Aria, Sydney

"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling twenty twoOooooo!" This post has been severely delayed but Aria just needs a shout out for being one of the best places that I have experienced. Their service was impeccable and super attentive, with the food and the view being equally spectacular.

I turned 22 back in February, so Po hinted, 'Matt Moran' as a birthday treat. I predicted a good night, despite the crazy sydney weather. Aria currently holds two chef hats with many awards under its belt. It sits on the edge of Circular Quay overlooking our iconic coat hanger bridge and opera house. We went with the a la carte menu. Since it was a while back, my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 Appetisers - King fish 

Fresh kingfish on bread to start our meal. The kingfish was sliced delicately with a splash of citrusy goodness to balance out the fishiness. 

 Warm marron tail with bello rosso tomatoes, lemon verbena and green almonds - $44

I love seafood. The marron tail was perfectly cooked, succulent and juicy. It was a refreshingly light starter with well-balanced flavours. Only wished there were more marron on the plate. 

 Lightly smoked wagyu beef with soused onions, Dijon mustard and rye - $42

Po always opts for the meaty-sounding dishes. What was presented was a bit more refined and delicately plated with pretty folds. The wagyu was light and thinly sliced. Loved the fatty marbled trimmings paired with the pickles and dijun mustard.

Roasted breast of duck with figs, ginger, macadamia nuts and manuka honey - $58

This dish, despite its seemingly innocent and simple look, was actually quite filling. The duck breast was pink and the pieces were generous and succulent. It paired well with the black fig which added a level of freshness to the dish.

 Truffle potato mash $15

In all honesty, this truffle potato mash stole the show for me. Not even the spectacular views can compete with this seemingly simple dish. The velvety softness of the potato mash laced with truffle oil was to die for! I also liked how they were so generous with the servings. So yum!!! 

Roasted loin and neck with sugar loaf cabbage, sweetbreads, sorrel and salt bush

Po's dish! Lamb for the boy. The succulent pieces of lamb from the neck and loin were cooked perfectly accompanied with deep-fried saltbush. I really enjoyed the crunch of the fried greens. It added a multitude of textures to the dish along with its salty goodness. 

Strawberry Dessert

Despite picking meaty/manly mains, Po always opts for anything strawberry or chocolate related for desserts. The mousse here was light and airy, and paired well with the crunchy toppings.

 Black Fig Souffle

Here lies the fluffiest of all souffles I have ever had. I've always seen beautiful pictures of their mango concoction, but I guess it wasn't the season for mangos. Instead, the black fig replaced it on the menu. I've always wanted to try Aria's souffle because of its beautiful puffed up appearance. It did not disappoint. The dessert was light and airy and tasted even better with the addition of icecream. I really wanted to hold the little pot up, but it was too hot. Boo! 

Petit fours! 

Little petit fours were given to end the night; with its accompanying birthday message. Yay to blowing out candles! My favourite was the almond like pocky stick. Yum! 

Upon leaving Aria, it started to rain heavily. So we were stranded on the steps and mulled in our heads whether we should leg it to our car, or wait for the rain to ease. Luckily for us, one of the staff came out with an umbrella!

'Here you guys go, it's a spare, have a good night,' he winked.

Our hero. The rain did not ease. In fact, it rained even harder. Thank you kind sir.

Aria
1 Macquarie St
Sydney