[invite] Bianca: Sydney Harbour Marriott received quite the facelift early last year. And part of that redevelopment was the flagship restaurant, Silvesters. Long gone are the days of sub-par hotel dining, Sydney has really stepped up its game. All within a few km’s of one another, you have, Silvesters, Mode at the Four Seasons, 117 Dining at the Intercon and Altitude at the Shangri-la. What a time to be alive!
It’s quite a glamorous affair, with opulent cream leather and prominent gold and black furnishings. The open kitchen is a nice touch, allowing you to see and smell your meals come to fruition. I would classify the menu as modern Australian, with an emphasis on local and sustainable produce.
Starting with Grilled Sourdough and Pepe Saya Butter $ 5, which you will absolutely want to save for the Vannella Burrata -w/ Pumpkin & hazelnut $20. The varying textures of pumpkin were key to add interest with each and every bite, the roast pumpkin particularly sweet, which contrasted nicely alongside the creamy burrata. You’ll pretty much want to smear that all over the grilled sourdough.
You’ll want to savour every mouthful of the Moreton Bay Bug -w/ Shio koji, soy toast, crème fraiche $28. What it lacks in size it most definitely makes up for it in the flavour stakes. This was absolutely gorgeous! The soy toast tasted akin to a toasted brioche, buttery and rich, the perfect vessel to accompany the juicy, plump and sweet bug. The dollop of sour cream a great aid to cut through the richness of the toast.
Moseying on past the rest of the seafood on the menu, we landed on the ‘Pasture’ section. The Pinnacle Braised Beef Short Rib -w/ Katsuobushi & baby leek $38 is the ultimate winter indulgence, the short rib luscious and velvety, easily pulling apart at the slightest prodding. The accompanying jus rich and intense. I wasn’t a fan of the bonito flakes adorning the short-rib, it seemed a little unharmonious to me.
Continuing on with the Tajima Wagyu M6+ Striploin -w/ Caramelised shallots & bacon cream $42. A flawless medium rare and wonderfully tender. A sweetness from the caramelised onions, the bacon cream an interesting touch. You really can’t go wrong with either of the beef mains.
To accompany mains, Choi’s Farm Mushrooms -w/ Parsley & garlic butter $12. Button and enoki mushrooms with a smattering of herbs and a rich buttery sauce.
And the eternal question? Fries or roast potatoes? Today the Duck Fat Kipfler Potatoes -w/ Bush tomato chutney $12 won out. I would have liked them crisper but these were great paired with the rich meat dishes and the tomato chutney.
And to finish, Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ganache -w/ blackcurrant sorbet & sea salt $15. This sounded like a winner on paper and certainly looked the part when it hit the table. I just felt it lacked a little cohesion. The elements themselves were delicious, particularly the tart sorbet, chocolate meringue and peanut butter elements. Whether they all worked together was another story.
All in all, a near flawless meal at Silvesters.
Bianca
*For Food’s Sake dined as guests of Silvesters.
I never really think to go to hotel restaurants although I really enjoyed Mode and Altitude. And here I was looking for a place to go in the city tonight too.
woah that beef short rib