Bar H
Editorial
The small plates menu trend claims to take a bite out of Melbourne's dining scene by contributing mid-priced dinners in amongst Sydney's ultra cheap versus upmarket fare. Enter former Sydney Morning Herald Young Chef of the Year, Hamish Ingham, with his eponymous Bar H in Surry Hills.
His navy and black eatery makes the most of a small space framed with large panelled windows that open up to natural light and a welcome breeze. Diners sit by the window bench, the view of the leafy street their company, whilst the kitchen is a honey pot for passers-by lured in by cooking fragrances or brewing coffee. The counter of the open kitchen doubles as the bar where afternoon visitors chat to chefs as they look over the extensive wine list. Blue velvet banquettes flanking the bar provide a low-lit intimacy whilst the open area at the front bathes in sunlight.
The Mediterranean-inclined lunch menu starts with oysters and small bites featuring crumbed Ortiz anchovies with crunch and lemon zest. Salads and small dishes reach from pickled ox tongue mixed with thin ribbons of breakfast radish and a piquant appropriation of salsa verde, to silky slices of Palmers Island mulloway sashimi that contrasts with the crunch of beetroot pickle, tied together with soy, extra virgin olive oil and subtle ginger. For a heartier dish, the 300 day grain-fed sirloin is served sliced with the bone, while the steamed fillet of bass groper is complemented by sharp black-olive dressing. Sunken, earl-grey soaked prunes stud short-crust tart, with the custard layer falling apart in silken textures.
Bar H is ideal for smart-casual snacking where you can enjoy a bite to eat with a great glass of wine. If you visit for a filling meal, this restaurant doesn't really serve 'mains', and the bill is likely to go above that anticipated mid-price total. That said, dishes are created with simple elegance, and the wine list is definitely worth experiencing alongside such delicious food.
Edwina Storie, December 2010
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