One of the highlights of our anniversary staycation was our dinner at Altitude at Shangri-La Sydney — and it ended up becoming one of those evenings that reminded me that sometimes the most memorable experiences aren’t about perfection, they’re about the moments you create together.
Since we were celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary, we wanted the evening to feel special. One of the nicest parts of staying at the hotel was not having to go anywhere. We got dressed up, took our time and simply caught the lift straight up to the 36th floor for dinner. It already felt romantic before we even arrived.
When we booked, we had hoped for a window seat because who wouldn’t want those iconic Sydney views for an anniversary dinner? Unfortunately, it wasn’t available on the night. I’ll admit I was slightly disappointed at first because I had imagined us sitting right by the glass overlooking the harbour. But once we settled in, it honestly didn’t matter. The atmosphere was still beautiful and the evening quickly became about something much more important — celebrating us.
We decided to enjoy the three-course menu and paired it with some beautiful mocktails, which made the evening feel extra special. They were refreshing, beautifully presented and felt like the perfect way to celebrate — something fun and elegant to toast to 15 years together 🥂
For our entrée, we decided to share two dishes so we could experience more of the menu.
The first was the Shangri-La Honey Glazed Pepe’s Duck Breast, served with confit duck leg pithivier, muntries, Davidson plum and anise myrtle jus. The duck was beautifully cooked — tender, rich and full of flavour, with just the right touch of sweetness from the glaze. It felt elegant but comforting at the same time.
Our second entrée was the Yamba Prawn, served tempura style with curry apple syrup, lime mayonnaise, sesame and pickled apple. This was such a nice contrast to the duck — crispy, light and packed with flavour. The combination of sweetness, crunch and freshness worked so well together.
For mains, we continued sharing because we wanted to experience more of the menu.
We chose the Hampshire Downs Lamb Saddle, served with sheep yoghurt, black garlic, parsnip, mustard and caper leaves. The lamb was beautifully cooked and full of flavour — rich but balanced and perfect for a special occasion.
Alongside that, we had the Aquna Murray Cod, served with roasted miso, fermented daikon, burnt eggplant and kombu butter sauce. This ended up being one of our favourites of the night. The fish was delicate and buttery while the sauce added warmth and depth without overpowering it.
And because no celebration is complete without dessert, we shared both desserts too.
The Winter Citrus Mousse with yuzu mandarin mousse, chamomile meringue and blood orange sorbet was light, fresh and such a refreshing finish after the mains.
Then we had the Poached Bosc Pear served with dark chocolate genoise, candied hazelnut gelato and pear tuile — and this one felt indulgent and comforting, the perfect balance to finish the evening.
One detail that made the night feel even more special was a really thoughtful surprise from the team. At the end of dinner, they brought out a beautiful plate with macarons and “Happy Anniversary” written on it. It was such a simple gesture but honestly meant so much. After 15 years together, having that moment acknowledged felt really special and thoughtful. Those little touches are often the things you remember most ❤️
A special mention to Amy, our server for the evening, who shared that she is currently studying hospitality while working at Altitude. She was warm, attentive and genuinely lovely throughout the night. She looked after us so well and made the whole experience feel relaxed and personal. Thank you Amy for helping make our anniversary dinner even more memorable ❤️
And then came the unexpected highlight of the evening…
We were lucky enough to witness the drone show from above. Watching the lights move across the Sydney skyline while sitting together during dinner felt magical. It became one of those moments we never planned but will probably remember forever.
Looking back, not getting the window seat really didn’t matter. We still had incredible food, beautiful mocktails, wonderful service and uninterrupted time together.
After years of busy family life and putting everyone else first, it felt so special to celebrate us again.
Fifteen years later and I still feel incredibly lucky that I get to do life with my favourite person ❤️🥂
Here’s to 15 years together and many more beautiful memories ahead.
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Take care,
M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO
nepaliaustralian 