Perched high above the frenetic energy of Sydney’s city streets lies Shell House Dining Room & Terrace, a classic yet modern and forward thinking restaurant, which today launches its new summer menu from Culinary Director Joel Bickford celebrating the Mediterranean style of dining.
Bickford said: “We’re really excited by the new menu at Shell House. We’ve set the foundations in the Dining Room, and now having a lot of fun injecting some energy and dynamism into what was already a great menu. The menu is organic in that it champions seasonality and the best of what can be eaten on the day. We work with some of the best seafood mongers in the country that give us beautiful fish such as King George Whiting, Snapper and John Dory. We will feature these daily with a ‘daily fish specials’ list. I’m also really excited by the Wollemi ducks from Coppertree Farms that are on the menu.”
Hero dishes from the new menu include: Swordfish with broadbean, nettle and preserved lemon; and aged duck with burnt honey, wattleseed and prune. The ever-popular Agnolotti dish has taken a summer turn with the silky pillows filled with goat’s curd, pistachio and zucchini. The King George whiting dish has also evolved and is now paired with mussel, celery and saffron.
A meal at Shell House always starts with a series of snacks, and Bickford leads with signatures: Cruller with whipped fish roe and White Anchovy; and the playful take on the potato scallop. These are paired perfectly with a refreshing glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne or a diverse range of crisp, coastal whites that offer an abundance of citrus, florals and saline edge to pair with the beautiful seafood on offer.
Alex Kirkwood, Shell House Food and Beverage Director, is particularly excited by 2021 Occhipinti ‘SP68’ Bianco, a Sicilian favourite, the blend of Moscato di Alessandria and the native Albanello grape blend seamlessly with the help of some time on skins. By sourcing small producers with limited allocations, Kirkwood will look to refresh the Dining Room’s must-have drops with regularity.
Rounding out the menu Bickford’s pick of the desserts is the Bonet – caramelised white chocolate, coffee and truffle – an earthy and sweet dessert best served on a hot day outside on the terrace. Another favourite, a perfectly frozen grapefruit skin filled with buttermilk panna cotta, grapefruit granite, quenelle salted milk sorbet and fresh lemon thyme that will refresh all palates.
The Dining Room, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, is embraced by an L-shaped garden Terrace. The outdoor space is decorated with sandy-hued umbrellas and flourishing cumquat trees, the perfect urban oasis to escape the hustle and bustle of the Sydney CBD below.
The Shell House Dining Room & Terrace
Dinner Monday to Saturday, from 5pm
Lunch Tuesday to Saturday, from 12pm
2 Hats, Good Food Guide, 2023, 2024
Wine list of the year, Good Food Guide 2023
