The problem is, Musarra had already stuffed me full of dishes like crostini slathered with plump, jammy figs, prosciutto, and Woodside goat's curd, chargrilled quail with speck and Spanish pepper tapenade, and wood-roasted Tasmanian ocean trout with potato gratin and chive mascarpone, in addition to numerous glasses of wine from Australia's Hunter and Barossa Valleys, and I was succumbing to a combination of jet lag, food coma, and drunkenness, and upon returning home, was unable to read my rapturous prose.

So here I am, post-trip, mistily dredging up recollections of one of my favorite restaurants and hotel properties in Australia.

The Park Hyatt Sydney has 158 lushly-appointed, "grand mansion-style" rooms perched right at the base of the famed Harbour Bridge, and overlooking the Opera House, in Sydney's historic Rocks district.

If a ten-minute walk to the Opera House seems way to far a stroll, simply wallow as I did in the deeply luxurious, downy beds. What could be more relaxing, a soak in the Olympic-sized bathtub in the marble bathroom or watching sailboats drifting past the Harbour Bridge from your balcony. If you're feeling especially motivated, you can head upstairs to the SPA Park Hyatt for a vichy shower, massage, or facial, or swim in the rooftop pool. Find reasons to use the 24-hour butler service. The staff are all uncommonly good-natured, courteous, and helpful, something that never fails to impress me when I arrive, inevitably underdressed, at a five-star hotel toting a dirty backpack. It may also be why the hotel was voted number seven World's Best Hotel- Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Musarra's integrity as a chef shows on the plate. If the setting alone- 180 seats amidst a backdrop of water and sky, floor-to-ceiling folding glass doors that are usually open to capitalize on the balmy weather, and a sleek, open kitchen featuring a wood-fired oven and rotisserie- doesn't get you (and if it doesn't, you should have someone check your pulse), his food will. Dishes like grilled local snapper with lentils, tomato confit, pancetta, and salsa verde, chargrilled spatchcock (that's a young chicken to you and I, Yank) with kipfler (a type of fingerling) potato salad and onion jam, crispy squid with fennel & watercress salad and preserved lemon aioli, fresh berries with lime yogurt sorbet...all hint at Musarra's Mediterranean heritage and showcase ingredients from local farmers.

And the bar...... Hip and informal, harbourbar has a martini, champagne, and beer bar, and extensive wine cellar, so there's something for every taste and mood and level of liver abuse. If you're more of a traditionalist, hang out in the club-style bar with a martini and choose a smoke from the extensive cigar menu.

Okay, now for the bad news. Musarra left the end of February (just weeks after my visit) to be executive chef at the Park Hyatt Melbourne's acclaimed Radii restaurant. Not to worry, his replacement is chef de cuisine Danny Drinkwater, who trained under Musarra and is carrying on his style of food and tradition of using seasonal and local ingredients. And there's still that unforgettably romantic, stylish setting over the water, with a view that in my opinion, is the best in Sydney.

And Park Hyatt Melbourne? I haven't been there yet, but if Musarra is in the kitchen, you can bet I'll be following him there like one of Pavlov's dogs.

Laurel Miller is a food writer for the Oakland Tribune. Her stay at the Park Hyatt was gratis.

Details:
Park Hyatt Sydney
7 Hickson Road, The Rocks
Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
Tel: (02) 9241 1234
Fax: (02) 9256 1555
Email: Sydney@hyatt.com.au