With restaurants now in The Galeries, Walsh Bay and Darling Harbour, Lotus Dining has opened its fourth restaurant in one of Sydney’s most exclusive enclaves.

The Shanghainese diner has just taken up residence at the five-star InterContinental hotel in Double Bay, which also houses luxe gin palace Stillery Bar & Dining.

“We’re excited to be bringing traditional Shanghainese flavours to the Double Bay community”, says Lotus Dining Group executive chef Chris Yan. “Lotus Double Bay will be a more traditional menu inspired by my childhood, but we’re elevating both the food and drink with native Australian ingredients and twists on some old Lotus favourites.”

Inspired by the American bars found in Shanghai throughout the 1930s, the moody new venue has been dressed up in late-night shades of black and red, with Chinoiserie wallpaper and hanging lanterns.

It’s matched by a menu of refined Chinese fare, inspired by the dishes of Yan’s hometown village in Shanghai. The menu includes both Lotus classics as well as a number of new dishes, designed specially for the venue. Highlights include a wok-fried wagyu in black bean sauce, crispy pig ear salad, and pan-fried mackerel dressed in a chilli, garlic and fermented sticky rice sauce.

Dumplings are also a feature, with plenty of pretty parcels to go round. There’s steamed pork xio long bao, jade prawn dumplings, chicken and kimchi sui mau and crispy prawn wontons, so you can create your own yum cha feast at any hour.

If you’re staying the night, make sure you hit up the drinks list which includes Asian-inspired cocktails, such as the Kangaroo Martini spiked with finger lime and sesame oil and a watermelon and mint mojito. If you’re driving home, there’s always the Amarett-no Sour.

Lotus Double Bay
3/33 Cross St, Double Bay
Mon – Sun 5pm – 9:30pm (dinner) and Fri – Sun 12pm – 2:30pm (lunch)
lotusdininggroup.com