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Wow! Poly is one of my all time favourite restaurants and is worth every penny. The value and quality of the dishes are well worth it as it is not pricy at all. Great for a date night or even a girls night since the set menu provides a variety of dishes.
The ambience is quite dim and moody, so it is quite intimate. My highlight dish/es of the night was the grilled sourdough and whipped sesame, macadamia cream, crispy potato, sticky date donut and the Marscapone dessert!! All the flavours were subtle but also perfectly balanced, I did not think any of the dishes were missing anything.
It was unbelievably perfect but I’m not going to lie, because we did order extra dishes... we were quite full half way! We did try our best to power through but we did have to take away the wagyu, the desserts were too good to pass as they were not overly rich and portion size was good for 2.
The only downside was that the waitress got our cocktail order wrong and forgot to take it off the bill so subsequently we did pay for it, even though we should have double checked ourselves as we only realised when we got home. One waiter did have to read off our menu as he forgot what one of the dishes was called but no big deal there.
Seriously, one of my favourite restaurants in Sydney and it never disappoints!!
Highlights;
- pork belly skewer
- lamb ribs
- kingfish
- sourdough bread
- fried potato with salted egg
Some other dishes were overly salty.
Overall, a great experience. Would have had preferred to have the option to pick the a la carte menu for dining’s after 6pm.
Wonderful pear cocktail - complex, beautifully balanced finished with a spritz of absinthe - fantastic. Only tried a few small dishes but they were sophisticated and delicious. Contrary to some other reviews, I found that the service was exemplary - professional, friendly, knowlegeable.
This is my 4th time to Poly. The menu regularly changes and everytime I have been here the food has been incredible. Bread to start can’t go wrong with and they always have a roll/sandwich special - first few times I had the steak sandwich & tonight it was the Rissole roll. The only disapponting thing is the service - everytime I have been here the staff have been lacklustre/disinterested and borderline rude. Apart from this, food is 10/10.
Poly is the sister restaurant of Ester, a brilliant restaurant in Chippendale. Both restaurants are high on our list of Sydney favourites. Poly is located in a great spot on the border of Surry Hills and the Southern end of the CBD. You will find it in a large converted industrial space part of the Paramount site on Commonwealth Street. The restaurant’s bar is large and very prominent, which could give play to Poly’s vision to be a bar, which also serves food. Although the kitchen is small, they utilise the space well and the food is superb, making this an all round top dining experience. There are many different table configurations, great for groups, our favourite tables are by the kitchen and the mesmerising wood fire.
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This is the sister restaurant to Ester (which I’ve visited before) so have a guide to what to expect. The food is quite similar in a way and the service is top notch.
We came as a group to celebrate a belated birthday. The menu is divided into breads, raw and pickled, salads and vegetables, fish and meat, and cheese and sweet. It is pretty much a sharing menu so order as much as you can eat as a group and definitely no fomo here.
We ordered heavy on the bread side of things getting the Sourdough Rolls with a super delicious whipped sesame. If you’d given me a bag full of those rolls and a tub of the whipped butter concoction I would’ve been happy as a pig stuck in mud. There were two types of toast, one with anchovy and the other with nduja. As I’m not a fan of anchovies I steered clear of them but happily consumed the one with nduja and honeycomb. Slightly spicy it was mellowed by the honey. Really delicious combo. The waiter mentioned specials of John Dory and Prawns that weren’t on the menu. As their was limited quantities of each we ordered both. I didn’t try the prawns as not a fan of them but the John Dory was tasty. Could’ve done with more meat on it but the sauce was absolutely wonderful. The other dishes we had were lovely too.
My favourite of the evening was the Sticky Date Donut. A coil of heavenly sticky date smothered in caramel sauce and served with cream it was the perfect ending to the evening. I’d highly recommend trying this.
This restaurant is worth a detour for. The food and service are on point.
Got to experience Longrain as part of a work function. Such a lovely restaurant I’ve always wanted to go to. The food was amazing! I was super lucky my table didn’t like oysters so I got a whole heap. Such an intimate restaurant, service was extremely accommodating, as my friend had a but allergy and he got all his own dishes.
Susan ChocolateSuze Thye
+4
Poly in Surry Hills is part of the Paramount Hotel with a much more casual wine bar vibe than sister restaurant Ester but is equally as delicious. I’ve been a few times- once for the amazing Scarlet prawn dish and the light comte donut but both times I’d forgotten my camera so a birthday dinner with Isaac rectifies this!
This is a really great restaurant for food and drinks. My favourites were the sourdough rolls, raw beef and fried cheese, steak sandwich and cheese dumplings. Definitely stay for dessert because the sticky date donut and the hazelnut stracciatella icecream were really really good too!
Most dishes are easy to share but I think it’s best to share anyway so you can try a bit do everything. The venue gets quite crowded during peak times but the place is not very loud so it’s still easy to hold a conversation. Bookings are also recommended
Booked in for a Monday night dinner, it wasn’t too busy. Service was attentive and prompt. We ordered about 7 dishes for 4 of us, we really enjoyed all of them! The short rib was so tender and flavourful, and the snapper was done so perfectly as well. Highly recommend this place! This is as good as Ester, if not better!
This was a far more decadent meal than I was expecting as I reckon I consumed a full stick of butter in my 1.5 hours spent there . It was unbelievably delicious with the potato and salted egg yolk being of particular gluttony . Whilst the ah lamb ribs were so beautifully spiced and tender . Whooshka . Love it .
I may have been a bit bummed about the service so far, but this Garlic Bread ($8) was all I needed to feel better. Drenched in garlic butter, this massive golden ingot of bread was cooked over the wood fire until it was hot and crunchy on the outside, with a crust of cheese baked into the top, whilst leaving the centre moist and fluffy. But that’s not even the full story; the sheer gloriousness of this bread was elevated to the next level with a dish of smoked butter, adding another layer of woodsy fragrance (not to mention extra richness) to the already intoxicating flavours.
How can you not love Poly? Ester’s sister restaurant did not disappoint. Let’s start with why it didn’t disappoint. First, the subterranean fit-out is light filled and the wooden communal tables make it easier to accommodate bigger groups. Second, it’s shared plates style and the waiting staff are knowledgeable and helpful if you are unsure where to start. Third, the food is just beautiful and showcases seasonal and interesting ingredients. Fourth, the wine list is 12 pages long and is filled with organic wines. I didn’t know there were so many. I can’t wait to go back! #poly #surryhills
Our first dinner date after the arrival of our baby at the new restaurant Poly. We had for mains:
*clams.white gazpacho
*baby octopus.squid ink.lardo
*fatoush
*prawns.XO sauce
*crudites.labneh
*garlic bread.smoked butter
Cocktail: Beachside, wildflower ale, Yuzu Shu, Archie rose vodka and passion fruit
Cheese courses:
Waikato Gouda donut, it was amazing, shaped like a churros and deep fried, I can have a few of those! Not a big fan of the brillat savarin with blood plum wrapped with witlof though, everything was too soft for me, need some savory crunch
Ended off the night with a smoked milk ice cream with whipped honey. Yum
Poly is the much anticipated venue from chef and Ester owner Mat Lindsay. It’s a more casual, pared back affair than Ester, located in the basement of the Paramount House Hotel complex in Surry Hills.
Paramount, just steps away from Poly, is a really great place to see films. It’s intimate, with not so many seats, and a good view from each of them. But it’s still a communal experience, which, if people remember they’re not watching Netflix at homes, is a fun way to watch a movie. I like hearing other people’s sounds of pleasure or surprise, or a collective silence during an intense moment. On the other hand, I don’t know why this couple talked to each other the entire way through the documentary on Alexander McQueen. I guess there will always be those who are a bit stupid and selfish... (click the link for the full review)
Following Ester's successful opening in 2013, the team behind it has now opened a sister restaurant Poly. Having dined at Ester before, Mr Piggy and I could not wait to check out what Poly has to offer. The menu is concise and the place aims to deliver food in a casual "hands-on" manner. The dishes are small in portion, and this gave us a good chance to sample a variety.
Definitely the same quality you’d expect from the Ester team, and overall we were again blow away over this lunch.
The Scarlett Prawns are definitely highly recommended as well as the Ricotta Nudies.
Any chance we could get some pasta with the Pippies and Bottarga oil? Otherwise, do save some bread for dipping cause that’s the real main event..
Another restaurant that we could fault very little and definitely recommend those that want to develop a sophisticated palate cause a lot goes on in every dish :)
Maybe another 5er in the near future...?
Amazing food, each dish was a surprise of flavors. A relaxed and comfortable atmosphere with great service. The cocktails are a must........
Run do not walk to this amazing new space. Everything is fun and unique. The potato cigar was so good we ordered a second. The restaurant makes its own Soda making for tasty mixed drinks!
Friendly bar staff, hope this place takes off
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Beautiful restaurant with a nice cosy feel and atmosphere. We were greeted by friendly staff who started us off with a buckwheat popcorn starter.
Oysters were next up and they were light and tasty!
Grilled Bread with whipped butter! If I could get this bread every day I would. So soft and buttery and tasty! One of our party order this again for desert it was that good!
I wasn’t too sure about the onion haystack when I read it on the menu, but once I had my first bite, I was like, I’ll have another one of them thanks! :)
The potato cigar was the best, I could eat them forever. I mean how can you go wrong with cheesy fried goodness.
The beetroot labneh dish was next. The beetroot was roasted and had a nice smoky flavor. Great pairing with the creamy labneh.
The octopus. Words can not explain how much I enjoyed it.. so melt in your mouth deliciousness.
First time trying Ricotta Gnudi and I’m sold. This one was so smoky that when you leave dinner you still get the hints of smokiness. And let me tell you, that’s a good thing.
The quail was next. Oh boy, I really didn’t get behind the presentation.. not sure if it was my psychological taste but I didn’t love it.
Ended with two deserts. The Tulumbi and Chantilly Cream as well as the Blood Orange Sorbet were great.
Thanks very much poly, had a great night.
Helen | Grab Your Fork
+4
The beef tartare is an ideal place to begin, a quenelle of finely chopped and beautifully coloured beef flavoured with fermented hot sauce and a snowfall of freshly grated horseradish. Housemade potato chips almost steal the limelight, wafer thin salted crisps that yield a satisfyingly noisy crunch.
Fantastic food, friendly knowledgeable staff - couldn't ask for more on a Saturday date night. The entree's are brilliant, great flavours and presentation. The bugs were delicious as were the BBQ oysters and the mussels. Carnivore sandwich maybe not so much for my wife! Thank you to the entire Poly team! We will be back a lot more.
Bit of a trendy place and the food is good enough, but I found that it was the carbs that was filling me up, rather than protein. We did order mostly appetizers for variety and also previous feedback was that mains portion were quite small.
We spent $100 per person, for 3 people. With wine. Which was decent enough.
Great service though. Attentive waitstaff, and our waitress put in a candle on our desert order, because she overhead that we were celebrating our birthdays.
Inventive food however flavours didn’t quite come together as well as I hoped. I love the sister restaurant Ester but it’s not as tasty as Ester (the bread, the cauliflower and generally). Staff were accommodating when we wanted to move from the bar seating to a normal table. Overall still a positive experience
Amazing amazing food! Best dry aged steak I’ve had to date. Super funky but still super tender. Hats off the kitchen! Also highly recommend the bug as that was *chefs kiss*. Service was impeccable bar one instance when we were asking for the bill and the waiter was behind the counter was drinking some water and chatting to another staff. We made eye contact and he held up a finger to indicate I wait. Not huge but it did seem a little rude and I was slightly taken aback.
We enjoyed a nice dinner tonight at Poly. The Fried Potato and Egg Yolk was like a super hash brown that would have been perfect if not for a lack of seasoning. The Leek and Corn dishes were excellent - highly recommend. Our main protein order was the Murray Cod which was well cooked, but again would be better with more salt. Dessert however was an absolute winner - their “Thousand Layers” (or Millefeuille) dessert was absolutely amazing.
After seeing comments from previous reviews, I have to agree that service could be improved. We were seated for almost 15 minutes (with many failed attempts to flag down staff) before our order was taken. And while paying the bill, the waiter left the EFTPOS machine on our table and never returned. Slightly awkward end to our meal.
Late review as we went for a Saturday lunch at Poly back in March and it's the only lunch Poly opens at the moment.
Overall food was fantastic - highlights were the Potato Bread and Fried Potato with Egg Yolk (like an extra crispy hashbrown). Minus 1 star for the service - wish it was more attentive and friendly as some looked disinterested.
Would I go back again? Yes I would.
Poly started well, but seems to get better every time. Every dish has the appropriate level of technique. Some are just handled right. Others, have more work that the Hollywood actors guild. The kitchen rumbles along with all the quiet confidence of a brain surgery team. Four of us ate more than we should have, but it was so good, we ate as much as we could take, without requiring lap band surgery the next day. With a bottle of primo Chardonnay, and a well earned tip, it came in at around $160pp. Let me assure you, €100 a head won't get you anywhere near an experience like this, anywhere else on the planet.
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