Four Seasons Sydney's New Lobby Bar Goes Against The Grain...In a Good Way

Where: 199 George Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000

November 5, 2012 at 12:30 PM | by jetflyboy | Comments (0)

The hotel scene in Sydney has officially been changed with Four Seasons' new artisan lobby-bar, GRAIN, opening earlier last month. Filling a much needed void in the city's central business district the bar is not only a welcome addition to the neighborhood, but to the hotel also.

The space was transformed from what was once a traditionally designed lobby bar with very few signature drinks and small nibbles. As this place matures, it will surely draw in the general public from the bustling streetscape and strolling the The Rocks area. We had the opportunity to experience a guided tour of the bar, the menu and concept and we were left gobsmacked with GRAIN.

Natural wood featuring pops of warm earth-tones creates a welcoming space to unwind after a long day of sightseeing or maybe a few business meetings while on the road. At closer look, we noticed some unique glassware, interesting local art and a creative balance of wood and water. Best thing is that the large windows at the front of the building open, allowing more nature to become part of the design. Even the bar is made from sustainable Queensland Blackbutt timber.

After settling in, we dove into the menu and went on a fantastic cocktail and food journey. The entire bar's theme stems from an Eat Local movement and the menu features unique fare from all over Australia. We're talking beers from around the corner, snacks from most every region in Oz, Aussie-made crystal stemware and locally designed uniforms from Saxony.

The drinks menu features local wines and beers, plenty of organic, preservative free and bio-environmental sips. Not gratuitous with the ingredients and enough for plenty of tastes, the menu is a winner. Our cocktail of choice was the Eastern Promise, marrying vodka with pineapple, coriander (cilantro) and absinthe.

For some light eats, we started with an oyster trio from Aussie waters and moved on to a pulled beef short rib burger with radish, onions and sorrel. This is fork and knife burger as it gets a little messy, but it's well worth it. One of the most unusual snacks we have ever eaten was the Old Man's Salt Bush. It is, literally, a leafy bush — stems and all— that's lightly battered and fried and served with aioli. Odd, but super tasty.

For a light way to finish off your meal or drinks, we would recommend the tobacco smoked almonds coated in dark chocolate and topped with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Absolutely delicious and we need to figure out how we can order these for a snack at home.

GRAIN certainly fits right in with the Four Seasons experience and service. Coupled with a top-notch product and a passionate staff, and the hotel delivers one of the hottest lobby bars we've been in.

Disclosure: We dined as a guest of GRAIN, but our opinions and full bellies are completely our own.

[Photos: Rayme Gorniak/HotelChatter]

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