Art Gallery Restaurant
Editorial
Walking up the grand steps of the Art Gallery of NSW, between its sandstone columns, dome-ceiling entrance and marble-tiled floors, its magnificence is always impressive. The restaurant, past marble sculptures and colonial paintings, reflects the contemporary stylings of the city with appropriately elegant finishes. Floor-to-ceiling glass frames the restaurant, creating the feeling of ethereal lightness. Hovering over the city streets and the Domain park, the space swims in natural light with the city skyline the outlook toward Woolloomooloo wharf and snippets of the harbour.
A modern Australian menu complements the gallery with its own artistic vision that showcases bountiful regional produce in a delicate balance between innovation and classic style. Each dish is gracefully presented, harnessing and accentuating the natural characters of ingredients.
Ocean trout tartare is balanced with refreshing cucumber and surrounded by a light, summery tomato consommé, while soft, pillowy lobster sausage is accentuated with sweet corn cream. Snapper is grilled to a gentle white and presented on top of crisp quinoa and heirloom tomato salad, while basil and pancetta flavours infuse the tender meat of the chicken roulade. Desserts present edible luxuries, such as the parfait lightly layered with subtle cherry jelly, buttoned with plump poached cherries, spiked with Galliano liqueur and served with honeycomb ice cream. Almond biscuits appear as frozen morsels in a transparent layer of fine sugar, and complement the nutty characters of the parfait. High tea rendezvous are spent in the afternoon sun, highlighted by lovely infusions such as coconut and sunflowers in the ‘Cocolicious’ tea, making for a sweetly soothing end to a day spent amongst many a great masterpiece.
The Art Gallery of NSW Restaurant is a beautiful space that presents elegant dishes in a spectacular setting.
Edwina Storie, January 2011
User Feedback
Your Feedback
0 User review (add yours)