The Bridge Room, Sydney

The Bridge Room has been on the up ever since Chef Ross Lusted was crowned Chef of the Year in the 2014 Good Food Guide. The restaurant gained two hats in the 2015 guide, and attained the coveted three hat status in the 2016 guide. Enter through a simple set of glass doors into a room which feels both casual and refined. You wouldn’t walk in here wearing flip-flops and a singlet, but you also don’t feel the pressure to dress up in your finest garb. As for the menu, it serves Modern Australian food with clear Asian influences; the latter of which distinguishes it from the other three-hatters.

For a pleasant and light start to the meal, try the wild caught raw fish ($34). The fish depends on what is fresh and available that day and in this case it was snapper. A few cells of pomelo and a dusting of citrus power provide tartness while there’s a subtle sweetness from the scrolls of preserved watermelon. Did I mention that it just looks gorgeous?

To me, the robata grilled New England lamb ($48) is like a pick and mix. There’s so many flavour combinations possible between the lamb, salty pickled caper leaves, candied mustard fruits, buttery corn meal, and walnut cream. The tender wild caught coral trout ($50) sits in a pool of Chinkiang black vinegar which is full-bodied and minutely sweet. It’s garnished with shaved celtuce, chili threads, coriander, and a little bit of garlic. The izakaya style chicken ($46) comes out in three parts: first, a plate of smoky chicken with radish scrolls, baby radishes, baby cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms, and minty shiso leaves (also known as perilla). Then a bowl of brown rice and finally, a small plate with more shiso, mushrooms, and radish. Honestly, you’ll feel very full and healthy after finishing this.

The frozen sake lees ($22) is by far the most refreshing of all the desserts. Thin slices of young coconut, lychee, and pressed kiwifruit accompany the lees (leftover sediment from sake processing) which sits under a thin sheet of meringue dusted with freshly ground green tea. A plate of set Valrhona chocolate ($22) is perfect for the sugar-lover as it’s so sweet and decadent. A few shards of caramel snap and crushed nougat hide the chocolate, blackberries, and a generous dollop of chestnut cream. How about a quenelle of whipped black sesame ($22)? It’s smooth and creamy with puffed black rice and slices of melon for texture. You could almost describe it as mysterious-looking because of the dark color scheme.

Floor staff at The Bridge Room are very helpful when you’re tossing up between menu choices (there's no degustation menu) and service is friendly, yet professional. Chef Ross Lusted and his crew execute the Asian-inspired dishes excellently and the food is backed up with an extensive wine list. Perfect for when you want to spoil yourself or those close to you.

The Bridge Room
44 Bridge St
Sydney NSW 2000