Icons

LOCATION
Circular Quay end of Pitt Street, walk to Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House.

DETAILS
The relaxing and elegant dining atmosphere of Icons Brasserie makes it the perfect place to spend an entire evening with friends and family. Surrounding bars and cafes are an easy spot to meet for pre-dinner drinks, or to have cocktails before moving on to dinner in the Brassiere. Experience unbeatable value but all the luxury and grandeur of five-star hotel dining at Icons Brasserie at the Marriott Hotel, Circular Quay. Roll your chair softly over the carpeted dining room floor or enjoy a breakfast buffet under the natural light of huge arched windows at Icons.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The job requirements of executive chefs have changed over the past few years. No longer forced to stay hidden behind kitchen doors and stovetops, they grace our screens regularly and sometimes even venture out into the restaurant. Chef Harry Callinan of the Marriott Hotel’s Icon Brasserie however, is not a new face to the restaurant floor, and has always maintained a loved presence both back and front of house. He mingles between tables chatting to curious diners about the techniques behind his creations before returning to the kitchen to take fresh inspiration to the pan. Seeing the final stage of his creations – the enjoyment of diners – has always been important and must be why his dishes remain so fresh and friendly to such a broad range of palates. He has a strong grasp of international tastes, a lively personality and a contagious energy that shines through the food.

On this spring Saturday, the seafood buffet holds the day’s freshest catches. Lobsters lounge on shaved ice, Sydney rock oysters clutter in large porcelain bowls, blue swimmer crabs are arranged on platters, while mountains of plump tiger prawns and clusters of Balmain bugs complete the ocean feast. A subtle, salty scent lifts from the seafood bar as diners uptake the tongs in anticipation. The buffet also serves dishes of international influence. The Asian fish fillets emit aromas of coconut while fresh basil and olives mix between the penne pasta. Beef striploin sits in a plate of mushroom jus, carved and arranged delicately to reveal the light-pink inner texture.

Foreign accents are scattered throughout the restaurant while a multiplicity of Sydney’s social groups are here to enjoy the afternoon. Corporate lunches carry the conversation from business to leisure, as oyster shells pile up on their plates. Ladies who lunch sit with delicate dessert creations of panna cotta and tiny cups of crème brûlée on their plates, the collection appearing like a post-modern artwork. A chocolate biscuit shell encases the panama slice of chocolate and berry flavours. In spoonfuls of the slice, tiny seeds of sweetness from the raspberry compote burst through the chocolate mousse and finish with nutty nuggets of gold-dusted almond. Each dessert by pastry chef Daniel Taggart is of such artistic finesse you might wish to frame it. If only you could make the flavours last longer than their sweet mouthfuls. These desserts create yet another reason to return and experience the culinary expertise of Icons Brasserie.

Edwina Storie, October 2010

FOOD & BEVERAGE Icons Brasserie serves everything from pancakes, pastries and freshly cooked omelettes at breakfast to a superb buffet selection for lunch and a wide range of seafood, roast meats, vegetables and salads at dinner. Don't miss the fantastic Australian desserts and pastries made on premise and much much more.The extensive buffet is brimming with ocean fresh seafood, sumptuous salads and meat dishes prepared in the open plan flambe kitchen. Lobster, crabs, oysters, and prawns feature on the weekend seafood buffet. Mid-week lunches however are resplendent with oysters, prawns, soups, roast meats, fresh salads, meats and condiments. Regional produce is offered in delectable combinations across the board and the desserts are spectacular. With an on premise pastry kitchen preparing authentic tortes, tartlets, cakes, burlies and slices you won't want to leave.

Take advantage of valet parking, a relaxed hotel ambience and the Macquarie Lounge to enjoy a luxurious cocktail or a cosy after dinner drink.

FUNCTIONS
Sydney Harbour Marriott has 22 well equipped function rooms. There are two dedicated video conference rooms and the function level is able to cater for functions for between 2 and 200 people. There are a team of dedicated consultants on hand to help you plan your function and in house audio visual technical support for conferencing.

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