Ciel Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Sydney

We celebrated a special occasion last Saturday and decided to book the Chef’s Table for our first visit to Ciel — and what an unforgettable evening it turned out to be!

From the moment we arrived, Franco warmly welcomed us and showed us to our table — perfectly positioned with an unrestricted view of the open kitchen. Watching the team at work was like witnessing a beautifully choreographed performance. Under the calm and confident leadership of Chef Josh, every chef moved with precision and purpose, ensuring each dish was plated and served seamlessly, even on an incredibly busy Saturday night. The energy in the kitchen was electric, yet somehow serene — a true testament to teamwork and passion.

Our server for the evening, Jack, was an absolute delight — attentive, and genuinely kind. Throughout the night, both Chef Josh and Chef Ritudhaman personally checked in on us, making sure we were comfortable and enjoying every bite. Their attention to detail and interaction made the evening feel extra special.

The menu, though not overly long, was beautifully curated — celebrating local and seasonal produce with creativity and balance. We started with House Focaccia with whipped Butter, followed with Fish Sando with green chilli pickle, which was perfectly crisp on the outside and tender within — a satisfying and substantial start.

The lamb short ribs that followed were melt-in-your-mouth tender and bursting with flavour, paired perfectly with a beetroot and feta salad and charred broccolini.

A highlight of the evening was the Tuna sashimi, which Chef Josh prepared especially for us. Fresh, clean, and impossibly light — it was as if you could taste the sea in every bite.

Just when we thought the night couldn’t get better, Chef Ritudhaman took it to another level with his extraordinary desserts. The strawberry dessert — a dreamy combination of meringue, marshmallow, cream, and fresh strawberries — was nothing short of magical, easily one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. The pistachio tiramisu that followed was equally divine, with layers that simply melted in the mouth.

The bartender Anshul crafted a delicious cocktail and personally checked in to make sure it was just right — a thoughtful touch that added to the evening’s charm. Another member of the team, Yeshwant, also attended to us a few times and was equally professional and courteous.

What truly stood out — beyond the incredible food — was the genuine warmth and grace of the entire team. Despite the busy service, every staff member wore a smile, moved with purpose, and seemed to genuinely enjoy creating a memorable experience for their guests. A 10/10 from us.

Note: We went to another fancy restaurant the next day for lunch and paid double the price of what we paid here and found the food and service much more...

5 adults went for a celebration dinner 2 weeks ago. The atmosphere and staff were great. The food was absolutely delicious...what there was of it. We were recommended to have share plates so we did on that advice. The meals are small for sharing and so, so expensive. The raw fish dish consisted of tuna, kingfish and scallops. There would have been 2 scallops at most because each one was sliced into 3, maybe 4 to make them thin enough. $44. Sicilian Octopus would have been 1 tentacle chopped into about 6 pieces with a some veges surrounding the pieces. $33 Triple cooked potatoes were priced ok @ $14. The Beef Short Rib was tender, but again, cut into 6 or 7 1cm slices. $59 The rip-off of the night was the Wood Roasted Duck. 1 duck breast with a duck sausage made from the duck neck n fat. $61. 2 duck breasts from coles cost $14.50, a whole duck only costs $28.30. We were still hungry by the end because what we had would equate to a regular sized entree at a regular restaurant so we ordered another Beef Short Rib. Our 2 desserts were nice enough. The Pistachio Tiramisu and the Burnt Marshmallow Chocolate Genache then they gave the birthday girl the Strawberry Gelaska which was exceptional. We ate our meal, paid and left. It wasn't until 2 days later my husband was looking at the bill to find we had been overcharged $30 for the beef short Rib. The Website menu had it for $44 and we had been charged $59. I phoned on the Monday to point out the discrepancy and was told I could have a credit. I explained I didn't want a credit because it had been a special occasion and I didnt know if or when we would be back. The fellow then said the owner, Joshua would call me either that afternoon or the Tuesday. 10 days later, I am still waiting for that phonecall. I was going to email Ciel yesterday so just checked the prices on the website again. Interestingly, they have now changed the price from $44 to the $59 on the website. As nice as the food was, it was all quite pretentious for a restaurant in the Norwest Business Park. It's not like there is a view of Sydney Harbour to look at. For those prices, plate up more food. We went with great expectations and were let down considerably. We...

Went to CIEL for their soft opening 22.11.24 at 7pm. This was a full price non complimentary sitting. Upon arrival was greeted by master chef Joshua Mason and given a complimentary glass of champagne. Our group of six were seated, handed menus and given half a small glass of water. The view was nothing special but the layout and configuration of the restaurant was good given its brand new. We had a waitress take our order, some starters and two bottles of wine. The waitress was French and could not speak a word of English so the order was pointed out on the menu. As time passed, we asked how the wine order was going. Time continued to pass and we again asked the maître d how our order was going. While we waited, I would estimate that there were around 60-70 guests seated. The wait staff appeared confused, uncoordinated and out of their depth. I saw one table that had been served their entrées and basically all tables were without drinks. Bar and wait staff were mingling around the bar most of the time. After 1 hour 20 minutes our group stood up and walked out without having been served an order of wine and any starters. As we left master chef Joshua Mason was near the exit. No apology, no excuses nothing except he told us one of his computers was down and it was not his fault. Joshua you are the master chef therefore the boss and the buck stops with you. To come out and say ‘It’s not my fault’ is appalling. I will need to see overwhelming and outstanding reviews on this restaurant before I even...