Henry Sugar — Restaurant in Melbourne

We went to Henry Sugar for my birthday dinner. There were a couple of hiccups as they had one or two new starters and we were unfamiliar with the ordering process. We had booked the chef's menu for two online. We did not realize that we had to re-order again in the restaurant and the new person did not realize this as well so our order got lost. We had to wait around 45 min before the issue was picked up (we were sipping on our cocktails in the meantime so the wait was not that bad). One of the hosts generously (a person from Yemen) offered us to choose a wine to makeup for the delay. He even chose a better wine for us when we chose the cheapest option. My only feedback here would be that the host could come on a bit strong. For example, when we chose the wine, instead of asking us if were sure about our choice and recommending another one. He just said let me get you another one. It may have been a case that our host was stressed out due to some unlucky coincidences such as the speaker breaking due to heat and the front door needed to be opened for a bit to cool the speaker making the restaurant cold.

Coming to the food. I had the regular chef's menu while my partner had the vegetarian version.

The first course was Wattleseed Focaccia with vegemite butter, Leek tartlet with goat's cheese, and potato hash with macademia and roe. All were really nice. The bread stood out as being outstanding. My partner's version had the roe swapped out

The second course was braised borlotti & lima beans, and shimehi mushroon with myrtyle. Both were really good, but I was a little disappointed with the serving size as it seemed to be on the smaller side. However, the reason for the small serving soon became clear as the mains were huge.

I had the lamb and my partner the pumpkin. The lamb was nice but just too much to finish. I felt the big main threw off the balance of the overall chef's menu. My suggestion would be to increase the portion size of the second course and reduce the portion size of the main a bit. The pumpkin was expertly cooked and I thought it was better than the lamb, though it may be due to having too much lamb.

After the main we had a palate cleanser which refreshed us. The dessert was the highlight of the meal for me. A sign of great chef is that they bring out the flavor of the ingredient which was the case with my chocolate mousse dessert. The chocolate flavor was really coming through and it was nicely balanced with the fennel ice cream. I never had celeriac cake before and it was excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. Just wish there was more. My partner's dessert was something along the lines of a ginger jelly. We both felt it was a bit underwhelming.

It was time for the birthday cake after dinner (you can add birthday cake to your booking at Henry Sugar). This was a bit underwhelming. There was just too much frosting. Furthermore, it was just too set indicating that the frosting might have been stored in a very cool place to harden the butter. The berry garnish was nice and had a sweet, tangy and spicy flavor, but the cake itself didn't have much flavor.

There was one final hiccup. My partner had ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, which never showed up even after we reminded our host. However, we were charged for it in our final bill. We pointed this out and our host removed this from the bill and kindly gave us Negroni shots which was a nice gesture.

Overall, we had a nice experience and we would definitely recommend...

My recent experience (23/6/21) at Henry Sugar was my second. I was so impressed with the first that a second was logical given the nature of the occasion, and I wasn’t disappointed. It should be noted that both experiences happened to fall into those gap moments of freedom during the pandemic, and so the context could be regarded as atypical. A return during normal times is therefore in order. Further to this idea of context, where Henry Sugar is located is in itself very interesting and worth a walk around after the meal.

From the moment I entered the restaurant, the feeling was of a relaxed and friendly environment with a committed objective of quality. Reservation formalities over, progress to the table, near the fire as it turns out…again, was efficient and engaging. It was the start of an interaction with our waiter that enhanced every dining decision and ultimately the presentation of the food and beverages. Dining out is invariably about conversation. When the number of diners is small, an opportunity can arise for the waiter to contribute to that conversation on behalf of the restaurant, and in that respect expand the overall experience. I felt that to be a notable occurrence on the evening and along with the sometimes convoluted process of selecting dishes, tuning options and exploring other intricacies like order and optimal delivery times, our waiter was a skilled pilot guide to the shared experience.

Although I knew what to expect of the cuisine in terms of the style and presentation, there is always a sense of excitement to that first taste. The first tasting of a dish needs a moment of reflection. Depending on the texture, the dominance of the ingredients, some dishes are immediately notable through form and flavour, others the appreciation grows. Getting the selection right through an interpretation of the menu is the key to a great experience. All menu items seem compelling in their own right but from a personal taste perspective what is an optimal selection? As the menu changes, so too should the conversation around it. On a personal note, I would always get the bread. Turning to it between courses is always an act of positive preparation.

Did I say that I enjoyed Henry...

EDIT in response to Henry Sugar: Unfortunately, your response reflects the dismissive attitude and lack of care shown. The phone line works - no call was made. With payment - the first card declined, the second succeeded. “Illegal card error” and “reverse payment”?? We’re professionals - we wouldn’t cause this much fuss over a modest dinner. Oh and lastly, thanks for showing so much concern for how “the kid” is doing. That speaks volumes.

We came to this restaurant to celebrate my birthday, but the night ended in complete distress. Despite clearly informing staff about my 2-year-old niece’s food allergies (both in our booking description and in person multiple times) she was served a contaminated dish that caused her to have an allergic reaction at the table. We know her intolerances extremely well and were incredibly clear when ordering, there was no ambiguity.

The most upsetting part was how the staff responded. There was no genuine apology, no proper concern, and absolutely no sense of responsibility taken. Instead, the blame was subtly shifted onto us, as if we hadn’t communicated clearly or didn’t understand our own child’s allergies. It was not only dismissive but insulting, considering the potential danger involved.

We were told that someone would follow up with us after the incident, but that call never came. The only gesture offered was around $60 off the final bill, which didn’t even come close to addressing the seriousness of what happened or the disappointment and stress it caused.

My birthday was completely overshadowed by a preventable mistake and a lack of care from the restaurant. For a venue that presents itself as high-end, this level of negligence and failure to take accountability is inexcusable.

If you or your family members have allergies or intolerances, especially small children, I strongly recommend avoiding this place. The risks are simply too high, and the staff are not equipped to handle them with the care or responsibility you...