Sleek, Slick Bentley
Every now and then, a restaurant falls off my radar and when I finally get around to a visit, I kick myself for waiting so long. Sydney’s Bentley Restaurant & Bar is one of these.
It’s rare for me to write an entire article praising a single restaurant. I usually cover a dish that stood out or make mention of one within a wider article covering a particular theme. But Bentley deserves its own article.
I first went to Bentley over ten years ago when it began operating in Surry Hills. It was impressive then and in these current days of rare longevity in the restaurant world, it is wonderful to see it running like a smooth engine, slick and polished. Just like a classic Bentley does.
Opened by chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, Bentley sat as a new concept of sorts where food and wine were true equal partners, in a niche of its own since its inception. It’s pleasing to see the concept hasn’t changed. Now housed in a grand split-level space in the beautiful 1920’s sandstone building that is the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sydney’s CBD, it is a progression and an extension for a wider audience.
Bentley offers what I consider a very fine middle ground between fine dining with some challenging tastes and comfortable flavours to please all punters. Coupled with this is one of the best wine lists in Australia, and most remarkable of all, a solid offering of dozens of wines by the glass from international boutique producers, interestingly matched to the food.
Now, to my experience. My dinner at Bentley was as close to perfection as I have had in a restaurant in recent years, and certainly top of my list right now in Australia. For perfection is what Bentley strives for and I simply could not fault it.
The first thing that struck me was the warmth of the room. It’s a beautiful contemporary interior with lush banquettes and a high comfort factor, with deep toned carpet juxtaposed with the modernity of zig zagged steel rods that cross the ceiling of the restaurant forming a separation to the classic bar on the lower entrance level.
Bentley interior. Bar on lower level, Restaurant above.
Much of the atmosphere created in the beautiful space is due to the lighting. One of the most frequent comments you read if you check reviews of the restaurant is how dark the room is. This is undoubtedly a very individual thing. It isn’t dark, it’s dim, oozing cool and evoking a calm mood. To my mind, it’s absolutely perfect. The importance of lighting cannot be underestimated. I wish more restaurants would follow suit.
Many would disagree with me, but I believe one true test of a restaurant’s professionalism is how they handle solo diners.
My evening began with a welcome by the maître d as I was accompanied to my table. I sat dead centre in a prime spot along a supremely comfortable banquette with windows to the street behind me. I had full view of the tables in the body of the room and the activity of the staff. My favourite spot to be!
Warm toned restaurant interior
Often as a solo diner, I find myself ushered to a table hidden in a corner, or an obvious space for one person along the bar or kitchen counter (only acceptable if you ask for it) At Bentley, this was a great start to my evening.
The restaurant quickly filled up around me with as many international fine food lovers as locals. This is a good sign of success – and on a Tuesday evening, even more so.
Whisky Sour
I began proceedings with a Whisky Sour, as superlative as any I have had. During this time, I perused the wine list and yep – it’s as well considered as I had been expecting. I had great joy in seeing such a varied selection by the glass, a mix of Australian and Internationals from smaller, interesting producers. Not your usual suspects here. Accompanied by written snapshots about the wine, the producer, the style and the region, the list is unlike any other I’ve ever seen. Fabulous. Bentley is a wine lovers dream.
The menu is brilliant. Choose from a multi-course Tasting Menu with all of the restaurants big-hitters or pick your desired tastes from the strong a la carte selection. As a first-timer in this incarnation I chose a la carte as I had a few dishes already in mind I’d been eyeing off on Instagram.
I was attended to at exactly the right moments with confident, knowledgeable and friendly service. Discussing my food choices with the sommelier made my wine selection easy. Pacing the dishes arrivals to that of each glass of wine made for a very pleasant way to appreciate both the food and the wine recommended by the somm.
Special mention here, I was so pleased that the bottles for my wine glass selections were brought to me to view before pouring. So many restaurants bring you a glass already poured, which is bad form in my book.
Service from beginning to end was highly polished. A crack team working in unison, relishing the busy evening and having fun to boot.
Another sign of penultimate professionalism is being asked how each dish was and how the wines were working for me. This is strangely enough becoming quite rare when dining out. It’s a touch that can really make all the difference.
I’ve probably banged on long enough about my experience itself so – to the food!
Executive Chef Aiden Stevens brings great skill and technique to a diverse menu. The dishes I chose lived up to expectations, great combinations, all beautifully executed and plated, and above all singing with wonderful flavour.
Here is what I enjoyed this evening.
Rock Oyster + Yuzu Koshu + Scampi Caviar
Scallop Tartare + Avocado + Wasabi Leaf + Almond
Yellow Fin Tuna + Barletta Onion + Ham Hock + Ice Plant
Snapper + Hispi Cabbage + Clam Butter
Each dish was superb, delivering flavours both familiar and new. There are numerous Japanese influences in the dishes, to me always welcome and which work so well for fine modern cuisine such as this. The quality of the cooking is second to none.
To proceed further would have been difficult. I rarely order Dessert, though the list looked very good. Next time I may even make an exception.
When it all boils down to it, what really cements this as a world beating experience is just how smoothly Bentley fits for each and every diner. You want top quality fine dining, you’ve got it. You want a comfortable easy dinner with user friendly food that’s a big notch above? That’s right there. You want an intriguing array of new wine discoveries by bottle or by the glass that work with your food, you’ve got that. You want modern Australian dining with enough international influence to place it at the top of the game. Yep, you’ve got that too. Top service – tick… Gorgeous space - tick, tick tick!
Bentley fits all of the bills and for that it’s a very special ticket. I’ve eaten in many of the world’s top echelon restaurants and Bentley is right up there with them. Even better perhaps, for being so much for so many. It truly is the very model of a perfect restaurant.
As a lover of intricate, innovative dishes it’s always been a bug bear of mine that more Australian restaurants aren’t included in the world’s most prestigious food awards, such as the San Pellegrino Worlds 50 Best. I know it’s of little importance to some chefs, but it seems ridiculous that a restaurant such as Bentley doesn’t receive this international recognition. Perhaps it’s no real matter as overseas visitors certainly know about it. This is where you come for the best Australian cuisine in the country.
The symbiotic partnership between chef and sommelier, owners Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt, is the key to all of this. Is there a more perfect union with their skills unified and executed with such perfection? I don’t think so. The formula at Bentley is the one to beat.
Is this the finest dining experience in the country? For many, quite possibly. No other restaurant in recent times has left me wanting to return and plunder the menu like this one. How could I not try the Fraser Island Spanner Crab, Shiitake Mushrooms & Nori? Or the Bass Grouper, Baby Parsnip, Whipped Cod Roe & Egg Yolk?
I intend to try the full Tasting Menu the next time it’s updated. I will skip my solo celebration and bring my friends along to revel in what Bentley delivers. This is a place to savour.
My favourite restaurant in all of Australia for many years was The Bridge Room helmed by brilliant chef Ross Lusted. Its closure left me with a heavy heart. Thank God then for Bentley, my new go to for special occasions, or just when I’m feeling special, which happens to be quite often.
Bentley Restaurant & Bar
27 O’Connell Street, Sydney NSW Australia 2000
+61 2 8214 0505