A beautiful review
April 8th, 2009. Posted by luane
ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL, SYDNEY
by Franz Scheurer, Australian Gourmet Pages
The food at Rockpool Bar & Grill is excellent and never comes across as too worked or too fancy. It’s substantial comfort food and the portions are generous. Desserts are outstanding and leave you sated and satisfied.
When Rockpool Bar & Grill first opened it had an appropriate wine list with a decent selection of wines by the glass. The team at Rockpool Bar & Grill has been working on a wine list, which should be implemented in the next few days, that is without a doubt, one of the world’s most extensive and interesting lists. I had the privilege of seeing the lists, (two large tomes, one for whites and one for reds) and they’re amazing.
There are wines from around the world with over 3,500 different wines, going back as far as 1795. The lists focuses on Australia, France, Italy and the USA. Some legendary wines, including the amazing 1921 Chateau d’Yquem, 1945 Romanée-Conti, 1945 Mouton-Rothschild, and 1931 Quinta do Noval Port are on the lists. There is a vertical selection of 34 wines from the famous Burgundy vineyard La Tâche, 55 different wines from Montrachet, 32 selections of Penfold’s Grange, and 22 selections of Chateau Petrus with vintages ranging from 1900 to 2000. There are more than 350 wines in a more affordable price bracket (below $100) and I’m impressed with the selection of wines from Wendouree. Sophie Otton has joined the Rockpool Group as head sommelier and what she doesn’t know about wines is probably not worth knowing.
This is a huge restaurant and I expected the service to struggle in these early days, but I was wrong. Service was smooth, professional and attentive without being overbearing.
Adjacent to the dining room there is a funky bar with a good selection of beverages (and soon a good selection of whisky/whiskeys). On the bar menu you also find the famous Wagyu Burger. You are going to have to try it to believe it!
All in all: Rockpool Bar & Grill is a fabulous venue, offering great and affordable food and with its many private rooms the perfect place for your next birthday party or business function.
Score: 8.5/10
(and be clear that this is, in my opinion, Australia‘s most beautiful dining room!)
For more information or bookings:
Rockpool Bar & Grill
66 Hunter Street
Sydney
Tel.: 02 8078 1900
Tags: franz scheurer, Neil Perry, Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney, sophie otton, Wagyu, Wine
