Parramatta’s food boom
Parramatta is going through a renaissance of eateries popping up everywhere.
Modern Australian diner Husk and Vine has been pulling people in since recently setting up there.
Added to that is the Speakeasy Group opening an openair terrace bar in the area, dubbed Nick & Nora’s, providing 270-degree views of Sydney's skyline, the harbour and the Blue Mountains.
Then you have the Rockpool Dining Group re-opening the Rockpool bar & Grill and Sake in Parramatta’s dining and entertainment precinct at 8 Phillip Street.
Both venues are independent. Each has its own separate entrance and combined they span a total of 800 square meters of space within the dining precinct.
At the same time, Aslan Hospitality Group, last week opened a new all-day venue, ALEX&Co.
Located beneath Church Street's Meriton Altitude Towers, it takes up 600-square-metres with 350 seats. So in one space, the $250 million development is a restaurant, cafe and cocktail bar
To give some idea of its size, it offers three separate menus and function spaces with sweeping river views. There are also a range of seating options for all occasions. It's open all day, from morning till midnight every night of the week.
Executive chef Kyle Quy (ex-NOLA Smokehouse at Barangaroo) has created a menu featuring coddled eggs with blue swimmer crab for anyone wanting a good breakfast, freshly shucked oysters and salt and vinegar calamari, oxtail tortellini and a three-hour braised lamb shoulder.
Vasco’s Max Greco has put together the drinks list. There are cocktails designed to complement Quy's plates and special drinks like the Riverside, comprising dill-infused Bombay Sapphire, chamomile, fresh citrus, white chocolate and an absinthe mist. The drinks menu also has a tight but widely varied list of wines. He has also created a solid spirits selection.
These developments are huge for Parramatta which with all the investment dollars pouring in, is becoming Sydney’s mini-CBD.
by Leon Gettler, August 30th 2017
image - ALEX&Co
