Solander Dining and Bar
About
Bars
Location
Adress: 65 Sussex St, Sydney, New South Wales 2000
Phone: +61 2 8297 6500
Work Hours
Business info
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Reviews
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Neha K.
The breakfast here is absolutely great. Healthy, hearty and unhealthy options all in the same buffet spot for $30 :) you get anything from fresh donuts and pastries to fresh fruit, chia pudding, parfaits with no added sugar, fresh breads (whole sour and white) with butter marmalade's jams and vegemite- juice and coffee. Or is located inside the Hilton (West Hotel) with wonderful service. I enjoyed the local fruit highlight (fresh passion Fruit and fresh kiwi). Visiting from the US, I tasted Vegemite for the first time here.
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Jay B.
Hilton property dine in. Skip breakfast, and walk down to the Harbour where even the priciest brekkies are more affordable. DO go for happy hour, for good local wines, Pacific beers and affordable snacks, recommend trying the Wings, nice Korean BBQ feel and an interesting riff on Ranch dip.
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Sarah C.
Solander Dining is set within the West Hotel, a boutique designer upmarket Hotel by Hilton, situated close to Barangaroo. Solander can be aptly described as suave and sophisticated with art deco styling, complete with velvet lounge chairs, oak tables, tan leather menus, herringbone marble floors and unique lighting fixtures. The dining space is designed around a long fully stocked bar and even an indoor feature palm garden. This, combined with a dimly lit room oozes style and class.The space is further enhanced by a live music set infront of the well lit bar. As you enter the room, the music warmly greets and soothes you with classic tunes provided on the night by skilled musician Michael Duchesne, who happened to front our wedding band a few years back. It is perfect to provide a chilled atmosphere during your dining experience. If you aren't there for the full dining experience, you can also order a cocktail, spirit, wine or beer and a few bar bites to enjoy with friends.Solander Dining was named after 18th century botanist Daniel Solander, an explorer who travelled to Australia on the Endeavour ship with Joseph Banks and was a key individual in researching and documenting Australian flora and fauna. This restaurant explores Australian flora and fauna, but in a culinary sense. The menu is split into flora - vegetable dishes and fauna - protein based.The chefs, led by executive chef David Vandenabeele have done their research to locate and source the freshest native produce, incorporating the ingredients into their menu. Using banksia, acacia, salt bush, Karkalla leaves, lemon Myrtle, native finger line, Kakadu plum to flavour the dishes, makes for lovely flavour combinations. For the proteins, the menu highlights some amazing meats such as wallaby, rib eye and venison. From the seafood list, you can try Sydney rock oysters, kingfish or the amazing bugs.
You can easily do the 6 course tasting menu for $110 to explore the menu, if you aren't sure what to order. We decided to sample a number of dishes a la carte.
We love a restaurant that that bakes their bread fresh on site. The bread here is an absolute highlight. The delicious bread is baked in a flowerpot with hints of Banksia and Acacia flavours. Just amazing.
Onto starters - we ate the best dish we have come across this year! A stunning plate of charred bugs cooked in chilli butter with bush tomatoes. This seafood offering is perfectly cooked with the flesh sliding out of the shell with little encouragement, and even less encouragement once we had a taste. Even better, this dish can be ordered as a main. We will most certainly be back specifically for these bugs.
The entree list has many other great options, including the gin cured salmon which is another inspired offering, well seasoned and served with pickled cucumber and native karkalla leaves and lemon myrtle.From the main list, the mountain pepper spiced venison rack came deboned, cut into small slices, and well prepared. Beautifully plated with butternut squash, the venison topped with the tartness of the Davidson plumb and finished with lovely jus.
We also decided on a fish dish of seared king fish, skin very crisp, served in a silky lemon butter and served with delicate champagne poached oysters, a uniquely decadent plate of food.If you are hungry enough to order some sides, do yourself a favour and order the Warrigal greens, they are something to savour, with sweetness of the fermented black garlic.
The desserts are all very intriguing, especially with the use of native ingredients. The strawberry plate immediately grabbed our attention, with strawberries prepared in many ways, fresh, caramelised and in a short cake. This came served with and earl grey jelly and pearl barley, which gives a nice toasty flavour and texture, as does the delicate chickpea meringue.There wasn't anything delicate about the acacia chocolate fondant, and with good reason, it's indulgent and very rich with intense flavours and a bold blackberry sorbet, a powerful dessert indeed.Solander Dining and bar is such a sophisticated venue, well suited for a drink and some live music, in stylish surrounds. The restaurant is great for a bite, be it small or a degustation and the food is extremely high quality. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also love that they hero ingredients native to Australia. Impressive on all levels, be sure to place this high on your bucket list. -
Ken L.
Breakfast was amazing! The service was excellent! Made to order breakfast was even more amazing! Salmon with asparagus and the mushrooms was excellent.The night before I ate at the bar. it was OK. I thought that I was getting the happy hour menu but paid full price. A little disappointing. If I would've known that I would've had a full meal. Nonetheless a good place for drinks and food.