Set back from the hustle and bustle of Darling Harbour sits Planar, a bar and dining destination offering a contemporary menu with global influences, innovative cocktails, alfresco dining and views of the harbour and city skyline.
Recently we popped into Planar to try the delicious food and creative cocktails that everyone has been raving about. We took our seats, or should I say ‘giant, comfy couch chairs’, in the alfresco dining section so we could enjoy the Darling Harbour view. The vibe was relaxed and the waiters were attentive yet easy going which was exactly what we needed on a Monday.
The menu takes inspiration from around the globe and feature dishes including pizza, salads, burgers, pasta and skewers. To start we had the stone-baked bread served with green hummus, eggplant & beetroot & semi-dried tomato. The stone-baked bread was fresh, warm and so incredibly moreish and the dips super tasty with the semi-dried tomato dip being our absolute favourite. Great bread to dip ratio too (Very important in my books!)
For my main I had the Grilled barramundi served w. saffron butter linguini, cherry tomatoes & asparagus. The barramundi was so tender and melt-in-your-mouth while the saffron butter linguini was cooked al dente. The flavour of the pasta was just incredible and was perfectly complimented by the tomatoes and asparagus.
My hot date for the evening who proclaimed while ordering “I am really hungry tonight. We will need to order lots of food” ordered the sous vide lamb rump marinated with rosemary & garlic, capsicum, onion & corn skewered. Served w. a creamy garlic sauce & cocktail potatoes. This dish is definitely a show stopper. The absolutely giant skewer is packed with juicy lamb and the potatoes with garlic sauce is definitely you want to save room for. Let’s just say my date did not need any extra food after this dish!
Planar is known for it’s creative and inventive cocktails so we decided to try a few! AVIATION is a cocktail and a show. Featuring Gin, Maraschino liquor, Créme de violette and lemon juice this cocktail is served through a specially made ice sphere using fire and heat. We also tried the SMOKED FASHIONED – Bourbon, sugar cube, Angostura bitter, cherry bitter, soda water served out of a stunning cut class decanter that was also filled with a fragrant smoke. Finally, we also tried the APERITIVETTO which is a must for Amaretto fans- Amaretto di Saronno, Aperol, Montenegro, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white.
Planar also has an extensive beer, wine and spirit menu but I would definitely make sure you try one ( or three) cocktails when you visit!
The only negative about the evening was that I ate sooooo much dinner that I couldn’t fit in dessert. Devastating! But if I did have room I would have chosen the Stone-Baked Nutella Pizza served w. strawberries & banana. Yum! Will have to try it next time.
Where: ICC Sydney, Shop C08, Ground Floor/14 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour NSW 2000
Website: https://www.planarrestaurant.com.au/
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