Is it a bar with good food or a restaurant with a good bar? You’ll ponder this question as you arrive at Bar H, its welcoming lights glowing on a Surry Hills corner, empty wine bottles lining the window sills and the happy buzz of a hip crowd drifting onto the street. Upstairs is vibrant and bar-like, a place to sit on stools and down cocktails accented with lychee, turmeric and star anise. You can eat here, too, or opt for the intimate dining room downstairs to explore an original menu from chef Hamish Ingham that successfully marries Japanese, Chinese and indigenous flavours. A branch of saltbush, for instance, is fried tempura-style and served with chilli mayo, kingfish sashimi is elevated with twin sauces of yuzu kosho and nori, and kombucured Angus sirloin works perfectly with a miso sauce and mushrooms. An impressive drinks list created by co-owner Rebecca Lines includes wines by the glass or carafe, sakes, spirits and teas. Now, drink or dinner?
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Wine: ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
