Never have I delayed a blog post for this long and I must say, I am slightly ashamed to admit to it. M and I celebrated Valentine's Day (yep, that's how late I'm taking) two weeks after the actual date as I was overseas and we had chosen The Dining Room at the Park Hyatt for the special occasion.
The last time I had been to Park Hyatt was during its pre-renovation period - at the time The Dining Room space was being used for a restaurant called Little Kitchen (forgive me if I got the name slightly wrong) and I remember it being a fabulous place for lunch.
The newly renovated space adds extra elegance to the ambience and as always, provided stunning views of the Opera House and the Harbour.
The joys of fine dining always begins with the complimentary sourdough toast - something I never take for granted and as silly as it sounds, can be an absolute highlight for the night. You can opt to dine with the A La Carte Menu or the Tasting Menu created by Executive Chef Franck Detrait. We decided to go with the latter, which entails 6 Courses for $95 Per Person ($160 if you want Matching Wines).
The Blue Fin Tuna with Mango and Passion Fruit Condiment was an absolute delight as the starter - refreshing on the tasting palette and infused with sweet citrus scents. The texture was unique in that each bite produced a slight crunch.
I really enjoyed the Duck Foie Gras Terrine which was served with Hibiscus & Jamaican Peppercorn Jelly, Berries & Umeboshi. The foie gras was thick and creamy, and rich in its flavours, so spread accordingly.
You really can't go wrong with Pan Fried Scallops, which is probably why this dish is on the menu of almost every fine dining restaurant we go to. Served with Cauliflower & Capers along with a drizzle of Pomegranate & Yuzu, these scallops were gorgeously tender and juicy to bite into. The tasty seasoning along with the creamy cauliflower combined beautifully to compliment the perfectly seared scallops. 2 thumbs up!
The Slow Cooked Blue Eye Cod was unfortunately the let down for the night as it lacked flavour and was relatively bland in comparison to the other dishes. Accompanied by Green Asparagus & Peas in addition to Glazed Morels & Port Wine, this dish was nothing special and would've done better with some added seasoning.
The Smoked Dry Age O'Connor Rib Eye with Patatas Bravas, Grilled Spring Onion and Cos Lettuce was a beautiful spread and super delicious. The meat was cooked to an immaculate medium rare and each bite was ultra flavoursome and juicy. We enjoyed the sauce and the spring onion however the cos lettuce was slightly random. The serving size was relatively small and because it was so tasty, we were left wanting more.
The finale for the night was delivered by a beautiful dessert - Vanilla & Strawberry Mille-Feuille with Cotton Floss Ice Cream. This is a dream come true for any stawberries and cream lovers aka. me. The pastry was nice and crispy with a thin layer of fresh cream in between whilst the ice cream was perhaps one of the best replications of fairy floss we have every tried. Kudos to the fresh strawberries as well. Yum!
Overall we were very pleased and satisfied with our experience at The Dining Room. The service was very attentive and professional, and the food was quite exquisite, as you'd expect. Do note that because it was the Tasting Menu, all the proportions were relatively smaller than if you were to order from the A La Carte - which is fair when you consider the price differences. Definitely opt for the Tasting Menu though if you are keen to try a wide range of dishes.
A view I can never get sick of - seriously, we are so lucky to live in Sydney!
The Dining Room
Park Hyatt Sydney
7 Hickson Road
The Rocks
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9256 1234
http://www.diningroom.com.au/diningroom/
Labels: Fine Dining, Modern Australian
