To
Chef Lennox Hastie in the kitchen at Surry Hill's Firedoor restaurant.
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Renowned for the sparkling harbour and balmy evenings, Sydney reveals a slew of new flavours as the hot days turn to cool and colourful nights this winter. Where comfort food reigns supreme, from fine dining takes on classic dishes to cult-status budget friendly eats – refuel with some delicious winter warmers in the harbour city.
Firedoor
The hottest seat in town is the counter at Firedoor. Literally. Escape the winter breeze and be warmed by the heat of the wood-fired oven, which can reach 1600C, as you watch Lennox Hastie and his team cooking over charcoal, embers and open flames. Everything is kissed by smoke, from fat oysters to fresh vegetables and memorable steaks - dry aged for around 150 days, it’ll thrill your taste buds in a way you never thought possible.
Fred’s
The crackling fire over the open hearth is a sign of what’s to come at Fred’s. From a daily changing menu featuring freshly caught seafood and mouth-watering steaks - you can see and hear the chefs prepare your meal so that it feels as if you’re part of the kitchen. The rhythmic chop of the knives, the bubbling water as it boils and the hiss of the hot grills makes you forget bustling Oxford Street is just behind you as you immerse yourself in the theatre of a fine dining kitchen that has the rustic charm of a country farmhouse.
Ester
The concrete walls and woodfired oven at Ester create the sensation of stepping into a bunker, albeit one with deliciously scorched food. The modern Australian menu is peppered with native ingredients and while it’s not bush tucker, it is a unique taste of this land of sweeping plains. Think handpicked mud crab with claypot rice, king prawns with fermented shrimp butter and dry aged pork chop with a flavourful native spice rub cooked over charcoal.
Margaret
Retreat from the cool wintry nights with a heartwarming dining experience at acclaimed chef Neil Perry’s first solo restaurant – Margaret. Named in honor of his late mother, the 170 seat fine-diner combines the homestyle heart of mum’s cooking with a surprise twist of a chef at his peak. The chicken is done over a wood rotisserie, the fish has a gremolata crumb and the baked pear and raspberry pudding with vanilla sauce is just the thing to warm you up from the inside out.
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
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Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
#feelnew #feelnewsydney
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
Bennelong
Set inside the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House, Bennelong’s curated menu offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Peter Gilmore’s dishes are as whimsical, memorable and quintessentially Australian as the restaurant’s setting. His lamington has all the nostalgic flavours of the beloved classic, with the addition of cherry jam, coconut cream ice-cream and chocolate ganache.
Chaco Ramen
For a delicious soul-soothing dish on a cool winter eve’, pay a visit to Chaco Ramen for one of their cult-status dishes - The Fat Soy ramen. The equivalent of a big, warm hug on a chilly day – this delectable velvety mix of broth, pork, chicken and fish, made rich and thick by the addition of pork fat is a true crowd pleaser, so pack a jumper and get in line.
The Duke of Clarence
A roaring fireplace, cozy Chesterfield couches you can sink into and wall-to-wall bookshelves make The Duke of Clarence a place to linger. Hidden in the centre of the harbour city, this 18th-Century inspired London Tavern is renowned for wholesome British eats ideal for cooler days – from home-cooked pies, to bangers and mash. Warm up your weekend with a memorable roast, and pick from one of four options every Sunday, each served with delicious Yorkshire puddings to soak up the rich gravy.
Restaurant Hubert
Descend the curved, wood-paneled staircase to Restaurant Hubert and lose yourself in a world made for bon vivants. Time is irrelevant here; this is the kind of place that makes you want to stretch your night out. Martinis in the bar turn into a dinner of French bistro classics with a twist, think roasted snails with XO butter, and live jazz that will convince you to linger a little longer over a digestif.
Aalia
Reveal a world you didn’t know existed at Aalia as you take your taste buds on an adventure through the lands of the Levant and Northern Africa. With chef Paul Farag at the helm, Middle Eastern food is elevated to fine dining status. He combines tradition with modern techniques to offer diners a time-travelling odyssey. Discover the old-world flavours of molokhia, geymar and kabsa as Farag spins his new-world interpretation of classic dishes.
Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bennelong Restaurant chef prepping in the kitchen. Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney.
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Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bennelong Restaurant chef prepping in the kitchen. Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney.
Restaurant Hubert, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and drink at French restaurant Restaurant Hubert, Sydney.
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Restaurant Hubert, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and drink at French restaurant Restaurant Hubert, Sydney.