The Arrival
It’s a crisp Sydney Saturday night, and the city is buzzing: Vivid is in full swing and the Four Seasons Hotel is located right in the thick of it. Heading into the glamorous entrance, we make our way to Mode Kitchen & Bar, the hotel’s flagship restaurant on the ground floor. Let’s be honest – hotel restaurants don’t always get the best rap. But tonight? It’s buzzy and full of both local festival-goers and tourists in town to see the lights.
We pass the wall of immaculate wines near the restrooms (yes, we noticed!) and settle in for the Vivid Dreams menu. It’s the brainchild of new Head Chef, Marco Putzolu, who is bringing a happy marriage of European sensibility to an equally produce passionate Australian audience, complemented by first-rate service. The limited edition menu is a seasonal celebration in three courses for $95, with the option to add two paired wines from Hunter Valley/Central Otago label Charteris for $35. Available throughout Vivid until 14th June.
The Vibe & Design
Mode manages that tricky balance: refined and classy, but never stiff. The service is polished, but still very warm and personal. It’s clear that the team loves what they do. The room has a modern European elegance – featuring lots of stone and leather tones, edged with curved banquettes – but with the friendly hum of a local favourite. The crowd is a nice mix: hotel guests yes, but also date nights, friends catching up, and families.
The Food & Drinks
A promising start lands on the table before we even have a chance to pick up the menu – paper-thin Italian crispbread, partnered with whipped ricotta and a drizzle of truffle honey. It’s salty-sweet, earthy and light. Dangerous stuff. We almost inhale it.
To start the night, bubbles are immediately suggested by Aman, the Four Season’s passionate and very knowledgeable Head Sommelier – who apparently also happens to be a mind reader! A glass of Louis Roederer arrives for my friend, with it’s signature toasted brioche vibes and Aman steers me towards a lesser-known Grower’s champagne. It’s the Coeur des Blanc by the environmentally friendly Devaux House. This Blanc de Noirs is 100% Pinot Noir grapes, so it has a very slightly pink hue and shows notes of red apple and just a kiss of berry. It’s a true aperitif style and a lovely start to the evening.
There are two choices for the entree and mains, so naturally we share one of each. The Vannella Burrata arrives on a bright green tomato salsa verde base with salmon roe on top. The Yellowfin Tuna sashimi is fanned out on a brilliant blood orange gazpacho with mint. Both partner delightfully with the 2023 Semillon which is sharp and lively – think lemon pith and crisp apple.
For mains, the Aquna Murray Cod is smothered in the herb sauce and is pearlescent and delicate. But the real surprise is what’s underneath: a finely chopped mushroom base that is earthy and savoury. It’s melt-in-the-mouth fish meets umami heaven. If only we knew how to make fish that good! The lamb backstrap is perfectly pink and nestled into a zingy beetroot sauce that wakes everything up, along with beetroot crisp and yoghurt. These arrive with the fresh, mineraly Chardonnay and the plush Central Otago Shiraz, respectively. If you haven’t already worked it out – the menu (aside from being delicious) is very colourful and a nice play on the Vivid lights season.
The finale is the Tutti Frutti Flower which looks like something plucked from the pages of Alice in Wonderland. There are 6 different flavours making up the ‘flower’ with a mousse like texture and various fruit focused flavours on a crunchy biscuit base. It’s bright and joyful and, even this non-sweet tooth enjoyed it. Our favourite flavours were the Yellow: Lemon and Lemon Myrtle and Red: Raspberry and Rose but all were yummy!
Kicking on at Grain: Epic Sensory Cocktails
Moving from dinner to drinks, we head across the foyer to Grain Bar, which has temporarily transformed into the Dream Lab as they feature their current Epic Sensory menu, overseen by the talented Head Barman (and possible magician), Sarath. Staff in crisp white lab coats whisk around the softly lit space, carrying bubbling flasks, edible perfume spritzes, and cocktails that could double as art installations. It’s all good fun.
Having had a preview earlier, I suggest that my friend tries the Pina Fizz, which is a dreamy tropical number that comes lit up, topped with fluffy fairy floss, and doesn’t disappoint. I order the Palette Pop, because how could I resist something that arrives with an enormous rainbow Lolli Pop and juicy gummy bears? It’s nostalgic, cheeky and surprisingly refreshing.
We also tried the other ‘Senses’: Heart of the Garden (Sight) is the showstopper. A bell jar filled with smoke is lifted with a flourish, releasing fragrant vapour as the cocktail appears on a bed of grass. It’s a little overwhelming on the smoke, but the drink itself with Roku gin, St Germain and lychees is well-balanced. I order the Perfumed Bloom (Smell) which looks deceptively classic by comparison until our Lab-coated server spritzes an old fashioned atomiser filled with Berry cocktail perfume. A lovely end to our Vivid Experience night at the Four Seasons!
What Were We Addicted To?
The whole evening felt like a celebration, not just of Sydney’s Vivid festival, but of creativity, craftsmanship and hospitality done right. Mode is seriously lifting the game for hotel restaurants, and the Grain Bar team are clearly having a blast flexing their mixologist muscles (and making sure we are too). Great food, stunning drinks, genuinely warm service, and enough fun touches to make the whole thing feel like a special night out to remember.
What Do We Need to be More Addicted?
If we’re being picky? The smoke in the Heart of the Garden cocktail hung around a little too long for our personal taste, and having an extra savoury snack or side dish or two on the Vivid Dreams menu at Mode would round it out nicely (we’d happily eat that ricotta/honey cracker starter anytime). But honestly, it was all so well executed – so this is being really picky!
