The Dining Room at The Park Hyatt

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If you're after views, one restaurant simply cannot be missed: the Dining Room at the Park Hyatt hotel. Being relatively modest in size, even if you do not get a window seat (which we did, lucky us), you are still guaranteed a view of the beautiful Sydney Opera House, and, from time to time, one of the old-style sailing boats moors right in front of the restaurant windows. 

At the moment, due to covid restrictions, the Dining Room is not doing their tasting menu. The usual two or three course menu, however, is beautifully done; and because the menu is so limited, the really do each of the items very well. 

Sydney rock and Pacific oysters

Gazing upon the opera house, I simply could not resist ordering the oysters, which are served with a shallot and red wine mignonette. The mignonette immediately makes the oysters' flavour come to life: a little metallic, a little salty, just like the sea. 

Air dried David Blackmore Wagyu beef

David Blackmore's wagyu are coveted items on Sydney's dining scene: most famously cooked at Rockpool, here, they are served as an entree in bresaola form and served with pickled muscatel, pine seeds and Tasmanian mustard. The beef is beautifully marbled and soft. 

Confit Aylesbury duck leg

Confit duck is impossible to home-make for someone of my cooking calibre, so whenever I get a chance to taste those made by the professionals, I embrace the opportunity whole-heartedly. I love how duck is so flavourful despite being quite a mild-tasting meat, gently salty, and with a fall-off-the-bone texture. The highlight of this dish, however, is the bed of lentils and creamed almond. Absolutely divine. 

Grain fed sirloin
Sirloin being served in this matter is unlike anything I have seen before: served with pickles, enoki mushrooms and wood-ear mushrooms, that is quite an unusual flavour combination that, upon reflection, totally work work: meat is naturally umami, and so are mushrooms. Together, they make a beautifully deep, flavourful combination. 





Heirloom tomato salad
The thin, white sheet draped over bright artisan tomatoes practically hopping out of the dish with vitamins is smoked Scarmoza cheese. The flavour of this salad is incredible: the dressing is that of white anchovies, which does not taste fishy at all, but adds that mysterious, can't-quite-put-my-fingers-on-it depth of flavour. As a side, this salad gave a stellar performance: mild enough not to show-up the main dish, but interesting and refreshing enough to stand on its own. 

Yuzu & fennel posset

When I ordered this dessert, I didn't quite know what to expect. To start, I didn't know what a posset is. I am told that it is a hot drink of sweetened and spiced milk curdled with ale or wine. The version at The Dining Room is cold, with a beautifully creamy texture that's not quite like anything I have tried before. It's not as gelatinous as a panna cotta, not as cold as a semi-freddo, yet with all the creaminess. The fennel cannot really be discerned, but I suspect that is what gave the otherwise tart yuzu a earthy, nutty flavour. Wonderfully balanced and satisfying. 

Treacle & chocolate tart
A rich, lovely tart served, unusually, with licorice curd. The licorice flavour is quite mild (so never fear if you're not a huge licorice fan). The addition of marmalade adds another layer of unusual flavour that, of course, works so well with chocolate. 

Score: 5/5
Price: around $100-120pp 
Address: 7 Hickson Rd, The Rocks NSW


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