Chinta Ria

This review can change depending on what you want. If you want a view and atmosphere then you would probably give this place 4, or even 5 stars. But if you are just going to look at the food, then you have to give it 3 stars. And yes, I am just reviewing the food.
Saying that this restaurant is cheap for where it is situated. It is on the edge of Cockle Bay Wharf, and sitting outside you get a great view of Darling Harbour. Also, the food comes out quickly, which is always a plus.
But honestly, you can get better Malaysian food in the city. A lot of the food was extremely oily and slightly bland. Malaysian food is generally full of flavour, but the food here was not. We got 3 different dishes to share and each one was good, but nothing popped out as great.
But service was great, and it was in a very convienent location.

Never disappoints, they have set up this restaurant in the best position and with great surroundings. The tables and utensils are very basic just like you might find in Malaysia. We have tried much of the menu, I like their sambal dishes and the nasi goreng the most. It’s not expensive either. Great food, great staff, great location.

Pricey but decent Malaysian food. This place is packed all the time, so do try to make a reservation in advance (and collect some dimmi points!).
Food is pretty good:
Curry Puffs — Love it ! The crust is very flaky and the inside is packed with fillings and the chilli (served on the side) goes really well with it.
Char Kway Teow — Portion is very small but they are generous with the fish cakes & prawns. Personally I dont think the taste is authentic, but it is still very good. (Remember to ask for a side of sambal chilli)
Beef Ria — A little too oily but very tasty… the sauce tastes like Kung Pao.
The only complaint I have is: it’s TOO NOISY ! It is like dining in a night club, literally I have to yell when I’m talking to my partner. Therefore, I would not recommend it for dates… especially the first date.

Our concierge recommended this Malaysian restaurant. He said there were other trendy, more expensive ones in the city, but this place was the best one.
Staying near the Opera House, we took a ferry to check out the city at night. Got dropped off close to the restaurant.
This place had the best Laksa I’ve ever had. I’ve unsuccessfully been trying to find something equally as good as the one here.
We also had several noodle dishes, which were all delicious with the right amount of spice.
Had a great experience here. I haven’t been to a Malaysian restaurant that compares to this one.

Very good meal and fantastic atmosphere. Went with a couple friends and we all enjoyed every bite (curry laksa, special fried rice, and thai noodles). Staff was fast and friendly. Highly recommend.

I have been here a few times and have always enjoyed the food and atmosphere. We had the $ 45 banquet and it was delicious. Plenty of food and a nice variety of dishes.
The service was not brilliant tonight but it was pretty busy as the boat show was on in Sydney.
The atmosphere is much better if you sit outside.
You can’t fail with Malaysian food it’s so nice.

I don’t get it — this place doesn’t do it for me. It’s a great spot, cool building and décor but the food is meh at best. It’s fancified and overly sweetened Malaysian food — not very authentic and way overpriced. $ 25 for lunch really?

Typical of the Darling Harbour area, this one is best left for the tourists. Although enthusiastic, the service was slow & unprofessional. One of our mains was missed completely.
The food was ordinary especially considering the proximity to Chinatown. Good Malaysian is not hard to find at better prices nearby.

Fabulous, Flavourful Food! And impeccable service.
Lovely atmosphere and great location as well.
Great to go in a group of 4 or more and share so you get to sample the wide variety of dishes on the menu.

The food is good. Has a bit of a rush on weekends. A little expensive as well.

Have been here for lunch twice — Once with a really cool $ 15 lunch special (now no longer available) and today with the regular menu.
Interesting fusion of flavours from Thailand, Chinese and Indian. No fuss efficient service with food that is freshly prepared with high quality ingredients.
I would recommend the Fish of the Day on the specials menu!

For those who know me, or are about to, any kind of food that comes in buffet or banquet form is my kind of food. It’s value for money, you get to try the best of everything a restaurant has to offer and you normally are rolled out of the restaurant feeling disgustingly full but oh so satisfied.
So it’s no surprise that I am about to rave about Chinta Ria and its banquet menu…
My friends and I sat down to a (what felt like 20) but was a 4 course meal for $ 42 pp. at Chinta Ria in which we did not only challenge the size of our stomachs but also challenged our taste buds. This banquet was titled «Joy» and oh boy did joy feature on our faces that night as we devoured everything from Curry Puffs to Curry Chicken to Assam Fish to Sambal Mee Hoon (noodles with stuff in it) to Mixed Veg to Prawns and every accompaniment you could want including roti and coconut rice.
Not only are you engulfed by the food but the general loud, boystrous atmosphere of this place, the constant line up of people at the door and the fast «can do anything» service makes your night complete. The screaming chef and general hustle and bustle of the place adds a bit to its Malaysian charm but really the place isn’t trying to be overly authentic in its layout — its just trying to be good.
My night at Chinta Ria changed my views on life itself… I decided coconut rice is the only type of rice I will be eating from this day forth and that your level of hunger doesn’t ever factor into the decision of whether you get a banquet or not — the answer should always be «yes» if you are dining at Chinta Ria.

Not the best Malaysian food in Sydney, but it’s not the worst either. The roti is actually quite good. I’d recommend ordering a couple of serves of that with a chicken curry and something else to share. Waitstaff are friendly. Décor is mind-​boggling.

Great location and atmosphere coupled with a delicious menu.

Went there with my girlfriend as it was recommended by a friend. Waitstaff was quite friendly and polite. Food was good as well and we enjoyed the décor.

Let’s be fair. Chinta Ria isn’t trying to be incredibly authentic. What it does do however, is combine tasty food with a great atmosphere and the cherry on the cake… the view.
The food is definitely great, but it’s certainly a Western interpretation of Asian culture and cuisine. This shouldn’t put you off however, just know what you’re going to get. My favourites are the wonton soup (an entrée, but I love it as a main) and anything with noodles.
Be sure to make a reservation, go early, or be OK with waiting because it’s a rare event that this place isn’t packed.

Want an excellent Asian dining experience? I highly recommend you check out Chinta Ria. I just love this restaurant! The ambiance reminds me of Buddha Bar in Paris, the staff here are so nice, very efficient and the food is really good.
The banquets for groups (minimum of 3 persons) are superb. For a little over $ 30 per head, you and your company will enjoy delicious Asian including delicacies including curry puffs, noodles, seafood and vegetable dishes plus some other unknown but great-​tasting food. Another thing that I like about Chinta Ria is that they allow BYO!
Chinta Ria is open for lunch from noon til 2:30pm every day except Saturday. Dinners are served all the days of the week from 6:00pm til late.

You know that episode of Sex and the City where Samantha turns lesbian and Carrie walks in on Mr. Big’s date doing coke in the toilet?
Well, Chinta Ria, with its giant gold Buddha statue standing resplendant in the doorway; recognisably ‘society’ clientelle and invariably lengthy queue for entry is arguably Sydney’s answer to that restaurant.
Serving a menu of modern Malaysian food from a scenic spot atop Sydney’s Cockle Bay Wharf, Chinta Ria is all fun Malaysian inspired pomp and pageantry with its kaleidoscopically cheerful interior design and quirky table setting touches like brightly coloured plastic plates and cups.
Prices are cheapish for Sydney with a main meal coming in at around $ 24, and portions are huge. I — of notoriously massive appetitite — shared the Beef Rendang or slow cooked beef chunks in curry paste and coconut milk, and a chicken dish and there was more than enough food for two.
This place is so popular that service can take a while but people watching at Chinta Ria is so gratifying that it really doesn’t matter; said busyness no doubt being attributable to how cool Chinta Ria is. As the old Malaysian proverb goes: where there is sugar, there are ants.

This place has not changed (& I like that) I’ve been away from Sydney for nearly 3 years & was chuffed to see some things have remained the same.
I met up with family on Monday who were up from Melbourne, so none of us really had any idea of where to go. They were staying around Darling Harbour so I suggested an old favourite… China Ria (The Temple of Love)
What a great choice! The food was fast & fresh, the bubbles were cold, the service is just how I remembered it — quick & easy & the décor was perhaps a little worn to my eye but as they had not been there before they just loved it — especially the giant buddha in the middle of the restaurant. Set right on Cockle bay, amongst the glass buildings of the city was perfect on Monday night as we were able to watch the Tropical storm hit, then move on.
I went straight to the seafood laksa because they were hard to find in London & it was supurb. Just the right amount of chilli, heaps of seafood & noodles & sooo tastly. We had the Chinta Ria bubbles which went well with dinner (no surprises there).
I’d still recommend this place for dinner, they don’t take bookings so make sure you get there either early or late.

Chinta Ria is one of my very favourite restaurants in Sydney, and I’d warrant I’m not the only one!
Situated on the top level of Cockle Bay Wharf in the Darling Harbour area of Sydney, it is somewhat tucked away in its own little corner — but easy enough to find if you just walk along straight off the Pyrmont Bridge.
The food is a mixed south-​east asian menu, with dishes that cover the Malaysian, Indonesian and Thai styles of food. I have never eaten anything that wasn’t nice, and whenever I have visitors to Sydney who like Asian food, I take them here. And they have all raved about it.
The décor is incredibly cosy — the building itself is round, with big wooden doors and glass walls. In the centre of the restaurant is a giant stone Buddha, and behind him is a completely open kitchen, where you can see the chefs whipping up your meals. The furniture all appears to be second hand and technically mismatched, but it works. There is also an outdoor courtyard which is hedged in by fences, and the glass skyscrapers sit modestly behind you as you dine. I don’t have any photos, because I’ve always been too busy thinking about the food when I’ve been there, but have a look at their website — you’ll see what I mean!
This may have changed since I’ve been away so you could call them and check, but when I used to go there, you could book a table for lunch, but they did not take reservations for dinner. Basically, with the dinner service, the doors open at 6pm and if you want to be guaranteed a table straight away, you should really get there at or just after 6.00, as it will fill up — even on a weeknight, but particularly on a Thursday-​Sunday. If you do turn up later, the front of house will take your name and mobile number, and you can toddle off downstairs to one of the many local bars for a couple of drinks. Once a table is ready, they will call you and you can go back up. Generally I have found that the wait time is about 30 – 45 minutes, so if you’re wanting a later meal, it’s good to allow for that. They do turnover quite quickly and they will always get you in as soon as they can.
Once you are in there, the table settings are basic but the menu is diverse, and there are plenty of drinks on offer. Once you order, the food tends to come out quite quickly, and is lovely and hot and fresh. My absolute recommendations would be the Ella’s Wraps in the starter — write it down and definitely try them if you are going, they are amazing and I’ve never found anything like them elsewhere — as well as the Red Lamb Curry, the Beef Ria /​Ayam (chicken) Ria, and the Roti bread as a side. My mouth waters just thinking about it!!! They do provide plenty of vegetarian options as well, so everyone should be covered.
The prices are entirely reasonable for a Sydney restaurant, and the setting really is lovely — I have to say, I recommend this as a date restaurant as well, because of the ambience. It is the Temple of Love, after all!
If you are in Sydney and feel like a nice meal with a nice feel, then check out Chinta Ria.