2 things you need to know about this place before you walk in – 1) it’s expensive, 2) it’s expensive. But we were out to celebrate, so made the most of it =)

Neil Perry set up Rockpool a while back, and this restaurant in The Rocks is very famous for its sophisticated seafood menu. Making a booking wasn’t hard, and they accommodated us with a table for 5. One thing that got on my nerves was the fact that we were served by at least 5 different staff during our dinner. 1 person sent us to our table (that’s acceptable), another got us the menus, the other to take the order, another to send our entree – you see where I’m going with this?

First off, the wine list – it’s impressive. Very impressive. Good selection of French, Australian and Italian wines. Reds, Whites, Sparkling, Champagnes, various other blends and about 2 pages listing just dessert wines. We started with a bottle of white (approx $80 per bottle)… and I then started to stare at the menu.

For those of you who have read my previous post would know that I am not much of a seafood fan (boo hoo, I know)… So my entree was salad with beetroot cooked in 3 different styles - raw, roast and jelly. All this served with roquefort cheese and hazelnuts. The cheese was quite strong, so I had to accompany that with some of the table bread to help weaken the taste. $32 for this entree.

My main course was a confit of suckling pig served with a yam and ginger puree along with some mustard fruits. Again, I’m sure a seafood order would have suited someone with that taste, but I was happy with my pig (I’m referring to my main course). The puree had a nice texture with each bite of pork, but had a slightly over powering ginger flavour. The mustard fruit was nice, but again a little strong. Oh and this main is about $70.

Dessert was Vanilla Panna Cotta topped with Blood Orange Sorbet. This was a perfect dessert for that evening. We had had a couple of glasses of wine already and ending towards a warm night, the sorbet hit the spot. We also ordered a bottle of dessert wine to accompany our last meal. $24 for the dessert.

Now a quick talk about the decor – it’s simple but yet very well lit. The staff were courteous and fairly attentive. The entrance had a good layout and made you feel like you were walking into somewhere elegant. The restaurant seemed to have a few hidden bits, like a floor above (possibly for the celebrities) – and some private tables for your personal quite and romantic experience. There is also a degustation menu at $195 per person (not including wine).

Look if you are a seafood lover, there were dishes there that looked impressive and I’m sure would taste good. And probably also good value for money. However, my confit pork didn’t cut $70 value, and neither did my beetroot salad. But I still loved the overall experience. The company I was surrounded by was what made my night.

Atmosphere – 7/10
Food – 6/10
Wine/Cocktails – 8/10
Staff – 6/10
Value for money – 5.5/10