Rockpool review by Franz Scheurer on Australian Gourmet Pages

At the moment everyone talks about Rockpool Bar & Grill but Neil Perry and Trish Richards’ original Rockpool, although 20 years old, is still cutting edge, both visually and culinary.  

Rockpool focuses on relationships with suppliers and seasonality of ingredients and Rockpool’s kitchen and floor staff strive for perfection. Neil Perry believes strongly that the cornerstone of good cooking is to source the finest produce and this unwavering philosophy has successfully driven Rockpool for more than twenty years. 

Rockpool has always been a destination restaurant, a place for a big night out, but I wish people would eat there regularly and enjoy the fabulous food and great service and not just treat it as a place to celebrate. You should eat at the Oyster Bar, too, a place where sublime food is very affordable. You could have a Lobster Roll and the original Date Tart and a glass of wine and still only pay about $80 or have a Crispy Fish on Rice with Ginger and Shallots and a glass of wine for $39. 

The main restaurant animates you to eat multiple courses and make sure you have the time to enjoy. If you’re doing a pre-theatre ‘drive by’ then eat at the Oyster Bar.  

I love the room in it’s simplicity and, despite a couple of refurbishments, it’s familiarity. The second I sit down all the worries of the world seem to seep out of me and the focus is 100% on food and wine. It is no secret that I love Rockpool, they live up to my expectations more than most.  

The ‘Chirashi Zushi of Tuna, Prawn, Bonito and Squid’ is sensational. It’s very stylised but the seafood is so fresh it almost jumps off the plate. I love the complexity and textures in ‘Fragrant Crab Broth with hand picked Mud Crab, Dashi Custard, Tapioca and Wild Bamboo Pith’. After about a year’s absence the live scallops are back, shucked to order and they are a must-try. Nothing prepares you for the briny, salty-sweet bivalve with the acidity in the dressing; perfect harmony. Another of my favourites has to be the ‘Partridge Pie, fresh Tasmanian Truffles, Parsnip Puree and Truffle Sauce’. It is a very clever dish and it brings comfort food to a new level. Rockpool’s chefs have always excelled at cooking fish and the ‘Shiny Skin Bar Cod with King Prawns, Radish, Pea Tendrils and Oyster Vermouth Sauce’ or the ‘Snapper poached in Saffron, Bone Marrow and Mushroom “à la Grecque” sauce’ are the best proof of finely honed craft meets boundless ingenuity. For dessert you can’t go past the original ‘Date Tart’ (since 1984) in my book, but the ‘Amadei Chocolate and Hazelnut filled Pain Perdu with Banana Ice Cream’ comes mighty close. 

The wine list is extensive and there is something for every taste or budget. Service is slick and friendly and did I mention the food is superb?

See you there! 

Score: 9.5/10

Tags: Australian Gourmet Pages, franz scheurer, Neil Perry, reviews, Rockpool Oyster Bar, Trish Richards

This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 12:16 pm and is filed under Rockpool Sydney. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.