Charr

6 Average

Food  5      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  4     

Had dinner last night with friend, nice little restaurant, but the food was way too salty, the steak was over cooked. Very average service, and over priced. I can find much better fine dining restaurant with better price in Sydney.

Apr 28, 2012 

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

My friends and I tried the wagyu steak after some good reviews here. Would have to say it was the best cooked wagyu I've had in Sydney. Complimentary soup was good as were the desserts. Would go back!

Mar 31, 2012 

5.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  4      Value  5     

Unfortunately tasty food was let down by tepid temperatures and clumsy service. It seems that hotel guests are given preference over mere members of the public - not a particularly smart business model in a city brimming with choice.

Jul 25, 2011 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

My wife and I were celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. We were staying at the Jamison Hotel and ate dinner at the Charr Restaurant and were treated with the absolute best service. They really made an effort to give us a special night. Highly recommend it.

Apr 16, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  7     

We stayed at the hotel for our wedding anniversary. We knew nothing about Charr but decided to give it a go, simply for convenience. I must say, it was a great find.

We were a little surprised when we arrived to find that the restaurant was so small, the decor fairly basic, had limited views and, for a Saturday night, very few patrons. But what struck us immediately was the attentiveness of our 2 waiters.

We were provided complimentary bread rolls with olive oil, and soup to follow. We both had duck terrine to start, the tastes being quite amazing. For mains, we had Kingfish and Sirloin Steak. Both cooked to perfection. For dessert we shared a mango pudding, which looked amazingly simple but the flavours were the best.

Overall we found the food very simple in presentation but some of the best that we have tasted. The service was exceptional, even to the point where mugs were found to provide us with large coffees. The restaurant was too small and quiet for us, but that is our personal taste and shouldn't reflect on Charr.

The only annoyance was that we ordered a 2001 Pinot Noir for $68 but were served a 1997 Pinot Noir at $89. And the waiter broke the cork, so the bottle should have been replaced. An interesting restaurant and one that we will definitely visit again.

Apr 05, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

My boyfriend and I tried this restaurant for our anniversary dinner on Saturday night. Our night started well when we were greeted and seated promptly in the lovely quiet dining room by a very welcoming waiter. The service was very good for the rest of the evening with staff helping out with knowledgeable recommendations of each of the dishes and water top-ups regularly.

We were pleasantly surprised when we were brought complementary bread and olive oil for dipping as well as a small cup of a beautiful rich mushroom soup. We shared the roasted prawn with chicken and chorizo ballantine with parsley puree for our entree, which was a great combination of flavours with the freshness of the ingredients very obvious.

After reading the reviews on eatability we both opted for the wagyu rump for a main and this course was the absolute stand-out for us. The steak was cooked to absolute perfection with both my boyfriend and I declaring that it was without a doubt the best steak we have ever had! The quality of the meat was second to none! We were supplied with a sauce to have with the steak but after trying both on their own, we decided we didn't want to ruin the perfect steak with the sauce (as nice as it was).

We shared the chocolate truffle with strawberry sorbet and fresh raspberries for dessert which was a great end to the meal, and the complimentary petit fours that came with the bill were appreciated but due to our fullness could not be finished. As said in previous posts the complimentary items do much to convey customer appreciation and should be more universal amongst high quality restaurants. In conclusion Charr is a great CBD find and we will be making a return visit purely to taste that steak again!

Sep 28, 2010 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

Given the spontaneity of my decision to patronise this restaurant, and thus my lack of awareness of its reputation (yes, I'm one of 'those people' who normally feels the need to compulsively conduct a thorough review of eatability and food blogs before I frequent any eatery), I had some apprehension about what to expect when I entered the small and intimate dining room of Charr.

However, I can happily report that I have no regrets about my decision as the quality of the food was very impressive and far exceeded my expectations. To start, we were served complimentary mini sour dough rolls and olive oil for dipping. The rolls were warm and toasty and the dipping oil had a lovely citric aftertaste. After this, we were served complimentary crab and corn soup in small cups. The soup was scrumptious, with a creamy texture and subtle sweetness resultant from the crab meat.

For mains, we had the Wagyu rump (rare) and the Lamb Loin with cous cous. These dishes were outstanding in their thoughtfulness and execution. The meat was superbly handled, charred beautifully on the outside and of uniform and consistent 'pinkness' on the inside. I am an avid steak eater and, I must say, the Wagyu was cooked to perfection and the best steak I have had in the city for a very very long time.

For dessert, we shared the banana pudding. We were pleased to see deviation from the typical desserts of creme brulee or tiramisu which now appear to be the norm at most restaurants. The presentation was delightful and, again, the culinary skills of the chef and his creativity were evident. The pudding was accompanied by a delicious chunk of ice-cream, a lashing of double cream, curly banana shavings and toffee pouring sauce. To finish, we were provided with complimentary petit fours. In regards to service, our waitress was very courteous and helpful yet unobtrusive. I can find no fault in her service.

In summation, I commend Charr for the quality of the food served, particularly the steak. Clearly, the chef has a deep appreciation of the art of cooking and optimising the use of fresh produce. If I had any complaint, it would be that the mains did take a while to come out. However, it is hard to be critical of this as, when they did come out, it was obvious that much time and care had been put into the cooking process and achieving a harmonious balance of flavours.

Further, the complimentary items did much to intersperse the time spent waiting. In this day and age, where fine dining restaurants have the tendency to disappoint with their miniscule portions and innovative ways of extracting extra charges for basics (eg. water, sauces) it was a refreshing surprise to receive the delightful complimentary items during the course of our meal.

Such small gestures go a long way in terms of goodwill towards the customer and expressing an appreciation for their patronage! If you are ever stumped for a city dining experience with an quiet ambience and exceptional food quality, I highly recommend giving Charr a go.

Mar 06, 2010 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

I was a bit apprehensive booking this restaurant as per the other reviews, but glad I did, the whole experience was fantastic! From the seating, Cauliflower soup, our mains (the mash potato the smoothiest and creamiest I've tasted), dessert and mocktails + petite fours (although I didn't try them as I was truly stuffed by then!) + the attentive service and with the entertainment card it worked out to be about $120 per couple! + they didn't mark my entertainment card so I can go back and use the discount again!

Sep 13, 2009 

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  6     

Headed here on a Thursday evening, and as the first people to arrive for the night, were thoughtfully placed at a table with a view out to the streets below. Service was excellent, with an attentive, kind waiter who generously refilled our water glasses frequently, and contrary to other comments, promptly served food.

The amuse-bouche was delightful, a shot of cauliflower (I think) and basil soup. It was one of the culinary highlights of the evening, shame it’s not on the menu as an entrée. Mains on the other hand were not such a hit. The lamb which my partner had was pleasant, though he commented that at those prices an extra cutlet would not go astray. I myself had the Jewfish with vongole, a potato ‘grate’ of sorts, and broadbeans. The dish was rather bland, and the vongole tasted a little too much like it just came out of the ocean without being cleaned.

What really killed the dish though was the potato ‘grate’, a thin fried mat of finely grated potato. I can’t place a finger on what type of oil was used (perhaps walnut?) but the result was an almost bitter tasting mat of grated potato. Unimpressive. On the other hand, the broccolini with pine nuts were incredibly fresh and cooked to perfection, the saving grace of my meal.

On the whole, the quality of the food doesn’t seem to meet up to its substantial price, though ours was well valued using our Entertainment Card. As mentioned below, the petit fours at the end of the meal are a lovely touch, particularly with their outsourced strawberry macaron, of which I am now obsessed! A hit and miss place but I'm willing to give it another shot.

May 25, 2009 

5.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  8      Value  5     

I ate here on a Thurdsay night, we were the only people in the place and it took 90 minutes to have 2 courses. My steak at 48 dollars was sent back as it resembled English old sytle roast beef and not a medium steak. The starters were a tad bland but I expected more when paying 20 dollars. The overall experience was not great. The waiter had to compensate for the poor quality of the kitchen staff but you can only go so far. I will not darken their doorway again.

May 19, 2009