Amazing food under the Harbour Bridge

Can location improve an already good meal? Or can it save a disappointing one? Normally I don’t concern myself with weighty contemplation like this, but circumstances drew me back to one of the greatest dining locations on the planet - Cafe Sydney. Sitting in one of the most spectacular locations in which to eat tends to make the mind dizzy (or perhaps it was just the champagne?)

Cafe Sydney is location on the 5th floor - effectively the roof-top - of the Customs House building in Circular Quay. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Sydney, with a distinctly Georgian style. The building as a whole is sadly somewhat blighted by the proximity to the Cahill Expressway, an ugly elevated freeway and rail-line. But being on the roof tends to elevate one above such issues, and leaves you with a view of the harbour, the multi-million dollar property, and old bridge that occasionally appears on a postcard or two :-).

So, that’s the location. What about the food? We were in a funny situation where I had eaten at Cafe Sydney before, so knew it had a superb selection of food, prepared to an exquisite standard. Lindsay had heard much about it, but didn’t want to have the “surprise” of the menu ruined. So I tried not to blab too much beforehand, and she tried not to look at the menu online prior to arrival.

Being situated on one of the great harbours of the world means seafood plays a prominent part of the fare, and so we started with a seafood dish each. Sauteed scallops with a shaved zucchini and raddish salad dressed with lemon and horseraddish; and the Kingfish carpaccio. The scallops were good, but the Kingfish carpaccio was amazing. It was beautifully flavoured, and enjoyed a dual life - at one moment carpaccio, then sashimi, then some inspired overlap between the two.

The mains were an interesting illustration that neither fabulous location, nor reputation, can necessarily improve a dish that fails to capture its potential. Follow the great start, I choose the baked freshwater salmon in tandoori spices with buffalo yoghurt raiti and lentils, with a spiced cocunut. Lindsay choose the grade 6+ Rayners wagyu steak. The Indian inspired dishes were excellent, not simply trying to mimic a local curry house, but showing what haute cuisine subcontinental style is all about. Subtle but rich spice accompanied the salmon, without a hint of garish bright orange sauce. The spices didn’t overpower the fish, which was rich and perfectly cooked. A delicate spiced onion stuffed naan bread was a perfect accompaniment. I’m fussy about fish, and salmon in particular, vastly preferring sashimi to cooked fish. So my praise is praise indeed.

That brings us to the wagyu. Lindsay is perhaps the worlds greatest lover of steak, and has taught me to appreciate it (yes, that means enjoying it “bleu”). To her credit, she talked with the waiter, who explained that wagyu marbling needed further cooking to ensure the flavour in the fat could be released as the fat rendered. She was wise enough to state “I’ll take it as the chef recommends, as he surely knows a great deal more about his steak and how best to prepare it”, and so the order was for medium-rare, as recommended. So with that build-up, how did it taste?

Ordinary. Just ordinary. In truth, the flesh itself simply didn’t have the richness we expected. It was certainly well seasoned, and cooked perfectly to medium-rare. But there was no hint of the distinctive umami that a great steak should have, nor the ripeness expected from a well aged piece of beef. This didn’t stop us eating it! But it did leave us with an anticlimactic feeling.

We washed the meal down with an Oakridge “Fume” Sauvignon Blanc from the Yarra Valley. This was a nice change from the usual Marlborough-style (which I love - don’t get me wrong). It was drier, less fruity, a more acidic. It stood up well to the spices in the salmon, and generally suited the other seafood dishes.

With the wagyu disappointment, Lindsay decided she had to win the dessert battle. I used game theory to go for the dark chocolate pave, which was good, but not great. Lindsay chose the lemon, almond and raspberry tart with lemon ice cream. It was delicious. The tart was as you’d expect, and to be honest of the type that a good baker can likely create. But the ice cream took it to the next level. It was true, fresh lemon ice cream, with palpable pieces of zest, and nestled on a delicious biscuit crouton. Yum! As the evening was a celebration, we capped the night with a glass of sticky voignier, and a cognac.

Overall, it’s well worth a visit for both the food and the view. The prices are high, as you’d expect for both the location and the reputation. Entrees (starters for our American readers) are generally in the $20 to $30 price bracket, mains $30 to $50. Desserts are under $20. The wine is basically as expensive as you care it to be - no surprise there. One interesting point was the sparkling water, at $15 per bottle. That beats even the water in Barcelona’s Park Guell for ridiculousness.

Cafe Sydney
31 Alfred Street,
Sydney 2000
(02) 9251 8683
cafesydney.com.au

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