Sydney has no shortage of fine dining opportunities, but in recent years the city's hotels have been capturing a generous slice of the market with quality restaurants. The vibrant new QT Sydney is one. Gowings Bar & Grill is part of this gorgeous, designer styled hotel - it's where you'll have breakfast if you're lucky enough to be a guest there - but it's also a restaurant in its own right. And from we discovered from dining there recently, it's one of the places to be, and to be seen.
The location:
Ideally positioned half way up George Street in the heart of the Sydney CBD, it's part of the historic building which used to be the iconic Gowings department store. It's situated on level one, and you can access the restaurant from the hotel. The decor is ultra-modern with retro touches, an interior by Nic Graham which oozes sophistication yet isn't fussy or stuffy. The room meanders around a central wine cellar cage, with bespoke furniture arranged beneath a mirrored mezzanine on a highly polished floor. There are lovely touches such as the mottled bronze lampshades, and splashes of colour from the burnt orange leather-style chairs, to the high gloss purple tiling on the low-level front wall of the open kitchen. The wood styling, as ever, is dark yet welcoming.
The menu:
Gowings is led by Executive Chef Paul Easson, formerly of Rockpool in Melbourne, and offers up a menu with a focus on fine quality, sustainable fish, crustaceans and shellfish, organic meat and artisan produce. It's complemented by a selection of 120 limited release local and international wines, and open on a Sunday night, which is unusual for many hotel restaurants.
We began our feast with sharing in mind; a Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna which came with horseradish, preserved lemon and sesame grissini, and hot spanner crab cakes with celeriac, hot sauce, aioli and lemon. The portion sizes were generous without being super-sized, and both dishes were as fresh as promised. The tartare simply melted on the tongue, while the crab cakes had plenty of zest.
Next came the mains, both classic dishes; a pot of steamed mussels with shoestring fries, and a Black Angus rib eye steak. The mussels were incredibly fresh with a light Riesling sauce infused with shallots, garlic, crème fraîche, and sea parsley. The steak was, well, a steak, but immaculately cooked and presented medium rare, and succulent.
Unfortunately we didn't make dessert, but from what we could see passing by our table to other diners, the choices would have been hard to make anyway; classic profiteroles, dark chocolate crème brûlée, and hot beignets to name a few. The QT has a café and patisserie, Parlour Lane Roasters, so that was hardly surprising really. The service was also top notch, polite without being stuffy, and efficient without being rushed. We relaxed over our meal and a nice bottle of red, savouring the atmosphere, as well as our food.
If you're a guest at the hotel, Gowings is also where you'll enjoy breakfast, which in the case of this venue is yet another fine dinning experience. Forget buffets or simple scrambled eggs on toast; the menu is a collection of superfoods, energy boosting grains, and hearty plates, bringing new meaning to the "power breakfast". Besides fresh juices made to order, and low fat yoghurt smoothies, you get to start your day with such delectable choices as a Fish Tortilla with ocean trout gravlax and avocado mousse, Eggs Rockefeller with warm brioche and farmed black caviar, or Paul's Cantonese Congee, a traditional Chinese rice soup with condiments.
Gowings is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and if you're not hungry you can enjoy a drink or cocktail in the bar. Not to dine here, however, would be an opportunity missed. Just come with a good appetite, plenty of time for savouring, and be prepared to be wowed.
Check out our review of spaQ here, and check back soon for our full hotel review on the QT Sydney.
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