Where? Sydney's newest restaurant and bar opened for dinner a few weeks ago. It floats high above the city on level 36 of the Shangri-La hotel, owned by Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. What's so special about it? Both the restaurant and bar offer breathtaking views of the city. In the evenings, the lights of Sydney twinkle against the backdrop of the southern sky. Five-metre windows bring the electric atmosphere of the city into the bar and restaurant, whose main feature is a glass-encased private dining room that seats 12. It offers stunning views from every angle, with soft lighting. It's definitely a place to impress. What about the atmosphere? Think New York style combined with a dazzling view of one of the world's most beautiful harbour cities. The decor is contemporary and chic. The interior, by New York-based design firm BBGM (Brennan Beer Gorman Monk), is sleek and sophisticated. Furnishings are a mix of muted tones and textures, with a sparkling two-metre hand-cut crystal chandelier. Late in the evening, Sydney's beautiful people party on at the BLU bar nightclub. What's on the menu? Head chef George Jardine has an impressive international CV, having worked at the Inn on the Park (London), Maison Novelli Restaurant Group (Britain), the Cellar-Hohenort Hotel (Cape Town), the Dharmawangsa Hotel (Jakarta) and the Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur. His speciality is an eight-course degustation menu called Epi - Curious for $A120 (HK$713), or A$190 with a different wine to match each course. His three-course Menu 36, changes daily. Highlights of the menu are: entree of baked tian of wild mushrooms, foie gras and prosciutto with truffle jus; mains of bay roasted barramundi; dessert of mille feuille of lavender-infused Valhrona manjari chocolate and raspberries. What about a cocktail? Try one of the aperitif s (A$16), such as Asian Mist (a mysterious concoction of sake, vodka, seaweed and miso) or Samurai (sake, Pimms, Aperol, a dash of dry ginger, cucumber and fresh ginger). Tell us more. The recently refurbished Shangri-La offers rooms that are spacious, luxurious and unmistakably five star, with impressive views of the city, Darling Harbour or Sydney Harbour. All are spacious and plush, and decorated in an opulent, contemporary style with rich colour schemes and luxurious furnishings. Altitude and BLU Horizon Bar, Level 36, Shangri-La Hotel, 176 Cumberland St, the Rocks, Sydney. Inquiries: (612) 9250 6123 or go to www.altitudesydney.com . Opening hours for Altitude: dinner, Mon-Sat, from 6pm; lunch, Fri from noon. BLU Horizon Bar: Mon-Thu, 5pm-1am, Fri, noon-2am, Sat, 5pm-2am. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is owned by the Kerry Group, the biggest shareholder in the SCMP Group, publishers of the South China Morning Post.