With Sydney's warm summer weather most definitely behind us it's nice to have some neighbourhood favourites you can rely on for those colder nights. Having opened last November, Civilian Bar & Kitchen in Darlinghurst is now in full swing with their winter menu delicately crafted by Aaron Mihelic formally of Sydney icons such as Fish Face, Guillaume at Bennelong and Becasse.
With a burst of craft beer and spirits on the scene, the humble cocktail could almost a seem vintage choice. However Civilian’s cocktail menu is set firmly in 2015 with it's Passionfruit Sour ($17) with caramel foam - a combination that we never realised was a perfect match, and the Watermelon Mint Martini ($17) that's fresh, and almost a little too easy to drink. Both had the perfect balance of flavours and avoided that dreaded too sweet sickliness. Add to them a more than moderately sized complimentary popcorn drizzled in truffle oil, it certainly makes it hard to tear yourself away from the bar.
Luckily, Civilian's food menu has a few tricks up it's sleeve as well.
The Hiramasa Raw Kingfish ($16) is the first surprise of the night. Often raw dishes are praised for their simplicity but in this case it's quite the opposite - the combination of orange, soy and finger lime flavours add depth without being overpowering and the crunchy texture of wild rice provides a nice contrast.
Another highlight is the biodynamic Herb Crumbed Hens Egg ($12) creation which deserves it's very own moment for two reasons - it's perfectly oozy yolk and potato chips so paper thin and crispy that we're not even sure they count as a real chip - perhaps just magic instead. Married together with enzo salami, asparagus and truffle it's a homey comfort dish that we wish appeared on brunch menus around town too.
The Cape Grim Beef Tri Tip ($24) with mushroom ragout, crispy potatoes and baby spinach from the 'mid sized' section is recommended to share. The chef's decision for the beef tri tip to be served up straight as medium rare is one that's appreciated, and while this is the hero of the dish it's the mushroom ragout that will be the talk of the night. Cooked slowly for two hours the creaminess and soft texture sans beef would be enough to send vegetarian friends wild. Add to that two great sides: Roast Cauliflower with Chickpea, Radish and Sheep's Yoghurt ($10.50) or the Roast Pumpkin, Goats cheese, Coconut and Pepita ($13) and you're set.
The Confit Pork Belly ($27.50) wins on taste and has a smashing crackling but we wish the meat was a little more tender. The accompaniments of apple, wasabi, celery and lemon balm don't let it down though and are perfectly matched to balance the richness of the pork.
Our number one tip: save room for dessert: the Acai Souffle ($16) makes you believe size does matter as it touts one of the most impressive rises I've seen in quite some time only rivaled of course by it's side of cream topped with berry crumble. Lesson to other restaurants: there can never be a too large serving of cream.
The Chocolate Tart ($16) with caramelised banana and salted caramel is a little more subtle. It's a simple combination executed extremely well. The tart and banana have just the right amount of crispness and softness while the portions of each element have clearly been well thought through- nothing is too overbearing and it leaves you only slightly wanting more.
Overall, we found that the menu nails it in two areas: a real balance in dishes - each ingredient feels very intentional - and secondly, really great texture in each dish. While it's hard to pin down Civilan's brand and concept I can't help return to a cliché in the end: it's the food that speaks for itself. And the cocktails, you can't forget the cocktails.
Tips::
- Check in with the staff if sharing regarding portion sizes - we found they didn't necessarily fit in to their smalls, mid-sized and bigger sections
- Take advantage of being able to book a table beforehand (such a luxury these days)
- Don't be put off by the lack of vegetarian options as the Herb Crumbed Hens Egg and Cape Grim Beef Tri Tip sans meat hold their own
Civilian Bar & Kitchen
Address: 248 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst NSW
Opening hours: Dinner 5.30pm – 12am, Wednesday – Sunday | Brunch 7am – 3pm, Friday - Sunday
Phone: 02 9361 4162
Website: www.civilian.net.au
Instagram: @civilian_bar_kitchen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Civilian-Bar-Kitchen