I’ve loved everything Brent Savage has done in all his restaurants. Yellow never misses the mark (go there for breakfast!), Bentley is incredible too. The only one I haven’t been to is Monopole, mainly because it’s also a wine bar and I don’t drink. When I heard that Cirrus was opening I got so excited! Man, Barangaroo really has some top restaurants. But then I also realised that I have a mortgage and Cirrus was going to be expensive… The only solution: go with your parents. (We know you’ve all used this trick before!)
Just a quick disclaimer: We went back in February so the menu has probably changed since then! But I’m sure you’ll enjoy looking at the pretty pictures!
The menu is helpfully divided into sections of crustaceans, fish, land (meat) and vegetables, plus some starters. Everything is designed to share. We picked three things from the starters section. We got the Cos Lettuce + Whipped Roe + Oritz Anchovy + Cured Yolk ($22) kind of out of curiosity. It’s an interesting combination but cos lettuce is always the most boring lettuce to me. But, wow! We were blown away by the presentation when the dish arrived. The lettuce was grilled lightly and topped with the whipped roe and cured yolk. Such an explosion of flavours, we absolutely loved this dish.
We also got the Roasted Tiger Prawns + Mustard + Padron Peppers + Hazelnut ($28). I don’t usually like prawns, but these are so big they’re kind of like scampis and I don’t mind them. This was a simple dish and really allowed the prawns’ natural flavours to stand out. You could’ve eaten them without the sauce, easily.
The final starter we got was the Leather Jacket Cheeks + Avocado + Seaweed + Capers ($23). I absolutely love this use of an unconventional part of a fish as the central element of the dish. In Chinese culture, we fight for the cheeks of whatever steamed fish we’re having. It’s easily the smoothest part of meat. This dish had an odd combination of ingredients though and I’m not sure if the avocado works. I still prefer it as a spread on my toast!
We had two dishes from the Fish section of the menu. First up was the Mahi Mahi + Smoked Mussel Butter + Carrot ($42). I jumped at seeing mahi mahi on the menu. Last time (and the first time, actually) I saw it on the menu was at Saint Peter in Paddington. I think it’s quite a rare cut of fish, hence the price. The small serving size was a bit disappointing, but again it was sooo pretty. We also got the Whole Flathead + Chips ($38) which was quite a big main. That’s why it’s good to go in a larger group so you can share! I was impressed that the whole fish was fried and covered in this incredible crumb. I do enjoy it when the menu description is a bit vague and you are pleasantly surprised!
From the Land section of the menu we got the Grilled Rangers Valley Rib Eye + Kombu Butter ($68). It was another very large dish and definitely needs to be shared. The quality of the meat was exceptional and again, I love how you don’t really need any condiments with it. The meat itself is enough. The vegetables section is largely made up of sides. We got the Yellow Squash + Salad Burnet + Mint ($16). Tasty, and did the job.
It was so lovely to sit outdoors on a warm summer’s evening and enjoy such great food. Brent Savage has done an amazing job again. I love how each of his restaurants is different. Cirrus stands out with its focus on fresh and sustainable seafood. I can’t wait to go back to Cirrus for a special occasion – there were so many things I still want to try on the menu!
Cirrus
23 Barangaroo Ave
Barangaroo
http://www.cirrusdining.com.au/
