Saturday, 02 May 2009

• Rockpool bar and grill (bar menu)

  If you’re looking for a casual lunch in the CBD, but want to forgo the usual toasted focaccia and Caesar salad with grilled chicken, the cocktail bar at the recently opened Rockpool bar and grill is the perfect place. With it’s lush interiors, dark leather chairs and the impressive display of polished wine glasses as a feature (over 6000 wine glasses suspend from the ceiling throughout the whole venue - one must feel sorry for the glass polisher), it caters for both personal and casual business lunches without hurting that expense account.

  

  bar area

  The bar menu is full of options, from small plates to nibble with a drink, or a full meals to have during a lunch break from the office. We had a small staff lunch to celebrate a colleague’s anniversary and it was delightful!

   

  

  David Blackmore’s Full Blood Wagyu Hamburger with Bacon, Gruyere Cheese and Zuni Pickle $18.00

  Naturally, all my colleagues went for the wagyu hamburger, as it was too tempting to resist on the menu. Little did they know the case of food-envy that was bestowed upon them when my minute steak arrived:

   

  

  Wood Fire Grilled Minute Steak with Café de Paris Butter $29

  It wasn’t just any cafe de paris butter. This one was flavoured with curry, mustard and thyme (?), which was an odd combination, but worked so well with the grilled-to-perfection meat. Highly recommended!

   

  

  Onion Rings with House-Made Ketchup $9.00

  The onion rings were slightly oily, the batter definitely sub par compared to the ones from Sean’s Kitchen - but the flavours were beautiful, it was chunkily sliced, and the house made ketchup was a true winner. I wish I could have a bottle of that stocked at home instead of my Heinz big red.

  What my colleagues lacked in selection during the meal, they sure made up for during dessert!

  

  Chocolate Jaffa Mousse Cake, Rockpool circa 1992 $19

  

  Apple Galette with Brown Butter Ice Cream and Candied Hazelnuts $18

  

  Passionfruit Marshmallows $6

  The Chocolate Jaffa Mousse cake was exactly how you would imagine it, the rich,fluffy jaffa flavoured mousse only reminded me of the good times during my ‘tweens’ when I used to throw jaffas in a dark cinema towards the back of innocent viewers. The apple galette was phenomenal, with the crispy pastry against the brown butter ice cream. Oh yes. But by favorite was actually the petit four styled dessert - the passion fruit marshmallow. I believe the marshmallow is making a come back in desserts - Jean Georges in NYC has an amazing selection, Mostly because it’s so comforting, who doesn’t love soft pillows of sweetness to end their meal?

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