Sydney, a luxurious Asian fusion restaurant located on Circular Quay, offers innovative and modern fine dining in a “very Sydney setting”.
Luna Luwinner of the Australian Good Food Guide (2024 and 2023), it is tucked away in beautiful Campbells Cove and serves large and small plates, brightly colored dim sum and signature Peking duck to guests.
The spacious, luxuriously styled interiors offer expansive views of the harbor and opera house and provide a spectacular backdrop for masterful Asian dishes, such as black truffle duck spring rolls and savory lobster and prawn wontons.
This creative Asian fusion-style cuisine is led by executive chef Dario Nencioni, originally from Siena, Tuscany, who comes to Luna Lu with 15 years of experience, most recently at The Commissary by Ormeggio in Mosman.
Darío spoke to FEMAIL about his respect for the “traditional flavors” of Asian cuisine while “artfully infusing them with elements of his Italian heritage.”
A luxurious Asian fusion restaurant located in Circular Quay, Sydney, offering innovative and modern fine dining in a “very Sydney setting”.
Luna Lu, winner of the Australian Good Food Guide (2024 and 2023), is tucked away in beautiful Campbells Cove and serves large and small plates, brightly colored dim sum and signature Peking duck to guests.
Nencioni hopes diners will appreciate the “beautiful balance” he and his team try to achieve between Asian flavors and surprising new twists so people get “the best of the Eastern and Western world.”
“This merger creates a unique offering that surprises our guests and has earned us a chef’s hat,” he said.
The executive chef goes to great lengths to ensure “fresh, locally sourced Australian ingredients” are used to “elevate the entire dining experience”.
The five main dishes at Luna Lu are the “very popular” seafood confit rice, the full range of dim sum ($20-$25), Luna-style Peking duck ($58), glacier toothfish 51 ($60) and edamame fried rice ($18). ).
Nencioni’s personal favorites are the Hiramasa kingfish mosaic ($33) and the ‘elegant flavours’ of wok-fried wagyu beef egg noodles ($62).
Views of the harbor and opera house provide a spectacular backdrop for masterful and “exquisite” Asian dishes.
Enjoy stunning toothfish and eat under the stars in Luna Lu’s private dining room
The meatballs are something else, each bite is made daily with natural fruit and vegetable purees.
This results in brightly colored bags that contain elegant flavor combinations, making them as “captivating to the eye as they are delicious to the palate.”
Meatballs are so appealing in part because of the wonderful sauces that accompany them. Nencioni’s homemade sauce is prepared with brown sugar, soy sauce and a little ginger for extra spiciness.
The dumplings, which come with two generous vegan options, are delicious and shareable.
Canton-style salmon ($65) is one of the popular dishes.
Dumplings are made fresh daily with natural fruit and vegetable purees.
The prawn toast ($26), which also comes in a gluten-free version, is a standout item on the menu and one of the most talked about on social media.
‘Our prawn toast is incredibly popular for a number of reasons. First of all, it is made fresh every day, which guarantees the highest quality and the best flavor,” said Darío.
‘What really sets our prawn toast apart is the accompaniment of our beet mayonnaise. This vibrant pink condiment not only adds a unique and delicious flavor, but also enhances the visual appeal of the dish, making it as delicious to the eye as it is to the palate.”
It’s not just about the food, though: mixologist Kenny Le has designed a “rich tapestry of drinks” that pairs perfectly with the dishes.
Along with the usual wines one would expect at any fine dining experience, Luna Lu also features Chinese yellow wine and Baijiu, a Chinese liquor to be enjoyed in “small sips to start a conversation and spark ideas while enjoying a good meal.”
Luna Lu is open for lunch and dinner throughout the week.