Sydney has experienced a recent influx of sleek bistros and flash steakhouses, but none are leaning into the opulence quite like Clam Bar. This new Bridge Street brasserie from the team behind Bistrot 916 and Pellegrino 2000 sets itself apart by combining the modern sensibilities of its CBD counterparts with a playful fondness for the menu items from fine diners of yesteryear. Seafood towers, prawn cocktails, egg salads and oysters three-ways — they're all here.
Dan Pepperell (ex-Restaurant Hubert and 10 William Street), sommelier Andy Tyson (ex-Alberto's Lounge) and former Rockpool Dining Group chef Michael Clift's third venue does nothing in half measures. On the hunt for caviar? There are three options here at ascending price points, all served with coconut blini and créme fraiche.
The menu is continually serving up surprises, from the truffle tuna poke to zucchini flower empanadas, but there are also plenty of down-the-line classics to enjoy. If you're after a meal that balances the luxurious and the familiar, you can start with the steak tartare and anchovy toast before you move onto a bowl of spaghetti with chilli and garlic clams, or simply turn straight to the centrepiece of the menu: the steak selection (which includes a 1kg porterhouse).
All of this is housed within a CBD diner that again rides the line between modern stunner and tastefully kitsch throwback. Golden finishing, playfully mirrored wall decor, wood panelling and retro light fittings invite you into a space that's primed for you to pair an excellent New York strip with a side of pan-fried crab cakes.
Credit: Jason Loucus