Conservatorium at Sydney Olympic Park — Restaurant in Sydney

Not gonna lie, I was expecting an average standard cafe chicken burger but instead I was surprised with something better. I was surprised with a decent chicken burger with a charcoal bun. The burger is a nice savoury sandwich of breaded fried chicken thigh, american cheese (I think), slaw, shredded granny smith apple, (I also think) corn, sweet chili sauce, another sauce that accompanied the slaw and definitely another ingredient or two.

The seasoning, the chicken and the sweet chili sauce create a nice savoury prominent taste while the slaw, the second sauce and other greens balance the flavour profile by pairing the meat with a fresh salad. Buuuut that’s pretty expected with any burger with greens in between. What I’m trying to say is that the amounts were perfect and that none of the ingredients were overpowering.

The charcoal bun’s taste and texture was surprisingly similar to that of a fresh brioche bun. So instead of crunching away at dry bread like you would expect from a cheap homemade burger from a school fair (Not that that’s bad, I love these things too), You would eat a soft and sweet bun that doesn’t crumble in your hands but pillow in your mouth.

Now this was ordered during a quiet hour in the middle of a COVID lockdown with ‘stay at home’ orders (I was getting my vaccine today and the vaccination staff told me to come back because I was too early so rack off), so I was fortunate enough to receive a burger that was made by someone who could take their time. So to me, this is another fortunate surprise of spending $20.

Absolute huge compliments to the cook and management for organising decent food. Definitely recommend the chicken burger from the Conservatorium in Sydney...

I stopped by Conservatorium at Sydney Olympic Park hoping to enjoy a nice drink, but unfortunately the experience was quite underwhelming. The coffee tasted watery, almost as if it had been made with too much water and not enough coffee grounds, leaving it flat and lacking any real depth or aroma. I also tried the matcha, which was even more disappointing — the color was a dull yellowish-green rather than the vibrant green you’d expect from good-quality matcha, and the flavor matched the appearance. It was clear that they were using a low-grade matcha powder, which left the drink tasting bitter and unbalanced instead of smooth and earthy.

It’s a real pity, because the environment itself is fairly pleasant. The café is located close to the park, so there’s a nice atmosphere if you want to sit down for a break, and it does feel relaxing to be surrounded by greenery in the Olympic Park area. The space has potential to be a great spot for visitors who want to rest and recharge.

However, when the drinks — which are the main reason most people stop at a café — fall so far below expectations, it’s hard to recommend. With so many better options around Sydney for both coffee and matcha, I don’t think I’d return here unless they improve the quality of their ingredients and preparation. For now, I’d say the location is convenient, but the drinks are disappointing, and that makes it difficult to justify...

I wish I could give them negative stars! My family (including elderly parents and a toddler) was walking around the area and thought we would give this empty cafe a try (supporting local businesses). We got some drinks from this very unfriendly barista and sat down. This guy couldn’t stop giving us a dirty look just because my niece was making some noise. There was no one else in the cafe, and she wasn’t like breaking something. She was just being a toddler. He couldn’t be any crankier.

Then my dad went back to the guy and asked for some napkins. He SAID NO and asked my elderly parent to go back to the bathroom and use the dryer. Is this for real? I couldn’t enjoy my drinks there anymore and left....