BLAQ Restaurant & Bar
There's a Noma alum at the helm of this quietly elegant Blue Mountains spot, which features a seasonal menu that showcases the region's best producers, an all-NSW wine list and a cocktail list inspired by the local surrounds.
Overview
Blackheath boutique Kyah Hotel is home to Blaq, a produce and flavour-driven restaurant that draws on global culinary influences in the heart of the Blue Mountains. In winter 2025, the restaurant unveiled a bold new look and direction, with Executive Chef Alejandro Huerta and Head Pastry Chef Galia Valadez now leading the charge.
The husband and wife boast an excellent pedigree — Huerta honed his skills at celebrated restaurants around the world, including Pujol (no. 33 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2024) in Mexico City and iconic Copenhagen restaurant Noma. Valadez's CV features Michelin-starred Spanish institution Lillas Pastia, while more recently, she led the kitchen at Glebe wine bar No. 92.
Trent Van Der Jagt
Together, the pair draw on hyperlocal produce for their ingredient-led menu, which changes with the seasons to highlight single hero ingredients from trusted regional producers like Mountain Leaf, Malfoy's Honey and Mountain Gourmet Produce. Small plates might include a hash brown topped with whipped nduja, leek and chive, tuna on crispy wonton with smoked soy mayo and katsuobushi, or mushroom toast with XO and preserved truffle. Big plates, made for sharing, include fried chicken with warrigal green curry, jicama and pickled cucumber, Murray cod with borlotti beans and dill and pork belly with mirabelle plum sauce.
Valadez's dessert menu blends modern Mexican influences with local seasonal produce. It's a thoughtful selection featuring highlights like banana and corn cake with koji and crème fraîche and a hearty apple pie with salted cajeta.
Trent Van Der Jagt
There's impressive talent beyond the kitchen, too. Jake Down, Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year Australia 2024, oversees a cocktail program inspired by the local environment — the Gala Rain, for example, is a botanical-forward combination of apple, cucumber, green tea and gin, while the smoky Wollemi Pine layers palo santo, maple and whisky to evoke the warmth of a campfire. Master sommelier Andrés Aragón has curated Blaq's award-winning wine list, which is a deep dive into the diversity and terroir of NSW, spotlighting established and emerging producers from around the state.
It all takes place in a quietly elegant dining room complete with fireplaces, layered textures and soft lighting, making it equally suited to a celebratory dinner, a long lunch with friends or a cosy evening for two.
Trent Van Der Jagt
Images: Trent Van Der Jagt.
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