DATE NIGHT IDEA | Restaurant review: Chin Chin [Surry Hills, Sydney]

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I have been dying to try Chin Chin for ages. They are known for their South-East Asian fusion food, pink neon lights and dynamic atmosphere. I love a soft pretty pink neon glow. There is also a location in Melbourne which I would love to go one day. I really like how it is a restaurant that fuses food with art, design and music. It is definitely a trendy spot and with an Instagram that boasts more than 100k followers – it’s easy to see why.

I’m not going to lie, a second date alongside the most indecisive decision-making skills known to man, Chin Chin was not really on my radar that night. However, we realised how close it was to where we were at the time and gave it a shot and to my surprise, we got sat at the bar immediately.

There is definitely a high-end vibe to it – I would definitely recommend to wear something nice. The menu is not insanely expensive but it is still moderately expensive. Most dishes will range from $25-$35.

We ended up getting:

We got the roll ups as a starter and it comes with 4 pancakes. Have no fear! I thought the filling and number of pancakes was really substantial and it was packed full of flavour. I am a big fan of pancakes with meat, vegetables and hoisin sauce. Peking duck pancake night in my house is one of my favourites.

The pad seuw was also packed full of flavour and the braised wagu beef was definitely a highlight of this dish. I was surprised at the presentation of the rice noodles because they looked more like rice cakes (think thick blocks rather than flat noodles). However, they still tasted the same. All the elements worked well together and were quintessential to a good pad seuw.

I would definitely suggest sharing when ordering at Chin Chin. Even though we shared, the food definitely made me fuller and happier and whilst it’s not fine dining, it’s not cheap either.

I also ordered a cocktail:

THAI BASIL COCONUT DAIQUIRI
WHITE RUM, COCONUT, CORIANDER, CHILLI THAI BASIL SYRUP, LIMEBITTERS, ORANGE

The cocktail was really spicy. It had chilli in it duh Clarissa. I just saw coconut daiquiri and thought it would be a winner. I also thought the Asian influence on the cocktail was a nice touch. It definitely feels very cohesive. The cocktail was still nice but I wouldn’t get it again.

I would be really keen to try Chin Chin in Melbourne one day. There are so many other restaurants in Melbourne I would love to try. They don’t call it the cultural and food capital for nothing. Chin Chin in Sydney had a very industrial warehouse vibe.

Equipped with a killer disco house playlist and neon pink signs, I associate all these with chic, trendy Melbournian places haha. Sydney honestly has nothing on the food and nightlife scene compared to Melbourne. We made a big mistake going to Revolver (better known as Revs). However, it was honestly better than anything here in Sydney. It was iconic in a very very bad way. Revs would not even last in Sydney. It makes Kings Cross tameeeeee. Despite its notoriety (does not close at all on weekends and copious drug use lmao), this place has a space in my heart and I remember that night in detail very vividly to this day. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to the insane Berlin nightlife experience in Australia.

Back on topic, Chin Chin is a really nice restaurant to go out to. If you like dicso house like moi, you’ll really like the vibes (listening to all my Shazams I made at the bar). It feels high end but it also feels cool and laidback. The Asian fusion food is fantastic and it won’t break the bank. Also since its on the border of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, finish Chin Chin with a night into town. Paint the town red (or pink).