Rockpool and Rockpool Revisited

For you foodies who follow famous chefs, I've got a new one that many of us from the US haven't heard of: Neil Perry. I think he's my new hero. While in Sydney, we had the pleasure of dining at the Oyster Bar at Rockpool. The restaurant is elegant with an amazing menu and at the Oyster Bar, you can get anything off the regular menu as well as a smaller, less expensive menu just for that area. We opted for the latter.

For dinner, we decided to share three dishes. We got the Moroccan Fish burger, a white fish patty with a deliciously spicy chutney on a toasted bun; the crispy fish with an amazing ginger chile sauce and white rice, and finally the Braised Tuna Spaghetti. We almost skipped the last one and are we glad we didn't! This is one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had! Perfectly cooked homemade spaghetti topped with a sizeable slice of tune smothered in a tomato-caper-black olive sauce. Similar to a Puttanesca but with something extra. (I've already tried contacting Chef Perry for the recipe.) And we paired it all with a delectable bottle of Aussie Red Wine!

So why is this post called Rockpool and Rockpool Revisited? Well, we liked it so much we went back for lunch the next day! Jeff again got the Spaghetti and liked just as much. I opted for the Green Curry Fish and it outdid any green curry I've ever had.

Not only was the food outstanding, but the service was memorable as well. The restaurant has an open kitchen and the Oyster Bar even has a screen that lets you view the back part of the kitchen as well. I purchased a signed copy of Perry's new book: Good Food. Our server saw how interested we were in the food and the chef and when we were leaving he gave me a copy of the restaurant menu as a souvenir.

If ever you find yourself in Sydney, go to Rockpool. Don't even question the decision. Hands down one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in! Thanks Chef Perry! Please open a restaurant in NYC!