Luke Mangan's only Australian restaurant, based on the second floor of the Hilton hotel in Sydney and overlooking the beautiful, ageing sandstone of the QVB, offers what could well be considered one of the best dining experiences available in Sydney today. If its rating of one chef's hat soon became two, the accolade would arguably be long over-due.
By night, the restaurant is vibrant with a relaxed energy and efficiency; waiters glide around the floor, friendly and attentive, while guests enjoy the warm, buzzy atmosphere of the dining room. Its spaciousness is complemented by high ceilings, clever soft lighting, mirrors and – of course – lots of glass. Meanwhile dark wood, curved leather seating and huge low-hung lampshades create a contemporary elegance, reflected in the varied and masterfully designed dishes à la carte.
We order a beautiful Bortoluzzi pinot grigio to kick-off our evening's dining extravaganza, and before our starters arrive are presented with a delicious complimentary appetizer of salmon tartare with lotus crisps and miso mayonnaise. Even the soft, moist raisin bread positioned in the centre of the table tastes divine, but with my hunger fast abating, I urge myself to refrain from devouring the lot. Luckily my will is not tested for long.
Within minutes, a starter of delicious salmon is served with a small dollop of dill crème fraîche, rocket leaves and crunchy melba toasts, while my companion enjoys a classic steak tartare. The serving of this dish of finely-diced raw beef fillet offers great amusement to both ourselves and the diners to our side, as the waiter (on offering to prepare the dish) proceeds with great gusto to mash up the meat with pastes of anchovies, cornichons, capers, eschallots, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. The result? A deliciously zingy, full-flavoured but stomach-stretching first course.
Mains of barramundi fillet, poached in cabernet and artichoke puree, and succulent Victorian lamb loin with courgette puree are cooked to absolute perfection, with rich and dreamy truffled mash on the side to delight the senses even further. Just when things can't get any better, the dessert menu tempts us with a chocolate 'assiette' featuring chocolate terrine, warm chocolate fondant, a dark chocolate tart with crème fraîche and orange, and Earl Grey tea ice cream coated in cookies and cream biscuit. How could one refuse? It certainly proves to be an indulgence too good to pass up.
With Luke Mangan splitting his time up between his Sydney Glass brasserie and his other two restaurants (Salt Tokyo in Japan and new, up-and-coming South Food & Wine in San Francisco), he's clearly in no danger of letting quality slip. With all boxes ticked, and tastebuds enchanted, it seems that Glass has more than enough quality, charm and excellence to earn itself greater recognition and a rightful place alongside other two-chef-hat dining hotspots in Sydney such as Aria, Icebergs and Bistro Moncur.
- WHAT: Contemporary dining
- WHERE: Level 2, Hilton Sydney, 488 George Street, Sydney
- WHO : Luke Mangan and Joe Pavlovich
- WHEN: Breakfast Monday-Friday 6-10am, Saturday-Sunday 7-11am; lunch Monday-Friday noon-3pm; dinner daily 6pm-late.
YOUR SAY: Have you dined at Glass brasserie or any of Luke Mangan's restaurants? What did you think?
