Harbour Room @ InterContinental Sydney, Sydney CBD

Entering into the InterContinental Sydney is like walking into a opulent marble maze in order to find the lifts to the Harbour Room. Fortunately for me, I just followed a couple I knew, who appeared to know where they were going, before heading up together to this engagement party.

The Harbour Room is located on the 31st floor with some spectacular (200 degree) views overlooking the Botanical Gardens through to Circular Quay:

Circular Quay

Floral Arrangements
(specially ordered by friend from florist)

As I had arrived late, I just missed out on some tasty prosciutto-wrapped green asparagus...😢... also I think there were a tray of cooked oysters that evaded me during the night but otherwise here is an account of the smorgasbord I was treated to here.

Peking Duck Pancake with Shallots & Hoi Sin Sauce

I guess there isn't really a fancy way to wrap a Peking duck pancake but I guess this is the way to go. The pancake itself was a little dry with not much duck meat inside but otherwise the pieces were just the right size to eat one, or two, in a mouthful (anyone up for chubby bunnies?).

Palm Sugar, Ginger Marinated Thai Chicken Skewers with Satay Sauce

The chicken skewers, along with the satay sauce, were flavoursome but as always with meat skewers, I'm on the fence with this dish. I find that it's very hard to cook chicken skewers well and they must be served immediately because as soon as they start cooling down, the meat tends to harden and comes rather dry.

Crispy Pork Belly with Coriander & Shallots

Interestingly, the large chunks of pork belly were deep fried, rather than baked, so they came with crispy skin. Fortunately, the meat was (extremely) fatty so the meat didn't come out dry.

Truffle & King Oyster Mushroom Arancini Balls

I love arancini so these were probably the highlight for me - hot, fluffy risotto rice with truffle and oyster, encased by a crunchy, golden exterior. Seriously, I was tempted to steal the entire platter, run off into a corner and enjoy on my own.

Fish Cake with Coriander, Saffron Aioli & Cashew Nuts

The fish cakes were juicy and tasty with a spicy/chilli kick, soothed by the dollop of saffron aioli.

Spanish Style Crispy Potato Bites with Brava Sauce & Serrano Ham

Unfortunately there weren't enough potato bites to go around so we ended up sharing a few between a large group of us.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These red-velvet cupcakes were an all-round hit - moist and fluffy sugar-hit - but unfortunately there was barely just enough to go around, let alone for seconds.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience here - filled with fancy canapés, accompanied by exceptional views of Sydney Harbour. However if you're looking for food that is more substantial (not to say that the food here wasn't great... just small), I would recommend Small Bar in Crows Nest, which I would believe is much lighter on the wallet.

Night View of Circular Quay

If you're lucky (like we were), you can actually see the night-time fireworks at Lavender Bay from this vantage point.


Food: ✰✰✰✰
Service: ✰✰✰✰
Atmosphere: ✰✰✰✰
Overall: ✰✰✰✰
Summary: Food with a view