It has been a hectic few months culminating in a big win for
me and I want oysters and a big glass of white damn it! Get me to The Morrison.
The Morrison Oyster Bar is the
newest Sean Connelly offering and is located at the former Brooklyn Hotel site
on the corner of George and Grosvenor St. While the Brooklyn never succeeded in
luring me inside, it didn’t take long for the expanses of large white tiles,
polished concrete and wooden floors of The Morrison to sell me. The whole place
has a light, clean feeling reminiscent of a New York industrial warehouse/French
bistro (yeah, well you try to describe it any better!). Given that it is a
Friday the place is packed when I walk in, and the noise a little oppressive.
The central bar is swamped, pumping out the signature Morrison cocktail, the
now ubiquitous freshly squeezed apple juice and rye whiskey (thanks Shady
Pines) and a wide range of oyster shooters accompanied by flavours such as mint,
lemon and jalapeno.
The menu is a neat selection of
re-vamped and twisted crowd pleasers divided by size and contents. The lighter
and shared dishes include ‘chicken lollipops’ of southern fried chicken with
chilli and molasses dip or the ‘flight of hams’, a study of three cured hams.
There is also the My Diane, something not seen so regularly on menus in Sydney
anymore, but a classic that I will always enjoy.
However I promised myself a nice
selection of oysters as a treat. With a glass of French Chablis in hand I order
a mixed dozen. The oysters here change based on availability and up on the
board today we have Pambula and Port Stephens rock, and Hawkesbury Pacifics.
The oysters are shucked fresh to order at a bar in the far left of the room and
are delightful. I discover that The Morrison’s talents are not limited solely
to oysters upon ordering the pork cutlet. This is a tricky cut of meat to do
well. It must be cooked right the way through without drying out the meat. At
The Morrison they serve it with a ‘green sauce’ containing kale, parsley, sage
and other lovely herby things roughly blended and heaped generously on the
cutlet. I didn’t think anything would ever outdo the apple as the accompaniment
of choice for pork, but…well it happened. The fresh sauce cuts through the richness
of the pork, making for a great dish. The greens with jamon crumbs are also
very good, we end up licking the dish clean! Those crumbs be good. The other in
the party (Dad) orders the dry aged hamburger served medium rare on a brioche
bun, with chipotle mayo and duck fat chips. I don’t even get a look-in. He
inhales it. That is probably the best recommendation that burger can have.
This place is relaxed enough to
enjoy on any night of the week, and I have to go back to try some of the other
fabulous sounding things on the menu.
225 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
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