All Hands Brewing House, King Street Wharf.

[invite] Bianca: Like a lot of Sydneysiders, once I see the twinkly harbour lights of Darling Harbour and King Street Wharf, my restaurant radar reverts to zero. I’ve always had that notion that the area is a bit of a tourist trap. I’ve been pleasantly surprised over the years to come across some gems in the area. So I was keen to check out the recently opened All Hands Brewing House.

Formerly King Street Brewhouse, after a change of hands, AHBH emerged late last year. It’s quite the impressive fit-out, warm woods, moody lighting and exposed bold copper piping really set the scene. You can really have two dining experiences, head outside to soak in the sun and water views or head inside and revel in the moody atmosphere.

I really won’t wax lyrical about the beer, its not my forte and I won’t embarrass myself. We opted for the King’s Tipple Kolsch $5.80 (middy) and for moi, the All Hands Cider Draught $5.50 (middy) which was perfect for the glorious weather during our visit.

Starting with the Potato Skins -w/ rosemary sea salt & sour cream $11 + Bacon $2.5. The PERFECT drinking food snack, we could not stop eating this. I don’t think we left a single crumb, super crispy!!

If you’re feeling a little fancy, the Grilled Balmain Bug Tail -w/ lime whipped butter & togarashi syrup $21.50 will hit the spot. Tender sweet meat, with a nice kick of sweet chilli. This went particularly well the cider.

Beef Brisket -w/ All hands BBQ sauce & potato salad $26 is a reliable choice. The brisket tender, with a nice sweetness from the BBQ sauce. The fat could have done with a bit more rendering but otherwise the flavour was authentic. I was pleasantly surprised to see a small loaf of cornbread & whipped butter (my absolute favourite Southern treats).

The Southern Fried Chicken Burger -w/ American cheese, bacon, chipotle mayo & slaw + fries $22.50 is quite a schmick looking burger. Melted cheese, always a good sign with a chicken burg. The chicken was moist with a super crispy outer coating, it was a fairly small fillet for the size of the bun. And as far as I’m concerned all slaw should be banished from burgers. My suggestion would be to order this with shredded lettuce as an alternative (much cleaner to eat and tastier IMO).

For some greenery… the Beetroot, Carrot & Orange Salad -w/ Grilled Chicken, quinoa & cumin dressing $19. This sounded particularly appealing on the warm day we visited, incredibly fresh and light. We loved the sour citrus notes within the salad. We opted for this without the chicken as we were wanting something as a side but I could easily see this being enjoyable as a lighter meal.

And finally, pasta curses through these Italian veins… and what do you get when American’s bastardize a pasta dish? Sweet sweet music!!!! Baked Macaroni & cheese -w/ Gribens & chives $8. Totally didn’t register the ‘gribens’ or crispy chicken skin for those not in the ‘know’. I wanted to love this more than I actually did, it just really lacked the punch of a good mac n cheese for me, mainly due to the seasoning.

All Hands is pretty reliable if you’re in the area, it’d be a great spot when the sun is setting coming into spring and summer!

Bianca

https://www.allhandsbrewinghouse.com.au/

*For Food’s Sake dined as guests of All Hands Brewing House.