Aria, Circular Quay

Have you been to this famous restaurant? Aria in Circular Quay has a grand reputation.

Aria is located centrally in Circular Quay with some very spectacular views of water, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.  For a romantic dinner or celebratory dinner, Aria would be perfect for a slightly posh experience. I came here to celebrate my new job which was really nice.

I opted for a three course meal at Aria for $89 per person. You can also get 2 courses for $74 or 1 course for $46. There seem to be a slightly older crowd dining or lots of couples. The meal started with a very rustic plate of wood with complimentary starter. The starter was home made hummus on a cracker.

For entree, (above) is the Grilled Kangaroo with beetroot, sprouted lentils and lemon aspen. It's beautifully presented with a contrasting green plate and is perfectly cooked. It's just a simple meal but well cooked and well presented.

I also tried the below Smoked chicken with pickled pumpkin and green goddess dressing. It was presented on a rustic looking plate. Again, a very simple dish, well cooked and nicely presented.

For main, above, is the Grilled Rangers Valley Flat Iron Beef with Watercress, yuzu and soy dressing. Below was the Cone Bay Barramundi with grilled cabbage and smoked dulse. Both dishes were tasty with different textures. The simplicity theme continues with the main protein being respected and perfectly cooked.

The desserts were delightful and were the highlight. Above is the Mango and Passionfruit souffle with roasted rice ice cream. It was heavenly, warm fluffy soft textures with that rice ice cream.

The below Valrhonda chocolate ganache with orange, hazlenuts and milk ice cream was amazing. This was the first time I experienced a little bit more creativity and glimpses of a modern twist at Aria. Lots of different textures of chocolate made me happy.

The photo at the very top is how the meal ended with compliments from Aria. Overall, a very nice and dependable meal with simplistic but well executed meals.

Prices: Three course meal at Aria for $89 per person. You can also get 2 courses for $74 or 1 course for $46

Location: 1 Macquarie St, Sydney

Summary: Lisa's Rating: 
Food: 7/10 for posh dining
Customer Service: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Value: 7/10