Australasia Restaurant And Bar

Mostly lovely food, 2 small dishes were cold but they were taken off the bill. Table service was fantastic however the food service was very slow and as we were reminded 4 times that our table would be required back at 7.45 we felt under pressure to eat quick and get out. Our entree didn’t arrive till 7 so we couldn’t relax and kept checking our watches. As it happens when it came to 8pm the restaurant was half empty which was rather disappointing. Our bill was £150 for 2 so to be rushed around was not really acceptable. Waiting Staff were excellent.

First visit, really impressed! We had a fabulous server - I think her name was Camillia who was warm and friendly (and so were other members of staff).

We had sashimi, scallops and octopus to start - we loved each dish! Then we shared the rib and fillet beef - very tender and fall off the bone. Finished with the soufflé and cheesecake - we enjoyed it all and I mentioned in passing it was my partners birthday, they brought out an extra icecream with Happy Birthday on which was a lovely touch!

I really liked the place although I didn't do a reservation but they let me seated. The staff were very friendly and the food is damn good! Tasty and has a very nice spices. I had several Asian dishes and a fillet. Everything was good and OISHIIIIII DELICIOUS 😍
Worth every penny💸

Had read about it in the top 10 must eat at places in Manchester. Was not too far from my hotel and decided to put this place to test.
Dinner Reservation - Friday night - done a day earlier - no fuss no problem. Kids in tow - no problem either. (But do check age policy. Both my kids over 12).
Entry is through a glass pyramid on the street - located right next to a very swish Armani Exchange. Walking down the stairs and the electric buzz hits you. White dominates and earthy shades accentuate the rustic class. It has a compact lounge on the left as you enter; tables and PDRs in the middle and an open kitchen to the far right. So full marks for creating the right ambience - now to the food.
Sushi, Sashimi, Tempuras, Skewers, Oysters form the core of the small eats with a decent number of veg dishes as well. The big plate menu is limited but has a number of side dishes to make a meal around it. Nice drinks menu with refreshing cocktails.
Ordered the oysters; prawn and squid temuras; chicken skewers and the scallops to start. Except for the teriyaki chicken skewers that were overdone all the others were nice with the scallops comming out as a clear winner.
It was followed by grilled monk fish accompanied by coconut rice, bakchoi and chips. All nice. The brown sugar parfait that followed the star.
Service - super efficient by a friendly crew that could have worked at Abercombie (in terms of looks).
So why a 4.0? At a price point of GBP 40+pp the expectation from food is much higher; at least from my point of view. The food was nice but failed to blow my mind as a culinary experience.

I was here about 3 years ago and i didn't forgot the experience! It was an amazing new year eve! The staff was so nice to us! The food oh my god, it was the best dinner I ever had in my life!! Australasia is definitely a 5* restaurant!!

As the name of the restaurant suggests, Australasia Restaurant in Manchester serves Modern Australian cuisine, drawing its inspiration from not only Australia but also the Pacific Rim by incorporating a mixture of influences from Indonesia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The entrance to Australasia is an impressive glass shaped pyramid, through which is a staircase that leads down into the glamorous beige dining room. It’s a beautiful space and reminiscent of a well-appointed Hampton’s beach house on Long Island, New York, or as this is ‘Australasia’, a house on the northern beaches of Sydney.

Australasia embraces a ‘tapas’ style philosophy, with the menu offering a large number of sharing options ranging from sushi and sashimi, tempura, robata grills and other small plates. Also available are larger main plates for those diners who wish to follow a standard three-course format.

We shared everything, starting with a soft shell crab and courgette flower tempura (£12.50) that was really tasty. The tempura was well seasoned with a batter that was lovely and light. Both the crab and courgettes were nicely cooked with the crab proving to be fleshy and moist.

A California roll (small - £10, large £19) contained a colourful collection of six different types of futomaki rolls. There was watermelon with feta which was refreshing and delicious and smoked duck with cucumber that could have been smokier in flavour. Also on the plate were some seafood options including tempura prawn with goat’s cheese, a combination that worked well, tuna with mango which on first inspection might have seemed odd but strangely worked, and a lovely pairing of salmon with squid ink rice. There was also a vegetarian piece contained a crunchy selection of vegetables and was fragrant from the use of dill. The rice was a little wet, but in all the futomaki was really good. Of note was the wasabi which came to the table whole and was freshly grated then and there.

Hand dived scallops (£12.50) were plump and juicy and nicely seared with a chilli caramel. Accompanying the scallops was a fabulous pork belly which was tender and intense with flavour. We really enjoyed this dish, especially as the pork belly really worked with the scallops.

Black cod roasted in hoba leaf (£22.50) with miso sauce offered a beautifully cooked piece of fish that flaked wonderfully and was velvety smooth in texture. The accompanying miso sauce was decent in flavour but was slightly runny. A little thicker, and this dish would have been perfect.  

We continued our journey of Australasia with some meats. First was an Australian wagyu beef (£60) that was superbly tasty and unctuous from the flavour of the fat that ran through it.  Also on the theme of beef, some sliced fillet (£22.50) from the robata grill with with sesame, sweet soy and red chilli faired less well. It was somewhat disappointing as it was slightly chewy and a little overcooked.

To balance out our meat choices we opted for a variety of vegetarian sides, all of which were nicely done.  Roasted aubergine with miso mustard (£5) was soft and flavoursome, robata grilled asparagus with sweet sesame oil (£6.50) was cooked such that they still held onto some bite, and a sweet potato and rosemary mash (£4.50) was creamy and smooth with a pleasant sweetness to it.

To perhaps the favourite part of the meal – desserts. We tried a ginger and green tea cheesecake (£7.50) which was light, prettily presented and skillfully constructed. It was tasty, but I would have liked a stronger tea flavour for a more robust sensation on the palate.

A chocolate soufflé (£7.50) with raspberry sorbet and a chocolate sauce was delectable. The soufflé was soft and gooey with a decadent chocolate flavour. It was neither too sweet nor too eggy, and the accompanying acidity and fruitiness coming through from the sorbet provided a nice counterpoint to the richness of the chocolate.

Australasia is one of the preeminent destination restaurants in Manchester and deservedly so. It dishes up not only an eclectic menu but also a glamorous, yet unpretentious vibe. I loved the beautiful décor at Australasia, the attentive service and very enjoyable food. With so many little tasting plates, prices can add up. But I’d thoroughly recommend the Australasian experience.

Awesome!. Once of the best dining experiences I've had in my life. Everything on the menu is to die for, wait staff were friendly and service was quick. Will be back sometime in the near future!

Visited a couple of times now - it’s still a popular and smart looking place even after being open for the best part of 15 years. Good mix of sushi / sashimi, small plates and main courses. Portions aren’t huge (some are genuinely tiny like the beef) but the sushi platters are good value. Desserts are nice, portions are huge but very sweet. The prices aren’t crazy considering it’s still quite an upmarket place. Staff are generally pretty good.

First time trying here and came for my birthday it was amazing! The food was so delicious, we got small plates and shared, the staff and service was amazing, so friendly, told us about the menu and as it was my birthday have a complimentary happy birthday plate with a small macaroon on. The night we went there was also a live violinist, we absolutely loved it here from the food, service and atmosphere and would definitely come back, a must see if you come to Manchester!

The service was excellent and the food is great. The ambience was great and the architecture of the restaurant is superb. Keep up the good work.

Lovely place, very well decorated and they have created a really lovely vibe. Unfortunately had to wait an hour for our table, luckily there was a bar area to sit in, but this did mean we weren't eating till 10ish when our booking was at 8:30. Some complimentary drinks would have made this better. Food was amazing and our service (judah) was great and made up for the wait on table.

Just fabulous! Decent menu, service is great as staff really take an interest in ensuring you have a good time, love coming here for birthday celebrations with family & friends.