food was good but the prices were abit to high for what it was nothing golden about the fries i got

With January offer of 50% off it would be rude not to give a try to Australasia! Very swanky building and elegant interior certainly make it look very upmarket! We decided to go with small plates - and I have to say quite enjoy those! The food was very well presented and sent to us in two "waves". We also tried sharing plate for desserts - those very nice but some are better than others - my favourite was crème brûlée! The service is on the slower side, but not critically. I enjoyed our visit very much! read more

See all

My friend and I chanced across Australasia when we were taking a taxi to the Spinningfields area. I had seen some excellent reviews of the venue on Yelp, and knew I wanted to check it out. They have a really nice-looking outdoor patio, but it was so hot in the sunshine that we opted to sit inside instead. The waitress took our drinks orders right away, and gave us menus to look at while we waited for our cocktails. When she returned we asked for some recommendations, and everything she suggested turned out to be spot-on. We ordered scallops, grilled oysters, steak teriyaki skewers, and the sea bass. All of the dishes were exceptional, but the sea bass was simply out-of-this World wonderful! To cap things off, we shared a passion fruit cake for dessert. It was the perfect finish to an incredible meal. Bottom line: Excellent, friendly service, exceptional food and some truly great ambiance make this place a total five-star destination. Highly recommended! read more

Australasia - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

See all

Great service, beautiful interior. I went in the late afternoon and it was very quiet. Staff was very attentive and latte was served extremely hot which I love. mango soufflé tasted artificial but texture was perfect, hot and fluffy. Coconut ice cream had very subtle flavor so it was a bit disappointing. Overall, not bad. read more

Australasia - Restaurant interior - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

See all

We absolutely loved this place. It was gorgeous, the food was gorgeous and absolutely phenomenal. We had a flight and it did not disappoint. This is a stop you must try!!! read more

I was lucky enough to be taken to Australasia for my Birthday last week and I must say, what a fabulous place! After being on my list a while, I was very excited to dine here. We arrived a little early and I was treated to a glass of champagne in the bar area - Neil C. really went all out. The bar area is small but has plenty of seats. Some comfy booths and some high tables and chairs, plus some seats at the bar. For a Tuesday evening at 7pm it was quite busy with after-work drinks which made the atmosphere nice and lively. The hostess then came over to show us to our table. The restaurant is lovely. Dim lighting added a nice romantic mood and the seating was cushioned and comfy - very relaxing. The waiter passed the iPad wine list to Neil C. who selected a fine bottle of red and handed it back to the waiter - very swish indeed. We ordered a mixed selection of 6 Californian rolls as a starter. These were all outstanding. A mixture of their Spider roll, Prawn, avocado and goat's cheese Californian rolls and also the Salmon in 'black' rice and Smoked duck roll - I could have eaten these all day. Next we decided to order 6 small plates from their main menu and share each dish. Firstly was the Soft shell crab and chilli seasoned courgette flowers. This was good, although the crab was overpowered by the tempura which made it feel like you were eating crab flavoured crisps, rather than crab itself, but still lovely. Next was Szechuan salt and pepper beef skewers which were tender, juicy and so incredibly tasty - they just fell apart in your mouth. Wow. The same can be said for the BBQ lamb cutlets with soured cabbage that we also ordered. So succulent and pink! The Black cod roasted in hoba leaf was Neil C.'s choice after hearing amazing things about it from a few others. It was good! A small to medium piece of cod that was expertly cooked and had a brilliant flavour. Whether it was worth £22.50 though, was another story. We ordered Asparagus glazed with sweet sesame oil too which was a nice accompaniment to the meat. The stand out dish for me was the hand dived scallops with belly pork, chilli caramel and cucumber pickle. Beautifully presented and the flavours just went crazy in your mouth - big fan of this dish! Overall the food and service here was incredible. It most definitely lived up to my high expectations! I just need another special occasion such as a Birthday or anniversary to go back here *hint* read more

See all

My Mum brought me here for my birthday...what a treat! I absolutely loved it! The exterior glass pyramid is intriguing and the interior is modern, elegant and inviting. Our waitress was one of the best I've ever had, with a understated confidence, knowledge in the menu, and good recommendations. She recommended the Cuvee Chardonnay 'Crooked Mick' The Spee'Wah, which is very similar to prosecco, and 3 or 4 tapas-style dishes each off the lunch menu. To start, I ordered Red fish curry with sticky jasmine rice and sticky pork with Vietnamese salad and smashed peanuts. The sticky pork was fantastic; the pork belly just melted in my mouth and the sweetness was just right. For mains I had 28-day aged British rib-eye steak, grilled on the robata, with seasoned rough cut chips. These were seasoned and cooked perfectly...who knew chips could taste this good? In hindsight, I probably should have stuck with the waitress' recommendation, because I ate way too much! I normally don't have dessert...let's face it, gluten and dairy free desserts in restaurants are usually pretty grim, a fruit salad or sorbet, but the waitress brought over the dessert menus. As I was 21 again (ahem) I was very naughty and ordered the chocolate dome with peanut, salted caramel and blackberries. The waitress brought it with a candle and 'happy birthday' written in chocolate sauce on the plate - a nice touch. She then poured warm salted caramel on the dome and melted it...to reveal the peanut ice cream inside :) My Mum ate most of it, but what I tried was fantastic Am I going to come here again? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! read more

See all

Very very good, worth a trip but not the same as travelling the Pacific itself I had heard mixed things about this place, so I was very keen to try it out when Johnny and Yelp Manchester invited me to a Yelp Yap here. And it was great. A muddle about the reservation was soon sorted and we started with watermelon water which was perfect on such a warm day. We were there for lunch so ordered the sharing plates which range across China, Japan, Australia and everywhere in-between: three or four each is about right, given the choices available and the good sizes of each dish. We also had one mixed sushi and one nigiri platter, which helped to fill up any holes that were left. I wasn't drinking but others in my party had the lychee martini and the lychee Long Island iced tea, both of which were refreshing and novel; you might forget that you're drinking alcohol, if you're not careful! I will be back; it's definitely somewhere to impress visitors but also good for larger groups. I saw private rooms too so it's probably worth looking at this place as a venue for special occasions, if the menu, the drinks and the service were anything to judge. read more

See all

Australasia is a treat. It's somewhere we save for an occasional visit, which given that the food falls on the pricey side is no bad thing. It's true that you get what you pay for, a meal for two with drinks will set you back something in the region of £80-100, but we do keep returning so Living Ventures have got to be doing something right! Until Aiden Byrne's House became the jewel in Living Ventures' Manchester dining crown, that honour fell to Australasia and it shows. The enticing glass entrance, the only part of the restaurant visible above ground, gives the place an air of mystery. You descend the stairs, revealing the view of the restaurant space from above and arrive at the reception desk, staffed by the usual LV type - attractive young ladies, dressed to impress. They'll take your coat and from here the venue splits into two. To the left is the bar area where there are plenty of creative cocktails to enjoy. On the most recent visit, I opted for a pineapple & coconut mojito. As with all the best long drinking cocktails, the alcohol was almost undetectable and the drink was all about the flavours. Mrs. F, designated driver for the evening, ordered a watermelon lemonade from the reasonably sized alcohol-free selection. This wasn't the first time - it's one of her favourites. There would be nothing wrong with a visit to Australasia for cocktails without food. We'd finished our cocktails slightly before the time we'd booked a table, but when we arrived the hostess had said that if we wanted to sit a little early it wouldn't be a problem. Indeed, arriving at 6 o'clock on a January Tuesday the restaurant was looking rather empty. The bar area became busier as we sat, but the place is well designed and didn't feel uncomfortable when it was just us and one other man sitting at the bar, as it turns out waiting for his friends to arrive. Heading back to the reception, we were seated straight away and the restaurant was starting to fill up. After being asked if we'd been before, we were left with menus and the well executed iPad wine list. The service is deliberately casual; your waiter will crouch on the floor or sit at a seat next to you to take your order. Given the South Pacific ambiance this doesn't feel at all inappropriate and the waiting staff pace everything just right. The menu consists mainly of sushi and small plates, ideally ordered 2 or 3 per person and shared. There are a few "big plates" and a "premium steak" section but we've never ordered from that. Here comes my only real criticism of one of our favourite Manchester restaurants - the menu doesn't change as often as it could. I'm looking online at the menu we dined from and it's called "June Menu". Another reason not to return too often, perhaps. We shared a couple of sushi options (asparagus, carrot and sisho leaf California roll, and spicy salmon and tuna gunkan) which were well executed and come with freshly grated at the table wasabi. We also had the vegetables on sticks tempura, entertainingly presented with the sticks pointing up from a pot of (raw) rice - I really should have taken a picture - accompanied by a sweet and delicate dipping sauce. Japanese curried korokke is another favourite, along with the pork wontons. I heartily recommend the Szechuan salt and pepper beef skewers, although on this occasion I went for the ginger and lemongrass chicken skewers which had an unexpected peanuty, satay flavour. As we dined the restaurant continued filling and was almost full when we left, not bad for a cold Tuesday in January. The clientele was notably more mature and the restaurant a touch quieter than at a weekend, when you'll need to book a few weeks in advance to secure a reservation. Australasia remains a place to be seen and one of Manchester's best restaurants, 5 years after it opened marking new ambition for Living Ventures. read more

Australasia - Pork wontons, lovely! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

See all

Australasia is a gorgeous restaurant, and the food is just as good. Its location is great, and the way that you have to go downstairs and see the beauty of the place really is something. We were taken to out table, which was rather big and had what seemed like a sofa either side of the table. Very comfortable and nice atmosphere. The service was great, but we did have to wait a while for someone to take drinks order, and once we had they took a good 5 minutes to come. Then after another 5-10 minutes our order was taken. We ordered several items as we hadn't been before, and wanted to try different things. The starters came first, with the Sashimi and California rolls coming out first. The Sashimi was the best I've ever had, but there simply wasn't enough of it to warrant the price paid. The California rolls were delightful, some of the best sushi i have ever had. Then came the Tempura veg, and tempura prawns. They were amazing. I was reluctant to order the tempura veg, but let me tell you its one of the best things on the menu, and undoubtedly a hidden gem. The prawns were fantastic, but i was blown away by the veg. After that, the Beef skewers and Chicken satay skewers arrived. The chicken was very nice, but i have to say the Beef was fantastic. I have salt and pepper beef all the time, but this was the best I've ever had. I could tell the beef was a very good piece of meat, and the flavouring was perfect. We didn't order main courses as such, but we each got a salad each. We chose the Crispy Beef salad. one word, WOW! The best thing I've eaten in a long time, even by this places standards, this was a home run. The beef was perfect! Crunchy, chewy and sticky, out of this world! I would highly recommend this dish. I will definitely be going back here, easily one of the best restaurants in Manchester. read more

See all

I'd been very interested to try Australasia for a while so was thrilled to have the opportunity through the Yap on Yelp series. This restaurant is well known as being the most delightful basement in Manchester and it really is impressive how you almost feel like you're outside. I would really like to sit in one of the gazebo type booths. Food wise we got to try lots of different things which highlighted the strength, variety, and originality of the menu across the board. The only underwhelming dish was the Collingwood Dinkies (little Australian pies). The other dishes had a great fresh and often complex range of flavour. The sushi was about the best you will get in Manchester. The hand rolls deserve a special mention. Not all of the dishes are suitable for sharing for more than 2 (or even more than 1, in the case of the broth), so maybe ask for advice on that. Presentation of all the dishes I thought was beautiful. In general you can see there's a lot of effort and skill going on in the kitchens here. The pricing of the lunch menu is utterly wack. Why would it be 2 for £12, 3 for £16 and 4 for £21? Service was a bit patchy, apparently someone was audibly being trained at our table which was a bit weird. I wasn't quite ready to order a drink when they came round for refills and asked for the wine menu, this never appeared and neither did the extra water we ordered which meant I was pretty thirsty for about 40 minutes which made the food less enjoyable, especially the saltier dishes (nothing was overly salty though). read more

This is a place that can easily swing both ways..in terms of reviews. It really does depend what you get . Stepping down from the glass pyramid outside Armani led me to a very posh interior. .laden with business men enjoying their luxurious lunch. At the back was a deserted polished bar..adjacent to this lay a stand where a receptionist stood in her finery. We asked for a table for two, in which we were led to a leather comfy booth surrounded by plantation. The same receptionist soon rejoined us with an ipad to select our drinks. I personally did not see the point of this especially when it kept freezing. .i ended up choosing a cocktail with star anise which tasted like expensive cough syrup. Two menus were later handed to us. One a "tapas style collection with three plates for £16 or the proper menu with a variety of steaks, sushi, Thai food etc. But I did not take much notice of this and went for the tapasy selection with tuna sashimi to share. For my three I chose the mussels in a green Thai broth , a selection of mixed maki rolls and a red Thai fish curry. Himself (not being a fan of Thai food ) had the meat pies , pork medallions and maki. When the sashimi arrived I was happy, the colour was a beautiful red and the maki had arrived alongside it. A waitress asked if we wanted wasabi, in which she started to grind some in a bowl. I thought this was a nice touch. . The mussels arrived nice and steaming in their fragrant broth..this was very tasty and so was the red Thai fish curry.. the presentation was also excellent. By this point I was happily full. But I think the menu had been less transparent for my other half. When he had ordered the pork. .he did not expect it to be seasoned in Thai spices encased in breadcrumb. The pies he ordered were also small and some contained seafood which he was not keen. After asking for the bill I noticed how the denim clad waitress informed the receptionist. I did not like this clear divide..why did the servers have to wear denim and the receptionists wear black fancy frocks? When the card machine was handed by the woman in black I luckily mistyped my pin. ..they almost charged me £211! When in fact it should have been £60.. There was no apology. . Overall this is a airy fairy place, in which I could not afford to dine for lunch everyday like some business people. I enjoyed what I had and the service was attentive. If I came here again I would probably try something from the main menu. .I just felt sorry for my other half who went home hungry . read more

See all

I had been dying to go here for ages but if you want to dine in Australasia on a Friday or Saturday night, you're looking at booking over a month in advance!! Crazy! Finally my American friend decided to book a ticket to Manchester so I made a reservation in advance on their website- even a few weeks in advance I could only get 9.15pm. The restaurant itself is hidden away under the glass 'Louvre' style pyramid on Spinningfields. Not many people seem to realise there's actually something under there! We were actually running a tad late because we were enjoying cocktails at Cloud 23 in the Hilton but I rang ahead and they shifted our reservation to 9.30. I love the decor of the restaurant, very light and beige, which makes a change from the usual dark interiors. It's gorgeous. We ordered a drink at the bar first, my friend had a glass of prosecco while I had the Rose and Lychee martini. The DJ booth is really cool- hard to describe but it's like something out of the future! The menu has various small plates and then a few bigger main meals. I'd recommend getting the small plates and having around 4 per person. I'm a huge fish/sushi fan so ordered the Spider Roll, the Tuna Tartare, the octopus, squid tempura and the Tasmanian kingfish nigiri- all outstanding! My friend had the soft shelled crab and some edamame (she wasn't feeling too hungry). Would love to try some of their meat dishes from the robata grill- a great excuse to go back! Service was excellent- I wanted another cocktail so the waiter came around with an iPad displaying the menu. Went for the Lychee Lemonade, which was just too sweet for my liking. All in all a trendy place to start your night before going out into town, but will definitely go back for special occasions! read more

See all

I really enjoyed it here. I'm not sure it'll be my thing in the evening but its lovely for lunch. Lots of little dishes so you can try loads and hand rolls, I love hand rolls. Whizzy drinks menus on i pads, the drinks menu is good but I can see I would find it hard to use after a few glasses of there lovely wine. All in all far to trandy for me but might be just right for you. Nice loos too. read more

Australasia - I love hand rolls. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

We popped to Australasia for lunch a few weeks ago and although it wasn't a bad experience at all, it wasn't something that blew me away like I was expecting. Ok so I love the decor and the way the restaurant is structured - 100% for that (plus I eventually got to walk underground through the big OZ glass entrance that I've wanted to venture into since we arrived in Manchester...) - but the food was the bit that I felt let the place down, especially for the price! The sushi was probably the highlight in that there was great sashimi and some lovely colourful decorations, but a number of the picky lunch items that I had just seemed bland and lacking in anything massively exciting. I did really enjoy their watermelon water though - nice work on this! Overall ok and I would be interested in trying their evening meal but with prices this high and nothing massively wowing, there's a lot of other places around that I'd probably prefer to go to based on lunch. read more

See all

After moving to Manchester last January it was time to treat the parents to a nice meal to say thank you for helping move me into my new apartment. As I walked past the intriguing glass triangular doorway on my way to work (and the raving reviews from my colleagues) I knew it was going to do the trick! Given at that point I barely knew my way around Manchester I at the very least could direct us in the pouring rain to the cool atmosphere of Australasia. We were slightly early for our booking however we were shown to a cozy booth in the bar and table service for our drinks. With such a relaxed atmosphere and after taking our surroundings in (the DJ Booth is something to commend!) we were escorted to our table - with the waitress offering to take our drinks. Slightly disappointed that we didn't get one of the nice booths in the restaurant area we did have ample space on a table with comfy seats. The only criticism I would make is that we were slightly far across the table from one another - although (dare I say it) that could be to do with my Dad's hearing... We were then introduced to a waiter who talked us through the menu with suggestions on whether to go for big or small plates to get a real range of dishes for us all to try! As we'd been carrying boxes up to the 13 floor earlier in the day we were starving so needless to say we may have went slightly overboard on the amount we ordered! On recommendation we opted for some smoked eel - with the waiter saying he would pay if we didn't enjoy it! Nice touch and luckily for him I was surprised by how tasty it was!! We followed the sushi and eel with some of the bigger plates; I went for the lamb that was perfectly tender and my parents went for the seabass which was served with 5* presentation on a banana leaf. With a bottle of prosecco still underway it was hard to say no when looking at the dessert menu and two of us decided to jump in and ordered the ice cream and chocolate soufflé. We weren't disappointed - the soufflé was light and served hot. The chocolate sauce was presented in a glass teapot matching the contemporary feel and style that is seen throughout the restaurant! Definitely a 5* experience to celebrate an occasion or just for that special treat, no doubt I will be back in the future! Thanks to the great staff for making our nice so tranquil! read more

See all

This place is sooo good I cannot describe! I just say go there and have a food experience! 10 out of 10! Our table manager Greg did an extra ordinary job! Really it is so simple to give good service, but it is not often you get it. ( I used to be a waiter in my youth) The entrance look a bit akward, but be prepared for a surprise!! read more

See all

I have been wanting to visit Australasia for awhile. Ever since the arrived in Manchester and with the entrance near the front of Spinningfields and the interesting triangle glass entrance going down some stairs. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Yap of Yelp event here. When we all sat down, we were given different menus and explained how it all works. Basically there is the food menu, drinks menu and then separate to this was cocktail menu which was on an iPad. It seems a little over complicated having so many different menus on different 'devices'. However, I can kind of see why the cocktail menu was on an iPad as it allows up to find the drink you went based on the main alcohol etc. While we were looking through the menu, we ordered some watermelon infused water for the table. I am actually not really a fan of watermelon but have never "drank it" - it tasted ok but thats just a personal thing since not really into watermelon. For the food, we ordered one mixed sushi and one nigiri platter to share between all of us. For the main, we ordered each item from the lunch menu and this was shared between the 8 of us. Some of the food wasn't as sharable and it would have been nice (since they knew we were sharing) was to maybe cut up into smaller portions some of the dishes. All the food I tried tasted lovely - I really liked the sushi, the teriyaki beef and the tempura. Didn't get to try the broth as it wasn't really a sharable sort of dish. As mentioned by Natalie, the pricing was a bit odd for the lunch menu. Usually when you order more of something you save money. But here its 2 for £12, 3 for £16, 4 for £21?? read more

See all

Absolutely amazing! This place easily became my fave restaurant in Manchester. The decor is awesome. The brick wall compliments the trendy decoration that set the ambience. The food compliments the trendy atmosphere. They serve Asian-western fusion dishes. It offers various types of small and large dishes. We ordered several dishes and shared it. Sushi- we ordered several types of nagiri that comes into 4 pieces. We got salmon, eel, and soft shell crab. The sushi were fresh and decent. Each nagiri was £8-£9. Small plates- they offers various small dishes. The prices varied from £10-£25. We ended up ordering a couple: Duck Thai salad- the salad had generous serving of duck with various vegetables such as bean sprouts, carrots, green onion. The dish was flavourful and the duck made it filling. Scallops, pork and apples- this was an amazing dish! The scallops were well cooked, plumped juice and seasoned well. The sauce that accompanied the dish was amazingly made and elevated the flavour of the dish. I can eat this all day, seriously. Asparagus tempura with truffle sauce- this is another dish that I can eat all day. The tempura asparagus was well cooked and was complimented amazingly with the truffle based sauce. Well seasoned and creative dish that is full of flavour and texture. beef with soy and sesame- Another amazing dish! We ordered it medium rare and that's what we got. The sauce went well with the steak. The dish went well with the sticky rice and completed the dish since the sauce is rich with flavour. The only complaint about this dish is its size. But all amazing things always come in small portions, ha! Desserts- their desserts are top notch! They are about £8 a piece. We got the mango brûlée, chocolate brûlée and the amazing chocolate dome! The chocolate some is filled with peanut butter. The dome opens up when a warm caramel syrup ( probably made from condense milk) is poured over it. This sexy dessert is rich and decadent. The mango brûlée is equally amazing in its own right. They captured the intense flavour of mangoes with the delicateness of the brûlée. The chocolate brûlée was good, but there wasn't anything special about it. The staff were all amazing. Attendant, quick and knowledgeable. Overall, this trendy restaurant is on point. The decor, music, wine, food, and service are all well thought of that sets it a part from others. It's pricey, but it's well worth it on special occasions. read more

See all

Gorgeous interior, Great staff and really lovely fresh interesting food . Slightly pricey but afternoon lunch menu an excellent way to sample this divine underground restaurant. A special occasion is really good celebrated here. The staff go out of their way to ensure the experience is enjoyed by all. Love it and can't wait to rave up and revisit again in August. read more

See all

I love Australasia for so many reasons! The main one is due to its stunning interior- the seating arrangements, decor and general ambiance is just lovely, and I always feel like I'm drinking/dining in a real premium place. For one of spinningfields finest establishments, I find it lives up to its reputation on each visit. I took my mum and sister here on a weekday to try out the lunch menu, which is a selection of Thai/Japanese style tapas dishes to share. Between 3 of us, we shared 8 dishes, along with a side order of chunky chips and asparagus. Some of the dishes included a Thai beef salad, salmon and beef sushi cones, fish curry and tuna sushi rolls. Whilst my mum wasn't too keen on the undercooked beef and tuna, as long as you like that type of sushi inspired meat/fish, you'll love it like i did. All the dishes have that Malay and Japanese kick to them, which I personally love. Service was exceptional too, but you do expect this for a slightly pricey restaurant. Great cocktail and wine list. I'd save this place for special occasions... read more

See all

Australasia is at the Deansgate end of Spinningfields, accessed via the door in the glass pyramid coming up out of the pavement near the John Rylands. This was out third visit, we'd been once last December, once in April and then on this occasion. There is a smallish bar at the front end then the main restaurant takes up the rest of the site. I've heard mixed things from other people but this is one of my favourite restaurants in Manchester. The cocktail menu is great, the staff are fantastic, the interior is perfect, the food is amazing and the attention to detail is leagues ahead of anywhere else. I'd requested a good table for the Mr's bday when I booked online, although I haven't really spotted any tables I would consider bad in there. We were given a lovely secluded booth that made us feel like the only two people in there. The waiter was great as usual, helpful, friendly and never crowding us but always there if we needed him. My favourite thing on the menu is the popcorn tempura and we ordered this while we were choosing our other dishes. There is a grazing style menu of small/medium plate options that we always go for and they staggered them perfectly, bringing out ones that matched at the same time creating several courses almost. The desserts were also spot on, as usual. Can't fault the whole experience. I always think of it as an expensive treat but really, considering the quality and how much we ordered, the bill was reasonable I felt. Great atmposhere, great drinks, great food, great service. read more

One of my reasons for moving to Manchester was this restaurant. I have eaten here on a few occasions and always leave with a very big smile on my face. Yes, it is slightly pretentious and some of the clientele come here purely to be seen - but if you ignore that and focus on the quality of the food then you will be a happy bunny. The menu is Australian/Asian/British fusion, which sounds odd but works ridiculously well. Every time I have eaten here we have selected a few small dishes to share - that way you get a taste of all the good stuff. The sashimi and various types of sushi are fresh, beautifully presented and absolutely delicious, and I also highly recommend the seared teriyaki beef (although the first time I had it it was chewy, the second time it was tender and moreish). Just pick what takes your fancy and I promise you will be excited. The dishes are small but five plates between two is usually sufficient. Besides, you MUST leave room for dessert. My first visit to Australasia resulted in me eating one of the best desserts of my life. Sadly, it is no longer on the menu but the chocolate soufflé, served with hot chocolate sauce and raspberry sorbet is a close runner up. Every piece of food that comes out of the kitchen looks beautiful, has unique flavour combinations and is made from top quality ingredients. You can taste the skill of the chefs. Seriously good. The staff are friendly although the last two times I have been here the service has been a bit lax. There is a slight air of arrogance in the place but again - ignore it and you'll have a good time. Oh and check out the toilets - my fellow Australians will appreciate the 'dunny' theme. read more

TUNA SASHIMI I found it. The holy grail. Australasia's sashimi is perfect and delicious and melts in your mouth. Mind, it is served on a ridiculously pompous bowl of ice but this can be excused. And the cocktails were wonderful and inventive. However, the dining experience was intimidating. I had my anniversary dinner here and we got dressed up very smartly because it's a 'nice' and expen$ive place. But we were so over dressed it was almost embarrassing. The clientele were all in casual wear: jeans and t-shirts (which is normally fine by me) but very expensive jeans and t-shirts. Walking down the stairs into the restaurant is like entering the secret bunker of Manchester's wealthiest. The menu is expansive and took a long time to sort through. We ended up picking several small Japanese style dishes to share, some far better than others. The wine list is on an iPad, which was fun but so unnecessary. Plus, our dessert (one chocolate souffle) took 45 minutes to get to our table. Luckily that got comped. The decor summed it up for me: sublime, impeccable and exciting but uncomfortable. (And you can hear everyone's conversations. So awkward.) This restaurant has the looks and the food to make it THE BEST but left me lukewarm. I will definitely return someday, because the food and cocktails are some of the best I've had in Manchester. But I'll remember to wear jeans and put on my best elitist airs so that I won't repeat the faux pas of asking the waitress, "Are you really going to leave that iPad on the table with us?!" PS- If you're a big steak fan, this seems to be the place to go. Everywhere I looked, people were tucking into the Premium Steak with a beetroot coleslaw and homemade chips. read more

Too bad I didn't get to actually eat here as I was excited about it. We went in on Monday at 5 - before the big food rush. The place was fairly empty with only four tables occupied, several people ate the hostess stand and a couple of servers milling around. After 20 minutes of waiting at our table without even a hello or eye contact, we left. They obviously didn't want us in their restaurant. As we were dressed fairly nice it wasn't that we were underdressed so the only thing I can think of is they probably didn't like seeing either an ethnic person (ironic since I'm Asian, just dark skinned) or an interracial couple. As Manchester isn't a food hub Australasia should leave their prejudices and attitude at the door. They're not going to get to the top with their snobby attitude. read more

Probably the best meal I have had in the past year. There are one or two issues, but the food and service make up for these, although my biggest bug has meant I have knocked a star off in my head even if I have not in the review. The staff were lovely and we were sat right next to the kitchen, which I quite like as you get to see any number of dishes pass that you have not ordered yourself, but it gives you an idea of what choices there are. We were sat on a couple of sofa's I can imagine that they would be really quite uncomfortable for four people, but for the two of us they seemed to work. They do that annoying thing of giving you an iPad in order to look at the wine list, it bugs me, I know it is a small gripe but just have a decent printed wine list, an iPad is a pointless exercise in showing off that you can use technology for something very pointless, especially as the iPad does not enable you to order what you want, and quite frankly if i have questions that is why you have a sommelier in the first place. Also I spend all day looking at a screen I don't want one over dinner too. The Food: We went with the option of small plates to share and I am very happy we did this, as the food was sublime first we shared the platter of 12 Californian rolls of the 12 the ones worth mention were the prawn and asparagus roll, salmon roll with masago and cucumber roll and the star for me was the spider crab roll. We also had the tempura asparagus and French beans with truffle which was a delicious surprise for us, as was the grilled seabass fillet with cucumber salsa and the pork wontons. We also shared two desserts the lychee and ginger panna cotta and the chocolate dome with peanut, salted caramel and blackberries of these the panna cotta was the star for me, it came with a sesame seed ice cream which worked so very well as a pairing, it really was stunning. I very much enjoyed the wine I had with the food too it was the Sauvignon Blanc 'Easy Tiger', Spy Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. It worked very well with all of the dishes. All in all the meal was excellent bar my biggest bug (see below) and my little gripe, I will be back if I get the chance the food was outstanding and the staff were professional although they all look like they need a good feed. Based on my other reviews I can't give this place less than five stars, but i think if you are aiming high, which to be fair Australasia is, you do need to get the little stuff right too. *My biggest bug... is that the bar and the restaurant seem to operate separately and seem to be unable to cope with adding drinks to a single bill, if you get this right life would be simpler and it is not too much to ask in my humble opinion. read more

THE POSTCARD LIFE recommends. We loved this place, of course we dint get a place to sit since it was absolutely packed- inside and outside but we dint mind it at all. It had a lovely vibe with its live music and someone also playing the bagpipes once in a while. They have really nice cocktails too Good crowd and a must go if you are in Spinningfields. read more

I'm trying to understand what all the fuss is about with this restaurant... After hearing loads of people talking about how much they loved Australasia I decided to book us in for dinner. I booked over a week in advance but could only manage to get 5.45pm Friday (the other option was to dine after 10pm). The vibe when you walk in is pretty lush, the decor is elegant and attractive hosts greet you as soon as get to the bottom of the stairs. I would have given a 5 star if we'd just gone for cocktails, we had amaretto inspired mojitos followed by mango & chilli margheritas which were lovely! The food however...it's not bad, but not great - which you would expect for the price you pay and all the hype around it. We went for a selection of small dishes and the only one that stood out was the tuna tartar - some of the sushi was OK but other items we ordered were a little tasteless. I don't know if I'd actually go back, it definitely wouldn't be my first choice for a sushi restaurant...I might go back there for a dressed up fancy living night out with the girls for a few cocktails...like I said it's quite a lush place so it has a certain doing very well for myself vibe. read more

By now everybody knows what and where Australasia is, and I think this is part of the problem - my expectations were too high. If I'd been anywhere else for this experience, I'd no doubt be writing to Yelp to demand a 6th star, but alas, being Australasia, and having the reputation it does as one of the most over-booked restaurants in the city, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, 90% of the experience was 5-star worthy and both my partner and I left having had a lovely evening, but it just wasn't enough. We arrived in time to have a quick drink at the small bar to the front of the restaurant. The cocktail menu was classic with an asian twist, and everything we tried was exceptional - I opted for a pear and ginger Bellini, whilst Victoria sampled the pineapple and coconut mojito. After moving to our table, the staff were extremely attentive, albeit lacking a little in menu knowledge (What's in the mixed sushi selection? A mix of sushi....). At first I was a little disappointed with the scruffiness of some of the male staff, but gradually I decided it brought a nice casual vibe to what could otherwise have been a little stuffy. Our meal was split into 3 waves. Starting with some of the best sushi I've had in a long time, we went on to tempura soft shelled crab and the BEST pork won tons I've ever put in my mouth. Following that came the 'main' courses, sharing lamb cutlets, salt and pepper beef skewers, a goats cheese and beetroot salad, and sweet potato mash. So what went wrong? Small things I guess, but enough to make me feel the whole thing has got a little lazy, and made me resent forking over £100 for dinner. Firstly, after all the hype and the deliciousness of the first two courses, I had big hopes and a bigger appetite for the meat to arrive. Sadly it really let me down. Two out of the three cutlets were very tender, but the 3rd was like chewing on an old boot. All of the beef skewers were just as tough, but to make it worse I would swear the beef smelt like old boots as well. There was no hint of salt or pepper, nor a salt and pepper taste. Despite making our server aware of this, the best she could offer was some advice to try the beef terriyaki next time, as 'a lot of people don't like the beef skewers'. Information that might have been more useful prior to ordering. Along with the disappointment of our final course, the staff bringing our food were all over the place. I was still savouring the final piece of sushi (ready to enjoy some pickled ginger) when the next plates showed up. The guy looked completely perplexed as to why our table was still full of plates, so we had to help him out by clearing our own plates so he could put down the new ones. Despite this mistake, he proceeded to do exactly the same thing with the next course. Bringing it far too quickly, and expecting us to clear one set of plates as he had his hands full with the next. I'm as happy as the next person to clear my own table in a fast food restaurant, but not when I'm paying as much for service as I am for the food. Making this error twice was too much for me. The other thing I can never understand about restaurants who recommend serving food 'tapas' style, is why can they not use plates of a suitable size to fit more than 2 on a table? It was a good meal, it just wasn't good enough for Australasia. read more

Whhhaaaat? Are you serious? Its amazing! People you need to check this place out! I love love love love it! Staff is brilliant! The barman came to me and gave me free shot was chatting with us) Amazing interior so different! Warm feel. Dj, perfect vibe! We are already planning our next trip to Manchester read more

It may be pricey but Australasia is well worth it. We started the night as a group of 6 in The Grand Pacific, which is the bar adjoined to Australasia. It has a great atmosphere, with outdoor heaters surrounded by green jungle you feel like you could be anywhere but Manchester (unless the sky decides to empty itself on you). We had a selection of fruity cocktails which went down well. We then made our way into the restaurant, using the iPad to select our chosen wine; narrowly avoiding the 1500 bottle which was on the menu. The place was packed, with attentive staff and timely food. We decided to opt for small places, the black cod and tempura prawns being the firm favourite. Loved it. read more

I enjoyed a beautiful dinner at Australasia on a Sunday evening. Booking in advance absolutely essential as the place is super-busy, and the door staff checked my name off a list before allowing me to descend via the intriguing glass pyramid into the subterranean restaurant. We were a little ahead of our booked time so went over to the bar for a drink, theres a good choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, my friend enjoyed a very tasty mocktail whilst we waited for our table. They didn't have any non alcoholic beers apart from ginger beer so I stuck with a diet coke as I was driving. We did notice that there were probably 50 customers in the bar area, and apart from ourselves, everyone was female (and under 40) ! Not a problem, but an interesting observation, I wonder if this is the result of some kind of door policy or just coincidence? Our table was ready exactly on the booked time, and we were shown to an elegant little table for 2 in the centre of the main dining hall. I couldn't help feeling a little envious of some of the larger groups who occupied some of the booths at the side which looked really cosy. The very friendly waiter was keen to explain how the menu works and to help with any suggestions. I had been studying the menu online beforehand (as I usually do before visiting an expensive restaurant) so knew what I was going to have. I ordered the satay chicken skewers for a starter and the roast lamb for mains with a side of 'rough cut chips'. My satay chicken skewers served with a little bowl of a warm peanut sauce were really heavenly. I'm not normally a fan of peanut flavoured items but the sauce was exquisitely balanced and paired with the chicken well. Mains soon arrived and the roast lamb was probably the nicest roast lamb I have ever tasted, it really melted in the mouth, the peas and goats cheese just added the perfect little extra. I was somewhat bemused by my 'rough cut chips' , I don't really get what was rough cut about them, whilst they were very nice, they were just regular chips. I wasn't really feeling hungry enough to justify a dessert, though the chocolate dome does look awesome. In all, I had a delicious meal, the receptionist was lovely, the bar staff were great, the waiter was brilliant. So why not 5 stars? I just didn't feel blown away as much as I had kind of expected, particularly as a meal for 2 is going to cost over £100 not even including drinks. I would return as I do love the ambience and would like to try some other things from their menu, but in this price range it falls into my special occasion dinner category! read more

Australasia - Satay chicken skewers - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

See all

Once I got past all the combination of Pacific flavours, underpinned by European cooking tradition blah blah blah. I was pleasantly surprised by the food at this trendy Spinningfields restaurant. But first lets talk decor, low hanging overhead lights create a bit of intimacy if that is what you are looking for, cane lounge style chairs, booths all in a cream/ white. Just walking in the door makes you feel special. The other restaurant goers were as equally as stunning as the decor. I felt I had let the side down a little with my not so neat attire but the firendly and attentive staff made me feel quite at home. My partner and I decided to share a plate of beetroot cured salmon with fennel which was absolutely divine and the squid and fresh lime tempura, truly delicious. After the first course we were eagerly awaiting the main course we chose the Crispy Suckling Pork Belly with a pineapple curry and Roasted Monkfish with razor clams, chorizo and squid accompanied with the chilled satay spinach and sticky coconut rice in lotus leaf. As you can imagine it was simply mouth wateringly delicious. After such an awesome meal we decided to share a dessert so we went for the Mango souffle with coconut ice cream and mango soup. It was so good i wanted to run into the kitchen and give the chef a great big hug. I would love to say I'd be a regular but the prices here make that dream impossible. I'll just have to make it a special occasion place. Now when's my birthday, anniversary, christening.... read more

Every time I passed Spinningfields, I was always attracted to this glass pyramid architecture of Australasia. When you walk downstairs you will find it's amazing... There is a bar area at the foot of the stairs with a few lounge areas and some high chairs with tables. It's more of a professional crowd and is good for dates too. Opposite of the bar is the restaurant area. I highly recommend you make a reservation for the weekends or evenings, or it will be almost impossible to get a table! There are a lot of sake-based cocktails here, which is unique from most of the bars in Manchester. My fav bar drink is the Porn Star Martini - It's served with a passion fruit floating in the cocktail glass, lit up with fire and a shot of grey goose (doesn't that sound good already?). Have a sip of the cocktail, then pour the shot in! Good stuff!! Great drink for us girls bc its sweet... Good selection of wine and sake! Food-wise - get ready to go crazy!! The sashimi are very fresh - I recommend scollops. The size isn't as big as you can find elsewhere, but they are fresh and creamy. For the sushi rolls - it sounds very Californian already - def the spicy tuna and dragon rolls! (Usually the spicy tuna in Manchester is too mild). Tuna tartare and soft crab are must-haves too! But I was a little bit surprised that they don't serve steak tartare here... For some hot plates - the grills are a good choice - tiger prawn is awesome! The beef too (it came out perfectly cooked with a bit of pink where it is supposed to be, unlike most Manchester restaurants that have the habit of over-cooking their steaks). I think this is the best and the freshest seafood in town. read more

Australasia has been on the radar in Manchester long enough for it's reputation to precede any expectation of what's on offer. It feels like every review that could've been done of one of the best eateries in the city had been. But to remain on the pointy tip of the dining pyramid in city centre, the kitchen needs to come up with inspired new options to lure the foodies in to their cavernous setting just on the edge of Spinningfields. We went to try the newest plates on the menu, which include: cured salmon in a seed crust with a mandarin and artichoke salad, foie gras brûlée with lavas bread and roasted pistachio, hand dived scallops with belly pork, chilli caramel and cucumber pickle, octopus with pickled hijiki and watermelon, seared pigeon and mustard fruits and finally beetroot salad with goats cheese bon bons. All of which feature on the small plates menu and are priced between £8 and £13. We were served two plates at a time as suggested by our waiter. Which was the perfect way to enjoy them, all of which were washed down by a lovely bottle of Spee'Wah (Australasia's equivalent to Prosecco - £25 a bottle). OK, it was 2 bottles..but who's counting. The scallops, salmon and beetroot salad were the standout dishes, testing our ability to share politely. A word to the wise, the foie gras brûlée is not for the faint hearted and requires a pallet strong enough to appreciate its richness. Likewise, the pigeon dish can be a hit or miss depending on your feelings about this bird. Not content with six small plates, we decided to also share the potato and wild mushroom wonton with pea purée, sweet soy and saki broth (£13.50). As a meat eater, I'm always dubious about vegetarian plates as a main, feeling I'm missing out on a fabulous protein sitting on someone else's plate. Perhaps it's jealousy. But this was not the case here. The pea purée complimented everything the potato and wild mushroom had to offer. The sweetness of the soy and saki broth gave the dish an added moreish kick. The only thing missing in Australasia is mobile phone reception. But who cares? Enjoy the company you're with! read more

The crowd here is not really my scene, all suits and Gucci. It's certainly very Spinningfields, and I did my best to skip the crowd at the bar near the entrance. However, on entering I did like the decor, and the feel of the place in general. Managing to get an airy feel in an underground den can be difficult but I feel they've pulled it off here. Reader warning: I'm not a sushi person, so I can only review the other offerings here. Given that the prices here are decidedly top-whack, you may want to consider that a warning if sushi is what you're after. Our party of four started off with a round of cocktails. A well made Manhattan variant was my choice, and whilst not the best, was certainly a decent take. As encouraged, we went for a sharing selection of smaller plates. Everything we had was very decent with a couple of minor mark-downs. The blackened cod, tofu, and Szechuan beef were stand-outs. The crab and avocado parcels were sadly tasteless, and the soft-shell crab, whilst nice, was in places just batter - it could have done with more crab. Our waiter was professional and friendly, although we were a little surprised we weren't asked for our coats - no cloak room, at these prices? You can blow a ton prettily easily here, but as far as I'm concerned it's worth it. read more

One of the most beautiful restaurants in Manchester, very cool and glamorous. Nice to be able to dress up nicely. Food is fresh. Watermelon infused water is delicious and so refreshing. The cocktails are great (though slightly overpriced) salmon rolls are delicious , seared beef is great. Monk fish wasn't so nice....(lacked flavour yet was very expensive) desserts are definitely not to miss! C read more

Australasia - Rolls - Asian Fusion Near Me - Spinningfields, XGM

Achingly trendy pan-asian bar restaurant in Manchester. Access restaurant via fabulous glass pyramid entrance in the otherwise dead area of Spinningfields. Beautifully decorated room and attentive staff underline how special and 'cut above' this restaurant is. Prices mark it out as somewhere you would take a date if you wanted to seriously impress them. Wine list is presented on an iPad which is a seriously annoying trend of restaurants that are trying a bit too hard. Food is well curated eclectic menu of small and larger dishes well cooked and presented. Sashimi was expensive though fish was fresh and bright. Freshly grating wasabi into a bowl added a upscale flourish but was unnecessarily showy as it was underflavoured. Tempura was light as a feather and sushi rolls contained interesting fusion combinations. Prices would be high in London but for the eating space, food and service it is worth it. read more

My affection for Australasia was back in early Jan. 2012. A close friend of mine was leaving Manchester for Netherlands for a better job. We met for lunch at Austrasia in a snowing day. I was totally unprepared when I entered this glass pyramid on Deansgate for such a chic and stylish place. We were overwhelmed by the amazing drinks and food and forgot about the cold weather and had a lovely time. The food was spectacular: the salmon was just about right for the look and the taste. All the food were presented and served beautifully. I went back in a few months for dinner when a very important friend came to England on business. She only had two days for Manchester so I selected three places including this one. We had a three course meals and some non-alcohol drinks with a jug of infused water. We both had the Mango Soufflé as the desserts and they were absolutely sensational. Since then, this place becomes my best option for special occasions because I know I will be guaranteed for a good time from the fine food, drinks, services and atmosphere. The ingredients in the food and the drinks are high quality and the cooking techniques are modern and excellent. The decor of this place is sort of shabby chic and the furniture is modern while comfy. The pop art posters also bring the tasteful atmosphere to this place. The open kitchen in the back enables you to watch how the food has been made. I definitely think this place provides quality dining experience. read more

See all

I have been here probably 8 times in the last 3 years so not a major frequent visitor because I think its more of a special occasion place due to it being on the rather pricey and pretentious side. However, it is a nice place but you get the feel you always have to dress your best because its like a fashion parade and you can see all the girls eyeing each others outfits up and down,its quite funny to watch. Alas, the food - the food is good, especially the spicy steak skewers to start which are always a favourite. Their infused waters are nice, especially the cucumber which is interesting considering I'm not mad on cucumber. Drinks wise I adore the lychee cocktail - both alcho and non alcho versions are equally as delicious. In fact I have taken people there just to have these drinks without dining. Desert choice is limited and caters to a particular type of person which if you like typical things, you won't find any here. I ordered the most basic thing I could which was a crumble type thing, but it came on a biscuit with a near concrete hard base. I took two bites and left it - but to the establishments and managements credit, when they saw it they asked if there was anything wrong and I said "no no, I'm sure its lovely - its just not for me" at which point the manageress on duty apologies and said she would remove it from the bill. I was astonished because I had not made a complaint about it - it is these things that make me return to a place. For me it is about how you are treated and you do get treated well here. I am always awe of the DJ set up they have with their glass panel control system - very high tech and you get the feeling that is exactly where your high bill price is going - go the DJ set up, the infinite amount of iPads used as wine menus etc, so to be honest I'd rather do away with those and lower the prices slightly but thats just me. Overall its a decent place, but you have to book well in advance to get any form of sensible time slot, otherwise you will be left with 1830 or 2145 so if you want in between - book well ahead. read more