goonandgold

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  9     

I have been dying to write a review of this restaurant. I felt that on occasion they may have been lucky with me, or I was lucky with them. I have been here 4 times over the past 2 years. Each and every time I have left with that warm feeling, the one you get when you leave a friend’s house. This is more than a restaurant, this is an opportunity to see into the life of Monique and Tony.

Forget about qualifications, forget about training and pedigree. The restaurant has the right recipe when it comes to the basics – sustainable produce. A market garden out back, a herb garden down the side, the odd fruit tree, local meats, it is these key ingredients that set this place apart from other 2 hat-ted restaurants and they trump them every time. The philosophy is humble, and holistic, not trend driven or opportunistic. There is passion in everything that happens within the sandstone walls.

It may seem old fashioned and kitsch, but dining in a converted house by a log fire, eating off white table clothes, tendered to by humble service, is only superseded by the crisp mountain air, vistas of breathtaking proportions, and the odd bell bird’s tinkle. As cosy as it is, this is after all a restaurant so let’s talk food, the perfect balance of modern gastronomy and traditional cuisine.

Our last visit delivered a Steamed Dashi Custard, Smoked Eel, Scallop and Avruga Tartare, biodynamic duck liver pâté with traditional condiments, pan roasted rainbow trout with prosciutto and spiced butter poached spitchcock with marron. Has the rest of Sydney forgotten how to entertain? Food like this never gets old!

The menu is seasonal, so I have yet to have the same dish twice, but the menu can seem a little limited. Each item is paired with a cheeky wine match as an afterthought but the list itself is entirely reasonable, and well thought out, and constantly growing. I would love to see more vintage depth, but this does not set one back, as the long drive back to civilisation does. Do yourself a favour, the reward is worth it!

Feb 08, 2012

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food  8      Ambience  3      Service  6      Value  7     

If there is one thing that does not fit the bill in King’s Cross, it’s fine dining. Sure, they will tell you that it’s Pott’s point, but when the thundering bass echoes in from Favela and whatever Lady Luxx’s is now called, you know that you are only a hop, skip and a stumble from the Golden Mile.

Picture a playful sanctuary that makes you forget the constant rumble of the red light district, a place where harmony and balance play with texture and imagination to serenade your taste buds and transform you to a place of laughter, relaxation and gaiety. A world where willy wonka meets the mad hatter at a table of gastronomic delight. That is not Gastro Park.

The minimalist interior for my mind is drab, boring and unpleasing. Thankfully the person sitting opposite me was good looking, as I had nowhere else to look, except for a few moss covered stone, a tree on a table, A few lamps, some cheese on glass pedestal, and that waiter taking my wine somewhere, and returning with someone else’s. The chairs are uncomfortable, and the staff seem pedestrian, as the restaurant is by no means large, but they disappear as soon as they arrive.

Thankfully the food was above average in this setting. I enjoyed the ‘snacking' entree option, but I must say that the prices do not reflect the portions. The Putanesca wafer, is literally that, a wafer, and is 90% air. The flavour was as you would expect, highest quality, but it arrived in an odd river stone, cut with a groove.

The tuna Carpaccio with marrow deserves special mention, as the rustic serving of the Tuna marrow for me, was the highlight of the evening, and a triumph of the freshest of fresh seafood.

The scallops were good, if on the small side, but the mains were standouts, and overdelivered. The snapper will be a cult hit amongst Sydney diners, innovative and expressive. The bread crusted groper was divine, perfectly cooked. The desserts are the same as everywhere else at the moment, nitrogen frozen something, with a gel of something, and foam of something else, all made to look like something inedible.

Cheese was brilliant, if not a tad warm. The wine list is ‘minimal’ (this word keeps coming up), with some stars, but champagne seemed the best way to wash down the courses.

I thought this was supposed to playful gastronomy, but instead we experienced quality food, with sufficient minimalist service, in an ultra minimalist setting, that did not quite balance the fuss of the presentation and delivery of the dishes. If you stick to what Grant King does best, you will be rewarded. But if you venture down the road of experimentation, you may come away without that fun feeling of adventure.

Jan 11, 2012

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

6.5 Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  6     

I get the impression that Teage Ezard is trying too hard to break into the Sydney market. His opportune entry into The Star’s new dining precinct should have been enough, with a prime waterview setting. What has resulted is an in your face philosophy justifying everything that the restaurant does ‘differently’, whilst they borrow and copy bits and pieces from everyone resulting in a cacophony of cuisine and confusion from diners.

Let me begin with the positives. The bar is amazing. Their selection of hard to find liquor, professional classic styled service and contemporary takes on classic cocktails, is brilliant. I would have thought low swinging lights and booth seating would have been better than high bar stools, but what this bar lacks in ambience, it makes up in well groomed staff (no weird hair cuts or visible tattoos), playful concoctions (some with liquid nitrogen), and speedy efficient service.

The complimentary starters are interesting. The brioche is superb, as is the butter. I have never known a restaurant to offer brioche as dinner bread, but it is impressive. The salt is a little unusual, and strong in flavour. Not everyone’s palate, but it was different. The lack of bread knives would serve a purpose in a rustic restaurant, but in a fine dining establishment, it seems out of place. As do the raw hide aprons that look like surplus from Lone star – is this a casual step back from a fine dining vision, hampered by GFC capital restraints?

Now for the criticism. If you are going to base a restaurant around steak, you better be 100% certain that the consistency is there. And when 6 steaks come to the table, 3 strip loins and 3 flat irons, you better be certain that there is consistency. All three were different in size. All three cooked in different interpretations of medium rare. All three were different temperatures. This restaurant proclaims the use of sous vide pre-cooking before the grill – unlike anyone else.

The reason why no one does this, is that it impedes the ability for the fat to melt into the meat, and the result is a flavourless, bland cut of meat, with gelatinous fat reminiscent of the wakame jelly we had with oysters. I’m sorry to say, that the competition out there (I can find three restaurants very similar in style), are a ‘cut’ above this place.

The wine list on ipad is a novel idea, but if you are going to base your list on 30% American wines, please don’t insult us with the usual ramble of West Coast marquee labels. No cult or rare producers, nothing from the interior or east coast. I’m sure you aren’t the only restaurant stocking the Seghesio zinfandel, so don’t make a point of telling us how privileged we are to be drinking it. It is not the most extensive selection of American Wines in Sydney. Again, you don’t really know your competition.

For the most part, this restaurant has tried hard in distancing itself from the ramble of the Casino. And while it has succeeded in doing so, it has created a fantasy world where odd flavours are a match, and convinced us that Hawaiian sea water is more than just a gimmick. This establishment is like a bower bird’s nest, full of rehashed gimmicks, shiny new things, and an uneasy identity crisis. Will it work? Yes, relying on heavy traffic from the Casino and Hotel.

Will it win awards? Probably not, but then Teage Ezard doesn’t need awards to justify his experimental approach. Still confused? I still am.

Dec 22, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

We came here for a late father’s day dinner. I don’t really venture too far from the city, but we were meeting people in the area. This is the greatest find. I would move to Croydon Park if all the restaurants and cafes were like this! Not at all your average Middle Eastern Cuisine. The restaurant is simplistic and humble. The service is caring, accommodating, but not intrusive. Our waiter Amir showed character, warmth and professionalism. This place makes you feel good.

We started with breads and spices – really unusual, but to begin a meal like this with fine olive oil and bread preps the gut, and the intriguing spices prepped the palate. I ordered the kibeh ineh, steak tartare, and the quality was unparalleled. The raw meat was fresh, beautifully seasoned, but not a hit amongst the other diners. It was beautifully presented on a marble cutting board.

What followed were an array of typical Middle Eastern starters – the juiciest kibbeh I have ever eaten, delicate pastries and a few salads. They were lovely, if not a little predictable. But the next few dishes literally knocked me over.

The most incredible seven spiced duck, fried baby spatch cock, beef rump roll with chimichurri, Pastirma with orange and pomegranate salad, lamb shanks with cumin pumpkin puree. These were high quality, well presented and tasty dishes, that some fine dining restaurants struggle with executing. I loved the shared concept dining, the rustic earthenware crockery, the wafts of apple and cherry scented smoke when the door opened. We didn’t order the mixed grill plates, but if the meat is of similar quality, they would be outstanding, judging by appearances.

Just when we thought we couldn’t have anymore, we finished with cinnamon and mint ‘choi’, Kniffeh and a special chilli chocolate churro. The kniffeh had the smoothest semolina, and a lovely pistachio sugar syrup (be warned, it comes out piping hot). The churros came with a moreish chocolate dipping sauce that was decadent. This place is BYO, and low key, and not really that expensive. Definitely will be back. Most impressed!

Sep 26, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  7     

I like the fact that so many people compare this place with their local Chinese restaurant. This is seriously in a class above. Let me begin by saying that this place has an amazing array of food friendly (and Spice friendly) wines, that any other CBD restaurant would die for. Secondly, the cocktails here are so incredible, and approachable, that they would give any bar in and around the city a run for their money. The pig, the rat, the rooster, the horse, all outstanding! Thirdly, the service here is delicate, polished and charming. Plates aren’t thrown at you, everyone speaks English, and there is always someone around to assist you.

Now the food. I don’t eat Chinese any more. I am over inferior cuts, MSG, predictable menus and stomach bugs. I don’t do spicy food – chili, curry, peppercorns. I break out. With some arm twisting from my friends, and a brave face I walked through the door (pretty cool really) sat down in the dark and braced myself for the worst. After some guidance from the staff about the menu, my verdict was – Outstanding. See for the most part I avoided the items highlighted in red, but when something did come to the table, drowned in spicy sauce or buried under chili, when I tried it I was converted.

The style of cuisine is from parts of China I have never heard of, never will travel to, and can’t even pronounce. But I think it’s the preparation of this style of cuisine, that doesn’t have you burying your head in snow, but enjoying the almost anesthetic values of the Spice. But there were one or two dishes that really numbed the palate. After all the place is called spice temple after all, and to expect anything less, is completely ridiculous.
The highlights for me were the lamb and cumin pancakes, the hot and numbing pork, the drunken fish, and the dumplings (amazing). Mr Perry has changed chinese food forever! Definitely coming back!

Aug 08, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  9     

I have been dying to write a review of this restaurant. I felt that on occasion they may have been lucky with me, or I was lucky with them. I have been here 4 times over the past 2 years. Each and every time I have left with that warm feeling, the one you get when you leave a friend’s house. This is more than a restaurant, this is an opportunity to see into the life of Monique and Tony.

Forget about qualifications, forget about training and pedigree. The restaurant has the right recipe when it comes to the basics – sustainable produce. A market garden out back, a herb garden down the side, the odd fruit tree, local meats, it is these key ingredients that set this place apart from other 2 hat-ted restaurants and they trump them every time. The philosophy is humble, and holistic, not trend driven or opportunistic. There is passion in everything that happens within the sandstone walls.

It may seem old fashioned and kitsch, but dining in a converted house by a log fire, eating off white table clothes, tendered to by humble service, is only superseded by the crisp mountain air, vistas of breathtaking proportions, and the odd bell bird’s tinkle. As cosy as it is, this is after all a restaurant so let’s talk food, the perfect balance of modern gastronomy and traditional cuisine.

Our last visit delivered a Steamed Dashi Custard, Smoked Eel, Scallop and Avruga Tartare, biodynamic duck liver pâté with traditional condiments, pan roasted rainbow trout with prosciutto and spiced butter poached spitchcock with marron. Has the rest of Sydney forgotten how to entertain? Food like this never gets old!

The menu is seasonal, so I have yet to have the same dish twice, but the menu can seem a little limited. Each item is paired with a cheeky wine match as an afterthought but the list itself is entirely reasonable, and well thought out, and constantly growing. I would love to see more vintage depth, but this does not set one back, as the long drive back to civilisation does. Do yourself a favour, the reward is worth it!

Feb 08, 2012

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food  8      Ambience  3      Service  6      Value  7     

If there is one thing that does not fit the bill in King’s Cross, it’s fine dining. Sure, they will tell you that it’s Pott’s point, but when the thundering bass echoes in from Favela and whatever Lady Luxx’s is now called, you know that you are only a hop, skip and a stumble from the Golden Mile.

Picture a playful sanctuary that makes you forget the constant rumble of the red light district, a place where harmony and balance play with texture and imagination to serenade your taste buds and transform you to a place of laughter, relaxation and gaiety. A world where willy wonka meets the mad hatter at a table of gastronomic delight. That is not Gastro Park.

The minimalist interior for my mind is drab, boring and unpleasing. Thankfully the person sitting opposite me was good looking, as I had nowhere else to look, except for a few moss covered stone, a tree on a table, A few lamps, some cheese on glass pedestal, and that waiter taking my wine somewhere, and returning with someone else’s. The chairs are uncomfortable, and the staff seem pedestrian, as the restaurant is by no means large, but they disappear as soon as they arrive.

Thankfully the food was above average in this setting. I enjoyed the ‘snacking' entree option, but I must say that the prices do not reflect the portions. The Putanesca wafer, is literally that, a wafer, and is 90% air. The flavour was as you would expect, highest quality, but it arrived in an odd river stone, cut with a groove.

The tuna Carpaccio with marrow deserves special mention, as the rustic serving of the Tuna marrow for me, was the highlight of the evening, and a triumph of the freshest of fresh seafood.

The scallops were good, if on the small side, but the mains were standouts, and overdelivered. The snapper will be a cult hit amongst Sydney diners, innovative and expressive. The bread crusted groper was divine, perfectly cooked. The desserts are the same as everywhere else at the moment, nitrogen frozen something, with a gel of something, and foam of something else, all made to look like something inedible.

Cheese was brilliant, if not a tad warm. The wine list is ‘minimal’ (this word keeps coming up), with some stars, but champagne seemed the best way to wash down the courses.

I thought this was supposed to playful gastronomy, but instead we experienced quality food, with sufficient minimalist service, in an ultra minimalist setting, that did not quite balance the fuss of the presentation and delivery of the dishes. If you stick to what Grant King does best, you will be rewarded. But if you venture down the road of experimentation, you may come away without that fun feeling of adventure.

Jan 11, 2012

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

6.5 Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  6     

I get the impression that Teage Ezard is trying too hard to break into the Sydney market. His opportune entry into The Star’s new dining precinct should have been enough, with a prime waterview setting. What has resulted is an in your face philosophy justifying everything that the restaurant does ‘differently’, whilst they borrow and copy bits and pieces from everyone resulting in a cacophony of cuisine and confusion from diners.

Let me begin with the positives. The bar is amazing. Their selection of hard to find liquor, professional classic styled service and contemporary takes on classic cocktails, is brilliant. I would have thought low swinging lights and booth seating would have been better than high bar stools, but what this bar lacks in ambience, it makes up in well groomed staff (no weird hair cuts or visible tattoos), playful concoctions (some with liquid nitrogen), and speedy efficient service.

The complimentary starters are interesting. The brioche is superb, as is the butter. I have never known a restaurant to offer brioche as dinner bread, but it is impressive. The salt is a little unusual, and strong in flavour. Not everyone’s palate, but it was different. The lack of bread knives would serve a purpose in a rustic restaurant, but in a fine dining establishment, it seems out of place. As do the raw hide aprons that look like surplus from Lone star – is this a casual step back from a fine dining vision, hampered by GFC capital restraints?

Now for the criticism. If you are going to base a restaurant around steak, you better be 100% certain that the consistency is there. And when 6 steaks come to the table, 3 strip loins and 3 flat irons, you better be certain that there is consistency. All three were different in size. All three cooked in different interpretations of medium rare. All three were different temperatures. This restaurant proclaims the use of sous vide pre-cooking before the grill – unlike anyone else.

The reason why no one does this, is that it impedes the ability for the fat to melt into the meat, and the result is a flavourless, bland cut of meat, with gelatinous fat reminiscent of the wakame jelly we had with oysters. I’m sorry to say, that the competition out there (I can find three restaurants very similar in style), are a ‘cut’ above this place.

The wine list on ipad is a novel idea, but if you are going to base your list on 30% American wines, please don’t insult us with the usual ramble of West Coast marquee labels. No cult or rare producers, nothing from the interior or east coast. I’m sure you aren’t the only restaurant stocking the Seghesio zinfandel, so don’t make a point of telling us how privileged we are to be drinking it. It is not the most extensive selection of American Wines in Sydney. Again, you don’t really know your competition.

For the most part, this restaurant has tried hard in distancing itself from the ramble of the Casino. And while it has succeeded in doing so, it has created a fantasy world where odd flavours are a match, and convinced us that Hawaiian sea water is more than just a gimmick. This establishment is like a bower bird’s nest, full of rehashed gimmicks, shiny new things, and an uneasy identity crisis. Will it work? Yes, relying on heavy traffic from the Casino and Hotel.

Will it win awards? Probably not, but then Teage Ezard doesn’t need awards to justify his experimental approach. Still confused? I still am.

Dec 22, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

We came here for a late father’s day dinner. I don’t really venture too far from the city, but we were meeting people in the area. This is the greatest find. I would move to Croydon Park if all the restaurants and cafes were like this! Not at all your average Middle Eastern Cuisine. The restaurant is simplistic and humble. The service is caring, accommodating, but not intrusive. Our waiter Amir showed character, warmth and professionalism. This place makes you feel good.

We started with breads and spices – really unusual, but to begin a meal like this with fine olive oil and bread preps the gut, and the intriguing spices prepped the palate. I ordered the kibeh ineh, steak tartare, and the quality was unparalleled. The raw meat was fresh, beautifully seasoned, but not a hit amongst the other diners. It was beautifully presented on a marble cutting board.

What followed were an array of typical Middle Eastern starters – the juiciest kibbeh I have ever eaten, delicate pastries and a few salads. They were lovely, if not a little predictable. But the next few dishes literally knocked me over.

The most incredible seven spiced duck, fried baby spatch cock, beef rump roll with chimichurri, Pastirma with orange and pomegranate salad, lamb shanks with cumin pumpkin puree. These were high quality, well presented and tasty dishes, that some fine dining restaurants struggle with executing. I loved the shared concept dining, the rustic earthenware crockery, the wafts of apple and cherry scented smoke when the door opened. We didn’t order the mixed grill plates, but if the meat is of similar quality, they would be outstanding, judging by appearances.

Just when we thought we couldn’t have anymore, we finished with cinnamon and mint ‘choi’, Kniffeh and a special chilli chocolate churro. The kniffeh had the smoothest semolina, and a lovely pistachio sugar syrup (be warned, it comes out piping hot). The churros came with a moreish chocolate dipping sauce that was decadent. This place is BYO, and low key, and not really that expensive. Definitely will be back. Most impressed!

Sep 26, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  7     

I like the fact that so many people compare this place with their local Chinese restaurant. This is seriously in a class above. Let me begin by saying that this place has an amazing array of food friendly (and Spice friendly) wines, that any other CBD restaurant would die for. Secondly, the cocktails here are so incredible, and approachable, that they would give any bar in and around the city a run for their money. The pig, the rat, the rooster, the horse, all outstanding! Thirdly, the service here is delicate, polished and charming. Plates aren’t thrown at you, everyone speaks English, and there is always someone around to assist you.

Now the food. I don’t eat Chinese any more. I am over inferior cuts, MSG, predictable menus and stomach bugs. I don’t do spicy food – chili, curry, peppercorns. I break out. With some arm twisting from my friends, and a brave face I walked through the door (pretty cool really) sat down in the dark and braced myself for the worst. After some guidance from the staff about the menu, my verdict was – Outstanding. See for the most part I avoided the items highlighted in red, but when something did come to the table, drowned in spicy sauce or buried under chili, when I tried it I was converted.

The style of cuisine is from parts of China I have never heard of, never will travel to, and can’t even pronounce. But I think it’s the preparation of this style of cuisine, that doesn’t have you burying your head in snow, but enjoying the almost anesthetic values of the Spice. But there were one or two dishes that really numbed the palate. After all the place is called spice temple after all, and to expect anything less, is completely ridiculous.
The highlights for me were the lamb and cumin pancakes, the hot and numbing pork, the drunken fish, and the dumplings (amazing). Mr Perry has changed chinese food forever! Definitely coming back!

Aug 08, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.5 Highly Recommended

Drinks  9      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  8     

Now this is a hidden gem. Having only been in Sydney for a few months now, I find it difficult to relax in a bar. You either need to have a particular hairstyle, dress a certain way or have a particular opinion about something irrelevant to feel accepted in most of the new ‘Melbournesque’ small bars. The attitude of some of the bar staff and door staff at these places is deplorable, and the drinks selections are either ultra minimalist or eclectically complex.

Enter Heavy Feather, a neighborhood bar in the truest sense – where drag queens can mix with muso’s and the economically challenged with the financially opulent. Something for everyone! I love that an ‘unpretentious bar’ seems like an oxymoron, but ironically (not ‘hipster irony’), this place works. The terrace out back is a huge asset, can’t wait for the summer nights spent out there. The furniture is eclectic, but oh so comfortable.

Where this place rises above most is doing the simple things right. A well thought out cocktail list, with easy to understand and crowd pleasing cocktails, but also interesting and delicate options. The wine list is about regional strength and decent prices. The beers are brilliant, almost too good, no longnecks here! The food is obviously North American inspired, but we will be coming back for the Buffalo wings, the hand cut fries, the pork belly and the smoked chilies!

The music policy is a bit random, and the high ceilings kind of make it seem like the front room of a Victorian terrace, but I think it all works. Take a bow, this is our new local.

Jul 06, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  2     

This place has to be a joke. I can't understand how a restaurant like this operates in real terms. It was like an episode of Fawlty Towers from start to finish.

We were waiting almost half an hour for our table, when we showed up on time for our reservation, until a flustered waiter, literally out of breath, hurried us to a table that had not even been cleared yet. We ordered drinks, and received warm beers in chipped glass mugs.

The menus were forced under our nose, and I could not for the life of me believe the exuberant prices of some of the dishes. Before we could place our order, we received 'complimentary’ bitterballs that appeared later on our bill. Not impressive.

The food was Ok at best, when it wasn't under cooked (schnitzel), and there was far too much on the plate. Then appeared a kitchen staff/senior staff who interrupted our conversations, and left crumbs on our table from whatever had fallen out of his moustache.

The wine list is rather extensive, but on closer inspection the wines are just 'known', and not a single member of the floor staff could confidently direct us in any direction, so we chose for ourselves. The wine arrived, tepid, and was served without any grace or flare.

Then our host appeared, again, this time, slightly more pickled. What happened next was pretty disturbing. He proceeded to tell off one of the poor overworked and tired wait staff, then slapped him (ok it was a little playful) on the back of the head. This Marx brother/ Three Stooges routine sealed the deal for us, and after waiting another 30 mins for the bill, we left before dessert, with no intentions to return. Spend your money elsewhere.

Jun 17, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  7     

I am still a bit stumped by the concept of the place. The wine list and menu reads like an estate house or hacienda on the Pampas, the crowd is more 'hip' than hipster, reminiscent of the restaurants location, and the staff look like the cast from Boardwalk empire. Bizarre!

Apart from the simplistic and elegant cafe decor, the attention is drawn to an open fire pit with whole sides of meats roasting away. A vegetarian's nightmare, my delight! We skipped pre dinner drinks in the bar (upon a few recommendations against it), and sat down to eat meat and wash it down with Malbec. I have to say, the wine list is definitely in the running for regional wine list of the year, I had no idea that Argentina and South America could offer such a comprehensive variety of styles, some not suited to the menu, but definitely interesting.

The food, great! No trimmings, no fluffing, nothing but charcoal roasted quality meats. Loved the lamb, loved the chicken, infect it was cooked well, and to perfection, in a completely rustic ordeal.

The service, what a let down. Trying to find a waiter in this place is like trying to find a clear path through volcanic ash. Granted, the place is busting at the seams and they are run off their feet, but I was a little bit put off by the hostess constantly reapplying her makeup, and the floor staff combing their long fringes, no, not cool.

Good luck getting in. If you don't book for five or more, your best chances are at 6 or 10. Grazias!

Jun 16, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

Wow. What an incredible showcase for Sydney! We made a booking asking for a table with a view, not knowing where the restaurant was located. We definitely weren't disappointed. They seated us high on the balcony level, overlooking the restaurant, a great way to soak up the ‘Mad Men’ atmosphere, the kind of place where big business is carried out and big bucks are outlaid!

Apart from being completely blown away by the dining room, our entrance was caring and welcoming by two lovely hostesses in black. Then we had the privilege of the professional service from our section waiter Ashley, amongst the best we experienced in Sydney.

I usually am not a fan of fine dining with molecular gastronomy influences, using the rarest of plants, flowers and spices to compensate for a lack of flavour. In the case of Rockpool Bar and Grill, they only source the finest ingredients and cook them with 'love', resulting in hearty, delicious and generous dishes.

The menu is extensive, the cocktail list is comprehensive and the wine list is exhaustive! You don't need to spend 'big' money to be impressed. There are so many bargains on that list, that would make other restaurants hot under their collar. In particular I loved the back vintage Australian section, some parts (and prices!) of the Northern Rhone, and all those great little unknown regions of Italy.

After starting with a cocktail we went with the shared concept idea, of trying all the different steaks in comparison. If you have not had a wood fire grilled steak you have no idea what you are missing! And the dry aging is far superior to 'wet aging' or other methods of preservation and marinade. Didn't try the Wagyu, but the temptation was there.

All the sides were simplistic, delicious and plentiful. Particular mention must go to the Potato and Cabbage gratin, for someone who is not fond of sour cabbage, I must say, I can eat this for breakfast lunch and dinner for the rest of my life. Try the Mac and cheese also, just delicious!

After washing it all down with 3 bottles of cleverly recommended wine (our sommelier was French), we moved to dessert. Again, nothing over the top, no crazy emulsions, or foam (I hate foam), but really brilliant classic desserts, pavlova, caramels, Black forest gateau, chocolate mousse and strawberry tart! Each was perfect in balance, intensity and presentation.

After a cheese platter, and a few digestifs, our bill was not easy on the hip pocket, but well worth the experience.

Jun 16, 2011