Cafe Sydney
5th Floor, Customs House
31 Alfred Street Circular Quay Sydney
The first thing that hits you when you leave the lift is the grandeur. Then you move from the bar area into the restaurant and the million dollar views dazzle you! This was the view from our "indoor" table! The service was a bit slow to start with after we had our menu's but once our actual waiter was there it was impeccable.
The lighting was extremely subdued and the photo's don't do the food justice as we didn't want to disturb nearby diners by using a flash.
First nibble before mains was the goat cheese and spinach naan - which came warm and gooey (on the inside). Great flavours and at $3.5
0 a bargain here. We also had a sourdough roll for $2.50 which was (surprisingly) not warm as well. Nevertheless, it was nice.
Mlady chose the Cone Bay barramundi, Moreton Bay bug croquette, celeriac remoulade and anchovy butter. She raved about it. It had an amazing combination of flavours and tasted great. The croquette was also a winner on its own! This dish cost $39 .00.
The other main was tandoori roasted Tasmanian ocean trout, spinach bhaji, spiced beans, raita and coconut. The fish was cooked medium (but they ask you if you would prefer it cooked through). I hadn't had spinach bhaji before - and being a huge fan of onion bhaji - this possibly tipped me to ordering this dish in the first place. They were nicely spicy and delicious - as was the entire meal. The dish cost $39 .00 also - as did all the main courses.
We weren't sure what to order for dessert but the idea of sharing a dessert platter to sample a wide variety seemed sensible (or indulgent perhaps). It turned out to be a great idea. The platter came with a great assortment of goodies from gelato (three kinds) chocolate torte, apple tart, a kind of Eaton mess, fruit pieces and cheesecake that almost wasn't there it was so light! At $45.00 it wasn't cheap but it was delicious.
The decor at Cafe Sydney is amazing and the ambiance is spectacular. The views are mesmerising and the service is (mostly) excellent. The place has a wow factor with the views - and the food lives up to this same reputation. You have to book but being there at sunset, whilst early, is impressive.
The indoor area opens on to the outdoor area so there's not a lot of difference. They have heaters everywhere outside too so its toasty. Cafe Sydney is a great place for a special meal.
