Menzies Bar & Bistro, Sydney

Update Review, November 2023 Visit

Yup, another trip to Sydney.  My November trip was pretty busy, and I only managed to go out with friends once in the entire time I was there (I know, lame me, but, I did have plenty of tasty food, mostly takeout or just fast casual dining on my own).  For my one real adventure, I made a return trip to Menzies Bar with two others, a place I had been to only once before, but had one particularly memorable dish that made it worth a return for me.  See below for my original review to start.

This visit was on a Tuesday evening, when Menzies had a live jazz quartet playing, which created a nice vibe.  The place was just over half full, so certainly not as busy as our previous Friday night visit.  Service was quite good for Sydney, reasonably attentive.  The meal was fine, but not great, and unless someone wants to go back again, I think it has fallen off my repeat visit list.  There sadly wasn't a single dish I'd want to get again, although some had good components.

Coconut & Yuzu Sour. $26.

"1800 Coconut Tequila, Yuzu, Suze, Pine, Fresh Lemon."

We all started with cocktails, which matched the vibe really well.  I enjoyed watching the bartender in action, as he was definitely a bit of a showman, tossing the shaker into the air, catching it with ease, shaking it up high, etc, etc.  He also came over to talk to me personally about my watermelon allergy, as they have a watermelon cocktail on the menu, and I appreciated the extra reassurance of the precautions he could take, and acknowledgement of those he couldn't.

My cocktail had a classy and slightly dainty look to it.  The floater of ... pine? was an extra touch of class, rather perfectly placed.  The drink was very coconut forward, with decent sour notes from the yuzu.  Not too sweet.  Certainly an interesting drink, a bit in the realm of a margarita, but, with a more complex sour, and the addition of coconut.  I tasted the sour and coconut more than the tequila though, and would have liked it to be a touch more boozy.  Overall, fine, but not something I'd get again.  ***.  

Kingfish. $24.

"Saffron, Tomato, Desert Lime."

We opted to share a few small plates.  One diner, a vegetarian who eats some raw fish (but not a real pescatarian), selected the kingfish.  I believe this was my first time having kingfish.

The fish itself was clearly fresh and high quality.  Served properly chilled.  Nice firmness.  A more mild fish than I was expecting from the color.  

The menu said there was tomato in the dish, and saffron, and desert lime (a local Australian fruit).  The puree that looked like passion fruit was likely the vibrant yellow color from the saffron, but I didn't actually taste saffron.  I didn't taste tomato either, but perhaps yellow tomatoes were used in that puree?  Were the little seeds the desert lime?

Mostly, it was just a nice mild raw sashimi, with decent quality olive oil, and not quite enough seasoning.  Fine, but not remarkable.  ***.  

Fritto Misto. $24.

"Parsley, Aioli."

Next up, we ordered a special starter, whole stuffed grilled squid, but, alas, the kitchen had sold out of it.  I was fairly heartbroken, as I had nearly ordered a whole grilled squid a few days prior from a Thai restaurant, and had been craving it since.  So we went for the fritto misto, a dish I had sorta wanted on my prior visit.

The mix was mostly calamari rings, with one or two bodies, and one or two shrimp.  I had the rings and one small shrimp.  All were lightly battered, and well fried, not too greasy.  All were aggressively salted.  I know, "chef's palette" and all, but, it really was quite one note.  Too heavy in the salt.  The batter wasn't particularly flavorful.  Same with the aioli, very plain.  The lemon was juicy and nice to drizzle over it.

Overall, fine execution of the battering and frying, but, besides too much salt, not really a flavorful dish.  I wouldn't get this again, and only had a couple pieces.  **+.

Special: Chicken Liver Parfait / Smoked Salmon Roe. $12.

Next up was the dish I was most excited for, the chicken liver parfait.  I knew it wasn't exactly the same as the very memorable chicken liver eclair from my last visit, but, nonetheless, I love a good liver dish, and they had clearly proven capable of doing a great one before.

When the dish arrived, I was a bit surprised by the composition of the dish.  I thought it would be a cute little parfait, like, served in a small parfait glass, to be consumed with a tiny spoon.  Instead, it was really just a chicken liver mousse on top of a bread component, canape style.  

The chicken liver mousse was great.  Very creamy, light liver flavor.  I loved the salmon roe on top for the additional pop of flavor and salty component.  ****+ toppings.

But ... the bread disk under it ... now that I truly, truly did not like.  It was crispy, which was nice, but, it was so, so, so oily.  I'm still not sure how it was possibly as oily as it was.  Biting into it left my entire mouth coated in a film.  It ruined the next bite, because all I could taste was the oil.  My dining companion who also had one of these remarked at how bad this component was.  0 stars for the base.

Its hard for me to rate this overall, because, 1) I was sad it wasn't the type of parfait I was expecting, and 2) the base and topping were so polar opposites in terms of enjoyment.  I was tempted to order another, and just ask for no base.  I really did love the liver itself.

Asparagus. $22.

"Stratcciatella, Bottarga."

I love asparagus.  Asparagus is not in season where I live.  I was overjoyed to see it on the menu.  Even more excited to see it came with stratcciatella and bottarga.

The asparagus itself was well prepared.  Large thick whole pieces.  Juicy, not woody, lightly al dente, not mushy.  Lightly grilled, more smoke would have been even better.  But still, yay, asparagus.  ***+.

The stratcciatella was a nice creamy component, but wasn't really as flavorful as I'd hoped.  It didn't really taste like anything.  Maybe my palette was just blown from the salt in the calamari and the oil slick from the liver parfait?  I kept going back for a bit more, wanting it to be more than it was.  **+.  The bottarga shavings added a touch of salt and flavor.

Overall, I was happy to have asparagus, but there wasn't much special about this dish either.  ***.

Strozzapretti Primavera. $28.

"Zucchini Flower, Peas, Basil."

Menzies is actually reasonably well known for their pastas.  I was pretty much done at this point, but my companions wanted pasta.  The vegetarian had only one choice, this primavera.

The plating of this was lovely, with zucchini flowers draped over the top.  The pasta was nicely cooked, al dente on the softer side.  Reasonably creamy sauce.  Not as vegetable forward as I'd expect from a primavera name, but it did have a few peas and small pieces of shaved green vegetable ... maybe zucchini? Maybe asparagus?

A kinda boring dish, but reasonably well prepared.  **+.

Pasta Special. $36.

"Fussili, baby octopus, black olives".

My other dining companion selected the pasta special, which featured baby octopus.  That part drew me in, although the red sauce and black olives somewhat turned me away.

It came smothered in bread crumbs, which added a bit of texture, but also made it eat a bit dry.  The pasta was perfectly al dente.  Kudos to them on that.  What was fascinating was the baby octopus.  It was soft.  As in, truly soft.  Not just tender, but, legit soft.  Octopus can so often be chewy or rubbery, and this was as far from that as you can get.  It ... melted in the mouth.  My brain was so confused, as it definitely expected more bite from it, and having the pasta have more bite than the octopus was just odd.  It wasn't bad, it was just unexpected, and unlike anything I've had before.  As I expected, I wasn't really into the tomato sugo sauce nor black olives.  The pasta was well coated in sauce though, not too saucy, but all equally got a light coat.

This gets a point for well executed pasta, and for fascinating octopus (I still want to know how they did that ... was it slow braised for hours?), but isn't the flavor profile I'd go for, and, I just wasn't in the mood for pasta at that point.  ***+ for execution and fascination, **+ in terms of my own taste.

Sky Bar: Zeppole. $18.

After dinner, our group moved upstairs to Sky Bar, another establishment owned by the same folks and part of the same restaurant group.  We had cocktails and dessert up there, since the dessert menu at Menzies was lacking anything not caffeinated.

THE GREEN HORNET. $26.

"Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Makrut Lime Leaf, Lime Sherbet, Pomelo, Pandan, Green Chartreuse, Fresh Lemon."

I had another cocktail, which I seem to have forgotten to take a photo of.  It was really quite good - strong booze, interesting complex sour notes.  I didn't taste pandan, but the rest - lime sherbet, pomelo, lemon, green chartreuse - came through nicely.  A well balanced cocktail, perhaps a touch sweet, but, good.  I'd consider getting it again.  ***+.

Zeppole.

"Drunken raisins, cream."

Because I can't resist ending a meal on a sweet note, even when I'm pretty stuffed, I ordered the zeppole from Sky Bar.  As you can tell, the lighting was unfortunate, but the serving was 4 small rings, covered in sticky caramel, with some boozy large raisins.  The zeppole were fine - moist, hot, fresh, but not particularly flavorful.  A neutral base.  The caramel was very, very sticky, the kind that makes everything get stuck together, including your teeth.  Sweet, tasty, but, not an enjoyable style to actually eat.

The cream was thick and rich, well spiced, and my favorite part.  I think it might have had mascarpone in it?  Overall, the zeppole themselves, ***, caramel **, cream ****.  I would not get these again.

Original Review, August 2022 

"Spread over three levels, Shell House is an unparalleled hospitality experience in the Sydney CBD, combining both indoor and outdoor settings over 1,250 sqm of space. This includes a ground floor bar, the Menzies Bar, the Shell House Dining Room and Terrace, and the Clocktower Bar on level 9 and the Shell House Sky Bar on Level 10."

The Shell House is a new dining/drinking complex (er, "hospitality experience") in Sydney, opened in late 2021.  A big renovation project of an entire building, with 3 different bar concepts, plus a fine dining restaurant.  I'm not sure how it hit my short list of places to check out during my first visit to Sydney in 2.5 years, but, I'm glad it did.

My group of four was able to get a booking for a Friday night slot at one of the bars at 5pm, but I was told very clearly we had a 2 hour table limit, that there is a 12 hour advance cancel policy, and tables are given up after 10 minutes of being late.  They aren't messing around here (although, we did stay for nearly 3 hours ...).

Service was a mixed bag - very attentive at first, and then entirely absent for chunks of time.  Per Sydney standards, really.  Our first round of food came quickly once we ordered, the main dishes had quite a lag.  Getting the bill at the end required effort on our part, which I didn't expect as we were well past our table time limit.

Service aside, I'll gladly return, and would love to try any of the other Shell House establishments too.

Setting

"Paying homage to the legendary Menzies Hotel, The Menzies Bar is a true labour of love, where obsession with history, hospitality and good times are woven together to deliver a bar legitimately unique to the Sydney CBD. Wrapping the bustling corner of Carrington and Margaret Street, the European inspired bar and bistro showcases a menu of snacks, smaller and larger plates, along with a show stopping cocktail selection and a thumping wine list, available all day and late into the night. "

Each space at the Shell House has a unique vibe, menu, and focus.  I selected Menzies Bar for my group, as it had a fairly large and appealing food menu, although the other bars have more interesting cocktail menus, and, given their level 9 and 10 locations, definitely better views.  This is Julie's dining club after all, I think you know my priority.

Entrance.

The Shell House sits on the corner of Carrington and Margaret Streets.  Each venue has a unique entrance, each with a bouncer, and most, with velvet ropes to line up at.  When you arrive, well, you feel like you have "arrived" ... if you can get in.  Bookings basically mandatory, and I think they kinda screen for looking the part.  Most of the time, with a booking you aren't getting in (even just to look around, we wanted to see the Clocktower Bar space, just to see the vibe difference, but, nope!).

Menzies Bar & Bistro is on the ground floor, easy to locate.

Interior.

Inside you'll find, well, a bar, the main focal point, which takes up the entire center of the space, with seating wrapping around the whole thing.  Tables for 2-4 make up the exterior of the space.  Bookings are required for each type of seating.  We opted for table seating, and were given a fantastic table in the corner, out of the flurry of activity.

The vibe was definitely happening, the noise level is "energetic", and basically, the place was bustling from the moment we arrived at 5pm for our booking, until we left 3 hours later (well past our 2 hour time limit on our table, oops).  I'd love to see how the other spaces compare, as this was definitely the one for those who wanted the see and be seen vibe, and didn't mind speaking loudly to be heard by their dining companions.

Food & Drink

The menu at Menzies focuses on smaller share plates to match the bar vibe, but ... think very upscale bar bites, not your standard fare. Oysters, crudo, and unique fine dining share plates fill this section of the menu.  There are a few sides (salad, fries, veggies), and a handful of main dishes (yes, you *can* get a burger if you really want), and a fairly minimal dessert menu (just a single chocolate dessert, a cheese platter, and affogato).  The same menu is served at lunch and dinner.

Most tables seem to at least get a few share plates, although you can certainly go just for drinks, or just for drinks and dessert, if you please.

Dinner.

Our group opted for a full dinner (no dessert, just given the rather meh lineup), each with our own starter from the share plates section, and a main dish.  We started with a round of cocktails/beer and then moved into the extensive wine list (it is shared with the other Shell House establishments, so there are some good options on there).

Our meal was very good - it is clear this kitchen has skill, and the menu has some very nicely designed dishes.  I'll gladly return to try more, or, honestly, just to get the amazing chicken liver eclairs again!

Black Cat Fever. $22.

"Cognac, Bulleit Bourbon, Dubonnet, Oloroso Sherry, PX, Salted Maple, Cacao Nib."

I started the evening with a cocktail, and was drawn in to one from their custom cocktail menu as it featured many things I like: cognanc, bourbon, salt, maple ... um, sure?  Add in sherry, Dubonnet, and more, and it was bound to be an interesting time, right?

And it was.  Served with a rather comical amount of ice, this was a very booze forward drink, and required slow sipping.  I didn't taste any distinct notes of cognac nor bourbon, but, it was balanced in its own way.  Interesting, different, but not something I'd get again.

**+.

After cocktails, our group moved into bottles of wine, which I didn't get details of, but, were pretty fabulous.  I was with folks with good taste in wine, and I definitely benefited form their choices.

To Share: Chicken Liver. $16.

"Eclair, Trout Roe, Amaro Jelly."

There were several reasons why I picked Menzies as our destination, but, this dish alone was probably the number one.  I love liver mousse and pate, I obviously like pastries, and I'd seen photos of this, and it sounded totally and completely like something I'd love.

My group of 4 contained one vegetarian, and one who didn't like liver, but that worked well, as a serving was two eclairs.

To Start: Chicken Liver Eclair.

I took my eclair with glee.  It looked as good as the Instagram shots I had seen.

And it tasted ... even better.

The base was a classic little eclair: choux pastry, light and airy.  So much more interesting than your standard crostini or cracker, or even brioche, that comes with more pate or mousse.  And then on top, so much rich, creamy chicken liver.  The balance was perhaps a bit off, as some of my bites were a bit too heavy.  A little of that very rich mousse went a long way and there wasn't enough eclair to pair with it, but, I loved the mousse.  It tasted strongly of liver, which I wanted, but also was so enriched with cream that it was luxurious at the same time.  I'm not quite sure where the Amaro jelly was, I had expected a little layer of it somewhere, or perhaps inside the eclair, and I think it would have been nice to have that complimentary flavor, but the trout roe on top did a nice job of adding an additional focal point and pop (literally) of flavor.

Overall, I really enjoyed this, and savored it in rather small bites.  It was a unique spin on chicken liver.  That said, I think small improvements could be made - perhaps a little less mousse or larger eclair, or even actually stuffing the eclair, and I did wonder about that seemingly absent jelly ... 

It paired beautifully with my wine, and I'd get this again in a heartbeat, even with its slight downfalls.  ****.

To Share: Yellowtail Crudo. $28.

"Cucumber, Smoked Pil Pil, Wasabi, Caviar."

The non-vegetarian, non-liver eating diner choose the yellowtail crudo for their starter.  I didn't try it, but, it looked delicate, fresh, and well plated.  They seemed to enjoy it, and I did hear mention of how nice the caviar was for a bit of pop.

To Share: Spiced Eggplant. $16.

"Pastilla, Whipped Chickpea Cream."

The vegetarian option for a starter was a spiced eggplant pastilla, also served as a pair, with "whipped chickpea cream', that looked like a lighter style of hummus.  It looked reasonably crispy although perhaps a touch greasy and a shade or two darker than I'd want.  I didn't hear much comment on it.

To Share: Potato & Scallop Tart. $30.

"Roasted Garlic, Anchovy & Watercress."

For my main, given my odd sense of jetlag and random eating all day, I decided to get another share plate, but for myself.  I knew from having seen photos that it would be four scallops, which seemed about right for how I was feeling, hunger-wise.

The dish basically looked as I expected - four lightly seared scallops, perched atop some potato puree, with crispy potatoes standing up, and herbs all around.  Now, if I hadn't seen photos in advance, and expected something more, um, tart like, I'm sure I'd be confused, but, I knew that going in.  Why they call it a tart, I really don't know.

Anyway, after the glory of the chicken liver eclair, and compared to how my fellow diner's dishes looked, this was a bit lackluster.  The scallops were only very lightly seared, I'd like a harder sear, more caramelization.  They were a fairly small size, obviously bigger than bay scallops, but not quite what I'd expect from sea scallops, and had no real flavor to them.  They were tender, and not rubbery nor overcooked, but, were just a bit boring.

The same with the potato elements.  The puree was smooth and creamy, the chips crispy, but ... nothing really stood out.  I'm not sure where the roasted garlic nor anchovy were, which is a shame, as those would be great flavors to have accent this.  The watercress was a bit overwhelming.

So overall, nothing was poorly executed, but the dish just didn't offer much.  ***.

Main: Murray Cod. $46.

"Asparagus, Wild Mushroom, Sauce Vin Jaune."

The murray cod looked gorgeous.  It looked amazing in Instagram photos I had seen, and just as good in person.  If I had wanted a full size entree, there is no question I would have gotten this. The skin looked perfectly crisp, the fish moist and glistening, and, asparagus, mild mushrooms, and cream sauce are some of my favorite things.  If I were to return to Menzies, I'd certainly consider this dish.

Main: Braised Beef Cheek. $45.

"Paris Mash & Roasted Shallot Red Wine Jus."

The other diner oped for the braised beef cheek, and it too looked top notch.  It pulled apart easily with his fork, looked crazy tender, and was nicely sauced.  Another dish I'd gladly try sometime.

I didn't get a photo of the buccatini our vegetarian diner ordered.  It looked, well, like pasta with red sauce and some cheese.