We had a 730 res for Neil’s latest Sydney venture, Rockpool Bar & Grill, which is modelled on his successful Melbourne-based bar and grill. Another taxi across town to Hunter St and we were there.
As you walk in the aroma is awesome, you can smell the faint scent of burning hardwood and charcoal. The staff are very professional and well dressed. You get a sense of serenity and calmness when you enter the dining room and view the chefs in the open kitchen silently completing their respective tasks.
We immediately ordered some drinks without looking at the cocktail list. Clif and I ordered a martini each – a drink that I really enjoy on special occasions – and the girls ordered a mojito each. I got the feeling we should’ve chosen something off the list from the service staff. I was asked what sort of martini I like and I answered “a dry one”, which I felt pretty stupid answering and when the girls asked if the bar staff can make them mojitos, they were told “yea, I guess they can” (note: none of this was in way rude or inhospitable, it’s just we were probably ordering some low-brow drinks that caught the staff off guard). The drinks came out and they were professionally executed and delicious starters – to our palate lol.
Neil often says he doesn’t follow too many rules and goes with what he likes, so we just followed his lead. We were offered water from another waiter with lemon and limes in hand. We just asked for some plain water and he walked off with the lemon and limes, which I found a bit strange. Obviously if you don’t purchase water, you don’t get lime – even if you enjoy it in your (plain) water.
The menu is very good and we all had some hard choices to make. There were a few definites that had been decided on before we even walked in. I was always getting the Four Raw Tastes of the Sea starter. I had this at Rockpool a few years ago and thought it was amazing, particularly the use of olive oil. The Mac and Cheese, Boiled Greens with Extra Virgin and Lemon and the Slow Cooked Egg with Bone Marrow and Red Wine Jus, were always going to be definites also.
We ordered the starters and had some Oysters with Mignonette Sauce. We were given a choice of two oysters and went with Sydney Rock. They were so fresh it was unbelievable. The sauce, which I’d never tasted before, was also amazing. Some nice bread was served with an equally impressive butter and we were offered more if needed which was a nice touch.
For entrée, three of the four meals came out and we waited about 10 minutes for the fourth one (slow cooked egg and bone marrow) to come out. Clif’s sashimi was very nice and quite generous on the serving size. Jade enjoyed the charcoal-grilled squid and pork belly and my four raw tastes hit the spot again. I think it was the ocean trout with harissa and preserved lemon (could be wrong on the details there) that sealed the deal. Sharing a ham plate was the perfect way to try the expensive and luxurious Jamon Iberico from Spain. We enjoyed a nice white wine, Sauvignon Blanc, with our starters.
Main courses were delivered together and professionally. I ordered the Sirloin on the Bone medium rare, it was served perfectly cooked, on a plate with a slice of lemon – exactly the way I like it. Clif also ordered a steak, Rib on the Bone, which again was cooked to perfection. The steaks were served with a very well prepared béarnaise sauce, and a choice of other condiments. I took horseradish cream and hot English mustard. Personally, I thought the horseradish cream had too much cream in it and didn’t allow the horseradish to be itself.
Kiri ordered the Pigeon and Radicchio and Jade had the Swordfish Steak. The swordfish steak was the best prepared piece of fish I have ever tasted. The closest thing I can relate it to was chewing on fairy floss, that might sound weird but it was that light and moist, it just disappeared in your mouth – very nice. Kiri’s dish was probably too rich in the end, especially as her entrée was quite rich also, but the pigeon was nicely presented and there was no sign of any of it being overcooked.
The sides we ordered were boiled greens, sautéed mushrooms and Neil’s mac and cheese. All went well with our order. Particularly impressive was the Mac and Cheese, it tasted so nice! Neil, I’d love to know what cheese you used on this particular dish. Was there a blue cheese in there?
We enjoyed a nice Shiraz with the mains and hunted out the dessert menu. Crème Caramel and Lemon Tart were the final choices and we asked the sommelier to match a dessert wine with each. Crème caramel is one of my favourite desserts, this did not disappoint. We were all amazed at how much of a positive effect a well-chosen dessert wine can have on the dish.
The (only) negative first: the bathrooms were a long way away, I guess you aren’t spoiled for choice for options when you renovate a heritage building. Some suggestions (humbly): leave a small plate, possibly the bread plate, for the duration of the meal to place samplings of the mains or some of the shared side dishes on; serve the patrons lemon or lime with their water whether it’s plain or not;
Overall, what an experience! The smoky aroma, the wines, the service, the ambience, the decor and, of course, the food – all very impressive. I mentioned at the start how serene the place felt, that was further enhanced by the (not over-) confident staff who knew what they were talking about and the way the food was “the hero”. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys fresh produce cooked with the respect it deserves, fine service and the smell of burning charcoal.
