The Sanderson — Restaurant in Sydney

Thursday night byo. Outstanding. I arrive with a lovely vino, having notified in advance when booking, and having pre-ordered the lobster pasta.

Met with an aggressive “so, you’ll be ordering from the set menu”. I said “no?”. Maître’d said, “yes, you were advised when booking”. I politely said “no, I wasn’t”, she says “you definitely were”, I said “I definitely wasn’t”. She barks at me “I’m telling you, you were”. I said “I’m telling you I wasn’t. Do I need to leave?” She said no, and I was eventually given a conventional menu. Goodness me. Quite offputting.

So, I get home and carefully check if there was anything I missed? Do I owe her an apology? I go to re-book for Thursday night next week, byo. THERE IS NO MENTION OF SET MENU. This door lady (she’s not a maître’d’s shadow) was SO rude. Venomous. So weird. She spent the evening with a terse look on her face, shooting daggers at us. Anyway, we won’t be going back next Thursday or any other day.

The wine we took was a Bordeaux. The waiter picks it up, reads the back, says “wow. Mostly Merlot”. He’d never seen one. Their wine list is at best shallow. Lacks any confidence or presence.

We started with a martini. “Do you have a preference for gin?” I asked “what gins do you have?” He handed me the drinks list, which had 4 gins on it, advising proudly “but we have many more”. I asked “which ones?” and he said “I don’t know”. Again odd. We ended up being charged for 5 x gins, having only had 3. We didn’t press it.

The scallop was lovely. Nice theatre as the spanner crab San Choi bow was assembled at the table, but the crab was overwhelmed by sickly sweet melon and an odd flavour combination.

The best part was the presentation of a selection of different steak knives from a stylish leather sheath. Lovely gimmick in fairness, so too the pewter shot glass amuse bouche with bizarre but pleasant strawberry juice.

Oh, and on arrival, “any allergies or intolerances?” My guest indicated “no coriander”, only to be explained that there’s coriander in the spanner crab, but “you won’t taste it”. Please dear lord. More weird discourse followed.

We were advised “we’re going for a good food hat this year”. Also odd. Then followed a hard sell for dessert.

The duck was lovely, although the leg was slightly underdone. The lobster pasta not so spectacular - lovely butter sauce in shell with an apologetic tomato pasta accoutrement.

We ordered a PX and a port. They didn’t arrive.

The space is cliched NYC steakhouse. Pleasant still. Good atmosphere.

We left, brutalised by the aggressive, underwhelming experience. Trying too hard one minute, angry, inexperienced the next. Go elsewhere. You’ll...

Our new fav restaurant in the city. What a cracking place. The food was spectacular, generously portioned and just super tasty. The single starters, oysters and entree dishes were varied and each enticing in their own way.

We got the prawn toast, eclair carbonara, oysters, beef tartare and bone marrow, all delicious. I was so tempted to order one of each starter and had a hard time narrowing it down. Next time we'll definitely try the scallop and crab salad. Love the theatrics of finishing dishes by the table.

The mains were a knockout - Scotch fillet, lamb rump, dry aged duck with sides of potato rosti, baby carrots and broccoli. Beautifully medium rare and succulent meat. Quite the range of jus to pair with the dish. The dry aged duck was by far the best we've tasted anywhere. So juicy and packed full of flavour, beautiful fat to meat ratio, moorish duck skin, simply decadent. (The octopus wasnt great, not sure if it was that particular batch not being as fresh or an outlier something, but hopefully others had better versions of it or it gets swapped. I'm sure all the other seafood options are just as delicious as the meat dishes we had)

We got the bombe Alaska and sticky pudding for dessert and they were a little boozy, sweet, tart and well balanced, a great way to finish the night.

Love the little touches of the bull shot glasses and amuse bouche of unknown elixir to wet our appetite at the start. The leather napkin rings with the Sanderson insignia, the choose-your-own-Argentinian-knife experience, the plush booths and floor to ceiling windows all added to the luxe vibe.

The wait staff were super attentive, provided great service and we were very well looked after. The wine list was extensive and had good range and the sommelier was very helpful in piling us with excellent wines (ended up having a bottle each in our group). I also enjoyed the mocktail that came out in a house like glass (forgot what it's called), it was very yummy without being sickly sweet or cordial like. It's usually slim pickings for good mocktails even at nice restaurants so this was a bonus for the non drinker.

Was quite the gluttonous night. Would definitely be returning especially as it's quite close to work so we'd be eyeing it for work...

Exceptional Luxury and Service at The Sanderson: A Must-Visit Hidden Gem!

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a surprise birthday party at The Sanderson, and I must say, it exceeded all expectations in every aspect. From the moment we arrived, the staff displayed impeccable service and went above and beyond to ensure our celebration was truly unforgettable. Despite running a bit late, the staff greeted us warmly and efficiently, swiftly attending to our needs and making us feel welcomed.

The atmosphere exudes luxury and sophistication, setting the perfect stage for a fine dining experience. The ambience was elegant and refined, adding to the overall charm of the evening.

Now, let's talk about the food - an absolute culinary delight! The flavors and presentation were exceptional, showcasing the chef's expertise and dedication to providing a top-tier dining experience.

The menu offered a delightful variety, pleasing every palate at our family gathering of six. The quality and taste of each dish were nothing short of magnificent, truly embodying the epitome of fine dining.

What truly set The Sanderson apart was the unparalleled treatment we received from the staff. They treated our family like royalty, attending to every detail and making sure our celebration was nothing short of extraordinary.

The level of service was truly outstanding, adding to the overall luxurious experience. The Sanderson is indeed a hidden gem in the city, and I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking that extra touch of luxury and elegance for a special occasion. Whether it's a surprise birthday party or a romantic dinner, The Sanderson promises a memorable and opulent experience that will leave you wanting to...