harbourkitchen&bar

By Franz Scheurer

harbourkitchen&bar, inside the superbly appointed Park Hyatt Sydney, is nestled under the Harbour Bridge, and about as close to the water as you can be without getting wet. The semi-circular dining room, with its floor to ceiling windows and raised second tier of tables, offers everyone quintessentially Sydney views of the Opera House and Rocks waterfront, and, despite a relaxed ambience, the service and food are definitely ‘fine diner’.

It was the amazingly gifted Ross Lusted who originally helped design the space, including the kitchen’s fabulous wood-fired grills, and ever since he left the restaurant has seemed somewhat soulless (like a hotel dining room – which of course, it is); the food was generic and the service perfunctory. Now this has all changed with the appointment of Head Chef Alessandro Pavoni, a member of CIRA (Council of Italian Restaurants in Australia) and obviously a man with a mission. Pair his knowledge with the passion of sommelier Nick Caraturo and things start to rock.

Both the lunch and dinner menus are a great read and it’s hard to decide what not to eat. On a recent visit, wonderfully crunchy little rolls arrived quickly with good unsalted butter, and they offered more bread throughout the meal. We sampled the ‘Crostini of Jannei Goat’s Curd, Figs and Walnuts’ and the ‘Quail Saltimbocca with Potato and Ricotta Gnocchetti, Marsala Reduction’ to start; both terrific looking dishes. Using different plate shapes and sizes to enhance the size of the dish worked a treat and the flavours were concentrated without being overwhelming. I loved the Marsala reduction, so much more interesting than just another balsamic reduction. For mains we tried the ‘Orecchiette with Zucchini, Broccolini, Cherry Tomato, Bocconcini and Oregano’ and the ‘Spit roasted Free Range Baby Chicken with Sautéed Corn and Asparagus’. Again the presentation and flavours were first class and the pasta, obviously artisanal, made using a bronze extruder, wasn’t swamped by the sauce. The chicken was wonderfully dense, properly charred and a total success, although the menu description led me to believe I would get a whole chicken, not one wing and one breast. We shared a sublime ‘Carpaccio of Pineapple with Coconut and White Rum Ice Cream’ for dessert. Thinly shaved, curled fruit pieces with the ice cream in the centre and a dried disk of pineapple on top, it struck the perfect balance of sweet and acid, both refreshing and moreish.

An ice-cold Little Creatures quenched the thirst on arrival and a bottle of Joseph Drouhin Chablis complemented the food perfectly.

Service was exemplary (apart from some ordered French fries that failed to appear on the table or the bill) with attention and knowledge way beyond expectations. Value for money was good and if you take the view into consideration then it was exemplary. I know I’ll be back!

Score: 7.5/10

For more information and bookings:

harbourkitchen&bar

7 Hickson Road

The Rocks

Sydney

Tel: +61 2 9241 1234