Where to Dine in Sydney: ROCKPOOL Bar & Grill – Best Steak in town! (one of anyways…)

Don’t even think of coming here if you did not make a reservation. Although not as sought after like Tetsuya, Rockpool requires at least 2 weeks to a month’s in advance reservation. Dimly lit in the heart of Sydney’s business district, Rockpool was filled with many people in business suits and office wear. In fact, S and I were rather out of place in our sneakers and jeans. Well, then again, there weren’t many Asians to begin with so yah, we pretty much stood out.

The ambience was really nice in that it wasn’t stifling like those awfully atas  restaurants yet it was somewhat in between fine dining and a casual Friday night out. The ceiling was high which gave the place a certain grandeur. All the service staff were neatly dressed in vests, bow ties, jackets, with their hair  neatly groomed; adding a posh touch to the already rather high end feel. The tables had a nice distance apart from each other and each table was lit by an oriental looking lamp. The kitchen was in full view and was in fact pretty much like a showcase. Different types of wine glasses became like centre pieces where they were displayed. Very nicely done.

The steak portions were just about right if you ask me. They were thick and well grilled. I love it how it’s so burnt on the outside yet not overly cooked inside. There was also just the right amount of fat to give it that juice and kick. Bear in mind that I am one of those that cuts out the fatty bits when I eat steak, but not this time. Beautiful. Something I noticed was whilst in Singapore, many steaks taste rather blend on its own and rely quite abit on the sauce used (red wine, mushroom, etc), the steaks here taste really good all on its own and you truly enjoy the steak for what it is. They also served some boiled carrots which were probably the nicest I have ever tasted. I was in heaven. Yummy steak accompanied by yummy wine and yummy S in yummy place. Perfect.

I’m sorry for not writing alot about this as it’s kinda dated since I took so long with it, but enjoy the pictures and do check it out when you visit Sydney especially if you are a steak lover!

ROCKPOOL

107 George Street

The Rocks NSW 2000

http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/rockpool/

Where to Dine in Sydney: BILLS

Time sure flies, it’s been 6 months since my Sydney trip with S and I still have a bunch of places I have yet to review and post. One of which would be the famous all-day breakfast restaurant – BILLS, owned by renowned chef Bill Granger.

 BILLS is particularly well known for their eggs and Bill Granger himself has many best-selling cook books. In fact S and I bought 1 for S’s parents since they are food lovers who enjoy whipping up fine food in the kitchen.

I can’t quite recall exactly how we got there. I believe we took a train and walked. But what I do remember was that it was raining by the time we had arrived so we literally braved the rain to eat there. However once we were safely inside, the rain stopped and sun came out. After our meal though, it started raining again. Talk about perfect timing.

What was perfect though was breakfast. BILLS lived up to its reputation and I loved it. The decor was simple with some tables inside and 1 big table in the middle. The wooden tables and white walls, along with the glass windows which allowed the sunlight in, gave the place a bright and cheery feel. The restaurant felt relaxed, unpretentious and uplifting. There were magazines on the table which S and I helped ourselves too whilst we slowly savoured our breakfast. It was the best feeling ever. I felt like I truly was on vacation.

S ordered the BILLS specialty and famous corn beef burger or something. Sorry but I really can’t recall the name. It was good and tasty but frankly a little to heavy for my liking. S enjoyed it thoroughly though and was happily sipping his coffee whilst reading after gobbling down his breakfast. I was a less adventurous and went for my usual bacon with scrambled eggs. Now here’s the deal, the eggs were immaculately done. By far, definitely, the best scrambled eggs I have ever had. I heard of BILLS eggs and I know they are supposed to be good but this really was incredible. There was some fluff to it, and the flavour of eggs came out subtly with a blend of…hmmm…I can’t quite describe it…but it was awesome. You never knew scrambled eggs could taste so different.

The bacon was also yummy as it wasn’t those over fried crispy sticks that you get at Burger King or some of the breakfast places in Singapore, but rather proper bacon with just the right amount of meat and fat. YUMMY.

I was extremely satisfied with breakfast and I recommend all who visit Sydney to have breakfast at BILLS. It just starts your day right and sets you in the holiday mood, keeping you tension free, relaxed, well fed and happy. My spirits were high despite the dampening rainy weather. All thanks to a good hearty breakfast at BILLS!

Bills

 433 Liverpool St
Darlinghurst 2010 NSW

Where to Dine in Sydney – The Quay Restaurant

For my birthday this year, my boy and I celebrated in style. Down under, he took me to this really intimate and classy restaurant at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, called The Quay Restaurant. Do make your reservations early for this restaurant packs a full crowd with a waiting list of at least 2-3 months!

The place is absolutely beautiful. Kinda reminds me of Forlino back in Singapore. Instead of facing the Esplanade, we have full paranomic view of the Sydney Opera House. The full length glass windows gives it a grand feel and really allows you to take the scenic all in. Amazing.

You are only allowed 2 choices when you are seated – it’s either you take the degustation menu or you order some other menu set. We decided to take 1 of each to try. We also ordered a bottle of wine which got me pretty high in the middle of the meal!  The entire dinner was perfect. Everything was very well presented. Looking both elegantly pretty yet appetising. It was a magical few hours (yes dinner was from 8pm to 12 midnight!)made even more special because of the company and I guess the fact that we were overseas on a romantic getaway.

Should you go to Sydney, I recommend The Quay for a fine dining experience coupled with delicious food and a breathtaking view.

Note:  I think what sets it apart from Forlino is also the fact that the tables are not that close to each other, hence there is still a certain amount of privacy and seclusion. The layout of the tables and chairs presents a more spacious yet compartmentalised feel.

Where to go in Sydney: Ivy’s

Ivy’s was actually recommended by our concierge. We were looking for a night spot to chill after dinner and our concierge recommended Ivy’s which was within walking distance from our hotel and Kingsley (where we had dinner) – our hotel was excellently located. You should check out Swissotel Sydney.

Ivy’s actually comprises of 2 buildings hidden beyond an alley. You actually have to walk through a small alley in order to reach this area which to the left, led to an all westernised bar with a pool table and all, a sushi train restaurant, and an artistically decorated ballroom. To the right was a flight of steps that led up to a beautiful open area filled with heaters (it was winter), lovely plants, pretty garden sets, and nice sofas. There was an outdoor area and an indoor bar. The whole place came across to me as very Oosh-like (for those of you who have been to Singapore, Oosh is an open-air chillout place at Dempsey), for it kinda had a similar ambience. However the furnishings here were much better. The place was classy and relaxing with nice soft music and a good, comfortable crowd. Mostly people who needed a drink or 2 after a day’s work.

There’s also a spiral staircase leading upstairs which is sheltered and had more lounge sofas and sofa beds. There was also a bar here on its own. We didn’t go further up but it appeared to house some posh members only area.

Our concierge told us that it gets really crowded and there would be a long queue just to get in (sounds like Butter Factory in Singapore); but I guess as we went on a Tuesday night, there was no queue but neither was it quiet. I would say the place was 70% occupied.

Very picturesque and a great place to just sit, chill, and enjoy some alcohol and good company. Loved it.

PS: we passed by this place on a Friday night and there were bouncers standing at the front of the alley at 9pm, so I imagine it’s pretty much like a Zouk/Butter on weekends.

Eating in Sydney: Sydney Fish Market

We came here real early in the morning so some of the stalls weren’t even open yet. Although we knew of a more famous one, but as it was closed, we went for the next biggest and bestest stall. Haha some blue coloured place…forgot the name, sorry! But you should be able to identify it via my photographs.

Anyway, the oysters are really fresh and you can get them really cheap here. The crabs aren’t as cheap however although equally fresh and man, they are huge! We ordered a crab but made the mistake of ordering it black pepper style. I wanted to compare the black pepper in sydney with that in Singapore, and I saw the chef was Chinese so thought it wouldn’t be bad – big mistake. Whilst the meat was succulent and good, the preparation really sucked. The black pepper sauce was awfully salty and the sauce was curding. Gross. What a waste of AUD40. We tried the prawns too, given to us by some other tourist. Whilst it looked fresh, it certainly didn’t taste fresh. It was rather “fishy” in fact.

On the whole, I wasn’t too impressed by Sydney Fish Market. Although I will take into consideration that could have been the choices made, for instance ordering black pepper instead of steamed or cold crab; and if I had ordered the prawns myself, maybe I could have chosen another lot. I have a feeling she ordered those pre-made ones which they were selling too. Aside from the oysters, there really isn’t much to shout about here. The crab prices are the equivalent of Singapore’s if not higher taking into account exchange. If I ever head to Sydney again, I’ll probably give the Fish Market a miss.

Where to Dine in Sydney: Kingsley – affordable good steak/pasta

This was recommended by our Concierge at the Swissotel and I must say it was a good one. We took awhile to find it as it really was pretty much a hole in the wall. You kinda have to walk through a small alley and you will see Kingsley up a small flight of steps. Inside, the restaurant is cosy, dimly lit and has an old rustic country feel to it. Wine bottles line the brick walls and the tables are a comfortable distance apart. The kitchen is pretty much an open concept so you can see the chefs busy preparing your meal. Service is warm and friendly (as with most Australian restaurants frankly), and the mood is casual and chill. S and I were commenting that it is a great place to meet friends after work for some food and wine. Perfect for a weekday chillout.

I ordered the pasta which was impressive. Although it primarily consisted of mushrooms, I was happy that the pasta wasn’t drowned in the taste of mushrooms. You know how some places whereby the mushroom taste is just overbearing, along with the smell which can get quite choking? This was perfectly done. The pasta though neither cream nor tomato based, wasn’t oily like how  you find many pastas these days. It was nicely tossed and wasn’t too jaded (jelat). I loved it. It was very tasty and the portion served was just nice.

S had the steak which looked huge and very american with the grill lines prominently cutting across the steak. The meat was juicy and tender despite looking dry at first look. It was amazing. We were served 3 types of mustard to go with the steak and that just made it even better. S loved the wholegrain mustard, whilst I preferred the English mustard. It was a great start to our stay in Sydney and I was looking forward to more, and better food to come!

As we were pretty full and wanted to go check out IVY, we didn’t get desserts. The wine we had went very well with our main courses and we left satisfied and happy. Now this is what I call a family/friends steakhouse. Great food and quaint setting. Lovely for gatherings and family dinners.

PS: On weekdays, they apparently have a special lunch menu for only $29.90 and this comes complete with a complementary glass of wine. More importantly, part of the choices for main courses include WAGYU beef!! Now where do you get that at such a price!!??