The Wharf Restaurant

Ph: 9250 1761; End of Pier 4, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay 2000 www.thewharfrestaurant.com.au

Contemporary, $$, ** for Food & Ambience
Open Lunch Mon-Sat noon-3pm Dinner Mon-Sat 6-10pm, Closed Sun; Licensed; AE DC MC V
Chef Aaron Ross & Tim Pak Poy (29-11-08) Owner Aaron Ross & Tim Pak Poy (29-11-08)

Mietta's Review
Set at the end of the finger wharf in Walsh Bay The Wharf Restaurant provides a stunning and unusual view of the Harbour from west of the Bridge. It's the Sydney Theatre Company's home and a destination. The entry builds an almost theatrical suspense as one walks the length of the wharf under the watchful gaze of a glaxy of Australia's best actors before the harbour and the fresh white restaurant bursts upon you. This is a much underated destination particularly for lunch. Under chef Tim Pak Poy (Claude's) the once pleasant modern food has improved dramatically evoking memories of Bistro Moncur (though a much lower prices). The service unfortunately is not as crisp as the food but the view more than compensates for this slight glitch.

Other published opinions

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2009 Score: 15/20, One Hat "There's a sense of anticipationas you walk the echoing length of Pier 4, home to the Sydney Theatre Company, with its ageold wooden boards and heavy overhead beams"

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "What better way to while away an afternoon than at the Wharf in Walsh Bay? Soak up the sunshine at the end of the pier and enjoy a drink while being pampered by the restaurant's attentive staff"

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 15/20, One Hat "An endless alley of bygone production posters adds a certain theatrical suspense as you tread the boards towards one of Sydney's most dramatic dining rooms"

Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "First, there's the satisfying clack of your heels on the timber floor as you walk past rows of Sydney Theatre Company posters"

Sydney Eats 2008 "The long walk past the walls full of Sydney Theatre Company posters is always rewarded, first by the harbour view and second by the fine food"

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2007 Score: 14/20 "This slice of New York warehouse meets Sydney Harbour has been around so long you almost take for granted just how remarkably wonderful it s. Twenty years of Sydney Theatre Company show posters line the long, wooden corridor leading to the breathtaking water and Bridge views."

Gourmet Traveller 2007 Restaurant Guide "This is the venue of choice for all right-minded theatre-goers, people with overseas relatives in tow and those with an urge to savour the triple-treat of greatfood, wine and view. With its strong seafood component (and more than a passing nod to meat-lovers), the menu delivers plenty to satisfy all."

Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2006 score 14/20 "The Wharf could so easily be a show-off restaurant, sitting right on the water with a killer view of the Bridge and Luna Park. But instead it has an unpretentious, casual feel and food that's interesting enough to take your eye off the scenery. Tim Pak Poy (ex Claude's) is now back in the kitchen with Aaron Ross, turning out clever dishes"

Sydney Eats 2006 "Another charming Sydney institution at the end of the very first renovated wharf on Hickson Road and still with one of the most interesting harbour views in town happily, with food to match. The hand of chef Tim Pak Poy can be detected in modern takes on old favourites"

SMH David Dale 30/7/05 "The Wharf is obliged to open for lunch on Saturdays because the Sydney Theatre Company, to which it is attached, does matinees. But those who rush from the table when the bell rings at 2pm, to see Robert Menzies in Julius Caesar, need to sort out their priorities. This food deserves time - especially now, when the Wharf is specialising in fresh truffles.... Out of 10: Food 8 A multicultural mix without confusion. Service 8 The waiters are proud of the food they're serving and eager to explain it. Atmosphere 8 A wraparound spectacle of boats, blue water, bridge and Luna Park. Value 7 Starters about $18, mini-mains about $26, bigger mains about $32, desserts at $12.50."

SBS Eating Guide to Sydney 2005 "More views, this time at the working end of the harbour. For some this is the best food with a view there is, and it could well be. With new generation star chef Aaron Ross in the kitchen, this is beautiful food in the creative Oz vein. Surrounded by floor to ceiling glass and massive timber beams and boards, the 270 degrees of sparkling Sydney is on show at its best."

SMH Good Food Guide 2005 Score 15/20 One Hat "Pier 4's restaurant is probably the Sydney Theatre Company's longest running and most consistently classy production. And we can only add to that unbroken run of good notices. On a warm night try to snare a candlelit balcony table, seemingly beneath the twinkling Harbour Bridge. The bold timber interior of the old wharf is also a dramatic setting."

Gourmet Traveller Australian Restaurant Guide 2005 * Good Vegetarian Options, Good Wine List "Set as it is, in an arty intersection of dance and theatre companies, patrons as well as artistes gravitate to the Wharf. The hours are well-suited to pre- and post-performance dining, and some dishes, such as a rice noodle stir-fry or a hearty soup, are simple enough for a light meal for anyone at anytime."

Sydney Eats 2005 "The Wharf keeps on churning out relaxed, flavoursome Mod Oz in one of the finest rooms in Sydney with one of the most spectacular views of the Harbour."

SMH GFG 2004,Score 15/20,Consistently very good,'This is a dining space with sharp service...modern,individual cuisine,full of craft and lots of surprises...It's a great example of the modern Sydney style.'

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2004, 1 Black Star,'What a room.What a view.More importantly, what a menu...a selection that might well serve as a bluprint for smart-casual dining in Sydney for the next decade.The largely light, Asian-inflected list leans heavily on well-sourced produce cooked with intelligence..and wait-staff go that extra mile needed to keep diners feeling warm in a space this vast.'