Soak up Sydney Harbour views at Cruise Bar and Restaurant with cocktails and a show stopping three tier Grande Cruise seafood platter with oysters, lobster, calamari and scallop mousse stuffed zucchini flowers all enjoyed with the perfect view of the Sydney Opera House.
It has been years since I visited Cruise Bar. The last time was for a tourism function and the main thing I remembered was how amazing the view was from the restaurant. Cruise Bar is on the ground level of the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay and faces the Sydney Opera House. They also have Melba's Rooftop on the level above but it is closed for a private function this evening.
It's very busy this evening - it's the Friday before Christmas when most people are out to celebrate the end of the work year. People are having Christmas parties, birthdays and other celebrations so the atmosphere is jovial. As I work for myself and it is just me, Mr NQN and I are just making this our work Christmas party. It is also the hottest day in Sydney and this evening, rain is expected.
There is an indoor section but the best spot is sitting outside facing the Opera House which is where most people sit if they're eating. Service is friendly and attentive and they take our order quickly. The Head Chef is Han Chen and they have just launched a new summer food and drink menu.
We start with celebratory cocktails. My cocktail is the Honey made with passion fruit, quandong honey, Tanquerey Sevilla and orange wine. It's fruity and slightly sweet but well balanced. Mr NQN loves the Salty Shores with mandarin, chilli flower, Don Julio Blanco, Nonino and three scoops of mango sorbet in a salt rimmed glass which has a nice amount of heat in it from the chilli.
Food wise, we are here to try one thing: the Grande Cruise Seafood Platter. There is also a single layer hot and cold seafood platters but this is a spectacular three tier tower.
On the tower there are a dozen freshly shucked Royal Miyagi oysters with lemon aspen vinaigrette and pink finger lime pearls. Royal Miyagi oysters are Pacific oysters so they're plump and very creamy so the vinaigrette's tartness goes well with them.
There are also Australian prawns and a whole lobster where the tail meat is removed and cut up for easy eating and topped with salmon roe. There are two scallop shells with scallop ceviche dressed with a refreshing Granny Smith apple vinaigrette, salmon caviar and a tart, zingy Davidson plum dust.
On the bottom layer is the fried food. There is plenty of crispy and very tender calamari along with my favourite fried item: the scallop mousse stuffed zucchini flowers. These are filled to the brim with a delicious light scallop mousse with a golden, crispy outside batter. Even Mr NQN who doesn't like deep fried food much absolutely devours these. And to round off the bottom platter there are two large crispy battered Australian flathead fillets and plenty of fries. I love fish and chips made with flat head fish as it has a wonderful texture to it. There are also three sauces: an aioli, tartare and an Australian lobster mayo. Everything is cooked fresh and there's so much on the platter that it could conceivably feed 4 people especially if you ordered some bread and salad on the side.
Dessert is a Tim Tam tiramisu with a chopped pecan crumb. The layers of savoiradi in a traditional tiramisu are replaced with chocolate Tim Tams. There is also a hint of coffee in the tiramisu and this is a sweet but delicious chocolatey dessert.
So tell me Dear Reader, did you have a work Christmas party this year? And do you prefer harbour views during the day or night?
Cruise Bar & Restaurant
OPT Overseas Passenger Terminal, Level 1, 2 and 3 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9251 1188
https://www.cruisebar.com.au/bar-restaurant
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