LOCATIONIn the back pocket of Sydney Theatre, overlooking the water in Walsh Bay.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA Bathing in soft candlelight, sipping on a glass of vino and waiting for the meal to fragrantly make its way from the kitchen is when you begin to understand how this chic, stylish place came to be named. Despite its elegant interior and star placement in magnificent Walsh Bay – just paces away from the high-end culture of Sydney Theatre. With waitstaff dressed in traditional Indonesian garb, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water, and a menu hand-crafted by world-class chef Budi Dharma, the pocket-sized eatery radiates with a warm ambience, and more than just a touch of class.
However, Budi has done such a good job of infusing the previously modern Australian menu with flavours from his homeland of Indonesia, that the hardest part of the Living Room dining experience is actually deciding what to eat. Despite a west/east menu division, diners are faced with a dazzling array of choice. Entrees, mains and “barbeque” on the western side are balanced by an equally tempting eastern selection. In fact, with standout dishes like bihun goreng (a rice noodle dish with beef satay, fried chicken, crackers and cucumber pickles), sapi goreng mumbo balado (a Sumatranese deep fried sliced beef in onion garlic chili sauce) and satays, you may be tempted to forget the west. Then again, grilled boned beef rib eye on sweet potato chips with sauteed green beans, garlic and bacon bits, and seared dory on creamy garlic baby potato, convit of cherry tomato and anchovies topped with fresh sprouts, make it equally hard to ignore. In the end, whether you think it over with a glass (or two) of wine, consult the ever-friendly staff, or pick a dish at random, you will be pleased.
Agnes Gajewska