The Glenmore: Pub with Harbour Views, The Rocks (31 Oct 2012)

96 Cumberland Street, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.theglenmore.com.au

Top views at The Glenmore

Thanks to Kylie Martin and The Glenmore for inviting me as a guest to sample the new menu and check out the renovations. I've previously taken advantage of the rooftop views for casual drinks and dinner with friends and the new renovations makes this place even more attractive. Previous accommodation rooms have now been opened up as function spaces making them ideal to hire for private parties. The spectacular views towards the Sydney Opera House and city skyline has always been the biggest drawcard even when the food was OK so it's a bonus that the menu has now been refreshed as well. The Caprioska Twister ($16) is served in a copper pot with vodka, freshly muddled lime and passionfruit although the passionate had run out so raspberry was used instead making it taste more like a cosmopolitan. My Miss Marmalade ($16) hits the spot as a refreshing cocktail that would be too easy to drink another. I'm tempted to try and make this one at home. The presentation of Potted Prawns ($12.50) reminds me of a dish I might expect to find at District Dining, Berta or Duke Bistro. I liked the flavours although a few more slices of char grilled sourdough would have helped to finish off the pot better. House made fish cakes with coriander, parsley mint & ponzu mayonnaise ($12.50) made for a nice appetiser. The fish flavour and spices was more subtle than you'd find in a Thai restaurant and reminded me more of a salt fish brandade I had at The Devonshire. These would make a great canape for a party. 

House wines seem reasonably priced considering the view. The Midnight Dash Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NSW ($7.50) is quaffable although I noticed no dates are provided on wine list for those more particular. My Salmon Fillet ($24.50) with crushed minted peas and tomato & caper salsa had a crisp skin as hoped. It was cooked just right and flavour combo worked well together. The Glenmore Club ($18.50) aka BLT  had potential but I would have much preferred the bun to be toasted. The turkish bread was fresh but I find it tends to leave a doughy texture in my mouth when not toasted. Would have loved the egg to be a bit more runny and a touch more mayo to make it even more juicy. Chips were a bit of a let down though and not as crunchy as hoped. I'm suspecting they're cooked in batches rather than to order to keep up with demand so it all depends on the timing when you get them. The Chocolate Tart ($12) was a decadent treat but I wasn't a fan of the crème fraiche which tasted more like sour cream and was at odds for my taste buds. I would have much preferred it to be sweetened or substituted with double whipped cream instead. The Whisky panna cotta, coffee essence & biscotti ($10.50) had lots of flavour. I was hoping for a free-standing wobbly version on a plate but I guess the amount of whisky and coffee essence would have prevented this from being achievable. The Flat white coffee ($3) was surprisingly decent for a pub although my Hot chocolate ($3) was more milky than chocolatey and not quite the hit I'm accustomed to from Caffé Due Mondi.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Spectacular views of harbour and sydney opera house, Lift access now available but you need to ask staff to use, Various function spaces for hire, Free sunscreen, Tempting menu, Reasonably priced house wines

CONS: Can be hard to get a table being so popular on the rooftop, 

MUST TRY: Revisiting to try more of the menu including the battered fish and chips which looked good and the 1 kg hot wings with a few other friends
VERDICT: On a nice day it would be hard to match the rooftop views of this pub. The menu looks promising and a step up before the renovations.

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Caprioska Twister: Copper pot still vodka, freshly muddled lime & passionfruit ($16) — passionate ran out so raspberry used instead, flavour a bit like a cosmopolitan

Miss Marmalade: Tanqueray gin, triple sec & orange marmalade shaken on ice with a twist of lemon served in a martini glass ($16) — refreshing with noticeable alcohol
WORTH TRYING :-)

Potted Prawns: Potted black tiger prawns, char grilled sourdough & pickled carrot ($12.50) — quite tasty, needed more bread to finish though, carrots were nice

A few extra slices of bread would have been good to help finish off the potted prawns

Fish Cakes House made fish cakes with coriander, parsley mint & ponzu mayonnaise ($12.50) — subtle fish flavour compared to thai style, crisp crumbing
WORTH TRYING :-)

Midnight Dash Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NSW ($7.50) — quaffable, no dates provided on wine list menu though

Salmon Fillet: Pan seared salmon fillet, crushed minted peas with tomato & caper salsa ($24.50) — crisp skin, cooked well, nice flavour combo
WORTH TRYING :-)

Decent portion of fish

Nicely cooked

The Glenmore Club: Crispy bacon, vine ripe tomato, organic egg, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, grilled chicken breast, mayonnaise & fries ($18.50) — would have preferred the bun to be toasted with a runnier egg and a bit mayo, chips not as crisp as hoped

Sauce tray

Spotted Fish & Chips ($19.50) on another table that looked pretty good so tempted to try next time. Looks like a generous serving so a possible one to share.

Chocolate tart, crème fraiche & raspberries ($12) — tart was nice but the crème fraiche tasted more like sour cream so would have preferred it sweetened or as double whipped cream instead

Panna Cotta: Whisky panna cotta, coffee essence & biscotti ($10.50) — lots of flavour, bean shaped chocolate on topWORTH TRYING :-)

The coffee essence seems to make it all a bit runny though rather than a wobbly firmness

Flat white coffee ($3) — was quite good considering it's a pub and better than some I've had in cafes

Hot chocolate ($3) — was a bit too milky and not chocolatey enough for me

The Glenmore Lounge

Rooftop seating and views

Free sunscreen at the bar — nice touch

Ground floor bar

Club room

Pool room

Cocktail menu

Menu

Wine menu

Toilet with a view of the opera house — awkward positioning of urinals though which could prove a little too close for comfort

City skyline view from toilet — best views since Forty One Restaurant

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O Bar and Dining Launch, CBD Sydney (12 Sept 2012)

Level 47 Australia Square, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.obardining.com.au

Revolving around Moore food

‘Perched 47 floors above the city, O Bar and Dining offers the urbane vibe of some of the world’s stylish venues with a spectacular view that is unmistakably Sydney’

Thanks to 6dc for inviting me to the launch of Michael Moore's O Bar and Dining which takes over the former Summit Restaurant. The last and only time I visited the Summit was over 20 years ago when I consumed five dozen oysters as a personal challenge at the all-you-can-eat buffet. The spectacular view over the city remains the same but the decor is definitely more a grown ups playground for fun and frivolity with the comfy lounge seating and the menu turning its nose up to the deep fryer and aiming to embrace healthier eating. My favourite event canapes was the Grilled prawn skewers with crushed ginger, agave and chilli using decent sized prawns and flavours that worked a treat on the palate. The Scampi with chilli and blood limes was also a winner that was easy to pull out of the shell and had a nice balance of flavour so you could still appreciate the scampi flavour. The Two bite wagyu burgers, pickles Swiss cheese and mustard was an easy size to manage and juicy as hoped. I unfortunately missed out on the Kingfish pastrami with coriander, citrus, cumin which many raved about during the night — I'm hoping they're available on the normal menu. I liked the clean fresh flavours of the Roasted pineapple with agave, granola, jelly, cream but wasn't a fan of the Nut clusters, very dark chocolate which tasted way too healthy to compete with the more devilish Chocolate tartlets, salted peanut butter.

I revisited the next night for some casual drinks. The place wasn't too crowded but service (Micha) was friendly and down-to-earth. The Kung Fu Mojito ($17) and Long Lychee ($16) were nice and refreshing but probably better suited for a hot day while the Jamaican swizzle ($16) of Appleton’s rum, falernum syrup, chocolate bitters & lime was an interesting mix that felt more like a night time drink. Sitting at the window edge was an interesting experience. As the windows slowly passed by it was hard not to get a little disorientated. I'm thinking the potential for motion sickness might effect some people. I also found a couple of air con ceiling vents were blowing a lot harder and colder than the others which maintenance might need to have a look into. You certainly feel on top of the world with the views and I'm sure will be very popular with the tourists plus those looking to unwind from a long day at the office.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Spectacular views over the city, Nice decor and ambience, Well made cocktails, Interesting menu focussing on healthy options, Tables are well-spaced out from each other, Friendly event service

CONS: Not for those who get vertigo, You might feel a bit of motion sickness while watching the windows pass you by, Some air con ceiling vents were blowing too strong and cold to feel comfortable when above you

MUST TRY: Market Fresh Cocktails, Grilled prawn skewers with crushed ginger, agave and chilli

VERDICT: Spectacular views, lethal cocktails and excellent grilled prawns entices me to return to experience more of the menu

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Cumquat Smash cocktail with 42 Below, Cumquats, Lemon & Sugar

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Golden Kiwi Fruit and Habanero Martini

Strawberry & Rhubarb 75 with Bombay Gin, Strawberry, Rhubarb & Sparkling Wine

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

If in doubt start with the Market Fresh Cocktails of the Week

Best deer in the headlight pose

Making the Cumquat Smash cocktails

Strawberry & Rhubarb cocktails a hit

Beer for the boys

No shortage of drinks and smiles

Check out the size of those buttons

Taittinger Champagne for the 'special' guests — unfortunately not me

Smoked salmon canape

Roasted confit tomatoes with picolinno onions and walnut pesto

Grilled prawn skewers with crushed ginger, agave and chilli 

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Buttermilk organic chicken with buckwheat crust and apricot mustard 

Rare beef fillet with ginger charred enoki and horseradish

Crisp corn tacos with prawns, chipotle and avocado

Two bite wagyu burgers, pickles Swiss cheese and mustard 

WORTH TRYING :-)

Quinoa crusted crab and chickpea cakes with lemon yoghurt

Scampi with chilli and blood limes

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Rare tuna and salmon salad with red quinoa, kale and cabernet dressing

Milly hill lamb with borlotti beans, eggplant and olives

Stuffed piquillo peppers with fetta, pine nuts and sumac

Chocolate tartlets, salted peanut butter

Roasted pineapple with agave, granola, jelly, cream
WORTH TRYING :-)

Nut clusters, very dark chocolate

Orange cakes, blossom water, almonds

Michael Moore and his son

Michael Moore and de Groots Best Restaurants

Layne Beachley (left), Kirk Pengilly (centre) and Jane Flemming (right) enjoying the Moore hospitality

Bella Hunter (left) enjoying the heights after XFactorAU

Laura Dundovic (right)

DJ Stephen Ferries — now that's blast from the past for me

Photographers waiting for that magic shot

A spot of merchandise promotion in the private dining room

Harbour Bridge views — great spot for New Year's Eve

View towards Sydney Tower

Toilet is clean and functional but needs a bit colour and warm — nice flower arrangement and privacy screens between the urinals would be my recommendation

I wonder what's on Level 48?

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