Two sittings, one set menu and 10 elegant dishes. Surry Hills’ latest restaurant offering, Arthur, is one big dinner party – and bookings are essential.
When OpenTable invited me to dine at one of their Sydney restaurant partners – of which there’s 1151! – I was like a kid in a sugar shop. There’s a LOT of restaurants and bars in Sydney I’m desperate to try, all neatly listed in an incredibly long and constantly evolving iPhone note. But, which one do I pick??
So overwhelmed by this first world problem sandwich, I turned to the online restaurant reservation platform itself for inspiration, reading reviews and ratings from other foodies. OpenTable also has the ability to sort restaurants by suburb, cuisine, popularity, newness and a bunch of other categories like outdoor dining – all good tools to help the indecisive.
And, there sitting cutely at #5 on OpenTable’s ‘Diners’ Choice Winners: Best Overall’ list for Sydney – as well as #1 on its ‘Best Modern Australian Restaurants in Sydney’ list – was Arthur, with its smug 4.8 rating.
I’m a sucker for a good degustation, so have naturally been wanting to try Arthur ever since word got out about its opening in late 2018. Decision made.
Zucchini flower, with radish and almond; and yellow fin tuna, with wood ear mushroom and bonito garum
Booking a table at Arthur using OpenTable
I’ve used OpenTable a gazilion times in the past and honest to my core think it makes the restaurant reservation process so easy. In fact, I truly get a little cranky when I have to pick up the phone to book a table at a restaurant – what is this, 1956?
I can totally understand why 5.9 million Australians have in the past two years booked their restaurant reservation using OpenTable. Although I was a little surprised to learn OpenTable only launched in Australia in December 2015 – I feel like it’s been making my life easier for a lot longer than three years.
Being a degustation restaurant, Arthur isn’t somewhere you can stroll into – you have to book and credit card details are required to secure the booking.
But jumping onto opentable.com.au, I was able to reserve a table at Arthur, on my mobile, within 60 seconds – and get straight back to binging on Married at First Sight. The booking even saved straight to my Google Calendar, so I wouldn’t forget about my date with the Surry Hills stud. In case that was possible.
Arthur: A degustation dining experience
Arthur is the creation of chef Tristan Rosier (ex-Dead Ringer), and named after his grandfather, who would bring the family together for big food-filled gatherings. The restaurant continues the Rosier family tradition, but instead invites the people of Sydney to join for a relaxed, yet refined evening of good food and wine.
This small 35-seater restaurant is housed in a character-filled, circa-1880 corner house on leafy Bourke Street. Inside, the space is gorgeous with high ceilings and big windows letting in oodles of natural light. Completing the picture are textured walls, simple cafe chairs and subtle gold touches.
There’s two sittings – 6pm and 8:30pm – a set price of $70pp and everyone gets served the same food, much like a true dinner party. And the menu is always evolving, favouring whatever produce is in season, and mostly made from scratch, including the godlike sourdough and accompanying cultured butter.
A parade of 10 dishes come out two at a time, all delicate, delicious and designed to be shared.
Vongole, with shiitake and black garlic; and Arthur’s sourdough, with cultured butter
Squid, with capsicum, tomato and saltbush; and potato, with rainbow churd and sweet garlic
Beef short rib, with carrot and pepperberry mustard; and cos lettuce, with pear, pine nut and grapefruit
Rye ice cream, with malt biscuit and blackberry
Lemon granita, with kaffir lime cream and macadamia
The drinks list is a roll-call of local producers, giving you the opportunity to try some Australian wines and spirits, like a Rosé Pet Nat from the Adelaide Hills or a Fiano from my much-loved McLaren Vale. While there’s not an official wine pairing, the friendly staff are happy to bring out a wine that complements each course.
There’s also a carefully-curated cocktail list that follows the same homegrown theme.
Arthur is…
Like a sophisticated friend, who lives in a beautifully-styled Surry Hills character home and throws the most elegant dinner parties. Yep, Arthur is a mate I want in my friendship circle.
Do yourself a favour and book a seat at Arthur’s next dinner party using OpenTable.
Arthur | 544 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, New South Wales
arthurrestaurant.com
