The signature restaurant at the swish new Capella Sydney nails the five-star hotel restaurant brief. On the ground floor of the lavishly refurbished former Department of Education building, Brasserie 1930’s high-ceilinged room – all marble, leather, timber and lots of art – delivers movie-set glamour in spades. Bentley Group co-founders Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt might be better known, perhaps, for more left-of-centre atmospherics, but they’ve adapted to this new environment seamlessly, with an offering that suits the luxurious habitat. Think impeccable oysters, caviar, lobster and top-end steaks to a pork loin chop with pickled prunes and salsa verde or thrilling pasta alla chitarra tossed with sea-urchin sauce and spanner crab. Careful attention is paid to details like the quality of the fries and salad leaves, as well. Service is excellent, the location-appropriate wine list both approachable and pricey. The perfect backdrop, in other words, for a power lunch – real or cosplay.
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national guide.
