Morena

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

It's great to have a latin American Restaurant like Morena in Sydney, I am Peruvian an every single bite brought me memories of the food in Peru, which I am proud of it. Congratulation to the whole team, and I will recommend it! Thank you to all for bringing this flavours back to me.

May 15, 2012 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

Had dinner with a group of friends on Saturday night and try the lamb shoulder, it was the best lamb I have had in a long time. Service was great and the cocktails were to die for! Will come back for more!

May 08, 2012 

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  6     

Service was excellent, food was good, the Andean garden salad for starter was a visual feast as well as being very tasty. The only vegetarian main course was average, but the desserts made up for it. The Pisco Sour's would be the main reason I would come back.

May 06, 2012 

4 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  2     

Four of us went last night for dinner. We had entrees of seafood soup which Was very good but fairly small considering it was $25 and gnocchi the presentation was excellent but the food didn't live up to how good it looked.

We then moved to mains two orders of Alpaca (signature) a steak and duck. The alpaca was chewy with very little flavour neither of us ate more than one of the cutlets. The steak was prepared well at MR but was virtually tasteless. The duck was well duck, but nothing fancy.

Desserts were quite good though with the chocolate and cheesecake being a good finish. The wines were good value as we had a malbec ($52) and the best pisco sours I've tasted.

When asked about the food we were honest and they did take the feedback seriously, but for $150 a person I would probably go elsewhere. It was one of the less pleasing dinners from a food perspective I've had in Sydney in a while.

May 06, 2012 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  7     

Be daring enough to try the Alpaca carpaccio, its amazing! Beautiful selection of imported wines, even better cocktail list. Gorgeous presentation of food certainly provides that fine dining feel, but as below (and as you would expect from a "fine dining" restaurant), the portions don't reflect the price.

Great open kitchen - Head Chef super friendly, and wait staff certainly very helpful with any queries we had about the menu. Can't find the place? Google maps. Its across the street from Beresford hotel, and next door to a butcher shop.

May 03, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

We went on a travelzoo voucher. 6 course latin-american degustation menu. There were plenty unique and interesting flavour combinations. Their extended menu also looks incredible, especially for the more adventurous.

The 3 standouts on the degustation were: the king prawns, well cooked and spicy but cooled by cucumber and a few drops of minted yoghurt. The 48-hr braised alpaca shoulder, tres leches cake (this was amazing!). I literally had to stop my brother from licking the plate clean.

Service was very friendly.

Apr 16, 2012 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Visited this hidden gem in Surry Hills with my girlfriend the other night and we just loved the experience!

We started the evening with the best Pisco Sour's in town. I have to say these guys have cracked the code when it comes their cocktails. I got the traditional Pisco Sour while my girlfriend got a Coca Sour, which is their in-house infusion of Pisco with Coca leaves.. which were just.. Yummy! We then followed this with the pisco flambé prawns and the pink snapper ceviche, which I have to say were just full of flavour and really fresh.

For our Mains, we had the Lomo, which is a 300 gm char grilled beef striploin and Alpaca cutlets... Yes, that's right Alpaca! Was my first time, I have to say it was really good.

We were quite full by this stage but after a few suggestion by the wait staff we decided to share a dessert. I am glad we did. Dark chocolate and rocoto chili ice-cream an absolutely deadly combination. I practically licked my plate!

The portions are generous and the authentic South American ingredients used in the food make all the difference. Warm and friendly service with knowledge of the food, cocktails and wine they serve.

Will be back for more!

Mar 16, 2012 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

My girlfriend took me for my birthday on Sunday. Really nice food, presented by lovely and unpretentious South American staff. They are passionate about their food, wine and culture, and love sharing.

We were looked after by a guy name Louis. He explained everything on the menu, including Alpaca!, encouraged us to try the cow heart, discussed the wine options (agreeing that a Malbec from Mendoza was going to work well) and generally he made the evening super special without interfering.

We'll definitely be going back for more.

Mar 07, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Fantastic venue, a little difficult to allocated but be found on the end. For a first taste of Peruvien cuisine we were really please, great produce with a good service as always been a good match with out to much expectation overall in my regular dining experience which always let a room for my delightment. Objective has been reach. Thx Morena.

Feb 29, 2012 

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  5      Value  4     

Went on Valentines' Day and decided to go for the full al a carte rather than the special.

First impression was that the restaurant has a split personality. One side of it is bright and buzzing with the kitchen and bar and on entry, everything seems great. However, upon seating, we realised it was dark and feels like you've been put in the corner, whatever table you're on. The lighting and decor is boring, almost clinical, its a shame, because they got the kitchen side of the restaurant right.

The food showed skill and potential, but we both felt it missed the mark, on every dish. I really wanted to like it, but left feeling disappointed after every dish. I believe I could have had a different experience if I tried different dishes, or came on another night and that is kind of how the night felt, a little hit and miss, a little inconsistent.

The highlight was definitely the spicy margarita I opened with. Magnificent cocktail. Alpaca carpaccio didn't really work for me, it was a little 'wet' and needed something to lift the meat flavour.

My wife liked her octopus salad, however, I found it had way too much dressing which limited the other flavours coming through. Standout was the baby chillies, which give a great smoky burst of intense heat and flavour.

I had barramundi for main and it was a nice piece of fish, a little dry, but otherwise enjoyable. My wife's duck looked great, but was chewy, like it had been sitting on the counter way too long.

The service went from great to terrible to great to terrible all in one night. A warm greeting an explanation of the menus and then pooof! We became invisible. After 20 minutes I attracted some attention and ordered without any problems. The staff were patchy when it comes to dining service, some plates were served correctly, sometimes the staff reached across us, not the end of the world, but it seems like they are trying for something and not quite pulling it off.

I think this place could be a good relaxed eatery or a high end south american gem, but it can't be both. There need to figure out what they want to be.

Feb 27, 2012