It's widely considered the most beautiful dining room in all of Sydney, perhaps all of Australia. Rockpool Bar and Grill by chef Neil Perry, who dazzles with his Rocks-based eatery by a more abbreviated formal name, finds a second epicure home in the 1936 Emil Sodersteen high-rise known for its dramatic deco styling and $35 million price tag to complete. It's framed under two-story marble columns with stained-glass windows and main floor dining room with upper atrium trimmed in dark wood paneling that feels like a classic New York Gentleman's Club if not for all the leggy fashion vixens that call it their lunchtime home. An adjoining bar offers its own menu with no bookings policy for sociable solo dinners for local singles and wannabe-single businessmen.
The Food
A menu of exotic seafood and fine grilled meats from some of the world’s top beef purveyors offers a more casual lunch and dinner menu that it’s more-formal Rockpool sibling eatery. An appetizer menu of steakhouse specialties includes wood fire grilled bean and hummus salad, panzanella with preserved tuna and Alaskan King Crab cocktail that’s a close second for favorite steak tartar with chips. Heavier starters include lobster frittata with prawn sauce, charcoal roast chorizo and warm salad of wood fire quail with bruschetta Parmesan. Main course comes ala wood fire over or rotisserie with classic lobster thermador, Wagyu rump cap and 50-minute rotisserie chicken with Tuscan bread salad.
Last Word
Dazzling steakhouse brasserie with wood fire specialties in dramatic deco high-rise setting by Rockpool chef Neil Perry.
