Lair of Flying Green Song Rabbits

Those ads that have been popping up everywhere from YouTube to blogs about this special offer for a showboat cruise and cabaret show hooked me in. I mean, hey it'll save me $100 if I was to otherwise book on a different date right?

I chose to go on our anniversary (not really) and because I couldn't really decide on another date. It was free, but then again I booked really early. I believe the price has gone up due to demand so it is now $99 per person, but still not a bad price for what you get.

The showboat is a paddle boat and operates most nights, so if you're in Darling Harbour you'll most likely see it. I had seen it many times before and always wondered what it was about!

So, in the package you get a 3 course dinner, a 3 hour ride on the boat and a 1hr cabaret performance. Most drinks are covered for free, but they do have others which cost extra.

I'll get onto the pictures now.




Waiting at the dock. Dress warmly!




As N and I were boarding the ship, we suddenly realised sheepishly that we were probably the youngest people here. We were pretty much surrounded by middle aged couples or adults attended an engagement party/hen's night.

Unlike people our own age who would otherwise be partying hard and drinking, we're going on a romantic dinner cruise on the harbour. God we are old lol.

Upon arriving at our seats, which was very close to the stage (yay!), there was already a platter of cold entrees waiting. By this time I was starving since I didn't eat before coming so I quickly snapped a few shots and dug in.




Smoked salmon wrapped tomato and red onion salad, Moroccan spiced chicken ribs, vegetable frittata and Thai red roo salad with tatsoi.


Oooohhh how delightful sounding!

OM NOM NOM NOM.




Some wines are free, so I stupidly order a white wine. I ended up asking for a large pitcher of orange juice in which ti dilute the wine and San Pellegrino.

Ok no flash sucks, but it still look delicious.








The boat trudging along out of the dock and into the harbour. It's basically a very slow circuit passing the Harbour Bridge every so often, but after awhile N said he felt slightly nauseated!! I think it was just hunger pains since it went away.






No flash again. I'm one of those people who feel awkward taking photos of food.



Oven roasted ocean trout on a bed of potatoes, roma tomato salsa and rocket, pink grapefruit and roasted cashew salad.


Unfortunately, the main dish was not spectacular. The skin on the ocean trout was leathery and could not be eaten at all. Huge letdown! I was looking for a lovely crispy skin! The trout was quite flavourless - you could taste ocean trout and if you have an appreciation for the pure taste of fish you will enjoy it, but I like mine with more salt. If I had to nitpick at anything it would be the lack of flavour, otherwise the fish was cooked very well and the flesh was soft and smooth.

The salsa was quite tasty and the salad just alright. I did enjoy the chunks of grapefruit and the crunchy cashews.

You can choose what main you want from a selection of 4. Unfortunately N ordered the same thing (this is a huge pet peeve of mine).

If anybody is thinking of getting a dish, they might want to try the chicken in creamy shiitake sauce or the veal cutlet. There is also a vegetarian option.




A break in between meals and a pic of the paddles!

I totally forgot to take a photo of the dessert platter, but there was a really good pavlova, Belgium chocolate mud slice, berry and vanilla pannacotta and tiramisu.

The pavlova was better than I thought and now I have a good impression of pavlovas (after several disaster ones that taste like crap). The chocolate cake was exactly that, pannacotta wasn't as smooth and creamy as Gary Mehigan's and had a more jelly-like texture rather than cream, and the tiramisu was moist with just a hint of coffee.




Sydney skyline.




If you look closely, there are actually seagulls! Seagulls were flying round and round the boat, probably able to smell the food wafting around it.




Here's a better shot of one!





After taking in the cold, sea breeze and exploring the decks it was time for the cabaret. At this point I was told I couldn't take photos so I only have a few from the performance :(




The lovely singer. She was pretty and I love her hair :O

WARNING: The below pictures are rated PG13. Discretion is advised and this is certainly NSFW!










More skyline, the Opera House and a bit of the Harbour Bridge as well. The photos don't turn out as nice as it really is.




Luna Park of course.

Then the performance was all over and we slowly made our way back to King St Wharf. Shame.







Eh by this time we were still hungry and needed to buy some macarons from Lindt Cafe. Oh yes my little pretties look at all those delectable macarons! *swoooooon*



Bought about 15 of them hehehehehe! Check out all the salted caramel ones!!!!!!

And KFC. Told you we were still hungry, but not hungry enough for full meals. This was more like a snack.




If they continue to have sales, I might just go again. I had a very enjoyable night and why not, it's got food, singing, dancing and you're on a boat on Sydney Harbour.