5 restaurants to try with your mates this Galentines Day
Galentines? Valentine’s Day with the boys? No matter your relationship status, February 14th is a day to celebrate love in all its forms. From dinner and karaoke to yum cha and a seafood extravaganza – this is our guide to the best places to go with a group of your nearest and dearest.
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Pretty much all-you-can-eat seafood at Kickin’Inn
Chances are someone on your Instagram feed or TikTok #fyp has shared their experience at Kickin’Inn – it’s eye-catching, that’s for sure! Let's set the scene: you roll in with a group of friends, pull up a chair, make your menu selection (we suggest the ‘Mixed Bag’) and prepare to feast on a bag (yes, bag!) of seafood. If you do pick the ‘Mixed Bag’ you can choose which sauce your seafood is smothered in – kajun, garlic or maybe lemon pepper? As for what comes in the bag, expect whole fresh prawns, peeled prawns, half-shelled mussels, blue swimmer crab, pipis and potatoes. When it lands on the table the bag is emptied onto a large sheet of paper in the middle – then the gloves go on and the bibs come out for a seafood free-for-all! No time for cutlery, just all out feasting using your hands to pick, peel and pop every last delicious morsel in your mouth. Kickin’Inn is a great location to go if a few of you are newly single – your friends will be too busy picking through an ENTIRE BAG OF SEAFOOD to ask you about the breakup.
https://www.instagram.com/kickininn/
https://www.kickininn.com.au/locations/
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Supernormal with a side of karaoke
What do you get when you mix Supernormal’s iconic Lobster Roll and 12 of your closest girlfriends belting out Miley Cyrus’ Flowers? A great night out, that’s what. You may have visited Supernormal before for a quick glass of Champagne and snack at the bar, but below deck there’s a private function room equipped with a 65-inch screen, endless songs and BOSE surround sound. Surprise! Probably more on the fancy side… (but hey, it’s Valentine’s Day with your favourites)., Tthis room can be booked out for just about any event and is completely private, offering you and your guests ‘discretion without distraction’ – that means Nicole’s rendition of WAP can’t be heard by diners in the main restaurant. Feast on all the Supernormal favourites between tracks (we’re talking lobster rolls (obviously), prawn & chicken dumplings and twice-cooked duck leg bao plus canapés on arrival, a raw bar or shucking station).
https://supernormal.net.au/
180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Monday – Friday, 12pm - 10pm
https://www.instagram.com/supernormal_180/?hl=en
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Enough yum cha to feed a small army (of your friends)
Lazy susans are so underrated. And the lazy susans at Palace Chinese Restaurant can be laden with plates (and plates) of delicious yum cha for you and all your mates. The energy in this spot is a total vibe, perfect for a big group booking of loud friends ready to catch up over a Peking duck pancake or steamed dumpling. The trolley carts sail through a sea of tables and a queue of hungry groups is pretty much always snaked out the door most weekends – so you know it’s delicious! Palace is definitely one of the most popular yum cha spots in Sydney, and for good reason – it consistently delivers tasty Cantonese fare of the highest standard, from chicken feet to XO kangaroo. The service is speedy and the dishes come out piping hot when they land on that lazy susan.
https://palacechinese.com.au/
Shop 38 Level 1 Piccadilly Tower, 133/145 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Tuesday – Friday 11am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 9pm
https://www.instagram.com/palacechinese/
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Tutti Italian!
It’s hard to put into words what the atmosphere is like inside Osteria Oggi – you’ll just have to fire up your group chat, make a booking and experience it for yourself. They do offer private dining in their cellar, but we think a table in the main restaurant where you can experience the hustle and bustle of people chatting over a pappardelle and vino rosso is the way to go. When you enter the space you’ll immediately feel like you’ve stepped into an Italian piazza (when actual fact you’re in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD). A cobblestone floor, arches, arbour, meat room and mezzanine-level kitchen fill the warm and inviting space – and then the aroma of freshly made pasta fills your nostrils and it’s game over – and by ‘game over’ we mean it’s time to indulge in some of the best Italian food you’ll enjoy outside of Italy. Some mouth-watering hints include: prosciutto san daniele, parmigiano flan, blue swimmer crab tagliatelle, wood grilled sirloin and so much more. Grazie mille!
https://www.osteriaoggi.com.au/
76 Pirie St, Adelaide SA 5000
Monday – Friday 11:30am – midnight
https://www.instagram.com/osteriaoggiadelaide/
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Let’s be Frank and enjoy some South American cuisine
From Italy to Argentina – it’s time to familiarise yourself with Frank. An unassuming facade from the street, Frank is a large space lined with floor-to-ceiling windows and filled with colourful mismatched furniture and decor – it’s Ed Hardy’s dream restaurant interior. If you and your friends are looking for a fun Valentine’s Day fiesta then you won’t be disappointed by what Frank has to offer. Big Latin American flavour practically jumps out of the menu with dishes like yearling scotch fillet with chimichurri and salsa picante, and spiced whole grilled chicken with carrots and labneh. They also offer a ‘feed me’ menu for tables of two or more which is created with you on arrival. No worries if you’ve got some fussy mates, the team at Frank will do their best to make sure everyone leaves with a full belly. Psst, make sure you pop over to our friends at Lark Distillery for a nightcap after your meal.
https://frankrestaurant.com.au/
1 Franklin Whrf, Hobart TAS 7000
Friday – Sunday 12pm – 10:30pm, Monday – Wednesday 5pm – 10pm
https://www.instagram.com/frank_restaurant_bar/
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