Neil Perry’s flagship fine-diner has no shortage of frills and thrills, from the dramatic Art Deco building and the luxurious Riedel glassware to the 3000-plus bottle wine list and, it must be said, the hefty bill at the end. Fads, however, are in short supply, especially when it comes to the food: the entire menu works in service of a stoutly confident theme celebrating classic cooking and exceptional ingredients. Beef, which is the headline act on the carte, is sourced from sustainable producers, aged in-house and, if the dark-crusted Cape Grim Scotch is anything to go by, cooked with a trained eye and steady hands, but there’s almost never a foot put wrong anywhere else either. Layers of complexity push an entrée of chicken soup far beyond the realm of simple comfort food, and a side dish of woodfired creamed corn with chipotle chilli butter and Manchego arrives hot and juicy. The clientele is one of the few surprises; the CBD power players are out in force, but there’s also strong representation from more casual diners who know there’s nowhere else in Sydney offering such a reliably excellent and timeless dining experience.
Gourmet Traveller’s restaurant guide gives a yearly snapshot at the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 50. The wine star-ratings, which range 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.
