Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour

Bayside Lounge, Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour
Thursday 22 November, 2007

The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour has recently launched a new bar/ dining experience called the Bayside Lounge.

Commanding great views over Darling Harbour and the back of the city skyline, the lounge offers floor to ceiling glass windows and a variety of seating - lounges, tables & chairs and bar stools. It's very relaxed and today I was set to experience their lunch menu.

My lunch buddy and I arrived and were directed to row of tables & chairs - one side offering chairs and the other side offering deep lounge seating. My lunch buddy explained that the deep lounge seating was a little uncomfortable if you were not used to sitting there and were more suited to very tall people. I opted for the chair.

The staff were warm and welcoming and kept their distance when they observed my lunch buddy and I deep in conversation. Our waiter relayed the daily specials with ease but I was quite taken with the Bayside lounge tasting box - a variety of tasting samples served in a traditional bento box. This consisted of:

- black sesame crusted atlantic salmon on a bed of Japanese noodles
- marinated cuttlefish with fennel salad
- goats cheese tart with beetroot
- japanese mizuna and osaka leaves with marinated tear drop tomatoes & lemon vincotto dressing

My lunch buddy ordered the Beet salad with whipped fresh goats curd with avocado & baby lettuce.

When the meals arrived they looked outstanding. The presentation was first class and my bento box was so enticing I just didn't know where to start. The standout dish was the marinated cuttlefish - it was so flavoursome and the fennel salad complimented it really well. For $25 I thought this was very reasonable.

My lunch buddy couldn't look at my cuttlefish as it reminded her of the cuttlefish she use to pick off the beach and place in her bird cage - gross! Believe me, it was fabulous and I would definitely return to enjoy some more.

As we were leaving I noticed a flyer for their latest offering - High Tea! I'll be back.

Bayside Lounge - Bayside Lounge, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour - (02) 9282 5916

http://www.scec.com.au/services/details.cfm?objectID=160