There’s a lot to like about Darling Harbour’s newest restaurant and bar, Planar.
If I’m perfectly honest, I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect. I’ve previously admitted that I find Darling Harbour a little too touristy for my liking. And the fact Planar’s located in Sydney’s tourism epicentre, the International Convention Centre, raised a real red flag up the flag pole.
BUT… Planar is a right charmer. With harbour views, a whopping huge breakfast-through-dinner menu and some pretty impressive cocktails, this Darling Harbour restaurant has plenty of appeal – from sunrise to sunset.
This harbourside dining destination has all bases covered
Planar sprung onto Sydney’s waterfront dining scene in December 2017, so the fit-out is as modern as it comes with lots of white, timber and plush outdoor lounges – all spread throughout a large inside-outside space.
The al fresco dining area fronts onto the Cockle Bay foreshore, so you get some pretty spectacular front-row views of the water and city lights – and Saturday night fireworks if you’re well-timed.
We dined at Planar on a warm Spring night and sitting outside was utterly magical. There was even an in-house guitarist amping up the relaxed vibe.
The bun’s just always getting in the way
Planar’s serving up all flavours of the world
A new menu has just landed and it’s the size of a George R. R. Martin novel, making Planar ideal for those nights you just can’t agree on a food type. Jude and I always seem to have the ‘I want Asian, but I want pizza’ argument. Here you can have both!
Planar has all tastes covered, with burgers, stone-baked pizzas, salads, seafood, nachos, Asian dishes and more. There’s even a (small) vegan menu.
We had two entrees, two mains and a dessert, and each one was full of flavour, of quality, fresh and generous in portion.
Prawn lollipops, with Sriracha butter sauce, lime and bronze fennel
Wagyu sliders: pillowy bao bread, shredded wagyu beef, shallots and tomato, with smoked BBQ sauce
Seafood linguini: Aglio Olio pasta, prawns, scallops, calamari, mussels, mild chilli and cherry tomatoes, tossed in garlic, parsley and olive oil
Smoked American pork ribs (half), with chips and basting sauce
Sticky date pudding, served with caramel sauce, strawberries and fresh cream
Drinks are definitely not forgotten either
Planar has also just launched a new bar and its output is awfully good, covering everything from cocktails and wine flights to an A-Z of spirits. The in-house mixologists even run cocktail classes where you can ‘learn how to shake, mix and muddle your way to being the life of the party’ for $95pp.
A ‘Waikiki’ cocktail of vodka, midori, pineapple juice, mango juice and coconut powder
Serafini prosecco: $52 for a bottle
Planar is…
A very good reason to visit Darling Harbour. For what you pay and what you get in return, the value equation is most definitely in your favour.
Whether it’s breakfast, a long lunch, after-work drinks or a casual dinner, Planar is a solid choice and family-friendly too.
Planar | ICC Sydney, Shop C08/14 Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales
Phone: (02) 9212 6789
planarrestaurant.com.au
