LOCATION
Heart of Sydney CBD, next to Wynyard Station and Martin Place.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Positioned in a surprisingly quiet corner of Sydney’s CBD, Steel Bar and Grill is a delightful oasis that can cater for any type of city-dweller – be it corporate, tourist or window shopper. The restaurant works with an interior that embraces textures and incorporates design features which expertly bring style and comfort together. Clean lines, a glass and stone motif and steely blue tones are warmed with soft banquette booths and contemporary lighting, and the versatility of seating provides ample situational occasions. There’s also a walk-in cellar sporting over 220 international wines, an oyster bar which is book-ended by lobster tanks and an outdoor area with a long communal table, a lounge bar complete with bar menu, and alfresco street-side dining.
Small plates such as pan-seared cuttlefish, mint, tomato, chilli and oil, and pork and fennel chipolatas are wonderful options to start if you choose to bypass one of the charcuterie, mezze and sashimi sharing platters. For an a la carte meal the menu is divided into garden, ocean and poultry and paddock sections, which all dabble with fresh Modern Australian flavours spiced up with European and Asian influences. You may like to begin with a Champagne lobster salad with asparagus, peas and truffle dressing before tucking into the baked lamb with fondant potato, baby carrots, peas and mint. The 800g dry-aged rib eye served on the bone meant for two and is a hefty dish with sauteed spinach and mushrooms, however if you would like to tone it down a bit perhaps the minute steak will suffice. Desserts strike a lip-smacking traditional chord with the likes of pavlova, brulee and lemon tart, and there is a decent range of cheeses and fortifieds to end your meal decadently.
Annabel Wise, December 2008
PRIVATE DINING
Comfortably seating up to 25 guests or standing up to 60 guests, the Steel private dining room is available for private lunches,dinners, business meetings or cocktail parties. With access to the outdoor area, window to the open kitchen and state of art audio visual at your fingertips.