How often do you go into a hotel? If you’re in your home town, they’re not often the first point of call for a bite to eat or a few drinks. That’s your loss, because in a city like Sydney, they’ve got some of the best locations and best chefs at their disposals.
This winter hotels are throwing open their doors with new menus and fun dining experiences designed to get guests and city slickers to think twice about a hotel being just a place to sleep.
Here’s our pick of hotel happenings in the city right now:
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
With a multimillion dollar view that looks straight out at Circular Quay, the Pullman Quay Grand often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of tourists walking to the Opera House. That’s a shame because this hotel has plenty to offer – especially with culinary ambassador Justin North at the helm.
Last week North launched his brand new Tapastry menu (rolling out at Pullmans across the country, with each menu tweaked to local produce) and the focus is all on fresh produce and shared meals.
Try fried fillets of whiting with Hawkesbury calamiari, Northern Rivers pork belly, Byron Bay Artisan Salumi and a decadent Zokoko chocolate dessert that’s produced in the Blue Mountains. The dishes are tapas-style and delicious.
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour
61 Macquarie Street, Sydney
(02) 9256 4000
www.pullmanquaygrandsydneyharbour.com
InterContinental Sydney
Just around the corner from the Pullman, this hotel may not have the waterfront location, but it has character in spades. The historical building is a masterpiece, with plenty of local sandstone and art deco architecture to set the scene for a decadent feast.
A Taste Of is the hotel’s dinner series designed to showcase local ingredients (yep there’s a bit of a theme with hotels around town). From July 14- August 17th you can sample the king of mushrooms, the truffle, shaved down and sprinkled to the best of the chefs’ abilities in A Taste of … Truffles. The truffles are sourced from Lowes Mount Truffiere. There will be truffle mash, truffle cracker, truffle mille feuilles, even truffle ice cream that will have your taste buds spoilt for days.
Chef Julien Pouteau is genuinely passionate about the truffles and yes, he has an Instagram account (ChefJulien) so for a sneak peek of this series, scroll through his feed and wait for your mouth to water.
Café Opera, InterContinental Sydney
$85 per person for 5 courses
$110 per person for 5 courses with matching wines
117 Macquarie Street, Sydney
(02) 9240 1396
www.interconsydney.com.au/cafeopera/
The Woods, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Gather your crew and head to The Woods – not literally, rather the city restaurant within the walls of Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.
The dining experience begins as soon as you take your seat at the Chefs Table, flanked by a wood-fired oven and open plan kitchen, you’re in for a night of culinary theatre.
Chef Jared Reeves has collaborated with Sommelier Clint Hillery, creating a six-course degustation that’s all about homely and hearty dishes, and matching wine lists featuring ‘Classic’, ‘New & Exotic’ or ‘International’ drops. Give them twenty-four hours notice (for groups of 6+) and they’ll create a mystery menu based on what’s fresh and in season. Expect wood-fired and Aztec grilled dishes such as smokey prawns, fennel and tahini mayo, octopus with boudin noir (blood sausage), carrot puree and caper berries, whole John Dory and succulent Rib-eye steak.
The Woods Restaurant
6 Course Shared Feast Menu available until end 2014
$95 per person, wine matching starts from $75 per person, minimum 24 hours booking for groups of 6+
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
199 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9250 3160
www.thewoodsrestaurant.com.au
Sheraton on the Park
Christmas in July. That strange holiday that pops up when the weather gets colder just so Aussies can justify eating Christmas pudding all month long. Well, at the Sheraton on the Park, it is really like Christmas has come early. Christmas in July takes over the hotel’s Feast restaurant until the end of July. Yes, it is a buffet, but what is Christmas without crazy amounts of food?
Prawns, crab, oysters, as many as you can eat; roast turkey, lamb shanks, wood fire pizza, roasted vegies, ham, gravy, cheese, mince pies, sago pudding, yuletide log, stolen – this is Christmas dinner on steroids. The cheesecake comes with Christmas trees on top and the only thing missing is the Christmas cracker and the mountains of washing up.
Christmas in July – 1-31st July 2014
Lunch and Dinner from $75 per person
Feast, Sheraton on the Park
161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
(02) 9286 6000
www.sheratonontheparksydney.com/christmasinjuly
